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The Witcher 2Alienware M18x(21 posts)solved(21 posts)solved
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Posted May 25, 2011
I m helping my buddy pick a new PC to play Witcher 2 and other upcomming games. He really wants a laptop, and Alienware recently release their new laptop, M18x. I think it is too much for the game, cause you don't have to have that crazy spec to play the game. Anyone agree? If yes, plz suggest a good laptop. If no, explain thx so much.
This question / problem has been solved by cjrgreenimage
Posted May 25, 2011
you can buy or build a much cheaper pc with similar specs to that.
Posted May 25, 2011
yeah but my buddy isn't kinda a guy who put in hours to figure out how to custermize a PC and find the lowest dealers.
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soldiergeralt: you can buy or build a much cheaper pc with similar specs to that.
Posted May 25, 2011
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soldiergeralt: you can buy or build a much cheaper pc with similar specs to that.
He wants to buy a laptop, and it's highly likely, from his post, he isn't going to be building his own laptop from scratch, since building your own laptop is hardly as simple as building your own desktop.

Anyways, can't really help you OP. But, if you're going to, for whatever reason, be buying a gaming laptop, you may as well go for high end. You're already overpaying by virtue of it being a laptop rather than a desktop, so there's no point in half-assing it and not future proofing yourself to some extent.
Posted May 25, 2011
I love my alienware :D

You can build yourself for cheaper though - http://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/laptop-computers/
Posted May 25, 2011
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charleswang95: I m helping my buddy pick a new PC to play Witcher 2 and other upcomming games. He really wants a laptop, and Alienware recently release their new laptop, M18x. I think it is too much for the game, cause you don't have to have that crazy spec to play the game. Anyone agree? If yes, plz suggest a good laptop. If no, explain thx so much.
Talk him out of that idea :P
A gaming notebook is hardly 'mobile' anymore because it's heavy/large, has short battery lifetime and can't use it's 3d power without being plugged in... It's cheaper and much more rational to buy a desktop pc and a decent midrange laptop which is able to run some older/not-so-graphics-focussed games.
If you can't or don't want to or he insists... well, it's really up to him which laptop he's going to go for. A beast like that might last a year or so longer than a cheaper laptop - not a minor point, considering that you can't upgrade. On the other hand buying multiple cheaper laptops might be more efficient due to technical progress or maybe even cheaper if that Alienware-thing doesn't have enough power as long as he'd want it to for some reason - like faster-than-usual CPU/GPU-progress or something.
Post edited May 25, 2011 by Aaden
Posted May 25, 2011
I don't think your friend has to necessarily get the M18x. The M17x is considerably cheaper and runs the game fine (with the 6970M). There are also probably some options in the ASUS line, but I'm less familiar with that.

Just for reference, between my friends and I, we tested our laptops and our results are roughly as follows:

My M17xR2 (i7 820, 5870M Crossfire): Roughly 30-55 FPS on high (crossfire is useless atm)
My friend's M17xR3 (i7 2820, 6970M): 50-60M on a mix of high and ultra
My M14x (i7 2820, 555M): 30-40 FPS on a mix of mostly medium/some high
Posted May 25, 2011
So did you bought a alienware PC or Laptop? Whats your spec?
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WastedJoker: I love my alienware :D

You can build yourself for cheaper though - http://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/laptop-computers/
well it is unlikely to convince him, but i ll try
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charleswang95: I m helping my buddy pick a new PC to play Witcher 2 and other upcomming games. He really wants a laptop, and Alienware recently release their new laptop, M18x. I think it is too much for the game, cause you don't have to have that crazy spec to play the game. Anyone agree? If yes, plz suggest a good laptop. If no, explain thx so much.
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Aaden: Talk him out of that idea :P
A gaming notebook is hardly 'mobile' anymore because it's heavy/large, has short battery lifetime and can't use it's 3d power without being plugged in... It's cheaper and much more rational to buy a desktop pc and a decent midrange laptop which is able to run some older/not-so-graphics-focussed games.
If you can't or don't want to or he insists... well, it's really up to him which laptop he's going to go for. A beast like that might last a year or so longer than a cheaper laptop - not a minor point, considering that you can't upgrade. On the other hand buying multiple cheaper laptops might be more efficient due to technical progress or maybe even cheaper if that Alienware-thing doesn't have enough power as long as he'd want it to for some reason - like faster-than-usual CPU/GPU-progress or something.
M17 sounds pretty good, and it is cheaper.
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n99127: I don't think your friend has to necessarily get the M18x. The M17x is considerably cheaper and runs the game fine (with the 6970M). There are also probably some options in the ASUS line, but I'm less familiar with that.

