As a g51j-a1 owner, (i'm typing this on mine), I can vouch 4 it being a good machine.
i bought it last christmas, and it's run pretty well, with few problems. In terms of performance,
it's great. The only downsides r the weight/size (its kind of chunky), the heat, and the battery
life, although it does have an i7. But, assuming that you don't plan on hauling it all over,
the weight and battery life won't really bother you. Heat hasn't been a problem either, but
it can be unfomfortable.
I can run crysis at high detail, 1920x1080 at about 20-25 fps. If you're into gaming, this is
about as good as it gets for the price.
The top is a bit flashy, but it's also kind of cool. As long as your not embarassed by a blue
and white lid with a lighted logo, you should find it acceptable.
Hope you consider it!