Top 10 Gaming Laptops – February 2012

This list is based on actual or estimated gaming performance, factoring in the hardware specification (particularly the graphics card) relative to the laptop’s size.

Feb Update: Although AMD has released very promising 28nm products for the desktop, all of the dedicated laptop graphics cards are still using the old 40nm process, so regardless of Nvidia’s and AMD’s inventive naming schemes there are very little changes in the current 600M and 7000M-series GPUs. The GTX 580M and Radeon HD 6990M will remain on top for a while longer, since their 28nm successors have not yet been given release dates.

Intel’s final (most likely) Sandy Bridge update before Ivy Bridge is now widely available and all new Intel-based laptops ship with CPUs that have been given an upwards clock frequency adjustment of about 200MHz while retaining the same pricing. The new processor models in the high-end (quad core) segment are the Core i7 2670QM (replaces 2630QM), 2760QM (replaces 2720QM), 2860QM (replaces 2820QM) and finally the Extreme Edition Core i7-2960XM, which replaces the 2920XM.

Current Alienware Coupons:

1. Take an additional $50 off any Alienware laptop configured at $999 or more (that would be pretty much all of them) with the coupon code: BHW1L0MX0D?MCX

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Top 10 17″+ Gaming Laptops
Sub 17″ Gaming Laptops

17-Inch +

1. Clevo X7200

If you are looking for the most powerful laptop in the known universe, there is no doubt that the Clevo X7200 is it. However, you will have to account for the fact that this monster is just barely a laptop–it uses desktop processors, so you can equip it with a hexa-core (12-thread) desktop Core i7 Extreme Edition and up to 24GB of triple-channel full-size DDR3 RAM. On the graphics side you can configure it with dual Radeon HD 6990M’s in CrossFireX or Nvidia GeForce GTX 580M GPUs in SLI. The most powerful mobile GPU solutions on the planet in combination with desktop processors make this laptop’s performance unbeatable, but its battery should mainly be thought of as backup power with a 60 minute life span. Other than that it also has room for three hard drives or SSDs in RAID 0, 1 or 5. It’s a large, heavy, and if you want all the bells and whistles, very expensive machine, but this kind of performance comes at a price.

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2. Alienware M18x

The Alienware M18x is now available with dual Nvidia GTX 580M graphics cards in SLI or dual AMD Radeon HD 6990M GPUs in CrossFireX. Simply put it’s an exceptional gaming laptop that will handily defeat quite a few gaming desktops in terms of frame rates and visual bliss. Either of these solutions will let your games run at the 18-inch display’s native 1080p resolution with most or all of the details maxed out. It can also be equipped with other GPUs in CrossFireX/SLI or a single video card. It comes with a choice of 2nd-generation, quad core Intel Core i7 CPU, the fastest of which is a factory overclocked i7 Extreme Edition that runs at 4GHz in Turbo Boost mode. Other features include USB 3.0, 1600MHz DDR3 memory, the usual AlienFX back-lighting artillery, as well as optional WirelessHD that lets you stream lossless Full HD video and audio to an external HDTV or other setup. The base model starts at $1,999 and includes a 2GHz quad core Core i7 and a single GTX 560M.

Alienware M18x Price Comparison:
	$1999.00
	$2049.00

Note: When ordering from Dell, use the coupon code BHW1L0MX0D?MCX to take an additional $50 off the price tag.

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3. Alienware M17x

The M17x has also been given the GTX 580M treatment, although this smaller (relatively speaking) Alienware gaming machine can only house a single GPU configuration. Pretty much every component in the M17x is configurable. There’s a choice of high-end Nvidia or AMD GPUs, up to 16GB of RAM, various quad-core Core i7 processors, 1600×900 or 1920×1080 panels and dual hard drives or SSDs in RAID 0. It is also available in a 3D version that includes the mandatory 120Hz panel and Nvidia 3D Vision kit. The base model ($1,499) includes a GTX 560M, but from a price/performance perspective, the Radeon 6990M upgrade is very attractive. This GPU is neck-and-neck with the GTX 580M and considerably faster than the GTX 560M. Unfortunately it is not eligible for an Nvidia 3D Vision upgrade.

Alienware M17x Price Comparison:
	$1449.99
	$1499.00
	$1699.00

Same as the above: Use the coupon code BHW1L0MX0D?MCX for an additional $50 off from Dell.

