The Top 3 Gaming Laptops From $1000 to $2000

Mathieu Bourgie | November 28, 2009
Alienware M15X Gaming Laptop

Alienware M15X Gaming Laptop

Today, I’m presenting to you the Top 3 best gaming laptops that offer the best performance at a given price, from $1000 to $2000.

This article is about getting the best bang for your buck, because you want the best possible gaming notebook for your hard-earned money and because you want the highest FPS possible in your video games.

If you have the time, reading detailed gaming laptops reviews and specifications are a lot of fun. However, most of us don’t have the time to do the research and just want the answers. In other words, what you want to know is what is the best gaming laptops within your budget.

So if you don’t have the time to do the research, or just don’t care to do it, don’t worry. I’ll come to your help with this Guide of the Top 3 Best Gaming Laptops From $1000 to $2000

Pros and Cons of a Gaming Laptop vs a Gaming Desktop:

Pros:

  • It’s a laptop, meaning you can bring it wherever you want and it’s better than an heavy case for LanParties. You can bring it to school, a library, to your friend’s house, etc.
  • It has a battery and with wireless internet, you don’t have a bunch of cables everywhere, at least less than a desktop.

Cons:

  • For the same price, a Gaming Laptop will be less powerful than a Gaming Desktop. If you’re really cash-strapped, yet want to play the latest games, you’re better off with a Gaming Desktop Computer.
  • Heat: Laptops tend to accumulate heat more than their desktop counterparts, due to their size constraints. If you have it on your lap, you’ll feel the heat in gaming sessions or intensive workloads.
  • Smaller keyboard, mouse not as accurate: You’re better off using a separated keyboard and mouse, especially for first person shooters.

Keep in mind:

I’ll use this opportunity to remind you that this article is only a guideline for the prices I’ve seen on November 25th. You’re letting yourself down if you’re not looking for deals when you decide to purchase.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when you read this list:

  • This list is for gamers who want the best bang for the buck. If you don’t play videos games, the laptops in this list are not specifically targeted to you.
  • This list is based on the best U.S. prices from NewEgg and/or Amazon. Prices and availability change everyday. I can’t keep up with accurate pricing everyday, but I can suggest to you great laptops that you won’t regret buying.
  • All prices are based on new laptops prices, no used or open box are listed; they might be a good deal, but they come with trade offs, such as limited return policy, limited warranty, etc.

The Best Gaming Laptops From $1000 to $2000:

Short Version

Price: The Best Gaming Laptops Under $1000
$1150 Gateway P-7908u FX Edition NoteBook Intel Core 2 Duo P8700(2.53GHz) 17.0″ Wide XGA+ 4GB Memory DDR3 1066 500GB HDD 5400rpm DVD Super Multi NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260M
$1500 ASUS G Series G51J-A1 Intel Core i7 720QM(1.60GHz, up to 2.80GHz with Turbo Mode) 15.6″ 4GB Memory 640GB HDD 7200rpm DVD Super Multi NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260M
$1850 Alienware M15X Intel Core i7 720QM(1.60GHz, up to 2.80GHz with Turbo Mode) 15.4″ 4GB Memory 320GB HDD 7200rpm DVD Super Multi NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260M

The Best Gaming Laptops From $1000 to $2000:

Detailed Version

Gateway P-7908u FX Edition NoteBook Intel Core 2 Duo P8700(2.53GHz) 17.0" Wide XGA+ 4GB Memory DDR3 1066 500GB HDD 5400rpm DVD Super Multi NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260M

Best Gaming Laptop for $1150:

Gateway P-7908u FX Edition

Specifications:

  • Brand and Model: Gateway P-7908u FX Edition
  • Screen Size/Resolution: 17.0″, 1440 x 900 Wide XGA+
  • Video Card: Nvidia Geforce GTX 260M 1GB DDR3
  • Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo P8700 (2.53GHz, 1066 MHz FSB, 3MB L2 Cache)
  • Memory (RAM): 4GB DDR3 1066
  • Hard Drive: 500GB 5400rpm, Second bay open for another drive
  • Optical Drive: 24X CD Read/Burn, 8X DVD Read/Burn
  • Connectivity: 802.11 b/g/n Wireless, 10/100/1000 Mbps LAN
  • Ports: 3 USB, VGA, Mini-FireWire, HDMI, E-SATA, 5 in 1 Card Reader, 1.3MP Webcam
  • Battery: 7800mAh (9 cell) Lithium Ion
  • Dimensions and Weight: 15.70″ x 11.70″ x 1.30″ – 1.70″, 9.05lbs
  • Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
  • Warranty: Parts and Labor – 1 year limited

About the Gateway P-7908u FX Edition:
From the start, you get a laptop able of handling recent video games thanks to the powerful Geforce GTX 260M. The name is slightly confusing though, as it’s based on the desktop Geforce 9800 GTX+, with performance slightly above it thanks to higher frequencies.

