*OFFICIAL* Alienware 14 Owner's Lounge Thread

@Hypersonik,

sorry but i don't know why XTU is not keeping the setting for the dynamic voltage offset for you. I did it once, and it keept the setting from there on.. Which version are you using? i'm still at work, i can take some screenshot on mine this evening and post it tomorrow.. (i'm in a life camp in the middle of the desert right now and no connection available on our containers rooms......)

 

no worry, probably I had a messy install....
I'm downloading it again, see if there is any luck

in a desert...sounds like a fun job!

 

Does anyone show me how to disable Optimus on Alienware 14?
I have tried many times by rebooting and hit Fn+F5 but seems it doesn't work.

I need discrete mode in order to update Nvidia software because it doesn't detect the Nvidia GPU in optimus mode.

Thanks alot.

 

that should be all that is needed. so you hit fn+f5 get the prompt and then reboot. what does it show when you right click on the desktop after the reboot? nvidia and intel or just nvidia?

 

After reinstalling XTU...still cannot get the undervolting working
this appears after the reboot



I noticed that there is a "overclocking" option in the bios, and it's defaulted "disabled"
Could there be any relation with this issue?

EDIT
Got it working!!! yay!!!
Turned out the problem was when I first started up XTU, it shows up a bunch of values and settings right?
Those settings are NOT the default settings, and some of the values are quite ridiculous, like core current limit is 0.00 A
LOL no current at all I thought I should just modify the dynamic voltage offset, and didn't notice that it wasn't on the default profile when it starts up, of course applying those settings doesn't work at all
Found out that and I tried to adjust the settings to the default, while lowering the dynamic cpu voltage offset
Now it's running at -80mV and just passed the 5 min stress test!! weeeeeeee and OMG it's running almost 10 degrees cooler at idle

further edit: running at -100mV now!!!! stressing it with prime 95....seems fine


I also found that the 'default' setting for the memory is 1333MHz....I fiddled with the multipliers and turn it to 1600MHz, which it should be running at (Kingston Hyperx 1600CL9)...since I'm a noob to this I'm not sure if I'm doing it right or I'll fry up something very soon.
If you guys can post your XTU settings it would be brilliant. So I can make sure nothing's wrong with my values

 

hit Fn+ F5:your graphics solution is automatically configured for optimal performance.
After the reboot, both nvidia and intel show up >.<.
What the phosphate.

 

and what happens when you fn+f5 and reboot again? still both show up?

 

YESSSSSSS, seems only optimus mode on my machine >.<

 

So guys, hoping it can be usefull to some one i collected some screenshot yesterday.

My XTU version

XTU settings

EVGA settings

Idle temperatures with custom fan profile (HWinfo64)

Max temperature after almost 2 hours of playing Splinter Cell:Blacklist (GPU@1Ghz/Gddr@1325Mhz)

In the Thumbnail, The games that i have installed at the moment and that i'm playing (and enjoying) on my 14 (since my memory is worst than the ddr3 installed on the machine )

I believe that our CPU, not being fully unlocked, doesn't allow XTU to fully read or properly report some value.

Edit:
@Reborn

thanks for the rep mate . Didn't really tested the battery duration, but with normal browsing on nvidia gpu & balanced power profile it reports 3.5 / 4 hour of available battery

 

time to phone alienware then!

 

I'd like to make note of the fact that people have been having issues with the Killer NIC 1202 that comes with the lower configurations, for new members/prospective Alienware customers: I strongly urge everyone here to get the Broadcom 4352.

 

Unfortunately, I can't choose the specific WIFI card I want when configuring. The Broadcom is only available with the highest $1,9xx model which I can't afford, sadly.

I'm using the configuration page here:
Alienware 14 Gaming Laptop | Dell.

Is there another version that allows for more customization?

 

Forgot to ask what dependable sites you guys visit to attain coupons available for the 14.

 

Been looking for a guide like this trying tonight! +rep

 

I have contacted to Alien Pro-support team about a issue on my keyboard. It has a squeaky sound while pressing some keys on the left hand side and backspace, quite annoyed.
The technician will replace my old keyboard next Monday, hope the issue will be solved.

I will ask them how to switch graphic card mode.

