| So you want to buy a gaming laptop.But not | | | | GeForce GO 6800 ULTRA with 256MB DDR3. It |
| just any old gaming laptop, you want to buy | | | | has a 17 inch WideUXGA |
| the best | | | | |
| | | | 1920x1200 LCD Display and 4 dedicated |
| gaming machine on the planet, the best | | | | SO-DIMM slots for |
| gaming machine money can | | | | |
| | | | Dual-Channel DDR2 Memory. Warranties can be |
| buy -- the fastest, the most powerful, the | | | | purchased for up |
| ultimate kick-ass, | | | | |
| | | | to 4 years.The Alienware Area-51m 7700's |
| take no prisoners, meanest motherboard of | | | | base price starts at around |
| all gaming laptops.Well, there's some good | | | | |
| news for you, things have really changed | | | | $2000 but if you want to max out this |
| | | | system, be prepared |
| in the laptop world. No doubt you are | | | | |
| probably aware there have been | | | | to double that amount. High price for high |
| | | | performance. |
| some major developments in laptop | | | | |
| construction and technology | | | | Runs quiet and cool. This one is dressed to |
| | | | kill.Rockdirect LaptopsNext, we go across the |
| in the last year or so. Technology that puts | | | | pond, for a company that produces some |
| the gaming laptop | | | | |
| | | | high priced yet powerful gaming machines. |
| on par or near par with its main rival, the | | | | Rockdirect gaming notebooks |
| desktop PC.Recent changes in technology have | | | | |
| really brought gaming laptops | | | | are another group of machines that many |
| | | | gamers should consider. |
| into the spotlight with a whole list of new | | | | |
| Technologies: | | | | Rockdirect, formerly known as Rock, is a |
| | | | British company that's |
| PCI Express, Sonoma Chipset, SLI, | | | | |
| Hyper-Threading, Dual Graphics, | | | | on the cutting edge of notebook technology. |
| | | | They have had a long |
| Better RAM, and now Dual Core gaming | | | | |
| laptops. Gaming notebooks are | | | | history of making high quality laptops for |
| | | | business and gaming. |
| just now entering the specs and performance | | | | |
| arena which was exclusively | | | | Rockdirect laptops are expensive, there's no |
| | | | way to get around |
| reserved for the bulky yet much more | | | | |
| powerful desktop PC.Just in case you have had | | | | that fact.Rockdirect's Xtreme 64 is one of |
| your head buried in term papers and study | | | | the world's first dual core |
| | | | |
| sheets lately -- hey, it happens! Here's a | | | | notebooks using AMD Athlon 64 X2 4800+ |
| brief rundown of these | | | | processors and twin |
| | | | |
| new technologies that will give you the | | | | 100GB 7,200RPM hard drives. With |
| fastest gaming laptop:Graphics Cards: these | | | | NVIDIAGeForce Go 7800 GTX |
| are the real heart of any gaming machine. | | | | |
| They | | | | graphics and a 17 inch WSXGA+ (1680x1050) |
| | | | display with X-Glass |
| are getting faster and more powerful. We | | | | |
| also see the use of dual | | | | for better viewing. Around 2,300 pounds or |
| | | | $4,000 USD. |
| graphics cards and better transfer of data | | | | |
| with new pipelines | | | | Three Year Collect and Return Warranty.Dell |
| | | | LaptopsHey dude, this can't be a DEll?Dell |
| and buses.PCI Express: is a new standard for | | | | with the introduction of its XPS second |
| expansion cards that comes in | | | | generation gaming |
| | | | |
| different versions. Presently, we have the | | | | laptops has to be considered by the serious |
| x16 and x1 lanes, they | | | | gamer. Don't laugh! |
| | | | |
| offer increased bandwidth. For example, x1 | | | | With the introduction of the XPS Gen2 |
| lane offers 500MB/sec | | | | laptops, Dell entered the |
| | | | |
| instead of just 133MB/sec for PCI.NVIDIA | | | | gaming market for real. A lot of people |
| SLI: SLI stands for Scalable Link Interface, | | | | stood up and took notice.Even more people |
| technology | | | | stood up when Dell introduced the XPS |
| | | | Renegade 600 |
| that lets you use a couple of GeForce 6800 | | | | |
| graphics cards together | | | | desktop gaming system with 4 NVIDIA 7800GTX |
| | | | GPUs at the |
| with PCI Express X16. Basically, SLI will | | | | |
| speed up graphics on a single | | | | CES this year. Now that's putting SLI to |
| | | | some good use!Dell's top Notebook Model is |
| monitor by deploying two graphics cards. It | | | | the XPS M170 powered by |
| also lets you combine | | | | |
| | | | Intel Pentium M Processor 780 (2.26 GHz/2MB |
| 4 GPUs in one system for the fastest | | | | Cache/533MHz FSB) |
| graphics yet.An alternative system would be | | | | |
| ATI's CrossFire which | | | | and 2GB1 Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 533MHz 2 |
| | | | Dimm Memory on |
