On the way to the store... one last question!

[Vinda-Lou]

New post below

[Vinda-Lou]

Thanks to Aflac medical reimbursement, I might be back in the game...

Please tell me what you think of this PC:

http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0375231

Spoiler for Hiden:

$1500.00
Specifications
General Information
Model Number    G212
Lifestyle    Home & Student
Color    Black
Operating System
Operating System    Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)
Case & Motherboard
Form Factor    Tower
Case Orientation    Vertical
North Bridge Chipset    Intel P67 Express
South Bridge Chipset    ICH10R
Processor
CPU Brand    Intel
CPU Cores    4
CPU Type    Core i7
CPU Speed    2600K (3.4GHz)
Turbo Boost Speed    Up to 3.8GHz
Level 2 Cache    4 x 256KB
Smart Cache    8MB
FSB    5 GT/s
CPU Socket    LGA 1155
CPUs Installed    1
CPUs Supported    1
CPU Main Features    Virtualization Technology
Turbo Boost Technology
Hyper-Threading Technology
Idle States
Execute Disable Bit
Thermal Monitoring Technologies
Intel 64
Enhanced Intel Speedstep Technology
AES New Instructions
Intel Fast Memory Access
Intel Flex Memory Access
Memory
Total Memory    16GB
Memory Speed    DDR3-1333
Form Factor    240-pin DIMM
Memory Configuration    4 x 4GB
Memory Slots (Total)    4
Memory Slots (Available)    0
Maximum Memory Supported    32GB
Hard Drive
HD Capacity    4TB
HD Interface    SATA
HD RPM    5,400 RPM
HD Configuration    2 x 2TB
RAID    RAID 0
Solid State Drive
SSD Capacity    64GB
Multimedia Drives
Optical Drives Included    1
Optical Drive    DVD±RW
Optical Drive Specs    DVD±RW Drive - 16x DVD+R DL; 12x DVD-R DL; 22x8x22 DVD+RW; 22x6x16 DVD-RW; 48x32x48 CD-RW
Display
Display Type    Display Not Included
Video
GPU Type    AMD Radeon HD 6790
Video Memory    2GB
GPU Interface    PCIe x8
Display Interface    2 x DVI
2 x HDMI
Audio
Audio System    Realtek ALC892
Audio Channels    7.1
Communications
LAN    Gigabit LAN
LAN Data Rate Speed    10/100/1000Mbps
LAN Interface    Integrated
WLAN    Wireless LAN
Wireless Technology    802.11b
802.11g
802.11n
WLAN Data Transfer Rate    up to 300Mbps
WLAN Interface    Integrated
Bluetooth    Bluetooth
Bluetooth Interface    Integrated
Front Panel Ports
USB 2.0    4
Audio    1 x headphone
1 x microphone
eSATA 3Gb/s    1
Back Panel Ports
DVI    2
HDMI    2
DisplayPort    2
USB 2.0    8
USB 3.0    2
FireWire 400    1
eSATA 3Gb/s    1
LAN RJ-45    1
Audio    5
Digital Audio    1
Expansion Bays
External 5.25" Bays (Total)    3
External 5.25" Bays (Available)    2
External 3.5" Bays (Total)    2
External 3.5" Bays (Available)    1
Internal 3.5" Bays (Total)    5
Internal 3.5" Bays (Available)    2
Expansion Slots
PCIe x16 Slots (Total)    1
PCIe x16 Slots (Available)    0
PCIe x8 Slots (Total)    1
PCIe x8 Slots (Available)    0
PCIe x1 Slots (Total)    3
PCIe x1 Slots (Available)    2
PCI Slots (Total)    2
PCI Slots (Available)    0
Keyboard
Keyboard    Standard
Number of Keys    104
Connection Type    USB
Power Source    USB
Mouse
Mouse    Optical
Buttons    3
Connection Type    USB
Power Source    USB
Power
Power Supply    500 Watt
Combined +12V Rating    432 Watts (36A)
Physical Specifications
Width    7.25"
Depth    17.5"
Height    16"
Weight    15 lbs.
Box Size    13" x 23.5" x 29.5"
Shipping Weight    18 lbs.
What's in the Box
What's in the Box    G212 Desktop Computer, Power cord, Mouse, Keyboard, Quick Start Guide, Warranty Sheet, Recovery Media, Driver Discs
Preloaded Software    Adobe Reader 9
Microsoft Office Starter 2010
NOD32 Trial
Windows Live Essentials
Manufacturer Warranty
Parts    1 year
Labor    1 year

