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

Agon AG352UCG 21/9 35"

BTW, as it's a topic called Owner Lounge, this is my setup :

 

Anyone had any issues with the latest round of AWCC / sound / OC updates? Every damn time they push new ones something goes wrong. Now it hangs when it runs and says it doesn't detect any FX compatible hardware. Fricking ridiculous. I HATE that they are using windows universal / store apps for things. They never install correctly.

 

Nice setup! Too much RGB for my liking though...

We need more posts like this in here.. kudos!

Since my laptop is dead, I've had some time to buy some accessories and this is the "portable" setup I ended up with..

1. Optoma HD27HDR projector:- 120Hz 8ms Full HDR 1080p projector with 120" crystal clear screen. I cannot recommend this enough, for the price, its mental how good it is to game on. I've been playing Witcher 3 on it and I am completely hooked to this thing. 4K movies with HDR looks super good and I think my wife likes it more than me Highly recommend!

2. Bought Xbox One X wireless controller for Witcher 3 and Skyrim SE and I'm loving it to far. I've been a keyboard mouse old school gamer all my life, it does feels good to lie back on my bed and just roam around Witcher 3 at 120Hz.

3. Amazon Firestick 4k HDR to connect with my new projector and it's perfect setup. For Live Sports and 4K movies, it's just super compact and great performance device.

4. Connect all peripherals to two Bose Resolve+ speakers and the the sound fidelity is just madness.

Now, all I need is for the new laptop to get delivered this week so that I can push those framerates all the way in Sekiro and Dark Souls 3 to 120Hz 8.3ms 120" goodness. The HDR feature for this price point is just mental.

I'm going off the social grid for a few weeks now...

Sent from a Galaxy S9+

 

You could, in theory, disable AWCC in the windows startup options, play your game without it loading and then set it back and reboot when you are done with the offending game. I will also chime in that Dell should make these game specific light shows "optional" if we don't like the effects without killing the themes you do want for the system. We should all write the game builders themselves because it could also be an option in their games too. MSC or task manager should get the job done.

 

Wait is always long in that case, I can confirm, but once you've got your unit, enjoy you deserve it !

 

This one is really pissing me off... can't access the Audio control center (again)... seems to happen every AWCC update. Can't even get AWCC to load, so no overclocking, no fan control.. the stupid system is way to dependent on this app.. and being a windows store universal app, it can't seem to upgrade worth a damn.

Seriously, this stuff simply won't intstall. When it's working it's fine (mostly)... but good grief. I can uninstall it all and reinstall but the realtek audio control panel never recognizes and shows the audio controls... what a pain in the ass. /bitter

 

Hello guys,

I'm waiting for my unit to arrive (it was delayed to their known issues).
I'd like to know the exact reference of the included SSDs ?
Are they NVMe or AHCI ?

Thank you !

 

Completely uninstall it along with all add-ons using Revo uninstaller. Then, clean orphan registry entries using CCleaner and once that's done, reinstall it from scratch. And once you get it working, take a full backup of your OS for future usage. Personally, I also have a locally copied backup of AWCC folders and if something breaks, I overwrite the backed up files on top so it never bothers me again. I am not going to "upgrade" it until a more accurate fan control mechanism is provided like we have in MSI Afterburner. Other than that, I am good with minimal backlight with no RGB, just one static color (I don't like lights flashing in my face while I'm using my computer anyway).

It depends upon what you bought. Personally speaking, I'd never buy SSDs out of the factory because they are generally over priced anyway. It's usually better to install them later on by yourself.

 

Yeah I saw that, I already own my NVMe SSDs, but I was just wondering which models they included. I have an external NVMe case but it only supports NVMe (and not AHCI) that's why I'm wondering if I could just take the 256 Gb SSD they include and put it on my external case.

 

Thanks... will try that most likely. I did a system restore and have it working again (but the Realtek audio control panel still is empty... no audio options... I always have trouble with that one). I just click cancel when AWCC attempts to update for now. : /

 

On cpu i use for all 1.5mm and are perfect.

