Alienware 17 vs ASUS G751JT

Now, I know I may get very biased feedback given the forum I'm in, but nonetheless...

There's a coupon for $150 off Dell.ca on laptop orders over $1700. So I could get the basic Alienware 17 for $1570 CAD.

The ASUS G751JT can be had on sale for $1689. Add 8GB of RAM to the Alienware and we're at almost the same specs for about the same price. The ASUS has 2TB of 7200rpm HDDs, but that would be about the only difference.

They are both BGA laptops, both have good IPS screens, good keyboards, etc.

So, assuming I'm planning on buying a 17" BGA laptop (meaning I was seriously looking at the ASUS, since I personally don't really care much about upgrades, and sell my laptops once I'm ready to move on)...What would you suggest?

The G751 is a pretty sweet laptop all in all.

And once you put aside your angst over the route Dell has gone with the Alienware line, if you still find yourself capable of rational discourse on these machines, I'd appreciate the input.

 

I don't care enough about either machine to go into full detail, so I'll be frank with you:

• In my experience, Alienware has always had the best build quality and cooling.
  Despite having BGA crap, I'm sure it's still better than ASUS. It's built on carbon fiber and has an aluminum exterior finish.
• In my experience, Alienware has always had the best warranty.
  This is especially important if you plan to extend it. ASUS's standard warranty is about the same as Alienware's standard warranty.
  However, I do believe Alienware has "better" overall support when it comes to replacements or repairs, and technical support.

My vote goes to the Alienware 17. If you've fallen for the gimmick - that is the Alienware Graphics Amplifier - that's also a "plus" for you with the Alienware.

 

I know of far too many unhappy ASUS laptop owners to be able to endorse their laptops. ASUS desktop motherboards and monitors are awesome, but not their laptops.

If you don't want Alienware, I would go with Clevo or MSI. There are plenty of BGA turds to choose from. They should all perform like clones with the same components and severely limited or no overclocking abilities, so shopping based on performance will have almost no meaning with these machines. The differentiation among the BGA jokebooks will be cooling system effectiveness, AC adapter output capacity, build quality and warranty. Find out whether normal use events (like applying new thermal paste and upgrading memory) void the warranty before you decide what brand to buy.

 

Thanks for the input.

Personally, I really couldn't care less about being able to upgrade my components, so I'm not as upset as a lot of people here about the whole BGA thing - though I can see why some would be, given Alienware's history. I'm all about the BGA turds.

And no, I'm not going for that Graphics amplifier thingy. At $320 + graphics card (not to mention the need for a keyboard and monitor), you may as well just build a desktop.

 

That depends on what you are willing to settle for in a desktop. I was going to build a desktop instead of buying a Clevo P570WM to replace my M18xR2, but when I priced out all of the parts the way it needed to be in order to meet my expectations it was well over $5,000. (I am counting the cost of peripherals like a decent monitor and keyboard, and a desk to set everything upon, since I am not using them with my Alienware laptops and you cannot use a desktop without those things.) There are no cheap pathways to face-melting performance. If all you want is a Windows-based self-contained game console, these BGA turds are certainly good enough for some cheap thrills.

 

Must have been looking at a pretty sweet setup there eh Mr. Fox?

And I''d go with the alienware as well for the build quality (if its still liked it used to be) and the warranty.

 

Yes, the warranty is a factor too. I've had a Dell laptop in the past, as well as an Ultrasharp monitor (remember the 2005FPW?). They were very good with support and warranty.

I get the feeling the ASUS G751 is a lottery - if you get one of the good ones, and never need any warranty work/support, you're golden. Those G751 models have gotten overall pretty good reviews. But if you need any kind of support from ASUS, it will probably make you wish you had gotten the Alienware.

Based on that (especially in regards to voiding the warranty) - can I open up the Alienware and re-paste/upgrade RAM without voiding the warranty?

 

Yes, nothing voids Alienware warranty. You can basically do whatever you want with it. Understandably, user-induced damage and aftermarket parts are not covered under the factory warranty.

 

For the MSI model you do need external monitor and keyboard however the Alienware GA can stream back into the Alienware notebook screen as well. So you don't need an external monitor or keyboard. Those would be optional peripherals. Just an FYI

I do agree though that having to pay $350 down under for the GA and then more $$ for a desktop GPU can be a hard sell especially since my SLi 980Ms currently beat a GTX 980 in most things. :thumbsup: Perhaps down the track I might test one out.

