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    *OFFICIAL* Alienware m15 Owner's Lounge

    Discussion in '2015+ Alienware 13 / 15 / 17' started by ssj92, Oct 25, 2018.

  1. CptXabaras

    CptXabaras Overclocked, Overvolted, Liquid Cooled

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    On Mexican Dell Site they got the 1180 max-q, https://www.dell.com/mx/p/alienware...6125680w10s_120&model_id=alienware-m15-laptop

    My guess is that is going to perform at least as a 1080 max-q, which would suite me just fine. Not really convinced about the rtx cards


    Edit, what gives, i'll do the guinea pig, just pulled the trigger on the 1180 max-q version. i'm abroad for work and won't get my hands on it before the 20 of april. Will let you know

    Edit 2.
    After some more research on the web, i've found another user on reddit, from germany, that had found the same 1180 max q config on the dell german website. And it was apparently a typo that has been corrected, the card is an RTX-2080 max q.
     
    Last edited: Mar 15, 2019
  2. LoganWade

    LoganWade Notebook Consultant

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    Last edited: Mar 15, 2019
  3. Quikj

    Quikj Notebook Consultant

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    It's time to finally replace my old trusty M15x that I'm currently typing this out on. I can't speak highly enough of it, as it's lasted me 9 years and continues to soldier on. It's obviously been showing it's age for awhile and I'm finally willing to retire it.

    Planning on pulling the trigger on an m15 with an 8750H, 8GB RAM, 1080p 60Hz, 1060 gtx, 256 GB SSD, 9WHr battery. I'm aiming for portable power, in that order. It's mostly going to be a mobile workstation for me, compiling source code, rendering video and some CAD design. I'll also want to play some games like the Master Chief Collection, Forza and sports games like FIFA and NBA 2K. I'm mostly a console gamer, so it doesn't need to be able to run everything at the highest settings for hours on end. I just want to be able to fire up a game in a terminal when my flight gets delayed.

    I've read nearly every page of this threat so far, but I still have a few questions:

    1) In real world use, how much battery life would I sacrifice by opting for the 144Hz screen?
    2) Can the 2nd m.2 slot accept a SATA SSD or does it have to be NVMe? I like the idea of being able to drop a $70 500GB drive into that 2nd slot the day I get my machine.
    3) Have the recent BIOS updates with increased fan control made a noticeable effect on the thermal situation? I'm used to 1st gen i7 processors which ran hot, but the reported early temperatures here concern me a bit. Also, when gaming, I always prop the back of my laptop up.
    4) Is it any more straightforward to dual boot Win10 and Ubuntu? I'm a Linux guy, so this is pretty important to me.

    Thanks for your answers to any and all of these questions.
     
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  4. xLima

    xLima Notebook Evangelist

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    Hello guys, any users with the RTX2060 version that wouldn't mind sharing a screenshot of the GPU-Z information. Thanks!

    Sent from my BLA-L09 using Tapatalk
     
  5. Vasudev

    Vasudev Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    Truth be told, m15 won't even hold a candle to your current M15x.
    Depends on dell for linux compatibility, latest BIOS do help but you can't rollback to older version in case it bricks and all the FW throttling mechanisms are in place.
    M.2 2280 can accept both SATA and NVMe.
    Thermal issues are present even now unless you can repaste and repad them.
     
  6. sharpman

    sharpman Notebook Consultant

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    I've bought 3 laptops from DELL USA so far all with premium warranty and transferred it to Europe and I can happily recommend it. They always try to help and you can upgrade your computer as long as you don't break anything. They also did not make any problems with warranty claims. One thing to consider though, get a longer warranty period at the beginning as extending can be expensive.
     
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  7. Flying Endeavor

    Flying Endeavor Notebook Consultant

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    All the more reason to buy from them :) I like to have that kind of assurance. And well.. I might have to only get a 1 Year premium warranty initially (Trying to Get the best specs for my current budget)... I would just extend it once it gets transferred to my country..
     
  8. LoganWade

    LoganWade Notebook Consultant

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    1. I don't think you'd sacrifice any battery life with the 144hz, I had the 144hz and the default profile locked it to 30hz on battery.
    2. Only one of the m.2 slots supports SATA: https://www.dell.com/support/manual...c1db57-ee24-4137-84bf-aece066a8ae9&lang=en-us
    3. I didn't have any fan issues with mine. With the back of your laptop propped it will be better. After a repaste I saw a serious decrease in temps, however, they completely missed a spot on the cpu with the factory paste. The cores did stay under the 80s with a cooling pad, well under the 90s without.
    4. I dual booted between 2 windows 10 installs. I didn't have it long enough to try setting up Ubuntu, but would have over the second win 10 drive.
     
  9. Quikj

    Quikj Notebook Consultant

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    Thanks for the responses.

    Why shouldn't I expect the m15 to be inferior to my M15x? In what area? Build quality?

    I've repasted my CPU and GPU multiple times and plan on doing so with the m15. Hopefully, I get lucky with a relatively cool running CPU.

    Seems like I'll just have to figure out the Ubuntu dual boot once it gets here.
     
  10. Digits

    Digits Notebook Consultant

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    If you search this thread you'll find that a couple of us do have Ubuntu dual boots working. I had some issues with some of the BIOS versions, but it does work.
     
