*OFFICIAL* Alienware 15 R3 Owner's Lounge

All my parts except the 2.5" ssd are in now just waiting on the laptop.

I must say I did not realize how small the WiFi card is. I mean I knew it was small but wow.

I can see from how small those connectors are how easily someone without the right tool can break them.

 

I was wondering if I should contact dell about my order status...





My credit card says the payment is still pending, I ordered on 4/6/17 with the fastest shipping.

I just want to ensure it is actually going to arrive this week.

Do you all think should I contact dell for a status update or is this normal?

*EDIT: contacted support everything is good and should ship in 24 hours. Luckily I will still get it by Friday.

 

When I got my AW I removed the HDD and installed my own intel 600p 512gb ssd and used a USB with windows media creation tool to make a complete new installation of windows 10. Once I got to the inital windows 10 setup it looked kinda funky as the windows setup window wouldn't fill out the screen (black borders around the blue setup window) and setup was a bit different (less things to fill out) compared to out of the box. After I got all the drivers installed it got snappy and everything worked as intended (except for some reason I can't find any wifi unless I connect completly manually). Today I go to school and boom it won't boot. It goes into a ~3 reboot loop and initializes a repair. I changed back to the HDD and it boots perfectly, but I can still see my SSD and use it when booted from my HDD, which means the SSD isn't dead, as this was my first assumption. Anyone else experienced this? It is almost like windows got corrupt without me actually making any changes? This is what I mean by the setup looking funky: http://imgur.com/a/d1JlU

EDIT:
I just formatted the ssd once again and it works once again.. I just hope it doesn't stop working all of a sudden again. Now when I boot up I get this question to boot on volume 7 or 3? I have never seen this before. http://imgur.com/a/bczGN

 

More likely some boot manager is left on HDD volume especially ESP partition.

 

Hi all,

do you know if this SSD disk fits in the Alienware 15 r3?

http://www.crucial.com/usa/en/storage-ssd-mx200

 

It should, it is just a standard 2.5" drive..

 

Hi I want to buy this RAM for my AW 15R3:
Hynix 8Gb DDR4 Ram Speicher 2400 Mhz 2400T HMA81GSAFR8N-UH PC19400U

Does someone have this for sale via Ebay?

 

Hey guys I just got my aw15 with a 1070 in it. now i want to reformat it. I was wondering if the new alienwares have the product codes on the mobo so i wont be needing to copy it . Also it comes with a windows 10 pro so will i be needing another installer? i already created a bootably drive but i cant seem to find the pro version. only windows 10, windows 10 home and windows N

 

What do we need to do in order to change bios to ACHI doing so causes windows to crash. Do I just need to install AHCI drivers and I am good or is there anything else it would be missing.

Seeing everything in mid to low 60s with everything on stock OCCT. Looking forward to cranking up the cpu and seeing how the temps get. Then it will be time for the repaste.

 

Hello everyone!

I was thinking of buying a laptop for work/3d animation/gaming and I was looking into the AW 15 R3.

The thing I wanted to know is how portable is it?

I've read that it has a very large footprint for a 15 inch laptop, and I'm planning on taking this laptop with me basically all the time.

This is why my second option was the Dell XPS 15 with the GTX 1050, but the GPU is quite lacking compared to the GTX 1060 I was planning on getting with the AW.
I know there are options like the AW 13 but I need more screen real estate for 3d animation/editing/gaming etc.

Thanks!

 

Ok so here are some initial OCCT results right out of the box:

You can see temps first with stock settings


Now with OC level 3 and fan on max

Lastly with OC level 3 with fans normal.

Core 0 and 2 always appear the hottest, looks like I have some unevenness which I will correct by bending the tension arm when I repaste. I think these look like decent temps for stock so I am not worried that my heatsink is bad and expect the repaste should see me getting some good temps.

Also here is Heaven after a bit over 30min with the same settings as the last OCCT run. I have not changed anything in the gpu from stock settings:

 

What sort of temps do you guys see on your m.2 drives?

