A. Laptop ReviewThis report covers full-featured and specialty laptops suitable as a replacement for a desktop computer. If you want a very lightweight notebook or a laptop that's powerful enough for gaming, those notebook computers are covered here. If you're looking for a student or budget laptop under $800, see our companion report on
cheap laptops. If you are interested in a Macintosh laptop, or debating between a Macintosh or Windows laptop, see our report on
Macintosh computers.
We found great laptop reviews at NotebookCheck.net and NotebookReview.com. The reviews at NotebookCheck.net are awkwardly translated from German, but incredibly comprehensive. The notebook computer reviews are augmented by multiple photographs and charts showing detailed benchmark results with comparisons to similar models, a lengthy list of similar notebook computers and ratings in a dozen subcategories, as well as lists of pros and cons. NotebookReview.com is nearly as good, lacking only a formal method of comparing laptops.
Among mainstream computer magazines, PC Magazine, PC World, Computer Shopper and MaximumPC have the most credible and up-to-date reviews. PC World and Computer Shopper regularly update ranking charts in subcategories of laptop computers. TrustedReviews.com, Laptop magazine, Consumer Reports and CNet are also up to date, but their evaluations reflect a less thorough process than other sites. Their reviews are helpful but short and often focused on buying considerations, such as aesthetics, that consumers can evaluate themselves.
For most people, a laptop's projected reliability is an important buying consideration. Notebook computers can get very hot, and they are easy to drop. Good brand reliability doesn't guarantee you'll never have a problem, but the support and reliability surveys conducted by PC Magazine, Consumer Reports and others can be a helpful indicator. Lenovo laptops have one of the lowest instances of repair according to all surveys. Lenovo support has the highest level of satisfaction, too. However, in the past year, Lenovo's ratings have dipped a bit. Sony is consistently one of the most reliable brands.
Compaq owners have reported higher than average instances of repair in the PC Magazine survey for years. The
HP Compaq 6720s business laptop (*Est. $815 and up) west rating in its class from NotebookCheck.net. Reviewer Kristian K?tested a higher-end configuration (*est. $1,280) and found it to be adequate in most areas. Downsides relate to build quality, including "case bends under pressure," and the one-year limited warranty. However, a review at NotebookReview.com of the base model concludes that it is a good value for a no-frills laptop and doesn't list build quality among the downsides.
B. About Laptop Processors 
The latest Microsoft and Intel technologies
In the past, laptop manufacturers introduced new models whenever new operating systems or major hardware technologies were introduced. Now, a model number simply refers to a physical design. Models are regularly updated to include the latest technological advances. Intel is rapidly introducing chip, chipset and wireless enhancements. As these become available, manufacturers upgrade the options for their top laptops. Thus, reviews of the Lenovo ThinkPad T61 that date to its release in May 2007, for example, have minimal relevance to a T61 you could buy today. For that reason, we focus this report as much as possible on computers that were reviewed in the past six months.
To buy a new laptop, you don't need to learn much about Intel's enhancements. Each new product line brings more speed, greater efficiency, improved video performance for integrated video, more and better wireless capabilities and longer battery life. The latest set of Intel standards is called Centrino 2. The processors with Centrino 2 are code-named Penryn, but you won't see that term used much in advertising. Look for the Centrino 2 logo, because Penryn processors share the same official name as older processors: Core 2 Duo or Core 2 Extreme (quad-core processors).
Penryn processors are a third smaller than older processors. That means that they generate less heat and take less power to run. They improve the reliability of the entire computer system. The Centrino 2 standards enable associated capabilities that laptop manufacturers may or may not implement. Wi-Fi and WiMax wireless Internet technologies are supported.
Whether you are buying a gaming, multimedia, business or multipurpose laptop, you will benefit from Centrino 2 technology. As is always the case with new Intel CPUs, they cost the same as the previous generation did, and the older chips drop in price.
Intel has confused consumers by using Centrino as a marketing term for years. The previous generation of Centrino chips is code-named Santa Rosa. These are the second-best options for a laptop. Older Core 2 Duo, Pentium and Celeron processors are more suited to budget laptops. Laptops using AMD processors are also available. They are typically less expensive than laptops with Intel chips, and also best suited to budget purchases. AMD currently lags behind Intel in the enhancements described above.
Despite the large number of laptop brands, most are actually made by Taiwanese companies such as Quanta, Inventec, Compal, Asustek (Asus) or Wistron. Better-known makers such as Dell, HP, Sony, Lenovo and others add their own components and configurations.
