Just remember these: The 1st thing you should look for on the computer surface is A LOGO STICKER for NVIDIA or ATI MOBILITY RADEON just below the keyboard. This SHOWS that the laptop has A DEDICATED GRAPHICS CARD (for AutoCAD & Adobe Photoshop). Diablo III, the game I would love most to play runs on 3D graphics & is rumored to need at least 1GB GRAPHICS MEMORY (lower graphics memory = CHEAPER laptop price), so always check the system requirement specs on the game's box (ex. SIMS 3; see if your laptop meets all the requirements). Gamers, double check from the list on this link, make sure the GRAPHICS CARD you get on the laptop IS ONLY from the HIGH END or MIDRANGE:
http://www.notebookcheck.net/Mobile-Graphics-Cards-Benchmark-List.844.0.html
Next important aspect is the RAM (memory). If you're in designing & you need to run applications like AutoCAD or softwares for editing photos & videos, just make sure that the laptop has AT LEAST 2GB DDR2 RAM modules in it (HIGHER IS BETTER; DDR3 & DDR5 are faster & newer types of memory modules that came out).
But what makes a computer really run fast? It is it's processor! So if you really want your processor to have computing prowess & you're able to run different applications simultaneously, make sure it's AS EFFICIENT AS an Intel Core 2 Duo Processor (Centrino 2 is a Core 2 Duo featuring power saving capabilities; Quad Core is for gaming fanatics). A Core 2 Duo is like having 2 motors running the computer each independent of the other w/c means for a Quad Core, it's like 4 motors are running the machine (that means it will run faster & more efficient even if its frequency is lower to that of a Core 2 Duo). Intel: Core 2 Duo, Centrino 2, Quad Core, Core i-3, Core i-5 & Core i-7 are all very much faster & better than an Intel: DUAL CORE, PENTIUM, CELERON, ATOM & their more affordable AMD counterparts. Just make sure you have AT LEAST 2GHz of speed on your processor.
The HDD (Hard Disc Drive) should be at least 320GB.
The average laptop LCD screen size is 15.4".
Are you looking for an affordable, not so big, yet best in performance gaming laptop like me?
Look no further, the msi GT680R-15.6" full HD Gaming Notebook which comes with the 2nd Generation Core i7 Processor 2630QM, 8GB DDR3 RAM, 1TB Hard Disk Drive (2x 500GB 7200rpm SATA HDD) & a powerful Class 1, NVIDIA GTX460M 1.5GB DDR5 dedicated graphics card that can handle DirectX 11 enhancing the 3D detail effects from FRYS.com (SKU#: 6547393). I was free for the day so I hung around the store and got to use it first hand. I came back to check out the laptop every hour for 6 hrs and found out that the air from the vent of the laptop remained cool compared to any other laptop on display there, stating power and proper heat management, w/c means this laptop can handle long hours of gruelling play. Now, I'm all stewed up saving to buy this b4 Blizzard releases Diablo 3.
Are you a game enthusiasts playing for long hours? You need a notebook cooler. I have a Cooler Master U2 Notebook Cooler w/c has dual purposes. Detach the easily detacheable dual fan, & you can use the aluminum frame as a protection for your laptop's LCD screen when inside the bag. I got mine from MicroCenter.com for 48% cheaper than the regular $24.99 tag (FRYS.com SKU#: 6344931).
If you're a little bit low on budget, get the next best thing. The msi GE620-021 15.6" Gaming Notebook also featuring a 2nd Generation Intel Core i7 Processor 2630QM & 8GB DDR3 RAM, just 640GB HDD, but with only a Class 2, NVIDIA GT540M 1GB dedicated graphics card that can also handle DirectX 11 effects from FRYS.com (SKU#: 6539123).
The ASUS N53SV-XR1 for $949.99 sounds 150dollars cheaper, but comes with only 4GB of memory.
For ladies, looking for portable 14" laptops, try the Core i-5 Toshiba Satellite M645-S4050 or Satellite E205-S1980 from BestBuy, both comes with 512MB Class 3 NVIDIA GeForce 310M dedicated graphics card.
MacBooks are different in the sense that Apple Macintosh runs on Mac OS X unlike the WINDOWS 7, Vista or XP OS (Operating System) that most laptops have.
FOR the best PRICEs, go to Fry's Electronics, MicroCenter, CostCo & BestBuy's web sites for updates & COMPARISON.
This MSI GT680R 15.6" Gaming Notebook w/ the Intel® Core™ i-7 retails for $1,499.99 (+ tax & other sur-charges). I chose to pay more to have the newest technology so that I DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IT GETTING OUTDATED WITHIN THE NEXT 11 YRS.
FYI: I always tell my customers, a laptop's battery is similar to a cell phone's. You charge it when it's depleted & you unplug the adapter when it is already fully charge (this will prevent the battery from getting overcharged & extend the life of the battery). So for less hassle, I always advice my customers to just remove the battery if they plan to use the computer for long hours straight (more than 1 hour) and just run it on AC power alone so as not to overcharge it & shorten the battery life.