New M680XL on it's way

I ordered my first Gateway a week ago. They say it should be here on the 13th. Here's the configuration I ordered:
Operating System: Microsoft® Windows® XP Professional Edition
Processor: Intel® Pentium® M Processor 770 (2.13GHz, 533MHz FSB, 2MB L2 Cache)
Memory: 2048MB 400MHz DDR2 SDRAM (2-1024MB modules)
Hard Drive: 60GB 7200rpm Ultra ATA hard drive
Floppy Drive: Integrated 4-in-1 card reader
Optical Drive: Integrated 8x Multi-Format DVD Writer (DVD±R/±RW/CD-RW)
Extended Service Plan Including Limited Warranty: Notebook Value Service Plan -- 1 year parts/labor/no on-site/1 year toll technical support
Expansion Slots: One type II PC card slot
External Ports: (4) USB 2.0, VGA, TV Out, S-Video, IEEE 1394 (FireWire)
Screen: 17" Ultrabright WSXGA+ TFT Active Matrix
Video: ATI Radeon X700 128MB Graphics
Keyboard and Mouse: Full-Sized Keyboard and EZ Pad® Pointing Device
Multimedia Package: Integrated sound and stereo speakers, headphone/speaker jack, and mic jacks
Battery: Primary 8-Cell lithium ion battery with AC pack and 1 yr. limited battery warranty
Network Adapter: Integrated Broadcom® 10/100/1000 Ethernet Adapter
Integrated Wireless Networking Adapter: Integrated 802.11b/g wireless networking card

I had received an Alienware Area-51 5500 a few weeks ago, but it turned out to be a piece of junk - so I sent it back and ordered this machine. I hope I made the right decision. I decided to spend as much money on this machine as I had on the Alienware model - so I was able to max it out. If anyone has this model and has any information, I would like to hear it. Thanks!

I would have preferred the 256 version as well - but not a deal breaker for me. The weight was a large factor - I lug my machine around with me everyday. I figured it would still be great for web grapic design/development AND gaming. I guess I'll find out next week

I plan on posting a review - I hope others do the same. I'm curious if I went overboard. Money wasn't really an issue, but no one likes to hear that they paid too much for unnecessary upgrades.

I don't have time to write up a thorough review, but here is a quick synopsis:
First off, I'm really loving this machine! The 17" screen is very clear and ultra-bright. The 2.13 GHz processor is screaming fast - but I haven't been able to really bench it yet. I have 2G of RAM too, and this certainly helps the speed. The machine is very quiet - I'm sure this is due to having the latest Centrino M processor instead of a P4 - which also keeps it quite a bit cooler than a typical P4 model.

One great feature is the built-in wireless G network card. It has great range - I'm able to go anywhere in my home and yard and still keep connected - WHICH IS AWESOME!

I highly recommend and endorse this machine. Of course, I've only had this machine for a few days, but already it's leaps and bounds better than the experience I had with my Alienware purchase.

I will be using this machine for web application development and design - so I'll be pushing the limits of the machine in many ways. Once I get ALL of my software installed and checked out, I'll try to find time to post again. Oh, and as soon as I can play a couple games, I'll post the results as well.

I'm been using the hell out of this machine for a couple weeks now. It's fast, it's quiet, and the battery life is much better than I expected (8 cell because I didn't want the protrusion). I've owned many Dells and I'd have to say the Gateway is a better quality machine hands-down.

I've been so busy catching up on work that I haven't had time for gaming, but I did take the time to watch a DVD on it the other day. I was amazed at how great the picture was on the screen. The 17" screen just blows me away. The sound was a little lacking, but that's the only complaint I have thus far.