GRAPHICS: First, the best laptop for gaming, will have the best, quickest and latest possible graphics. When considering a laptop with the purpose of gaming make sure to look for the latest graphics card as well as the quality of the graphic chipset. Also be sure to check the specs of the laptop to see if you could upgrade the graphics card on your laptop as the need arises (for most laptops this is standard).
Some of the best graphic chipsets are NVIDIA, ATi Mobility Radeon 9700, Intel's Graphics Media, or ATi's Mobility FireGL V3200.
The ATI Mobility Radeon 9700 graphic chipset will make your laptop perform a variety of functions, including 3D, HDTV, mobile video editing studio and graphic processor. Also the Radeon 9700 is not only a quality Graphics Card it will also give you better performance while saving battery power.
Other common graphic chipsets include, Trident S3, STMicro, 3D Labs, Matrox, and SIS.
RAM: RAM is a crucial factor in getting the best laptop for gaming. Simply put RAM, or random access memory, refers to the amount of programs you can run on your laptops without running into slow downs. 512MB of ram is optimal for the serious gamers as this will allow for the large memory needed to run graphics that are required for gaming. Basically more RAM equals a better laptop for gaming. Some laptops come with as much as 2GB of RAM! RAM is essential for running video graphics, 3D, and for gaming in general.
Laptops also have what is called dedicated video RAM (VRAM) that is memory, which usually comes with a graphics card (ATI Radeon, NVIDIA GeForce, etc...) and has its own memory in MB which includes 32MB, 64MB, and 128MB. This is a special RAM that is used by the video adapters inside the laptop and only handles graphics and visuals. VRAM is especially helpful for 3D gaming. Today NVIDIA nForce is considered as one of the best graphics card.
Overall the best option for gaming is to pick a laptop with the highest VRAM graphics card you can afford. A good way to find out what memory you might need is to refer to the back of your games or media software CD-case or manual to see the "system requirements" for the video memory requirements.
The best laptop for gaming has lots of CPU speed. Nothing is more annoying than to be in the middle of a game and have the computer freeze or crash. The processor is the computers brain or center and the quality determines how your computer will perform. The speed of a processor is presented in gigahertz (GHz}. While there are many brands and types of processors, one of the best available today is the Intel Core 2 Duo. And the best laptop for gaming has a speed of 2.4GHz or more.
As far as the hard drive goes, it is best to go with a SATA. SATA, or Serial Advanced Technology Architecture is best for laptops, it uses less power than other hard drives and is not limited to a particular clock speed. Make sure to check the hard drive speed, 7200rpm is the highest and best for for a gaming laptop.
SCREEN/DISPLAY: The screen specifications for gaming laptops play an important role. Obviously the bigger the better, a 17 inch wide screen will deliver a magnificent gaming experience. Resolution and display quality should be able to handle the graphics for 3D gaming.
While there are several display resolutions available, today the best is WUXGA, which stands for Widescreen Ultra eXtended Graphics Array and is a display resolution of 1920 by 1200 pixels (2,304,000 pixels) with a 16:10 screen aspect ratio.
So in the end the best laptop for gaming is a combination of graphics, ram, processor speed and screen display. Keeping this formula in mind when purchasing your gaming laptop will provide you with the ultimate gaming experience.
Because of these superior features gaming laptops come with a huge retail price tag. Something to consider is in a world where the Internet provides a huge arena where lots of sellers and merchants compete for your business, lots of money can be saved by avoiding retail merchants and purchasing a laptop for gaming at a discount.
What will you use the machine for? Will it be a gaming only laptop, or will you do other things on it as well? It's important to know this going in, because the options available (operating systems, bundled software, etc.) may change based on your decision. Of course, most machines that are powerful enough to run the types of games that are popular currently will certainly have enough power to run most other types of software as well.
How much portability do you need your laptop to have? Some machines, marketed specifically as gaming laptops, actually aren't all that portable, since they're rather large; as dedicated gaming computers that are easier to move than the average PC, they're fine for LAN parties, where you only have to move them once in awhile. But, if you're wanting a laptop you can also use to take notes in class , or one you can travel with, to play your games on vacation you'll need something smaller.
Be aware: there's a compromise headed your way. Do you want a really good gaming machine? A super "brick-like" gaming laptop will fit your needs, but battery life is short, and it's not truly portable. A smaller laptop with a better battery will make traveling easier, but may not be able to meet your gaming desires in terms of graphics or speed. This is why it's important to understand ahead of purchase time exactly what you want to do with the machine.
If you're not beta-testing the newest games, you can probably get by with a smaller and cheaper machine. A lot of games that have been out for awhile are fun, and will run just fine. So, keep in mind the kinds of games you play, and whether you need to play the newest thing as soon as possible, when you think about your laptop needs.
When shopping, pay close attention to the graphics card that comes with the machine. This is often the primary determining factor in a computer's gaming suitability. Mobile graphics chip sets may have the same name as a PC counterpart, but that doesn't mean it's the same chip set. Research the benchmarks before purchasing, so the chip set you end up with is one that will do what you need and want it to do.
If you think about what your needs and desires are from a gaming laptop before you research, and research before you buy, you should be able to find a computer that will do most of what you need, but you may not be able to find one that does everything. It's a situation that calls for compromise, so be aware of what you are, and aren't, willing to give up. Good luck with your laptop search and with your gaming!
Both Jr Lang & Chris Jensen are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Jr Lang has sinced written about articles on various topics from computers and the internet, Laptops and Computers and The Internet. You can browse a large selection of gaming laptops as well as all models of laptops and accessories, and read more helpful buying guides for laptops at: