I think the labtop is overpriced. I think you should go find another manufacture, you will get 500-1K cheaper with the same specifications.
i had one, then just recently switched over to a macbook pro. and i personally like the Mackbook PRo way more. its super fast
The lowend alienware laptop is actually competitively priced. You pay for the build quality/support/lack of bs preinstalled.
Remember, they are owned by Dell now. My friend bought a $4,000 Alienware laptop a few years ago, right before the Dell buyout. Now we tease him and tell him he got a $4,000 Dell. His laptop is absolute crap, by the way. He's had to send it in for repairs multiple times, all for manufacturer's defects. It's a lemon if I ever saw one.
I have a m5500, it runs good for now. Just be sure to get a long warranty, from my experience laptops do not last long, and it's a nightmare to find someone to fix them. It has been nearly 2 years since I bought the m5500, and it seems the DVD drive is going out.
Alienware pc's are expensive. But if I can afford it I will buy from them because their products are cooler than most being sold.