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    M14x Pre-Order Configuration Questions... Ask HERE (Part 2)

    Discussion in 'Alienware 14 and M14x' started by katalin_2003, May 1, 2012.

  1. lijok

    lijok Notebook Enthusiast

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    Hi,
    I'll be ordering my M14x in a weeks time. Right now, I'm planning to get the HDD version, and definitely plan to upgrade to a SSD maybe 6 months later. My question is, is it worth going for the mSATA option now since I'll get a full fledged SSD later. I've read here that all three - mSATA, SSD and HDD can be used together and that mSATA is between HDD and SSD in performance. Once I upgrade to SSD, I can have the OS and program run off the SSD and keep my RAW image files in the mSATA and other files on the HDD - that what I have in mind.
    Would love to hear everyones comments, suggestions.
    Thanks in advance,
    Lijo
     
  2. some guy

    some guy Modding Addict

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    thank you.

    i know that normally VRAM is used for marketing on "slower" cards taht could never possibly fill the buffer. but i seen a few gameplay videos on youtube with ppl using the 1600x900 screen & using over 1gb of VRAM.

    my biggest thing is i dont mind turning settings down as long as i can stay around 40-60fps @ native rez. i figured pushing less pixels on the lower rez screen for future games might give the rig a lil more useable life span vs pushing the higher rez. but if the 720 display is crap then i might have to grab the 900... :(

    thanks again for your reply :)
     
  3. salanos

    salanos Notebook Consultant

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    Personally, given the options, I would have gone with a 128GB mSATA + 750GB HDD (since I require the space), but Dell only offered me 32GB+750GB at best. In my opinion, that's the best option here, unless you have the funds to afford a 256GB+ SSD.
    The mSATA 32GB option is by default configured to use Intel's Smart Response Technology (or S.R.T.) - it uses a maximum of 32GB of an SSD to act as a cache - frequently accessed files on the HDD will be automatically cached in the SSD to dramatically improve reading and writing times.
    I have S.R.T. enabled and it results in start up times of approximately less than 40 seconds (from power button press to desktop) so it definitely works. However, its boost is not system wide as a regular SSD would be, and I can find lots of irresponsive menus throughout Windows in my S.R.T. configuration.
    Of further note, you might want to be aware that my system shipped with a Seagate 750GB Momentus, with 16MB of cache.

    Speaking of the 900p display, it's not nearly as bad as I was expecting. Its color reproduction feels a bit off to me and Notebookcheck reports its color gamut to be an atrocious 40% (Dell themselves even corroborates this in their 'help me choose'), but over the 768p screen in my ultraportable (also 14.1"), it is much sharper and clearer. Just bear in mind that you may want to get it calibrated. Even from the get go you will be able to see that it has a significant bluish cast.
    It is definitely better in my opinion, and the additional usable screen space is certainly a boon to me. In fact, I feel a bit cramped in 1600x900 even, compared to 1080p.
     
  4. MGSteve

    MGSteve Notebook Enthusiast

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    Whatever you do, do not upgrade via Dell when ordering. I got a 32GB mSATA (Crucial M4) card for £30 from another site and its far quicker than the dell one. Likewise with full SSDs.

    I just put a OCZ Vertex 4 into my wife's new Vostro 3460 and it boots in around 9 secs.. its awesome.

    Bought one for the m14x as well, both of which should turn up tomorrow :)

    Also got 16GB of ram (Corsair Vengence) for it as well - £90 (I do a lot of photoshop work)
     
  5. salanos

    salanos Notebook Consultant

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    If you're a USA resident, you should probably buy your M-SATA drives separately, or SSDs separately.
    Mine included a Samsung PM830, but it only cost $30 for the extra option. I can't actually buy mSATA SSDs anywhere in my part of the world without importing, so as with many preconfiguration things, there are regional differences.
     
  6. father1218

    father1218 Newbie

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    It seems like from DELL.COM if I make a purchase over $699 for M14x I can still get a bonus $200 voucher to spend with Dell or an xBox 360 for a limited time. Is there any chance that I get a discount from some dell agent here in this forum besides also get that $200 bonus?
     
  7. DarylDixon

    DarylDixon Notebook Enthusiast

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    How much do you guys think I can get this for before the 2%, 5% and 10% off?

