*OFFICIAL* Alienware Area-51M R1 Owner's Lounge

WHHHHAAATTT!??!?!?!
“Lutefisk” is dried cod that has been soaked in a lye solution for several days to rehydrate it. It is then boiled or baked and served with butter, salt, and pepper. Some people like it, but one rarely eats it more than once a year.

“Smalahove” is made from a sheep’s head. The skin and fleece of the head is torched, and the head is salted, sometimes smoked, and dried. This dish is normal in the western part of Norway.

 

Yeah, not all is tasty. Different traditions. All boil down to where you live in this country. For your info. When people fire up “Lutefisk” , it smells and taste like pure death I will pass.

 

Many thanks for the link! I wasn't aware of this I will give it some reading to understand the situation better
Thank you!

 

Maybe I'm late to this discussion, but these are my plans regarding my A51m R1 and opinions on the R2 controversy:

1. I honestly don't give a damn about the R2. The update is so minimal regarding the R1. Honestly, why do you want a 10 core CPU that you can barely cool and not undervolt? Probably i7 10700k is the best CPU option for the R2.
2. Keyboard from the m17 on the A51m is ok. But must admit that the keyboard on the A51m R1 is something else (not like when they were releasing laptops with Cherry MX Browns, but probably the next best thing). Not gonna miss the macro keys because I seldom use them, and thanks to the awful implementation from AWCC (no macro keys setting and configuration savings? Come on!), this is barely useful.
   
3. The DGFF card is a specific design to fit the A51m chassis, and new chassis designs will have new types of DGFF. I appreciate the DGFF more for the overall repairability and engineering aspect, not interested in wasting huge $$$$ for a little improvement over my current RTX 2080. RTX 3k would be interested, but ain't happening.
4. My yellow A51m will be converted to Black eventually. Might take the chance to Jerry Rig a 120Hz 4k display or whatever.
5. This will be my last DTR laptop. For my office work, thin and light laptops are finally getting there (ASUS G14 for example). My next gaming computer will be a desktop (I really miss wattercooling).

 

Good god man....hard pass!

 

Have you tried contacting Eurocom? I'd imagine they did something similar for their 780W Brick.

It just didn't work when it only had one plug. With the split connector it works fine. May have one of these chips in there somewhere.

 

Is the new BIOS they're pushing have the lovely undervolt lockout added?

Also LOL at the "makes aga compatible with newer cards". What cards are they talking about?

 

yellow, o dear...words...tears...

on more serious note, I had my first hardlock today with my unit. I was charging a mouse and my wireless headphone and it just froze. I checked event viewer but all I could see was a kernal-pnp that there was external usb devices being charged and bla bla bla. I dunno, didnt really see any other errors. I just restarted it and all was good. Im praying to the alienware gods I have none problems with blue screens, freezing in game, hard locks in windows etc...I despise that crap the most. It has been rock steady except for this little nag.

 

No undervolting is still possible even with the latest BIOS but any BIOS after 1.5.0 has severe GPU throttling once the GPU hits 79C so I will use nothing other than BIOS 1.3.2 for first batch units like mine or 1.5.0 for newer models. There is no other way to enjoy this laptop to its max potential

 

Example setup:

• 100W limit for 9900k (for most games enough, especially you undervolt the 9900k and you reduce the clock to 4,5 GHz (in my case 4,2 GHz for better temperatures with the silent fan-profile = a silent gaming notebook is very important for me)
• approx. 150W limit (mostly 100-130W) for 2080 (approx. 0,8 - 0,85v with 1700-1800 MHz, with +500 MHz memory you dont have less perfomance - I mean fps in games - than 180W-delivery-setup). Use approx. 170w maximum (0,9v with approx. 1905 MHz or similar at good chips)
• fixed fps (60, 120/141), no permanent full load on 2080

(for 1700-1800 MHz at 0,8 - 0,85v or 1900 MHz at 0,9v you mustn't have a bad chip)

Conclusion:

• consistent gaming = at all times the same fps in games (a matter of taste)
• no permanent full load on cpu and gpu
• mostly 130-250W with 9900k and 2080, maximum 270W for both
• in peak periods still approx. 300W with all components
• only one psu and one cable to plug in (means a lot to me... + silent setup as I said)
• in the most situations still good performance (for gaming, not for benchmarking, rendering...)