  11. Quikj

    Quikj Notebook Consultant

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    That's promising. I saw that couple of people were successful in dual booting Ubuntu, but it seemed like there were a few impediments. Is the installation relatively straightforward with the latest BIOS?
     
  12. Digits

    Digits Notebook Consultant

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    Sorry - I've not tried again since getting it working. IIRC there were just a few changes to the grub command line to add some kernel options related to ACPI and I think I needed a wired connection to install the wifi drivers. HTH
     
  13. Spartan@HIDevolution

    Spartan@HIDevolution Company Representative

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    @Digits where did you get the entire drivers package for Linux?
    Dell has some models with Official Linux drivers but not the Alienware
     
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  14. Flying Endeavor

    Flying Endeavor Notebook Consultant

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    Ooh.. wow, I love your sigs. xD

    I really hope DELL's premium warranty is as good as I am hoping for it to be.. I might skip out on the ROG GL703, despite the very appealing hardware because of the lackluster Support that I might get with ASUS over here.
     
  15. Spartan@HIDevolution

    Spartan@HIDevolution Company Representative

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    If you want a laptop that works 100%, do not get an ASUS laptop. I've owned 6 of em gaming laptops, refunded everyone of them!

    Here's an old post I made about this

    after owning 4 ASUS laptops...I would never buy an ASUS laptop again.

    Never had an Alienware before because of its high price. I had 3 ASUS Gaming laptops, G73Sw, G75VW, and G750JX

    After being frustrated with ASUS's bad driver support, and lack of official drivers for Windows 7, I sold my G750JX and got this Alienware.

    Now I know why they cost an arm and a leg

    1) much better build quality, it's like you bought a Mercedes as opposed to a honda civic

    2) Warranty is much better, if the laptop spoils, they will come to your house and fix it at your home the next business day. When my G750JX stopped booting within 6 months of owning it, I had to drive to the service center which is very far, and it took them 7 days to replace the motherboard

    3) I wanted a bigger screen and ASUS only have 17.3' screens. This 18.4' screen is a dream to play and surf on

    4) I didn't ask for it, but I got a freebie dual GeForce GTX 770M so my performance has never been better

    5) I love the lighting effects of Alienware

    6) Their audio and KLIPSCH speakers blow the ASUS G750JX out of the water in terms of loudness and quality although both use a Realtek Chipset, but the speakers are better and the Alienware comes with the Dolby Home Theater which improves the audio quality by a great mile

    7) All ASUS laptops has a problem with the left USB 3.0 Ports. You plug in a USB 3.0 HDD to the left top or left bottom ports and it will randomly keep disconnecting. That is for all G750 series, JX,JW,JH,JZ,JavaScript, you name it. don't believe me, just hang around on the ROG forums and see the jokes of problems they have. pathetic for the amount of money you pay. problems with screens,m auto dimming problem, contrast problem.

    I wouldn't use an ASUS laptop anymore even if they gave it to me for free! cheap Taiwanese crap!

    Did I forget to mention...

    their implementation of Optimus is messed up...it is very tricky to force games to use your nVIDIA GPU unless you do a lot of settings and even then users on their forums complain that the freakin' games are using the Intel HD Graphics! LOL! horrible!

    with Alienware, there are no such mishaps...you press FN + F5 and the laptop reboots activating the nVIDIA GPUs and it's stuck like that until you press FN + F5. no room for error of a gaming even seeing your Intel HD Graphics!

    you want Testimony ? Please take the time to read this:

    why ASUS? because people who buy ASUS cannot afford Alienware, no other reason on earth...that's a fact...I am one of them...

    First laptop, 2 years ago..

    G73Sw:

    bought it and ran home like a little child wanting to see my lights in the chiclet keyboards....ooops...no lights...tried all driver updates..BIOS update...nope..

    Called ASUS, they told me to bring it to the service center it's an easy fix!! whaaaat?? I buy a 2000 USD laptop and go to the service center next day? oh well..I did and they activated it with their BIOS tweak utility that they don't give to customers! great quality control Taiwanese Engineers! send out laptops for sale that don't work properly as advertised...

    after 1 week...the screen started giving me fuzzy images...closing/opening the screen lid fixed the problem....wow!! what did I buy? a 1990 Toyotal Corolla or a brand new gaming laptop??

    They said they need to replace my screen! wow!! the laptop can't last a week without being repaired! i fought for a refund and got it after a long hassle...

    next laptop...

    ASUS G75VW,

    ASUS decided to remove their awesome creative sound blaster audio chipset and put some cheap VIA audio chipset which made the subwoofer act like a center speaker rather than a subwoofer..

    also..I only had the option to get the matte screen...oh well...people say matte is good...right? NOPE! not on ASUS! the ASUS matte screens look as if someone spilled grease all over them. very grainy image especially if you look at a white screen such as these forums or Google..if you look close..you can see the pixels of colorful rainbows! again shocked in awe for this cheap crap!