Manufacturers are now targeting laptops to two entertainment and two business markets. The entertainment notebook computers are oriented to gaming or multimedia (specifically watching movies), and the higher-end laptops are well suited for both purposes. The business laptops are made to be either durable and reliable or thin and light. While any of these laptops can be used for any purpose, the target market determines the size and weight of the laptop, as well as the included hardware. So, you can start choosing a laptop by prioritizing your own needs. For example, if you travel a lot, you may value light weight and long battery life over a large screen. Conversely, if you plan to use your laptop mainly at home, travel weight or battery life will likely be less important to you than a larger screen.
C. Media and Gaming Laptops
Best laptops for video, gaming and movies
Larger laptops have more internal space, and that makes it possible to include a dedicated video card instead of video that's integrated into the motherboard. Video cards have processors and RAM dedicated to the display, which enables rapidly moving video to look natural. That's not essential for playing modern action games or watching movies, but it can make a big difference in performance.
Gaming-oriented laptops commonly have 17-inch widescreen displays, but the range is from 15.4 to 20.1 inches. DVD burners are standard. Drives that will also play Blu-ray movies are a common option for higher-end laptops. Notebook computers with 17-inch or larger widescreens are barely portable, but they do make a more functional substitute for a desktop computer. If total functionality, multimedia features and fast performance are a priority over portability, you should first consider gaming laptops.
Large multimedia and gaming laptops are often marketed as desktop replacements; reviewers agree desktop computers are still faster with more features, and cost less. For video editing, Photoshop or fast-action competitive gaming, desktops still have an edge. But for more pedestrian uses, a modern laptop can be your main computer.
The
Dell XPS M1730 (*Est. $2,000 and up) is a nearly unanimous choice as the best gaming laptop. It's typically reviewed at around $4,000 with dual Nvidia video cards in SLI configuration (which improves fast response times). It is honored with top ratings and/or Editors' Choice awards by NotebookCheck.net, Laptop magazine, CNet.com, PC Magazine, ExtremeTech and Pocket-lint.
Dell has changed this model since most magazines reviewed it, but the majority of those changes are upgrades that specifically overcome the few performance shortcomings reviewers experienced and improve the battery life, which isn't very good in reviewers' tests. In particular, Penryn processors are now stock. Reviews say the Dell M1730 gaming laptop is fast and powerful. NotebookCheck.net is impressed with the bright display, performance and surprisingly quiet operation. Gaming performance is mixed but unsurpassed in the latest reviews. Some reviewers criticize the Dell gaming laptop's price, but the majority opinion is that the XPS M1730 is a good value. All reviewers tested this model with at least one video card, and a discrete Nvidia GeForce 8700M GT graphics card with 256 MB of video memory is included in the base configuration.
The Dell M1730 has every frill you might expect in a high-end or gaming laptop, including four flashy color choices, lots of lights, many wireless capabilities and a game panel LCD. A Blu-ray player is an option. The 1920 x 1200-pixel 17-inch widescreen display impresses reviewers. The high-resolution screen also makes the Dell XPS gaming laptop a good choice for office work, although reviewers note that office lighting is likely to cause glare. The configuration is highly customizable, and Dell regularly updates options. In its base configuration, the Dell weighs 10.6 pounds -- even without the weight of the power adapter, a case and perhaps an extra battery, that's a lot to carry.
The
Alienware Area-51 m15x (*Est. $1,500 and up) and is the closest competitor to the Dell XPS M1730. We found lots of reviews of this gaming laptop, but the consensus isn't nearly as strong as it is with the XPS M1730. Typical review configurations exceed $4,000.
NotebookCheck.net, DigitGeek.com, TrustedReviews and PC Magazine rate the Alienware m15x as the best gaming laptop. They are among the reviewers who say this is the fastest laptop they've ever tested. Performance excels in all regards. Portability is a virtue. Nearly all reviewers agree that the m15x is the best 15.4-inch gaming laptop.
The Alienware gaming laptop (note that Dell owns Alienware) has several issues that dampen the enthusiasm of some reviewers, and agreement about those issues is consistent. Value is the obvious issue. The price -- as tested -- is extraordinarily high for a 15.4-inch laptop. Build quality is also a concern. We found many criticisms of the keyboard and touchpad as well as a sense that the case is flimsy. Reviewers concur that the flashy design is a matter of taste.
Reviewers say the Alienware Area-51 m15x's highlight is an Nvidia GeForce 8800M GTX video card with 512 MB of dedicated RAM. As with the Dell-branded XPS, you can add a Blu-ray burner and a solid-state or extra hard drive.
Acer is better known for its budget computers, but the high-end
Acer Aspire 8920G (*Est. $2,500) -- also known as the Acer AS8920-6671 -- wows reviewers. The consensus says that it is the best laptop for watching movies. Audio and video capabilities are exceptional. The 18.4-inch widescreen display has a 16:9 aspect ratio. That means you can watch movies with no black bars around the image. The Acer incorporates several Dolby technologies for movie sound playback. The size of the unit enables some separation between the five main speakers for a simulated surround-sound experience. A bass tube runs along the length of the laptop.