No, but thanks for the tip. But there is definitely a solution with only one cable. It works for one user in the german aw-forum. I am in exchange with him. I will test something else. I will post here if I have a final solution.

Edit: Solution here

 

@Silentfan Thank you for the explanation! I understand it now.
If you manage to get it to work, please let us know as I am also interested in this!

Cheers!

 

Sorry....

 

I don't understand what the screenshot is all about, and please stop talking about the 1.3.2 BIOS. The motherboard from my A51m was rev 1(manufactured 2018) and it got bricked. Replacement mobo is rev 2 (manufactured April 2019). Currently on BIOS 1.7.3, and it's going to stay there (despite the delivery BIOS was 1.5.4).

Enviado desde mi HTC One M9 mediante Tapatalk

 

1) If such an illustrative picture isn't enough to show you how to create macros or shortcuts and save them, then I feel sorry for you. That's about the simplest thing ever to create macros and/or shortcuts and assign them to the macro keys above the num pad or to the left of the keyboard by simply creating the shortcut, then dragging it over to the key you want it assigned to.


2) say what you will, I have reflashed BIOS 1.3.2 more than 20 times testing every new BIOS and configuration, I can't help it if you can't follow instructions and ended up bricking your system because it is very safe for the first batch systems. You use what you want and lemme enjoy the best performing BIOS 1.3.2.

It's your laptop, do whatever you wish. I could care less if you want to pay top money to play with a crippled performing BIOS and laptop

 

Using the eGPU, it is pretty much on par with using it in a desktop. I'm using an Nvidia Titan RTX and I'm not being bottlenecked. GPU score shows I'm testing in the 90percentile region.

 

I'm interested to know. Did anyone purchase the Area 51m with a lower spec, with the intention to upgrade over time? For example, single hard drive/lower RAM/2060?

Has there been any official statement by Dell that the super series will not work with the R1 despite using the same DGFF?

Going through the official complaints procedure via dell/resolver, I'm continually met with "We did not misadvertise this product. Please consider our resolution as final stance in this case and is not open for any negotiations."

To add to the confusion, I also got this;

"The version of graphics cards you speak of (i.e. 2080 super card or 30XX card) are not even released by Nvidia and neither do we have any update to know, if they will be released any soon in the future"

Also, I asked the question regarding if I had bought a top spec Area 51m, with an RTX 2080, how the upgradeable laptop statement would apply to that. To which Dell replied;

"We regret to inform you that Dell would be unable to assume hypothetical situations in this matter."

So whatever system you have bought, seems you are stuck with it. This is the first time I have bought a system for personal use and the difference between dealing with them on a consumer basis and via business are completely worlds apart.

According to Citizens Advice (UK), they believe there is a case to claim regarding the Consumer Protection Regulations. As per these regulations, a person is within their right to request a discount between 25%-100%, if there can be proof that they have mis-sold the product. Also, they advise that you can contact the credit company and make a claim under section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act.

 

Only problem I have had like this came when I had an external USB plugged in... annoying.

 

I think nobody did as it's put on the market as an "Upgradrable" laptop not an "Interchangable parts" and i think that's where they make a mistake.

I also posted a comment here with exact the same thought. It's still false advertising as the 2080 cannot be upgraded. That makes it an interchangeable parts laptop not upgradeable.

Someone should make a case out if this cause they cannot and will not be able to counter the 2080 aspect of it being "upgradeable" while it's clearly not.

 

I think its a terrible misstep for them not to offer some kind of GPU upgrade at least on the A51M R1. Most people won't deviate on the CPU, but almost all would like more graphic oomph if they can afford to. They need to stop acting like the A51M is a money-making venture,, and quite honestly treat it like a loss-leader for halo sales on their other laptops. I am not holding out much hope for a better GPU, but with a 2070 Mobile I am at least hoping one day to land a 2080 DGFF for the R1 when and if the prices fall. Right now, I can't even find the kits anymore online... anyone else not finding them?