Or this one:

http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0337328

Spoiler for Hiden:

$1000.00
Specifications
General Information
Series    Aurora
Model Number    R2
Lifestyle    Gaming
Color    Cosmic Black
Operating System
Operating System    Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)
Case & Motherboard
Form Factor    Tower
Case Orientation    Vertical
Processor
CPU Brand    Intel
CPU Cores    4
CPU Type    Core i7
CPU Speed    860 (2.8GHz)
Turbo Boost Speed    Up to 3.46GHz
Smart Cache    8MB
FSB    DMI 2500MT/s
CPU Socket    LGA 1156
CPUs Installed    1
CPUs Supported    1
CPU Main Features    Virtualization Technology
Turbo Boost Technology
Hyper-Threading Technology
Trusted Execution Technology
Idle States
Execute Disable Bit
Intel 64
Enhanced Intel Speedstep Technology
Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O
Memory
Total Memory    6GB
Memory Speed    DDR3-1333
Form Factor    240-pin DIMM
Memory Configuration    3 x 2GB
Hard Drive
HD Capacity    1TB
HD Interface    SATA
HD RPM    7,200 RPM
HD Configuration    1 x 1TB
Multimedia Drives
Optical Drives Included    1
Optical Drive    DVD-ROM/CD-RW
Video
GPU Type    ATi Radeon HD 5870
Video Memory    1GB
Audio
Audio System    High Definition Audio
Audio Channels    7.1
Communications
LAN    Gigabit LAN
LAN Data Rate Speed    10/100/1000Mbps
Card Reader
Card Reader    None
Keyboard
Keyboard    Multimedia
Mouse
Mouse    Optical
Manufacturer Warranty
Parts    1 year
Labor    1 year

I know they are not similar, but is one a better deal for it's price compared to the other?  Or are they both crappy?  My possible limit is $1500.00, and I'd rather get a pre-built PC than build one on a website, unless you can recommend the best way to use the money for a PC that will last a while without the need to upgrade. 

My current monitor doesn't go to 1080, so I was also thinking possibly save some $$$ and get better monitor too.  Is going from 22" 1680 x 1050 to 27" 1920 x 1080 a worthwhile improvement?

Monitor: Viewsonic 27" $330.00

Spoiler for Hiden:

Specifications
Display
Screen Size    27"
LED Backlight    Yes
Widescreen    Yes
Aspect Ratio    16:9
Viewing Angles    170° horizontal / 160° vertical viewing angles
Maximum Resolution    1920 x 1080
Color Support    16.7 million color support
Pixel Pitch    0.3114mm
Response Time    1ms
Brightness    300 cd/m2
Native Contrast Ratio    1,200:1
Dynamic Contrast Ratio    30,000,000:1
Horizontal Scan Range    24 KHz - 83 KHz horizontal scan range
Vertical Scan Range    50 Hz - 75 Hz vertical scan range
Features
Built-in Speakers    Yes
Stand Adjustment    Tilt
Features    2 HDMI inputs plus VGA input for diverse connectivity; Book stand option; Dynamic contrast ratio at 30,000,000:1; Full HD 1080p with 16:9 aspect ratio; Highest grade panel; Integrated speakers with SRS Premium Sound for multimedia applications; PC and Mac compatible; Uses 40% less power
Controls
Front Panel Controls    Power, 1, down, up, 2
Connectivity
VGA 15-pin    1
HDMI    2
Audio Input    1 x 3.5mm
Power
Voltage Required    AC 100-240V (50/60Hz)
Power Consumption Operational (Standby)    20 Watts
Certifications    Energy Star Qualified
Regulatory Approvals    CB
CE
NOM
PSB
CCC
VCCI
GS
cUL
GOST
WEEE
ROHS
UL
BSMI
MPR-II
FCC-B
ERGO
SASO
EPEAT Silver
Physical Specifications
Dimensions (WxDxH)    25.91" x 8.35" x 18.9"
Weight    10.36 lbs.
Package Contents
What's in the Box    LCD Display, Power Cable, VGA Video Cable, HDMI Cable, Audio Cable, Quick Start Guide, ViewSonic Wizard CD (User Guide and drivers)
Manufacturer Warranty
Warranty    3 year limited warranty