 

Hey man, I have a 15R3 and was torn between the Aorus 17 and the AW. Any thoughts to give since you have had both? The Aorus seems far superior, but honestly I couldn't forgive the fact that they used rubber plugs to cover some ports that were no longer in use. That kind of laziness just bugs the hell out of me (they obviously had more last gen chassis in stock and used them)

 

15 r3 is heavier than XPS 15. I find my 15 r2 to be heavier too but for 3d animation they would do justice. At first, it might be difficult to travel but you get used to it in a couple of weeks.

 

hi guys, any idea how i can take care of my aw 15 r3 battery? i received it with 3% battery wear and after 2 weeks of use its on 8% wear..
i've read that a full battery drain and then full recharge decrease the battery wear level?

 

Mine has been @ 2.4% wear for nearly 5 months - plugged in almost 24/7 (maybe a handful of times it was unplugged)

 

Non gsync support appears to be back but not for the HK chips.

 

Anyone recommend an m.2 2240 SSD to use in the mini SSD slot?

 

https://www.amazon.com/Transcend-512GB-MTS400-Solid-TS512GMTS400/dp/B016W1PP5K Would make a nice back-up drive. I don't believe it will run at pcie speeds, though, prolly limited to sata.

 

In the UK that ones out of stock, the 256gb one seems to be available to order from Europe, but I'm not seeing many that aren't international, thanks for the help though

 

No problem. I'm kind of thinking about going this route, as well, for a backup drive. OS (C Raid 0 the two 2280's, and my 512GB sata SSD is my (D steam drive, and back everything up on the 2242.

 

Thanks for the reply!

Thing is I basically plan on taking it with me all the time. Like whenever I go out of the house to town or to afriends house etc.
This is the only reason I am considering the XPS 15 over the AW15. Also, battery life seems to be a little bit better on the XPS.

Basically if the XPS had a GTX 1060 then that would be the dream machine but since that doesn't exist I'm having a hard time chosing
It's either portability or power. I'd rather get more power but since it's for work, and my work is like that that I could get a phone call any time of the day and need a pc to do something quickly on it, I'd need something that isn't a hastle taking with me all the time anywhere I go.

That's why I'm questioning if the portability of the AW is manageable or not.

EDIT: So, would any of you reccomend it if I plan on taking it with me all the time? I don't mind carrying a bit of weight, but at some point a laptop is too big/heavy for it to be practical, so just wondering what you guys/gals thought. Thanks!

 

XPS. 1050 isn't that bad and the AW15 is not really portable. Maybe an AW13 might be a good balance if you must have gaming but even that isn't that light/portable?

My work depends on a laptop and no way would I use my AW15.

 

Thanks for the reply!

The only reason I'm not considering the AW13 is because of the smaller screen. 15 inch is perfect screen size for me.
I guess the XPS 15 is more suitable for work and portability... wish it at least had the GTX 1050ti.

 

I got the AW15 and travel with it daily for work. I also take it on vacations with me where I got to carry it for miles at a time (lot of walking in Japan). I previously had an m11x which is obviously a lot smaller and lighter. However, the bag I was using for it is the same size as my current one but a few inches shorter. (So the width is the same).

I mean when your talking about a difference of just a few lbs it does not really matter. Carrying something that weights 5lbs vs 2.5 lbs really if you got a decent bag with a nice strap your not going to care. Now if your trying to take your laptop with you on a 40k plus hike then yea every ounce is going to make a big difference in your day. It was one thing years back when these things were way to heavy but honestly if the weight of the AW15 is giving you pause you might want to take that pause to your doctor b/c clearly you got some larger issues to be worried about.

 

Yeah, those were my initial thoughts. Like, 3.5kg plus 800g powersupply - that's 4.3kg. If you held a 5kg dumbbell in your hand it really isn't that heavy.
But I own a Lenovo G70, and it weighs considerably less at 2.9kg without the power supply and it is a bit of a hasle to carry aroung (I don't have a proper carrying case though). Yes, it is a 17 inch laptop, but the AW15 is pretty large for a 15 incher.

