build configuration

ok so i decided that i am going to go with an m17x but i am not sure what specs to go with. i was planning on going with the 1080p screen but not the one with 3D. i was also planning on going with the 2gb radeon HD 6970m video card. i will be using this laptop for high end gaming like crysis 2. What i would like to know is what upgrades to make and what to leave stock. my goal is to stay as low-price as possible but still be able to run crysis 2 max settings 30+ fps I am also planning to buy the witcher 2 and would like to run that at 30+ also. I also will probably be doing little to no self installment of things so no posts like "you can just buy a ____ here and install it for cheaper". BTW i am sorry if there is already a topic about this but i could not find. one if there is please link it in your post. Thanks in advance for the help

 

I would go with the 2720qm for CPU because it is worth the $150 for the increase in clocks from 2.9GHz turbo to 3.3GHz turbo, but the 2630qm is sufficient. Also the 6970m is a must if you plan to do high-end gaming, so good choice there. 1080p is also a must which it looks like you have chosen. For choosing the ram even though you said you don't want to self-install it would save you a good amount of cash, but if you don't I would just stick with 4gb, it is sufficient for gaming unless you don't mind shelling out the extra cash for 8gb of ram. The hard drive is all up to you, whether you would like to get the large HDD space, or the extreme SSD speed. If you look at my configuration, I only upgraded parts that I would not be able to do myself. I have not regretted a single choice about my configuration for a second. Good luck with your order and feel free to ask anymore questions about upgrading parts etc.

 

Based on what you've said, staying the lowest price possible while maintaining great performance I'd go with;

2720qm (2630 would be fine if on a tight budget)
6970m
8gb of stock ram 2dimms if possible
1080p screen if watching a lot of movies etc.
stock hard drive until you can afford an SSD down the road
don't forget to get a warranty if you can too, peace of mind is always nice.

 

This, but NOT the 8gb stock ram. Get the least amount of ram possible from Dell (for AW its 4gb i think) and get some cheap aftermarket ram. You could save $150-$200.

In general, except for processor, GPU and the screen, you shouldnt upgrade anything from Dell. Its always cheaper aftermarket, same/higher quality.

Also, 2720 is worth the upgrade, but feel free to downgrade to 2630 if u cant afford it. 2630 is also quadcore btw, and i dont think it will hurt ur gaming performance that much to be noticeable.

 

the slower cpu wont hurt anything at all. except your wallet. you can always upgrade it later via ebay or such

 

thanks guys this really helped i went with my original specs + the 2720qm i7

 

is it worth getting a better wireless card?

 

most likely no. people seem to find the default one fine.

 

I think you can also buy the wireless card aftermarket for $30-40 instead of paying Dell $70 or whatever they are charging,

 

what do you guys think about the processor ik that the 2720qm is better than the 2630qm but how much does it actually help in gaming and is it worth an extra $150. i dont have a problem with spending a little more but it would be a lot better if i could save that $150. again im planning on playing games as advanced as crysis 2, witcher 2, battelfield 3, gta 4, saints row 3, stuff like that and games that might come out in the next few years. i will also be playing less advanced games like minecraft and terraria but i would prefer to be able to play pretty much any game that comes out for a few years. i would like to know how cpu would effect fps and stuff like that.

 

In gaming you won't notice a difference between the 2630qm and 2720qm but I got it just to make my laptop's lifespan a lil longer and it is worth the upgrade in my opinion.