As you can see, I could use some guidance!  Just encase this works out...

[TheAtomicKid]

My initial assessment of the systems overlooked the presence of ssd boot drives on both systems. Albeit it's a 64gig drive, but it alleviates the 'boot to raid-0 concept I was operating on for the first system)

I prefer the 5870 gpu to the dual 6790's. http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/AMD/HD_6790/22.html
As you can see, the 6790 isn't the greatest gaming gpu, even if you have two of them in the case. The 5870 still really holds its own.

For CPU the win goes to the first system. the 2600k/p67 is really strong... but coming from a gaming viewpoint, the 860 is plenty strong enough, and that punts it back to the GPU.

For ram, the win goes to the first system. I do wish the second system was 8 gigs of ram instead of 6, but 6 is enough.

I still hate the case on the second system

In the end, I'd still prefer the second system to the first. I dislike the crossfired 6790's. They're not going to be that fast, and it's also listing a 500watt psu. Which is probably enough if it's a quality unit with all of that running, but it'll be somewhat borderline. The second system doesn't appear to list gpu at all, which is also not reassuring.
 
Atomic

PS: Looked around some more on the sight. This looked interesting.

http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0360744

It's still more ram than you 'need', and I could wish it was a 2GB 6950, but for the most part, it's the best of both worlds. And the price is right in the middle. And the case isn't horrid

[Punisher]

Do you know how to build one from scratch? If so, that might be a better route anyway...

[Vinda-Lou]

Great details, AtomicKid, thanks!  I do still have my GTX 460 xlr8 video card - which I might sell but could hold onto if better than the twin 6790s.  The other computer you linked is out of stock at the local store.  But the details you took the time to explain are extremely helpful.

I wouldn't know the first thing about building a system, and sites like Cyberpower seem over priced.  Any ideas where to go to build a system online to make a good one under $1500?  I'd need advice on what components are worth it, or at least a place to start to catch up to the tech curve.

EDIT: Found this one http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883229232 at Newegg for $1350.00. 

Spoiler for Hiden:

