Limited Build Options since Dell took over

I was thinking about moving up from my m15x to a m17x but the dell configurations for the m17x seem so limited.

I just spent 10 minutes chatting with a dell sales rep.. I wanted to know about getting a 128GB SSD and then a 500GB 7200 as my hard drive configuration and also why there was not an option for 4GB Ram.

First he tells me that getting 2 hard drives is not an option, that laptops can only have 1. I then point out to him that if there is a Raid 0 & 1 option then the laptop can take more than 1 hard drive... He then links me a copied and pasted definition of Raid 0, like I am an idiot. Anyways I saved the whole conversation.

But still I love Alienware's cases and builds all except for the extremely limited options...

Have looked at Sager's website and the configuration options are pretty much endless in comparison to AW

Anyone know a good sales rep you can call and talk to about other than website options?

 

Yes, they are currently pretty limited. I wouldn't really sweat too much about hard drive and RAM options. Both are user replaceable. You should just get the lowest/cheapest option on both, and put better stuff in from Newegg, eBay, etc. You're right. The M17x can fit two hard drives. Just get the least expensive options ACCEPT for the GPUs and LCD. I got my 920XM from eBay at less than half the cost of the Alienware website. I also bought better HDDs and RAM and installed them myself.

 

Hey anderj235, it sounds like both our salesmen went to the same sales school and it seems they both failed and so ended up working for Dell, mine was in Australia though. See the thread 'Mixing SSD and SATA Hard Drives' in this forum. I have not heard anything good about a Dell sales rep anywhere on this site. Except that maybe they can wrangle a discount for you when you buy.

I am going to get two 500GB HD's and then break up the RAID and install my own 160 GB SSD after I get my computer.

 

Nope...my sales rep couldn't even wrangle me a bigger discount than what I already got from the EPP(8%)...he actually said he had two options:

1) Give me $100 off(yeah...this one makes a lot of sense compared to next option...NOT!)
2) Give me the EPP discount if I qualified(which technically, I didn't because I didn't work for one of the companies signed up to the EPP anymore, and to prove it, I think they needed an email with the company name in it eg. [email protected]). Was just easier for me to go to the EPP site, login as a telstra employee(just choose telstra for company, didn't even need any other info), and it brought me to a page with EPP coupon codes. I just whacked that into my online order and got the discount that way.

Also, I've had much better success dealing with some UK Dell sales reps(based in India)...when I bought my Inspiron 9300 about 5 years ago, I talked to a guy who managed to get me 600-700 pounds off the retail price on the website. unfortunately, when I bought my m17x this time, I'm based in Oz now, and even though he still works as a sales manager for Dell Europe, he couldn't help me because it was different market.

 

Not sure how this compares to others, but I got mine (see sig) through a sales rep in AUS for AU$4k.

I compared this price to the AU, UK and US retail prices at that time and it was roughly AU$500 cheaper.

Cheers,

M17x-R2 Black | i7-840QM | 8GB-1333MHz DDR3 RAM | ATI Mobility Radeon HD5870 CrossFireX | 17" 1920x1200 RGB LED | 1TB Raid0 7.200rpm HDD | Bluetooth 370 | Intel WiFi 6300 | Windows 7 Ultimate

 

My sales reps name was Muhammed, so I am guessing he was in India, but could have been Pakistan since I am currently deployed to Afghanistan (USAF)... I could tell English was not his first language by the way he typed.

I can get a pretty good discount since I am military, DoD does alot of buisness with Dell and DoD employees are offered some decent discounts.

For some reason though when I go through the DoD area I am given even less options for the M17X, kinda sucks.

I may very well just hold onto my M15X, ordered some AS5 to repaste the GPU and CPU... Going to see if I can get my FPS up over 40 for SC2 with settings set to Ultra (1920x1080) and some minor OC... Currently have a stable 37FPS at those settings no OC..

I got my M15x Nov last year and the 1 year waranty is about to expire. The only change since I built mine on the dell website almost a year ago was that they offer the 840 instead of the 820 I got.

Also getting a new M17X would depend on whether I could sell my M15X here in Afghanistan... but I am sure I could get $1200+ for it here. AAFES Laptop selection is pretty horrible at the BX/PX here.



I can just wait until after warranty expires and then may look into upgrading the GPU on my m15X... Just have to locate a good source for the 5870 mobility... maybe wait until 6 series come out and drop prices for 5 series.

