Buying an m17x r4 - need help - pretty please!!

so i have decided to buy an alienware m17x r4

specs are:

i7-3610
6gb(will add 4-6 gb separately in dec)
500gb hdd (will buy 120 gb ssd separately)
gtx 660m
1920x1080p

this amounts to 1649$ on dell.com

my questions are:
1)IS HD 7970 really worth the added 200$ ? cause budget is an issue for me ...
I CAN buy the m17x r4 with hd 7970.... but barely and if i buy this i cannot buy an ssd and a razor mouse for the next 3 months ...

2)if i downgrade my screen to 900p ... i can buy the hd 7970 easily ... but is that worth it as well? .... cause i REALLY do like the 1080p display ..

3)also alienware's build quality - is it very good ?

4)if i stick with 660 and after two years i would want to upgrade the gpu - make a 660 sli or get a gtx 680 or an hd 79xx ... IS THAT POSSIBLE?

ANY help in this regard would be appreciated, guys!

 

I would buy the 7970m, it is definitely a huge performance upgrade, it can easily max out most/close to all new games.

it is definitely not worth downgrading screen, quality looks much better in 1920x1080 Full HD, especially if you alot of gaming and watch blu-ray movies (idk if you plan on getting that)

you cant add second card (via crossfire or sli) to any m17x model after the m17xr3, adding dual card configuration is only possible on the m17x r1 and r2. You could replace the original card with a future nvidia or amd one, provided you have the appropriate parts and the card, you can read guides on this forum which talk about doing it.

does your price include the current sale going on? "More bang, less buck. Save 5, 10 or 15% off your total purchase instantly when you reach $1899, $2299 or $2699 respectively. Discount applied in cart."

if you spend more than 1899, you can get 5 percent off, I think it would be around 95-100 bucks, which could help you save at least some money.

EDIT: here is an example of using an older laptop (r3) and installing a new card (7970m) in it
http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...-mobility-7970-m17x-r3-illustrated-guide.html

 

did you apply for a dell account? 12 months no interest is fantastic for adding on a few upgrades. then you could get the 7970, the 1080p, and maybe even the 3720 cpu.

the only upgrades through dell i wouldn't skimp on are the cpu, gpu, and screen.. also you can google "m17x coupons" to find current coupons dell is offering

 

I would put windows on ssd, and i am going to keep the 1080p(in any case)
the thing is: i really like to game but i m afraid i wouldn't be able to play more than an hour and a half or so each day because of my studies. Keeping that in mind, i should just go with a 660 and play watever time i have with lower settings ... thoughts??
btw, 660 is a good card right? will it take me through the next two years in comfort?
and there is only one slot for ssd or can i place a second ssd in the 2nd sata port?? (i am a hardware noob)
and in ur opinion is it better to decrease the resolution or decrease the settings to achieve greater frames?

 

I bought a 660M in my Alienware R4. This is the result with BF3:

youtube;6akXtQmuD3M]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6akXtQmuD3M

I use my alienware to work so I play only in the evening (max 1 hour at day) and 3/4 hours in the weekend. In my opinion you can buy the 660M now and upgrade to 680m in one year and a half.

 

Definitely worth it, it is almost the same as the 680m and it costs less than that. The 660m is not as powerful as this video card is.

I think that it's better to keep a good screen. I have seen both of them working at the same time and I can tell you taht it definitely looks nicer with the 1080p screen.

It is very good, you will see come complaints on the forums but it is because the people who actually enjoy their systems are not posting. They are playing with them!

660SLI no because in that case you would need the m18x. The m17 only supports one discrete GPU. 680m or 7970m is a YES.

 

deja vu...

Buying an m17x r4 - need help - pretty please!! - Alienware Arena Forums