A laser configuration producing up to 100's of Watts of output is provided, based on a solid-state gain medium, a source of pump energy which is detuned from the maximum absorption wavelength for the gain medium, and optics arranged to deliver the pump energy through an end of the gain medium to propagate along the length of the gain medium. The length of the gain medium and the doping concentration in the gain medium are sufficient the absorption length is on the order of 10's of millimeters, and more than ⅓ of the length, and that 90 percent or more of the pump energy is absorbed within two or fewer passes of the gain medium. A pump energy source that supplies 100 Watts to 1000 Watts or more.