Alienware M17x R4 Pre-Order Configuration Questions... Ask HERE

does anybody know if the panasonic UJ 240 slot load blu ray burner will fit in the alienware m17x r4?

 

1. When buying an Alienware, the most important is the GPU. But in any case I would recommend not sticking to the absolute lowest option, and would recommend you choose the i7-3720QM 2.6GHz at least. But I would choose the i7-3820QM 2.7GHz.
2.7GHz (3.7GHz) vs. 2.3GHz (3.3GHz)
8MB Cache vs. 6MB Cache
It really does sound more appealing, and a +1 to bragging rights. However I don't think choosing the lower CPU would bottleneck your gaming performance.

2. 8GB of RAM is perfect. No games/applications use that much, most don't even use 4GB. And RAM is the easiest component to upgrade, and above 8GB will have no effect on gaming.

3. Windows 7 Home Premium is in fact the better option for gamers. Ultimate comes with tons of random crap you would never touch, and features such as Bitlocker which increase security etc blah blah but could hinder read/write speeds which is bad for gamers. Stick with Home Premium.

4. It does not cost much more, but after short use the caching could really improve speeds in maybe some game load times. Personally I would choose and SSD but those are expensive. No effect on gaming performance, I'm pretty sure you can wait an extra couple seconds for a game level to load. If you got the money, go with the 32GB SSD Cache. But not important really.


But honestly you already have an Alienware, with a GTX 680m. You are going to LOVE it. I'm getting either the same one for the 3D and 120Hz screen, or the M18x for dual cards will have to wait and see

Enjoy!

 

Hi all,
Well i ordered my m17x with 7970m yesterday and, today the 680m has been released in france...
Do you guys think that i should cancel my order in order to buy the 680m instead? it costs me 260€ (300$) more than the 7970m. Is it worth buying?
i'm afraid about the drivers issues.
Maybe you could reassure me about these drivers
I always had some nvidia in my desktops and had no issues at all with those cards.
I really need you help!
Thank you!
Cheers, from france.

 

Edit man I can't quote the post above me it messes up but anyways
Do what you want man it your money personally I'm going with the 7970m as I don't want to spend more than $2500 on a laptop

 

Ok thank you for replying me, just hope that i'll have no issues with the drivers.Anyway, do you know wich drivers are the best? the 12.7 leaked, the official beta or the dell officials ones?
Thanks

 

I personally haven't tried any others yet besides the original 12.7 leaked betas, but I have been benchmarking, overclocking, and hopping in and out of games with no problems. FWIW I don't think you'll be disappointed with a 7970m.

 

Ok, thank you for reply, you reassure me, the first thing i'll do when i get it is a clean install(After creating backup dvd's) to prevent any drivers conflict.
Do you have some informations with BF3 and blizzard games(like starcraft, WoW, Diablo 3)withe those drivers?
Cheers

 

I would but I can't find my authenticator so I can't login to my blizzard account at the moment. Don't have bf3 either yet but it's on my list.

You might check out this thread though http://forum.notebookreview.com/gam...ds/671899-catalyst-12-7-leaked-drivers-7.html

 

Ok, maybe i'm just a nvidia fanboy like any other and maybe this 7970m will convert me will see... Moreover the m17x is upgradable, if later i would change,i will.
And according to videos on youtube those games seems good with this card.But i don't know wich drivers they used

 

If you haven't already you could check out Quagmire LXIX's videos on youtube. He's run Crysis 1 & 2 and some other games plus Metro 2033, which really pushes a 7970m.

He has a thread here on the forum http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware/670572-all-alienware-laptop-gaming-videos-thread.html

 

Thanks for the link, i'll check this out

 

Hi, I am thinking about getting the m17x R4 for university as they just did a refresh recently, and I plan on gaming a bit. I have a few questions before I purchase this system:

1. I understand with any piece of technology there are failure rates and things will happen, but overall is the laptop a well made system?

