NEW 1530 or alienware m15x?

I am thinking about returning my 1530 for more gaming laptop.....however, I want to know if the 8700 graphics card or the 8800 GTX is going to be worth the extra dollars. I have about 4 more days to decide before I am stuck with this laptop. I have to say the notebook runs nicely. It's very portable for a 15 inch laptop. Anyway, here are the specs for m15x that I am considering:

The Alienware m15x:

Video/Graphics Card:
512MB NVIDIA® GeForce® 8700M GT or 512MB 8800 GTX
Click here for the NVIDIA® GeForce® 8800M GTX
Display:
15.4-inch Widescreen WXGA+ 1440 x 900 LCD with Clearview Technology
Processor:
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T7500 2.2GHz (4MB Cache 800MHz FSB)
Memory:
2GB Dual Channel DDR2 SO-DIMM at 667MHz - 2 x 1024MB
System Drive:
120GB 7,200RPM (8MB Cache)
Wireless Network Card:
Internal Intel® Wireless 4965 a/b/g/Draft-N Mini-Card
Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium
with Express Card Media Center Remote Control
Optical Drives:
8x Dual Layer CD-RW/DVD±RW Burner
Sound Card:
Internal High-Definition Audio with surround sound
Communications:
Integrated 10/1000Mb Gigabit Ethernet & 56K V.92 Modem
Alienware Extras:
Custom Engraved Nameplate, Alienware® Mesh Cap, Alienware® Mouse Pad, Alienware® Mobile Binder, Owner Identification Card



$1,954.00 (with 8700GT card)
2,475.00 (with 8800 GTX card)
Taxes and shipping included

Btw, those are the specs for the middle of the road m15x

 

From what I've heard the 8800 is supposed to be on par with the 8700 in SLI.

 

You've got a great machine already. Is it worth taking a significant financial hit for a marginal increase in video performance?

 

Does AW have the same return policy as its mother company Dell? If so, go for it. If you're unsatisfied with the AW after a while, just return it and get a new Dell again

There'll be some incidental costs to this approach possibly, but they shouldn't be a huge problem if you're going to be dumping $2-3k for an AW anyway.

All this assuming no restocking fees and whatnot of course - I didn't read up on their return policies.

A more reasonable suggestion would be for you to evaluate how your current machine is meeting your gaming needs and your anticipated future gaming needs.

 

The alienware isn't worth it unless you get the 8800. If your going to be gaming all the time and not carrying the laptop everywhere go for the Alienware.

If your going to do some fairly heavy gaming and carring the laptop around alot keep the M1530.

 

I'm trying to find out more about their return policy before I decide on this flasy gaming system. The m1530 is perfect for school and working on my websites though

 

Are you doing this just to run Crysis or The Witcher?

You know deep inside, when the 1530 looks at you with that replaced WXGA screen, the sadness that it displays, because it did its best effort to play COD4 at MAXIMUM SETTINGS, and still deliver a playable experience even if you had the stock nvidia drivers and no OC...

Keep the m1530 for some time

then, when Crysis2 comes out and it demands an octocore, go for it

 

Hi, look at my laptop.

 

You'd have to go for the 8800GTX to realise any kind of significant difference. The 8700 in single card configurations is barely any faster than the 8600.

 

WOW, now thats what i call almost free .... anyway, im sellin a m1x , 2.8ghz, 8800gtx + other freebies ... for around 3600$ (including delivery) . u'll save about 400$... i have a thread in the selling section, check it out ...

 

How the hell did you get that laptop for just over $500 !!!