| is a SLI-like configuration using 'Master' | | | | |
| and 'Slave' | | | | a 100GB 7200rpm Hard Drive. It uses 256MB |
| | | | NVIDIA GeForce |
| cards to combine two Radeon GPUs for | | | | |
| improved and faster | | | | Go 7800 GTX and has a 17 inch UltraSharp |
| | | | Wide Screen UXGA |
| graphics.Hyper-Threading: Gives processors | | | | |
| better performance | | | | Display. Priced at around $3,896 with a two |
| | | | year warranty |
| especially when combined with dual-core | | | | |
| processors, | | | | and longer warranties may be purchased.Show |
| | | | me the Facts!Anyone can pick a top gaming |
| capable of handling four software threads | | | | notebook and say its the fastest |
| which will put | | | | |
| | | | in the world. However, you have to prove it |
| a smile on any gamer's face.Better RAM: DDR3 | | | | or back it up. |
| SDRAM (Double Data Rate Three Synchronous | | | | |
| | | | That's where benchmark testing enters the |
| Dynamic Random Access Memory) this new DDR | | | | picture, these are |
| memory standard | | | | |
| | | | standard tests that rate the performance |
| will use 40% less power and run at speeds up | | | | level of your |
| to 800 MHz. | | | | |
| | | | gaming laptop. Hey, tests are good for |
| Don't confuse this with GDDR3 (in Graphics | | | | something!One good site that has performed a |
| Cards) which is | | | | whole slue of tests on |
| | | | |
| a totally different technology.Dual Core: | | | | the gaming laptops mentioned above is |
| just as the name says, you put two CPUs into | | | | |
| | | | You can see the different Benchmark tests |
| a laptop for more power and faster | | | | here: |
| computing. Rockdirect's | | | | |
| | | | for memory bandwidth and latency, picfast, |
| Xtreme 64 was one of the world's first dual | | | | |
| core notebooks to | | | | cryptography, raytracing, realistic render, |
| | | | encoding and |
| hit the market.Also be on the lookout for | | | | |
| Intel's Dual Core Notebook | | | | so on. The dual core Rock XTreme 64 showed |
| | | | impressive |
| Chip dubbed Yonah, it will be somewhat | | | | |
| different in that | | | | numbers, even beating out an Athlon 4000+ |
| | | | Desktop in |
| this notebook chip will not only have two | | | | |
| cores but these | | | | many areas.WildCard Entry: M-TECH!There's |
| | | | another laptop maker many novice gamers don't |
| cores will share a 2MB cache which will | | | | consider |
| greatly boost performance.In most cases, | | | | |
| keeping ahead of all these developments and | | | | when buying their ultimate gaming machine. |
| | | | It may not be as |
| improvements can be a pleasurable chore for | | | | |
| most gamers but | | | | well known as the ones above but the real |
| | | | wildcard entry is |
| it can sure eat into your gaming time. And | | | | |
| as the notebook | | | | M-TECH. This is basically the American |
| | | | equivalent of Rockdirect, |
| technology evolves, the gaming laptop will | | | | |
| get even more smaller | | | | although the companies are in no way |
| | | | connected. They just have a |
| and more powerful, offering a real | | | | |
| alternative to the gaming | | | | similar philosophy of working with and using |
| | | | cutting-edge technology |
| desktop PC even for the most die-hard Power | | | | |
| Junkies.Serious gamers will also know laptop | | | | and firms to produce some superior gaming |
| or notebook gaming technology | | | | machines.M-TECH, a Michigan company, started |
| | | | in 1995 and has close |
| is constantly evolving and mutating. | | | | |
| Therefore, most gamers will | | | | strategic partnerships with Tech firms in |
| | | | Silicon Valley. It |
| only purchase a fully upgradeable open | | | | |
| architecture notebook, they | | | | is favorably reviewed by many industry |
| | | | magazines such as |
| look for a laptop design which can be easily | | | | |
| upgraded with the newest | | | | Laptops, Mobile Computing, CNET, PC TODAY |
| | | | and others.M-TECH produces some powerful low |
| and latest technology, if at all | | | | priced (relatively speaking) |
| possible.Despite this option, as laptop | | | | |
| gaming technology steadily improves, | | | | gaming laptops such as the D900K and the |
| | | | D900T:You can configure your D900T with two |
| gamers are still left with the choice of | | | | 100GB (7200RPM) SATA HDD |
| which gaming system to buy. | | | | |
| | | | Hard Drives with Pentium 4 3.8GHz 2MB |
| Just in case you have be hibernating for | | | | L2Cache with a RAID setup. |
| last five years -- hey, it | | | | |
| | | | With Nvidia GeForce Go 7800 GTX w/256MB DDR3 |
| happens. Here's a quick rundown of the | | | | and a 17 inch TFT WSXGA+ |
| different systems on the market | | | | |
| | | | Glassview LCD display for around $3500 USD. |