    My Components
    PROCESSOR 3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i7-3610QM (6MB Cache, up to 3.3GHz w/ Turbo Boost 2.0) edit
    OPERATING SYSTEM Windows® 7 Home Premium, 64bit edit
    MEMORY 8GB Dual Channel DDR3 1600MHz edit
    HARD DRIVE 750GB 7,200 RPM SATA 3Gb/s edit
    WIRELESS CARDS Intel® Centrino® Wireless-N 2230 With Bluetooth 4.0 edit
    INTERNAL OPTICAL DRIVE Slot Load Dual Layer Blu-ray Reader (Reads BD and Writes to DVD/CD) edit

    No additional software and accessories.
     
  8. navik_pathak

    navik_pathak Notebook Enthusiast

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    Can i swap out HDD and replace it with SSD and will it lower the weight of laptop by 0.5 lbs?
     
  9. LannBot

    LannBot Notebook Consultant

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    Yes you can swap out the stock HDD for a SSD of your choice. I highly doubt it'll lower the weight by 0.5 lbs, maybe like 0.2 lbs.
     
  10. score89

    score89 Newbie

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    Hi guys, first time poster :)

    I'm planning to buy the M14x R2 from the US and have a friend bring it to me in India. I've got a budget of $1250 and have more or less frozen on the specifications. But need your help to iron some things out.

    The specs I want are -

    Processor - 3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i7-3610QM (6MB Cache, up to 3.3GHz w/ Turbo Boost 2.0)

    Memory - 6GB Dual Channel DDR3 1600MHz

    Hard Drive - 500GB 7,200 RPM SATA 3Gb/s

    Video Card - 1 GB GDDR5 NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 650M with Optimus™

    LCD Panel - 14.0" High Def+ (900p/1600x900) with WLED backlight

    The warranty will be the regular one year basic plan that comes with all laptops.

    My questions is -

    Since I will want to use this laptop for at least three years, should I go for a three year warranty plan? (I've heard horror stories about AW hardware giving out) And since going for an increased warranty will exceed my budget, should i drop the processor down to 3rd gen i5?

    Additional info -

    I want this laptop to run 2012 games at High/Ultra and I'll more than happy if i can run 2015 games at Low/Medium.

    Any replies will be appreciated :)
     
  11. laz91

    laz91 Notebook Evangelist

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    This will no doubt come down to a matter of personal opinion but I would stick with the better CPU especially if you play open world games (MMORPG's for example) as they tend to take a toll on the CPU.

    I only got a year warranty as it was all i could afford at the time but plan to extend it when its almost up. Figured i can always extend the warranty later on but i can never upgrade the cpu. My 2 cents.
     
  12. score89

    score89 Newbie

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    Thank you for the prompt reply :D

    This is exactly what I plan to do. I will primarily be playing Guild Wars 2. Maybe with a little Assassin's Creed, Diablo III and the new Splinter Cell (when it comes out) thrown in.

    Just out of curiosity, how much does it cost to extend the warranty before the standard one year is up?

    Also, how future proof is this rig? Will it be able to play games at low/medium 2-3 years from now?
     
  13. laz91

    laz91 Notebook Evangelist

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    Just checked then and an extra 1 year is $300 or extra 2 years is $400AUD. Still, considering the cost of upgrading the CPU would be... well the cost of a new laptop minus whatever i could sell mine for (with the warranty), i'm happy with he choice i made. Best case scenario would of course be getting the warranty and the i7 cpu but that simply wasn't an option for me at the time
     
  14. score89

    score89 Newbie

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    Thanks, this definitely helps.

    I guess that since it's going to be a while before I can save up for the M14x, I might as well aim for the 3 year extended warranty (how about advanced?) with the i7. No point paying a premium later if i can avoid it.
     
  15. laz91

    laz91 Notebook Evangelist

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    No worries yeah that's a good plan - i was just too impatient to wait haha. I don't know much about the difference between the two warranties is but i think the advanced covers accidental damage? I have home and contents insurance which covers accidental damage to my alienware so i just got the default 1 year normal warranty from Dell.

    Also about the future proof-ness of the machine - it's very hard to say really. As a complete guess based on what my m11x seemed to do I would say it runs most games now on ultra, then 2013 games on high, 2014 games on medium and 2015 games on low. Again, this is a massive stab in the dark so take it with a grain of salt
     
  16. salanos

    salanos Notebook Consultant

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    In actual practice, the M14x is only really good for current games at high or medium (for the most demanding) at 1080p or 1600x900.
    It could definitely blaze through something like a Source-powered game or Unreal Engine at high or ultra even, but throw CryEngine III at maximum on it and you won't be impressed by the rates.

