Digital Trends

With processor, graphics and storage technologies rushing ahead at breakneck speed, this year’s holiday shoppers will have more tech on tap for less money than they could have dreamed a year ago. Ultra-premium hardware that used to be reserved for dream systems, like solid-state drives, has plummeted in price, and computers that started as inexpensive toys, like netbooks, have sprouted more and more features, turning into real, viable PCs. Here are a few unique systems to make sure to check out on store shelves.

Asus G50Vt, $1,100

Half gaming rig, half portable lightshow, Asus’ flashy G50Vt makes a solid gift for gamers who want to take in the latest titles without any sacrifices in performance, but don’t want to be tied to their desktop PCs. Battery life and weight are both sore spots for this rather hungry clunky, machine, but it’s about raw performance, not convenience. An Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 4GB of RAM, and an Nvidia GeForce 9800M all help ensure the frames keep coming fast and smooth. And priced at a hair over a grand, you’re not going to find a better performing notebook for the money. (Read Digitaltrends Asus G50VT review) (Check Price)