First of all, I know what most people say. Alienware is overpriced for what you're getting and you can get a desktop or another laptop with the same or better performance for just as much. Well, think of it this way. When buying a car, people pay for aesthetics, features and extra gimmicks. Think of it the same as this.

http://www.dell.com/ca/p/alienware-m18x/pd

The model I would be purchasing is the M18x customized with...

IntelЎ Core™ i7 2760QM (2.4GHz,3.5GHz,w/Turbo Boost, 6MB Cache)
16GB Dual Channel DDR3 at 1600MHz (4DIMMS)
Dual 2GB GDDR5 AMD Radeon HD 6990M AMD CrossFireX
1.5TB RAID 0 (2x 750GB) 7200RPM SATA 3Gb/s
18.4-inch WideFHD 1920 x 1080 WLED
IntelЎ Centrino Ultimate-N 6300 a/b/g/n 3x3 MIMO Technology and Bluetooth 3.0
Slot-Load Dual Layer DVD Burner (DVD+-RW, CD-RW)
Internal High-Definition 5.1 Performance Audio with SoundBlaster MB Software
Alienware TactX Mouse (Free)
Razer Naga Molten Special Edition Gaming Mouse
Logitech G35 7.1-Channel Surround Sound Headset

This comes with everything I need, a good mouse, beautiful headset. top end specs to play any game, sturdy and nicely designed build along with every alienware perk.

This all comes to about $3100 or 80$ a month for the next few years which to most may seem like a lot. (because it is)

I recieve 130$ specifically for personal use from my father and will have no problem paying for this monthly, and then getting a summer job and full time job next year I'll be able to pay it off as a total.

I'm a hardcore PC gamer with over 800$ spent in PC games by far but just recently sold my desktop and bought snowboarding gear. The reason I sold my desktop is because it is too stationary. I go to friends houses a lot to game with them on their PC's but I don't like the idea of lugging around my tower, monitor and everything else that's hooked up at my house and bringing it to someone elses for the day.

This offers an 18 inch display at full 1920x1080 with everything I need, it is seen more as a desktop replacement because of how big it is (weighing in at 11 lbs) but it's still a laptop at heart. I could carry it around with some ease and hook it up at friends houses as a kind of "portable desktop".

When I say I play games I mean I play a lot of games, probably capping at around 14 hours a day on weekends if I'm doing some sort of event with friends through skype or the sort.

Now, what I'm wondering, COMPLETELY disregarding the price, do you guys think that this is a good machine to purchase for a hardcore gamer? Please take into consideration the detail I provided about my situation and such.

Again, money is not a problem.

Alienware is nice, regardless of price. Read all the reviews on the laptop you can, see if there are multiple bad ones with the same problem and see if warranty covers the issue.

It looks damn good, if you're going to use it then go ahead and buy it. It looks like it'd run just about anything. Make sure you're good with your final decision.
You can get a desktop and build it yourself cheaper, but as you said, you go to friends houses and what not.

Looks good to me, Up to you if you decide to purchase it.

I already built a computer not too long ago with up to date parts but sold it because I wasn't pleased with how stationary and how it wasn't fitting my current lifestyle at all.

So far the only NEGATIVES about this that I could find at all from tons of reviews are the...

price (which is not a problem)
flexibility in middle of keyboard (which apparently is fixed now)
how heavy it is (not a problem due to the 18 inch screen)
and the battery life isnt that long (due to the fact that it's so powerful it needs energy and a lot of it)

i'm pretty set on buying this i just want some feedback on what you guys think.

This is a partially biased opinion, of course. And I might've gone on record with my opinions on Alienware before, but I'll say it again.

The only model of theirs I'd recommend to anyone is the M11X, solely because it contains a phenomenal amount of processing power in a very small volume. $2000 for a fully-loaded model (16gb RAM, i7 dual-core Sandy at 2.8ghz) is a rather good deal considering how unbelievably portable it is compared to a 15" laptop, let alone an 18".

For $3100, though? That's the price of a desktop and a used car to haul it in. If you're fine with the price barrier, then go for it. I can't give you a personal opinion on it because nobody I know has ever been willing to pay such an absurd amount for a laptop.

EDIT: Also, accessories.

I don't find the Naga to be all that comfortable. If you're looking for a do-all-and-do-it-right gaming mouse, the G5 or G500 series' mice from Logitech are my go-to and have been for quite a few years now. If you're looking for something with even more buttons than the G500, (or if you just want to be a showoff, you Alienware-buying ponce), then check out one of the Cyborg mice. The MMO7 might be one to consider if you like button overdose.


