Looking for a laptop capable of gaming and more...

[zmatt]

Well - for $799 the Ram= 2gb, there is no cd/dvd drive, the duo -core processor = 1.3 ghz, so once again the whole gaming on laptops without spending a lot is very difficult.

Who actually uses CDs for anything other than initially installing the programs anymore? All of my music is digitized. I rarely open my drive trays anymore.

Not only that but most games are not cpu limited, they are gpu limited, that 1.3ghz SU chip will go further than you think. Not in super pi, and not in 3d mark, but ti will game just fine for a laptop.

Ram is cheap to come by and easily upgraded, cpu and video card aren't. When you look at a laptop you worry about the tings you cant change.

That Alienware isn't just a decent multimedia laptop (I refrain from using the term gaming, because gaming on a mobile device on the level of s desktop is a joke), but it also stays within the bounds of what a laptop should be. Small, light long running and affordable. I hate to say it, but this is one of those times when you can recommend this alienware over an asus and not be a total n00b.

 

[Harper]

I am looking for something under 1,000 dollars (would be ideal) I did see some laptops around the 600 dollar range before adding a warranty price.

When it comes down to gaming laptop, you will be putting a lot of stress on the system. CPU and GPUs do heat up and I find that the cheaper laptops just cook. Avoid any cheap laptop as they have a short left life.

The other thing to keep in mind is video card. Check out http://www.techist.com/forums/f84/laptop-graphics-cards-ranking-list-165525/ before making your purchase. Do not do not let the sales person wow you into thinking that Modile GeForce n105 is going to be good. It's not. You will want a class 1, 2 or high end 3 (bare min.) if you want to play the latest games.

The other thing to keep in mind is this. Factory Warranty. I go for brands like Asus or MSI as they come with a standard 2 year warranty which shows the manufacturer's faith in their product.