2. I don't plan on getting the max specs as I am not that rich, but I do plan on upgrading just the graphics card to a 7970m, and stuff like the hard drive(s) and ram I will be doing on my own. Is going from the 900p screen to the 1080p screen worth it, or is there not a noticeable difference?

3. Is the stock wireless card good enough, or do people strongly recommend upgrading the wireless card as well?

Thanks!

 

Yes, they are very well built systems. Apart from the normal failure rates, Alienware systems tend to be unstable because they are purposely overpowered far beyond what HP, Sony, Samsung, etc. laptops are.

Depends on your preference. IMHO, I would say yes. It's not easy to upgrade the screen later on, and if you're going to watch any Blu-Rays on your system, then a 1080 screen is worthwhile. As far as the 3D screen goes, its also depending on your preference...like if the games you'll be playing are/will be 3D or not. If not, it's probably not worth considering the 3D screeen.

Dell supposedly only offers the Intel 2230 wifi card in the R4. Many people in the forums have stated they upgraded to the Killer Wireless card (you have to order it separately and install it yourself). The Killer Wireless card is getting rave reviews, but as to the reason for upgrading, your will need to ask. The R3 and R4 that I have worked on I installed Intel 6300 cards in both. Both laptop owners have the 6300 cards in their previous XPS laptops and it worked so well in their previous systems they wanted it over the default m17x wifi card. So check around and see what people in the forums are saying about the Intel 2230 card vs the Killer Wireless card.

 

1. The laptops are decently solid in the M17 lineup. Like you said though, stuff happens.

2. I would recommend going with the FHD 1080p screen. You'll definitely notice the difference at the 17" size and it's the standard for todays performance/gaming laptops.

3. I typically recommend upgrading. The stock will work in normal situations, but as soon as you start going into weaker signal areas and really relying on that card to perform, that's where it will fail. If you want to keep the bluetooth, shoot for the Advanced N 6235, otherwise I would recommend the Ultimate N 6300. Out of the options offered through Dell Directly, unless you have wimax coverage in your area, I'd shoot for the Killer networks card.

 

Hi hopefully I can assist you with some things. I recently purchased the m17x r4 and received the laptop in early June. I upgraded the CPU to the i7-3720, the GPU to the 7970m, the wireless card to Killer, and the screen to 1080p.

First of all I will tell you that I have recently had to return my laptop because my CPU failed on me (got 7 beeps at boot). However this does not change my opinion of the m17x r4 AT ALL. I understand how rare of a problem that is and that technology isn't always perfect.

1. The laptop is a great system. It is very well made and very sturdy. Everything about this beast is respectable. I love the machine and this is why I have already bought another one to replace the defective one I sent back. You will appreciate everything about the m17x r4 as soon as you open the box and start using it. I don't believe there is anything I disliked about the system.

2. Since I returned the machine back to Dell, I didn't feel like waiting another 3-4 weeks for another one so I went to btoTech.com and bought one of their systems (cheaper, and way faster delivery). This time I upgraded the system to everything as before, but with a 750gb hard drive and 8gb RAM and still paid significantly less than if I purchased through Dell. I ordered it yesterday and will have it by Saturday

The 1080p screen is definitely worth it in my opinion. Especially when you can use the HDMI-in port to play xbox or ps3 or whatever you want in HD. I say go for it and you won't be dissatisfied. However, with the CPU I have read that if you are only doing basic computing and gaming the 3610 is plenty. I upgraded to the 3720 because of my job needs (VM) and my own personal preference. Also the 3720 can be overclocked whereas the 3610 can't (as to my understanding).

3. I have heard many different sides to the wireless card debate, stock or Killer 1103. I can tell you that with my experience with the Killer 1103 I would play WoW and never have any lag issues or anything. My connection was always top speed and no problems. Also, you can stick to the stock card and if you don't like it you can buy a Killer card on ebay for $65 and there's guides on how to replace it. But if you do it that way you won't have bluetooth (Intel wireless card has bluetooth built in, so if you take it out: no more bluetooth).

