If you love computer gaming and want to take your passion for World of Warcraft, the Sims 2, or Doom on the road with you then investing in a gaming laptop is a must. Not just any laptop is going to meet your gaming needs so before you hit the shops you need to know what to look for in the system you purchase.

Why Buy a Gaming Laptop?

Gaming laptops are laptops that are specifically designed to support the higher demands of the video games on the market. The newer generations of these games include high-end graphics that can push most computers to their limits. Some games are so challenging that even many desktops can't even play them.

When you purchase a gaming laptop, you're investing in something that is going to have some of the most advanced technology on the market so that it will not only be able to play today's game but games that will hit the market for the coming years as well.

Of course, you can do other things with gaming laptops. They usually have faster processors, larger hard drives, and better audio speakers so you can use them effectively for a wide variety of non-gaming activities as well.

What features should a Gaming Laptop include?

For starters, your gaming laptop needs to be capable of handling the most intense graphics possible. That means it must include top-of-the-line graphics card. You don't want an integrated card - this is common in many low-end laptops but it won't deliver the processing ability you'll need for games. Instead, look for the most advanced graphics card available on the market at the time of your purchase or check the specifications for a high-end video game then compare that to the laptop's.

Another feature you need is plenty of RAM. Because your RAM will determine how many graphics your laptop can handle at one time so the more you have the better. Look for around 2 GB of RAM. You can get away with less but you may have to add more at a later date to keep up with the increasing demands of the software. You might even want to boost it to 3 GB if you're going to be running Windows Vista.

Your screen is also going to be important. If you're going to be playing games, you don't want a puny 15 inch monitor with low resolution. You're going to want at least a 17 inch monitor. Consider a resolution of 1280 X 1024.

Which brands should I look?

One of the best brands in gaming laptops are the Alienware Area 51 models. These are a bit pricey with the lowest priced model starting at $1,500. However, they do provide everything you need for good gaming. Because you buy direct from the company, you can also customize all of the laptops to tweak their capabilities even more.

Toshiba, Dell, and Gateway also sell gaming quality laptops, although the prices can be even more than Alienware models.

Make sure you do your homework before making a purchase so you end up with a gaming laptop that fits your needs.