Poll: Gaming Laptops

[Colonel Alzheimer's]

As a student who will be entering college next Summer, I've been considering purchasing a computer for school. However, for my entire life I've only been a console gamer, and I've wanted to get in to PC gaming for quite some time. I figured it would be nice if I could take care of both of these things in one swoop. Most people say that bringing a laptop to college is way smarter than bringing a desktop, so I had all but given up on gaming PC's until I heard about this [http://reviews.cnet.com/laptops/alienware-m11x/4505-3121_7-33954404.html?tag=contentMain;contentBody;1r] (I'm obviously way late to the party)
If you don't feel like reading, it's a laptop from Alienware with a starting price of $799, with some pretty decent specs compared to desktops of a similar price. I'm pretty stuck about whether to get it or not, so I figured I'd pose the question to you. However, this isn't just about this one laptop, it's about gaming laptops in general. Are they worth buying? Am I being retarded because I won't have time to game in college? Is there another kind of gaming laptop that's better?
In case you're wondering, my price range is probably around $1000, although I could conceivably go a little higher than that at some point.
EDIT: This is coming up in a lot of posts, so I figure I should mention that at this point in time, I'll probably be going to a small liberal arts school where taking notes by hand is more prevalent. Also, my major will most likely not be a class that requires heavy computer work, like engineering or anything. Mostly I would use a computer for research and writing papers (and gaming, of course)

 

[Continuity]

"gaming Laptop" is an oxymoron, don't do it.

DESKTOP!!

 

[The Procrastinated End]

If you really need it to be a laptop then yes its worth it, otherwise I'd just go with a desktop.

 

[SturmDolch]

I'd say save your money; buy an Asus laptop instead. They're damn good quality for the price.

I have an Asus N81-vg right now. It has an Nvidia GT 120M 1gb graphics card, a 2.4ghz dual core processor, and 4gb of RAM. Runs most newer games on at least medium settings. And this is a year old. It cost me $1000 USD! So you can get something even better.

Don't listen to the sheep that are going to come into this thread saying "Durhurhur gaming laptop dun exist buy craptop and gamin desktop insted lulz" because $1000 won't get you a good gaming desktop with a laptop as well, but it can get you a pretty good gaming laptop.

 

[Marmooset]

The Sony PSP's dirt cheap nowadays.

 

[Colonel Alzheimer's]

I'd say save your money; buy an Asus laptop instead. They're damn good quality for the price.

I have an Asus N81-vg right now. It has an Nvidia GT 120M 1gb graphics card, a 2.4ghz dual core processor, and 4gb of RAM. Runs most newer games on at least medium settings. And this is a year old. It cost me $1000 USD! So you can get something even better.

Don't listen to the sheep that are going to come into this thread saying "Durhurhur gaming laptop dun exist buy craptop and gamin desktop insted lulz" because $1000 won't get you a good gaming desktop with a laptop as well, but it can get you a pretty good gaming laptop.

Isn't something that can run newer games on medium settings a gaming laptop? Granted, not a laptop designated for gaming, but a gaming laptop nonetheless.

If you really need it to be a laptop then yes its worth it, otherwise I'd just go with a desktop.

Yeah, I'd rather get a desktop but everyone keeps telling me that a laptop is the only way to go for college. Unless, of course, anyone here has had a different experience...
[sub]subtle hint[/sub]

 

[Wolfram23]

It's not a good idea, because GPUs will make a lot of heat and limit the laptop's lifespan (one of those special cooling attachements is a good idea). You also can't usually get a very high power GPU in one, especially if you're going to be on battery power. However, if you're going to get a laptop and don't have a desktop, might as well get one that can at least run games even if it's on low settings.

EDIT: I don't see the problem with a desktop for colledge. If you're in a dorm it can be a slight issue, but if you have a proper place/room to yourself (with a lock) then that's what I'd do - I don't mind taking notes with a pen. But yeah, laptops can be good for note taking if you're not in science - writing math on a computer, you can forget it. Some profs loves using slides that you download before class, so in those cases you can save a lot of ink and paper by just having a laptop in class and adding notes on the slides.

 

[Blackadder51]

I have myself a Toshiba A500. Cost about 1200 in Aus. Has 2.5ghz i-5 core and 4gb Ram.

Runs just about everything on high.

 

[The Black Adder]

I spent around $1200 and I got a Dell, with dual 2.1ghz processors, an ATI 256mb video card and 4gb of RAM, and I can play almost any modern game that I want, with an exception for a few ones that are quite demanding. The only reason I got the Dell was because I get a discount from my school, so you can look around, but there are plenty of power in laptops and now Iactually prefer using a laptop to a desktop.

 

[Pielikey]

Better off with a desktop, but if you do a lot( I MEAN A LOT ) of travel, and for some reason a PSP or a Nintendo DS just doesn't work for you, then I guess a gaming laptop might be worth it.