General Spec
Brand
CyberpowerPC
Model
Gamer Xtreme 1091LQ
Type
Gaming
Processor
Intel Core i7-960 3.2GHz
Processor Main Features
64 bit Quad-Core Processor
Memory
12GB (6x2GB) DDR3 1333
Hard Drive
1TB (1 x 1TB) SATA-III 6.0Gb/s 7200RPM HDD
Optical Drive 1
24X DVD±R/±RW Dual Layer Drive
Graphics
AMD Radeon HD 6870 1GB PCI-Express Graphics
Audio
Sound card - Integrated
Ethernet
Gigabit Ethernet
Power Supply
800W
Keyboard
Xtreme Gear USB Keyboard
Mouse
Xtreme Gear USB Mouse
Operating System
Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
Special Features
Coolermaster Elite 430 Gaming Tower
120mm Liquid Cooling System
Motherboard
Chipset
Intel X58
CPU
CPU Type
Intel Core i7
CPU Speed
960(3.20GHz)
L2 Cache Per CPU
4 x 256KB
L3 Cache Per CPU
8MB
CPU Socket Type
LGA 1366
CPU Main Features
64 bit Quad-Core Processor
Graphics
GPU/VPU Type
AMD Radeon HD 6870
Graphics Interface
PCI Express 2.0 x16
Memory
Memory Capacity
12GB DDR3
Memory Speed
DDR3 1333
Form Factor
DIMM 240-pin
Memory Spec
2GB x 6
Memory Slot (Total)
6
Memory Slot (Available)
0
Hard Drive
HDD Capacity
1TB
HDD Interface
SATA III
HDD RPM
7200rpm
HDD Spec
1 x 1TB
Optical Drive
Optical Drive Type
DVD±RW
Optical Drive Spec
24X DVD±R/±RW Dual Layer Drive
Audio
Audio Chipset
Integrated
Audio Channels
7.1 channels
Communications
LAN Chipset
Integrated
LAN Speed
10/100/1000Mbps
Front Panel Ports
Front USB
2
Back Panel Ports
PS/2
1
Rear USB
2 x USB 3.0
6 x USB 2.0
Rear IEEE 1394
1
eSATA
1
RJ45
1 port
S/P DIF
1 x Optical SPDIF Out
Expansion
PCI Slots (Available/Total)
3 x PCI Express x16
1 x PCI Express x1
1 x PCI
Mouse
Mouse Type
USB Mouse
Keyboard
Keyboard Type
USB Keyboard
Physical Spec
Dimensions
20.00" x 17.00" x 7.5"
Weight
30.6 lbs.
Manufacturer Warranty
Parts
1 year limited
Labor
1 year limited

Still looking, just don't know what for...

[rittchard]

I'm not quite sure I understand your comment about Cyberpower being overpriced.  In my experience, they've been extremely competitive, with only things like memory and hard drives being overpriced.  Still with their holiday specials, there looks like plenty to play around with given your budget.  And even without playing around, something like this seems like it would cover most people's needs:

http://www.cyberpowerpc.com/system/Gamer_Infinity_8800_Pro/

$1269 including a 24" monitor, one of the best processors around, decent mobo, 8GB RAM, 120GB Sata 3 SSD boot drive, GTX 560 2GB

I'd probably add another hard drive but other than that this looks fantastic to me.

[rittchard]

Oops, looks like I misunderstood about the monitor above, it's just the upgrade that's "free".  That said, I took a stab at a very similar system and tried to take advantage of their 10% off version.  I dropped the processor to an i5 based on some info I was reading about yesterday.  And with that, I came up with what you see below for $1379.  I've added goodies like a Blu-Ray drive and 1TB data drive to the original spec.  So there's still room to play around with in case you need wireless or something else, or you might want to change the case to something you like better.

http://www.cyberpowerpc.com/system/Gamer_Xtreme_2200/

Case: CoolerMaster HAF 912 Mid-Tower Gaming Case w/ Adjustable HDD Cage (Black Color)
CPU: Intel® Core™ i5-2500K 3.30 GHz 6M Intel Smart Cache LGA1155 (All Venom OC Certified)
Cooling Fan: Asetek 510LC Liquid Cooling System 120MM Radiator & Fan (Enhanced Cooling Performance + Extreme Silent at 20dBA) (Single Standard 120MM Fan)
Coolant for Cyberpower Xtreme Hydro Water Cooling Kits: Standard Coolant
Motherboard: [CrossFireX] GigaByte Z68AP-D3 Intel Z68 Chipset DDR3 ATX Mainboard Memory: 8GB (2GBx4) DDR3/1600MHz Dual Channel Memory Module [+54] (Corsair or Major Brand)
Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 2GB 16X PCIe Video Card [+156] (Major Brand Powered by NVIDIA)
Power Supply Upgrade: 700 Watts - XtremeGear SLI/CrossFireX Ready Power Supply [+14]
Hard Drive: 120GB Corsair Force Series SATA-III 6.0Gb/s SSD - 550MB/s Read & 510MB/s Write [+17] (Single Drive)
Data Hard Drive: 1TB SATA-III 6.0Gb/s 32MB Cache 7200RPM HDD [+175] (Single Drive)
Optical Drive: LG UH12LS28K 12X Blu-Ray Player & DVDRW Combo Drive [+41] (BLACK COLOR)
Sound: HIGH DEFINITION ON-BOARD 7.1 AUDIO
LCD Monitor: 24" Widescreen 1920x1080 Asus VS247H-P LCD [+157]
Keyboard: Xtreme Gear (Black Color) Multimedia/Internet USB Keyboard
Mouse: XtremeGear Optical USB 3 Buttons Gaming Mouse
Operating System: Microsoft® Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit Edition)

