Laptops are not what they used to be anymore. Just a few years back, they were considered capable of only emails and browsing the net. Sure, they can play games but they could never play the games that require the power of a souped-up desktop. It was just totally unheard of but here we are today and guess what, laptops are now powerful enough to play games such as Crysis and GTA IV. Keep in mind that not all of today's gaming laptops are the same and that if you want to have a killer gaming laptop, there are a some things you have to look for. Also realize that the price may be a lot higher with gaming laptops as compared to regular laptops.

The Video Card:

The first thing you have to realize is that integrated GPUs just won't do. Sure, you can probably play a few games but not the power-hungry type. Even if you can run a heavy game with your integrated GPU, you might not be satisfied with its framerate. You might also be stuck in the lowest setting possible which makes the whole idea useless and annoying. If you really want to play the latest and greatest games, then you have to arm yourself with a laptop that has a discrete GPU from either Nvidia or ATI and if possible, an SLI or CrossFire configuration is advised. Of course, you also have to check if they have enough power. A good way to check is to see the requirements of the game that you want to play and then checking the laptop if it meets the requirements.

The Size:

Unfortunately, most gaming laptops are big. The main reason for this is because the more power your computer has, the more heat it generates. There are smaller ones though, typically ranging from 12 to 14 inches but they also carry less power because of the limited space they present and the fact that a smaller frame will find it harder to cool down all the heat that is generated by these laptops. Expect to find great gaming laptops to be around 15 to 17 inches. Some may even be at 19 inches which may be a bit too big but that is the sacrifice that one has to take in the quest for a great mobile gaming experience.

The Processor:

Dual-cores are very much capable as long as they are coupled with a good GPU but if you really want to have the best, look towards laptops with quad-core processors. Again, you might only find these in 17 to 19 inch laptops but they will definitely give you the power you need. Although you may be thinking that not too many games really need a quad-core processor which may be a bit of an overkill, the reason for this is that you want to be ready for the wave of games that might require them. Better to be prepared because you'll never know what to expect with today's technology. What's great today may be obsolete tomorrow.

Recommended Brands:

Alienware and Dell make some of the best gaming laptops in the market today. Ironically, they are also sister companies. If you're really serious about purchasing a gaming laptop, expect these two to provide you what you're looking for. Don't be surprised to see the prices though as they may blow the roof. They may start at around over a thousand dollars with some going over six thousand dollars.