Need some help choosing

I've started getting into gaming, but my MacBook Pro (the 2010 Core 2 Duo one) can't handle games for crap. I like games like Dragon Age, Amalur, Skyrim, ME, etc. I don't need a super-powerful end-all computer, I just want what will allow me to play on at least high settings comfortably. I've gotten it down to 3 builds:

M14x
i7-2670QM CPU
6GB 1600MHz RAM
500GB HDD
1GB DDR5 GeoForce 650M w/Optimus
High Def+ (1600x900)
Advanced Warranty
$1,362.00

Pros: Lowest price, Smallest size, Warranty
Cons: Graphics - I don't think I'll be able to play on high setting comfortably on this will I?

M17x
i7-2670QM CPU
6GB 1600MHz RAM
500GB HDD
2GB GDDR5 Radeon 7970M GPU
WideFHD (1900x1080)
Advanced Warranty
$1937.00

Pros: 2nd Best graphics, Warranty
Cons: Size, Highest price

Aurora
i7-3820 CPU
8GB 1600MHz RAM
1TB HDD
2GB GDDR5 Radeon 7870 GPU (might wait for the Nvidia 670/Ti)
ASUS 21.5 HD Monitor (buying from Amazon)
Advanced Warranty
$1877.00 (Possibly $1747.00 if I get my monitor from a friend)

Pros: Most powerful, Best graphics, Cheaper than M17x, Warranty
Cons: More expensive than M14x, No easy portability

*I italicized the biggest overall pros and cons across the board.

I'd really appreciate any help.

 

I would narrow that down between the Desktop and the 17x, if you want the limited portablity of the 17X, or the more powerfull desktop.

Personally I like the 17x chioce a little better its seems more flexible to me as you can always hook it up to a TV or monitor for a desktop experience. Also having the ability to pack it up and take it with you.

 

M15x is an old discontinued model, so I personally wouldn't go for it. Plus, I'm fairly sure your graphics options are off on it, unless someone is making one custom for you.

The Aurora is a desktop. Your note is that it has less graphics power than the M17x. This is very, very incorrect. Desktop GPUs does not equal Laptop GPUs. The video card the in Aurora will be better than the M17x.

The M14x got a fairly decent bump in graphics power with the new refresh, so it can start to touch high settings on today's graphic intensive games. However, there is not much room on the performance though, and it will age very quickly if you are wanting to play future games at high settings.

The new M17x refresh with the 7970m is actually pretty sweet. I've never been an AMD fan, but it's good performance for a good price. I would personally rather have an M17x over an M14x, but your talking to the guy that owns the massive M18x. The portability of the M14x in comparison is nice, but the screen size and lower performing GPU just marks it off the list for me.

It's really going to depend on you. If you want a laptop, cross off the Aurora. If you can't deal with a larger laptop, get the M14x. Etc, etc.

 

I doubt the m17x is more powerful than the Aurora. However if you are going the desktop route, I don't see anything stopping you from just building your own for probably half the price.

 

Someone at Toms Hardware directed me to a rig building site and I put this rig together. Unless I did it wrong it doesn't seem that different from the Aurora to me and the prices are pretty close. Plus, it doesn't have the awesome AW warranty.

But isn't the 7970 better than the 7870? Or does the M in the 7970 stand for mobile?

I've gotten rid of the M15x from my list and corrected the errors I made. While I'm wavering more between the M17x and the Aurora now, I'm still not 100% ready to cross the 14x off.

 

Okay I think I'm gonna go with the M17x. I like that it's still a laptop and even though it's the most expensive I can see myself using it enough to justify the extra cost, as long as I can play on high settings. I took off the McAfee (I have a copy of WebRoot SecureAnywhere Complete) which brings me to just under $1900. I have $2000 to spend so should I upgrade my warranty to 2 years (it'll take me a little over 2000 but thats ok) or upgrade my memory with some SSD or mSATA Boot Drive (I don't get the difference between the two)?

 

If you want the best Alienware laptop available, go for the M18x. It's a little bit more expensive than the M17x, just a tiny bit larger, but it is far more powerful based on the same processor and GPU model. The M17x is also made of plastic and the M18x is anodized aluminum.

 

The m17x is a good choice, if your going to be moving it around a lot. I would leave it as is and use it for awhile to make sure every thing is fine. Read the forums on upgrades and what they do. Don't put a fresh install of windows on it until you understand you can and will lose some Alienware Recovery if your not care full. When your ready to upgrade the first and best is an SSD for the windows will speed it up a lot. As far as the Aurora it can be upgraded very easy. The graphics card the memory and the drives and CPU. If your system is mainly staying at home on the desk you can not beat the power of the desktop. Just my thought on it. What ever you get enjoy welcome and read read read the forums on the model you get.

 

You definitely can. If the R1 can handle nearly all of the current games on high (minus shadows/aa), the R2 definitely can.

I'd go with the other suggestion unless you travel to work-school and/or game on the couch regularly.

Definitely the M18/17 if you're staying home on a desk with it most of the time.

 

no on the M15x, outdated already IMO

 

I've decided on the M17x since I'm going to keep my MBP for portability. Just a few more questions. What's the difference between an mSATA Boot Drive and SSD? If I go with SSD, will I be able to install 2 of them? I was thinking of installing 1 256GB SSD and an additional 128GB sometime down the road (I plan on using the stock 500GB HDD for awhile first).