[Vinda-Lou]

My wife absolutely surprised me with a Mac Mini 2.5ghz model.  She then said that if it wasn't what I wanted, she would not be insulted if I wanted something in it's place. 

I'm thinking about keeping it as I got rid of all my PC games and use my xbox 360 now for the most recent games.  So I could keep the Mac Mini and enjoy it, sticking with the 360, or use the opportunity to look into something else. 

Half of me wants to keep the Mac, as it's a cool little machine, but I feel that it is expensive for what it is.  And while I could bootcamp it for Win 7, the 256mb video card and other components are too weak for anything worth while.  I feel so isolated from the PC world!  But rather than possibly look ungrateful (who am I kidding - she knows me too well... she could see the smoke coming out my ears from my gears turning), just deal with the Mac and xbox.

On the other hand... Why not look for something in the price range that will last longer as tech improves?

Thinking:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883229269

or
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883229271

or (because it's closer in price to the Mac Mini)
http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0337328

The Alienware one I posted above in another post.  The other two are more expensive, but I have $$$ coming in from having sold my PC games to add to the cost.  (I still have my Steam games, and a couple others I saved.) 

While I thank you for the previous help, can I please get opinions?  Keep the Mac Mini and just use Xbox mostly, or pick from one of these?
I went to Ibuypower and Cyberpower websites - while there were good deals, I kept going too expensive, so preconfigured from Newegg is better for me.

Thanks and Merry Christmas!
 

[JCC]

Forgetting everything else about whether Macs are shit or miracles, my only question is this: Is your particular Mac Mini configured with a 5400 rpm hard drive?

If so, I would return it. I will never, ever own another pc (we have an old laptop) with a 5400 rpm hard drive. It is a true bottleneck for doing anything.

[Vinda-Lou]

Forgetting everything else about whether Macs are shit or miracles, my only question is this: Is your particular Mac Mini configured with a 5400 rpm hard drive?

If so, I would return it. I will never, ever own another pc (we have an old laptop) with a 5400 rpm hard drive. It is a true bottleneck for doing anything.

The Mac Mini has a 5400 drive.  I have an SSD on my Macbook Air, which is super fast, but my PC was older with something probably slower than a 5400, and I never complained.  I guess I was just used to it.  So it's not a deal breaker for me.  My concern is getting the MM and missing the chance to get a decent, up-to-date PC.  As mentioned, I have the xbox for games and I like the Macs, but I miss my PC.  So I don't know if it's necessary to get a good gaming PC or not.  I have the macbook air, the xbox, so if I have the PC I have all my bases covered!  The Mac Mini might be too redundant..?

[gellar]

If your intention is gaming, I just can't imagine a Mac Mini being anything close to adequate.

[Laner]

Agree with Gellar... I recently got a top of the line MacBook pro through work (roughly equivalent to the mini)... It will play games like WOW and Defense Grid at decent settings, but anything more demanding, and it simply can't keep up... The GPU is just too limited.

