How to choose laptops for gaming

Laptops for gaming are a relatively new innovation in the world of mobile computing. Until recently, most laptops have been simple machines that are suitable for word-processing and watching movies. When you buy laptops or PCs exclusively for gaming, there are many more things to consider. In this article, we'll show you what to look for when buying a gaming laptop.

Understanding specifications

The complex computer graphics that many modern games need require powerful hardware to be able to provide a smooth and immersive gaming experience. Traditional PC notebooks do not have the computing muscle to do this, so gaming laptops have more powerful components. Look out for the following specifications when buying your new computer: RAM This is the memory of the computer, not to be confused with storage. It is measured in gigabytes and allows multiple processes to run at once. Modern high end games require a minimum of 4GB. Processor This is the brain of the computer and one of the most important components in being able to run top end games. For a gaming laptop, look out for Intel Core i7 processors with a speed of 2GHz or higher. Always choose the most powerful processor you can afford. GPU The Graphics Processing Unit is a separate processor which deals with in-game graphics. This is the main difference between a standard Dell laptop and their alien-ware range of gaming notebooks. Look for a minimum of 1GB of video RAM in a modern gaming laptop. HDD The Hard Disk Drive provides storage for the computer. Again, buy the largest unit you can afford. Modern laptops can be bought with a one Terabyte disk which will give you plenty of space for all of your games, films and music.

Other considerations

Gaming laptops are not only more powerful but are generally styled in a more visually appealing way. Look for backlit keyboards and unique case styles to set your laptop apart from the crowd. Quality Another important consideration, is the quality of the screen. Currently, the best laptop screen technology is OLED which provides stunning contrast and display quality. Some laptops now provide 3D screens which can be used with a limited range of 3D game titles. This technology is only set to improve over the coming years so it is best reading the latest laptop reviews to find out which 3D screens provide the best quality. Final word Finally, look for laptops running Windows 7. Vista laptops infamously made very inefficient use of system resources which resulted in jerky game play. The latest version of Windows has addressed a lot of these issues and provides a great platform to run the latest and greatest games.