    It's a fast notebook for the size, a very fast one even, but it's simply not going to the blistering record-frame-rate machine you might expect. The GT650M is by no means a fantastically powerful GPU.
     
  17. crazygabe

    crazygabe Notebook Enthusiast

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    You're right.You must be a complete dumba** to buy a laptop in general for gaming.My friend bought a %625 rig that can run everything at 1080p maxed out.I bought my m14x for programming and going to the school to make presentations.

    Don't just throw money...they don't grow in trees.

    BTW salanos, you are wrong about cryengine 3 ; CE3 will be really optimized so GT650m will handle it on extreme at 720p but no more higher.
     
  18. salanos

    salanos Notebook Consultant

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    You just proved my point. It won't play the maximum setting at 1600x900. Or even 1080p. Not comfortably anyway.
     
  19. score89

    score89 Newbie

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    While I agree that gaming and laptops don't go together, the only reason I'm looking for a 'gaming' laptop is because I love to game and I travel a lot. In fact, I can count on one hand the number of times I've been home in the past two years.

    So unless I settle down, there's no point in investing in a desktop. I'll only end up having to carry it every time I move.

    As for gaming quality, I don't really care as long as my laptop can let me game at low settings three years from now. If given the option, I'd go for a Sager/Clevo. But since I'm not living in the US, the cost of shipping comes out to be too great. Alienware on the other hand has outlets in my country and the servicing/warranty would be much easier to deal with.
     
  20. laz91

    laz91 Notebook Evangelist

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    The same for me and my uni course - at home about 2 nights a week, gf's 2 nights a week and an apartment with friends 2 nights a week with gaps at uni or at the hospital in between. A desktop really wasn't an option and this, i think, is the best option for portable gaming (I live in Australia so we know nothing of these Sager things)
     
  21. LunaP

    LunaP Dame Ningen

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    Greetings,

    Looking to get a new laptop as I own an M11x R2 ( which I'm sending back in under warranty due to constant freezing )

    While I love my M11x Sadly as everyone knows they've stopped production. So my next choice up is the M14x.

    A little background about me, I'm a heavy MMO player so I like to have a system thats ready for any MMO I want to play. That + My first gaming laptop was a Clevo ( Sager 9880, then 9750 ) I love Clevo and think they're hardware is great, and my understanding is that Alienwares are basically redesigned chasis w/ Clevo parts underneath ( PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong as I haven't been reading up in the last few years )

    Anywhoo enough of that, My biggest concern after owning the m11x is the heating/Freezing issue. Regardless of what you're doing due to either the hybrid mechanism locking up or the unit overheating or just simply freezing from doing nothing, it posses an issue. The techs @ alienware tried to get me off the phone saying wait for the m11x R4 though we all know thats not happening. So again my question is for the m14x fans, and if they're having similiar issues or if things are much better on the bigger end?

    I'd love to go 18" but since I frequent school alot, and am on the field alot, the 11 was a great tool for me, but lately 720p resolution isn't that great for some MMO's and the resolution on the 14x looks enticing.

    That + I do alot of multitasking ( 30-40 tabbed browsing windows )
    Games
    Photoshop
    Maya
    Usually to lazy to shut down so constantly putting it to sleep.

    If I could get some feed back before pulling the trigger I'd appreciate it, sorry for the long startup, just wanted to get that out of the way, any questions please ask, and nice to meet you all.

    Heres the specs of the system I configured on the alienware site

    PROCESSOR 3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i7-3820QM (8MB Cache, up to 3.7GHz w/ Turbo Boost 2.0)
    OPERATING SYSTEM Windows® 7 Ultimate, 64bit
    MEMORY 16GB (2 X 8GB) Dual Channel DDR3 at 1600MHz
    HARD DRIVE 750GB 7,200 RPM SATA + 32GB mSATA Caching SSD
    WIRELESS CARDS Killer Wireless-N 1202 a/g/n 2x2 MIMO for Gaming & Video and Bluetooth 4.0
    INTERNAL OPTICAL DRIVE Slot Load Dual Layer Blu-ray Reader (Reads BD and Writes to DVD/CD)


    I chose the 750gb over the SSD due to pricing mainly if anyones curious. I do like my space.
     
