mentalinstra

Going online for Dell's shop, you're spending $1300 (for default build, no tax or shipping) for a 2.8 GHz quad core, a 500 GB hard drive, 3 GB of memory, and an two oldish video cards in a crossfire, that I doubt are better (or only slightly better) than an ATI 5850, yet you can add a second 5850 in later on when you actually find a lot of games that need it.

Go on newegg.com, buy the parts yourself, and build it.

$1300 should easily get you 6 GB of nice RAM, a 5850, 2x 1 TB harddrives that you can put into a RAID 0, and a good Intel Quadcore (assuming you want Intel), plus a good powersupply you can use in future builds, and get a solid Steel case to boot. If you get a lot of stuff on sale, you might get lucky enough to cram in a SSD into your budget too, which will offer massive speed benefits.

Drop the liquid cooling, get the Cooler Master 212 + Artic Silver 5. It's just as cool as liquid cooling as far as your CPU is concerned, while much easier to install and less prone to damage. Liquid cooling is only really better if you want to massively overclock your CPU (unlikely if you aren't considering on building it yourself from your OP), or if you liquid cool your video card(s) as well, at the very least. RAM or hard drives too, if you want. And 5670s do not need to be liquid cooled.

Just built a solid pc from scratch for my in laws - evga x58 sli3 mobo (w usb 3 - why not), i7 920, 4 gig ram, 1 tb hd, cheap pci express card, 600 watt ps, thermal takev4, dvdr/w.  And that was bought at a store (microcenter), including tax, for $620.  If you just tacked on a good video card, add $300 (and subtract $20 for the low end video card I bought them) and your total is $900 for a gaming rig that can play pretty much anything out there. 

Of course, then you still have to pick up an os, to be fair, so depending on your options, you can get win7 for $30-$100.  Total price for a decent gaming rig - $930-$1000. 

Agreed - you can get that for like $25 on amazon now with free shipping. 

And honestly, I tend to think dual video cards are a bit of a waste - eg price is not worth the performance.  I'm hitting at least 60fps on 1 single 5850 with anything I can throw at it. 

If you really want to be thrifty and actually want to build one yourself, then I'd suggest checking out www.slickdeals.net.  They have a thread that regularly updates current pc parts and finds the best deals going on.  I think I got my previous cpu (i920) for $100 back when the best online price was $200.

You don't even really need that much RAM for general gaming. Although I'd quibble with your choice of manufacturer I want Dell out of the business in a bad way.

I just hate their business practices from top to bottom, and my experience with their hardware and devices is that they're cheap and have a very short lifespan, possibly intentionally. I like to believe that, in the free market system, if you run a business terribly and produce a crappy product, you fold. Dell constantly refutes that, and has survived some stuff that most companies would not have. So I kind of have to believe they have a pact with Satan. It's what helps me sleep at night.

It's run better than HP, I'll give them that.

My Dell experience has also been excellent.  I've bought 2 machines from them in the last 10 years and each have gone for 5+ years with no issues.  Of course I added memory and cards here and there, but other than a too low power supply in one box, I had no issues with the systems.

also use them exclusively at work, and again, zero problems in 7+ years, and some of those machines running instruments are literally on 24/7 for years.

I built my i7 860 from parts puchased at microcenter.com. I spent around 900 total too to build an awesome gaming rig.

Also, I don't see any reason for the dual gpu's based on the research I did as one higher end card will generally get you almost as good of results. Buy the best card you can afford and then think about multiple gpu's down the road. Chances are you'll need the next high end card before you'll need the multiple IMO.

Not sure on the water cooled. I didn't see enough evidence to say it was better than air cooled. I purchased the Cooler Master HAF case which has plenty of air flow, plus I added extra fans in addition to the cpu air cooler, so far no complaints.

I say build your own unless you just like the way the Alienware cases look. I'll admit I like the look of their boxes!

The internet makes me sad because people can say shit without the fear of getting punched.  Everyone should always be in fear of pissing someone off to the point of getting clocked up side the head, that's the foundation of a civil society, checks and balances.  Also, buy whatever you want.  If I had the money, I would consider Alienware. 

Well, due to the title of your post, I will convince you to NOT buy an Alienware...

First of all, Alienware is #3... http://computers.toptenreviews.com/gaming/

Second, custom built will ALWAYS be cheaper and more stable (if you know what you are doing)

Third and fourth - No and No!

Dual video is tempting, but only if you plan on using 2+ monitors.  You will get better efficeincy out of a single good card.  Get a mobo that will support dual for expansion purposes, but there is no need to get one right now with the options.

And Liquid cooling is nice if you are good at maintenance and need it to be quiet.  If your going to liquid cool, liquid cool EVERYTHING!  The Processor, the North/South Bridges, the Ram, the GPU and the PSU if possible.  You will have a quite machine (one fan) and be efficient with power.

typing this out on a machine that was built for ~2300 dollars - and is the equivalent of a $4500 machine.

I would say it face to face anyway... nothing wrong with saying he obviously wants alienware brand.  You don't call up someone saying "convince me not to kill myself" if you weren't wanting to kill yourself.  I'm just giving him a helpful push in the right direction for his selection.  

No he's not actually.  He's taking what your post title is...

...at face value.  Not only did you mention a brand-name you also mentioned a model.  I would also have come to the conclusion that you were not only leaning toward Alienware but also torward a specific model.  The above post title belies your current statement of just "trying to make conversation about my options for a new computer."

....just saying it sounds like the pot trying to call the kettle black now is all.  

the Monk

EDIT:

Besides.....where do you get off asking others to convice you *not* to do something?  Seriously, many of us come here (offering up our personal time) to give advice not to play into some childish bullshit stunt like "convincing someone to change their mind".  You've obviously done enough research on the subject to know that you wouldn't mind having an alienware aurora so why should we try to convice you otherwise?  For sport?  Frankly I don't care what the hell you buy.....just stop playing the victim to your own troll-post.

There will be all sorts of opinions from all sorts of people on any forums.  Try not to take it too seriously, and bear in mind you did get a lot of useful feedback.   I hope you will come back at some stage.

Best regards,
Steven.

I have owned two desktops and a laptop from Dell, and it has been flawless. No problems at all. My Compaq on the other hand was a useless piece of junk that had issues from the start (software and hardware). Its a small sample, but my next laptop will also be a Dell (its not really mine as its paid by my workplace).

I would also recommend IBM laptops as very well built (from own experience and from my workplace).