 

When enquiring that you can't even buy the 2080 DGFF part, this was the response;

"That said, we would like to confirm that we do sell the upgrade and you need to purchase them from our service stock inventory. These upgrades are available from Dell and we would be glad to assist you purchase them, should you want to upgrade it right away"

Anyways, I hardly manage to use mine as it was also purchased for work and play. However, my company provided me with a laptop for these purposes, and I also have a desktop PC anyways.

Dell have offered me to return it, however with a 15% depreciation value. Considering it is the lunar white and suffered from the common stain issues, and that I've owned it for about 11 months, it's probably my best option to offload. Don't think I'd get that much for it selling privately.

Don't get me wrong, it's a great laptop but they've throttled it so much (I have G-SYNC and didn't wan't to lose what I paid for by downgrading the BIOS) and the pain of using 2 powerbricks even just for the 2060, it's no longer for me.

 

You've had it for nearly a year and they offered you to return it for a 15% hit? Man.. how'd you get this offer? I'd be much better off doing this than selling 3rd party.

 

No doubt - if I could do that I might seriously consider returning mine to Dell and getting an R2 when the time came !

 

Dude, you understood me wrong. The problem with AWCC is not the way to create macros, but rather that once you have everything set up, you CAN'T export the setting to a file or the cloud (unlike most mose or keyboard apps). This could be an useful feature, let's say, when you have to reinstall this software.

Also, I have been going up and down the BIOS versions, ergo, I know how to flash the device properly (by the way, also been helping on the BIOS flashing thread). However, I trusted my device had the same sekrit sauce as yours, that's why I attempted going to 1.3.2, but turns out it couldn't.

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Hey guys
Need your advice please
I just ordered an area 51 m R1
The guy gave me a 15 percent discount knowing that the R2 is soon comimg out .
Do you think I made the right choice or I should juste cancel,wait and get the R2 ?
Thank you in advance

 

If I were in to ur shoes, R2 all the way...

You can still chat with the sales reps an haggle for a good discount.

If all else fails, you can get a 10% discount code. DM me later. I get discount codes in the mail often.

 

sorry then I misundertood you. Yes you are 100% right about the ability to export to save the profiles or Macro settings. Every time I reformat I have to spend at least 20 minutes configuring my lights and those macro key shortcuts. It's like this software was made in 1995!

About the BIOS downgrade, I don't know what's up man, but oh well, you gotta use what you *can* use I guess. But why not use 1.5.0 which is safer to downgrade to and has no stupid low thermal limit throttling?

This is may mainboard screen from AIDA64 BTW:

 

The quote he sent me was about 4200 euros, after negotiating he sent me a new one with a 630 euros discount .
So I am really hesitating with taking this one or waiting

 

I will belive it when I see it (Not that I'm saying you're lying). But this is not the way Dell run it's business. Maybe your company is a huge customer for Dell.

Please post Dell's official final papers on this deal when you have accepted the offer. No need for posting any names/phone number or adress. Maybe others could claim the same deal. All others is screwed equal and should get the same deal.

 

I used the following website.

https://www.resolver.co.uk/

Fill out the form and the website sends it to the correct department. They originally offered a 20% hit, which after I declined, I was told I will not be offered this again. After a few more correspondences, I was offered 15%.

 

Thank you. Unfortunately I'm in the US. I wonder if there is a US equivalent of this..

Edit: What exactly did you tell them? I imagine you complained about the staining on the Lunar Light, I have Dark side of the moon though. Ill do some more researching on this though and see if I can get a successful offer from Dell regarding them putting limits in software and what not.

