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M17x or desktop?

Duke DudeDuke Dude Senior MemberRegistered Users Posts: 879
edited January 2011 in Technology
Hi Guys,

So I'm looking to buy myself a laptop/desktop for gaming as well as programming and animating. Now I've looked around and I can either go for the Alienware M17x laptop or build a machine myself for the same price, what should I go for?

I am into programming so being mobile is beneficial but would I be foolish in buying the M17x instead of building a desktop?

Thanks
Best jaguar, jeep, honda, mercedes, mitsubishi cars
Post edited by Duke Dude on
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  • ToxicseagullToxicseagull Senior Member Registered Users Posts: 944
    edited January 2011
    programming is a pretty stationary job/past time isnt it?

    unless you are wanting to use it on the move, i really recommend going desktop even then a powerful laptop's battery actually "on the move" only lasts 2 hours max so it wouldnt give you that much movement anyway.

    on a side note the m17x has been having some problems of late, in addition to avoiding alienware branding in general, i would advise not purchasing it.
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  • lordmaximus77lordmaximus77 Technical Moderator Leeuwarden, NLRegistered Users, Moderators, Tech Moderators, Knights Posts: 3,348
    edited January 2011
    I would say. Build a decent gaming desktop. And if you really need to be mobile for your programming. Most development environments (Visual Studio, Eclipse etc. etc.) run perfectly fine on a cheap laptop.

    The price of a M17x buys you a gaming desktop and a cheap notebook. And that desktop will be a lot faster when it comes to gaming.
    Any fool can make things bigger and more complex. It takes a touch of genius – and a lot of courage – to move in the opposite direction. — Albert Einstein

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  • AlexandroAlexandro Senior Member Zu Lai Temple againRegistered Users Posts: 1,404
    edited January 2011
    the desktop is the best option really, and if you decide to animations professionals can buy a gpu quadro or fire gl directed more to this application. the detail is that in general they do not behave very well in games ...
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  • AlJabberwockAlJabberwock Moderator USAModerators, Tech Moderators, Knights Posts: 7,729
    edited January 2011
    @DD
    These folks are all thinking the same thing, and although they have not told you all the details of what they are thinking they have given what I consider some pretty good reasons.

    I will add that Any of the tech-mods would agree with them, and specifically add that laptops are intended to be mobile through limiting power and heat use so that you can use a battery and be 'small', and are not entirely successful at either. This means both lower capability AND increased heat in a tiny box with little room for fans or other systems to shed it.

    As Toxic said, unless you are planning on being an, "International Programmer of Mystery" and constantly on the run, I'd be looking at a desktop at least first. And certainly, if possible, make it yourself or with a knowledgeable friend- you will not only outclass anything you could get for nearly double the price from Alienware (Dell's 'Lexus' brand), you will know exactly what is what and the general uselessness of box-maker's warrenties. You will also be able to use the latest stuff, and mix and match WHATEVER you want.

    Empower yourself!
    Al
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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    For most general problems, for which you have no idea of the culprit, your first port of call should be:
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  • Duke DudeDuke Dude Senior Member Registered Users Posts: 879
    edited January 2011
    AlJabberwock wrote: »
    @DD
    These folks are all thinking the same thing, and although they have not told you all the details of what they are thinking they have given what I consider some pretty good reasons.

    I will add that Any of the tech-mods would agree with them, and specifically add that laptops are intended to be mobile through limiting power and heat use so that you can use a battery and be 'small', and are not entirely successful at either. This means both lower capability AND increased heat in a tiny box with little room for fans or other systems to shed it.

    As Toxic said, unless you are planning on being an, "International Programmer of Mystery" and constantly on the run, I'd be looking at a desktop at least first. And certainly, if possible, make it yourself or with a knowledgeable friend- you will not only outclass anything you could get for nearly double the price from Alienware (Dell's 'Lexus' brand), you will know exactly what is what and the general uselessness of box-maker's warrenties. You will also be able to use the latest stuff, and mix and match WHATEVER you want.

    Empower yourself!
    Al

    Thanks guys! That was quite a nice answer AL!

    So I guess I'll get myself a Desktop :)

    Do you guys have any suggestion for the specs? I would like something to last about 2 years.

    Thanks
    Best jaguar, jeep, honda, mercedes, mitsubishi cars
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  • AlJabberwockAlJabberwock Moderator USAModerators, Tech Moderators, Knights Posts: 7,729
    edited January 2011
    Oh God, I thought this was the END of the thread, and now you tell me its the BEGINNING? (Will anyone notice if I edit out the jokes and re-use them later?).

    @DD
    The usual request is that you either give us a budget or a performance level (if money isn't as much of an issue). It is also good to know what country you are ordering parts in, and whether you are building it or buying it ready made.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    “Every so often things happen that can’t be rationalized in a conventional way. People wanna know their government has a response. I am that response.”
    ― Kent Mansley (in "Iron Giant")

    For most general problems, for which you have no idea of the culprit, your first port of call should be:
    https://support.sega.co.uk/hc/en-us/categories/200307381-Total-War-Support

    If you are aware of a bug or a specific issue for which you know the cause, post in the support section for the specific title on our forums. ~Al

    https://forums.totalwar.com/discussion/172193/forum-terms-and-conditions#latest
    Flag · Like
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