PC Laptops

The desktop system has been the standard PC-gaming platform for the longest time, but recent advances have made the laptop system into a viable option for gaming. It wasn't too long ago that laptops were merely expensive, underpowered machines, but today's laptop systems are more affordable and offer satisfactory gaming performance.

Laptops like the Toshiba Qosmio X305 can match full desktop gaming systems.

Today's laptop processors are just as powerful as desktop versions. Some PC enthusiasts have even taken to using mobile CPUs in their desktop systems because they use less power and, in some cases, offer a decent amount of overclocking headroom. Graphics manufacturers Nvidia and ATI have reduced the amount of time it takes to bring new desktop GPU technology to laptops.

It's common to see entry-level and midrange performance-level GPUs come to laptops only months after debuting on the desktop. However, portables generally have very few high-end GPU options compared to what's available for the desktops. It's more difficult to outfit a laptop with a performance GPU because mobile system designs have strict space, power, and thermal budgets that just can't support a monster GPU.

I can shove this right in next to the laptop battery. No problem!

The graphics problem illustrates just one of the compromises facing laptop manufacturers, who need to please customers that demand both performance and portability. Powerful CPUs and powerful video cards require tons of power and a lot of cooling. If you want a highly portable, thin, and lightweight laptop, be prepared to give some ground on the CPU and graphics. And if you're looking for the best performance possible, understand that your only options might be "desktop replacement" laptops that weigh over 13 pounds and give you just over half an hour of battery life.

Once you get your laptop, you're going need a couple of accessories to make it ready for gaming. The one accessory we absolutely recommend is a USB mouse. You can play games using the touchpad, but it'll be as much fun as eating soup with a fork. We also recommend looking into a few optional accessories, such as a full-size keyboard and a headset, to add a little comfort to the laptop-gaming experience. Peripheral manufacturers also make laptop stands that can hold the system up to keep the screen at eye level. You can consider hooking the system up to a larger widescreen LCD monitor when you're gaming at home, but note that midrange video cards might have difficulty driving an external monitor at high resolutions.

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