 

I just want to thank @maoshen1234 and @Papusan for posting the information on how to achieve the 2933mhz ram speed with any 3000/3200 ram kit. I just purchased a set of G.Skill F4-3200C18D-32GRS and was successfully able to use thaiphoon burner to change the product details to the A-Data info on the 2933 ram that dell ships these laptops with. For those of you that are interested, the steps for making this work was relatively easy. The things you will need are as follows:

1. 3000/3200 XMP ram kit that is not write protected (I used G.Skill F4-3200C18D-32GRS)
2. a SODIMM to DIMM adaptor (this is required since the area 51m bios does not allow memory writing).
3. a desktop computer with DRAM writing enabled in the bios.
4. thaiphoon burner program with pro license ($39 at the time of this posting)
5. bios 1.8.1 or newer

Once you have these things and have the ram in your desktop computer, you can rewrite the product details of the ram using thaiphoon burner. The information you need to change under the product details were graciously provided by @maoshen1234 and @Papusan a while back in this forum.

When you open up typhoon burner. Navigate to the edit drop down and select product details. The area's that need to be changed are as follows:

1. Manufacturer set to A-Data Technology
2. Part Number set to AO1P32MCST2-BW4S
3. Serial Number set to B3710100
4. DRAM Die set to stepping to B

After I made these changes and wrote the info to the ram, I popped 1 stick back in the laptop and Wala! it was running at 2933mhz. When I proceeded to add the second memory stick back into the laptop after writing the info, the speed reverted back to 2400mhz. I ended up having to re-flash the 1.9.3 bios in order to get both ram sticks working at 2933mhz. @maoshen1234 and @Papusan had previously posted the original speed file that we could have used to rewrite the XMP profile on the ram to the default A-Data XMP speed, but sadly I could not locate the speed file to try it out. However, this has not set back achieving the desired 2933mhz speed since the 3000/3200 ram kit you buy, already has it's own profile and in my case with the G.Skill ram, it is running beautifully. I wish you all luck with achieving 2933mhz ram speed and I am around if any of you have any questions.

 

Any chance you could run a few benchmarks to show how much a difference this made in say a common game from 2400? I'd love to see that personally.

 

I’ll do some testing and report back

 

And please run Aida64 "Cashe and Memory benchmark". Thanks. and +rep

 

So - has Dell just pulled all the stock out from sales for the 2070/2080 upgrade kits for the AW A51m? I cannot find links at all to the kits to even check on prices, etc. Had a guy in sales start talking to me about a PNY 2080 blower card.... I kid you not...

EDIT: Still can't see the part online, but he cost quoted to me by chat was a whopping 1804.99+taxes..... that's just insane

Second EDIT: Then the guy has the nerve to tell me its a refurb.... for 1800?

 

here is the benchmark. Do you still happen to have the spd file for the adata ram?

 

Never saved it. I don't need it for any of my pc's.

 

Thats just nuts! I'm sure Umar posted a Tweet in response to someone asking the same question, he more or less said they've been taken down due to this ongoing pandemic and that once this was over they should be available again but who knows. I'll see if I can find the Tweet.

EDIT: https://twitter.com/aw_umar/status/1245752031622631426?s=19

 

I stated how I felt I was mis sold an upgradeable laptop and that if stated originally that it would only be upgradeable within the same gen, I would have gone for a higher spec to begin with. It took around 5-6 correspondences to get that offer. But just be ready that they will stand by the fact they believe they've been very open with the R1.

 

So I can't order an upgrade kit to install it myself because of the technician not being able to come to my house? What? I buy the hardware and technician? This is a bit "loco"...
Is any other manufacturer out there not selling CPUs, Motherboards, GPUs because they don't have technicians ready?!
The Area51M was designed to be upgraded by YOURSELF! They have the whole tear-down manual online!
I think something else is going on... call me crazy....

 

AliExpress used to sell them, you could check there. They were fairly priced as well IIRC. Obviously, you don't get the Dell warranty with them though.

 

Put it the other way... Umar in short say they can't offer home support as it is now. Swap parts or fix problems on warranty is in short the same This is BS!

