"Gaming Laptop" for College Student

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Guest

Guest
I know that a desktop would be better, but I don't want to build one until I'm certain of my living circumstances. I have accepted the compromises that come with a high-end laptop.

General Questions

1) What is your budget?

$2000

2) What size notebook would you prefer?

15-17"

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

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

Leaning toward Alienware or MSI

5) Would you consider laptops that are refurbished/redistributed?

No.

6) What are the primary tasks will you be performing with this notebook?

Productivity, gaming.

7) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places, leaving it on your desk or both?

Both.

8) Will you be playing games on your notebook? If so, please state which games or types of games?

Graphic-intense 3D games.

9) How many hours of battery life do you need?

More than four would be nice.

10) Would you prefer to see the notebooks you're considering before purchasing it or buying a notebook on-line without seeing it is OK?

Buying it online is fine.

11) What OS do you prefer? Windows (Windows 7 / 8), Mac OS, Linux, etc.

Any OS works.

Screen Specifics

12) From the choices below, what screen resolution(s) would you prefer? Keep in mind screen size in conjunction with resolution will play a large role in overall viewing comfort level. Everyone is different. Some like really small text, while others like their text big and easy to read. Click here for Screen resolution information.

1920 x 1080

13) Do you want a Glossy/reflective screen or a Matte/non-glossy screen?

Matte.

Build Quality and Design

14) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you?

Not very much.

15) When are you buying this laptop?

Soon enough.

16) How long do you want this laptop to last?

I want it to last for more than two years.

Notebook Components

17) How much hard drive space do you need? Do you want a SSD drive?

I want at least 500gb of space.

18) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a DVD Burner, Blu-ray Reader or Blu-Ray Burner?

DVD R/W.
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Alienware m17x configuration:

1080p screen
3740qm CPU
7970m GPU
Killer 1103 wi-fi
Two years of in-house service and accidental damage coverage

The price is $1730, which is $100 cheaper than a Clevo/Sager with the exact same specifications and $400 cheaper than an MSI GT60/70 with the GTX 680m. Of course, the Clevo and MSI don't come with next business day technical support or muxed graphics switching, but I suppose they have advantages too.