The XPS 15 plus its power supply are 2.43kg in total which is almost half the weight.

So, you reckon it wouldn't make much of a difference - carrying the XPS or the AW?

 

I got this bag for it: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01BKUI33E/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It is a perfect fit. The bag being leather does weigh like 2 something lbs on its own. However, it is not bulky at all and this very easy to carry. Bulk is more a problem than actual weight. I will comment that I was not a fan of the strap for that bag so I would recommend you invent in a better one. (I used my old strap from my other bag which was a really really nice strap)

BTW that bag is a perfect fit for the AW15. There is just enough space for it to fit without wasted space and or without it feeling like it is too small. It is literally a perfect fit. Also the bag is very well cushioned and protective. I am very selective about my bags and spent a lot of time finding this one and am very happy. I just wish the pocket on the back was zippered to protect contents in that pocket from rain as often in Japan I end up walking a few miles with my bags exposed to the elements.

 

Thanks for the insight!

I was just checking out my girlfriend's Macbook Air, and I must say I don't think 13 inches is that small, I think I could live with that.
If I were to game/do animation work on the laptop at home I would always hook it up to an external monitor anyway, so that is making me seriosly consider the AW 13. I've heard nothing but good things about it (especially the OLED screen).

Also, I wasn't planning on getting anything more powerful than a GTX 1060, even if I got the AW15.

 

Gs63. Build is surprisingly good tbh. If it had gsync id be all over it!

 

It seems like a tempting option as well, but I've read it has CPU throttling and poor battery life
Other than that looks like a very sweet machine.

 

I am currently on the road travelling from md to nyc and then back to md again in a couple of days with a aw15r3 1070 6700hq. Its a nice solid machine. Coming from a 770dm its a very nice decrease in weight. I am 5'6 and i dont seem to have a prob with the weight. I am travelling with a vindicator 15 2.0. I wanted to go for the gs73 bec of the better 120hz 5ms panel but id be losing on power as it only comes with a 1060. You could always do a repaste on the gs63 to get better temps though! Battery life on the aw15 i have is short bec it has no optimus but i prefer it this way as switching through graphics chips always pose an issue. I suggest you get the one that has optimus if you want the battery life but the 120hz panel would make your gaming exp way better!

 

Maybe I'm not as strong/tough as you guys, but I find the AW15 R3 quite a pain to travel with after bringing it with me overseas for work (and having to take it in/out of the bag for security, trying to fit it on small cafe and airplane tables, not great battery life in Gsync model for productivity tasks, etc).

In comparison, I use a Lenovo Thinkpad Y260 for work (previously used Thinkpad T and X series) and found that is just a far better portability machine given it's got the various 2 in 1 form factors (which are surprisingly useful in small/cramped spaces like economy class), and it's just light enough to carry one handed for a long time. It also fits into much smaller bags. I know this isn't the same as an XPS, but for work, I would prefer a device which great battery life and portability as I can't afford to miss anything (missing a 1 or 2 hour client request would cost me much more than a laptop).

I'm inclined to think the XPS15 would just be a better machine for carrying around for work, but if you can handle the AW15 R3 (and also taking into account it won't fit in a lot of tighter 15" bags) then go for it. I had to buy a 17" Targus case for my AW15 R3 to fit.

 

At what temp should the fans start to kick in? 50 degrees and the fans are at a stand still? This is the 4th motherboard replacement and all have had a slow fan response! Is there a way to adjust the fan table in the bios using some sort of bios editor if so which one? Currently using HiWinfo64 fan control to keep the temps down!

 

Just got my AW15 R3. So far it has frozen on me twice while I was trying to download heroes of the storm. Then after installing the latest NVIDIA driver, i get the BSOD saying netio.sys error. I'm taking a wait and see approach for now.

 

So, I went purchased another Alienware. I am giving them another try. Got a good deal on it. Have they fixed the heating issues with the 7700hq? I'm hoping everything is perfect.

