Update: Alienware has let loose its first 13-inch gaming notebook, the aptly named Alienware 13. Will it one day make it onto this very list? We won't know until our full review. In the meantime, check out our hands on Alienware 13 review!
You don't even need to tell us what happened when you told your friends that you want to buy a gaming laptop. Their inner elitist got the best of them, and bashed you for not just outright building a gaming PC. But we get you. Building a gaming PC takes knowledge and dexterity that you just don't have or care to develop.
That's where the gaming laptop shines, as the fast lane to PC gaming. No need to build a case or even buy a monitor. Of course, that convenience comes with quite a price tag. Most vendors start their asking prices at around $1,400 (about £818, AU$1,492) for 13 and 14-inch products, whereas the biggest and beefiest 17 and 18-inch models can skyrocket upwards of $3,000 (around £1,753, AU$3,195).
If you consider that a gaming laptop will never come close to a comparably-priced gaming desktop, then your decision is already made. But again, the gaming notebook is a device of convenience and portability over raw power. Without further ado, here are our favorite gaming laptops that we've reviewed thus far.
Gigabyte P35W v2
If you're determined to buy a gaming laptop instead of a desktop system, it will be tough to find a better value than the Gigabyte P35W v2. Frankly, this gaming laptop offers more hardware and better performance than its rivals for less cash.
You will miss out on the bells and whistles of more premium systems, like the attractive chassis and WQHD displays of the Ghost Pro 3K and Razer Blade. You'll also lack the latest in wireless networking tech, if you opt for this system.
Regardless, in terms of pixels pushed per penny, the P35W v2 represents one of the best buys in mobile PC gaming rigs today. Of course, you'll always get even more power for the money in a desktop PC, but in terms of gaming notebooks, the P35W v2 is currently the one to beat.
- Read our Gigabyte P35W v2 review
Origin EON17-S
Hands down, the Origin EON17-S (starting at $1,576, about £939, AU$1,630) is a superior value in face of the competition, despite it's seemingly enormous price. If you lack the time or patience to pore over power supplies, cases, monitors and more, this is a solid starting point and a more mobile solution.
It will always be more cost-effective to build your own gaming PC, but the service and support that Origin provides is impossible to replicate going that route. Plus, the extra niceties included in that price, namely the bundled mouse, could leave you set with this gaming laptop for a while.
- Read our Origin EON17-S review
MSI GS60 Ghost Pro 3K
MSI and Nvidia have together proven that 3K gaming is possible on mobile setups, albeit with a few conceits to texture detail and other settings. Is it worth it? That's up to how much stock you put in resolution. What's important is that it can be done, and within reason.
This gaming laptop is a great value even at the high end, but starting at just $1,699 for the 1080p version with a GTX 860M is a steal in comparison. At the moment, the Ghost Pro is no doubt one of the 15-inch gaming notebooks to beat.
The MSI GS60 Ghost Pro 3K (starting at $1,699, £1,399, AU$2,549)is not only a beauty to behold, it offers more hardware in nearly as premium a package as the big boys. But unless you're seriously intent on getting into post-HD gaming right now, save yourself a few hundred bucks and opt for the 1080p version.
- Read our MSI GS60 Ghost Pro 3K review
Alienware 17
Make no mistake, this is undoubtedly the complete package and then some, offering the glitz and glamor of a boutique gaming PC in the laptop form factor. Not to mention that this AMD graphics chip inches dangerously close to desktop-level performance.
Save for some nagging (but ultimately fixable) problems, the Alienware 17 (starting at $1,499, £1,199, AU$2,499) is one of the best gaming laptops money can buy. From its sharp metallic and soft-touch build to a host of powerful components, this is a one-stop shop for getting into PC gaming with a single click.
- Read our Alienware 17 review
Razer Blade (2014)
Razer has more than proved its point: it can craft a gaming laptop better than all the rest. But with a large price tag (to cover some arguably superfluous features) to match, it's definitely not for everyone.
As powerful and pristine as the new Blade is, some of that power is wasted on unnecessary hardware features that only serve to drive the price up to levels unattainable by most PC game enthusiasts. However, if you're a PC gamer out for style, then look no further.
While it's tough to wholeheartedly recommend the Razer Blade, the fact of the matter is that this is one of the best gaming laptops, if not Windows laptops, that money can buy. Just be prepared to pay through the nose for less hardware than its competitors.
- Read our full Razer Blade review
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