| ...Voodoo, Alienware, Mayhem, Vigor, Sager, | | | | One year warranty, |
| ASUS, Rockdirect, | | | | |
| | | | longer warranties may be purchased.When |
| M-Tech, Dell...Despite the fancy lapels, | | | | buying your laptop, keep in mind, just |
| serious gamers know that most laptops are | | | | because a gaming |
| | | | |
| made by the same two or three companies in | | | | laptop has a lot of style doesn't mean it |
| Taiwan! The same components | | | | has sacrificed performance. |
| | | | |
| and mainframes are assembled under different | | | | It is not a matter of style over substance, |
| brand names and marketed | | | | it just means |
| | | | |
| to the public.Not to get too cynical, but | | | | you have to pay highly for all that style |
| sometimes it's the laptop with | | | | advertising/packaging. |
| | | | |
| the better paint job or the better | | | | If you can afford it, go for a higher priced |
| advertising that will | | | | gaming laptop. |
| | | | |
| win your purchasing dollar. Not that savvy | | | | People buy Ferraries don't they? There's no |
| gamers are easily | | | | accounting for how |
| | | | |
| fooled, perish the thought, but packaging | | | | people spend their money, if you want one of |
| may rule the day, | | | | these dual core |
| | | | |
| performance may be the same or negligible in | | | | laptops from Rockdirect and you can take a |
| gaming | | | | little bit of heat |
| | | | |
| machines with basically all the same | | | | and noise with your games, go for a |
| components and specs.Regardless of this sober | | | | Rockdirect Xtreme 64 or |
| reality, gamers are still left with the | | | | |
| | | | the older Xtreme Ti.If you want a dressed to |
| choice of which gaming manufacturer has | | | | kill Alienware laptop, go for the |
| tweaked these components | | | | |
| | | | Area-51m 7700. If you're on a budget, look |
| into the best gaming laptop on the market. | | | | closely at the Dell |
| There are numerous gaming | | | | |
| | | | XPS M170 or the other XPS systems and watch |
| specialists that make high quality machines | | | | for special Dell |
| well worth your | | | | |
| | | | coupons and discounts. Dell is known for |
| consideration but because of limited space | | | | giving some great |
| here we will only examine | | | | |
| | | | discounts so keep your eyes peeled. And if |
| three major gaming manufacturers, sometimes | | | | you really want to |
| for entirely different reasons.These three | | | | |
| are Alienware, Rockdirect and Dell. All | | | | go against the mainstream, why not check out |
| produce serious | | | | M-TECH. Especially |
| | | | |
| contenders for the ultimate gaming laptop. | | | | the M-TECH D900K or the D900T, ultimate |
| Here's a brief rundown on | | | | performance at a good price.No matter which |
| | | | gaming system you go with, try to pick one |
| all three makers and their gaming laptops | | | | |
| which may be of some help | | | | that has a fully upgradeable open |
| | | | architecture structure so |
| to anyone looking to purchase a high-end | | | | |
| gaming monster.Alienware LaptopsFirst, we | | | | you can easily upgrade when the time comes. |
| will start with the most distinctive looking | | | | Keep in mind, |
| gaming | | | | |
| | | | laptop technology is changing so fast by the |
| laptops on the market. Those coming from | | | | time your |
| Alienware, a company | | | | |
| | | | dream machine is configured, it is probably |
| founded by two avid gamers, Nelson Gonzalez | | | | already out of date. |
| and Alex Aguila, in | | | | |
| | | | Sobering thought but more true than any of |
| 1996. It has become one of the leading | | | | us would like to |
| producers of revolutionary | | | | |
| | | | believe.Finding the fastest gaming laptop |
| gaming PCs and Notebooks. It has also won | | | | may be an on-going process |
| raves and rewards from such | | | | |
| | | | of outfitting your dream machine with the |
| top industry publications as CNET, PC Gamer, | | | | latest technologies |
| Computer Games and | | | | |
| | | | and hardware as they come on stream. Hey, |
| many more.Their flagship model is the | | | | nobody said life would |
| Area-51m 7700. This scary monster | | | | |
| | | | be simple.Just wondering how you can fit |
| can be outfitted with an Intel Pentium 4 | | | | Quad SLI with 4 GPUs |
| Processor with | | | | |
| | | | into a laptop. Hey, it can happen and |
| Hyper-Threading Technology - (2.8GHz - | | | | probably will!For more on the best gaming |
| 3.8GHz, 800MHz FSB, | | | | laptops click here: Gaming Laptops. For |
| | | | information on upgrading your gaming laptop |
| 1MB Cache, Socket 775) Intel 915P + ICH6 | | | | click here: |
| chipset with NVIDIA | | | | |
| | | | Laptop Memory Upgrade. |