Pros:

  • High Gaming Performance at an affordable price
  • Large screen with a reasonable resolution; easier on the video card and more importantly, easier on your eyes.
  • Open Second Drive Bay allows you to add another hard drive to increase the storage capacity.
  • High-Capacity Battery

Cons:

  • Slow 5400 rpm Hard Drive.
  • No Bluetooth
  • Heavy at 9.05lbs, but to be expected from a gaming laptop
  • Only 3 USB ports

Best Price: $1150 on NewEgg

ASUS G Series G51J-A1 NoteBook Intel Core i7 720QM(1.60GHz) 15.6" 4GB Memory 640GB HDD 7200rpm DVD Super Multi NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260M
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Best Gaming Laptop for $1500
ASUS G Series G51J-A1

Specifications:

  • Brand and Model: ASUS G Series G51J-A1
  • Screen Size/Resolution: 15.6″, 1920 x 1080 WideScreen
  • Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260M 1GB DDR3
  • Processor: Intel Core i7 720QM (1.6GHz, up to 2.8Ghz in Turbo Mode)
  • Memory (RAM): 4GB DDR3
  • Hard Drive: 640GB (Two 320GB 7200rpm hard drives)
    Optical Drive: DVD/CD Burner – SuperMulti
  • Connectivity: 802.11 b/g/n, 10/100/1000Mbps LAN and Bluetooth
  • Ports: 4 USB ports, VGA, HDMI, Mini-FireWire, 8 in 1 Card Reader, 2.0MP Webcam
  • Battery: 6 cell Lithium Ion
  • Dimensions and Weight: 14.6″ x 10.3″ x 1.3-1.6″, 7.26lbs
  • Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
  • Warranty: 1 year ASUS Accidental Damage Warranty – Drops, Fire, Spill, Surge
  • Parts and Labor – 2 years limited

About the ASUS G Series G51J-A1: For $1500, you get the high-end mobile edition of the Core i7. The Quad-Core Core i7 720QM is clocked at 1.6GHz, but can scale all the way to 2.8Ghz if your applications are not using the four cores.

You also get the Geforce GTX 260M (Confusing naming scheme from Nvidia, this more like an overclocked desktop Geforce 9800GTX+), which gives you very respectable gaming performance. The very-high and unnecessary 1080p resolution (No point without Blu-Ray in my opinion) might hinder its performance in more demanding games though.

Pros:

  • The Lastest Core i7 720QM Processor
  • High Storage Capacity
  • 802.11N and Bluetooth
  • ASUS Warranty
  • Included Accessories: Laptop Bag and Mouse

Cons:

  • 1080p resolution is pointless without a blu-ray drive and is more demanding on the video card
  • No Blu-ray drive

Best Price: $1500 on NewEgg
Alienware M15X
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Alienware M15X

Specifications:

  • Brand and Model: AlienWare M15X
  • Screen Size/Resolution: 15.4″, 1600 x 900 WideScreen LED Baclight
  • Video Card: Nvidia Geforce GTX 260M 1GB DDR3
  • Processor: Intel Core i7 720QM (1.6GHz, up to 2.8Ghz in Turbo Mode)
  • Memory (RAM): 4GB DDR3
  • Hard Drive: 320GB 7200rpm
  • Optical Drive: LightScribe SuperMulti 8X DVD±R/RW
  • Connectivity: 802.11b/g/n, 10/100/1000 LAN
  • Ports: 4 USB, FireWire, 8 in 1 Card Reader, E-SATA, VGA and HDMI, ExpressCard slot
  • Battery: 9 cell Lithium Ion
  • Dimensions and Weight: 14.88″ x 12.15″ x 1.92″, 9lbs
  • Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
  • Warranty: Parts and Labor – 1 year limited, with 24/7 tech support

About the Alienware M15x:
Owning the Alienware M15X is like making a statement. It features an all-new, thermally optimized case design with aggressive lines and an in-your-face attitude.

In my opinion, the Alienware M15X is the perfect balance of power (Core i7 720QM, Geforce GTX 260M), screen resolution (1600 x 900) and styling. Also, the battery will last you about two hours and a half with power savings settings, which is impressive considering all the horsepower in that machine.

Pros:

  • Right balance of power and screen resolution
  • Unique Style
  • Good Battery life considering the power
  • 24/7 Tech Support
  • 4 USB and HDMI output for your monitor or large HDTV
  • 7200rpm Hard Drive

Cons:

  • No Bluetooth
  • Style comes at a price

Best Price: $1850 on Amazon

Conclusion

In this price range, you get access to powerful mainstream gaming laptops, equipped with the great hardware such as the latest Intel Core i7 720QM Quad-Core Processor with Turbo Mode.

If you’re looking for a more powerful Gaming Laptop, come back on Tuesday next week, for The Best Gaming Laptops over $2000

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Category: Gaming Laptop

About Mathieu Bourgie: Hi, nice to meet you! I’m a computer enthusiast with 10 years of experience in building, fixing and modifying computers. I opened up my first computer case over a decade ago, to see what it was made of, how it works and over time I’ve developed a great passion for computers, especially for all the hardware and bits that makes it happen. In the month of April 2008, I launched Hardware Revolution and ... Read more at my about page. .

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