Ok I'm looking for some serious advice on purchasing a laptop for mostly gaming but also homework (word processing and powerpoint), web research and browsing, music (ripping and syncing to my iriver h10), and watching movies (simple dvds). I would also like a cd and dvd burner. Price is definitly an issue. I'm only 16 so I'd like to keep this under 1k, and no more than $1200. The three laptops I've narrowed down are: Alienware m5500, Dell inspiron 9300, and Dell XPS m140. In regards to the gaming, I play relatively simple strategy games such as civ III, AOE 2, etc. I would like to play some newer higher-end strategy games such as dawn of war and empire at war, although I fear they won't be able to run on this laptop I plan to purchase. I also play shooters such as half life and counterstrike, and again I would like to run newer games like half life 2, cs source, doom 3, battlefield 2, etc. I fear they may not run. So, I'm asking for the following advice, THROUGH EXPERIENCE (not speculation), which laptop would you advise? (m5500, XPS, or Dell 9300?) What newer, more powerful games would I be able to run?