 

Sounds quite similar to the price I got, I got the i7-740QM, 5870 Crossfire, the 17" 1920x1200 RGB Screen, 128gb SSD, 3 year warranty/service, the Orion backpack for about $3.5k after the EPP discount.

 

From DELL Website

Intel® Core™ i5 520M 2.4GHz (2.93GHz Turbo Mode, 3MB Cache)
Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium, 64bit, English
CrossfireX™ 1GB GDDR5 ATI Radeon™ Mobility HD 5870
17-inch WideUXGA 1920 x 1200 RGB LED (1200p)
6GB Memory (1x 2GB, 1x 4GB DDR3)
250GB 7,200RPM SATA-II HDD
Slot-Loading Dual Layer Blu-ray Reader (BR-ROM, DVD+-RW, CD-RW)
Intel® Ultimate N WiFi Link 6300 a/g/n 3x3 MIMO Technology

$2409.00 before shipping

From AAFES(DoD) Dell Website

Intel® Core™ i5 520M 2.4GHz (2.93GHz Turbo Mode, 3MB Cache)
Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium, 64bit, English
1GB GDDR5 ATI Radeon™ Mobility HD 5870 (Only 1)
17-inch WideUXGA 1920 x 1200 RGB LED (1200p)
4GB Dual Channel DDR3 at 1066MHz
250GB 7,200RPM SATA-II HDD
Slot-Loading Dual Layer Blu-ray Reader (BR-ROM, DVD+-RW, CD-RW)
Intel® Ultimate N WiFi Link 6300 a/g/n 3x3 MIMO Technology

$2029.00 Before shipping

I would plan to pick up a 920XM or 940XM to replace the i5 with either build and also plan to get 2x4GB high quality Ram Sticks... Plus a 128/160 SSD and 500GB 7200 HD.

Are there any places other than EBAY that sell Mobile 5870s for the M17X. I cant get to EBAY from the PC I am posting on so I cant even check prices

 

Nice specs and price there chiefs.

Unfortunately no the 5870 is pretty hard to get a hold of. Your best bet is to buy it from dell. Perhaps see if you can ring in and get them to add in the 2nd GPU or something. It will definitely make it easier to get the dual GPUs. Finding them on ebay or anywhere else is gonna be pretty touch atm.

Perhaps in the future when new GPUs come out and everyone is trying to sell their 5870s then there will be an abundance of them on ebay. ATM I don't even think theres even one for sale on there.

Cheers.

 

I was able to get a pretty good deal through the Dell EPP program since I am in the United States Air Force

The wait begins.

Estimated Delivery Date : 10/28/2010
Learn More
Alienware M17x
Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium, 64bit, English
Space Black - Anodized Aluminum
Intel® Core™ i7 940XM Quad Core Processor, 2.13GHz (3.33GHz Turbo Mode, 8M Cache)
4GB Dual Channel Memory (2x 2GB DDR3)
17-inch WideUXGA 1920 x 1200 RGB LED (1200p)
CrossfireX™ 1GB GDDR5 ATI Radeon™ Mobility HD 5870
128GB Solid State Drive
Slot-Loading Dual Layer Blu-ray Reader (BR-ROM, DVD+-RW, CD-RW)
Internal High-Definition 5.1 Surround Sound Audio
Intel® Ultimate N WiFi Link 6300 a/g/n 3x3 MIMO Technology
1 Year Basic Service Plan
Steam and Portal™ Factory Installed
World of Warcraft Preinstall Edition
Internal Wireless Bluetooth® 2.1 with EDR
Thank you for Purchasing Alienware

Dell EPP Members save 10% off select Alienware systems! - $401.30
Subtotal: $3,611.70
Shipping and Handling: $39.00
Shipping Discount: -$39.00
Sales Tax: $0.00
Total Amount: $3,611.70

 

That rep (and 99% of other Dell reps) are completely uninformed about what they are selling and their intellectual limit is precisely what you mentioned - reading and copy/pasting from a webpage.

I would suggest buying some kind of a bare minimum and then later upgrade what can be upgraded. I believe people here have upgraded CPU, RAM, HDD (yes it can fit 2 HDDs; there's a whole giant thread about the caddy part number for the HD). They will rip you off if you take all the upgrades from them, especially SSD.

On their regular (non-epp) website they do have a 4GB option. EPP site always has retarded configurations, like they give you $150 off but then they include McAfee 15 month subscription that ups the price $80, and so on.