having second thoughts

so i purchased my M17X and just got it today but now im having 2nd thoughts about keeping it heres what i configured it with:
Black Metallic
Intel Core2 Quad Q9000 2.0GHz
4GB Dual Channel DDR3 at 1066MHz 2 x 2048MB
17.0in, WUXGA,LCD,ANW,M17X
SLI Dual 1GB GDDR3 NVIDIA GeForce 280
250GB 7,200RPM (xMB Cache) w/ Free Fall Protection
Slot-Loading Dual Layer DVD Burner

now i have a custom built pc already with:
Intel core 2 duo e7200 @ 2.53ghz
Gigabyte ga-p35-ds3l MB
3 gigs of ram
ati radeon 4870 X2 1gb video card
250gig hard drive
SoundBlaster xfi extreme audio card
windows XP operating system w/sp3
Dell dell s2409w 24' HD monitor

im torn atm debating whether or not to keep my pc and return the laptop or keep the laptop and sell my pc to pay for some of the laptop bill. help me out here guys! what should i do? i play wow mostly but also FPS games like UT3, TF2, etc

 

Ask yourself how important portability is.

 

hell ill keep the laptop. and ditch the pc asap

 

Agreed with the mobility question. It depends on whether you really need a laptop

 

And whether or not you want to pay a 15% restocking fee for returning the laptop.

 

Why did you buy the M17x in the first place?

I have a desktop with a single 4870 512 and an OC'd E8400 @ 4GHz which is faster (according to Vantage) than the SLI 260's in the machine I returned.

I really love the M17x but most low-mid range desktops are faster than high-end laptops. I buy laptops like the M17x more because I am amazed at the design and the amount of work that goes into the engineering aspect of the system. I guess, now that I think about it, I'd be happy with an M17x with a single 260. I just would want to own the system because of the looks and aluminum chassis

Like everyone said, it all boils down to preference. Do you need the portability? Also, it will be somewhat difficult to sell your desktop.

I wouldn't worry about that. They didn't charge me the fee when I returned my M17x (and haven't ever since I have been a Dell customer for the last 12 years and I have returned my fair share of systems. lol)

 

Sell the desktop but keep a monitor and mouse/keyboard for use with laptop. It can game just fine and offers you the mobility option.

 

to be honest i got it for portability since there's alot of new laptops that can replace desktops like mine. but my question is did i make the right choice getting the laptop now or should i have waited for something more powerful in terms of graphics. if the choice i made is good or better than what i have then i'll keep it. thanks for the replys

 

I second that

 

Your desktop has a 4870 x2... it will slaughter the performance of the M17x. BUT, since you don't play demanding games, and if you can afford it, I suggest the laptop.

 

and if you oc the laptop cpu, it is stronger than the desktop anyway haha (graphics is still a landslide though to the desktop...not that the laptop will leave you feeling inept)

GTX280m is roughly equal to a GTS 250 for desktop (just slower clocks - but you can OC hehe) which is roughly equal to a 4850 desktop part

 

Keep The M17x...

 

yes, long story short, keep the m17x

It will serve all your needs as well as mobility and look awesome (because we all know how important THAT is).

In this day and age, I find that a laptop is much better suited to most people than a desktop.

And like I said before, it is pretty much GTS 250 SLI with a Q9300 (if you get the qx9300 - which you should) to put it into desktop terms for you

 

Your not the only one, scook

Sales of desktops are practically non-existent and are basically surviving off of corporate and small business sales. However, true enthusiasts will still prefer a desktop due to the performance. Laptops just aren't there yet in terms of squeezing every last bit of frames on the highest settings.

I was desktop-less for the past 5 years or so but I got the itch to build one last year and did just that. It was fun - Like a stroll down memory lane..... But, yeah. I TRULY prefer a laptop over a desktop.

 

ya.