I hope all of this helps and like I said most people love their m17x r4.

One thing I forgot...I added a 256gb Samsung 830 SSD to my laptop (easy installation) and it works wonders. Takes about 20 or so seconds to boot up! I highly recommend that if you want a very noticeable upgrade.

Also check out btotech or hidevolution. They have pre-built m17x r4's that may fit your needs and you can skip the long waits.

 

I just checked out btotech and the deals look amazing. Just wondering, do you still get the same in-box accessories (recovery cd, power cord etc.) and warranty that you would if you were to buy through deal? and if I had a problem would I return to btotech or dell?

 

Correct me if im wrong, but isnt it pointless to pay for the 7970 and only get the 900p screen?

Would it not be better to just save your money and get a cheaper card too?

 

The deals are pretty sweet on their site. Regarding the original packaging I'm not exactly sure. You can go on there and do the live chat and ask. They are really helpful with anything you need. Also as far as the warranty they offer there own warranties pretty similar to Dell's. And for the first year you still get Dell's original warranty and in-home repair. You can also extend your warranty through Dell if you want.

Again though, the reps online at btotech can clarify any questions you may have. Also I spoke with them and they said if you wanted a different OS then it would take a couple weeks because they have to send it back to Dell to get upgraded.

Edit: Just chatted with btotech and their laptops do come in the original packaging. Only ones that don't are used or refurb. Also I paid $50 for mine to be rush assembled. Just bought yesterday and will be shipped out today. Here by Saturday. Oh yeah.

 

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions...

My uses/needs:
First, I'm a heavy user. Usually on from 7am-12pm. I use the laptop for both work and personal use throughout the day, as I work from home. So, I'm always multi-tasking and have multiple programs open at once. I use a lot of Microsoft Office, Internet, picture and video editing/viewing/uploading/downloading, movies, music, etc. Not much of a gamer. The other big thing is I want to build something that's (hopefully) going to last more than 2-3yrs before needing upgrading/replacing.

Here are my 3 questionable upgrades:


1. Processor...
3610 (up to 3.3) or 3720 (up to 3.6)...?? Any need to upgrade or is 3.3 plenty for my use?

2. Memory...
Any reason to upgrade to 12GB? Or will 8GB get me by for a few years?

3. Hard Drive...
My hardest decision. I have absolutely no idea what to do here. I thought I wanted SSD... . Would you do:
- 512GB SSD RAID 0 (2x 256GB SATA 6Gb/s SSD)
- 750GB 7,200 RPM + 32GB mSATA Caching SSD
- 256GB SSD SATA 6Gb/s

 

1. I opted for the 3610, but you do more than I do (I just game mostly, other than mundane internet activities) so maybe the 3720 is more beneficial for you. Someone else may have a better answer than I

2. You do video/image editing? You will probably benefit more from the 12gb (or 16gb) than 8gb. 8gb is plenty for just gaming, but again you do more than just gaming.

3. I opted for the 750gb and am installing my own 256gb SSD later and reinstalling windows and a couple games. Don't see why that wouldn't be a good choice for you as well.

 

1. Since the majority of your time is going to be spent on your computer, and work related... I would suggest you don't skimp on the processor, and get at least the 3720 and others correct me if im wrong but it would help with CPU intensive applications and everything somewhat... And you can't overclock the 3610 as far as I know

2. 8GB should be just fine. But since its not the most expensive component, and you really want to multitask from 7am to 12pm... I would choose 12GB or 16GB (a bit overkill) to ensure you can run all your programs at the same time with no slowdowns. There's nothing wrong with 8GB, but for multitasking I'd suggest 12.