 

why yours can have 0 A as core current limit?? this is weird...
and the XTU showed that my ram are running at 1333MHz...which shouldn't happen as my ram are 1600MHz
I attempted to change the memory multiplier to make it 1600 (and now 1866 lol), but various monitoring utilities show that they're still running 1600MHz
What's wrong with the XTU?

btw nice game collection

 

I am thinking about buying an Alienware 14, but there seem to be a lot of complaints about the Killer wireless cards.

While I've seen plenty of people complaining about the Killer card on this forum, I also ran into another post on another forum describing the exact same problems with the Broadcom card here: http://www.alienwarearena.com/forums/topic/50908/hardware/-stay-away-from-broadcom-wireless-adapter-/ . The wireless problems on the Alienware 14 sound very similar to the wireless problems on another device I own that were caused by power saving. While I know that people have tried to turn off the power saving for the wireless card, I'm wondering if that somehow isn't working and the power to the wireless chip is still being reduced.

Also, has anyone tried to install Fedora on the Alienware 14? And are there any decent coupons currently available for the Alienware 14?

 

I believe it is happening becouse our CPU are not fully unlocked SKU. Most probably XTU is reporting some false information on some of the settings (is impossible that the cpu run with 0 A as a current limit, it wouldn't work at all). Same for the Ram settings since, besides XTU, all other monitoring softwares reports the correct 1600Mhz frequency (CPU-z, Sandra etc) and memory benchmark confirm the frequency.

Thanks for the game collection i have in steam 122 games, and like 10 in Origin . I'm going towards the 40 years of age... and will be a gamer untill the end!

 

Slickdeals and Logicbuy are decent sites to find coupons, but really most coupons for Alienware stuff are pretty lackluster. The real big thing to look out for are the Mystery Coupons. The last two times I saw those pop up, this forum picks up on it pretty quickly.

 

Coupons are not the best way to get a great discount on new Alienwares. Haggling is the way to go by talking to different reps and you can get from 5-25% discount if you are persistent and polite.

 

Hi, I just got my system and have a quick question regarding the optimus/switchable graphics. Is there any indication as to what card the computer is runing on? If I check advanced settings when selecting screen resolution it shows the system running on the integrated graphics. However if I then unplug my powercable I get a message popping up telling me to press Fn+F5 to switch to switchable graphics.

And if I try to switch I get the text "Switchable graphics key press detected. Choose Yes to enable" which i interpret as the system beeing in dedicated card only mode. I did a clean wipe of the HDD and then used the resource DVD:s for installation of the OS on a new mSATA.

I should probably mention that so far I am extremely hapy with both the lappy and the plextor m5m SSD. Now I just gotto try some games and benching on it

 

New Alien incoming:

AW14 - 4700MQ - 16GB RAM - 256GB SSD BOOT + 750GB HDD - GTX 765M 2GB - 1080p IPS - Win 7 HP (will be replaced with 8 upon arrival, didn't want to pay extra) - 1yr/ADW = >$2000 out the door. I'm extremely happy with the purchase and can't wait till it gets here. EAD = 10/9 (hoping sooner).

 

I have some serious issue with the bluetooth / WiFi card, I own a Xperia S, when I connect to the laptop (for example for stream audio, via bluetooth of course) the WiFi, besides its connected, doesnt work at all or work veryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy slow, almost useless, anybody having this behaviour when connecting cellphones?

 

From my experience when you right click on the desktop if you see the nvidia option then the 765 is active and if you see the intel gpu option then the integrated gpu is active.

 

Right click on the desktop

If you see Intel & Nvidia control panels, you're on optimus
If you only see Nvidia, you're on discrete, nvidia only.

 

Okay. Well, if I rightclick the desktop I only see nvidia control panel, but if I click the bottom right toolbar I have an Intel HD Graphic button where I can make resolution changes etc. And if I go through "change resolution"->advance settings I get the properties for the "generic pnp screen" which says the graphics card is Intel HD Grapics 4600 which also seems to indicate optimus. But then I don't get why I get a messge about it when I unplug the AC-adapter. Do I need to change any BIOS settings for it to work properly?

EDIT: Tried doing a Fn+F5 reboot when prompted and then it was in discrete mode only, no Intel adapter and according to the screen it was running on the 765. When switching back Intel also popped up when I rightclick on the desktop. Then the only question remaining is why I'm prompted to enable switchable graphics when it is already enabled.