Don't get me wrong, I got 3 computers haha
- M17x (well, will have )
- HTPC (which plays crysis on the big screen!)
- Desktop (which can do ANYTHING - it is a beast in an mATX box hehe)

But if I had to have only 1....Laptop hands down. With an hdmi output BAM it is a htpc. (especially if you were smart enough to get bluray - i say smart enough because in the next year I think we will start seeing games on blu ray disks)

 

Give it about 3 more years for blu ray games . It took forever for publishers to even switch to DVD and when they finally did people complained because they didnt have a DVD drive . Blu ray adoption rate will be even slower im afraid.

 

thanks for all the replys it seems that im going to keep it. now to find someone to by my rig lol.

 

dam the people resisting it! it is a useful technology for more than just HD movies....people need to realize this and pony up. That would make the drives cheaper too.....

 

Well, now that the BD players have hit the magical $100 mark I think adoption all-around will be booming this holiday season.

I just bought my Dad a Magnavox BD player for $98 at Wally-world. When I told him the price he was stunned. lol

The last time he was looking to purchase one they were still hovering around $500.

 

Keep in mind that home theater adoption rate and PC adoption rate are totally different just as they were for the PC with DVD . People have to see the real value in blu ray as a storage medium to want to pony up the cash for one.

When recordable blu ray prices fall that will be a tell tale sign that things are changing.

 

I got one in my htpc and my laptop. I love having them...bring my laptop to parents or friends houses with hdmi and play blu ray on their nice tv's (mine is only decent - blew all my $$ on computers haha)

My dad spent $38k on a hard core AV setup at his house and didn't get blu ray (because at the time hd dvd was still competing against it). Whenever I mention it to him now his best excuse is that he doesn't want to have to re buy all his movies in blu-ray.

WHY DOES EVERYONE SEEM TO THINK YOU HAVE TO DO THIS?!?!?!

 

I understand that. I just think once ppl start buying discs (for HT or whatever) then comes the drives into computers and laptops. Ppl will start buying a lot of movies and will want to watch there collection on their HTPC's and laptops.

And then BOOM, you have games on BD media

 

Because the average consumer is not that bright . Seeing that your his son though you should convince him Blu ray is the way to go . I love it to death thats for sure . i bought the PS3 day 1 and i have one in my PC as well.

 

Im afraid by the time games will be coming to blu ray there will be very few if any more physical games in stores and everything will be delivered digitally . this is where we are headed whether we like it or not.

 

He already has seen it and likes it haha

That is why I am confused. I think for xmas this year I am just going to get him a player and then he will just start buying disks. He got a beautiful Sony 52" LCD TV (like $4500 here) and his only HD is from satellite....for shame!

I am heading to his place (in wyoming) for thanksgiving, I will open his eyes then haha with my laptop connected

 

I like how everyone thinks that downloads will completely replace physical media.

Until 100Mbps is available to everyone in the country it ain't gonna happen. Not to mention the bandwith that is going to be needed and upgraded for the ISP's and ASP's to handle it.

Count me as one who prefers (weird, I know) media rather than just downloading software that I end up burning to media anyways....

 

I dont like it one bit so dont count me in that crowd who is thinking that way .

Its just fact . PC game sales have risen to new highs because of digital delivery .
The places that use to carry PC games have really thinned the shelves of them because of things like STEAM etc.

I want the disc and the case because im older and old school. But the day will come when that will no longer be an options im afraid.

 

I don't mean to change the subject... but I have a question for those with the Q9000. Does it play TF2 well? I heard TF2 doesn't support quad, but I'm getting quad... How about Half life 2? Thanks

 

You guys have opened my eyes on blu-ray im def spending the extra cash for it on my next rig.

 

a quad will run any game fine. if you OC it to around 2.4, even better!

 

yeah, but if the game doesn't support more than dual core... I'll take your word for it. MINE IS IN SHIPPING STAGE!!!

 

Keep both. 4870 x2 is rape.

 

Laptops are used for more than just gaming though haha. if you have other programs open in background, this wont affect your gaming with a quad core where it would with a dual core.