3. SSDs do make everything a tad more snappy. Microsoft Office, documents, editing, all files, every program... will open faster, will load files faster. So for work and multitasking I would suggest it for more productivity. But HONESTLY, its just a bit faster and if you dont want to spend the money, everything works just fine. I'm personally getting a 512GB SSD for a primary boot drive, will have all my programs and some games on there to make load times faster.. and a 7,200rpm Hard drive for storage.

Hope that kind of helps, i tried

1. The failure rate is low but happens, otherwise the systems are excellent!

2. 1080p DEFNITELY, do not skimp on the resolution. Thats not something you can upgrade after you're disappointed. You will not regret the 1080p, its todays standard.

3. The wireless card should basically be just fine... no difference really. BUT in university nowadays its mostly wireless internet in the dorms right, and you cant really decide how far the router is, or how many walls are in between you and the router I would suggest you opt for a better wireless card, instead of taking the risk.

Hopefully that kinda helps

 

I agree with Leo on everything and add that I will be going with the 3720 because the 3610 has a locked multiplier and cannot be overclooked if that is something you would ever want to do.

 

Oh? Is that true? Hm, didn't know that about the 3610. Glad I found out about that before placing my order own order. Now I've got to wonder if I should upgrade and overclock or not....

 

Honestly I would spend the extra $150 to upgrade the CPU. This way you won't ever doubt yourself on the capabilities of this machine...at least that's how I felt when making my purchase. To each his own though!

 

They were talking about it in this thread. It sounded like it might be possible with a modded bios but I haven't seen anything else about it lately.

 

Well, I'm hoping to place my order by Wed.

So far my build is thus from XoticPC:

17.3" (60Hz) WideFHD WLED (1920x1080) Super Clear Glare-Type Screen (SKU - A1R604)
- 3rd Generation Intel® Ivy Bridge Core™ i7-3720QM (2.6GHz - 3.6GHz, 6MB Intel® Smart Cache, 45W Max TDP) (SKU - A2R301)
- IC Diamond Thermal Compound - GPU & CPU
- AMD Radeon HD 7970M (2048MB) GDDR5 DX11 (SKU - A3R701)
- 16GB DDR3 1600MHz Dual Channel Memory (4x4GB SODIMM) (SKU – X4N199)
- No mSATA SSD Drive
- 500GB 7200RPM 16MB Cache Buffer (Serial-ATA II 3GB/s) - Default (SKU - X5R205)
- 500GB 7200RPM 16MB Cache Buffer (Serial-ATA II 3GB/s) (SKU - A6R203)
- Disable Raid and Set up Hard Drives as Independant Drives
- Slot Load - 6X Blu-Ray Reader + 8X DVDRW/CDRW Super Multi Combo Drive
- Bigfoot Networks Killer™ Wireless-N 1103 (3x3) (Includes 3rd Antenna)

$2527

I don't plan on getting any SSD since this comp will mostly be used for gaming/movies/streaming. I know it could shorten my download times but to me it's just not worth the added cost for now. Since I plan on using this comp for around 5 years I can always upgrade these later and probably cheaper. =oP

One thing I'd like to know is is there a big difference between using a 16gb 1333mhz ram to that of the 16 gb 1600mhz ram? Since I don't plan on OCing should I just stick with the 1333mhz?

If I don't plan on OCing should I stick with the 3610?

Is there anything else that may be of concern like the 3610 problem?

 

Faster RAM has no real world benefits, save your money and get the slower memory. 3610QM should be fine for most users, unless you do extreme overclocking and benchmarking, stick with the 3610QM.

 

Well gents, I've tried to read many of these pages but load times are a pain overseas. I was just about ready to submit my order for a Sager 9170 and I went back to look at costs between the Alienware vs Sager and the 2 are very closely matched in price. Not after a super fast machine but something stable and productive with some gaming on the side. So a 3610QM, 6gb ram, AMD 7970 and 1202 wireless, 750gb HDD (will install my Crucial M-4 128gb SSD later on) with blu-ray reader would be just fine. The only other change with the Sager would be an increase to 8gb ram but both built close to the same specs. Has anyone done a comparison and can send a link. I'm sure I'll post this and continue my search and all of my questions will be answered.