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4. MSI GT783

MSI has updated its 17-inch GT780 twice–once with the Nvidia GTX 570M (GT780DXR/DX) and now an even more powerful version with the GTX 580M is available.  Most of them ship with the new quad-core Core i7-2670QM. The GT780DX. It comes with a multi-color backlit keyboard designed by SteelSeries that resembles those from Alienware. What makes this and other high-end MSI laptops a little more interesting than the rest is the TDE (Turbo Drive Engine) feature that automatically overclocks the laptop by up to 30%. It also ships with 12GB of DDR3 and either plenty of hard drive storage or an SSD/HDD combo.

MSI GT783 Price Comparison:
	$2279.00

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5. Clevo P170HM

The 17-inch Clevo P170HM is sold by several different boutique gaming brands and can be configured with either of the two fastest mobile GPUs ever–the GTX 580M from Nvidia or the HD 6990M from AMD. It can also be equipped with a range of quad-core Intel Core i7 processors. In combination with the fastest single-GPU graphics solution on the market and (in its class comparatively) lightweight chassis (8.6lbs) this is a very desirable laptop. If you don’t want to pay a premium for the fastest of everything, you can also opt for the base configuration, which includes a capable GTX 460M. The EON 17-S has four memory slots with room for up to 32GB of DDR3 1333MHz or 16GB of DDR3 1600MHz. Moreover, it has room for dual hard drives or SSDs that can be configured in RAID 0 mode. Or you could use an ultra-fast Vertex 3 as the boot drive and a secondary 7,200rpm hard drive for storage.

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6. ASUS G74Sx Republic of Gamers

The Asus G74Sx is a high quality gaming laptop; reasonably cool and quiet, and not as bulky as many 17-inch desktop replacements tend to be. Moreover, it is relatively inexpensive compared to the closest competitors, but still delivers more than decent gaming performance thanks to the new GTX 560M GPU from Nvidia with higher clock speeds and better power management compared to the GTX 460M that it replaces. The G74Sx is also available in a 3D edition called G74Sx-3DE, which is equipped with an Nvidia 3D Vision kit and a compatible 120Hz panel. Both the 3D and non-3D versions have 1920×1080 resolution screens.

ASUS G74Sx Prices:
	$1399.99

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7. Toshiba Qosmio X775

Qosmio is Toshiba’s premium entertainment brand, so the most surprising aspect of the X775 is the affordable price point for the entry models. For less than $1,200 (at this writing) you get a capable desktop replacement with a Sandy Bridge Core i5 CPU and more importantly for gamers–a GeForce GTX 560M to take care of your gaming needs. There are other and considerably more pricey configurations available though; some with quad-core CPUs and 3D kits, but the base model should hold up pretty well in just about any game thanks to the solid GPU.

Toshiba X775 Price Comparison:
	$1099.99
	$1199.99

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8. HP Envy 17 / Envy 17 3D

HP has updated its premium Envy lineup with an entirely new design and partly new hardware, including a very impressive speaker system with a physical “Beats Audio” volume knob. The result is an exclusive machine with lots of customization options including a 3D version with similar hardware but a 120Hz, 3D-ready display. Both versions ship with the new(ish) AMD Radeon HD 7690M with 1GB of GDDR5 and a range of Core i7 or i5 CPUs. This hardware is quite impressive considering the thin and (for a 17-inch laptop) lightweight chassis that surrounds it.

HP Envy 17 Price Comparison:
	$1249.99
HP ENVY 17 Customizable Notebook PC
	$1449.99
HP ENVY 17 3D edition Customizable Notebook PC

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9. HP Pavilion dv7t Quad Edition

The quad-core edition of the HP Pavilion dv7t is another interesting option for gamers–not least because of the level of performance it offers for the money. You can order it with a range of 2nd-generation Core i7 CPUs, and the graphics as of 2012 are handled by a still unspecified Mobility Radeon GPU (which is actually an HD 7690M that differs very little from the previous HD 6770M. Nevertheless, this is still enough to give the dv7t and it’s 15.6-inch counterpart the dv6t plenty of gaming power considering the highly affordable (in relative terms) price tag. It’s important to note that the 7690M is an optional upgrade though, and an absolute must-have if you want to call it a gaming laptop.

HP dv7t Quad Price Comparison:
	$899.99
	$999.00

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10. Dell XPS 17

The latest revision of the Dell XPS 17 desktop replacement came with some major upgrades – most importantly the latest Intel Sandy Bridge CPUs. Another nice perk is an included 3D Vision kit from Nvidia (optional), powered by a capableGeForce GT 550M or the faster GeForce GT 555M GPU (same as the M14x). As usual with Dell, there are lots of upgrades available although the base configuration is quite powerful. But if you want a gaming model, the GPU upgrade to a GT 555M is highly recommended.