 

Witcher 3 ,,Eco,, setting

4.5ghz, silent fan profile, rtx2080 @1830mhz



same settings but max fan

 

Reddit does have some very nice groups. /r/writingprompts is good for a time waster.

What panasonic pads are 2mm? The only pads I can find are the "Soft / PGS" pads, which are usually 0.1 to 0.2mm.

 

https://www.digikey.com/product-det...c-components/EYG-T3535A20A/P121367-ND/6217295

 

In the past, if I were to do a clean install of Windows, I would lose the Alienware Audio icon in the Command Center so I went back to the factory image and even after updating the command center and all the drivers and Windows to 1903, the Alienware Audio icon was still there, up until recently with the last Command Center update, the Alienware Audio icon disappeared. So I tried a clean install and what do you know, now it's back after the clean install, even Alienware Support had no idea why is this happening. Their initial response was that they sometimes remove some features with updates which didn't make sense to me but now with a clean install it's there:

 

Are these being used now in place of normal pads on GPUs? How are they working? Seems like having adhesive on both sides of them might not be desirable. Could make removing heat sinks challenging and probably destroy an otherwise still usable thermal pad (meaning you have to replace them every time you remove the heat sink, even if the pad is brand new). Is that the case?

Here is a list of all thickness of these pads: https://www.digikey.com/products/en...&quantity=0&ColumnSort=147&page=1&pageSize=25

 

It sounds like there are two Realtek drivers... the HD audio and a universal audio... with one you get it in the Realtek control panel (universal), but it doesn't show up in AWCC... and often after clean installs it seems using the HD audio driver (this should be the one from AW) it shows up in AWCC, but the Realtek control panel is blank. Sigh.. at some point it was working fine in both.

I have AWCC working again, but it attempts to dload and update every time I open it now (annoying). I guess I can try installing the update again and see hwat happens (after creating a restore point).

 

No, its similar to other thermal pads that are sticky. Actually these pads, if removed properly, and taken care of have more if a re-usability. This is because they return to close their original form unlike some that have more of a clay like consistency, like Fujipoly for example.

 

Nice. Maybe I should try some on my desktop one of these days. GPU might benefit from them with how many watts it is pulling.

 

Also make sure you have these installed:
Alienware Sound Center
Realtek Audio Control

 

If I remember tomorrow, or if you can remind me, I can go through my drivers and see what I have compared to yours, as I'm pretty certain my realtek audio panel and the AWCC one are both working.

Everything on my 51m is up to date though, including 1903.

 

I've found that the 4 components on top side is the CPU need 2mm (at least 2 of them) otherwise they don't make good contact. I found that Panasonic pads that I use (2mm) are so squishy that I can easily use them all around the CPU since they compress ridiculously well without breaking. This has made my life so much easier with the repads that I keep doing every now and then as I'm modding a heat sink for my machine these days.

Here are all the links that you need combined in one post.
http://forum.notebookreview.com/thr...-owners-lounge.826831/page-1307#post-10924973

They don't have any adhesive. They just have regular 2 sided contact like most thermal pads do. And they're working phenomenally well. And like @DeeX mentioned, I've been reusing some of these for months now. I cut a plastic wrap sheet or a glossy magazine paper and cover the pads with it as soon as I pull the heat sink off to keep any dust away and when I'm done, it's easy to lift off the protective coating and reinstall the heat sink. I've not seen any better pads than these so far, and I've seen quite a lot of them.

 

Hey all!
I am getting ready to replace my m18xr2 and I am considering the area 51m with the following configuration:

i7-9700K
Windows 10 Pro
NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 2070
16GB, 2x8GB
1TB RAID0 (2x 512GB PCIe M.2 SSDs) + 1TB (+8GB SSHD) Hybrid
Dark side 17.3" FHD (1920 x 1080) 144Hz, IPS, NVIDIA G-SYNC

I do not game so extreme performance is not necessary. A great looking display and as much storage as I can get are definite pluses. I also like to connect to other displays and TVs. I started to read through this thread but that may take a while with 1379 pages, currently. Some concerns I have are:

Will operating it with the lid down cause cooling issues?
With my storage choice which should be the boot drive, and is there a better option for more storage?
Should I consider the 2080 gpu?
Does the cpu have a gpu in it?
How long can I expect the battery to last?
Is there a better machine for the money?