 

I don't think it will ever be fixed because in their eyes there is no problem. And its true, except for a handful most are within Intel and Nvidia maximum temperatures. If you want reasonable temps you're just going to have to repaste

 

I was talking about the uneven core temps. I will repaste, its already on stand by. Also does the fans turn off on the newer systems or do they stay running the whole time?

 

Also from youtube videos it looks like the moved the fan connectors to the otherside of the motherboard? is this true? It would be nice to be able to paste without having to pull the motherboard out.

 

You don't have to pull the mobo or unhook the wifi antennae to do a repaste on the 15 r3. Remove the three tiny fan screws from each fan, and "unclip" the fans from the shroud. Remove the seven? screws holding down the cooling solution, and you're golden.

 

So, I've had the r3 for just over a month now. It was a capable machine as it was, but we've made it even more so. I travel 4-5 days a week, driving a semi and delivering cabinets, and wanted to get a desktop quality machine for my truck and for travel. The machine I purchased was a refurb/return from Dell Outlet. I seemed to have been fairly fortunate in the silicone lottery, as I've been able to tweak the settings a bit, and get semi-respectable benches. I've been able to get a steady 4.0Ghz on all 4 cores, with a .030 undervolt, and with 75000 on the current. Cinebench best is 877cpu/123 fps openGL (really glad with that one, as it's twice what my desktop will do, and getting close to 5900 on timespy. Tweaking without a bus speed adjustment is all new for me! I almost regret not getting the 4k screen, deciding on the 1080 non-gsync (for extended battery life), but it complicates hooking up 4k displays, of which I have a few. Overall, this is one of the best purchase decisions I've made recently. Going from a watercooled desktop Phenom II and gtx 780 to this monster, is just like, wow. So glad that I waited for Pascal, as I still don't think people realize how revolutionary it is to have a full power gpu in a portable package. This generation changes the playing field, completely. Anyway, I'm not sure why this unit was returned, but grateful that it was.

 

Does anyone have a calibration file for the gsync 60hz IPS display they wouldn't mind sharing? Got my second 15r3 and I'm liking it so far, however I don't have my own calibrator

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

 

Also I've cloned my Hard drive to an SSD, but the system boots to the hard drive unless I select the SSD at each and every boot via boot options. Does anyone know a way to solve this?

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

 

Why are you cloning? its faster to install windows 10 from a thumbdrive and you wont run into errors or messed up crap.

 

I have one and it is very portable and very solid for transporting.
I would definitely go for it. As you can see I have the 1060 and it is more than adequate for Blender and Unity. Might want to add a 2nd SSD drive strictly for the programs you use for animation etc...

 

This is true, but I already set it up a bit, deleted all the windows partitions from my old SSD and HDD, that did the trick. Forgot I'd once used my other SSD as a boot drive so it still had random hidden windows partitions on it

 

Also would be interested in this as I've never calibrated a monitor before!

 

Sorry for the late reply. Been busy

https://www.amazon.com/Anker-Adapte...8&sr=8-2-spons&keywords=hub+usb+7+ports&psc=1

 

I agree with this assessment, as I also have the 120Hz panel, and it's quite nice. Zero bleed, bright, and fast. That being said, when game playing, I always use an external 34 inch monitor. I also have a 55 inch LG OLED TV, and it is by far the best screen I have ever seen, with DEEEEEEEEP black and crisp colors. if the next gen AW 15 came out with OLED, I would swap in a heartbeat.

 

Here is a reply I received from tech support today! Tell me they are joking!

"I’m sorry for the delay. I understand your concern and I will pass the Feedback.

As per the temperatures I already confirmed with our L3 Team and for an idle computer to be at 50 degrees is a normal behavior , normally our fans will start spinning when the temperatures get to 60 degree or if the computer is under stress.

Currently the system functionality is optimum. We don’t count with a Fan Table.

If your computer requires further assistance please let us know and we will be happy to help."

 

I don't think they're joking. Most, if not all, of my laptops have idled around 50c. My 15R3 doesn't now thanks to iunlock.

Sent from my VS995 using Tapatalk