Anyone m17x r3 owners advice?

Was going to get an m14x as my primary computer.. second thoughts now after coming to this forum and reading about the screen quality and power/performance of the system.

Need something somewhat portable, honestly, I'm strong so it really doesn't matter, I can handle those m15x's easily just an FYI.

I was looking at the m15x because this new laptop will be my "on-the-go" system for Graduate school, but It's going to be my primary system, so when I get home, I want to be comfortable looking at a descent size screen, I have second thoughts about the 14" since I'm on a 15.6" right now and it even feels somewhat small.

So I looked at the m15x instead of the m14x lately, found alot of nice ones used in great condition with the 460 GPU and i7 CPU. Obviously the i7 is 1st generation but the GPU is dx11 and seems stronger then the m14x which would be a HUGE PLUS and probably would make me buy the m15x over the m14x even though its older cuz Power>Portability for me.

So, since I'm looking at the m15x, I heard the new m17x r3 revision is just the same weight as the old m15x with more fire power. How much bigger is it really??? I know it's the same weight, but obviously it's dimensions must be bigger to acquire the 17" screen.

Is it hard to carry around? Do any students have this m17x r3 here on this forums?? I honestly at times think 17 inch laptops look weird to carry around since technology seems to be trending toward fitting the most powerful package in the smallest size.

Can any r3 owners persuade me or list some good things about it? I about to drop a fair amount of money in the next few days, and I have shifted from the m14x initially, now to the m15x, but since i heard they revised the m17x and the m15x is dead, I'm now shifting to that. But the size scares me and I almost feel like going back to my original idea of the m14x, so I'm confused. I hear alot of contradicting info and since on one around here stocks the alienware, I'm essentially dropping 1k + blind. Even though I have a good idea of how big they are, and the screen size.

Any advice ( I know these topics are somewhat redundant but I'm sure they really do help the alienware newbs decide before they join the AW community) is greatly appreciated.

 

I'm a student and it's not too hard to carry the m17x around. Although with a few 500+ page books, it can get a bit heavy, so I would recommend a backpack instead of a satchel(manpurse).

The Good - 1080p screen, very bright and clear(get the green onions screen protector to preserve life).
Variety of usable cards, such as the 6870, 460m, 6970, 6990/580m(lowest to best)
Four sets of lighting just on the keyboard and numpad
Nvidia cards have CUDA processors so you can run any programs they support if you need them.
3D Support w/ the Nvidia cards.

The Bad- Optimus system kind of sucks. I was forced to use a modified bios to unlock settings to disable integrated display and run solely off the nvidia gpu(only w/ the 460m)
The 460m card is riddled with problems and bad support from dell.
AMD releases ALOT of drivers, so you'll need to install/remove/install alot.
Plastic material, though its a good build quality. Kind of would have preferred anodized aluminum so I could use the laptop as a weapon in emergencies.

Note
Optimus is only on the Nvidia cards, so don't worry about this on the AMD cards(6870 6970 6990)

A few recommendations.

Don't go for the 3D unless your seriously wanting it. It's somewhat ok, but not necessary for a student.
Avoid the Nvidia 460m card. At all costs. I repeat. AT ALL COSTS
When configuring the Ram and hard drive, always get the cheapest one possible. You can always buy better ones w/ higher frequency and storage for much cheaper than Dell offers on their site.

That's what I can say off the bat personally. Many people usually return their 460m and go for the 6970 or higher if they have the money to spend.

Just remember this is my personal opinion. I'd recommend you wait 24 hours for other people to correct me, or add their reasons to make you join the m17x club
But M17x > M15x. Good luck and happy buying.

 

Does the m17x r3 even fit in those laptop backpacks from like Targus?

I see the m17x r3 with gtx460m on ebay.... is it really that bad? The ones with the 480m or ati 6970 are fooking expensive, even second hand...OUCH...I can def go 1500$ maybe alittle more, so second hand is my best bet or dell outlet, but I don't even see the m17x r3 in dell outlet

 

Get an M18x.

