M11x decision. Help and Recommendations.

Hey Guys,
I'm interested in buying the M11x R2. I've been researching extensively but its always easier and more assuring to get answers to clear any doubts.

I'm an engineer and a gamer. I use a form of cad (solidworks) as well as a plan to minor in 3d animation. Also of course I am interested in using the laptop for everyday use. (I'm a hardcore gamer too btw )

Is this computer right for me? I'm planning on getting the R2 version with the i7 processor. Is this recommended or any of the other choices will be fine?

Also, would you compare this to other laptops I could possible get (I have a decent desktop I need something extra for its portability.) The decision would obviously be either this m11x, a macbook, or a computer with similar specs from frys or something but normal processors and bigger screens.

Sorry for the long post just want to make the best possible choice with money I saved from work study. Thanks ahead of time.

 

i dunno if you can do any cad or 3d animation on an 11.6" screen as it is a bit tight on screen space.

 

Yeah the screen size is a little small but most of my parts are tiny anyways so I'll be zoomed in 90% of the time to see small pieces. Laptop really gives me the option of working outside of home and working with professors and TAs. Once I get home I can just transfer the data for the finishing touches

 

fair enough, so it sounds like you'll be using it for rough/demo work then moving it to a dedicated system for refinements.

for gaming the m11x which games do you usually play?

 

Not really much right now because of school. Main game I play is starcraft 2 which I heard is pretty good on this comp. Other side ones would be counter strike 1.6 and most valve games (l4d, l4d2, portals, etc).

 

source games run well on the m11x because they're not as demanding as games like sc2 but you'll probably get better performance if you don't use the dell drivers and get the official nvidia ones.

 

I think both the screen and resolution are a bit too small for your purposes. I understand you want to work on the go, but there's a point where such a small screen becomes too cumbersome and irritating to use effectively. Also, if you're a hardcore gamer, I'm not sure if the m11x will cut it. For both gaming, school and work, I'd recommend something a little larger with a bit more power like an Asus G53, Alienware M15x or maybe Macbook Pro. What's your budget like?

edit: I should be receiving my M11x sometime in the coming week so I can chime in on the game's performance. The system in my sig starts to lag during the larger 3v3 battles but can maintain a decent 20+ framerate running at 1600x900 with everything set to low. I'm hoping the M11x can perform similarly.

 

or the HP envy series?

 

My budget is around 1200. Although I saved up enough for it in one go I'm planning on paying my parents monthly so I have money left to eat lol.

You guys do make a good point. Since I would have to go to a store instead I found this one on fry's website.

@thegh0sts
Specifications:
Operating System: Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium 64-bit
Processor: Intel® Core™ i5-480M Processor 2.66GHz with Turbo Boost Technology up to 2.93 GHz
Graphics: ATI Mobility Radeon™ HD 5650 switchable graphics with 1024MB DDR3 with up to 2714MB total graphics memory
Memory: 4GB DDR3 System Memory (2 DIMM), Max supported = 8GB
Storage Drive: 750GB (5400RPM) Hard Drive (SATA) with HP ProtectSmart Hard Drive Protection
Optical Drive: Slot-Loading SuperMulti 8X DVD±R/RW with Double Layer Support
Display: 14.5" diagonal High Definition HP BrightView Infinity LED Display (1366 x 768)
Sound: Beats Audio™
Webcam: HP TrueVision HD Webcam with integrated microphone
Communications: Integrated 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet LAN (RJ-45 connector), Wireless LAN 802.11b/g/n WLAN & Bluetooth®
Expandability: Multi-Format Digital Media Card Reader* for Secure Digital cards and Multimedia cards
Ports: 3 Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0 (3rd port shared with eSATA), 1 mini-Display port, 1 HDMI, 1 RJ -45 (LAN), 1 Headphone-out/Microphone-in combo jack (compatible with 3.5mm 4-conductor jack with stereo audio and mono mic)
Battery: 8-Cell 59WHr Lithium-Ion Battery, up to 6.5 hour battery life

This any good? (comparison with m11x)