Gaming laptop suggestions for less than $3k?

I soon will be leaving for the AF and will be purchasing a laptop for the first time. I would appreciate some suggestions because I'm not familiar with the laptop market at all. Thank you! :sunny:

Go with a dell 9300. Go to the website, and pick out the options you want. Then call them on the phone and do a little social engineering to get them to cut the price as low as possible.

if ita gaming you want, alienware has an amazing laptop, have one right now and paid 2700 about a year ago. The monitor is the best i have ever seen.
Pros: Power and great monitor. More features than I will ever need.
Cons: Huge, heavy, less than 1 hour battery life (more of a desktop replacement than a laptop.)
Their smaller laptop is what I will be getting next, the battery life is very good on them. Their tech support pissed me off but I was able to get ahold of them whenever I need. One of them showed me how to take it apart rather than trust my A+ cert when I tell them the wireless doesnt work (who would want to take a 2700 laptop apart and ruin the warranty?) The restore dvd didnt work but they sent me a new one no problem. I still say they have great service and make one of the better laptops I have seen.

Dell Inspiron Coupons (http://www.dealcatcher.com/dell-home-coupons)

Code: Z5HJTRN9M8LPDB $300 off Inspiron Notebooks $1099+ (Excludes XPS) (Expiration: Jan 11, 2006)
Code: HQTHBLRS9PBVF3 $500 off Inspiron Notebooks $1499+ (Excludes XPS) (Expiration: Jan 11, 2006)
Code: G76?BXMPC5919D $750 off Inspiron Notebooks $1999+ (Excludes XPS) (Expiration: Jan 11, 2006)

Notebook Forums (http://www.notebookforums.com/)

Dell Inspiron 9300
2.83 Pentium M
2GB of Ram
1920x1200 17" Screen
GeForce 6800 w/ 256mb
60gb 7.2k RPM drive

Paid 1700 for it. I could have gotten it cheaper if I would have waited for a $750 off coupon. I bought it with a 35% off coupon. I love it, it plays games great and I still get 3 hours of battery life with the 12 cell battery. The only problem is that when I use my desktop I want to shoot myself now because it isn't widescreen :p