AX20 or Dell M1710

Hey guys, I am shopping around for a solid gaming laptop that is somewhere in the $2500.00 range. I want to get something I can carry around and hook together for LAN games with my friends, so I am not very concerned with fancy side features (like TV tuners or Blue Ray readers). The laptop that I am currently leaning toward is the Aviator AX20, but I just heard about the Dell XPS M1710. I checked out the specs and it looks pretty high end too. My only concern is going down from a 20” screen to a 17”. However the Dell does have Core 2 Duo and is a pretty popular buy online. Will I really see a significant change in performance worth having a smaller screen or should I stick with the AX20. Also if I am ignoring any other good gaming laptops please share it with me. Thanks,
Bryant