Laptop Club

The ultimate gaming laptop needs something more than the fastest processors and the most blistering 3D graphics cards, and ASUS is well aware of this. The ASUS G71G-Q1 ($2,000 street) is close to the bleeding edge, packing features like an Intel quad-core processor, a Blu-ray reader, and cavernous hard drives. It's almost the total package, but it falls short on the one thing that matters most to gamers: graphics. Although the Nvidia GeForce 9800M GS card it comes with is considered a very good gaming card, there are systems that deliver higher frame rates for about the same price.

• Price as Tested: $2,000.00 Street
• Type: Gaming, Media
• Operating System: Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium
• Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Quad Q9000
• Processor Speed: 2 GHz
• RAM: 6 GB
• Weight: 9.1 lb
• Screen Size: 17 inches
• Screen Size Type: widescreen
• Graphics Card: nVidia GeForce 9800M GS
• Storage Capacity: 640 GB
• Networking Options: 802.11n
• Primary Optical Drive: DVD+/-RW DL with Blu-Ray