Lol but in all seriousness, the M17x R3 is a pretty hefty laptop. I have an R2, so wait for the advice from an R3 owner, but the R2 is a pretty large and hefty laptop. The M17x R3 is a bit smaller and lighter, but nonetheless, when you get it, you will be impressed by it's size. I've owned 2 other 17" gaming laptops - a Gateway FX, and an Asus G71gx and the R2 dwarfs both of them, but the R3 is a tad smaller.

Having said that I carry around my R2 everywhere. I take it to all my classes no problem. People who complain about carrying around 12lb laptops in my opinion are spoiled - and I'm not a big person - 5'10" 125lb.

But keep this in mind. The M14x is really low on performance compared to the M17x R3. If you get the M14x, there is a high chance you might be disappointed in the performance, but if you got an R3, you wouldn't have any complaints at all esp if you got the 6990 or GTX 580.

 

As for carrying bags, I use this.

JanSport - Product Detail for BIG STUDENT

I have it in black though. It fits My M17x R2, the other laptop in my sig, and several schoolbooks and binders with ease.

 

I would wait 24 hours just so everyone on the forums can throw in their opinions. I'm still a novice when it comes to the alienware forums.

Though everyone gives extremely high praise to the RGB led screens. So I would look into this ebay post.

Dell Alienware m17x r2 Core i7-920xm 1200p Crossfire | eBay

Dell from what I understand, apparently stopped providing the 4870 cards, so you can probably complain about card failure, and get 5870's as replacements.

 

I was in the same boat as you m14 or m17? I just bought and recieved my m17x yesterday and have 0 regrets. It is heavy...around 10 lbs but to me its not that thick or heavy. I got the 1080p screen, and if you update anything, update that! Its gorgeous.

Also, if you want something a little more "future proof" as much as a laptop can be I would opt for the m17, I believe it is easier to upgrade and is more compatible. I think m14 can only have max 16gb of ram while the m17x can have 32gb of ram.

I too am a first time alienware owner and am a noob when it comes to the more technical side of things. Though Starcraft 2 runs on max settings with no problem for me. I have the i7 2720qm and the amd 6970m with 8 gb of ram.

Good luck!

 

Fudge, I was hoping more people would complain or give neg. feedback on the m17x r3.

Now I'm uber confused and probably will end up getting the m15x or m17x r3.

I don't see the r2 as an option because if I am to get the m17x r3, which is already big, then I need the r3 to counter it and hopefully get it a bit smaller.

Xpsninja how much was yours?

Does anyone see the m17x on the dell outlet? I only see the m17x and m17x r2 or is the m17x supposed to signify the m17x r3?

OK, so while we are still talking about the 17x.....

....What would you guys think about picking up an m15x with i7 9XX series and gtx460m??

 

No to 460m.

alot of the outlet computer seem to be the R1 w/ dual nvidia 280-285's
You can usually tell by the processors.
R1- Quad Cores and dual nvidia cards, 280-285's)
R2- 700-940 q/qm/xm processors
R3 - Sandy Bridge processors, such as the 2820qm with the 2920QM as the highest.

So make sure its R2, if your looking into the outlet.
If you'd like, stick with the m15x, and I would recommend you ask Widezu69 if he can help with shoving in a 6970 into ur m15x.

 

No, no, no. I don't want the R2. I was considering the m14x only because I'm in college.

So for me to EVEN consider the M17x, it has to be the revised R3 model that is 9lbs. The R2 is totally out of the question. Not doubting that it's a kickass machine, but 9lbs to carry around school, because I will take it EVERYDAY, at 17" is going to be the max limit. I know I can do it, but 11lbs just seems absurd.

I don't even see the m17x r3 in the dell outlet which is dissapointing, but I will check ebay again, but the majority on ebay are the i7 2630 with gtx460m,which everyone has just pretty much raped with bad reviews.....

and those are 1599$ machines second hand, hahah. The higher model is going to push 2k even second hand. I could do it though........ Still wondering whether the m14x or m15x would be the better option..
....

I mean, technically, the m14x is logically not as powerful, but it only has to push a 1600x900 screen, so it should be able to play most new games on High from what I've seen.

I could be totally content with that.... Not like I need 1920x1080 with maxed out Antialiasing settings..... I would sacrifice those 3" for portability.