  22. Scharfschutzen

    Scharfschutzen Notebook Guru

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    I love my m14x R2, I have not had any overheating issues with it at all, I even played BF3 for about 7 hours nonstop, with a break every now and then of course. The system ran smoothly. The fans do kick on and can become loud, depending on what you are doing, I have not had any issues with my fans causing my system to overheat.

    On the Clevo guts inside an Alienware, I dont think that is true. You are probably thinking of the Sager/Clevo brands as they are the same, but with different branding. Sure all three brands are going to use the same type of hardware due to limited choices but i dont think Alienware has Clevo parts underneath it.

    As for your configuration i would cut back on the processor as the "upgrades" in the processor section are not worth it. The i7 3610 is enough for anything you can throw at it. For ram I am running 16gb, but i did not upgrade through dell as there prices are ridiculous, i bought my 16gb Ram for $100. Now the one thing I would upgrade would be the screen up to the 900p. But if money doesnt matter to you, go crazy.

    But back to your question, I use my m14x for school and i think its the perfect size, Im sure the M14x can handle all the MMO's out there, some better than others of course. The only games I play are BF3, ghost recon, and MC, so I am not too familiar how well the m14x plays MMO's, But i can say that I am extremely happy on the performance with the games i mentioned.
     
  23. salanos

    salanos Notebook Consultant

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    I think Alienware actually still contracts Clevo for manufacture and assembly, but instead of rebranded and custom-lidded Clevo frames (as they used to be), Alienware designs the notebooks themselves now.

    The M14x is probably fine with most MMOGs (I assume you mean RPGs such as WoW, etc.) which can usually require a heavy processor (but the 3610QM is usually enough for this), however be aware that the GT 650M is not purely bleeding edge. However, it's usually the AAA FPSes that push the boundaries of graphics, so you should be able to handle any MMORPG for quite a while.

    On the subject of the M14x's temperature, it is famously ridiculously noisy. The single fan is often likened to a hair dryer, and my usage is similar to yours (Photoshop, 3ds max, and my desktop currently has more than a hundred tabs open).
    In Cinebench R11.5 benchmarks, I've recorded absurd temperatures of greater than 90 degrees Celsius on the processor. The GT 650M fares much better at usually less than 70.
    Generally however, propping the rear of the notebook up to allow the single fan intake to breathe better has been found to improve temperatures by as much as ten (in my case) while the most significant and (considered necessary) improvement comes from replacement of the factory applied thermal paste (again, as much as ten degrees, some users report even more than twenty).

    My system is specced the same as yours, sans the i7-3820QM. I have a 3720QM in place.
    On the 1600x900 screen, it is a dramatic improvement over 1366x768, as I have an almost identically (thickness aside) sized 14" notebook that has a 1366x768 screen, and it feels so much better to have the extra usable screen estate. I would have loved to have a 1080p 14" screen, but unfortunately they don't offer the option.


    I'd like to point out to you though that if you aim for a prosumer notebook for use in Photoshop and the like, the M14x is far from my foremost recommendation, due to its poor color range and absurdly shiny screen coat. It also has a severe and obvious blue cast. You said you liked Sager notebooks, so perhaps you could look at the latest NP9150 (a Clevo P150EM - 15.6", options for GTX660M~GTX680M). Those are available with a wide-gamut (92% NTSC? Or was it Adobe RGB) LCD matte 1080p screen, which is definitely going to be much better.
     
  24. LunaP

    LunaP Dame Ningen

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    Ah ok good to know thanks.

    I swear I read 680 for some reason when configuring, thanks for pointing that out thoug, I'll have to look up the benchmarks on the 650, though I'm sure its still far above the 335 I'm currently using on the 11x :x

    That blue tint you speak of, how noticeable would u say it is over others? I remember Clevo once released a notebook w/ a similiar blue tint on it so I didn't buy due to the complaints, is it possible to get a monitor calibration tool to edit the RGB or would changing that in the nvidia panel help at all? I'm not really prosumer on for photoshop, mainly drawing and making edits when needed, but color is important to me, especially w/ games I love the rich colors, any idea what the current GAMUT is ? at least 80%? or would u say less, if its an improvement over the 11x by at last 20-30% that'd be lovely.

    And yeah its more for games than none I'd say for the most part besides hw in class as well.

