Need some advice

I have a 6 year old laptop. Windows XP, Intel Pentium M processor 1.6ghz, 248mb of RAM. I wanted to upgrade the RAM since many games nowadays needed 512mb ram or higher but my brother suggested that instead of upgrading the RAM, i should buy a new notebook( he suggested alienware) since they are for gaming. So i just need some advice on whether i should save up my money and buy a new one or just upgrade my RAM.

Upgrading RAM almost always give the most bang for the money when upgrading. But in your case, it won't help much. Since you most likely have a 256Mb RAM module in there now, with you showing only 248Mb, that mean the on-board graphics has snatched 8Mb, and that is not going to cut if for modern gaming. So I agree, a new computer is due. And certainly Alienware does make laptops geared for gaming, but in reality, you can get a much better gaming machine for the money if you go with a desktop, instead of a laptop.

Thanks for your opinion. Laptops are kind of more convenient though since i could carry it around easily and i already have a desktop (shared with my brother though he doesn't let me touch it). By the way, would it be better if i find someone to build my laptop or just buy one from Alienware.

Laptops are kind of more convenient though since i could carry it around

I understand and you are absolutely right - for some, the laptop is the only way to go. I say go for it - as long as you understand and are willing to accept that laptops cost more to purchase, maintain, and upgrade; upgrade options are limited (if possible at all); heat control - especially when gaming - is more difficult; and laptops are much more vulnerable to being stolen (and dropped).

By the way, would it be better if i find someone to build my laptop or just buy one from Alienware

The home/self-built laptop industry is not established - yet. This is because the competition to build the lightest and thinest laptop/notebook has resulted in laptops being very proprietary - that is, parts are made by and for the laptop by the laptop maker. You cannot go into the typical computer store and pick out a case, keyboard, monitor, harddrive, etc. and assemble them into a laptop, like you can a desktop. There is a very small home-build laptop following but parts are still hard to find, and choices/options are very limited - so the self-built laptop is still in the uber-geek realm.

Therefore, you will have to buy from a laptop/notebook maker, such as Dell (who owns Alienware), Toshiba, Sony, ASUS, HP (who owns Compaq), Lenova (who bought the IBM notebook division) or another established maker.

However, I must warn you again, regardless what the laptop makers tell you, laptops/notebooks are NOT gaming machines. The laptop is suited for business travelers and other folks constantly on the move, such as students. Heat is the big issue - 3D animated gaming is one of, if not the most demanding task you can ask of the CPU, RAM, hard drives, power supplies/regulators and graphics systems in any computer. Gaming results in extreme heat control issues for any computer and the very nature of laptops/notebooks - that is, a powerful computer in a small enclosed space - makes serious gaming on a laptop impractical. Period.

See: Gaming laptops are a complete joke - a bit "tongue-in-cheek" but still applicable, and true.

Thanks.