 

Ordered on Sept 5/2013, received on Sept 23/2013.

Details include: Core i7 4700MQ, 16GB 1600MHz, GTX 765M 2GB GDDR5, 750 HDD, Blu-ray, WLED 1920x1080 IPS Anti-Glare, Broadcom 4352 802.11ac, Windows 8 Pro x64.

Unfortunately, the Southbridge chipset has the C1 stepping error. So it's going back. Dell is sending me another one -- was told they will check for this before sending the next one -- we'll see.

The unit came with the AUO panel. It seemed fairly bright, with no obvious bleeding.

It didn't come with the OS disk. I called up support and they sent out a disk labeled "Recovery Disk". Does anyone know if this disk can be used for a clean install?

 

What is that c1 stepping error mean? Can you explain please, thanks!

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4

 

How did you get the Broadcom AC card with the 4700MQ? I could not find an option for it unless I opted for the config with the 4800MQ standard (i.e. the $1949 config).

 

See:

Haswell has USB 3.0 issues with 14 out of 22 tested USB drives | Hardware.Info United States
Intel Haswell USB 3.0 Issues Over in July 2013? Intel Announces C2 Stepping Chipsets - Legit Reviews

 

I'm in Canada. It was offered with the $1,749.99 (CAD) option -- now $1,649.99 due to a $100 off promotion.

 

I should also have noted that AlienRespawn doesn't recognize USB keys in Windows 8 (so it is a problem backing up the factory installation). This is because Windows 8 treats USB keys as hard drives, unlike Windows 7 where USB keys were specifically tagged as removable drives. Unfortunately, the developer hasn't updated AlienRespawn to recognize this.

Update: Windows 8 certification calls for flash drives to be recognized as permanent drives rather than removable drives -- so manufacturers, notably Sandisk, have been flipping the removable bit in their newer USB keys. These keys will not be recognized as removable drives in Windows 8 or in Windows 7 for that matter. Normally, this is a good thing, since you can put multiple partitions on the key, etc. However, older programs, which specifically look only for removable drives (like AlienRespawn) will not find these keys.

 

Thanks very much, how do I check if my system has the stepping issue?

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4

 

As it says in the first article, if you run CPU-Z (free download), on the Mainboard tab to the far right of the Southbridge line, you will see Rev 04 or Rev 05. Rev 04 has C1 stepping error. Rev 05 uses C2 stepping -- error fixed.

 

Looks like I have the bug. I don't think I'll mind it much. I don't sleep my PC

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4

 

And here comes another one!

Yes, I have ordered my next laptop, an Alienware 14. Specs to be seen below.

Now, I have indeed read this thread for a while, and seen many a issues. I think I should run a HW test as soon as I get mine.

Anywho, my system is due to arrive October 2nd, and you should expect to see a couple of impressions shortly after. I live in Norway if that accounts for something Fragmented Customer Service?

Cheers!

Alienware 14 | Intel Core i7-4800MQ | 16 GB DDR3-1600 | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 765M <- Important ones

EDIT: Can someone help me with adding a signature?

 

what software package will you use to do that?

 

From my experience with a Dell XPS 13 in March, you can boot up a Diagnostic Tool by holding Fn while turning the system on. If the system passes that, I'm good to go!

If you guys favor other tools other than the ones mentioned already, feel free to elaborate.

-KB

 

AlienAutopsy is built in I think

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4

 

Hello Alienware 14 owners, I'm currently considering picking up one and have a couple questions.

Does anyone here play World of Tanks? If so, what settings are you guys using and what framerates are you getting? I played WoT on a new Razer Blade Pro (same CPU and GPU as the Alienware) at a Wargaming event and it seemed to average 30FPS+, but I only played one match on Ensk so I'm not sure how other maps perform. I have no idea what settings it was on or anything, it was bright outside, 95F (possible throttling due to very high ambient), and the screen had a decent amount of glare so a visual assessment wasn't possible. Even on my desktop ([email protected] and 7970@1200/1750) some maps seem to run much worse than others, so I'm curious what the worst case scenario is if I expect to play on the Alienware 14.