How difficult is it to take the AW apart for cleaning and upgrading? Keeping the internals clean is a big thing in our area as the dang dust gets pretty bad. If the AW is a nightmare to open up for cleaning and upgrading memory then I need to factor that in. These Q's have probably been asked before but I'm in a hurry to order so my searching hasbeen rather limited. As a matter of fact I just changed my mind tonight to reconsider the AW brand. Rumor has it that reliability has taken a hit since Dell has purchased AW so I kinda side stepped this brand. Any real world inputs are appreciated.

 

I have one simple question. Everyone please try give me a good answer.

120Hz screen vs. 60Hz screen?

I'm deciding between the M17x r4 with 680m / or the M18x r2 with 680m SLI.

Ignoring games like Skyrim and Crysis (which are pretty much single player don't need 100fps for them) ... but games such as CoD which I love, both single and SLI cards can easily top 120, and I would LOOOVE to have a 120Hz screen to match that as it could really give an advantage in competitive fast paced gaming, not to mention bragging rights (i mean literally getting 120 fps on the screen would be awesome and insanely smooth)

If the single 680m can play every game at 60+ fps (even if a couple demanding settings were turned a bit lower) ... That sounds pretty good. And I would be benefiting from a 120Hz screen and 3D Vision 2.

However I don't want to make any stupid decisions. Should I opt for the 680m SLI in the M18x and get full future-proofing and max framerates... but it would still only show 60fps on the 60hz screen, so would it be overkill?

Arrghhh decisions decisions... Please help me out. Screen knowledge 120Hz vs. 60Hz is a large factor /:

EDIT: Also after some research, I hear that having a 120hz screen makes even lower fps feel more smooth.. meaning even if I was running something at like 40fps, it wouldn't feel/look as bad as 40fps on a 60hz screen? Can anyone confirm?

 

Here's a teardown video: http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...-ssd-mem-optical-performance-screenshots.html - easiest laptop I've ever worked on

 

Thanks. This will save me a couple hundred bucks. 8^)

 

Thanks for the link! I need to watch the rest but the first 10 minutes looked like a bit of work but then I've never been inside of one...that I kept anyway.

I know I wouldn't mind owning either one but I should consider more options before pulling the trigger. Gonna drive my vendor nutz but I'm happy with who I'll purchase from.

 

For cleaning it's remove the battery, two screws, and your inside it. A can of compressed air makes further part removal unnecessary if you do it regularly. You might like to pop the fans every so-often but still not a bigggie, damn cat likes to curl up right by the vid card intake

Anyway, I guess you have a weighting on that point now so good luck with prioritising your other important stuff - and haggling

 

I thought i was the only one with that problem!

Definitely easy to take the fans out to clean in this system; more-so than any other I've owned.


Sent from my DROID RAZR MAXX Using Tapatalk 2

 

What are some good cleaning equipment (brands) for an AW laptop?

There's a $195 USD discount going on at the dell online store till the end of July 6th for the AW m17 r4. Does anyone know if re-sellers (XoticPC, HIDevolution, etc.) apply these discounts as well?

 

I'm sure this has been asked before and I think I know the answer but was just wondering if anyone has any insight for me. I ordered the default 6GB of RAM and am planning to buy a 4GB Corsair Vengeance stick to run in dual channel mode with the default 4GB stick. Is there any performance hit at all to leaving the remaining stock 2GB stick running in single channel mode in the other DIMM bank?

 

Heya guys! I just sold my Alienware M18x to my cousin

So I have to say goodbye to my Alienware M18X soon...

...and say hello to a new Alienware M17X R4!

