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    M17x "All Powerful" General Information Thread

    Discussion in 'Alienware 17 and M17x' started by ryujin, Jun 4, 2009.

  1. sleey0

    sleey0 R.I.P. AW Side Topics

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    The spec list downloaded from dell's website says 2.5 hours on IGP. Oh, FWIW, of course :)
     
    sleey0, Jun 11, 2009
    #51
  2. The_Moo™

    The_Moo™ Here we go again.....

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    Sleey0 beat me to it ...... it does say on the spec sheet 2.5 hours so imma say 2 hours .....ill buy another battery in the end and get 4 hours whoooo
     
    The_Moo™, Jun 11, 2009
    #52
  3. Levenly

    Levenly Grappling Deity

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    i do see that the batteries are 9 cell. i wonder why they didn't opt for a larger one, but hell, 2 hours is much better than my 50 minutes!

    one of my family members offered to purchase my m9750... so i'm looking into getting the M17x. :D :D
     
    Levenly, Jun 11, 2009
    #53
  4. The_Moo™

    The_Moo™ Here we go again.....

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    nice levenly i need your help for some one

    check out notebook guides for dummys you will see what im talking about.


    about the battery ... the Clevo M98NU will offfer intergrated graphics as well the same chip 9400m g1
    but it will only have a 8 cell battery (10 mins lol )
     
    The_Moo™, Jun 11, 2009
    #54
  5. Rob41

    Rob41 Team Pirate Control

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    Yeah two hours is a great improvement.

    Wouldn't make a difference to me but that nice small AC adapter is a big plus.
     
    Rob41, Jun 11, 2009
    #55
  6. The_Moo™

    The_Moo™ Here we go again.....

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    turns out the Clevo has a full 12 cell.....Kobalt has it listed wrong
     
    The_Moo™, Jun 11, 2009
    #56
  7. aneroid

    aneroid Notebook Evangelist

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    my opinion on the battery life and gaming laptops: it's not so much a battery as it is a UPS :) (think I read that somewhere.)
    "finish playing that insanely tough level you can't save in, and then save. you have 50 mins starting when the power went out."

    good to know that you have 2-2.5 hrs running on integrated graphics. 1 hr on dual graphics cards without any power setting changes would be awesome but not a necessity, requirement or consideration :)
     
    aneroid, Jun 12, 2009
    #57
  8. Levenly

    Levenly Grappling Deity

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    well occasionally i like to take my notebook around my house for casual work or browsing for a bit. the extra life would be spectacular in my opinion (one thing i like about the m15x). since the most i can do is turn off SLI and pray that i can somehow manage a steady 50 minutes rather than getting my 900 degree power brick out and setting it on my table only to catch my house on fire, i'd say some battery life would be nice!
     
    Levenly, Jun 12, 2009
    #58
  9. ViciousXUSMC

    ViciousXUSMC Master Viking NBR Reviewer

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    Few questions,

    1.) Since this is a Delllienware computer does that mean a lot of the Dell coupons will work?

    2.) Since this is again a Dellienware does that mean you may find it in a retail store like Best Buy? (because I want to see/feel it in person)

    > I think its sad that with 18.4" of space both the Sager 9850 and Asus W90 failed to give us a real true full sized keyboard, but Dellienware did it on a 17" model. The M17X looks thinner than the Sager too, but that has me concerned about cooling.
     
    ViciousXUSMC, Jun 13, 2009
    #59
  10. Morgotth

    Morgotth Notebook Evangelist

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    The cooling system looks great for the M17x, 3 fans, plus all of that ventilation, I would not worry about the cooling system for the M17x.
     
    Morgotth, Jun 13, 2009
    #60
  11. Phinagle

    Phinagle Notebook Prophet

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    Have you seen the pics of the bottom of this thing?

    You should also check out the service manual to see how the insides are designed. Each GPU is located on opposite ends of the laptop with their own heatpipes and fans.


    As for Questions 1 & 2:

    -Dell Coupons are already popping up in Europe for the M17x and there's a $15 off coupon usable in the U.S.

    -Alienware was starting to show up in some retail stores before the M17x came out.
     
    Phinagle, Jun 13, 2009
    #61
  12. whizzo

    whizzo Notebook Prophet

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    1) Yes. In fact, you can order the M17x from the Dell website, so theoretically, all the Dell coupons should work just fine.

    2) Yes. The M17x has popped up in Dell stores/outlets/kiosks, and assuming AW continues the relationship with Best Buy, should be available there as well.