 

[Starke]

It's not a good idea, because GPUs will make a lot of heat and limit the laptop's lifespan (one of those special cooling attachements is a good idea). You also can't usually get a very high power GPU in one, especially if you're going to be on battery power. However, if you're going to get a laptop and don't have a desktop, might as well get one that can at least run games even if it's on low settings.

I'd second this. You absolutely need a cooling pad of some kind. On top of that it really needs to be a powered one. The non-powered ones do not disperse enough heat for a gaming laptop.

Another kind of obvious point, with a gaming laptop, whatever it is, make absolutely sure the GPU uses dedicated memory. I can't remember seeing a laptop marketed as a gaming laptop that used shared memory, but it wouldn't surprise me if some do.

 

[Baby Tea]

I'd say save your money; buy an Asus laptop instead. They're damn good quality for the price.

Amen to that.
I have an Asus N10J netbook and I'm playing Half Life 2, Sins of a Solar Empire, Call of Duty 4, and more...on a netbook (with just a little bit of overclocking). It's freaking awesome. I love my netbook.
Asus is awesome, stick with them
And don't buy form a big-box store, whatever you buy. Order from the manufacturer.
Big box = cheaper price = cheaper parts = shittier warranty = a brick in a year or two.

 

[Woodsey]

If a laptop is your only option, then there are decent ones around (although I wouldn't no any).

Really though, they defeat half of the point of being a PC gamer.

 

[TOGSolid]

As a student who will be entering college next Summer, I've been considering purchasing a computer for school. However, for my entire life I've only been a console gamer, and I've wanted to get in to PC gaming for quite some time. I figured it would be nice if I could take care of both of these things in one swoop. Most people say that bringing a laptop to college is way smarter than bringing a desktop, so I had all but given up on gaming PC's until I heard about this [http://reviews.cnet.com/laptops/alienware-m11x/4505-3121_7-33954404.html?tag=contentMain;contentBody;1r] (I'm obviously way late to the party)
If you don't feel like reading, it's a laptop from Alienware with a starting price of $799, with some pretty decent specs compared to desktops of a similar price. I'm pretty stuck about whether to get it or not, so I figured I'd pose the question to you. However, this isn't just about this one laptop, it's about gaming laptops in general. Are they worth buying? Am I being retarded because I won't have time to game in college? Is there another kind of gaming laptop that's better?
In case you're wondering, my price range is probably around $1000, although I could conceivably go a little higher than that at some point.

http://www.xoticpc.com This link will lead you to the promised land.
I travel a LOT (I'm a sailor) and it's rather nice being able to play Metro2033, Stalker, etc. on my laptop when I'm out and about. I've been using Sagers for a while and they kick major league amounts of ass.

Just DO NOT BUY A DELL OR ALIENWARE. Alienware is owned by Dell and Dell is a trash company with piss poor build quality and customer service.

http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/02/dell-responds-to-latest-capacitor-related-fallout-ignores-the-w/

As we reported earlier this week, those docs show that Dell asked customer service reps to deny there was any problem with their motherboards, telling them to pretend they'd never heard about the issue and to "emphasize uncertainty."

You may want to consider getting a desktop along with a cheap netbook though. It kinda depends on how you feel about lugging a tower to college. As far as netbooks go, I gotta recommend the Asus EeePC 1000HE. It's got an 8+ hour battery life and will work great as an in-class computer.

 

[Marowit]

Don't do it. For the amount of money you'll be spending on a laptop that can handle that stuff you could build 3 top-of-the-line gaming desktops.

Get yourself a laptop that you can do your school work on, but nothing more than that - besides it'll make it harder for you to procrastinate at the library if you don't have your games with you. Then get a buddy, or do it yourself, and build a gaming rig. There you go - two computers for the price of one 'gaming' laptop.

 

[Digitaldreamer7]

Netbook for taking to class and jacking off in your dorm bed, like a 6-8 cell battery for long uptime to take notes on, hell if you really want to play games in class torchlight has a netbook mode. I love my 1100$ laptop, but i HATE having to cart it everywhere. A desktop replacement laptop isn't meant to really go too many places with you, they are not durable and most bags that fit a 17in laptop are huge, and you still only get 1 book or so in them.

Desktop for gaming/hiding in your dorm doing lots of work. A 2 screen setup has helped me immensely, my productivity tripled. no joke. left screen is the paper im writing, right screen are my sources etc

250-300 for a netbook

700 left to build a decent desktop.

 

[Audio]

Alien ware stuff looks impressive. However, at that price range it isnt all that worth getting.
If you want to game a bit while at college, just get some fun online games..such as Team fortress 2 or modern warfare 2 (which ever floats your boat )

Save your pennies

 

[RobCoxxy]

Hahahahahahahaha, no.