Dell XPS 17 Price Comparison:
	$799.99
	$1239.00

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Up to 15.6″

1. Clevo P150HM

When it’s fully tricked out in the GPU department, the Clevo P150HM is the fastest 15-inch gaming laptop on the planet at this writing. It is known under different names and built-to-order by Origin PC, Sager, AVADirector a number of other gaming PC specialists. What makes the P150HM special is that it’s configurable with either one of the two fastest GPUs on the market right now–the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580M or the AMD Radeon HD 6990M–and also a quad-core Intel CPU all the way up to the Core i7-2920XM Extreme Edition. It can also house up to 32GB of RAM. This hardware puts it a step ahead of all of the competition in the 15-inch segment today, no matter if compared in gaming performance or raw processing power.

Read our full review here.

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2. MSI GT683DXR

The new GT683DXR from MSI is generously equipped with very powerful hardware for its size. It has the new GeForce GTX 570M, which is a big step up from the GTX 560M. It’s also equipped with the standard-issue quad core Intel Core i7-2630QM as well as 12GB of RAM. Just like its bigger brother the MSI GT780 it also comes with MSI’s proprietary overclocking technology TDE that boosts the CPU/GPU clocks by up to 30% with the push of a button.

MSI GT683DXR Price Comparison:
	$1519.00

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3. Alienware M14x

The M15x has been decommissioned in favor of a the more portable M14x, so if you want the Alien head logo and all the extras that come with an Alienware laptop, but prefer a more portable version than the M17x, the M14x is a much more convenient alternative. Like all laptops from Dell it can be customized with a wide range of components, including a number of different 2nd-generation quad-core Core i7 CPUs with eight threads. In the graphics department, there’s an Nvidia GeForce GT 555M with either 1.5GB or 3GB of video RAM. This one isn’t quite as fast as some of the alternatives in the M15x, but it comes in a more portable package. Other options include a 1600×900 WLED panel and a fast 256GB Samsung solid state drive. The M14x also comes with the latest and fastest 1600MHz RAM.

Read our full review here

Alienware M14x Price Comparison:
	$1099.00
	$1219.99

When shopping from Dell, use the coupon code BHW1L0MX0D?MCX for an additional $50 off.

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4. Asus G53SX

We have been listing the G53SW here for quite a while, but now that the updated G53SX is widely available we are simply replacing it with the new model, which by and large is the same laptop but with an Nvidia GeForce GTX 560M instead of its predecessor the 460M. The newer GTX 560M is not much of an improvement on the 460M–although it has higher clocks and the same power consumption it has also been given a smaller, 128-bit memory bus (this is covered in our review). The Republic of Gamers’ G53SX remains one of the most interesting options in the 15.6-inch segment, not least for its attractive price tag. It is more or less a 15-inch version of the 17-inch G7x series and comes with a 1080p display, a quad-core Intel CPU and a backlit keyboard, but unlike the 17-inch model this one has no dual hard drive option. Yes it does (thanks reader ‘ErrOr’ for pointing this out in the comments).

G53SX/SW Price Comparison:
	$1215.00
	$1218.89
	$1249.99

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5: HP dv6t Quad Edition

HP’s Pavilion dv6t is the more portable version of the dv7t, and just like it’s bigger counterpart, the Quad Edition of the dv6 comes with a choice of the latest quad-core CPUs from Intel as well as a Mobility Radeon HD 7690M GPU from AMD (optional upgrade). This graphics card is not a major upgrade over its predecessor the HD 6770M, but the pricing is unchanged and it all adds up to an affordable yet powerful 15.6-inch laptop, capable of playing all the latest games without breaking the bank. Another plus is that HP has taken the design of their premium Envy lineup and applied it to the Pavilion series. The result is a nice-looking laptop with a lot more performance under the hood than meets the eye.

HP dv6t Quad Price Comparison:
	$823.98
	$849.99

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6. Alienware M11x R3

The Alienware M11x wins the title for smallest and lightest gaming laptop on the planet. Make no mistake – in spite of its size it clearly qualifies as a gaming machine, especially in its 3rd iteration with brand new low-voltage Sandy Bridge CPUs and an Nvidia GeForce GT 540M. In combination with the small screen and comparatively low (1366×768) resolution it can run any recent game on medium or even high detail settings.