    3) the M17x should cool just fine - the whole bottom is basically just vents, along with the entire back and some more vents on the sides and the front. also, the airflow design should be compatible with all major laptop coolers - Zalman NC200, NZXT Cryo LX, etc.
     
    whizzo, Jun 14, 2009
    #62
  13. BuckeyeMan001

    BuckeyeMan001 Notebook Enthusiast

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    hey i have a question... i was reading some things and i have my m17x configured with dual gtx 260's in sli. so when the computer is on i can switch between an integrated 9400 and the sli cards freely??? what program would you use to do this?
     
    BuckeyeMan001, Jun 14, 2009
    #63
  14. ryujin

    ryujin 2B or not 2B

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    the program you speak of is integrated in the programming.
    fn+f7 (or some such combo) will allow you too switch.
    i do not have dual cards, but from those that have them, i have never heard they could not switch from sli(xfire) to internal and vice verse.
     
    ryujin, Jun 14, 2009
    #64
  15. BuckeyeMan001

    BuckeyeMan001 Notebook Enthusiast

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    oh ok cool :) so when switching to the integrated graphics instead of the dual cards does anyone know what card it will be running? the preview on the first part of this thread said a nvidia 9400 or something but im not sure?
     
    BuckeyeMan001, Jun 14, 2009
    #65
  16. ryujin

    ryujin 2B or not 2B

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    thats what the specs sheets say for internal.
     
    ryujin, Jun 14, 2009
    #66
  17. TurbodTalon

    TurbodTalon Notebook Virtuoso

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    So it appears that Alienware learned from all of the mistakes of the M17 as far as cooling goes. I thought that one fan for both GPU's was a bad idea the first time I opened it up. Since heat issues are keeping M17 owners from any kind of GPU upgrade, that sucks.
     
    TurbodTalon, Jun 14, 2009
    #67
  18. DHC

    DHC Notebook Evangelist

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    Okay i am now seriously gonna consider an M17x eventhough i dont even got my M17 for over half a year.

    How much is the difference (gain) of Dual 1 GB GDDR3 NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280M over Dual 3870's CrossFire? Anyone know a percentage or maybe a link to a sheet? Would appreciate it.

    Cheerios


    (ps theres -10% off coupons for EU that work fine on the dell site...suddenly an M17x is very interesting considering it turns out cheaper then my M17 but better specs this way...damn)
     
    DHC, Jun 15, 2009
    #68
  19. Rob41

    Rob41 Team Pirate Control

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    With any combination of Nvidia graphics cards you can switch to integrated graphic on the fly. If ATI cards are installed you'll have to restart the laptop to switch between AIT cards and the integrated Nvidia GPU.
     
    Rob41, Jun 15, 2009
    #69
  20. Ennea

    Ennea wwwwww

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    Sorry if this has been asked already (search function off?) but how big is the difference between dual GTX 260's, 280's and the single 280?
     
    Ennea, Jun 15, 2009
    #70
  21. anothergeek

    anothergeek Equivocally Nerdy

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    Sli 260M will be significantly faster than single 260M, up to ~90% for vantage, maybe up to 50% for gaming depending on resolution and cpu (you will need a faster cpu to drive sli 260M harder).

    Sli 280M will only be ~10% faster than sli 260M.

    Now for my question: Do we know if the M17x uses heatsink piping or does it have a cooling system like the Clevo D900's and M980? (The fan rests directly on top of the GPU)
     
    anothergeek, Jun 15, 2009
    #71
  22. Ennea

    Ennea wwwwww

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    Not to be skeptical but do you have a source on that? Also since you brought it up, which of the processors are the most cost efficient and/or will not bottleneck the SLi 260Ms or 280Ms?
     
    Ennea, Jun 15, 2009
    #72
  23. Phinagle

    Phinagle Notebook Prophet

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    It uses piping but the heatsinks and fans are located directly on each GPU.

    You can see pics of the GPU heatsinks in the Maintenance Manual. There's a link to the PDF on the first page of the thread.
     
    Phinagle, Jun 15, 2009
    #73
  24. Phinagle

    Phinagle Notebook Prophet

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    I think right now only the single cards have been put through the ringers and benchmarked enough to know their performance. The SLi systems haven't gotten into "narcissistic" hands yet so we don't know their potential.

    As for which CPU the T9600 is commonly recommended as the best bang for the buck CPU and should be fast enough for either SLi combo.
     
    Phinagle, Jun 15, 2009
    #74
  25. TallCoolOne

    TallCoolOne Notebook Consultant

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    I agree on that, such a minor upgrade for a couple hundred bucks more to the next upgrade.
     
