I highly recommend Samsung, Toshiba (mid-high end pieces) and Asus. I do more repairs on HP/Compaq laptops than all other combined. I used to do a ton of Gateway repairs too. IMO hp/gateway are TRASH laptops.

The i5 is a very strong processor in it's own right, but if you want to play games step up to an i7 for discrete graphics. Just know that an i7 laptop is quite a battery hog.