    Thanks for the input, and suggestions though, as for the clevo's u mentioned, I'll check em out but I'm kinda drawn to the backlit structure of the alienware models ( as odd as that sounds for a selling points ) I just think they models look sexy in their own appeal vs just default standard look other brands give. :|




    *edit*

    N/m just looked it up and holy crap @ that difference...be nice to see them add that option for the m14x
































    GPU

    CUDA Cores

    GPU Clock

    Memory bus(bits)

    Memory

    Memory

    bandwidth

    GeForce GTX 680M

    28nm GF104

    1344

    720MHz

    256

    up to 4GB GDDR5

    115.2GB/s

    GeForce GT 650M

    28nm GK107

    384

    735/850MHz

    128

    up to 2GB DDR3

    or GDDR5

    up to 64GB/s






    Aww shoulda left out what my config if I knew they were gonna meld it into 1 giant thread so I could get more questions answered lol this was more of a "how do you like your m14x / what problems do you have with it if any " vs "hey is this config ok" :|
     
    Last edited by a moderator: May 12, 2015
  25. salanos

    salanos Notebook Consultant

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    The M14x is, well, like the M11x, quite small. As it is, it can barely handle the thermals of the GT 650M without overheating its CPU. It would never be able to handle a GTX 680M, from the looks of things.

    The blue cast is very noticeable, however I don't have a picture to demonstrate. But you can color calibrate it to reduce the issue, if you want to. The M14x's color gamut? A tiny 40% of Adobe RGB. Which is very little.
    In case you don't know though, the Clevo P150EM/P170EM offers a multicolored backlit keyboard, but if visual impact is high on your list, Alienware is, and always will be at the foremost, due to the wide array of lighting options (the front 'eyes' are always attention grabbing).
     
  26. LunaP

    LunaP Dame Ningen

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    True seeing as their quality of service seems to depreciate more and more over the years.

    Ugh thats horrible, I need to see what the 11x's gamut is. I guess due to that I'll probably stray away from it sadly, even HP and DELL use highre gamut tmk, unless everythings gone downhill lately...


    True on the lights but if it comes down to it I guess going back to clevo might be the better deal breaker, that or maybe check out the 17x...hmm decisions.


    Love your sig btw
     
  27. Droks

    Droks Notebook Enthusiast

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    Hi,

    I am considering an Alienware M14x R2 as my first mobile gaming platform. I want to go with the 14'' model because I prefer its footprint and design. I don't really need as much portability as possible or even much portability in the first place, I just very much prefer laptops to desktops. Here is my configuration, it's pretty standard but I was just hoping to get some insight or feedback:

    PROCESSOR 3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i7-3610QM (6MB Cache, up to 3.3GHz w/ Turbo Boost 2.0)
    OPERATING SYSTEM Windows® 7 Home Premium, 64bit
    MEMORY 6GB (1 X 2GB, 1 X 4GB) Dual Channel DDR3 at 1600MHz
    HARD DRIVE 500GB 7,200 RPM SATA 3Gb/s
    VIDEO CARD 1 GB GDDR5 NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 650M with Optimus™
    LCD PANEL 14.0" High Def+ (900p/1600x900) with WLED backlight
    WIRELESS CARDS Intel® Centrino® Wireless-N 2230 With Bluetooth 4.0
    INTERNAL OPTICAL DRIVE Slot Load Dual Layer DVD Burner (DVD+/-RW)
    SUPPORT 3 Year Essential Support

    TOTAL COST: $1,473.00 (without tax). That is with the $100 off promotion going on right now, too.

    I basically went with the upgrades that cannot be serviced by the user such as the jump to the entry level quad-core processor and the high definition LCD panel. I did not, however, upgrade the video card. I don't feel like it would be worth it to upgrade to a 2GB variant, although please let me know if you think it is worth the cost. I will use it as-is for a while if I do in fact make the purchase, with the intention of upgrading the RAM and HDD via aftermarket later on. I went with the basic 3-year warranty because I feel that it is a costly computer and I want to be protected, and apparently Alienware has great customer service. I just want to be covered for part failure for as long as possible, and therefore went with the basic warranty instead of the advanced one with accidental protection.

    I will be using this laptop to play various games - nothing too specific. Maybe some new ones on the market now, possibly load up some old ones that I used to play.

    Thanks everyone.
     
