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 LaptopsSub 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.——————————————————————————————————————————
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.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.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 |  |  |
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.——————————————————————————————————————————
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 | | |
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.——————————————————————————————————————————
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 | |||
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.——————————————————————————————————————————
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.——————————————————————————————————————————
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 | | |
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
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 ——————————————————————————————————————————
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.——————————————————————————————————————————
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 | | |
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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.
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