    So I called ASUS complaining about the quality of the screen, they offered to change it to the 3D screen not coz I want 3D, but only because that is the only screen they have that is Glossy..

    took the laptop...2 days..I get a call...sorry sir, we changed your screen, but fried your motherboard....we have no spare motherboards...so if you pay $500 USD we can give you a G750JX instead or you can wait till god knows when till we get a motherboard from Taiwan...

    so I got the G750JX...

    very bad driver support....ASUS released the win 8.1 drivers after 6 months of win 8.1 was released...anyone who upgraded while having the old drivers either got a non booting laptop after the upgrade due to outdated bluetooth/wifi drivers or had horrible problems....

    next comes the 2D performance of their GTX770M....there is something not right about it! 3D was fine and performed as it should...but 2D was glitchy and choppy...imagine even a simple game of solitaire..the motion of the cards wasn't fluid...I used to get jealouse when I see my friends' Intel HD Graphics perform so smoothly in the Windows environment while my brand new gaming laptop cries in 2D...opening tabs in firefox...wow..another plethora of jerkiness / slow motion

    next...they put cheap Atheros WLAN chipsets which cannot connect above 72 MBPS!! wow! had to pay 50 USD and get a Bigfoot Wireless N-Killer from the US and pay customs just to have a laptop perform like a normal computer

    next.... USB 3.0 problems..

    basically, I had to connect my USB drives to the right ports and the left ones were kept for my mouse and printer? why? because ASUS cannot produce a piece of hardware that functions right! they claim all ports are USB 3.0 and they are all in blue color...BIG LIE! it wasn't only me, I posted this on the ROG forums and every single one of the members verified the same!

    I can't find my thread that I started, but here are 2 examples I quickly grabbed:

    Asus G750 USB 3.0 Ports not working with some things

    and

    Is it normal that the top left USB port is very slow?

    ASUS? HELLL NO!!

    Worst case scenario, save some money and wait, then get a real gaming laptop from Alienware and be happy for life! rather than bite your fingers after you buy your ASUS

    A quick Google search on the G750JX presents exactly what I experienced! I've probably formatted that laptop over 200 times twice daily just trying to make it work but every time some quirk happens...

    http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/answers/id-1783800/usb-sooooo-slow-asus-g750.html

    http://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?38918-USB-problems-G750-JX

    http://rog.asus.com/forum/showthrea...-G750JX-and-with-it-a-whole-suite-of-problems.

    http://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?35565-Asus-ROG-G750JX-RB71-Screen-Ghosting.

    http://forum.notebookreview.com/asus-gaming-notebook-forum/727019-big-green-float-g750jx-screen.html

    http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/a...x-cheap-display-horizontal-lines-4331824.html

    http://www.eightforums.com/general-...g750jx-rb71-has-been-crashing-repeatedly.html

    http://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?34676-G750JX-1day-old-Black-Screen-and-not-Booting
    =========================================================
    Update:

    I would never buy a laptop from a company that has these kinds of issues in these new thread I've found.... I know every laptop might have a problem, but these are way too serious and general (as in, not pertaining to just one bad lemon):

    http://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?54313-G751-Imbalanced-Sound-Problem-OFFICIAL-SUPPORT-THREAD

    http://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?55207-Gt751-JT-not-booting-up-after-windows-update

    http://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?54444-g751jt-backlight-bleed

    http://rog.asus.com/forum/showthrea...ports-(left-side)-and-external-HD-anyone-else (This USB 3.0 Problem has been there since the G75VW, G750JX, and now on to the new model! insane!)

    http://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?55158-G751-AC-WLAN-only-at-7-MB-per-sec! (This is due to the crappy WLAN cards they use even though it's a premium gaming laptop)

    http://rog.asus.com/forum/showthrea...3-weeks-frequent-display-not-responding-error

    http://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?54360-G751-JY-keyboard-slugghish!-(and-other-issues)

    http://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?54982-ASUS-G751-one-of-the-worst-purchases-I-ever-made

    http://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?54990-G751JT-bricked-my-Corsair-GS-240GB-SSD
     
  16. Vasudev

    Vasudev Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    Most packages except RAID works on all 8th gen PCs/laptops.
    For DPTF you might need to compile the package from github or grab the dptf package from ubuntu launchpad.net(DPTF only works if you have DPTF options in BIOS otherwise DPTF SW will say no DPTF devices found... Quitting application....
    If you're using Linux Mint (based on Ubuntu 18.04 LTS) you can follow this guide mentioned here to get Killer 1550 or intel counterpart(which use same firmware/driver) https://support.killernetworking.com/knowledge-base/linux-support/
    You can switch to 4.18 HWE kernels since Dennismungai and ubuntu testing confirmed they are ready for prime-time usage.
    AlienFX controlling SW is called AKBL and I don't know if headset lighting works but Mouse and keyboard along with AlienFX Zones works.
     
    Last edited: Mar 17, 2019
  17. Papusan

    Papusan Jokebook's Sucks! Dont waste your $$$ on Filthy

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    Read @unclewebb's post... http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/the-throttlestop-guide.531329/page-989#post-10882098

    And not the first time Asus cripple their notebooks.

    See also... http://forum.notebookreview.com/thr...m-owners-lounge.826831/page-514#post-10882284
     
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  18. Digits

    Digits Notebook Consultant

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    I just installed Ubuntu 18.04 from a standard ISO I burned onto a DVD and then googled 1550 wifi issues to find the wifi driver. IIRC the nvidia drivers I downloaded from their website.
     
