Ive done the searches and there have been a couple of threads on this subject, and with some pretty strong comments from some of the heavyweight tech gurus on this forum.

However, most of these threads are almost 2 years old and lots has changed in the world of laptops, so I wonder if we could revisit this topic... I appreciate the patience of all the experts here and look forward to your feedback.

I need to replace my old & faithful ThinkPad T30. A T61P is a natural candidate, but Im considering going "radical" and maybe buying an AlienWare machine. I realize that this is an OEM shop, and that they do charge a premium for the fancy paintjob and other gizmos... Im willing to shell out the additional $$$, however, I do have a few conceptual questions.

a) will reliability of an AlienWare laptop be similar to a ThinkPad?

b) do any FTers have recent experiences with AW laptops?

c) most ThinkPads are made in Mexico, AW seems to make their gear in Taiwan... which Im guessing is got to be as good or better than Mexico, or?

d) ThinkPad keyboards are legendary.... how does the AW laptop keyboard compare?

e) if you think AlienWare is not the name to go with, what alternatives would you consider?

Many thanks!!

Alex (Gaucho100K)