I'm not even going to ask why you want to RAID two basic disc drives in a laptop of all things. Silly. If you really want to take advantage of the two drive bays, get a small and fast SSD of your choice (for the OS and games/programs of critical importance) and a basic drive or a WD Velociraptor as the secondary storage. I am biased towards WD's 10,000rpm drives because they've got sexy awesome performance and they're more economical then filling your house with SSD's for free space. You won't be using a laptop like that for file storage, anyway. People may disagree with me on the choice of hard drives, some will recommend going SSD all the way, and there's pros and cons to that.

I know it's a lot of money for a laptop but I'm looking for something to completely replace my old custom gaming computer that I built myself and have some sort of portability to it. It's quite big, but it's a hell of a lot easier then carrying around a full sized tower and 20' monitor around with me.

I'm not that much of an expert when it comes to HDD or SSD, but could you tell me what the best to get without going absurdly up in price out of the listed on this link?

http://configure.dell.com/dellstore/...alienware-m18x

Sidepicking Menu -> Hard Drive

I noticed that the SSD's are much higher in price but I don't know much about them.. I do want a bit of storage as I have a ton of games I'd like to have installed on this laptop at once (have over 1200$ in online stored games) and, I don't know, having only 512 GB opposed to 1.5 TB or the latter seems a bit too small for me. My previous PC only had 300GB and I managed but constantly had to delete things that I sometime used. But, hey, if getting an SSD will help improve the laptop then I wouldn't mind going down to 512 or maybe even around 300. What's the benefits?


Also, in all honesty, I'd rather get the M11x or M17x but I'm looking to play VERY demanding games such as BF3 and future ones to come inc Guild Wars 2(which i can imagine will get pretty intensive maxed out doing WvWvW and having 200 people on the screen casting etc) and the M18x gives the best options with the dual 6990's compared to a single, say, 6870 or 540.

I'd say go for it if you can't find a better one for cheaper. I have an older M15X from 2 years ago with much lower specs, and it plays top ends game that come out today on medium or low at a 50-60 fps. This should play whatever you want good.

Also, I liked dell's warranty. I accidentally spilled rubbing alcohol on the keyboard, causing it to no longer work. I called them up and no questions asked they sent me a new one that got there in like 2 or 3 days, and I just had to send the broken one back. Also they let me install it myself rather than making a tech guy come out which is nice.

Only downside is battery life, but if you just want it as a desktop replacement it's great. Weight is another downside, but again. Also it's very attention grabbing if you were to use it in a public place :V

Basically, I have a lot of friends that are in to gaming. Most of the time, though, their houses are ideal places to have gaming get-to-gethers compared to my tiny cramped up trailer. I don't expect the laptop to literally be played on my lap, but set up on a table or the sort. In a way, I'd be using it around a lot but it would always be stationarily set up somewhere.

Then it'd be perfect. That's what I use mine for and I love it still. Get a decent laptop bag, btw. I was stuck carrying it in a cardboard box for a while after I got it. The bag made it soo much easier to transport along with all the perhipherals and whatnot.

I'd be getting a personzlied leather case specifically made for the M18x


Also.. just wondering, it would be another 2000$ (or 20$ per month extra, coming to $5,239.93~) but should I go for this upgrade?

IntelЎ Core™ i7 2760QM (2.4GHz,3.5GHz,w/Turbo Boost, 6MB Cache) -> IntelЎ Core™ i7 2860QM (2.5GHz,3.6GHz with Turbo Boost, 8MB Cache)

Dual 2GB GDDR5 AMD Radeon HD 6990M AMD CrossFireX -> Dual 2GB GDDR5 NVIDIAЎ GeForceЎ GTX 580M – NVIDIAЎ SLIЎ Enabled

1.5TB RAID 0 (2x 750GB) 7200RPM SATA 3Gb/s -> 256GB Solid State Drive SATA 3Gb/s

Razer Naga Molten Edition -> Logitech G9x Laser USB Wired Mouse

<-> Alienware TactX Keyboard (Apparently a REALLY good keyboard for gaming.


I know it's 2000$ for all of that upgraded, but I'm really looking into getting a TOP END machine that will last me a while. I don't want to spend less for something that could be better, so to say, without getting into the extra 900$ processors.

Then I'd suggest doing what I'm doing. Don't bother buying anything until the Ivy Bridge and Nvidia Kepler chipsets are out. :B

The other alternative is to just build a desktop in a micro-ATX or smaller form factor case. Cheaper and a lot easier to upgrade later.