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A little advice? (MBP vs. Alienware)

elpmas

elpmas

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Sep 9, 2009
1,825
3
Where the fresh snow don't go.
MBP 13.3" vs Alienware M15x?

There really any specification for the need in either, but I just want to buy where my money will be the most profitable to the general public.
 
i have the old m15x, its pretty insane it plays gta iv so well, great lights there AMAZING the whole laptop is crazy. I also have a macbook.........

with that said, get the macbook
 
elpmas said:
MBP 13.3" vs Alienware M15x?
Click to expand...
What are your plans for the laptop? Playing games, business apps?

Alienware is basically high end gaming rigs, like the M15x. You cannot really compare the MBP 13" against the 15x (15" or 17" model) because the specifications are so different. i7 vs. core 2 duo, GTX 260M vs 9400m

Completely different systems looking to solve completely different problems, game machine vs. business machine.
 
maflynn said:
What are your plans for the laptop? Playing games, business apps?

Alienware is basically high end gaming rigs, like the M15x. You cannot really compare the MBP 13" against the 15x (15" or 17" model) because the specifications are so different. i7 vs. core 2 duo, GTX 260M vs 9400m

Completely different systems looking to solve completely different problems, game machine vs. business machine.
Click to expand...

Macs aren't just business machines.
 
reinforcement!

Thanks to those giving advice rather than bashing on my question. Wow, I really did not catch how retarded my sentence structure was lol.

The reason why I compared a MBP 13" with the Alienware M15x is because of the price. They're roughly around $1500, but their specs are completely different. So I wanted to know where would my money serve me best.

Where I'm basically getting at is, if I'm going to spend $1500, I want one that will not drop in price drastically within the following year nor will it break on me within the next two years after the purchased date. I do play games, but not as much due to school...so the area of "gaming" in a laptop should be ruled out when giving the advice.

I hope this clears it up a bit. :eek:
 
elpmas said:
Thanks to those giving advice rather than bashing on my question. Wow, I really did not catch how retarded my sentence structure was lol.

The reason why I compared a MBP 13" with the Alienware M15x is because of the price. They're roughly around $1500, but their specs are completely different. So I wanted to know where would my money serve me best.

Where I'm basically getting at is, if I'm going to spend $1500, I want one that will not drop in price drastically within the following year nor will it break on me within the next two years after the purchased date. I do play games, but not as much due to school...so the area of "gaming" in a laptop should be ruled out when giving the advice.

I hope this clears it up a bit. :eek:
Click to expand...

apple has a great resale value and they are reliable. I suggest you get a base mbp and a gaming system for games.
 
elpmas said:
Thanks to those giving advice rather than bashing on my question. Wow, I really did not catch how retarded my sentence structure was lol.

The reason why I compared a MBP 13" with the Alienware M15x is because of the price. They're roughly around $1500, but their specs are completely different. So I wanted to know where would my money serve me best.

Where I'm basically getting at is, if I'm going to spend $1500, I want one that will not drop in price drastically within the following year nor will it break on me within the next two years after the purchased date. I do play games, but not as much due to school...so the area of "gaming" in a laptop should be ruled out when giving the advice.

I hope this clears it up a bit. :eek:
Click to expand...

Apple definitely has better resale. Go with the 2.26GHz and use the rest on an SSD and you will have a laptop that can outperform the M15x in many ways (except gaming).
 
I have the MBP 13" and it is fabulous. I wouldn't trade it for anything.
The size is wonderful. I'm a college student, so being able to carry around my MBP to take notes or check my email in between classes is extremely handy.
Apple has the highest rated customer service, so if something breaks or malfunctions, they are reliable.
And as mentioned before, the resale value is excellent, which is a good thing to keep in mind when you're ready to upgrade your machine down the road!
I say: Go for the MBP!
 
elpmas said:
Thanks to those giving advice rather than bashing on my question. Wow, I really did not catch how retarded my sentence structure was lol.

The reason why I compared a MBP 13" with the Alienware M15x is because of the price. They're roughly around $1500, but their specs are completely different. So I wanted to know where would my money serve me best.

Where I'm basically getting at is, if I'm going to spend $1500, I want one that will not drop in price drastically within the following year nor will it break on me within the next two years after the purchased date. I do play games, but not as much due to school...so the area of "gaming" in a laptop should be ruled out when giving the advice.

I hope this clears it up a bit. :eek:
Click to expand...

Take it from someone that has done business with both Apple and Alienware. What every you do stay away from Alienware. Alienware is run by a bunch of thieves.

I bought an Alienware laptop in 2004 and had problems with it overheating from day one. Their solution was to turn off the videocard, defeating the purpose of having that machine. After two years I bought a replacement battery off of their website. They sent me the wrong one and had the guts to tell me they sent me the wrong one and can't send me the correct one because it's discontinued even though the correct model was ordered per the packing slip and it was still listed on their website. They then wanted to charge me a restocking fee to return the wrong battery they knowingly sent me.