PS: I would go with the Alienware 17

 

I heard there may be a patch on the msi to enable the internal screen while docked but this is not confirmed.

All I can say is good luck to single 980 keeping up with a pair of these:



(These are my 24/7 clocks)

 

Very nice indeed. It sure is great being able to beat the GTX 980 Desktop card

What notebook are those 980Ms going into Meaker?

 

They are in my P570WM, with some help from Prema they are fully supported, not even modded drivers are required. :thumbsup:

My little gaming table:

 

Well, the thing is, the $320 or so cost of the Amp could be used to upgrade to a GTX980M. Then, the cost of a desktop GPU could almost offset the cost of a second GTX 980M and you could just go SLI.

Of course, I guess the point of that new External Amp is to "make up" for the new BGA system. With the AMP, you can now "upgrade" your GPU. But you need to be sitting at home at your desk.

 

that's why someone has to mod in a titanz. That would beat some benchmarks in the laptop segment I bet.

And thats a pretty awesome setup you got going there meaker.

 

It really is a shame to see people that claim to be serious about performance waste their money on a laptop without SLI. With 780M SLI the gap between mobile and desktop was essentially closed off and with 980M it's starting to go the other way, with the SLI laptops outperforming single GPU desktops. Only way for the desktop to keep up with the 980M SLI laptop is to also go 980 SLI. This is the day we have all been eagerly waiting for, but sadly, so many laptops are emasculated by pathetic low-TDP CPUs.

 

costs a lot more for a mobile GPU than a desktop GPU though.

 

In terms of temperatures, how is the Alienware line in general? Clevo reviews have a wealth of information in terms of system temps, surface temps etc., but I find it hard to get the equivalent information for Alienware.

My only experience with Alienware was a lower-end 14" model with the GT 750M, and it ran pretty hot, considering how thick the chassis was.

 

Alienware systems have had the best cooling of any laptops, and that by a wide margin. They are nothing short of amazing in this respect. Can't speak about the new Alien jokebooks, but they probably will still be the best. Dell has very strict thermal engineering guidelines. I can overclock the M18xR1, R2 and 18 like crazy and most of the Clevo models will overheat, begin throttling and shut down long before they reach the overclock levels my Alienware systems are capable of. The exception is the P570WM3, which does a really good job of overclocking. Unfortunately, all Clevo resellers except for Eurocom have stopped selling that amazing monster machine. With a Haswell mobile CPU, especially the Extreme CPU, you must use Liquid Ultra thermal paste to manage the thermals effectively. Anything else will not effectively cool them and severely limit performance and overclocking capacity. This is a bad reflection on Intel and their Haswell CPUs and not any of the OEMs.

 

My quick response: Joined the ROG forum around 2 weeks ago as I too wanted the ROG laptop....until I started reading the forum threads. It appears that Asus produces a laptop that is just riddled with problems....too many to list for that matter. The reviews stated that the AW was still the best quality for the money and I got a 30% off code today for the outlet laptops soI picked up a 17 today with free shipping for 1150.00 i7 / 8Gb / 7200 rpm 750Gb HD / GTX 765.... not a hard choice for me....wanted the build, I do not game on it, rugged I hope.
G

 

Alienware is an odd choice if you are not gaming as a lot of weight and space goes into the support of a GPU cooling solution able to handle 100W cards. Dell's regular range was perhaps a better option for you.

 

Not odd at all if one is after a sturdier platform that will not break after a few bumps and bangs! I d done with Dell and their XPS line a few years ago as the build quality was crap.
G

 

The only way I would buy a new Alienware 13/15/17 is if I'm in the market for a thinner laptop. If your fine with buying a disposable Computer with no future then the new AW is the best option as AW/Dell warranty and support is MUCH better than Asus support..

 

So I guess I am getting a new "old" R1

 

Much better choice tbh.

Price/specs?