  28. LunaP

    LunaP Dame Ningen

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    I'm really curious as to why (unlike other websites ) alienware is the only company to NOT give the LCD options for gamut, everywhere else you can either go w/ default or 95% D; that blows. Thanks for the insight again <3 saved me some money, Imma take a gander @ the other models and see whats available, time for me to catch up on the latest.
     
  29. salanos

    salanos Notebook Consultant

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    It kind of has to do with wanting to get you to buy a new one instead of reservicing, because the latter actually costs them.
    But, usually, if an old notebook you have can't be repaired and is still under warranty coverage, Dell will replace it with a system of "equal or higher value and functionality", but obviously that doesn't mean you should go breaking your computer on the second last day of your third year of warranty.

    As for the M11x's color quality, I quote Notebookcheck for the M11x R3:
    The M14x's screen is at the least better than the M11x's, but by far if you have a good eye you are going to want a far better screen.

    Just be aware that the M17x (with its far larger size) is extremely heavy (for a notebook, at 4.5kg, it's also much heavier than most of its competing 17.3"s), though it can be far more comfortable to use a larger screen. If you are a US citizen, there is little limiting you from obtaining a Clevo. Do remember however that Alienware does have a one-up over its competitors with on-site service.
    The lighting can be a lot of fun, but if you do ask me, the AlienFX software is noticeably unrefined in a number of areas, but it covers the necessary basics and has all the options for a strobing lightshow.

    Which siggy~

    Likely to reduce inventory options (to save costs), and to provide more segmentation to avoid cannibalizing sales of other models. Currently, only the Dell Precision line offers options for high gamut high grade LCDs in notebooks. Precisions are expressly targeted at prosumers/professionals and thus are also very expensive (even more so than an Alienware).
     
  30. LunaP

    LunaP Dame Ningen

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    Yeah I think for that I'll prolly end up going Clevo, since I doubt anyone else will see this now that they think that this is a "pre order config question" lol. Curious how many other non related threads are mixed into this one.

    Ur Miku ofc <3

    Still odd when for cheaper u can get a pro grade from any of the Clevo brands for the same price or less and better options to boot. I think they're just being cheap honestly.

    Either way appreciate the input, you've been really helpful with this, I'll go ahead and drop my order and decide again if I wanna stay small or go back to large. I do miss the 19" that was a once in a life time back in 2006 xD

    That OR if the 18x is anything close since I have a dell prefered card from when I got my m11x, which is part of the reason I'm still looking at alienware since I can just make payments while going to school without hurting my actual card by paying all at once.
     
  31. Alientrepreneur

    Alientrepreneur Notebook Enthusiast

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    Hello,

    I'm going to be purchasing an M14x for myself in the near future. I do plan to update to the 14.0" High Def+ (900p/1600x900) with WLED backlight screen. However, I'm trying to figure out if the 2 GB GDDR5 NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 650M with Optimus™ and 3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i7-3630QM are REALLY needed. Will I see a HUGE difference? I only plan to use this computer for gaming. Also, would 6GB of RAM be fine for gaming in the next two years? Do I REALLY NEED to go higher? I don't really WANT to go above 8 GB of RAM.

    Overall, will the 1 GB GDDR5 NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 650M with Optimus™ be more reasonable? What about the 3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i5-3210M? I don't NEED the best; I want what's reasonable and smart for my money. However, if these updates are needed for better gaming, I'll consider.

    (I plan to update in two years.)

    Thank you.
     
  32. DDDenniZZZ

    DDDenniZZZ Notebook Deity

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    Quick question, where are you buying for?
     
  33. Alientrepreneur

    Alientrepreneur Notebook Enthusiast

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    I'm buying from Dell.

    I'm buying for gaming only.
     
  34. Alientrepreneur

    Alientrepreneur Notebook Enthusiast

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    Yes to what?

    Also, I'm looking for a non-bias answer. :)

    EDIT: There was a reply from an AW rep.
     
  35. juggar

    juggar Notebook Consultant

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    If you are going to keep it for 2 full years then I would get the i7-3610QM and the 2 gig DDR5 650m because its not like games are getting smaller. And since your gaming at 900p I would also recommend it as 2 years from now im sure certain games will take more than 1 gig Vram at 900p. Also the 6 gig ram thing is a small issue because for 20 dollars you could buy a 4 gig stick and have 8.
     
