Logically I am not actually trying to play a bunch of games on it. The main point is to have something nice that will last a long time and can run cs:s so that I can still get in the servers if needed on vacation. I have been using the same Alienware laptop since the Pentium 4 came out. It weighs about 15lbs and along with all the extra equipment I need for it to work like external hard drives ect I am caught carrying a bag so heavy that I must stop every 10min to repair the straps becuase the metal brace that holds them together can not stand the weight. This results in my carrying it from the bottom while running though the airport and especially on long international terminals this is a pain I have tolerated for years. Really it could be 15" for all I care but what I really wanted was something powerful that was <5lbs and this is it! As for battery life I really just want something that can last for 4hours so I need to get a laptop with 8hour life b/c the battery will only be 50% effective for most of the lifetime of the computer. The other thing is that becuase I will really only ever use it on trips there is no point in getting anything bigger than this. In fact b/c it is so small I might find more uses for it like taking it so school so I can use it there. Also the smaller size makes it easy to take with me on a horse if needed or down to the bar for some drinks while I check the server stats. In addition the size and battery life make it reasonable to use on a plain where although I have watched videos on my phone I have found that looking at such a small screen at a close distance for 1.5 hours leads to double vision for 20min afterword and that was not a pleasant experience...