[Vinda-Lou]

My thoughts exactly.  I guess I had too much to drink this evening (since 1pm), because I'm reading my post from earlier and realizing I wasn't clear. 

One of my dilemmas is: will I be sated, gaming-wise, with the 360 and therefore keep the Mac Mini, or will I feel left out from the PC world I grew up with having the Mac and xbox?  I know no one can answer that but me, but if you were in my position with an xbox and macbook air - would you keep the MM and just use the xbox, or would you feel compelled to get one of the PCs I listed earlier today in the place of the MM? 

I have Skyrim, Rage, Deus Ex, the new Fallouts and expansions now on xbox... but also have a whole bunch on Steam

[Vinda-Lou]

Leaning toward the alienware one.  It's closer to the price of the mac mini, and from what I was able to figure out from research, it will do very well, especially compared to the last PC I owned.  The power supply is only 500-ish watts, but works just fine for the in-store configuration.  I also plan on picking up additional ram at a low cost, to bring it up to either 8gb or 12gb total - as long as it does not impact the power.  I figure when I upgrade later, I can also replace the power supply.

Still might just live with the mac mini.  I'm schizo, I know.  But part of me feels that having the xbox and gaming PC is a bit redundant.  I don't plan on re-buying Skyrim for example - maybe much later when the GOTY eventually comes out with all the expansions...  I don't know.  I really like the idea of the mac mini, and I was originally going to get the wireless keyboard and "magic trackpad" but for just about the same price I can get a pretty good PC with much more to offer.  I feel like I'm posting here as a form of therapy - just thinking out loud - but I would appreciate thoughts.  Stay with mac mini and xbox, or go alienware, of course still having the xbox?

[gellar]

My thoughts exactly.  I guess I had too much to drink this evening (since 1pm), because I'm reading my post from earlier and realizing I wasn't clear.  

One of my dilemmas is: will I be sated, gaming-wise, with the 360 and therefore keep the Mac Mini, or will I feel left out from the PC world I grew up with having the Mac and xbox?  I know no one can answer that but me, but if you were in my position with an xbox and macbook air - would you keep the MM and just use the xbox, or would you feel compelled to get one of the PCs I listed earlier today in the place of the MM?  

I have Skyrim, Rage, Deus Ex, the new Fallouts and expansions now on xbox... but also have a whole bunch on Steam

I don't have a functioning gaming PC at the moment and feel quite satisfied with my Xbox 360 and PS3.  I play Civ5 on my MBP laptop and that's really the only PC-only game I'm interested in.

Of course this will all change when Diablo 3 comes out.

[Vinda-Lou]

Diablo III is what gave me second thoughts about the Mac Mini to begin with! 

[Vinda-Lou]

Down to these two computers:

This Dell

or the Alienware again.


The Dell:

Spoiler for Hiden:

Specifications
General Information
Model Number    8300
Lifestyle    Home & Student
Color    Black/Gray
Operating System
Operating System    Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)
Case & Motherboard
Form Factor    Tower
Case Orientation    Vertical
Processor
CPU Brand    Intel
CPU Cores    4
CPU Type    Core i7
CPU Speed    2600 (3.4GHz)
Turbo Boost Speed    Up to 3.8GHz
Smart Cache    8MB
CPU Socket    LGA 1155
CPUs Installed    1
CPUs Supported    1
CPU Main Features    Virtualization Technology
Turbo Boost Technology
Hyper-Threading Technology
Trusted Execution Technology
Idle States
Execute Disable Bit
Thermal Monitoring Technologies
Intel 64
Enhanced Intel Speedstep Technology
AES New Instructions
Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O
Intel Fast Memory Access
Intel Flex Memory Access
Intel vPro Technology
Memory
Total Memory    8GB
Memory Speed    DDR3-1333
Maximum Memory Supported    16GB
Hard Drive
HD Capacity    2TB
HD Interface    SATA 3Gb/s
HD RPM    7,200 RPM
HD Configuration    1 x 2TB
Multimedia Drives
Optical Drives Included    1
Optical Drive    DVD±RW
Display
Display Type    Display Not Included
Video
GPU Type    AMD Radeon HD 6770
Video Memory    1GB
Audio
Audio System    Integrated Audio
Communications
LAN    Gigabit LAN
LAN Data Rate Speed    10/100/1000Mbps
WLAN    1501 Wireless-N Mini-Card
Wireless Technology    802.11n
Card Reader
Card Reader    19-in-1 Media Card Reader
Keyboard
Keyboard    Multimedia
Connection Type    USB
Power Source    USB
Mouse
Mouse    Laser
Connection Type    USB
Power Source    USB
Power
Power Supply    460 Watt
Physical Specifications
Width    7.31"
Depth    17.9"
Height    16.02"
Weight    22.4 lbs.
What's in the Box
Preloaded Software    Microsoft Office Starter 2010
Manufacturer Warranty
Parts    1 year
Labor    1 year

