Gaming

P34G v2 v2. After we already reviewed the Gigabyte P34G v2 a couple of weeks ago, we now have a look at the similar Schenker C404 in this review update. Battery and build quality were drawbacks in the test of the original. Is the C404 better?

Maxwell upgrade. The GeForce GTX 850M graphics core equips the Aspire with considerable gaming performance. At the same time, the good battery life and the slim, elegant casing can be maintained. Whether Acer has designed the optimal all-round notebook will be shown in the following review.

Two are better than one. Although it has not been long since it appeared on the market, the successor is already available: Not even five months after our test, Aorus launched the next model of its slim high-end gamer, the X7. Instead of a pair of GTX 765M in SLI, now two GTX 860M graphics chips deliver a lot of gaming performance.

Gaming rocket with shortcomings. Gigabyte wants to offer a laptop for gamers who value performance and style in the form of its P35W v2. Particularly the weight of just 2.44 kg and a thickness of only 2 cm are things that Gigabyte is proud of.

Pure versatility... ...or something like that would be a fitting slogan for the GL550JK. Unlike the 750 line, Asus uses a fairly slim chassis that sports a gaming-suitable, mid-range GPU and a high-end IPS screen. Read here how the 15-inch device fares compared with the contenders.

Entry price, high-end gaming. Lenovo's latest Y Series has the best of both worlds: Sleek, thin looks with exceptional performance for a very fair starting price of $1050. Though the notebook is marketed as an entry-level portable gaming machine, we believe even serious gamers should take a look at what the new Y50 has to offer.

Maxwell or Kepler? Asus offers the high-end notebook G750 in three different variants. After the GTX 870M and the GTX 880M have already proven their capabilities, we dedicate this review to the cheaper version. Does the performance of the GeForce GTX 860M also convince?

Speedy Gonzales. Small, fast, but without a sombrero: the v2 successor of Gigabyte's P34G little gaming machine wants to win over gamers with the new Nvidia GeForce GTX 860M, but it has not changed much in other respects. The technically well-conceived hardware is installed in the familiar casing that, unfortunately, had a few processing flaws in our sample.

At home on the desk. The G510 isn't one of the slimmer notebooks on the market. Its advantages are the solid performance, ease of maintenance, and the decent input devices. Equipped with a dedicated GPU from AMD, is the Home Office notebook suitable for gaming as well?

Gaming-to-go - Part Two. Lots of power packed into an attractive case - that is one way to describe this Zenbook. An IPS panel and SSD complete the package. Even with its high-performance components, its battery life is good as well. Does the Zenbook have weaknesses too? Keep reading to find out.

More power for business. The small ThinkPad is equipped with high quality components: Core i7 processor, full HD IPS display, fast SSD, 3G modem and GeForce graphics core. A good battery life adds to the list. The ideal device for mobile use?

Pedal to the metal. In line with the current trend, racing-game expert Codemasters follows up successful games with sequels and releases at least one flagship product every year. The latest addition to the simulator series, GRID Autosport, is intended to be a very comprehensive package which offers a lot of variety. Our review is predominantly aimed at notebook users who would like to know how much horsepower is actually needed to guarantee a smooth gaming experience.

Wickedly hot. Most gaming machines are fast, but also heavy and bulky. MSI thinks that unnecessary, and presents us the thinnest and lightest 17-inch laptop in the world, according to its advertisement. A quick look at the specs nurtures doubts: Has the manufacturer managed to keep temperature and noise development under control?

Kepler update. Eurocom updates the 15.6-inch X3 with the latest Nvidia Kepler offerings. We put the beastly GTX 880M GPU to the test under our usual stressful conditions and games to see if the upgrade is worth a look.

Battalion power. Aside from the MSI-based Valkyrie series, the iBuyPower Battalion series is a less expensive alternative based on Clevo barebones. We take this $1000 gamer for a spin to see if it is worth the entry-level price.

Flat companion. Flat gaming is popular. No, we don't mean 2D games, but thin gaming notebooks like the MSI GS60. The 15.6-inch device is supposed to provide excellent mobility with a height of almost 2 centimeters and powerful hardware. Our review shows you why this is going to be a hot ride.

