| DieAppleDie said: thanks to all for your useful advice! |
Keep in mind, while Alineware laptops don't seem to be popular in this thread, there are GPU upgrade kits that would later allow you to keep your laptop up-to-date.
HD7970M for Alienware
GTX680M for Alienware
That means in 2-3 years you won't have to toss the laptop out. I am not sure what GPU upgrade options are available for the other high-end gaming laptops but I notice that GPU upgrades for Alineware laptops are not too hard to find on eBay.
As others have mentioned though Alienware laptops are often overpriced in terms of components and their actual case seems outdated:
http://www.anandtech.com/show/6336/alienware-m18x-r2-notebook-review-nvidias-geforce-gtx-680m-in-sli
It really comes down to how much you want to spend. There are gaming laptops that cost less and are still decent:
http://hothardware.com/Reviews/iBuyPowers-CZ17-Review-of-the-Valkyrie/
Because the naming schemes of mobile GPUs are extremely convoluted, it's best to refer to actual benchmarks/chart that compiles them:
http://www.notebookcheck.net/Mobile-Graphics-Cards-Benchmark-List.844.0.html
Nvidia prices their GPUs much higher than equivalent AMD cards in performance. For example, Nvidia actually charges more $ for a GTX675M but it's MUCH slower than HD7970M:
So make sure to refer to the table at NotebookCheck.