The Alienware:

Spoiler for Hiden:

Specifications
General Information
Series    Aurora
Model Number    R2
Lifestyle    Gaming
Color    Cosmic Black
Operating System
Operating System    Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)
Case & Motherboard
Form Factor    Tower
Case Orientation    Vertical
Processor
CPU Brand    Intel
CPU Cores    4
CPU Type    Core i7
CPU Speed    860 (2.8GHz)
Turbo Boost Speed    Up to 3.46GHz
Smart Cache    8MB
FSB    DMI 2500MT/s
CPU Socket    LGA 1156
CPUs Installed    1
CPUs Supported    1
CPU Main Features    Virtualization Technology
Turbo Boost Technology
Hyper-Threading Technology
Trusted Execution Technology
Idle States
Execute Disable Bit
Intel 64
Enhanced Intel Speedstep Technology
Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O
Memory
Total Memory    6GB
Memory Speed    DDR3-1333
Form Factor    240-pin DIMM
Memory Configuration    3 x 2GB
Hard Drive
HD Capacity    1TB
HD Interface    SATA
HD RPM    7,200 RPM
HD Configuration    1 x 1TB
Multimedia Drives
Optical Drives Included    1
Optical Drive    DVD-ROM/CD-RW
Video
GPU Type    ATi Radeon HD 5870
Video Memory    1GB
Audio
Audio System    High Definition Audio
Audio Channels    7.1
Communications
LAN    Gigabit LAN
LAN Data Rate Speed    10/100/1000Mbps
Card Reader
Card Reader    None
Keyboard
Keyboard    Multimedia
Mouse
Mouse    Optical
Manufacturer Warranty
Parts    1 year
Labor    1 year

I would buy 2gb or 4gb more RAM possibly with either computer today, so at least the Alienware would be up to 8 or 12gb.
I think the graphics card is the only thing the Alienware does better, based on what I've tried to research.  But is it worth it over the other specs?

Please give any last minute advice.  I'm heading out soon, as the store is 45 min away and I'll be in that area today.  I'd like to pick it up today if possible.  As you can see, I'm limited in my tech knowledge, so your help is most appreciated!

[JCC]

Personally, I would probably opt for the Alienware. I doubt any of the Dell's increased specs will make as big a difference (for gaming) as the video card will in the Alienware.

Before purchasing memory, make sure you know how the PC's current memory is installed/configured. At minimum you need to make sure there are free slots for more memory.

Good luck and have fun no matter which PC you get!

[Misguided]

I have the 2.5 i5 mini w/ 4GB ram and the AMD Radeon 6630.

Unlike my previous mini, I can have word, excel, safari, mail, and be working in photoshop all at the same time. It is great if you want play stuff like Dungeons of Dredmor, Bejeweled, Gratuitous Space Battles, etc but it just depends on the kind of games you want to play. A surprising amount of stuff is cross platform these days. Heck, there's stuff on steam you can buy once and then play on either platform.