Most gamers look for Nvidia and ATI as their choice of Graphics Cards which uses dedicated memory (RAM) and pulls additional system RAM when needed thru HyperMemory (ATI) or Turbocache (Nvidia). You need at least 2 Gigs of RAM, although most high end laptops now come with 4 or more Gigs of RAM. Note: 32-bit Operating Systems ONLY recognizes up to 3GB of RAM, while you need 64-bit systems to take full advantage of 4GB of RAM.

Sound and visuals are very important to gamers so you have to check for superior display qualities and top sound systems. So look for display technologies like CrystalBrite (Acer) or X-Black (Sony) for better viewing. Also look for high resolution (native 1,920 x 1,200) screens, 64 bit systems, DirectX 10 Graphics, Blu-ray or HD playback...

With all these considerations in mind, here's a short list of a few top gaming laptops you should consider if you're in the market. Keep in mind, although prices are coming down, be prepared to pay top dollar for all that high-end gaming hardware, especially if you're looking at the more popular well-known brands. Also please note stated prices are rough estimates at the time of writing; so check each manufacturer's online site for exact prices and configurations.

1. Alienware Area-51 m17x ($4,749)

Alienware has always been the established leader for superior gaming machines. Unfortunately, while they make some of the best gaming rigs, you will have to pay for all that performance and for all that style. Many believe Alienware is too overpriced for what you get. However, if money is no object, Alienware should be your first consideration for a gaming laptop.

Currently, one of their fastest machines is the Area-51 m17x which sports some impressive specs:

CPU: Intel? Core? 2 Extreme X9000 2.8GHz (6MB Cache 800MHz FSB)

Memory: 4GB? Dual Channel DDR2 SO-DIMM at 667MHz - 2 x 2048MB

Hard Drive: 250GB (250GB x 2) 7,200RPM (8MB Cache) w/ Free Fall Protection

Graphics: 512MB NVIDIA? Quadro? FX 3600M

OS: Microsoft? Windows? Vista? Ultimate with Service Pack 1 Display: 17" WideUXGA 1920 x 1200 LCD (1200p) with Clearview Technology Weight: 10.5 lbs

But don't expect long battery life as gaming laptops are usually power-hungry creatures that burn up your power source very quickly. While still mobile, this laptop serves more as a desktop replacement than a portable laptop, same said for most of the gaming laptops here. However, you won't look any cooler than when you're lugging this rig around, not that looks should count but they often do. Shallow world.

2. Rock Xtreme 780 X9100 (?2300 British Pounds or $4,210 USD)

Offering some serious competition to the Area-51 m15x is the Rock Xtreme 780 X9100. This is the follow-up to the very high ranked Xtreme 770 which you may also consider. The 780 sports the new Intel? Core2 Extreme processor and the latest gaming technologies.

CPU: Up to Intel? Core? 2 Extreme processor X9100 (2 x 3.06GHz) 6MB Level 2 Cache

Memory: Up to 4GB DDR3 1066Mhz RAM

Hard Drive: Up to 320Gb 7200rpm SATA

Graphics: NVIDIA 9800M GTX 1GB GDR3

OS: Microsoft? Windows? Vista? Home Premium

Display: 17" WUXGA+ X-Glass TFT Screen (1920 x 1200) Weight: 8.4 lbs

You should know Rock (Rockdirect) is a leading UK laptop manufacturer and was recently acquired by the Stone Group. It should be business as usual since the Stone Group is also a leading hardware specialist and laptop manufacturer. Rock has a solid reputation for bringing the latest innovative notebook technology to customers. Perhaps better suited for European buyers with its "3 Year pan-European Collect & Return Warranty" - although gamers this side of the pond shouldn't necessarily rule out getting a rock.

3. Gateway P-7811FX ($1,449)

The Gateway P-7811FX is an inexpensive alternative to all the pricey gaming laptops you might be considering. If you're looking for a good gaming machine, yet want to stay within a limited budget, this laptop may have your name on it.

CPU: 2.26GHz Intel Core 2 Duo P8400

Memory: 4GB, 667MHz DDR3

Hard Drive: 200GB 7200rpm

Graphics: Nvidia GeForce 9800M GTS

OS: Microsoft? Windows? Vista? Premium (64-bit) Display: 17.1 inches HD-friendly 1920x1200. Weight: 9.0 lbs

This gaming laptop offers great value for your money and well worth your consideration, especially if you're on a tight budget.

4. Sager NP9262 ($5879)

In case you want to go in the other direction and break the bank, the Sager NP9262 maybe calling your name. Built on the Clevo D900C / D901C (Worlds 1st Quad Core Laptop) the NP9262 sports some very impressive gaming specs.

CPU: Intel? Core? 2 Quad Processor Q9650 / 12MB L2 Cache, 3.0GHz, 1333MHz FSB

Memory: 8GB memory available on NP9262 with 64bit edition of Windows VISTA

Hard Drive: 320GB 7200rpm SATA 300 Hard Drive + other HD choices

Graphics: Dual Nvidia GeForce 9800M GTX Graphics with 1GB DDR3 Video Memory in SLI mode

OS: Windows? Vista? ULTIMATE 32/64-Bit Edition Display: 17" Wide Viewing Angles WUXGA LCD with Super Glossy Surface (1920 x 1200) Weight: 11.55 lb

5. Dell XPS M1730 ($4,000)

Some gamers wouldn't be caught dead mentioning Dell and gaming laptops in the same breath. There's no accounting for gaming snobbery or brand name bias. However, Dell which now owns Alienware and some of that style must be rubbing off since the XPS M1730 is one of the most striking gaming laptops you can buy; looks do count and this one leaves all takers in the dust. If you can get over the idea of having a Dell in the first place, the XPS M1730 also sports some very impressive gaming specs.

CPU: 2.8GHz Intel Core 2 Extreme X7900

Memory: 2GB of 667MHz

Hard Drive: 400GB (2x200) at 7,200rpm

Graphics: Dual 256MB Nvidia GeForce 8700M GT in SLI (scalable link interface)

OS: Windows Vista? Home Premium Display: 17 inches 1,920x1,200 resolution Weight: 11.1 lbs

These are just some of the top gaming laptops on the market. Any one of these rigs will give you half decent gaming. There are probably a lot more cheaper gaming laptops out there and it does pay to shop around. And as you probably already noticed these gaming rigs are geared around Intel and Nvidia, but you shouldn't rule out AMD and/or ATI based systems. For Mac lovers, you should look at the Apple MacBook Pro - and remember you can also run Windows to play games!

Furthermore, one of the major drawbacks of going with any gaming laptop (rather than a PC) is that there is very little room for expansion... you need a system that can be easily upgraded mainly because by the time you buy it, your system will probably be out of date. That's a bit exaggerated, but it is always a good idea to go with a gaming system that you can easily upgrade when the need arises or as you can afford it.

Also some gamers dislike Vista as an Operating System for gaming and quickly switch back to Windows XP. This is simply done, however some current laptops/PCs won't accept XP so check this out BEFORE you buy your machine.

In addition, if some of these gaming rigs look very similar, you should know that Clevo is the ODM (Original Design Manufacturer) based in Taiwan that sells barebones and computer components to all these boutique brand OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) like Falcon, Sager, M-TECH, Rock... Clevo is considered by many gamers to produce the top laptops in regards to superior quality and build. A prudent gaming laptop buyer would always cross-reference these Clevo products in order to find the best deal.

Copyright (c) 2008 Titus Hoskins