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

Does anyone know if the DisplayPort on the USB-C connector is properly hooked up to the Nvidia GPU and has full capabilities, or is it crippled in some way? (like iGPU connected or whatever)

Specifically on a 2080 / G-Sync equipped system.

I've seen different answers and I really need both DisplayPorts working 100% (G-Sync etc).

 

No, it is directly wired to the integrated GPU and nothing else.

 

Is the Webcam on windows activated through some kinda service? Are slim builds known to break camera?

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Thats good news for some of the early adopters, maybe this was a contributing factor in some of the earlier ones dying, if they didn't have this, I doubt it, but will we ever know.

In all seriousness though, give @REAN1MAT0R a shout, he's crying out for one of these and has had a hellish time trying to get one from Dell, apparently, they don't exist???

 

Sorry mate, I'm not too sure what you mean? I'd imagine you can just disable the camera within the device manager, but then its hassle if I ever need it there and then. The little cover just provides that peace of mind that no app has somehow gained access and is watching me sitting picking my nose.... not that I'd ever do that...... I also have some setting within my AV/Firewall that warns me when an app wants to use it.

 

So.. when you say the 'integrated GPU' can you confirm what you mean and what impact this has?

These stupid DisplayPorts on the USB-C are a minefield.

 

Until I see smoke it’s never too hot.

 

I remember when I first got laptop the Webcam was working but I think sense I downgraded bios to 1.5.0 from 1.7.3 it broke camera function to... Dell diagnostic says cam is fine but when I try to use in windows it just has errors. So makes sense.

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I recently purchased the Alienware Area51m and ran a benchmark test (Unigine Heaven, with the power cables connected of course), but am a bit disappointed at the results. Are these normal?

 

I'll run one now and report back my score.

I have 9700k at 5ghz all cores and RTX 2080 for reference. I have no idea if mine is a good result or not for a 2080, I'm fairly new to this Benchmarking and I'm not great at it in terms of turning off services and stuff. I just run it as is.
Just realised this one had x8 set for Anti Aliasing. I'll run another without, just now without, though my results won't help much with us having totally different GPUs.



No Idea what I done with the results from the 2nd run but found them in the logs. If you'd prefer to see it laid out as above let me know and I'll run it again.

 

Thanks for your quick response.

I ran it a second time with the following changes:
- enabled turbo boost to 4.6 GHz
- set Anti Aliasing to x8

Although the GPU is less powerful than yours, I still find the difference rather huge.
Is there something wrong?

 

Bump!!!

 

I'm honestly not sure if that's good or not, I don't even know if mines is good or not .

Hopefully, someone else with the RTX 2060 will give it a run and that will give you a good comparison to how yours is performing.

 

Uhhh well I am taking it back... You are right... I was messing with aw control thing and found out *cool mode* made my gpu low power... Oh Boi all those windows installs for nothing. I don't think tobii was the issue.

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The difference between the RTX 2060 and the RTX 2080 is HUGE, don't worry about your results.

 

I ran a unigine benchmark on my m15r2 with a 2060 and this is my score.



Hope it helps.

I took a closer look and matched settings



It seems your RTX 2060 is within margin of error. I am set to high performance and my cpu is set to 4.0ghz. All liquid metal but that probably means very little for Unigine. If you need any other benches run just let me know.

 

If i put 2666 memory in my 51m will it work? I know 2400 is the max from what i have read, im assuming it will just downclock it to 2400 but i can get 4x16gb cl18 from microcenter of corsair vengeance memory for $243$ and newegg is selling 2400 cl16 64gb for 260 so i can save abit of money lol https://www.microcenter.com/product...dr4-2666-pc4-21300-cl18-so-dimm-memory-module

 

Should be fine. A lot of these machines shipped with 2666 memory from the factory, even though they only ran at 2400. Can't see it having any problems.

 

I replaced my stock 8gb with 16GB of 2666mhz HyperX memory, I had no issues at all, albeit they run at 2400mhz due to the systems limitations.