M11x R3 Price Comparison:
	$899.00

When shopping from Dell: the latest coupon code for $50 off the M11x R3 is: BHW1L0MX0D?MCX

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There are lots of factors to take into consideration when choosing a good gaming laptop; hardware, build quality, features you value personally, and of course the price tag. As for the hardware, the graphics card plays the key role in a gaming notebook. Sure, the processor is very important for overall performance, as is the hard drive (or preferably: SSD), but at the end of the day the graphics card is what determines the frame rate and whether your games are playable.

To play the latest titles at high resolution with all the detail knobs turned up, you are going to need a powerful GPU. No amount of tweaking or optimizing will substitute better hardware. Both AMD (formerly ATI) and Nvidia have highly capable mobile video cards on the market. In bigger, 17-inch plus laptops, you will also find them in dual GPU configurations–called SLI or CrossFire for Nvidia’s GeForce and AMD’s Mobility Radeon series, respectively. The fastest mobile graphics cards as of October 2011 are the AMD Mobility Radeon HD 6990M and the Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 580M, which are practically tied for first place–only what particular game you play seems to decide which one is the fastest. However, Nvidia’s GPU generally fares better in SLI configuration.

Intel continues the tradition of naming its mobile platforms after wine districts in California – the latest one is called Calpella. Unlike Intel’s previous laptop platforms, this one departs from the Centrino branding, which will be phased out along with the Montevina platform.

The End of an Era

From its introduction in 2003, the Centrino brand has been more or less synonymous with an Intel-equipped laptop, so it’s something like the end of an era. Since the Centrino brand is now being phased out, future Intel-based laptops will be marketed based on what processor it contains. So there are plenty of new stickers to let you spot the difference.

Calpella differs from its predecessors in more than its branding policy – the new processors are basically the biggest upgrade since laptop CPUs went dual core. The new i-series includes several mobile quad-core processors, as well as several quite revolutionary features.

Modified Desktop CPUs

The new CPUs are of course based on Intel’s successful Nehalem architecture for the desktop market, which has also set new performance standards. The first versions of the Nehalem-based processors for notebooks – Clarksfield – was built using a 45nm production process and with a TDP (Thermal Design Power) of 45W. Clarksfield also includes Intel’s Extreme-series enthusiast processors, which provide more performance in exchange for a less efficient 55W TDP.
One of the most interesting features with the new processors is the support for Intel’s Turbo Boost technology. This allows the processor to overclock itself and run exceed the standard clock speed when running demanding applications. Turbo Boost comes into play in demanding situations, but only as long as the processor remains within certain limits in terms of heat and power consumption. The frequency is increased in steps of 133MHz and can both be increased in individual cores or all cores simultaneously. How much clock rates can be raised depends on the number of cores and the processor model.

Breaking the 32nm Barrier

From 2010, Calpella has been extended with new processors based on the new Arrandale core and a 32 nanometer manufacturing technology. The new 32nm processors come in three flavors: i3, i5 and i7. All three have the brand new integrated graphics core on the same die as the CPU, but only come in dual-core variants. However, the (reintroduced) HyperThreading feature is still there, so you get four threads without having four physical cores. List of Arrandale CPUs:

Core i3 is the entry-level model, with 3MB cache and clock frequencies slightly above 2GHz and no Turbo Boost. In contrast, the i5 in its fastest version has a standard clock speed of 2.53GHz, but can take this up to 3.06GHz using Turbo Boost. Another step up the ladder is the 32nm versions of the i7, which have a 4MB cache compared to 3MB for i3 and i5, and a clock speed of up to 2.66 GHz.

In the i5 and i7 line-ups there are also power-efficient variants with lower clocks and an added U or an L in the name. For these models the the TDP has been reduced to 18W and 25W respectively, compared to the standard 35W.

Asus has huge variety of its “Republic of Gamers” gaming laptops, but most of them are variants of the same model albeit with a different model number and (slightly) different specs.  The Asus G51jx-X3 differs in the fact that it comes with a Core i5 instead of the more powerful (and expensive) Core i7s in the G51jx models.

G51JX - Best Prices:
		$1317.99
		$1365.99

Hardware and Features

The Asus G51jx-X3 belongs is in the upper mid-range compared to other dedicated gaming notebooks, but when looking at the price/performance ratio, most laptops with this kind of hardware will set you back a lot more. The G51jx variant that we spent some quality time with was equipped with the dual-core, quad-threaded Intel Core i5 430M at 2.26GHz (2.53GHz with Turbo Boost), 4 gigabytes of 1066MHz DDR3 memory and a 500GB 7,200rpm hard drive.