Just for reference, between my friends and I, we tested our laptops and our results are roughly as follows:

My M17xR2 (i7 820, 5870M Crossfire): Roughly 30-55 FPS on high (crossfire is useless atm)
My friend's M17xR3 (i7 2820, 6970M): 50-60M on a mix of high and ultra
My M14x (i7 2820, 555M): 30-40 FPS on a mix of mostly medium/some high
Post edited May 25, 2011 by charleswang95
Posted May 25, 2011
That's great that you're helping your friend with his new laptop purchase! The market is so wide now that it pays to do the research for sure.

I don't know much about the laptop you mentioned, but I do know that the Alienware game laptops perform well in general. However, they command a premium price versus other brands that have the same, if not far better specifications. I recommend you and your friend check out http://www.notebookreview.com and the community forums there. They're broken down by manufacturer and gaming and are an invaluable resource for figuring out performance vs. budget.

Good luck!
Posted May 25, 2011
It can't be stressed enough that laptops are a huge waste of money for gaming.
Posted May 25, 2011
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Shagittarius: It can't be stressed enough that laptops are a huge waste of money for gaming.
He's buying an Alienware gaming laptop. For some reason, I don't think money is really his concern. ;p
Posted May 25, 2011
Laptops made for gaming are overpriced, also they break to easily when used frequently and used for constant intensive hd gaming.

Better to build your own gaming rig with adequate amount of cooling.

If he doesn't want to build his own rig, he can also buy factory made gaming rigs like the acer predator series.
Posted May 25, 2011
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charleswang95: I m helping my buddy pick a new PC to play Witcher 2 and other upcomming games. He really wants a laptop, and Alienware recently release their new laptop, M18x. I think it is too much for the game, cause you don't have to have that crazy spec to play the game. Anyone agree? If yes, plz suggest a good laptop. If no, explain thx so much.
Alienware is generally poor value, and by the time you actually add in the big iron their puffery promises, it's going to cost a lot more than the base price. The 12-pound weight may be an unpleasant surprise for those who actually expect their laptops to be portable :)

The stock M18x ($1999 US) has:
Core i7 2630QM (2.0 GHz)
4GB DDR3-1333
Single 1.5GB GTX 460m (equals desktop GTS 450)
Single 320GB HDD
DVD burner (no Blu-Ray)
11.9 lbs (5.4 kg)

The same bucks ($1949 US) will get you a Sager NP8170 with:
Core i7 2630QM (the same)
8GB DDR3-1333
Single 2GB 6970m (equals desktop 6850)
Dual 500GB HDD's
Blu-Ray reader/DVD burner
8.6 lbs (3.9 kg)

I'd rather have the better iron and the 50 bucks in my pocket. But I'm funny that way.
Post edited May 25, 2011 by cjrgreen
Posted May 25, 2011
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Caelistas: Laptops made for gaming are overpriced, also they break to easily when used frequently and used for constant intensive hd gaming.

Better to build your own gaming rig with adequate amount of cooling.

If he doesn't want to build his own rig, he can also buy factory made gaming rigs like the acer predator series.
Or he could just buy a CLEVO/SAGER laptop (they build the hardware for alienware, and alienware then slaps on their brand and voila the insane pricetag) or asus.

Best gaming laptops for the money:

CLEVO/SAGER
ASUS


EDIT:

cjrgreen was first!!! <--- I agree 300%
Post edited May 25, 2011 by greenfish
Posted May 25, 2011
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Caelistas: Laptops made for gaming are overpriced, also they break to easily when used frequently and used for constant intensive hd gaming.

Better to build your own gaming rig with adequate amount of cooling.

If he doesn't want to build his own rig, he can also buy factory made gaming rigs like the acer predator series.
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greenfish: Or he could just buy a CLEVO/SAGER laptop (they build the hardware for alienware, and alienware then slaps on their brand and voila the insane pricetag) or asus.

Best gaming laptops for the money:

CLEVO/SAGER
ASUS


EDIT:

cjrgreen was first!!! <--- I agree 300%
Well, now that you mentioned ASUS, their G73SW-A1 (there are many variations of the G73, shop carefully) falls between the Sager and the Alienware (1TB disk, Blu-Ray, but only the GTX 460m GPU) but costs a good $200-300 less (street price approx. $1650 and up)
Post edited May 25, 2011 by cjrgreen
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The Witcher 2Alienware M18x(21 posts)solved(21 posts)solved
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