AW 17 R3 UHD vs Oculus Rift Thoughts

Hi guys,

I just got an AW 17 R3 UHD model, (AWESOME!). Love it. However, I have a problem. I just found out this laptop won't support Oculus Rift. This was part of the reason for me upgrading. I'm a big VR fan and developer.

I'm still within my return window, should I return it? Does anyone have any thoughts if AW is going to have an AW 17 UHD R4 model w/ the 980 GTX ??

Anyone else in the same boat as me?

Thanks
Jeff.

 

Remember that the latest Aw models are barely been put into their sale site so this may take take some time. Dell can't put a 180/200w desktop card in a laptop with that thin design they use now. Maybe Dell will rebadged their Aw line they already have with a downscaled desktop card or wait for Pascal. You never know. Return it and buy the new Clevo P870 instead.

 

This is totally beside the point and again just bashing on current AW laptops.

Anyway to the poster of this thread. In terms of performance it can. The 980M performs similar to the recommended desktop 970. This is the official requirement from Oculus. However there is a bit uncertainty about the HDMI ports used on laptops which are controlled by the Intel chipset when in Optimus configuration. The safest bet would be a SLI laptop without optimus enabled.

 

He asked if Aw will have Gtx980 desktop card. I gave only my safest bet. Dell must do a fully makeover if latest model shall fit the new 180/200w desktop card... And as I said in that post; Aw17R3 is newly pushed out from Dell. This Aw model isn't for Oculus. Sorry. But the new Gtx980/sli are...

 

it has nothing to do with the power. it is unknown how it will work with optimus.

 

papusan,

I hate the build quality and look of the clevo's :/ Just not my cup of tea. Plus w/ a 4k + 980 GTX the price is over 3k! Damn!

I'm a bit upset that the top of the line AW doesn't support the rift. Such a disappointment.

Part of the reason to get this laptop was to use it for Oculus, I've used the DK1 on my older alienware (ironically, the M17X R3 model). It worked fine.

I assumed it wasn't going to be a problem until I started reading more recent posts and their direction to direct mode only -- which I think is a mistake since I'd say a good portion of users won't have capable hardware. I understand it's for the fastest low latency possible, but the experience wasn't bad when I tried it with way below spec hardware.

I love this laptop by the way, fantastic display, great specs. Still might return it purely that it can't run Oculus. I might end up having to get a desktop --- I hate desktops, but that's just me. Hmm... Damn you Oculus and Nvidia!!!

 

@webjeff You don't have many choices. Either return your new Alienware and wait with the purchase until Dell may upgrade or buy a desktop pc. Another option is to keep this laptop but purchase a desktop as well. It is you who must take this choice. I know what I would do. Regardless; It's crazy matias buying a new expensive gaming laptop with a single EOL Gtx980m now. Gtx980m are EOL. Still ok with Gtx980m in Sli but a single card are stillborn. All the major; Asus, MSI and Clevo have begun with desktop card from Nvidia. Why buy a new expensive gaming laptop with old hardware?

 

Why doesn't it work with oculus? Rift direct mode doesn't work with optimus?

 

The 980m is similar to the desktop 970 which is not stillborn by a friggin longshot. Like i said it has nothing to do with power but the way the Nvidia gpu's are connected to the HDMI port. But it is still unknown how the retail Oculus will perform. Friends of my have DK2 running on older Alienware hardware (m15) and it works fine for Team fortress etc.

ANother issue is that Oculus states the 970 is sufficient. But the Oculus requires around 3x the power than running the same game on just a 60fps 1080p experience. Even a desktop 980TI would have trouble with that in some games.

 

I just noticed the site was updated with the 980m 8GB (just after I bought the 4GB version) UGH!

Anyone know if that might be any different in terms of Oculus and Optimus?!

Thanks!

 

One thing you could do is once the Occulus comes out, you could get the Alienware Graphic Amp and put a GTX 980 in it and run it.

 

vkt62,

Apparently, people are saying that even that will not work because that still runs through optimus and ultimately through the iGPU, so it'll still be a problem. However, I do not have an AMP to be 100% certain of this.

Jeff.

 

Has anybody tried this yet? I was planning on getting and amp sometime in the future for oculus... Feel a bit disappointed at the moment. There must be a work around some how

I dont have 4k. Was only planning on using 1080p

 

mertymen2010,

Here's what I can tell you. I had the 980m 4GB AW17 and tried the Oculus DK2 and it worked! In Direct Mode, so it should work. They still say they don't support laptops, but I was worried it wasn't going to work at all. It also worked just fine, everything I tried ran great.

I did NOT try the AMP with the Rift as I don't have that yet.

Thanks
Jeff.

 

Excellent! Thank you. If it works with the laptop then it has to work alot better with the amp.

 

Yea, that's the same thing I'm thinking as well!

 

Did the laptop that you used have optimus? or mxm card?

 

He has the R3 according to the openings post. So optimus. I expected it to work as well since my game developer friends all use Alienware laptops with optimus for DK2 as well.

 

I believe I had Optimus. I had the AW 17 R3 (UHD) w/ 980m 4GB version. I just traded that in though and am waiting for the same model, but with the 980m 8GB card. I could see both the Nvidia card and the integrated in my control panel which from what I've read is optimus technology.

What's odd is that the oculus forums are flooded with posts saying Optimus won't work period, but after further clarification they are now saying some Optimus configurations do work, it's just easier for them to say it doesn't since most configurations don't. FWIW.

Thanks
Jeff.

 

Ok that makes sense. Thanks.