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  19. Flying Endeavor

    Flying Endeavor Notebook Consultant

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    Woah, that is a lot to take in. I visited a few of the threads you've linked, and well, some of them are quite old, back in 2014. If ASUS is still having the same issues, them that is extremely terrible. Although, so far, I have heard so many good things about their GL703 laptop, but only if you get a properly functioning model. Lots of people do report that ASUS' customer service is among the worst in the industry, and sure enough, I got frustrated when I contacted the local ASUS hotline and asked them about their international warranty if I purchased a laptop from HIDevolution in the US. They told me to contact ASUS Customer Support through the US website, then the ASUS US Customer support told me to contact the PH Customer support for the answers I needed regarding warranty. Of to a wonderful start... but wait, it gets better... So I called up the PH ASUS Customer Support again, and I told them about my whole back and forth with the US Customer Support and I confirmed to them that HIDEvolution is an authorized Build to order reseller of ASUS in the US and that the laptop I am interested in purchasing is the ASUS ROG Strix SCAR II GL704GW-PS71, the 17 Inch Thin and Light Scar gaming laptop equipped with an RTX2070 and an I7-8750H. So yeah, I also told them that as configured by HIDevolution (Minimum Backlight Bleed, 16GB Dual Channel 2666MHZ RAM, 1TB SSD, Clean Install of Windows), my laptop would cost upwards of 135,000 PHP or around 2597 USD and would come bundled with ASUS Global Warranty.

    In my country, that is already an insane amount to spend on a laptop. So, their customer respresentative knew I am willing to spend large amounts of money for a top of the line laptop, and she did what came naturally, and tried to essentially scam me or entice me to buy something inferior for a much higher price. She told me that this particular model that I want is not yet available in my country, DESPITE there actually being online retailers in my country who openly sell this laptop proudly displaying the "Authorized ASUS Store" plastered on their advertisements, unfortunately they do not offer customized configurations and they actually discourage the user opening up the laptop as it might void the warranty, and I prefer HIDevolution and their vast tweaking options and Quality Control. Anyways, so okay, I asked her what ASUS PH has available, so she then gave me a very specific model number, ASUS ROG STRIX SCAR EDITION GL703VM-EE039T, and that is equipped with a GTX1060 and an I7-7700HQ. And guess how much this costs, 146,000 PHP or around 2,808 USD. That is without LM Repaste, without Minimum Backlight Bleed, only a 256GB SSD with a 1TB HDD, only a 16GB Single stick of 2400MHZ RAM, and stock Windows 10. So essentially, they want me to pay MORE for LESS. And also, this also does not come with ASUS Accidental Damage protection because apparently, that is not offered nor supported in my country. I simply told them, "This is a sure fire way to lose business, because with this, you've just lost my money. I am frankly not interested in that offering and I refuse to pay more for something SIGNIFICANTLY less. Scamming your customers, especially those who actually know what they want is NOT a very good idea." Immediately, I noticed a change in the tone of the Reps voice, and it is very obvious that she realized that I actually knew what I wanted and what technology is out in the market. Of course, she should have known that the moment I told her the very specific laptop model I am interested in and that it is equipped with an RTX2070 at that. She of course apologized and tried to rectify this by offering to provide me with more of their models that are available in my country, to which I promptly said no, and hung up. That is my first taste of ASUS Customer Support, and I already HATE it. I just inquired about their warranty and that happened, I could only imagine what would be like if I need to have something serviced for repairs.... Also, I viewed their website regarding their premium Care, and it essentially said only units sold LOCALLY are eligible for Premium Care and Warranty Extension.. -__-

    MSI Philippines is also no different. Tried to pull the same stunt on me. Told them I was planning to buy their GE75 8SF Raider-049 ( I7-8750H and RTX2070) from HIDEvolution in the US, and it would cost around 138,000 PHP or 2654 USD as configured. (Minimum Backlight Bleed, LM repaste, 16GB Dual Channel 2666MHZ RAM, 256GB SSD + 1TB 7200RPM HDD, and Clean Install of Windows, and most importantly, 1 YEAR US + 1 YEAR GLOBAL Warranty and NO Oops protection. )

    And like with ASUS.. the MSI Rep also tried to mess with me. He told me that if I only go for the 1 year US Warranty + 1 Year International Warranty, it might not get honored in my country. So, he told me to get the 2 Year US based Warranty + 1 year International Warranty instead. That way, according to him, I would get 1 Year Local Warranty here in the Philippines. I just could not believe what I heard from him and he confirmed what he said... I should pay for 2 Year US Warranty that comes with 1 Year International warranty to get 1 Year Local Warranty coverage in my country... the Philippines.. like WTF.... So, that conversation ended quickly right after... At least, he did not try to pedal me an inferior laptop for a higher price tag.. but still... I did not appreciate this one.

    And there is DELL, and this is by far the BEST and most Straightforward one. I hit them via their online chat in their Support website and inquired regarding their international warranty coverages in the Philippines. And the Rep told me that the laptop I want, the Alienware M15 is available for coverage in my country and to get that coverage, I should simply purchase their Premium Warranty. They also told me that I could extend that warranty further down the line should I desire. And that is it. They did not give me a hard time, they did not try to pedal some BS on me, and I got all the answers I needed quickly, and their Reps were very much helpful and respectful. And thank goodness one of the DELL/Alienware Reps on Twitter did confirm HIDEvolution is one their authorized Resellers so I should not run into problems. So yes, even I see why DELL/Alienware is much more expensive.. their support services are for me, top notch. A LOT of companies/workplaces/businesses here in the Philippines are well.... guess what PCs they mostly have.. they mostly have DELL desktops and monitors in their offices/workplaces. If the big companies trust DELL, then I could probably too. That is what enticed me towards the Alienware M15 to begin with, knowing DELL hopefully has me covered should something go wrong.
     