I JUST NEED to be able to play the newest games on the NATIVE RES (1600x900 or 1920x1080 so be it) on HIGH atleast. No need to max out antialiasing or smoke etc.. just need to atleast play on HIGH or ULTRA settings.

 

I love my M17x r3 so far, the only thing i would change currently is my screen res, and get a 580m, 6990m, or even a 6970m. The auto switching has all kinds of problems, and if i had the money to spend on a new graphics card I'd buy one. It plays all my games current games fine, (Medal of Honor, COD: Blackops, Shogun 2, Dragon Age 2 ect) but im worried about newer games comeing out such as ME3, Skyrim, and BF3. just my two cents on my m17x

 

Try this to save some money.
http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware/456885-aw-dell-ordering-advice-how-save.html

 

I originally bought the m14x for school as my primary computer but sold it and purchased the m17x r3. My last system setup was the m15x which was perfect minus the horrible battery life and no way to switch the GPU off.

Between the m15x and m17x r3 weight is similar. The m17x feels much longer than the m15x but thinner (I had a 9 cell battery). No way would I get the m15x for school just for the battery condition alone.

The laptop is larger. Put it up next to a 13in macbook or the Sony S series and its considerably larger. For me I need the 1080p which can really only be had on a Sony Z which cost more than my m17x r3. Over time I became custom to the m17x r3 size.

It stands out in a classroom setting but I feel the m14x would also. Alienware's are rare at my college so having one stands out. My m17x r3 fits perfect in my Swiss Army backpack. No need to carry around the charger as the system will get 4+ hours of battery life. If you get the m17x the lowest card I would get is the 6970M.

Check the outlet multiple times throughout the day as systems come and go often.

My suggestion to anyone not use to a large laptop is finding one in a store and checking the size and weight. Most wont touch a system of this size for college. For me it works as a all in one system.

 

I also would recommend the R3 unit. It may not seem so on paper, but it is dramatically lighter than the R2.

If you check the Market on this forum, there are currently 3 M17x's for around the $1500 figure. Take a look, just make sure you avoid the 460m

 

I guess the only complaint I have is that the fans are a bit loud when playing SC2 on max settings...but thats to be expected and you can't really complain about that, haha.

 

Wow guys, thanks so much for your help. You don't understand how much I appreciate it.

Well, yeah the Alienwares do stand out, but in my opinion it's a "good" standing out.

I know I picked up the G73 ASUS at best buy and it freaking huge. Couldn't imagine taking that to school.

Let me check the outlet again and check the market...

thx again

 

R3 is surprisingly thin for it's size. What makes it "hard" to transport is that the thing is built solid like a rock -- 9 pounds!

 

Coming from the R1 and the R2, I can say that M17X-R3 is easily the most portable in the M17X series.
I also do gameplay vids and benchmarks (see sig) in case you're curious about the performance.

Since you can handle the M15X weight and you intend to game on it then I would suggest the M17X-R3.

My only complaint at the moment is the lack of dual cards.
(My previous complaints are the lack of RGBLED, reduced screen resolution and loss of tank-like chassis - but easily forgotten after a month on the R3)

 

One piece of advice on ordering a M17x r3 :

STAY AWAY WITH 900P SCREEN.

it's not really about res, this 900p not only have a very low viewing angle, but also have a very bad color display ( even worse than my 3-year old $700 laptop)

 

I've recently gone from a M15x to a M17x-r3 and the improvement in huge. Battery life is amazing, size and weight difference is negligible and performance is better than my desktop! I have a Targus Voyager bag in which the M15x was a little loose and the M17x fits perfectly.

 

i have an m18x right now with 6970m crosfire, had a 3d m17x r3. Miss how light the M17x is in comparison, also really miss my 3d, which I personally enjoyed for movies and games (batman was amazing in 3d). Don't miss the 460M. Also don't miss the soft touch exterior which started to peel/fade within a month along the edges. I'm actually still debating selling my M18x and getting the M17x with the 580M and 3D again. Its a tough call for me, depends how much you like 3d and again, the 2 or 3 lbs or so really do make a difference, but the aluminum is a lot more durable that the soft touch....