the mobility factor is pretty much the only thing keeping me from making a beastly desktop at the same price. the idea of being able to play Skyrim or The Old Republic on the go really appeals to me. however, due to my budget, i will definitely start considering a desktop over a laptop. it's something i've been debating anyway. thank you all for the input. i'm definitely not familiar with all of the video card names for laptops (never owned one), so i really appreciated that information, roland. i'll let you guys know what i end up with. in the meantime, my 360 should do the trick...