    Last edited: Mar 17, 2019
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  20. GrandesBollas

    GrandesBollas Notebook Evangelist

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    You've been actively participating in this thread for some time, appearing consistently to be favoring the m15. This is the first I see you mention considering the ROG. Why did you mention that as an option to consider? I'm curious as to your reasons especially in light of the experiences provided by fellow forum mates.
     
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  21. Flying Endeavor

    Flying Endeavor Notebook Consultant

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    Well, a lotpeople in my country have actively suggested either ROG or MSI. Those are two popular brands here. However, ASUS has some rather questionable support but affordable devices and MSI also tends to be the same only with a slightly higher price tag. As for the ROG, I found the GL703 with an RTX 2070 (configured from HIDEvolution) to be quite a good deal considering it costs around the same AW M15 with an RTX 2060 (also configured from HIDEvolution) Although, the warranty and support is my issue with the ROG.... they have been giving me the run around every time I inquire regarding their warranty policy.
     
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  22. GrandesBollas

    GrandesBollas Notebook Evangelist

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    You are definitely asking all the right questions. In the end, it is your hard earned money that you need to make sure gets invested in the manner that best meets your needs. A company with difficulty in getting support is a red herring/warning sign. Purchasing through HID Evolution and getting their warranty option is a good risk mitigator. You are going to find that the net cost of each of the laptops you consider are approximately in the same range. Think about how long you want to keep the laptop, expected level of customer support you may need assuming normal issues. Also, have a basic plan for what to do when the system goes down unexpectedly and you find your options limited.
     
  23. Spartan@HIDevolution

    Spartan@HIDevolution Company Representative

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    so the FN keys won't work right?
     
  24. Flying Endeavor

    Flying Endeavor Notebook Consultant

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    Indeed, I am hoping to get the most out of it. Currently, I am leaning more towards DELL because they have been pretty straightforward, honest, and not to mention respectful in their interactions with me, plus they also have the added benefit of warranty extensions, an excellent bonus. Also, Build quality wise, the M15 is built like a tank. XD
     
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  25. Digits

    Digits Notebook Consultant

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    I'm on a pair of external monitors so cant test the brightness but volume controls on function keys seem to work.
     
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  26. Digits

    Digits Notebook Consultant

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    I haven't got thunderbolt working on Ubuntu yet though - will probably try that later this week.
     
  27. Flying Endeavor

    Flying Endeavor Notebook Consultant

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    Oh hell... . >.> I called up one of official DELL Concept Stores here in the Philippines and I spoke with one of the DELL Philippine Representatives... And he said that Alienware Laptops are not supported locally in the Philippines... I may get the Premium Warranty and Transfer it here, but there is NO Guarantee that I would have the laptop actually fixed or serviced due to a lack of parts and support for the laptop locally.. According to them, the only gaming laptops DELL supports in my country are the G7 GTX10 Series and below... If I get an Alienware laptop, most likely I would need to have it shipped abroad for repairs.. And any instance of shipping would be shouldered by me... >.> I told him what the DELL US Support website Chat Reps told me I would get full coverage, but he still said that the Alienware Systems are not supported locally.. He will confirm it though with his higher ups.. Hopefully he gives me good news... There are a few stores here who offer the Alienware M15 but they are not exactly legitimate resellers and they offer "gray market" units with local shop warranty only... of course...

    I also got in contact with Gigabyte/Aorus through their website via live chat regarding their Aorus 15 Line-up, particularly the Aorus 15 X9 (RTX2070), and they too said that they do not have coverage for their laptops in the Philippines.

    Hopefully the DELL PH representative would come back to me with some good news. I am just puzzled considering there are Alienware 15 owners in the PH who have gotten support for their laptops. Hopefully the M15 would also be the same. Otherwise.. I might have to rely wholly on HIDevolution's HIPS warranty to get the warranty coverages I need, but yeah.. That would leave me vulnerable to the extremely corrupt PH Bureau of Customs. Either that or I might have to reconsider the GL703 once more... ASUS did confirm to me via phone that they would support my product locally under warranty even if bought from another country...
     
    Last edited: Mar 19, 2019
  28. LoganWade

    LoganWade Notebook Consultant

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    That sucks I hope you get good news as well. Have you tried calling HID support and asking them about how they would handle a repair if you purchased through them?
     
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  29. Flying Endeavor

    Flying Endeavor Notebook Consultant

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    They do have a HIPS option wherein they would handle two way shipping of the laptop twice per year. Although, they would not shoulder any import duties or taxes based on their warranty policy. That is understandable. Unfortunately for me, the PH Bureau of Customs is Extremely notorious... I am afraid of what might happen to my laptop when it passes through them.

    Of course, that would also mean excessive delays for when I need to have the laptop repaired, since I have to ship it abroad and then back again.
     
  30. sharpman

    sharpman Notebook Consultant

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    Is there a PH DELL website where you can order the Alienware? If yes then it's supported and I would contact you local tech support with this question. That's how I got confirmation regarding my warranty in Europe. If it's sold via local website then it should have coverage.
     
