Hmmm... I missed this thread.
I would have said to have a long hard look at the Sager NP5790 at this stage.
http://www.sagernotebook.com/product_customed.php?pid=693
A high-end spec with a three-year warranty comes to $3100 vs the MBP's $3398 (with a less spacious HDD, weaker GPU, etc).
I have an M1710 and a pre-Santa Rosa 17"MBP (the one I'm using now was purchased one week before the SR updates, so in theory it should be the most mature and problem-free edition), and I use the M1710 as a transportable desktop over the 17" MBP as a more solid workhorse, where the power the machine has is actually usable without issues. I do also do video editing on the M1710 sometimes using Vegas, which I think is more accessible and more immediate for the semi-pro or "prosumer" than FCP.
But I don't think the M1710 is a good buy right now as it's a pre-Santa Rosa machine. The replacement, the M1730, looks to be pretty spectacularly ugly and may be an Avoid. Not sure though, and it's due out next Monday. However it turns out visually, it'll undoubtedly have a better capacity to use the power it has compared to an MBP.
It may not be too late to cancel your order, and wait at least to see what the M1730 brings to the table.
I would have said to have a long hard look at the Sager NP5790 at this stage.
http://www.sagernotebook.com/product_customed.php?pid=693
A high-end spec with a three-year warranty comes to $3100 vs the MBP's $3398 (with a less spacious HDD, weaker GPU, etc).
I have an M1710 and a pre-Santa Rosa 17"MBP (the one I'm using now was purchased one week before the SR updates, so in theory it should be the most mature and problem-free edition), and I use the M1710 as a transportable desktop over the 17" MBP as a more solid workhorse, where the power the machine has is actually usable without issues. I do also do video editing on the M1710 sometimes using Vegas, which I think is more accessible and more immediate for the semi-pro or "prosumer" than FCP.
But I don't think the M1710 is a good buy right now as it's a pre-Santa Rosa machine. The replacement, the M1730, looks to be pretty spectacularly ugly and may be an Avoid. Not sure though, and it's due out next Monday. However it turns out visually, it'll undoubtedly have a better capacity to use the power it has compared to an MBP.
It may not be too late to cancel your order, and wait at least to see what the M1730 brings to the table.
(rare) and i have nothing to say but that "i concur" with every single post. Good, no, excellent, decision.