I am sort of behind the times technology wise so I would appreciate any pointers and advise anyone might have to offer. And a big hello to @Mr. Fox

 

First off, don't get the RAID setup, the SSDs are not worth buying from Dell. You can easily get a very fast 1TB nvme SSD under $100 now. Same with the RAM, get the cheapest configuration for both these hardware.

I've been trying to sell my Dell provided 2 × 256Gbs of SSD and 2 × 8Gb RAMs but no one is buying it now... the prices for these components are at an all time low. I am having a hard time selling my 9700k and a 2080 for that matter although I haven't listed it on this forum yet.


Will operating it with the lid down cause cooling issues?
Not for me, it runs flawlessly and like it should..

With my storage choice which should be the boot drive, and is there a better option for more storage?
Get the cheapest drive possible and upgrade on your own. You'll save $300+...

Should I consider the 2080 gpu?
If you have the budget, definitely, it's a 200W variant, kinda rare breed really and absolutely powerful. This will last you for ages.

Does the cpu have a gpu in it?
Yes but its disabled. It seems to be in use only when an external display is connected through the Thunderbolt 3 port.

How long can I expect the battery to last?
2 and half hours on average.

Is there a better machine for the money?
For a thread called "Owner's lounge", the more common answer is no. The new MSI GT76 looks good but with its soldered motherboard and HOT 9900K combo, I would stay far away from it.




Sent from a Galaxy S9+

 

Why not repurpose the M.2 SSD using Transcend M.2 enclosure with USB-C port/usb A 3.1 port to make it bigger USB drive with multiple OS.

 

Buy with dual drives because you will need the heatsink for better cool nvme

 

You can buy the nvme heatsinks separately. I bought mine from HIDevolution for 15 bucks a piece.

 

In a similar way, I play all my games.
(24/7 setup)

- 0,825v UV @ 1770 MHz (and +500 memory) @2080
(maybe I can use 0,85v with 1830 MHz with a repasting (currently still delivery state)
- silent fan profile (maximum 2500 CPU / 2300 RPM GPU )
- 4,5 GHz @9900k -100mv UV
- jacked up (one centimeter more)

Conclusion:
- not much slower than stock-settings (gaming)
- but much much quieter
- under 80, but sometimes 76-79 degrees (with permanent heavy load in Division 2 - very stressful for the gpu). In the most cases / games 65-75 degrees

 

Do you mean like these?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=Heat+Sink+Dissipation+Aluminum+Cooling+For+SM961+&_sacat=0

 

But its boring af to cripple the system this way

 

Not for me, I even do it on desktops.
(2080 Ti @0,85v)

GPU`s make me too much unpleasant noise under high voltages.

As soon as available, I prefer to buy a stronger gpu.

edit: also: you do not cripple the system with 0,825v / 1770 MHz or 0,85v / 1830 MHz, you do not have much less power than with stock-settings (when the GPU is warm).

 

Hello,
Who use LM for gpu?
And how many degrades drop down?
Thanks!

 

Yes, this is exactly why I'm keeping it... I'll have two very fast m2 drivers for exact reasons you mentioned. Not worth selling it below $40...

Sent from a Galaxy S9+

 

I have both laptops right now.

Operating with the lid down shouldn't cause issues but I would recommend leaving it open just a bit. There is a small intake area it seems like right on top of the power button area.

1TB RAID0 (SSD) should be boot & 1TB for more storage. Personally I would buy with base 1TB drive then add a Samsung 2TB Evo Plus drive.

2070 is plenty powerful, 2080 will keep you going for years.