  36. It'sMe

    It'sMe Newbie

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    Is the 1 Year Advanced Protection worth it? Im thinking about getting it.

    here is what im getting

    PROCESSOR 3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i7-3630QM (6MB Cache, up to 3.4GHz w/ Turbo Boost 2.0)
    OPERATING SYSTEM Windows® 7 Home Premium, 64bit
    MEMORY 8GB (2 X 4GB) Dual Channel DDR3 at 1600MHz
    HARD DRIVE 750GB 7,200 RPM SATA + 32GB mSATA Caching SSD
    VIDEO CARD 2 GB GDDR5 NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 650M with Optimus™
    LCD PANEL 14.0" High Def+ (900p/1600x900) with WLED backlight
    WIRELESS CARDS Killer Wireless-N 1202 a/g/n 2x2 MIMO for Gaming & Video and Bluetooth 4.0
    INTERNAL OPTICAL DRIVE Slot Load Dual Layer DVD Burner (DVD+/-RW)
    SUPPORT 1 Year Advanced Protection

    TOTAL COST: $1,515.19 with tax and 2nd business day shipping. $1,394.88 without tax. Is this a good deal?
     
  37. juggar

    juggar Notebook Consultant

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    I just bought what you got for 1072 plus I got a 3720QM CPU that can OC 400 mhz. Go to Dell outlet and youll find much better deals. But in my opinion 1500 is too much for that config. 1100 is about right
     
  38. Alientrepreneur

    Alientrepreneur Notebook Enthusiast

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    Thank you for your help. I believe I'm going with the second M14x config.
     
  39. It'sMe

    It'sMe Newbie

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    you're right but wouldn't you rather have a new laptop? A refurbished one is just not the same.
     
  40. juggar

    juggar Notebook Consultant

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    a refurb is exactly the same. There is absolutely no difference other than the packaging. I have bought many many laptops from dell both new and refurb. Trust me, they are exactly the same.
     
  41. It'sMe

    It'sMe Newbie

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    Is there a financing option from dell outlets? Id rather pay $100 monthly installments for 15 months rather than 1200 straight up.
     
  42. thauch

    thauch Notebook Consultant

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    Yes. If you are approved for a credit line from Dell, you can make purchases from the Dell Outlet.
     
  43. Alienware-L_Porras

    Alienware-L_Porras Company Representative

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    Yes you can use the DPA
     
  44. ta33ers

    ta33ers Newbie

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    I am considering the purchase of the M14X R2 as listed below, I now have a Dell XPS M1730 but it is rather large to carry as I ride a bike most of the time. I will be running Linux on this laptop most likely gentoo and will also be upgrading the memory to 16GB and adding a 256GB mSATA drive.
    The only real question is would I see any benifit from upgrading to the Intel® Advanced-N WiFi Link 6250 a/g/n 2x2 MIMO Technology with WiMax and Bluetooth 4.0 Thank You.

    The proposed configuration for the M14X R2:
    PROCESSOR 3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i7-3840QM (8MB Cache, up to 3.8GHz w/ Turbo Boost 2.0)
    OPERATING SYSTEM Windows® 7 Home Premium, 64bit
    MEMORY 6GB (1 X 2GB, 1 X 4GB) Dual Channel DDR3 at 1600MHz
    HARD DRIVE 500GB 7,200 RPM SATA 3Gb/s
    VIDEO CARD 2 GB GDDR5 NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 650M with Optimus™
    LCD PANEL 14.0" High Def+ (900p/1600x900) with WLED backlight
    WIRELESS CARDS Intel® Centrino® Wireless-N 2230 With Bluetooth 4.0
    INTERNAL OPTICAL DRIVE Slot Load Dual Layer DVD Burner (DVD+/-RW)
     
  45. qcpass

    qcpass Newbie

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    I just ordered mine 2days ago. Here specs of my Alienware m14xr2
    14.0" HD+ (900p/1600x900) WLED
    3rdGen Intel Core i7-3840QM
    9.5mm SL, SATA BD (BD-ROM)/DVD Combo
    8GB Dual Channel DDR3 at 1600MHz
    NV GF GT 650M w/2.0GB VRAM
    500GB 7,200RPM SATA-II HDD + 32gb SSD
    Win 7 Home Prem 64 SP1,Eng,w/Media,AWNB, Later I will upgrade to window 8 pro.
    Will use it for some games, photoshop cs6, lightroom 2 and others engineering softwares. I will buy 24" LCD display from dell U2410 or Asus to attach with m14x to get better, brighter display for photo editing and HD movies. I chose alienware cuz of it build quality, best performance and its size of 14" more portable than 17 and 18inches.
     