 

So the cl18 will run at cl16? And 2400 instead of 2666?

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The thunderbolt port is connected directly to the integrated GPU on the processor. The Intel UHD630. Not the Nvidia discrete GPU. G-Sync will not work on this connector. Many Alienware devices are configured this way, for better or worse.

 

I think mine run at CL14 rather than CL15, but yeah, I believe thats how it works due to the laptop down clocking the speed.

This is what I have - HyperX Impact DDR4 8 GB, 2666 MHz CL15 SODIMM XMP - HX426S15IB2/8 https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01N7K4CEU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_I0YZDbGAXG4W7

 

Is anyone still running the stock factory image? E.g. you’ve never clean installed Windows since receiving your 51m?

 

Apple just relesased their New Applebook Pro with DDR4-2666MHz support. Area-51m is probaly the only high end notebook today with 2400MHz as maximum supported. Only a very very few cheap Chromebooks offer the same. I'd say over 95% of today's notebooks (gaming - entertainment - Workmachines) follow Intel's specs when paired with 8th/9th gen processors.

 

I clean installed Windows 1903 the minute mine landed. I done this as I installed my own M.2 and SSD's before I had turned it on.

 

Well... I can't really think of anything nice to say about the CrapBook Pro other than that. Probably the single most undesirable computing product in the whole world to me. (Pretty sure I would choose to have nothing for a computer over the CrapBook Pro.) But, dang... it sucks that the Area 51m RAM speed is crippled. Dell should be totally ashamed of themselves. Not sure what the deal is with those nitwits. That's just messed up.

I think (me personally) that G-Stink is a total waste of money with an RTX GPU and hexacore or octacore CPU and 120Hz or higher display refresh rate. Other than it screws up my benchmark scores, I cannot really see any remarkable difference in gaming with it enabled versus disabled on a system with respectable high-end specs.

 

I wonder if Dell used same engineers as with last year's models or just picked some random enginners outside. Because the old AW models had 2666MHz support added in firmware out of the box. I'm sure they know the reason and rather prefer slip away without notice.

As you can see from this thread in own main tech forum, it seems this type topic is so catchy/touchy, that Dell support will not answer it for their bare life. Rather let it run out in the air (the post will be forgotten and hided behind other threads). The way you do it if you haven't the answers. Or just don't want tell whats up.

 

Hard to say for sure, but I would be totally shocked if they had a reasonable explanation for any of their bad decisions, other than it was a bad decision. If I were a betting man I would wager that they will never fix this mistake. It will soon be disowned as an EOL product and they'll have a new batch of mistakes to showcase.

 

The owners should use it for what it is... Dell's own words. But I expect in their data sheets it stands they can change it whatever time. In same way as they removed the 8 pipes without a notice.

 

Footnote: "Based on internal analysis of competitive gaming laptops as of Dec 2018."
(Skirting false advertisement infractions with a disclaimer.)

It was an inaccurate internal analysis 1 year ago and nothing has changed. Déjà vu. Leopards don't change their spots. If there is an "R2" I'd bet it will not support RAM overclocking. They have been against RAM overclocking, at least philosophically, for as long as I can remember. I don't really understand why. Probably some old fuddy-duddy that shouldn't even be involved with the Alienware product line, who has an irrational mental block about it and has the authority to call all of the shots. To correct my previous choice of words, I'm pretty sure it was on purpose, not by mistake.

 

Bu-bu-bump!!! anyone???

 

What's wrong?

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Removed 8 heatpipes?? What do you mean

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8 pipes Magic transformed over night to real 7 pipes heatsink Count the pipes, bruh.

 

This!!!

 

Dowloaded last versions from Dell? https://www.dell.com/support/home/u...t/product/alienware-17-area51m-laptop/drivers

 

I am on the latest versions, they still don’t work.

 

Then make an account and put up an post in Dell Alienware's own tech support forum.

 

Will do! Thank you!