The graphics are handled by a GeForce GTS 360M graphics processor with the (currently) fastest GDDR5 memory modules. This GPU fits somewhere between the mid-range and high-end mobile Nvidia cards with 96 shaders compared to 128 in the top cards. Furthermore it’s equipped with a 1920×1080 (Full HD) 15.6-inches screen, memory card reader, n-class Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Altec Lansing speakers. The screen is relatively bright with a glossy surface, and color and contrast values are also OK.

Hardware-wise, the G51Jx more than sufficient as a workstation for photo/video editing thanks to the high-resolution screen. The Core i5 430M is not a true quad-core processor like some of the mobile Core i7 CPUs, but it has the Hyperthreading feature and effectively handles four separate threads. In combination with 4 gigs of DDR3 RAM, this machine is powerful enough to handle any applications you throw at it. In PCMark Vantage it landed on 6 410 points, which is a first-rate score for a laptop at this price level.

Gaming Performance

The Asus G51Jx-X3 is a good choice for gaming enthusiasts. The Geforce GTS 360M ensures that most games trod along without a hitch even at relatively high quality settings, even if you can’t always max out the screen resolution and keep those high settings on some of the latest games.

We tested Crysis Warhead, which is still one of the most demanding games, and it averaged around 30 FPS (the usual target for a smooth playing experience) with medium settings at 1366×768. Far Cry 2 fared much better, and we were able to turn up the details as well as run at native resolution while getting framerates above 30. In 3DMark Vantage it produced a score of 4670 points, which isn’t half bad with no overclocking. On the whole, this machine delivers consistently playable framerates across the board at medium to high framerates – at least without anti-aliasing enabled.

Design and Build, Battery Life

Asus’ trademark “Republic of Gamers” design makes no secret of the fact that the G51jx was built with gamers in mind. The screen is nicely decorated in dark blue shades and a showy Asus logo. Otherwise though, the laptop looks relatively sober, with a thin glossy black frame around the backlit keyboard and matte black for the palm rest. It feels sturdy and there are no unwanted creaking noises or loose hinges.

When the laptop is idling or just performing basic tasks it’s relatively cool and quiet, but start playing games and the noise level goes up and it becomes slightly warmer almost immediately. This is of course to be expected, and the G51jx never gets disturbingly loud or extremely hot. The backlit chiclet keyboard is comfortable and the touchpad feels responsive.

You don’t expect long battery life from a gaming laptop, and the G51jx is no exception from the rule. Don’t expect to spend more than two and a half hour away from an outlet unless you turn on the battery-saver power plan and turn down display brightness.

Conclusion: Great Value

The best part of the G51jx-x3 is probably the price/performance ratio. It offers more than enough performance to replace your desktop and plays the vast majority of the latest games at relatively high settings. It sells for $1,199, which is a lot less than the Core i7 models, but you still get a high-end gaming laptop.

G51JX – Best Prices:
		$1317.99
		$1365.99

Asus G51JX-X3
		$1317.99
ASUS Republic of Gamers G51JX-X3 15.6-Inch Gaming Laptop (Blue)
		$1700.99
ASUS G51JX-3DE Notebook PC – Core i7 i7-720QM 1.60 GHz – 15.6" – Black

]]> http://www.bestgaminglaptop.net/reviews/asus-g51jx-x3-review-core-i5/feed/ 0 http://www.bestgaminglaptop.net/news/msi-ge600-new-16-inch-1080p-gaming-laptop/ http://www.bestgaminglaptop.net/news/msi-ge600-new-16-inch-1080p-gaming-laptop/#comments Wed, 24 Feb 2010 23:52:34 +0000 Berg http://www.bestgaminglaptop.net/?p=109

If this one is anything like the previous laptops in MSI’s (G)aming series it should turn out to be pretty good. I used to own a 15-4-inch MSI gamer laptop that was quite slim and light (for a 15-incher) with a nice aluminum finish and an instant-overclocking feature. It only lacked in one aspect – the ridiculously cramped keyboard, but hopefully they’ve had time to improve on that one by now.The GE600 bumps up the size to 16 inches with the more fashionable 16:9 aspect ratio and full 1080p resolution. Otherwise it’s business as usual with a copy of Windows 7 Premium, two DDR3 RAM slots with a total of 4GB and up to 500GB of old-fashioned mechanical hard drive space. Apparently it’s also fitted with (press release quote): “theater-class” speakers (sure, why not).

Specs

Somewhat more interesting is the CPU/GPU combination. The MSI GE600 gets the latest 32nm Core i5 with two cores and capable of four threads care of Hyperthreading. The graphics card is the similarly new ATI HD5730, which is built on 40nm technology and should be considerably faster than the HD4670 for example.

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