Alienware M17x R3 battery charge indicator?

This might seem like a stupid question, but there is no battery charge indicator on the Alienware M17x R3?

The only thing else I can see is the blue LED on the actual plug at the end of the charging pack, but this is always blue, no matter if I plug it in or not. So no changes here.

When I put this thing on my desk and plug in the charger, I cannot see any charging indicator lights or LED's anywhere on the notebook.

Of course if you are running the machine while on, you only need to look in Windows 7 task tray to check the charge %

But when the notebook is off, where on earth is it? The manual does not say anything about any charge indicator, does it even have one?

 

you can check with the 5 white led included on the battery.

 

That is hardly of use, everyone will have to turn the notebook over to check all the time.

 

This is one instance when Dell designers appear to be the dumbest of the lot...They should never have removed the ability to indicate charging etc via the alienhead on the lid. which was present in Alienware R2.

With R3 one has to open the lid and turn on the laptop to observe or like someone intelligently put, turn it over the belly and press that tiny button on the battery...Voila...


Freakin silly of alienware or dell for doing so for the sake of uniformity with M11x

 

I haven't looked through all of the options, but I was under the impression AlienFX can do things to indicate charging. Now's a good time to check! brb

 

Okay just checked. The Alienhead power switch IS the indicator. You get to chose what colors it is, within certain limits; say your color for full charge is red, then when you're charging it'll pulse from red to orange, if your computer is asleep, it pulses from orange to off.

 

But you woudnt know if you have the lid closed...

 

This post made me laugh. Today I clicked the button on the battery for the first time. Not impressed at all. I don't really see a need for it, cuz if my lappy is outta batteries, then it's outta batteries.

 

but it would be pretty handy if you had 2 extra batteries in your bag, one was charged and one was almost dead and you couldent plug it in.. Do you plug in a battery, boot windows, check battery? No cuz you can click the button and see the charge without the trouble.. Thats what its designed for..

 

You may be on to something. The best feature about the battery, and I admit that it's kinda handy is that you can check it even when you disconnect the battery from the lappy. It's pretty neato.

 

Agreed, that's exactly what it is for. Dell and other manufacturers have been doing this on laptop batteries for years.