Help me choose which M17x....

I'm willing to spend around 2500 on it. I checked out the Sam's club/Microcenter models and while impressed with the value, I'm not sure I want a quad core. I'm looking to get back into gaming, so the machine will be used primarily for that. Here's my main questions....the quad 2.0 vs c2d 2.8 and dual 260's vs dual 280's. I'm a noob when it comes to upgrading, all I've done is swap a GPU in a desktop, but that was about 10 years ago. I dont know anything about Overclocking, but am looking forward to learning. I included my original faq for reference, but I definitely want the M17x.

1) What is your budget?
2500 Max
2) What size notebook would you prefer?


d. Mainstream; 15" - 16" screen
e. Desktop Replacement; 17"+ screen

3) Where will you buying this notebook? You can select the flag of your country as an indicator.
Online

4) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?

No Preference

5) What are the primary tasks will you be performing with this notebook?
Gaming
6) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places, leaving it on your desk or both?
Home Only
7) Will you be playing games on it; if so, which games or types of games?
Yes...WOW, Dragon Age:Origins, Starcraft 2, World in Conflict
8) How many hours of battery life do you need?
Not Important
9) Would you prefer to see the notebooks you're considering before purchasing it or buying a notebook on-line without seeing it is OK?
Online
10) What OS do you prefer? Windows (XP or Vista), Mac OS, Linux, etc.
Windows Vista with Upgrade to W7
Screen Specifics

11) From the choices below, what screen resolutions would you prefer?

No preference

12) Do you want a glossy/reflective screen or a matte/non-glossy screen?
No preference
Build Quality and Design

13) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you?
No
14) When are you buying this laptop and how long do you want this laptop to last?
Buying in a week or so, hope to have it last for at least 3 years
Notebook Components

15) How much hard drive space do you need; 80GB to 500GB? Do you want a SSD drive?
320g and up
16) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a CDRW/DVD-ROM, DVD Burner or Blu-Ray drive?
No preference

 

I noticed question #13 says that you don't care about looks. Why are you going with the M17x then? The M17 with 4850's, 1920x1200 LCD, and an X9100 (since you don't want the Quad) is well below your budget ($2,300). Buy your own RAM and an SSD from Newegg, and you'd have one of the fastest laptops on the planet.

 

Yup but if u do go m17x get:
t9600
260's sli
base ram n HD
1900 screen if u can .... If ur a student get 7% off to

 

I had filled that out prior to deciding on the m17x. From what I've found online, I think I'll go with the 260's instead of the 280's since the performance difference isnt worth 300 bucks to me. Basically, I'm down to deciding between the microcenter version with the quad 2.0 or ordering a c2d 2.8 through dell. I chatted with a dell representative tonight about discounts but have yet to hear back from the manager.

 

The quad will be enough for games now n specially overclocked