  46. LeoVainio

    LeoVainio Notebook Evangelist

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    Linux? -.-
     
  47. xanderwolfe

    xanderwolfe Notebook Guru

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    Hi guys. made an account just to ask a quick question. :)

    is this a good deal?

    PRICE: 1460.00 USD

    Brand new, sealed, m14x r2

    * Intel® Core™ i7-3610QM processor 2.3 GHz (Turbo boost to 3.3Ghz!!!)
    * Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium 64-bit
    * Intel® HM65 Express Chipset
    * 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™
    * 2GB nVidia GT 650M DDR5 Dedicated Graphic !!!!
    * 8 GB DDR3 1600mhz Ram !!
    * 750 GB Hybrid hd (32GB mSata !!! )
    * 14.0” WLED HD+ (1600 x 900 ) !!!
    * DVD-Super Multi Double-Layer Drive
    * Integrated Bluetooth® 3.0+EDR
    * Integrated webcam
    * 2.9 kg with 8-cell battery pack
    * Free Win 8 upgrade !!
    1 Year Dell Warranty

    The shop said it's on promo/clearance sale.

    I can see that the processor is somewhat old, compared to the website.

    The same model and specs (except for processor) is priced @ 2500 Singapore dollars = 2042.4825 US dollars
    this is the url http://configure.ap.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?oc=v510706sg&model_id=alienware-m14x-r2&c=sg&l=en&s=dhs&cs=sgdhs1 of the model with the same specs as above but different (newer) cpu.

    I'm in singapore by the way.

    so is it a good deal?
     
  48. juggar

    juggar Notebook Consultant

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    If your in Singapore then yes it is. In the USA, I would say no because dell outlet has 25% off sales and I got an even better M14x R2 than that for 1072 total. But for Singapore that looks like a pretty decent deal.
     
  49. kxv9609

    kxv9609 Newbie

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    Hey Guys
    Im looking to buy a M14x this thanksgiving. Is the build below a nice spec? It comes to about $1366
    I mainly use for playing MMOs like Diablo III and GW2. I also have an external 24" inch monitor.
    Any feedback would be highly appreciated.


    PROCESSOR 3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i7-3630QM (6MB Cache, up to 3.4GHz w/ Turbo Boost 2.0) edit
    OPERATING SYSTEM Windows® 7 Home Premium, 64bit edit
    MEMORY 12GB (1 X 4GB, 1 X 8GB) Dual Channel DDR3 at 1600MHz edit
    HARD DRIVE 500GB 7,200 RPM SATA + 64GB mSATA Caching SSD edit
    WIRELESS CARDS Intel® Centrino® Wireless-N 2230 With Bluetooth 4.0 edit
    INTERNAL OPTICAL DRIVE Slot Load Dual Layer DVD Burner (DVD+/-RW) edit
    My Software & Accessories
    COLOR Stealth Black with Soft Touch Finish edit
    ALIENFX COLOR Quasar Blue edit
    My Accessories
    SUPPORT 1 Year Mission Critical Support edit

    SECURITY SOFTWARE No Anti-Virus Software Selected edit
    PRODUCTIVITY SOFTWARE Microsoft® Office trial edit
    ALSO INCLUDED WITH YOUR SYSTEM
    Alienware M14X R2 Alienware M14X R2
    Keyboard English Keyboard
    Documentation Alienware Documentation
    Shipping Material Shipping Material
    Additional Software Additional Software
    Primary Battery 63WHr 8-Cell Primary Battery
    VIDEO CARD 2 GB GDDR5 NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 650M with Optimus™
    LCD PANEL 14.0" High Def+ (900p/1600x900) with WLED backlight
    SOUND OPTIONS Creative Sound Blaster Recon3Di with THX TruStudio Pro Software
    WIRELESS HD None
    AUTOMATIC UPDATES Alienware M14X 150W A/C Adapter
    Adobe Reader Acrobat SW Adobe Acrobat X Reader
    NAMEPLATE Standard Nameplate
     
  50. ta33ers

    ta33ers Newbie

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    There was a question about installing Linux on the alienware M14x R2 my reply: "Of course, what else?" I plan on using the laptop for android development and graphics and video.
     
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