What is a good gaming laptop? - 1

I'm looking to upgrade from my current laptop (a 2010 Dell Studio 15). I play video games quite a bit, so something that will run current generation (and, preferable, some way beyond) games. I'm quite computer literate, but not really educated in terms of hardware, so I don't really know exactly what to look for.

I'm looking, really, for a laptop that strikes a balance between performance and price. I'm not really talking ultra high-end - I'm not interested in a lot of the most resource-intensive games like CoD, Crysis, Far Cry (that is to say, big action games). I'm most interested in RTS games and RPGs. Examples of some games I can't run but would like to:

SimCity (2013)
Skyrim
A heavily modded Minecraft (with shaders)
Banished

Also, the reasons I'm asking about laptops rather than desktop PCs or tablets: I don't have room in my current apartment for a desktop and I'm a university student, so I need something with a good keyboard (ie: not a tablet) with which to write essays.

If you have any more questions, please feel free to PM me. Also please remember to keep the suggestions reasonable in terms of price.

Guest

Well I recommend the Lenovo IdeaPad Y510p 59388313 15.6-Inch Laptop (Dusk Black).
http://www.amazon.com/...cgamhar-20

Plays Like An Athlete, Works Like A Pro. If you're looking for a feature-rich laptop that's good for high-performance multimedia, extreme gaming, and other graphics, audio and processor intensive applications, look no further than the IdeaPad Y510p. It's the high-performance notebook with looks to match. Sporting a brushed metal exterior and interior, including a backlit keyboard, the IdeaPad Y510p combines an impressive design with the latest 4th Gen Intel Core processor, discrete NVIDIA graphics and premium JBL designed speakers making this a true multimedia powerhouse. And if that's not enough, you can add even more with the unique UltraBay - an interchangeable bay that can be swapped out for dual graphics capability, increased storage or an additional fan for cooling.

-Dual NVIDIA GeForce GT750M Discrete graphics (SLI) with 2GB dedicated DDR5 VRAM - supports the latest DirectX 11 games and HD video editing
-Dolby Home Theater v4, for full impact surround sound with premium JBL speakers
-Ultrabay: an interchangeable bay that can be instantly swapped out for dual graphics capability (2nd graphics card included in Ultrabay), DVD/Blu Ray drive, increased storage space or an additional fan for cooling (DVD/BluRay drives and storage options sold separately)
-Integrated 720p HD webcam and a dual digital array microphone for crystal clear webchat
-Intelligent TouchPad, optimized for Windows 8 with easy scroll, zoom and rotate functions
-HDMI out, two USB 2.0 ports, one USB 3.0 port
-Lenovo Energy Management minimizes power use and protects battery life

-Intel Core i7-4700MQ 2.4 GHz Processor (6 MB Cache)
-8 GB DDR3 RAM
-Bluetooth Version 4.0, 1 TB 5400 rpm HDD and 8 GB Solid-State Drive Memory
-Non-Touchscreen 15.6-Inch Display, Dual NVIDIA GeForce GT750M Discrete Graphics
-Windows 8, 4-hour battery life
Email me at Thetechmech@outlook.com for more information /Choices.
What is a good gaming laptop - 2

The Pc Mech