Looking at some Gaming computers

[Narnia]

and no, I'm not gonna build one. No.

Are you sure? It really isn't that hard to do so. If your not comfortable doing so you could instead hire someone else to build it for you. This video has a ~$500 computer that can play bf3 with 1080p 60 frames a second on low settings and Black Ops 2 at 1080p with 60 fps at highest settings. It also has easy to understand step by step instructions for building the computer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bh455l3348s

If however you are set against building/commisioning someone else to build for you a custom computer, the only advice I can give you is to pay attention to benchmarks like www.cpubenchmark.net to get some idea of what kind of performance you can expect to get and don't buy an alien ware computer; they are horribly overpriced.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

Oh geeze alien wares are rip offs. They look pretty - that's what you are paying for. I do wish this guy would at least consider building his own. As I said, I did it and I'm far from an expert. Youtube walked me through it and I even picked all my own components, I didn't follow a plan. But to each his own.

 

[Mr.WorldWide]

Alienware is a status symbol, you're paying for the name.

 

[illram]

NCIX (Canada's Newegg) used to offer a service where they'd build a computer you spec'd out at their online store. Not sure if they still do that or if that's offered to American customers.

Buying from Cyberpower and iBuypower is basically like building it yourself, with more limited case options and about a $100 premium on top of what you'd pay if you did it yourself. If you spec it out right and get the minimal base options that is (i.e., don't get extra RAM from them, don't get the OS, don't get the keyboard and the monitor, pick the cheapest options aside from the processor and GPU, etc. etc.).

 

[Zack]

If you spec it out right and get the minimal base options that is (i.e., don't get extra RAM from them, don't get the OS, don't get the keyboard and the monitor, pick the cheapest options aside from the processor and GPU, etc. etc.).

At that point, why not just build it yourself?

 

[Quackers]

I would avoid a laptop as Goodgame points out. You pay a premium for the portability and if it's going to be used for gaming, you really won't miss that much. Plus, you're paying a premium for portability at the expense of performance.

A desktop can also be upgraded much more easily and cheaply than a typical laptop and upgrading is as simple as opening the case, sliding out a part and sliding another one in. You might have to connect a power cord or two, but it's really simple.

In fact, I know you don't want to hear it, but building an entire PC is absurdly easy. I'm barely computer literate and I built my own by watching youtube videos and putting 15 minutes worth of thought into the parts I bought. Assembly took an hour and I saved myself a ton of money on a top-notch rig. Anywhoo, I'll go away now.

/Sigh thats where I am at the moment. I have to have the portability of a laptop and as you say it comes at the expense of performance.
One day when I get a full time job i'm going to build the desktop computer of my dreams

 

[illram]

At that point, why not just build it yourself?

I would agree but the OP seems to not want to build it for whatever reason.

It can be intimidating if you've never done it before.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

/Sigh thats where I am at the moment. I have to have the portability of a laptop and as you say it comes at the expense of performance.
One day when I get a full time job i'm going to build the desktop computer of my dreams

Yeah, you can't really build a laptop.

However, when portability becomes less of an issue, you'll be pleasantly surprised how cheaply you can build an over-powered rig of your dreams compared to a store-bought one.

If I were you though, I'd consider getting a cheap notebook, laptop or tablet of some kind and saving the rest for the computer of your dreams. If you only need the portability for a limited time and the laptop won't be your primary computer as soon as you can afford another one, then I'd skimp on it and save up for another one.