This is not woot!worthy. Way to close to retail value; good luck with that

tljx wrote:I have to disagree. With Alienware computers, you're paying for a name. There are usually much cheaper options that offer the same or better performance. For example, the ASUS G75VW-AS71 has hardware superior in most aspects to the laptop being offered here and can be found new on Amazon for $1,349.

I second this. I have an ASUS G55VW (the 15 inch version of the G75) and it has a faster CPU, has 12GB of RAM, GeForce GTX 660m, and probably weights 3 pounds less than this (as this is 18", which tends to be heavy).

greenblaster wrote:The hyper-threading supported by i7 processors is for complex rendering and calculation, and doesn't offer any better performance in games. It can actually inhibit performance in some cases. One is just as well off by going with a cheaper i5.

In any case, the thought of dropping this much cash for a laptop makes me light-headed. It can't be denied that Alienware performs well, but one pays significantly for the name. There are those who prefer or else require a laptop, but for gaming, the price/performance ratio of a custom-built desktop is unbeatable.

...Have you heard of multicore rendering? You know the thing that all modern games use. Well, hyper threading essentially doubles the cores, doubling the rendering ability. As an owner of 2 quad cores both with hyper threading, I can attest to this.

mk505 wrote:For an extra $200 you can get this laptop (new) & an X-box 360 with free shipping here: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboBundleDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.948033

For an extra 200$ you get a 200$ xbox?!

grimskull89 wrote:Has anyone had any experience with Alienware since Dell bought them out?

I am kind of weary of Dell...

Though, I don't have the money for this, so... kinda off-topic.

I have had 2 Alienware computers and they are way above Dell quality. I don't have the laptop, but my PC is a screaming demon! Have read great things about their laptops though.

$1599 is not a deal for the performance you're getting with this laptop, sorry. It's a solid machine, but you can find better cheaper.

That's not even to address the silliness of gaming on a laptop anyway.

asus g series typically has better value for your buck.

ybnormal03 wrote:For an extra 200$ you get a 200$ xbox?!

HAHA!

grimskull89 wrote:Has anyone had any experience with Alienware since Dell bought them out?

I am kind of weary of Dell...

Though, I don't have the money for this, so... kinda off-topic.

I have a brand-new Dell XPS 13" laptop at work, and the screen, keyboard and hinge are comparable in feel and quality with my Alienware m14x. No better, no worse.

pirate943 wrote:asus g series typically has better value for your buck.

Not to mention they have the whole stealth jet fighter look going on!

ChefRAZ wrote:and all you have to do is name one... waiting...

I already named one in my very first post. Other posters have named several others since. Read the thread.

DaveInSoCal wrote:Is this the most expensive item ever sold on woot?

No, I'm sure there were some knives that were more expensive at one point.

I know a bacon woot-off is going on, but the B that's missing here is Blu-ray!!!

redstang wrote:No, I'm sure there were some knives that were more expensive at one point.

MOD CHALLENGE TIME: If this is true, find the item and post the link to it!


Also, thanks to Dave, we have a brand new game to play. Thanks, Dave!

thosegrapefruits wrote:...Have you heard of multicore rendering? You know the thing that all modern games use. Well, hyper threading essentially doubles the cores, doubling the rendering ability. As an owner of 2 quad cores both with hyper threading, I can attest to this.

Modern games barely use four cores effectively.

http://www.thegeeklynews.com/2011/07/the-myth-of-hyper-threading-and-the-intel-i7-cpu/

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/Intel-Core-i7-Nehalem,2057-12.html

gigasmurfn wrote:This is not woot!worthy. Way to close to retail value; good luck with that

EXACTLY!

You can get an Asus G75VW-RS72 at Fry's with more ram, better video card, better warranty, etc., etc., for $100 less.

Been using alienwares for my "business laptop" for awhile now. I VM my corp image and play lots of games on it while traveling in the hotel at night.