After I filed a complaint with the BBB and the attorney generals of both Michigan, where I live, and Florida, where they were located, I received a letter from the BBB saying Alienware as no record of me as a customer at all. Even though I gave the BBB my customer number, I went back to their website to check and I could not log in with my customer ID. When I called them they claimed that number had never been issued. So as far as I'm concerned Alienware owes me $3,000 back into the checking account they took it out of. I sent a copy of my statement to the BBB to prove they did have a business transaction with me. But I quit pursuing it because I got put on active duty orders so I did not have the time.

Needless to say, I won't take an Alienware computer even if it was given to me by Alienware for free. Well, I'd take it then rent a steamroller and run it over right in front of their offices. Or take it to the firing range and use it for target practice and post the video on YouTube.

In 2007 right after I was put on orders I bought my first MBP 15", that was one of my best purchases ever. It lasted through a deployment to Iraq in 2008 and just died about two weeks ago. But that was just the hard drive going out. I could have replaced it but I beat the heck out of the chassis in Iraq, to where I could not get a CD disk into or out of the drive. AKA customer damage. I just got a MBA rev B. three days before it died and transferred all my important info right before it died.

I replaced the MBP fully with a MacMini which I'm happy with. Still that MBP would be great if I did not basically destroy it last year. In fact I'm so happy with Apple and their Macs I'm replacing my HP computer I gave to my parents right before I left for Iraq. That HP was originally intended to replace the Alienware, but I got a MBP a couple months later when I first went to California in 2007. That HP is still a good compy based on the system specs but Windows makes it unbearable for me to even try to use it. So it's going gone come Jan.
 
I would like to think of myself as unbiased because I have a MBP and a PC rig I built and love them both dearly. I would say get the MBP because the quality is so much higher. A good friend of mine actually has an M15x and it truly is one of the worst machines I have ever used, the hinge creaks, the noise it makes is insane, it gets insanely hot, its all plastic and feels like its going to break in your hand, the battery life is about 45 minutes if you are lucky, and IMO they are extremely ugly and the lights are all for show give it a few weeks and they will slowly begin to not work the way that they did when you bought it. Alienware really isnt the company it used to be.

Don't get me wrong though the MacBook Pro's aren't perfect but their issues are few and far between, and the build quality is amazing especially once you compare it to the m15x. The MBP also has a superior screen, but if yo want power (which really doesnt sound like what you are looking for) get the m15x because in reality it kicks the crap out of the MBP spec wise anyone can tell you that. But if you want a quality product that even if something does go wrong, you don't have to tear your hair out on the phone with tech support, get the MBP and trust me you won't regret it. I battled with the exact same debate this summer and I really have never looked back.

And just as a side note with the MBP you have the ability to run both OSX and Windows legally no questions asked, where as with the m15x this is not the case.

Hope I was helpful,

prodigee
 
Have you used a Mac before? If you intend to take your laptop out on a regular basis, get the Mac. The M15x weighs 4.08 kg (9 lbs). The 17" MBP weighs 2.99 kg (6.6 lbs).
 
ericvmazzone and prodigee, you both are of great help. Giving me personal situations helps me decide which one to get. If the rumors are true about the new hardware for the MBP in Jan. 2010, I will automatically get it. Until then, I will not consider getting an Alienware at all lol. I don't want the laptop burning the crap outta me :D
 
+1 for the mbp...the os, quality and the resale value of macs are awesome!

yes you are right wait for the updates in january...
alienware sure has nice specs but then...apple is apple...:)
 
I would go with the MBP. You get a better made computer and OS. Alienware will be like carrying a brick compared to the MBP.
 
I have to admit, I love Mac OS X and only tolerate Windows.

However, if I had to get a PC laptop and money was no object, an Alienware or higher end Sony VAIO would be great even though I think they are overpriced for what you get.

I think a lot of the price in many Sonys and Alienware laptops are their expensive industrial design and heavy duty build. In the PC world, a Dell or Toshiba is still a better buy because at the end of the day, you are still running Windows.

Count me in as another one for the MBP.
 
I have to admit, I love Mac OS X and only tolerate Windows.

However, if I had to get a PC laptop and money was no object, an Alienware or higher end Sony VAIO would be great even though I think they are overpriced for what you get.

I think a lot of the price in many Sonys and Alienware laptops are their expensive industrial design and heavy duty build such as the $1399 Alienware M15x (minimal specs).

In the PC world, a consumer Dell or Toshiba is still a better buy because at the end of the day, you are still running Windows. If you want heavy duty gaming, get a desktop because it still makes more sense.

Count me in as another one for the MBP, or even regular Macbook. The combination of a laptop which works very well with its operating system, (OS X), is not something to be underestimated.
 
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