  31. Flying Endeavor

    Flying Endeavor Notebook Consultant

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    Unfortunately, the PH Dell website is outdated and has no options for Alienware. There are some local stores that do in fact sell this laptop, but I suspect a good portion or rather all of these are grey market units with only local shop warranty. There are some legitimate stores who sell the much older Alienware models such as the AW 15 and AW 17, however. I would get in touch with DELL via a live chat once more to hopefully clear this up.
     
  32. attax92

    attax92 Notebook Enthusiast

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    Hello,

    What M.2 SSDs can I put into the M15. Only PCIe or also M.2 SATA?
    Another question, for the 2.5" HDD or SSD, I need a cable, where can I get this, I found a cable on Aliexpress but this is for the M15x...
    Can anyone help me?
     
  33. eddi3x3x3

    eddi3x3x3 Notebook Evangelist

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    Quick question, how do I remove the WiFi card? There is a little plastic over it that doesn't let me take it out and I don't know if I need to remove the heat sink or not to remove the WiFi card

    Sent from my Moto Z (2) using Tapatalk
     
  34. Vasudev

    Vasudev Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    Its better to have good local repair shop. I think Philippines website might take longer for newer a51m to show up.
     
    Last edited: Mar 19, 2019
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  35. Flying Endeavor

    Flying Endeavor Notebook Consultant

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    Indeed, it would save me the hassle, delays, and expenses of having to ship the laptop overseas. Hopefully I get some good news..
     
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  36. sharpman

    sharpman Notebook Consultant

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    You can also try calling a local sales representative and ask whether you can order one directly to you. If yes then that would mean they have it covered, but if no then I would wait until it's available.
     
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  37. Aivxtla

    Aivxtla Notebook Evangelist

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    If possible try to buy directly from Dell even if you have to wait a while for the model to show up in your Dell sales area, because Dell even lets you bargain prices at times and if things do go wrong even for refurb Inspirons like my 7567 (in my case uneven core temps) they do sometimes provide like a 2x more expensive unit/newer as a replacement as happened in my case (4K 7577 with max specs), I also helped someone else with a similar replacement, granted you need to know what to say. These are things which third party sellers usually won’t do. Also at times Dell sells units cheaper than third party sites and sellers, when coupons are used.

    My experience is mostly with Dell in the US, but it should be similar for you if dealing with Dell itself and not some authorized seller.
     
    Last edited: Mar 20, 2019
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  38. IKAS V

    IKAS V Notebook Prophet

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    Anyone have the i7 2080MQ model?
    Hopefully you can answer a couple of things on my mind.
    When gaming are the fans loud?
    How are temps when gaming stock no repasting done?
    Does a laptop cooler help with temps?
    Does under volting help with throttling ( if it happens ) and fan noise, temps.?
    Is this laptop easy to upgrade RAM and SSD?
    Does it come with a bracket if you don’t order a HD?
    Does the bigger M17 run any cooler or have less fan noise?
    Basically can you tame this beast without going to the extreme and using LM.
    Dell sent me a coupon for 17% off so it’s pretty tempting fo get one.
    Anyone know of a review with the 2080MQ model?
    Thanks.
     
  39. B0B

    B0B B.O.A.T.

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    Dells use that plastic clip to keep the WiFi wires in place. It should slide and pull off.
     
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  40. Spartan@HIDevolution

    Spartan@HIDevolution Company Representative

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    Just ordered an Alienware m15 Nebula Red with the help of @Ted@HIDevolution

    Here are the specs:

    Custom Built Alienware M15 - 15.6" FHD 144Hz - RTX 2080 Max-Q - 90WHr Battery - Red
    Chassis Color

    Nebula Red - Soft-Touch Finish
    Internal Battery
    Lithium Ion (90 Wh) Battery - No 2.5" HDD/SSD Slot Available
    Free Game Bundles
    NVIDIA RTX Triple Threat - Anthem, Battlefield V, and Metro Exodus for laptops with RTX 2080
    Processor
    Intel 8th Generation "Coffee Lake" Core i7-8750H (2.2-4.1GHz) 6 Core - 12 Thread Processor, 9MB Smart Cache
    Video Card
    NVIDIA® GeForce® RTX 2080 Max-Q w/ 8GB GDDR6
    Thermal Interface Materials
    Thermal Grizzly Conductonaut on CPU + GPU, and Fujipoly Extreme Thermal Pads on heat sensitive surfaces – BEST PERFORMANCE – installed by HIDevolution - $95.00
    Alienware Graphics Amplifier
    Alienware Graphics Amplifier - $200.00
    LCD Panel
    15.6" FHD (1920 x 1080) 144Hz Anti-Glare IPS, 300-nits 72% color gamut, Narrow-Border Display
    Minimize LCD Backlight Bleed
    Yes, quality check and give me a panel with minimal backlight bleed. - $100.00
    Display Warranty
    2 Year Zero Defective Pixel Warranty (perfect panel guarantee) - $135.00
    System Memory (RAM)
    HIDevolution Approved Standard 64GB Dual Channel DDR4/2666MHz (2 x 32GB) - installed by HIDevolution - $660.00
    RAID Options
    RAID 0
    M.2 SSD Slot 1 (supports PCIe or SATA)
    Samsung 960 PRO 2TB M.2 PCIe3.0 x4 NVMe SSD - $0.00 (Swapped from my old MSI GT75 Titan Laptop)
    M.2 SSD Slot 2 (supports PCIe or SATA)
    Samsung 960 PRO 2TB M.2 PCIe3.0 x4 NVMe SSD- $0.00 (Swapped from my old MSI GT75 Titan Laptop)
    Alternate Language Keyboard Laser Engraving - $179.00
    Arabic 101 [​IMG]
    Alternate Language Keyboard Photo Upload
    KA-U.A.E.-20871.jpg 800 x 305 px.
    Wireless Cards
    Killer™ Wireless-AC N1550 802.11 ac/a/g/n 2x2 NGFF w/ Bluetooth 5.0
    Operating System
    Windows 10 Home, 64bit, English, with Multi Language Support
    Operating System Clean Install
    None
    Recovery Media (returns system back to factory state)
    Patriot 128GB Supersonic Rage 2 Series USB 3.0 Flash Drive - $100.00
    Office Software
    None
    Power Adapter
    240 Watt 3 Prong AC Adapter with 6 ft Power Cord (will work worldwide, includes FREE plug adapter for those without "U.S. style" outlets)
    Extra Power Adapter
    240 Watt 3 Prong AC Adapter with 6 ft Power Cord - $100.00
    Power Cord
    2 x UK 6 Ft Power Cord C13 - $20.00
    Warranty and Service
    4 Years Premium Support + 4 Year HIDevolution US Warranty + LIFETIME HIDevolution Technical Support - $499.00
    Accidental Damage Protection
    4 Year Accidental Damage Service - $209.00
    HIDevolution International Pre-paid Shipping (HIPS) Service
    None
    Carrying Case
    Alienware Vindicator 15" Backpack v2.0 - $90.00