This is a good deal if you are in the market for a gaming laptop, I did try Sager and Asus but returned both because they

1.) Screens were just not as crisp even though the specs said they were the same
2.) killed the battery (not super important)
3.) very loud fans and extrememly bad at heat disipation this was very annoying.

And for those saying you can build a system for less it's possible but you do get a legit copy of windows with this, and you have one company to deal with the warranty issues not one for each component..

VOODOOLIFE wrote:I have had 2 Alienware computers and they are way above Dell quality. I don't have the laptop, but my PC is a screaming demon! Have read great things about their laptops though.

Yeah i have a lot better luck with alienware tech support then Dells when i call in about our servers. I have both a Area 51 ALX and a m11x both are way above the dells we have at work.

I bought a refurbished m11x R3 off Ebay for $700 threw in a 256 GB SSD and so far after three months I've had no problems. M18x seems to big to be a laptop...

cool- I'm in for 3.

kuma99 wrote:cool- I'm in for 3.

Did you just attempt to "make it rain" via forum post? Is that what that just was?

$1600 gaming laptop, what a steal. Meh.

Wow! If you're a gamer you'd be better off building a nice i7 desktop machine for around $1,000 and buying a mid-range i5 laptop with the extra $600. Buuuuut you wouldn't get the hat or mousepad...shucks; it needs to come with a alienware members only jacket!

i think that for that kind of a price tag, even on an Alienware, you should get a Bluray player and at least 12GB of RAM. I think it's overpriced, even without looking outside Alienware.
I want to get one, or perhaps the Republic of Gamers ASUS model described here a few times, not just for gaming (i do most of my gaming on an XBOX360) but also for an all around fast and quality computing experience without having to worry about spending another $2000 in the next 10 years...
But if you are rich and out to get a dope gaming laptop try http://www.falcon-nw.com/laptops/drx

I owned an Area 51 Laptop back in 2005. I was glad I picked up the extended warranty because this thing went through parts left and right. After the three year warranty was up, I sold it for cheap just to get rid of it. Lesson learned: Laptops are NOT for gaming! During high end gaming sessions, the components get hot. The heat wears everything down until it breaks. I find Alienware has a considerable markup on their computers. You can find better builds for much cheaper, you just won't have the flashy case design.

just thought I'd throw my 2cents in. I own a prior generation Alienware Laptop. Aside from it's weight, I Love it. It lasted about 3 good years with the hardware it came with. When the graphics card became a bit outdated guess what? I swapped up for a newer more powerful card. Not many laptops allow for that.

So even though the price is steep up front, you should also consider how long the investment will last. If you buy a $1000 low-end gaming laptop that is going to need to be replaced next year due to spec creep, that's a much worse investment than paying $1800 now for 3 years and then another $300-$400 to extend the life another year or two.

greenblaster wrote:There are those who prefer or else require a laptop, but for gaming, the price/performance ratio of a custom-built desktop is unbeatable.

And the custom built Desktop would probably weigh less than this beast. ;)

Alienwares are just re-branded Sager laptops with a different exterior shell.

You can buy an equivalent Sager with a better video card from PowerNotebooks.com for $200 less than this deal.

http://www.powernotebooks.com/Sager-NP9170-gaming-laptops-notebooks-sys-4660.html

No, DO NOT buy Alienware. Even at this price, the laptop is extremely overpriced. Alienwares overheat all the time, have terrible hinges and overall build quality. If you are looking for a gaming laptop go with Asus, MSi or Sagernotebook.

Also, if you are looking for a gaming computer build a desktop yourself or PM me and I can build it for you.

blarneystone wrote:just thought I'd throw my 2cents in. I own a prior generation Alienware Laptop. Aside from it's weight, I Love it. It lasted about 3 good years with the hardware it came with. When the graphics card became a bit outdated guess what? I swapped up for a newer more powerful card. Not many laptops allow for that.

So even though the price is steep up front, you should also consider how long the investment will last. If you buy a $1000 low-end gaming laptop that is going to need to be replaced next year due to spec creep, that's a much worse investment than paying $1800 now for 3 years and then another $300-$400 to extend the life another year or two.