 

JP7KP Dell Outlet Alienware 17 R1
09CV2 Software
0G3W5 17.3 inch (439.42 mm) WLED HD+ (1600 x 900) Anti-Glare Display
33RD8 Documentation
3MKHF Software
3XWVK Anodized Aluminum
4F9D1 Label
4WYVT Software
611P7 Base Assembly
6G7PX 8-cell Lithium Ion (86 wHr) Battery
6JY27 Soft Contracts Dell In-Home Hardware Agreement for Alienware
7P3MG Processor: Intel Core 4th Generation i7-4700MQ Processor (6MB Cache, up to 3.4GHz w/Turbo Boost)
85Y47 Software
8C2D1 Office 365 - 1 Month Trial (Internet access required to install & activate)
8VWCN Windows 7 Ultimate
99RFP Dell Support Center 64 Bit 2.0
CVYV4 Software
CXR80 Service Software
D72RY 5 G WiFi Broadcom 4352 802.11n/ac and Bluetooth 4.0
F0TH9 Palmrest
GCRG3 750 GB 2.5inch SATA Hard Drive (7200 RPM)
GV0CP Wave Systems Software
H1H9X Software
HGPVX Software
HPPVH 2 MP FHD Camera
J0CKX Windows 7 Ultimate 64-Bit Operating System DVD
K1THM 8GB Dual Channel DDR3L at 1600MHz
K68JV Slot-Loading Dual Layer DVD Burner (DVD+-RW, CD-RW)
K8035 Scratch & Dent
K8R1C English Keyboard
K972H 240W AC Adapter
M239M Software
M3GVR Office 365 - 1 Month Trial (Internet access required to install & activate)
N971H 125V Power Cord
NVN98 Software
P6XPR Software
P72J4 NVIDIA GeForce GTX 765M with 2GB GDDR5
W3HMK Label
W753G Information
WCVM8 Software
WKG48 Software
XGH75 Service Software
Y4M1H Software
YRX63 Software

 

Cost me 1150.00 to the door. I will SSD and RAM the thing and will be rockin I think.
G

 

That sounds a bit steep for a refurb and also for a 765M and 900p screen.. I would cancel it and go for a 1080p screen.. the 900p screen is dreadful..

 

Of course you would..... It will be fine for my requirements!

 

Great choice and easy/plenty of room for upgrading as needed.

 

I agree....I could have gotten more for the price from another source but I wanted the warranty so I will upgrade myself. I will not be gaming on it so I think it will be great short of the display resolution.
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It is your choice but there are solidly built machines that are lighter with metal chassis without gpu.

 

If I don't like the box....back it goes and I will look at something else. It is about the keyboard for me. I would probably look at a think pad after this.
G

 

I am owner of an Asus, and i had all of AW17 except 2015 model.
The G751 has a much better cooling system , Maintaining very low temperatures and most importantly ,with very low noise under load (playing BF does not pass the 36-38dB)

Also I seem more comfortable keyboard and touchpad. The G751JT have IPS panel ( do not know if the current AW17 default series has it ) .

However in aesthetic design I like the AW17 , , Although the G751 is much improved over the G750 .

The G751 have BD optical drive and four memory slots , but is somewhat heavier ( 4,2Kgs vs 3,8Kgs ) and a 230W power supply.

They are two very evenly matched teams .
Visually I prefer the AW17 , but I think the G751 is less problematic and much quiet under load (best cooling system of the market with only 60-62ºC max on GTX970M and 70-75ºC cpu with only 38-40dB)

 

I always thought ASUS had the most silent and coolest laptops? Or am I completely mistaken?

 

Oh yes, Asus has both the most silent and best cooled laptops... AW has good cooling system but not quiet as Asus.. I can say this as a former Asus ROG owner...

 

I just sold my g750 and planning to buy a new one, Either aw17 or asus g751. I used to own a toshiba satellite centuries ago for gaming and sadly it broke due to high temps. I've learned that for a good gaming laptop you should have an excellent cooling system, which the g750 never failed on that. I would love to purchase my first alienware, but i'm afraid their cooling is not that good as ive read from other forums. Will the g751 still be a better choice as before?

 

Yes with the new gen it's an even better choice... I would definetly get the G751... The new AW17 especially 980M model has many issues such as overheating keyboard due to stupid GPU+CPU placemnet right under keyboard, it can only take 16GB RAM, 180W PSU isn't enough for 980M and throttles it..

 

Here is my two cents for what it is worth. I bought a alienware m17 r4 about 2 years ago and I have had zero problems with it. Never had any graphic, hard drive or memory problems. I have taken it to the Desert, Europe and Guam. It has gotten wet, been dropped, and survived a "sand storm". The only thing negative I can say about it is that the battery life is weak.