$1100 will get you a decent laptop, but nothing worthy of running high-end games. If you're looking to play Doom 3, Half-Life 2, Oblivion, etc., either get a desktop for the same amount of cash, or save up another $900 before you consider buying a laptop. If you're playing non-graphics demanding games (Warcraft III, Civilization IV, Pong...) then go ahead and get a decent $1000-1200 model. Look around for something with a Core Duo or Core 2 Duo in it for best results.