The problem is, this laptop is already "outdated" for the price. You won't get a "future-proof" laptop no matter how much money you throw at it. A computer (desktop or laptop) is not an investment, although desktop computers tend to keep their value better (and many essential parts are re-usable in future builds) if you build it yourself with the best parts from reputable companies. As was mentioned, the heat in "gaming" laptops tends to wear everything down much faster. I still believe if you MUST buy a "gaming" laptop, just get the most bang for your buck, and that tends not to be Alienware.

shoulda2 wrote:
And for those saying you can build a system for less it's possible but you do get a legit copy of windows with this

Yes. OEM copies of Windows 7 go on sale on Newegg for under $100 fairly often. Including a monitor, keyboard, and operating system, you can easily build a desktop that blows this laptop out of the water for not too much more than $1100 or so.

Of course, that being said, I find the "you could build/buy a desktop for much less" argument rather silly anyway. Of course you could. When buying a gaming laptop, you're paying for the ability to game on the go. Pitiful battery life will prevent any kind of long gaming session away from wall power but it's still great for those who travel and have access to outlets. I, for example, go out of town for a weekend once every 2 weeks or so and I love being able to just throw my gaming laptop in a bag and take it with me. I also enjoy being able to change rooms with it in my own home.

blarneystone wrote:
So even though the price is steep up front, you should also consider how long the investment will last. If you buy a $1000 low-end gaming laptop that is going to need to be replaced next year due to spec creep, that's a much worse investment than paying $1800 now for 3 years and then another $300-$400 to extend the life another year or two.

The thing is, you can buy a $1000 (or, more accurately, a $1200-1400) gaming laptop with the same specs as this one.

I'll give Alienware credit for being a bit more upgradeable than most of the competition but GPU upgrades in a laptop are often cost-prohibitive and are still fairly limited as far as what upgrades are available.

vcioprescu wrote:But if you are rich and out to get a dope gaming laptop try http://www.falcon-nw.com/laptops/drx

Same thing I recommended in my post :P

I had a similar model for work for a year. It's large. Like 15 lbs large. But the quality is there, the video was outstanding and for my intents and purposes it was perfect. Not sure I'd use it as a home laptop you watch movies on in your lap, but if you're a gamer and have to travel this is your best option.

CowboyDann wrote:Can this thing run solitaire?

That's about what it does. After all, Alienware was good, until Dell bought them. Now they are as good as any other Chinese laptop. They are ALL made in China, you know.

TSOG wrote:I know a bacon woot-off is going on, but the B that's missing here is Blu-ray!!!

Blu-ray bacon?!?! Where can I get some?
I bet it would be awesome!

robinwatt wrote:Alienwares are just re-branded Sager laptops with a different exterior shell.

You can buy an equivalent Sager with a better video card from PowerNotebooks.com for $200 less than this deal.

http://www.powernotebooks.com/Sager-NP9170-gaming-laptops-notebooks-sys-4660.html

You best check your information. Sager/Clevo is not affiliated and does not contract with Alienware or Dell.

Sager does not sell simply the internals, they sell the entire machine and shell, allowing for new name badges by other parties.

As a non-gamer, the only reason I would consider an Alienware rig is for their outstanding high-resolution displays; but at 18.4", 1080p just isn't very impressive.

Also, I'm fully aware most gaming-oriented laptops are only intended to be "portable" in a rather broad understanding of the word, but I have to laugh at a laptop that weighs more than my vacuum cleaner.

sweet laptop is good my friends or what do u think somebody?

Note that this is the previous generation of the M18x. It includes a 2nd Generation Intel i7 CPU, the current M18x's being sold on Dell's site come with the 3rd generation i7. Still not a bad deal considering the low end 3rd generation is 1999 and only has a 500gb RAID, and 6gb of ram and this is coming with a 1tb RAID and 8gb of ram. Also important to note that the newer generation also comes with a better video card. Though this one on woot will do a good job with game currently available.