Those of you that have used a MacBook Pro before, how does the Alienware's trackpad compare? For I would always use a mouse, but for general things like web browsing and such, I would use the trackpad exclusively.

Last question, it appears as though a lot of venting for the machine is in the back of the case on the bottom panel. Have you tried gaming with it in your lap? With legs shoulder width apart to allow for airflow to the bottom of the case, can I expect the temperatures to remain safe? Or is setting it on a desk the only way to go?

 

Dont play WOT, cant help there. Play BF3 with all settings on high and it is very smooth 50-90 fps depending.

I own three macbook pros also, the AW's new trackpad is by far the BEST windows laptop trackpad I have used to date. OMG Asus can really take a queue from it.

 

Still waiting for my AW14 to ship, but I had a question for all the owners here. Are there any photographers on here that have used Lightroom or Photoshop on your AW14? How is it as a mobile editing platform? I sold my Retina MacBook Pro to get the AW14 (which for a photographer might be a bad move), but I am curious how the IPS display on the AW14 compares to the Retina screen. Gaming was my main reason for wanting the AW14 (which is near impossible to do properly on the Mac), but photo editing is definitely something that I will want to be doing with it as well.

 

Don't worry, you're extremely well covered with the AW14. Even the baseline 4700MQ is superior to the Ivy Bridge processors in the rMBP. Not by much, but it is. Now, OS X is indeed more light on resources than Windows, but that is again offset by the superior performance in the i7 processors found on the AW14. You won't notice in real-world performance.

EDIT: Reviews have it that the screen is not far off compared to rMBP. NoteBookCheck has a really good review of it.

 

What about the screen vs the Retina. Obviously as a photographer I am going to be looking for color accuracy when I am post processing my files, so how does the IPS screen on the AW14 compare to the Retina screen?

 

The screen in the AW14 is not as good as the rMBP in color gamut, but viewing angles are equal to the rMBP. About color accuracy, I can't say. I'm getting mine next week. Like I said, NoteBookCheck has a good review of the AW14. Look it up and see if they can answer your questions.

-KB

 

Well well well. Yes sir! I am a photography junkie more so than computers if thats possible. I stared using Mac's when Vista came out. I just sold my 15" Ultimate rMBP and replaced with with a 14. I use my 14 with PS, LR, Corel Painter and various plugins etc. The screen, it is EXCELLENT in my opnion for a 14" 1080p screen. I did calibrate it to get a little more accurate colors. I have 0 issues using it to edit with. Matter of fact, I liked the 14 so much I sold my 2 year old Mac Pro and bought a AW 18 to replace it. One thing i can tell you if you put a SSD in the 14 the rMBP cannot touch the speed of the 14. I edit 36mp files (d800e) with many many layers all the time and it never breaks a sweat. Also use Corel painter and some pretty heavy PS filters that are very GPU intensive and it never slow down. If Im ediitng some real sensitive photos like the few small weddings ill go through them one more time hooked up to my desktop LCD that is calibrated. So far I have had real good luck!

 

glad to hear the alienwares are useful in professional application too!!
mine just need to run games smoothly lol
to be honest, I have own the machine for over a month now but seldom use it's screen
I game on it all the time but with a 24 inch external screen...though it's just a budget-cautious TN screen and nothing special comparing to an IPS panel
But bigger is bigger and a larger screen certainly provide a better experience no matter browsing or working or gaming

I guess you photographer guys must be using other bigger professional monitors at your offices/homes right? Can't be serious that you work with a tiny 14" screen all the time.

 

It can be a pain on a smaller screen. I did edit on a 13" MBA for 2 years, eyes started going

 

Hi! I have a little question for you guys, I received my 14 at the end of August and it's been perfect. I just have one little question that i would like to confirm. Whenever i boot up without having the power cable plugged in. My 14 seems to take much longer to actually be ready for use: ie: I have to wait about 2-3 minutes to be able to switch graphics mode (discrete to optimus). However when i come back home and plug the laptop before booting up, after i log in I have access to that option almost instantaneously...Am i missing something ?
Thank you very much

 

This is EXACTLY what I was looking for, thank you!! I use a D7100 and shoot RAW and edit in LR & PS, so this is great to hear. The wait can't end soon enough, lol!