I just want some advice. I don't know if I should go for the 7970M or 680M? I'm kinda leaning towards 7970M because of its price. I mean there's not much of a difference between the two except the Tessellation and 3D that 680M offers and 7970M is wayyyy cheaper.

So I really am leaning towards 7970M, but there is another dilemma. I'm not quite sure if I should pick this :

Alienware M17X 7970M + 17.3 HD Display + 16 GB Ram with ordinary 802.11A/B/G/N Wireless Card + BT Module

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Alienware-M1...item4d02c49cbc

or

Alienware M17X 7970M + 17.3 HD Display + 8 GB Ram with Killer Wireless.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Alienware-M1...item4ab969215f

I need your help guys! Thanks in advance!

 

I would advise you against going for 7970m, considering how much driver problem people are having. For example, have a look at this thread:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-m18x/668349-680m-out-38.html

Even if GTX 680M and 7970M were on par in performance, I would go for GTX 680M to save myself any possible troubles in the future. That is the reason why I went for nvidia - they have excellent driver support.

 

Unless you absolutely have to have bluetooth, go for the Killer Wireless. The stock cards they're putting in these things ain't worth the silica they use to make 'em.

 

I'm pretty sure the killer wireless also has bluetooth. I would get it and upgrade the memory yourself if needed.

 

I would imagine this to be the reason Samsung is holding of on their 7970M gamer 7.

 

Dont go for the 680m - thats just my opinion, I had the chance to re order with a 680m and decided not to. I'll list some of my reasons - see if they make sence to you.

1. 7970m Runs Max Payne, Battlefield 3, Metro 2033 and some other games better than GTX 680m with very noticiable differences - and the games that 680m runs better simply make no difference when frames are 100fps vs 150fps (phisically impossible to notice)

2. Obviously Price, I simply can't wrap my head around paying 350$ dollars more for something I simply wont need or notice. I dont need 3D & 7970m runs PhysX just fine from what i've seen in metro and batman.

3. 7970m still have ty drivers that will be updated and improve its performance

4. 7970m can be easily overvolted allowing much higher overclocks as 680m cannot be overvolted.

680m seems to be a pointless waste of 350$ to me - I'd rather spend that on some big SSD or two which would make a night and day difference in performance. All in all why pay 350$ to lose performance?

 

Another memory question. If I order with 8gb (2dimms) will the Memory be installed under the keyboard or under the back panel? I watched the tear down video someone posted on here I wouldn't trust myself getting to the memory under the keyboard! Thanks

 

Thanks for the reply guys. I will still look into it. From decided, back to undecided. nVidia will cost me a hefty sum of money but it will probably guarantee me more than the 7970m but if i paid for the 7970m just as StZu said, they will probably update the drivers and all will be fixed. Plus i get to save more money. DAMN this is tough!

 

If you don't need 3D, then go for the 7970m. The Killer 1103 does not have bluetooth but the M17x R4 has a separate module for it anyways.

 

Just had a look at mine. Factory 4's are installed under the base cover. So it's a bigger job to DIY more but most seem to say that 8 is plenty for the majority of users

Plus point (for me!) - hibernate worked when I removed the battery to have a look. A first test, since it never worked on my R3

 

Oh by the way, they both have Bluetooth Modules. So what do you guys think? I'm hoping they can fix the 7970m soon enough. From what ive been seeing for the past hour. It is a pretty faulty GPU huh? I hope its not a matter of you get what you paid for.

 

What's faulty about the 7970m?

 

Yeah im thinking 8 would be enough, but I was debating getting the m17x with only 6 to save some money and upgrading to 8 when I received it. But oddly enough found out that identical m17x's on alienware.ca charge $50 more for the system with 6gb compared the system with 8gb .. I dont understand how they price these computers sometimes.

EDIT: This phenomenon only occurs when you choose the different starting points before customizing. Still doesnt make sense though!

 

Really dude really there is nothing wrong with the 7970m with these last drivers that have come out

Sent From My Rooted EVO 3D