Mobile Computing Buyer’s Guide: Gaming Notebooks

Gaming Notebook, Price Category: Rp. 14.999.000 and Above,-

Recommendation

Asus G73JW

Real gamers are delighted by superior technical prowess and large screens, but these two characteristics come at the cost of portability and price. If the latter is no object, our recommendation would be the Asus G73JW. With an Intel Core i7 740QM and 8 GB of DDR3 memory, this notebook will crunch its way through any application you can throw at it. Its 1 TB hard drive provides ample storage space for your games and data.

A DirectX 11 capable GPU, the GeForce GT460M is used for graphics processing. According to our tests some time ago, it’s powerful enough to run games at high resolutions up to 1920×1080, which is the native resolution of Asus G73JW’s large, 17,3 inch screen. To get acceptable FPS in DirectX 11 games, you will have to lower some of the graphics details settings or resolution. After all, the GT460M is just a mainstream GPU.

As for the price tag, be ready to gush out as much as Rp 20.000.000 (US$ 2.200) from your wallet to obtain the Asus G73JW. This high-end mobile system has a powerful processor, plenty of memory and storage space, as well as dependable graphics and large, full-HD monitor.

Runner Up

Asus G53JW

The runner up position is reserved for Asus G73JW’s “little brother”, the G53JW. Their technical specifications are virtually identical, but the G53JW comes with a smaller 15 inch screen. Its price is slightly lower at Rp 18.000.000 (US$ 1980). But why didn’t we recommend this over the G73JW? It is because, in our opinion, the full-HD, 17,3 inch screen is well worth the extra US$ 220. It will be more satisfying to view your HD movies and play your games on a larger screen.

HP ENVY 17 3D

Our next runner up in this category is the HP ENVY 17 3D. You will be mesmerized by this notebook’s appearance. The outer shell is made using textured aluminum construction with nice curves and lines, giving the ENVY 17 3D some striking looks.

Beneath the admirable exterior, lies a set of powerful hardwares, including an Intel Core i7 740QM processor, 8 GB DDR3 memory, and a 2 TB hard drive. That large hard drive is a rare thing on mobile systems. As for the display, the notebook uses a high-end Radeon HD5850 and a large, full-HD (1920×1080) 17 inch screen. Additionally, a pair of 3D glasses comes bundled in the sales package, so you can enjoy your games in full 3D glory.

You will have to pay a steep price for an HP ENVY 17 3D notebook though. At Rp 27.000.000 (nearly US$ 3.000), not everyone will be able to afford one. However, that premium price is complimented by an equally premium after-sales service. Whenever a problem arises, help is just one phone call away. All you have to do is ring the service number, and HP’s staffs will come to your residence to pick up the notebook for repairs.

Portable Gaming Machines Category

Recommendation

Acer TimelineX 3820TG

The Acer TimelineX 3820TG has a nice balance between battery life, portability, and gaming performance. The notebook arrived at our test center some time ago and we have finished the tests, but we can’t publish the results just yet. A little hint: the notebook lasted for more than 8 hours in our MobileMark 2007 test.

Powered by an Intel Core i5 460 processor and 4 GB of DDR3 memory, the notebook should be powerful enough to run most applications without any trouble. You will also get a 640 GB hard drive, along with a Radeon HD5650M graphics card to process everything displayed on its 13 inch, 1366×768 screen.

Its sleek, lightweight profile, combined with dependable 3D performance and long battery life, makes the TimelineX 3820TG a perfect travel companion. As for the price, it currently retails for Rp 9.000.000 (US$ 990).

Runner Up

AlienWare M11X

The Alienware brand is synonymous with high-performance gaming machines, and the M11X is their smallest, portable gaming computer to date. With 11,6 inch screen, it’s about as small as most netbooks, but is a bit thicker because of the more powerful components contained inside. In our opinion, for an 11 incher, the M11X is somewhat too thick. Interestingly, the keyboard has LED backlight to help you when gaming or typing under low light conditions.

For a small-screen mobile, the technical specification is impressive: Intel Core i3 330UM with 2GB DDR3 memory and GeForce GT335M GPU. The hard drive is nothing extraordinary though, with “just” 320 GB of space available.

Alongside the TimelineX, Alienware M11X is our choice for the portable gaming notebook category. The Rp 11.900.000 (US$ 1.310) price tag is relatively steeper compared to Acer’s offering, placing it on the runner up position in our list.