 

I think it has nothing to do with motherboard version, but rather how high you went with your BIOS upgrades and then attempted to downgrade too far (so, going to higher than or equal to 1.8.1 and then trying to go all the way down to 1.3.2)

That IS what happened to you right?

I have a Feb 2019 unit, probably among the first here to get it, and I have only gone up to 1.5.4, and turned tail at the first sign of throttling down to 1.3.2, then back up to 1.5.0.

I’m 99.99% sure that if I go to BIOS 1.8.1 or higher and then try to go back to 1.3.2, my unit will get bricked.

This is what I believe is going on. My hunch is motherboard revisions probably have nothing to do with it.

All of a sudden I’m interested lol! I might just do this... hahahaha trade in this dreaded lunar light for a black one...!

I agree with others that getting 85% of the value back is amazing...

Wait!!! The R1 that you will get right now has thermal throttling issues that are not OK. You will have to change thermal paste at a minimum and undervolt your 9900K to get it tamed, and your 2080 will throttle like a b*tch unless you downgrade to 1.5.0, where you will lose GSync. Also, RAM will forever run at 2400 MHz, unless you’re willing to go for a higher RAM speed unit, but you’ll lose that speed by going down to 1.5.0 (or have throttling with higher RAM speeds...)

There are tradeoffs everywhere. Just go to R2.

The sales reps are ALWAYS trying to make a sale. On the R1 or on the R2 in less than a month's time.

They will still give you discounts when it comes out. They gave me like a 15% discount on the R1 and it wasn’t even out yet... I pre-ordered it before the 2080 was launched.

 

Hello,
I think the r2 will be one of the hotest laptops, 9900k very hard to cool with replaced thermal paste and UV and he has 95w, i'm wondering 10900k 125w and rtx 2080 super 215w+ and 3200mhz ram......will be a big fight with temps, r2 for my point of view will be a disapointment...for a maximum 5% performance its =0.

 

new nVIDIA Graphics Driver v442.23 from Dell: https://www.dell.com/support/home/e...wt64a&productcode=alienware-17-area51m-laptop

Fixes & Enhancements
- Driver update to address the NVIDIA Security Bulletin 4996 (CVE-2020-5957, CVE-2020-5958).

Fire Strike (Driver 432.03-BIOS 1.3.2) - No GPU Overclocking



Fire Strike (Driver 442.23-BIOS 1.3.2) - No GPU Overclocking



Fire Strike (Driver 442.23-BIOS 1.3.2) GPU Core Overclocked by 20 MHz / Memory by 150 MHz



@Wendell Augusto Borges

 

@Spartan what do you think ?
Since it looks like there are pros and cons about getting the R2 instead of the R1 .
When will the R2 be available for pre order @Virale ?

 

No way I'd buy the R1 at this point. The Area-51m R1 was Dell testing the waters to get back to the Desktop replacement laptops, the R2 will probably have most of its bugs fixed, faster memory speeds, SD Card Reader, better CPU, better cooling. It's a non-brainer.

Plus, if you buy the R1 now, it would lost half of its value the moment you open the box as it's now considered *yesterware*

 

@Spartan i completely agree with you.
I am just worried they will have not been able to fix the heat issues nor the thermal throttling.
If they weren't even able to make it run cooler with a i9 9000k and a 2080 GPU how can you trust they will do better the second time with a new cpu and a new GPU that are supposed to run even warmer ?
Anyway I'll trust your judgement since you clearly know what you talking about .
Have you been that disappointed with your own R1 ?

 

This company carries them. Here's a link to AliExpress.
#Aliexpress US $279.00 7%OFF | NEW original Cooling Heatsink Fan Assembly FOR Dell ALIENWARE 51M AREA-51M 2060 2070 Upgrade High Power RTX 2080 0FY4CJ FY4CJ
https://a.aliexpress.com/_d62zm7t

Never had any heat issues with mine running a 9900 and 2080, but maybe I'm not pushing it like some.

Wait, they're willing to trade your R1 for an R2 or just for a new R1?

 

This looks like just the heatsink as opposed to the full GPU upgrade kit.