Top 5 gaming notebooks

What are the two most important things for first-person shooters (also commonly known as FPS games)? Great gameplay and immersive environments. Though the former is entirely the domain of the game design team, hot-blooded gamers want, nay, need the latest and most powerful hardware. After all, how else can we run the newest gaming titles with mind-numbing frames per second at near-impossible resolutions?

However, immersive graphics comes at a price. For the hardcore gamers, only dual-GPU laptops like the Dell XPS M1730 and Asus G70 will do. Those on a smaller budget can still opt for single-GPU notebooks which can handle almost any game but at a more modest frame rate. The return of Gateway to Asia was great news for gamers on a budget. For less than S$3,000 (US$2,208.76), you can get a top-of-the-line 1GB Nvidia GeForce 9800M GTS graphics card with a performance that trumps other single-GPU gaming notebooks out there. We take a look at the latest mobile gaming machines with high-end GPUs you'll want to get for your next frag fest.

Top 5 gaming notebooks

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Performance chart

	1.	Asus G70 (Core 2 Duo T9500 Processor 2.6GHz, 4GB RAM)   First take Gamers rejoice. There is another desktop replacement other than the Dell XPS M1730 to come equipped with dual graphics cards. Those on a budget will still probably go for the latter as it has a much lower starting price at S$3,299 (US$2,428.90) compared with the S$4,998 (US$3,679.79) G70. However, Asus' latest gaming rig combines powerful performance with gamer-friendly features to give it a serious edge over its competitors. Graphics card: Dual Nvidia Geforce 8700M GT 3DMark06 score: 9,019 First take | See full specs | Rate this
	2.	Gateway P7804G (Core 2 Duo P8600 Processor 2.4GHz, 4GB RAM)      CNET Asia rating: 7.9 out of 10 The good: Attractive understated design; great gaming performance; inexpensive. The bad: No Blu-ray drive option; no subwoofer; only three USB ports. The bottom line: One of the most affordable gaming rigs in town, the Gateway P7804G offers an excellent gaming experience with a nice, understated design. Graphics card: Nvidia GeForce 9800M GTS 3DMark06 score: 8,912 See full specs | Rate this
	3.	Dell XPS M1730 (Core 2 Extreme T7700 Processor 2.4GHz, 2GB RAM)          CNET Asia rating: 8.4 out of 10 The good: Excellent gaming performance; inexpensive for a high-end dual graphics card system; options for Intel Core 2 Extreme processor and Blu-ray drive; backlit keyboard; GamePanel LCD as a secondary data display; high-resolution 1,920x1,200 panel. The bad: Barely portable; no HDMI or VGA output; no subwoofer; lacks TV tuner; noisy, particularly when running full load. The bottom line: Where most desktops replacements tend to target power users or entertainment seekers, the Dell XPS M1730 makes no bones about being a gaming machine. At under S$4,000 (US$2,945.01) for the base configuration with dual graphics cards, it offers great value for the gaming community. Graphics card: Dual Nvidia Geforce 8700M GT with 512MB discrete memory 3DMark06 score: 7,989 Review | See full specs | Rate this
	4.	Toshiba Qosmio X300 (Core 2 Duo T9400 Processor 2.53GHz, 4GB RAM)   CNET Asia rating: 8.3 out of 10 The good: Good graphics and audio performance; cool fiery design; dual harddisk bays; sleep-and-charge USB and eSATA/USB combo ports. The bad: Glossy keyboard picks up fingerprints; no TV tuner; lacks Blu-ray optical drive; display not full-HD. The bottom line: Doing more than just putting in a high-end graphics card, the Qosmio X300 adds an excellent sound system and other features to the mix. Graphics card: Nvidia GeForce 9700M GTS 3DMark06 score: 7,062 Review | See full specs | Rate this
	5.	Asus G50 (Core 2 Duo T9400 Processor 2.53GHz, 4GB RAM)   CNET Asia rating: 7.8 out of 10 The good: Eye-catching design; generous storage; excellent graphics performance for a midsized laptop; ExpressGate software; discrete numeric pad. The bad: No full-HD panel option; poor battery life; no subwoofer. The bottom line: With its attention-grabbing design and fast graphics performance, the Asus G50 is a tough competitor to other midsized gaming machines in the market. Graphics card: Nvidia GeForce 9700M GT 3DMark06 score: 4,915 Review | See full specs | Rate this