Is the basic M17x-R3 config worth it?

My question is really simple:
Is the basic $1499 config of the m17x worth it?

If not, what upgrades are a must?!
Thanks

 

The screen no. Kinda depends what you are going to do with the notebook.

 

what many people do is get the basic BUT with upgraded video card and 1920x1080 screen

The rest you can do yourself for much cheaper, like ram and SSD's

 

hmm... I see...
I´m not aiming for the "24/7 hardcore gaming", but more as a casual gaming: MMORPG (wow, swtor), Diablo 3, Skyrim...

Will the gtx560 fullfil my needs? Should I go for the m14 instead?

 

a buddy just returned his m14 cause it was too slow to games...just a headsup. The gt 555 is not enough IMO

Will the 560m be enough really depends on what game and what resolution you'll be gaming at. For the new AAA titles and 1920x1080 gaming, the 560m will be working hard and you most likely will have to turn down some of the quality settings.

however, if you don't mind gaming at a lower resolution (so its not native anymore and might look smudged), the 560 will definitely work

 

Get 1080p + best graphics minimum imo. 17" screens with less res than 1080p look poor + need a good gpu to back that res up.

Then upgrade RAM and add SSD yourself

 

I'd say upgrade the screen as well. the 1600x900 screen isn't horrible but you can definitely tell the difference between the 900p screen and the 1080p screen side by side.

 

get amd 6990m or gtx 580m, and FHD screen, don't upgrade the rest, I think the deal is 1700 right now, diablo 3 won't be a big deal, but skyrim is kind of demanding

 

I to am looking to purchase a new M17xR3 system as the wife wants my current setup.

M17XR3 | i7-2720QM | Nvidia GeForce GTX 460M | 6.00 GB DDR3 1600MHz Ram | 320 GB 7200 RPM HDD |1920x1080 120Hz w/Nvidia 3D Vision Bundle | Windows 7 Home Premium

I will again upgrade to the 1920x1080 120Hz display w/Nvidia 3D Vision Bundle and going with 8GB DDR3 at 1600MHz ram.

I really want to take advantage of DirectX 11 and PhysX technology so am opting for the 2GB GDDR5 NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580M upgrade.

Saw they now offer a 500 GB 7200RPM 3 GB/s Hybrid Solid State Drive for an extra $150. Worth it for a gaming only system or am I just better off upgrading to a complete Solid State Drive later?

Anything else about this system that might hinder my ability to maximize the processing power of this GPU?

 

DON'T upgrade the RAM in config page (200 dollars...) hyperx 1600 mhz 8gb is 70 dollars right now...

 

Actually, the 560m for me has run all the latest game at high settings (including skyrim) at 1080p without issues. This card is also great for overclocking, I've got mine OCed to over 120% of the stock speeds, which helps pump out a few extra frames. However, I game in 3D meaning I do have to turn a few settings down to get a smooth framerate. If you're getting 3D or want to futureproof your machine, get the 580m, if you want to save money and play the current games at highest, get the 560m.

 

i think the graphics card is the weakest link of every laptop. if you want to be able to play new games in 2 years time then get the best graphics available today. you can always add more RAM or add new harddrive but its really hard/expensive to change graphics card in a laptop.
get either 6990m or 580m and you should be fine.

 

its just expectations and what i want to see in a game after spending 2k on a laptop. i didn't say the 560m wouldn't work lol...i have lots of experience with the 460m/560m's so i know how much they overclock and what they are capable of...but to me, if you're gonna spend 2k on a laptop, i want to run ultra in skyrim with at least 4x AA and 16x AF. The 560m boosted to 900/1800/1550 still can't run skyrim the way i want it to. I can do that on my 6990m for about the same or just slightly more cash

 

definitely, so true no one can disagree (at least people who used 460m/560m) I also used a 460m which cannot handle bf3 at 1080p without OC (forget about ultra settings, at modest medium), exactly, if you are spending 1.5k on a laptop, spend 200 more and get the best GPU available, otherwise you will regret it, trust me...