1.Scan 3XS Graphite LG5 - £590 (around AU$900/US$935)
Designed from the core up as an ultra-portable gaming laptop, this packs a punch in the processor and graphics. The Intel Core i5 3210M is a capable workhorse of a chip that will handle all the games you throw at it, and chew through more serious work as well. The GeForce GTX 640M GPU and low native resolution enable you to hit great frame rates, but the 11.6-inch screen is small.
The SSD is also too small, but that's easily rectified online. The undersized screen isn't as easy to fix though, and we'd advise anyone looking to do work to look elsewhere. However, as a gaming system there's a lot to love here.
Read More Scan 3XS Graphite LG5 review
2. Alienware M17x 2012 - £1,090/US$1,275 (about AU$1,665)
The Alienware M17x has had an Intel Ivy Bridge flavored refresh for 2012. The most notable addition is the inclusion of a third-generation Intel Core CPU. The model we reviewed packed an i7-3610QM processor, a four-core monster clocked at nominal 2.3GHz, which can be pumped full of Intel Turbo Boost steroids to achieve a top speed of 3.3GHz.
Combine this with a seriously powerful GPU courtesy of the latest Nvidia or AMD graphics technology and you're looking at a top-end gaming machine more than worthy of its hefty price-tag. There's also Intel HD 4000 graphics as part of the Ivy Bridge package, meaning DirectX 11 support.
Read More Alienware M17x review
3. Samsung Series 7 Gamer - £1,350/US$1,900 (around AU$2,060)
The Samsung Series 7 Gamer laptop has the hardware and performance that gamers care about, and a price tag that we would deem fair. Samsung's custom UI, however, mostly detracts from the overall experience, short of one or two niceties, such as being able to disable the trackpad and Windows keys. It's also quite heavy.
From a purely processor to pennies perspective, the Series 7 Gamer is worth the money. It's a gaming machine capable of playing the latest titles at respectable settings. All its case lights and fancy UI, though, make it a bit like a party guest who arrives overdressed. You're glad they showed up, but the bow tie they're wearing just makes them look silly.
Read More Samsung Series 7 Gamer review
4. Toshiba Qosmio X870 - £1,440/AU$3,200/US$1,400
The Toshiba Qosmio X870's price renders it the preserve of hardcore gamers and 3D aficionados who require the kind of power this laptop can generate. With both the Ivy Bridge processor and Nvidia GPU firing, the results are astounding.
Graphics are crisply rendered on the 17.3-inch screen and the Blu-ray capability and stereoscopic 3D give this entertainment scope beyond just gaming. This is a fully-featured entertainment machine, and although we quibble at the battery life and divisive design, when it comes down to sheer performance, this has got most other gaming laptops beat.
Read More Toshiba Qosmio X870 review
5. Razer Blade - £2,000 (around AU$3,050/US$3,170)
The standout feature on the Razer Blade is its Switchblade touchpad interface - a unique feature that turns the Blade's touchpad into a fully functioning small second screen that you can use to check your email, watch YouTube videos or amplify your gaming experience.
The Intel Core i7-3632QM CPU is powerful, and the sound is crisp, but it is expensive, the keyboard is a little stiff and the touchpad placement to the side takes some getting used to. But its long battery life and comparatively lightweight chassis makes portable, quality gaming possible.
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