The 1080p display takes advantage of the integrated Blu-ray player, or you can connect the laptop to an HDTV through its HDMI port. Reviewers criticize Acer for not including a TV tuner on this home-theater laptop; adding an internal tuner is not an option. The Acer 8920G includes a 2.6 GHz Penryn processor, 4 GB of RAM, a slow 320 GB hard drive and an Nvidia video card with 512 MB of RAM. At nine pounds, this is a heavy laptop, but reviewers note that it is light for its size, and lighter than many 17-inch laptops.
The
Sony VAIO VGN-FW198U/H (*Est. $2,000) is overpriced, according to most reviewers, but it's another favorite of Laptop magazine. The Sony has a 16.4-inch display with a 16:9 aspect ratio. The magazine says the Sony VGN-FW198U/H is lighter than most 17-inch laptops and achieves "better-than-average" battery life (other reviewers disagree about that). It earns an Editor's Choice award for the balance it strikes between being a desktop-replacement/multimedia laptop and being portable.
Sony laptops are renowned for their displays and all reviewers are enamored of the one in the Sony VGN-FW198U/H. You're paying for that, a Blu-ray burner, an HDMI port and a Penryn processor. We find that Sony laptops are often deeply discounted by retailers. If you can find a good deal, you'll overcome the major objection of reviewers such as PC World and PC Magazine.
Less expensive multimedia notebooks
Lower on the price scale, the
HP Pavilion dv7t (*Est. $900 and up) is rated as a Best Buy by PC World, but the review is unenthusiastic. Carla Thornton says that multimedia is surprisingly not this laptop's strength. As it can be configured with a built-in TV tuner and a Blu-ray drive (and that's the configuration that most reviewers cover), HP obviously intends the 17-inch dv7t to be a multimedia laptop.
The HP Pavilion dv7t earns high ratings from HardwareZone.com and Laptop magazine, but average ratings from NotebookCheck.net and CNet. It performs well in most applications in NotebookCheck.net's tests, and gaming performance is pretty good. NotebookCheck.net says it's not very quiet, which is a disadvantage for a multimedia laptop. In Laptop magazine, Dana Wollman compares the HP dv7t gaming laptop favorably with the Dell Studio 17 (see below) and notes that the HP isn't as portable as the Sony VAIO VGN-FW198U/H, but it is cheaper and has better video performance. All reviewers like the glossy design and the laptop's sound quality. You can customize this laptop at HP's website; pre-configured versions are also available from retailers like Best Buy, but these typically lack the highest-end multimedia options, such as a tuner or a Blu-ray player.
Reviewers and undoubtedly most gaming fanatics challenge the notion of a budget gaming computer or even a gaming laptop (as opposed to a desktop). While you will be competitively disadvantaged at a LAN party without a high-end gaming laptop, some relatively affordable machines are suitable for playing the latest games at home.
In the past couple of years, models in Asus's G1 and G2 series stand out in reviews of budget gaming laptops. Asustek makes laptops for better-known brands, and buying the company's own Asus brand can literally amount to skipping the middleman. These Asus gaming laptops are not customizable (although they can be upgraded). They are sold in stock configurations through brick-and-mortar stores and online dealers such as Amazon.com and Newegg.com. To give buyers configuration options, Asus makes several models in each series. Unfortunately, some of the individual models are only available through one or two resellers.
Asus recently introduced new models, so we only found a few reviews. NotebookReview.com just published a very enthusiastic review of the 15.4-inch
Asus G50V-A1 (*Est. $1,680) . Chaz Jefferies concludes, "Its flashy design, solid build quality, high performance components, and beautiful screen make it the ideal mobile gaming companion. Excellent warranty coverage and good-quality included accessories seal the deal." Laptop magazine is equally encouraging in a preview.
The Asus G50V-A1 has a 2.53 GHz Penryn processor, 4 GB of RAM and an Nvidia GeForce 9700M GT video card with 512 MB of DDR3 RAM. A two-year limited warranty is another virtue of Asus laptops.
The
Asus G50V-X1 (*Est. $1,400) hasn't been professionally reviewed yet, but the first 27 user reviews at Newegg.com indicate that it's an excellent budget choice: 19 rate it excellent and the rest rate it good. We found no significant complaints. The two Asus models are very similar. The cheaper model has a smaller hard drive (200 GB instead of 500 GB), a slightly slower CPU with half the cache, and it's a few ounces lighter at 6.2 pounds. The
Asus G50V-X1 (*Est. $1,400) offered via Best Buy is similar, but has a still less capable processor. Users are happy, however, and the laptop earns a rating of 4.8 out of five after more than 40 reviews at Best Buy's website.