CPU does have a iGPU but it can only be used for external displays on USB-C connector.

2 hours battery should be possible

Alternatives are MSI GT76 or Clevo P870TM-R. I'd get the one that suits your overall needs. If you like the M18xR2, you'll like the Area-51m. You probably won't like the Clevo as much in terms of design and build, same with MSI, but performance wise, they're all similar.

 

It might sound a little racist: Usually when we as Indians try to sell some electronics we always get lowest price eventhough it looks like new and performance better, so I usually don't sell anything and usually 99% of the time re-purpose it because the selling value of any electronics is barely any better than rust. But, when I try to buy used electronics prices are almost huge when you can get newer product or certified refurbs (with warranty) by paying a little extra Rs. 2-5000.

 

These are generic ones. Dell ones have a notch that locks them into the rib cage. They won't fall apart.

 

So I uninstalled AWCC and the Realtek sound drivers with Revo Uninstaller to get back back audio control in AWCC. Now I don't seem to have any sound at all. What gives?

EDIT: I tried uninstalled right about everything I can. No sound. Next up is the friggin' sledgehammer... :-(

EDIT: Somehow the sound is back, but now the GPU is gone and the system cannot find it. Lovely.

 

Yep, I have both... it's the Relaltek audio control that doesn't have any content when you run it (none of the audio controls are present).

Also just noticed my track pad is no longer turning off... even though the lighting still stays off... grr. I'm sure that one is an easier fix somewhere though.

ACK! Sorry man... having sound driver issues as well, but it hasn't spilled over to the gpu.. : / (Though I still am having issues updating AWCC as well... had to roll back to a previous version to get FX & sound working).

UPDATE: Tried again, got AWCC to install... looked good, FX was working, then it asked me to update the OC... that failed and said I needed to uninstall OC first... did that, reinstalled OC, and now AWCC hangs with a busy spinner image & it says no FX device detected (again). Sigh. Created a restore point before I tried this at least... but this is stupid.

 

Through a whole dance on DDU forth and back, I got everything up and running again. Argh! Buggy software.

 

Awesome !
Which BIOS and vBIOS are you running on with such results ?

 

Awesome... wish I was there. Still can't get FX & OC working with the new AWCC... and my Realtek control panel is still blank (though audio controls in AWCC work).

Also, can't get F-11 T-Pad to actually turn off my trackpad anymore. What the hell... sigh. Might end up doing a clean install of my boot drive if I get the energy... : /

 

1.3.2 and 200w

 

You guys having trouble with command center try going in to windows services and changing it to automatic instead of automatic(delayed start) then restarting computer.
Also if you are using avast antivirus software try going in to settings and turning off enabled hardware assisted virtualization.

Hope this helps

 

I'll try that. I think my problems may stem from a setting in my user profile for awcc. I reset my pc but kept my user and still could not install awcc correctly. In fact the OC controls errored entirely on install. Attempting to start a clean install now. A bit extreme but tired of screwing with trying to get it to work.

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

 

Similarly you could check to see if any of the services for overclocking / xtu service are still running when you try to install the oc control.
If so, try and stop them before attempting the install

 

give me your TeamViewer ID/Pass lemme try some magic

 

I'll do that if I still am having trouble after I get my setup going again... AWCC & OC are now running fine on a clean install. Just have to get other stuff installed again... next up is to try the realtek control panel (though I'm not sure why I bother, I never use it & the driver installed and is working fine with AWCC).

 

I never used it but I just tried it and it works:

 

Mine would come up, but I only had the "Main" section on the right and nothing in it when selected. : )

Just reinstalled it after AWCC & OC, and it's working again (yay). ; ) Looks like I'm close to normal again... just need to reinstall all my game launchers that happened to be on my boot drive. I suppose there is no real reason to keep them there, they could easily be on my data drive...

What is the name of the update app that runs the other diagnostic checks and tells you your service tag number? The "Dell Update" one is just a basic update... can't seem to find it...

 

Dell support assist