Alienware for law school Forum

[anstone1988]

I would like to have a laptop that could handle games. Would getting an Alienware or another ostentatious gaming laptop be a bad idea?

[bhan87]

Buy a $300 netbook and spend the remaining $2700 to build an unbelievable desktop. You then get portability (from the netbook) and gaming capability that'll easily outperform any overpriced Alienware

[Extension_Cord]

I would like to have a laptop that could handle games. Would getting an Alienware or another ostentatious gaming laptop be a bad idea?

You will look like a clown busting out a '17 laptop, lol. Besides you wont have much time to pay games when your in law school. I recommend just a regular 400 laptop.

[anstone1988]

I would like to have a laptop that could handle games. Would getting an Alienware or another ostentatious gaming laptop be a bad idea?

You will look like a clown busting out a '17 laptop, lol. Besides you wont have much time to pay games when your in law school. I recommend just a regular 400 laptop.

I was thinking more of the m14x, but I was concerned that I would look out-of-place (or worse like a clown) if I wiped out a 14" Alienware with its fancy lights. Has anyone seen any Alienware laptops in law school classrooms?

[ph14]

I would like to have a laptop that could handle games. Would getting an Alienware or another ostentatious gaming laptop be a bad idea?

You will look like a clown busting out a '17 laptop, lol. Besides you wont have much time to pay games when your in law school. I recommend just a regular 400 laptop.

I was thinking more of the m14x, but I was concerned that I would look out-of-place (or worse like a clown) if I wiped out a 14" Alienware with its fancy lights. Has anyone seen any Alienware laptops in law school classrooms?

Nope.

[DoubleChecks]

I like the second poster's suggestion of having a small, light, cheap, portable laptop for notes...and an awesome gaming rig in your apt. it's what i do

besides, desktops will beat gaming PCs w/ easy any day of the week (esp. once you factor in bang for buck)

[jim]

I've got one. It can feel silly, and I do get comments. But because I can game on it and watch TV/movies on it, it's all I need.

Along with it being my one stop shop, I genuinely think it's an advantage to have. First, I've had a fair share of cheap unreliable laptops, and I know for sure that this will not die on me during finals, which I would not know with some crap Toshiba. A bigger screen helps with editing when writing an exam. I won't need an external keyboard, because mine is full sized. Alienware's also have the respawn feature if you get hit by a virus some time during the semester.

So yeah I'm different and I think the alien wigs out my Crim professor, but it's not a big deal and it does have some positives.

[jarofsoup]

I would think it would better to get a crappy computer so you do not have this distraction in your life. The only distraction you should have is booze and the opposite sex.

[Grizz]

I would think it would better to get a crappy computer so you do not have this distraction in your life. The only distraction you should have is booze and the opposite sex.

[fathergoose]

I would think it would better to get a crappy computer so you do not have this distraction in your life. The only distraction you should have is booze and the opposite sex.

+1. Lots and lots of booze.

Get whatever laptop you want though. Nobody is going to judge you for having a ridiculous laptop. If they would like you if you had a normal laptop they will still like you with a ridiculous one and visa versa.

but mostly the booze part

[c3pO4]

get a shitty laptop for 1L and a maxed out gaming rig (laptop or desktop) after OCI season when you are biglaw secure. You will only be busy during 1L and job apps. after that, even 2 weeks before finals, you will be gaming like crazy.

[jarofsoup]

Get something that won't break down during an exam though.

[senorhosh]

Buy a $300 netbook and spend the remaining $2700 to build an unbelievable desktop. You then get portability (from the netbook) and gaming capability that'll easily outperform any overpriced Alienware

+1

Alienware laptops are a overrated and overpriced.
Most of the price is in it's name, the shiny lights and other useless features.

Drop 200-300 on a netbook or a tablet+keyboard (ie: asus transformer).
Create a desktop using $1000-2500 or however much you wanted to spend on the alienware minus $300 (netbook price).
Even still it will be more powerful than the original alienware you were going to get.

If the netbook/tablet is too slow, use remote desktop and run your computer from you netbook.

[kalvano]

Someone in one of my classes has an Alienware. He has always struck me as a tool. Plus, it's basically an overpriced Dell.

[icpb]

Someone in one of my classes has an Alienware. He has always struck me as a tool. Plus, it's basically an overpriced Dell.

An Alienware laptop isn't an overpriced Dell. For sub-16" Dell (including the XPS line), graphics card maxes out at nVidia 525m I believe. The 14" Alienware has the nVidia 555m, which can run most new games on high settings.

[sach1282]

Build your own desktop. It's probably twice as efficient in terms of bang/buck AND you actually get some useful experience (building a computer) instead of sitting on your porch for FedEx to deliver you some premade toy.

[Scotusnerd]

Not gonna lie. If I saw some jackass playing Skyrim next to me in contracts, I'd change seats. I'm not gonna pay 20k a year to get distracted by some 60 buck game. Also, I think the laptop/desktop idea is a good one. No sense in putting all of your eggs in one basket at that price range. If that alienware dies for hardware-related reasons, you're in deep shit come finals.

[Tim0thy222]

I was considering this too, and I just ordered (today in fact) a desktop computer for gaming instead. I have an ipad + keyboard I'll use for notes, and if that doesn't work out I'll get a cheap little $300 laptop as others have suggested.

Based on what I've read, the m14x will probably be disappointing for gaming considering how much money you're going to spend on it, and it will be disappointing for school because, as the other responses ITT have suggested, a lot of people will think you're a tool. Also, gaming laptops often have noisy fans, even when all you're doing is word processing, and that will be annoying in class.

For what your m14x would cost, you could probably build a vastly superior gaming desktop AND buy a cheap laptop.

[Nightsideclipse]

I would like to have a laptop that could handle games. Would getting an Alienware or another ostentatious gaming laptop be a bad idea?

You will look like a clown busting out a '17 laptop, lol. Besides you wont have much time to pay games when your in law school. I recommend just a regular 400 laptop.

Top 5% at 40ish ranked law school disagrees with said statement.

Played Oblivion/BF2 during most of 1L finals.

Might be different at T14, but competitive school with tons of regional gunners.

Play games and be different. Sojourners must destroy law school norms.

I agree with previous statements about computer/HDTV and cheap netbook.

[pifhib2]

First, I've had a fair share of cheap unreliable laptops, and I know for sure that this will not die on me during finals, which I would not know with some crap Toshiba.

Check out the following study:

http://www.squaretrade.com/htm/pdf/Squa ... y_1109.pdf

'Crap' Toshibas are actually more reliable than computers (like Alienware machines) manufactured by Dell.

[09042014]

Law students will laugh at you for looking like a nerd.

Nerds will laugh at you for trying to game on a laptop. And for buying an alienware.

Buy a 13-14inch laptop with a decent processor and a shitty GPU. Then build a nice desktop rig.

[DoubleChecks]

Law students will laugh at you for looking like a nerd.

Nerds will laugh at you for trying to game on a laptop. And for buying an alienware.

Buy a 13-14inch laptop with a decent processor and a shitty GPU. Then build a nice desktop rig.

made me lol, and realize that i am totally a nerd ... :X