All that glitters...This Asus model uses a Maxwell GPU from Nvidia and a Haswell Core i7 from Intel. A strong duo which is capable of running modern games. The laptop even boasts a Full HD panel and seems to be the optimal package. Is that really true? Let us find out in an in-depth review.

Good and affordable? MSI has a 17-inch all-around laptop available that is aimed at multimedia fans and casual gamers. Read to what extent the GeForce 840M lags behind the more expensive models in this report. Is the GP70 worth its money?

Hardware giant. The outburst of the community was big when Ubisoft announced the official system requirements for Watch Dogs. The open-world title not only requires a potent graphics chip but also a very fast processor. We have tested several notebooks and desktops with various settings.

Old school. Wolfenstein: The New Order is not only interesting from a gaming point of view but also from a technical one. Id Software's graphics engine Tech 5, which was introduced in 2011 with the first-person shooter Rage, still struggles with one or two problems. Our review takes a look at the (mobile) hardware demands.

A Motley of Colors. Once again, we find an MSI GE60 gaming notebook on our table with advanced hardware and an interesting design. A faster i7 processor and backlit keyboard make the laptop quite attractive at first glance, but can it deliver what it promises?

Gaming tank. Big, heavy and a case full of fast hardware describes the new Alienware 17. Especially hardcore gamers will be interested in the GeForce GTX 880M, which is one of the fastest single-chip GPUs. But can the overall package support the good initial impression?

Boxy, menacing, fast. Asus launches a new gaming laptop featuring the overclocked premium GPU in its "Republic of Gamers" product line. High expectations are set when holding a laptop from this range. It is with good reason that Asus calls it Elite Series.

Play longer! The graphics card manufacturer Nvidia equips its entire GTX 800M series with this energy-saving option, which is supposed to allow longer gaming in battery mode. Find out in our test how the technology works and if the promised doubling in runtime is actually possible.

Dragon Blood. Although the GE70 does not sport the strongest gaming graphics card, the 17-inch device supplies more than attractive performance. Unlike other laptop experts, MSI uses a GDDR5 rather than a DDR3 VRAM for the GTX 850M model. Our report shows just how big the performance difference is in practical use.

Lookalike. Asus introduces a new 14-inch laptop with a touchscreen, upper-range configuration, and stylish looks dubbed VivoBook S451LB-CA072H. The bundle made a good impression in the test, though we expected more from the screen and storage device.

Juggernaut. The GeForce GTX 880M, still based on Kepler, is currently the fastest available laptop GPU. It rouses the highest expectations of gaming performance in conjunction with the i7 quad-core. We will reveal this much: Asus' latest ROG goes through the benchmarks like a hot knife through butter. Can its noise and temperature management control the brute power?

Maintenance-friendly all-rounder. The Terra Mobile 1548 is Wortmann's promising attempt to challenge the all-purpose notebooks of the big manufacturers. In addition to a very bright Full HD display and a GPU that is fit for games, the computer offers a lot of memory space. A treat: The computer can be fitted with a 3G module.

Game mode: Domination. Following the release of Nvidia's 800-series, MSI revamps its gaming laptop line. While not much has changed in terms of external appearance, the performance levels have been improved considerably. Still, the main selling point of the Dominator will surely be its 3K display.

Price war. HP demands just 400 Euros (~$550) for the well-configured, gaming-capable Compaq 15-a024sg. Weaknesses cannot be excluded in view of the price, and thus, not only the battery runtimes are below average...

A Shield to marvel at. This isn't Captain America's shield and unfortunately not made of Vibranium either, but we'd be damned if it isn't the best Android-based gaming platform currently in the market.

Haswell meets Maxwell. Asus offers a multimedia all-rounder for around 700 Euros (~$966) with the X750LN-TY012H. Thanks to the new GeForce 840M GPU, the notebook should be suited for gaming. Nvidia advertises a performance improvement of up to 35 percent compared to the predecessor – the GeForce GT 740M.

Big, bigger, TESO. As one of the last publishers to do so, Bethesda Softworks tries an MMORPG by subscription. The Elder Scrolls Online (TESO) is intended to piggyback off of the success of competitors in its genre, like Guild Wars 2 and World of WarCraft. You will encounter hardly any new technological advances, but the title scores points for its visually appealing and interesting world. Our article primarily deals with the new game's hardware demands.