 

Thanks. Yes, it seems you are right. We have the same GPU but your CPU is less powerful. Still the FPS is similar, yours is even a little bit higher.

Can anyone confirm that the CPU has very little impact, if any, on the Unigine benchmark?

 

I wonder how Frank Azor is doing at AMD? There was so much misinformation and empty promises around the Area 51m and even the m15/m17 r2 it’s not even funny. Promises of 2666 MHz support, a 4K display coming, and there being an upgradable memory slot in the m15? Man AMD has to be desperate to hire him. I’m genuinely curious to see what he tries to sell us from AMD in the future.

 

He has always had connections with AMD. And only Apple and Alienware used AMD graphics in notebooks the last years before we saw Acer jumped on same trend http://forum.notebookreview.com/thr...ers-welcome-too.810490/page-676#post-10966344

 

Aaaah. The age old truth that it doesn’t matter what you know, but who you know.

 

Just in case anyone was uncertain:
As expected, the AX201 CNVi card does not work in the 51m. Stick to the 9560 CNVi card or a PCIe variant of either (9260/AX200) when swapping out the Killer card.

 

Which one is the best?

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Also will those other network cards make a difference at all for gaming?

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Windoze OS X 1903 broke a few things and 1909 doesn't fix them. And, 1909 broke AeroGlass on all four computers in my house that have 1909. Good luck with finding a fix. I would not hold my breath, as neither Dell nor Micro$lop seem to care about fixing their problems. They're too busy inventing new ones. Chances are good that you're looking at a clean install anyhow. It seems popular to want a stock image among Alienware owners, but there is really nothing special or magical about the original factory image. If anything the original image is inferior to a clean install. The only good way to preserve the stock image is to boot from a Macrium Reflect USB stick on a new system that hasn't been allowed to load Windows or run through the setup/OOBE crap yet, then image that drive. Or, remove the drive immediately after unboxing and create an image from it using another computer. As soon as it is allowed to load the desktop and connect to the internet the corruption begins.

 

lol you’ve given me such little hope hahahahaha Mr. Fox; crusher of dreams, destroyer of hope, tyrant of illusions!!!

Aaah I’m too lazy to do a clean install frankly lol.

Would AW mobile connect even work on a clean install? I recall seeing a post saying that it only works on the stock image.

 

Sorry, not trying to discourage you, bro. Just sharing what I have been though so you don't feel less fortunate. I feel your pain. That should be encouraging. Plus, I am kind of pragmatic about most things. Realizing there is nothing I can do about things that don't go the way I want them to, I usually spend more time looking for an alternate path that allows me to take control of things rather than trying to salvage someone else's screwed up mess. I am usually more satisfied finding a real solution rather than an fix. I'm sometimes the same with people, although I try harder not to be. Not doing things the way I want, tell them what I want and make sure they know how to do it... one more chance to get it right, then replace them with someone that will. (I can fix a lack of skill, but not a lack of will.) Problem solved. No fuss, no muss.

But, yeah... totally get it. Reinstalling Windows is a pain in the butt, and Windows 10 requires such an inordinate amount of tweaking to make it suck at an acceptable level that it is even more of a pain in the butt. No kidding, I bet it takes me 10 to 12 hours of farting around to get Windows 10 tweaked to a state that I am willing to tolerate it. Can easily blow an entire weekend tweaking and tuning this piece of crap OS. That is one of the reasons I love Macrium Reflect so much. Saves me a ton of time.

 

Hahahaha we’re similar me and you! I don’t want to blow my weekend tweaking. Been there, done that... clean installs, I used to do a lot... but lately I’m just fed up with it, so I’d rather live with these very minor inconveniences. I said to myself I would live stock with this PC when I first received it... Hahaha I care too little to mess around with it too much. As long as I can game with buddies and all important functions work, I’m good.

Thank you!!!

 

Sent you a pm. And no tweaking required

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And then when a new Windows updates rolls out, you have to redo it all AGAIN, as it secretly re-enables stuff