    Mouse
    Alienware Elite Gaming Mouse AW959 - $99.00
    Mousepad
    Razer Kabuto Mobile Mouse Mat (Black) RZ-KABUTO - $23.75
    Headset
    Alienware Wireless Gaming Headset AW988 - $250.00
     
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  41. Spartan@HIDevolution

    Spartan@HIDevolution Company Representative

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    Alienware m15/m17 System BIOS v1.5.2

    Importance
    Urgent


    This package contains the Dell system BIOS update for Alienware m15 and Alienware m17 systems that run the Windows 10 operating system. BIOS is a firmware that is embedded on a small memory chip on the computer's system board. It controls the keyboard, monitor, disk drives and other devices. This update addresses security advisory INTEL-SA-00185 and INTEL-SA-00191.


    Fixes & Enhancements
    Fixes:
    - Firmware updates to address security advisory INTEL-SA-00185 (CVE-2018-12188 CVE-2018-12190 CVE-2018-12191 CVE-2018-12192 CVE-2018-12199 CVE-2018-12198 CVE-2018-12200 CVE-2018-12187 CVE-2018-12196 CVE-2018-12185).
    - Firmware updates to address security advisories INTEL-SA-00191(CVE-2018-12201, CVE-2018- 12202, CVE-2018-12203, CVE-2018-12205).
    - Fixed the issue where a yellow exclamation is displayed under the graphics driver in Device Manager when the system is resumed from sleep mode. This issue occurs on systems with the nVIDIA GeForce 1080 graphics card, when the system is connected to Alienware Graphics Amplifier.

    Enhancements:
    - Lowered the volume of default beep sounds in ePSA during diagnostics.
    - Enhanced the graphics performance of systems with nVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060, RTX 2070, and RTX 2080
     
  42. Spartan@HIDevolution

    Spartan@HIDevolution Company Representative

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    Anyone knows if the GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q in the M15 an 80Watt or 90Watt card?

    Edit: Nevermind, found my answer:

    Source: TechSpot
     
  43. Flying Endeavor

    Flying Endeavor Notebook Consultant

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    Well, unfortunately... I just called up a few more DELL Stores and they all told me the same thing, it might be impossible for me to get the warranty coverage for the Alienware M15 in the Philippines even if I do get the premium warranty, since this laptop is not supported locally, therefore there is no guarantee for parts or replacement units should something go wrong. I still have HID, but I do not wish to solely rely on their prepaid shipping option, given the customs of my nation would give me severe problems once the laptop is sent back to the Philippines.

    Guess I would have to purchase a laptop locally... which is most unfortunate considering local resellers here tend to sell these at an extremely inflated price, and practically all of them do not want make any modifications to the base model... We do have an Authorized Sager reseller here... hopefully their laptops are good.. I just can't get the laptop that I truly want, unfortunately..

    Regarding that, I believe the Alienware M15 has the 90W RTX2080 Max Q, at least based on the testing of Hardware Unboxed.

    Here is a post in the forums with the video:

    http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/nvidia-thread.806608/page-209#post-10883249
     
    Last edited: Mar 21, 2019
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  44. Spartan@HIDevolution

    Spartan@HIDevolution Company Representative

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    The problem with you said po is what are your other options? I'd rather have a laptop properly pasted and custom built from HIDevolution and deal with the warranty issues rather than going for some subpar off the shelf product locally which you and I know will have problems like overheat and God knows what other things since they don't go through the extra quality checks that boutique shops do. Just don't want you to have buyer's remorse later on pare if you didn't go for what you *really* wanted in the first place.
     
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  45. Flying Endeavor

    Flying Endeavor Notebook Consultant

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    Exactly this.. In here, I am essentially paying considerably more for considerably less. For the same price as a base model (16GB single channel RAM, 1TB HDD, stock paste) MSI GE73 with a GTX1070, I could get a GE75 with an RTX2070 from HIDEvolution, with a 1TB SSD, 16GB 8x2 Dual Channel memory, Clean Installed Windows 10, Repasted with LM, Benchmarked and Tested as well.

    The only other reseller in my country that I know of that would actually modify the internals is Helix, an authorized reseller of Sager laptops. Although, I have never heard of Helix Philippines other than coming across them whilst searching in Google, and I am unfamiliar with the Sager Brand as a whole. Funny thing is though, HELIX actually offered that they could also order an Alienware M15 for me and supply it with warranty, of course it is only local shop warranty and it is a Grey Market unit.. so yeah.. I am still skeptical about that one though xD lol It is a grey market unit and not supported by DELL. The Grey market is strong in my country... xD

    I know HID has their HIPS service.. but I just do not want to rely entirely on it, considering the Bureau of Customs in the Philippines is well.. you would not want to deal with them and their corruption. >.>
     
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  46. Spartan@HIDevolution

    Spartan@HIDevolution Company Representative

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    1) Never buy a Clevo laptop (AKA Sager) if it's not from a Prema Partner because the stock BIOS is utter garbage, very limited options to edit and causes throttling for both the CPU and GPU when they are load which is fixed by the Prema BIOS and Prema EC Firmware.

    HIDevolution and a few others are Prema Partners so you get the Prema BIOS with most of the gaming laptops for free, at least with HIDevolution it's for free.

    Here are the benefits of the Prema BIOS:

    • Restores user ability to overclock or underclock the CPU
    • Restores user control over CPU power settings (voltage, watts, amps) for optimal performance and/or thermal efficiency
    • Restores ability to control non-turbo CPU core ratio
    • Restores ability to control CPU c-states and p-states
    • Restores ability to control BCLK (northbridge) and FCLK (System Agent) frequency
    • Restores ability to enable Intel Speed Shift Technology functionality
    • Restores ability to disable Intel Software Guard Extensions (SGX) functionality which is intended for software developers who want to use that feature and causes erratic system behavior
    • Restores ability to control RSR, Watchdog Timer, ASPM, ACPI sleep and hibernation functionality
    • Restores ability to control RAM timings, clock speeds and enables the utilization of XMP profiles
    • Restores ability to control selection of Legacy, UEFI and CSM to install whatever operating system is desired
    • Restores ability to control CPU-based DEP, AES (encryption) and Virtualization
    • Restores ability to control GPU scaling, PCIe speed and power management features
    • Restores control over Thunderbolt and USB 3.1 configuration
    • Restores control over SATA port configuration and Intel LPM. Having the ability to disable drive ports allows exclusive control over what drive receives the BCD/boot sector, system and recovery partitions during Windows Setup and eliminates the need to physically remove non-OS drives when installing a new OS.

    2) Pare, you are buying a brand new laptop with the intention of repairing it already! Get that out of your head man!! If you think of negativity, you get negativity, you attract what you think of. It's like you're buying a brand new car and thinking about repairing it! i know anything can happen when it comes to electronics but knock on wood in the past 5 years and having had bought 4 laptops from HIDevolution, I never needed warranty except on my first Clevo laptop they just sent me a replacement keyboard after the DEL key popped out free of charge, otherwise they were all perfect and I sold them all easily as they were in mint condition.

    It's up to you what you wanna do at the end but just trying to get your head out of this negativity that you're buying a new laptop to fix it and send it for repairs. That's not how the planet works pare.

    Yes, be prepared but don't go asking for trouble with your negative thoughts.
     
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  47. Flying Endeavor

    Flying Endeavor Notebook Consultant

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    Well, that is disappointing.. I was in a live chat with HELIX PH, the Sager reseller here, and they are not a PREMA partner and they do not have a PREMA Bios option.. at least they were honest.

    Oh don't worry, the reason why I want to go for an Alienware M15 is because it is built like a tank and I am confident that it will last quite a while. However, I would like to have security for when things go wrong. 2600 USD is a LOT of money to simply put into a laptop, at least for me and practically anybody else in the Philippines that I have spoken to. Naturally, I want the best security that I could get with this rather large investment, considering the next time I plan to buy a new laptop would be in the next 4 years or later. I am hoping that of course nothing goes wrong, but if or when they do, I want to have security. Besides, it would already be a roller coaster ride just to get the laptop here. xD

    And sigh.. I honestly DO NOT want to buy from any of the local resellers here.. their prices are just too over the top. I mean, let's take the Acer Predator triton 500 for example.. in here, the cost of the RTX2060 equipped version of it is roughly 2, 615 USD for the Base configuration, and that is almost 1000 USD more expensive than the ones sold in the US/Amazon. Of course, the PH Bureau of Customs also love to enjoy their paydays... I am actually more than willing to pay US taxes than to have my laptop go through these guys.. a lot of stuff have been known to simply get "Lost" in the mail once packages pass through them..
     
    Last edited: Mar 21, 2019
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  48. B0B

    B0B B.O.A.T.

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    I know that’s the case on their LGA models.

    Wonder if it’s per request on the BGA laptops?
     
  49. Vasudev

    Vasudev Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    Prema mods is/are available only on LGA units only and BGA gets the usual stock BIOS.
     
  50. B0B

    B0B B.O.A.T.

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    That's what I thought and that's why I quoted that post so I could get confirmation.

    Thank you!
     
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