    TallCoolOne, Jun 15, 2009
    #75
  26. aneroid

    aneroid Notebook Evangelist

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    didn't find a guide for overclocking. i know i read one (here) but can't seem to find it now. maybe should be added to the general info or guides sticky, first post.
     
    aneroid, Jun 16, 2009
    #76
  27. ryujin

    ryujin 2B or not 2B

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    aneroid:
    as the guides come out for the M17x, i will add them to the first post.
     
    ryujin, Jun 16, 2009
    #77
  28. The_Moo™

    The_Moo™ Here we go again.....

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    overclocking will be allowed on Extreme cpu but not non extreme so that will have to be done with SetFSB
     
    The_Moo™, Jun 16, 2009
    #78
  29. Rob41

    Rob41 Team Pirate Control

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    What about the PLL's for this new model?
     
    Rob41, Jun 16, 2009
    #79
  30. The_Moo™

    The_Moo™ Here we go again.....

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    no word on them yet

    if its not discovered by the time i get mine it soon will :cool:

    its on the MOBO some where it could be any where but its usually around the chipset or GPU/cpu
     
    The_Moo™, Jun 16, 2009
    #80
  31. Rob41

    Rob41 Team Pirate Control

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    It should be interesting to try different combinations of bios OC and Setfsb.
     
    Rob41, Jun 16, 2009
    #81
  32. The_Moo™

    The_Moo™ Here we go again.....

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    not for me :( only setFSB


    [​IMG]

    how the GPU's are cooled
     
    The_Moo™, Jun 17, 2009
    #82
  33. Marvie100

    Marvie100 On a Mission

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    Anyone else getting confused between Area-51 m17x Posts and Dell/Alienware M17x "Alll Powerful" posts? Whose brilliant idea was it to name the new laptop the same as the old one anyway?
     
    Marvie100, Jun 17, 2009
    #83
  34. ryujin

    ryujin 2B or not 2B

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    unless someone types it wrong (which will and prob has happened) the biggest giveaway is this:

    M17x = new unit from AW/dell

    m17x = old unit from AW

    again - should be an indication for the most part.
     
    ryujin, Jun 17, 2009
    #84
  35. frankencowx

    frankencowx Notebook Enthusiast

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    so would there be a noticeable difference between dual 260m sli vs dual 280m sli? double the price double the performance? or is it marginal? thinking about purchasing one. any info would be appreciated, thanks.
     
    frankencowx, Jun 17, 2009
    #85
  36. sleey0

    sleey0 R.I.P. AW Side Topics

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    Double the bragging rights, marginally better :)
     
    sleey0, Jun 17, 2009
    #86
  37. ryujin

    ryujin 2B or not 2B

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    updated primary post with post-delivery reviews....
     
    ryujin, Jun 18, 2009
    #87
  38. Inkjammer

    Inkjammer Notebook Deity

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    If you order only one hard drive the M17x "All Powerful" does not come with a second sleeve, screws or SATA Adapter for mounting a second hard drive. To get the sleeve, screws and adapters:

    1) Call 1-800-254-3692 (Alienware Support)
    2) Go through the prompts and get to Technical Support. /BE VERY SPECIFIC/ that you ordered the "new Dell Alienware M17x" laptop and that you need a drive cage and mounting kit for it. Give them the 7 character service tag and ask to be transferred to the reps who handle these laptops.
    NOTE: Again, you must be specific that you have a "Dell Alienware M17x" as most reps are confusing the new M17x for the old m17x (and this will cause you many headaches. Trust me, I speak from experience.).
    3) You'll be transferred to the Dell Alienware M17x support (different than standard Alienware support). Tell them your story, give them the 7 character service tag again. They may try to say you can only get one with purchase of a new hard drive, but explain that you were not informed you /wouldn't/ get one or (in my case) the Dell rep told me I'd get it included

    They ordered one for me. Took several hours to get this straightened out, but in the end Adrian and Nestor from Alienware support were able to get me squared away.

    This laptop is sold through www.dell.com but is NOT supported by Dell or their techs. It's still supported by Alienware. There is much confusion on this aspect. Again, "Alienware m17x" is COMPLETELY different than the "Dell Alienware M17x". You have to be specific.
     
    Inkjammer, Jun 18, 2009
    #88
  39. The_Moo™

    The_Moo™ Here we go again.....

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    funny but informative thank you very much
     
    The_Moo™, Jun 18, 2009
    #89
  40. Nathrezin

    Nathrezin Notebook Consultant

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    iv seen a few threads of people asking questions that are answered in other threads, but they just didnt want to go look through these threads.

    Well, here are some threads that contain info, pics and reviews, to make them easier to find and get to.

    http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=387342

    http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=385557


    Videos:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWQokIxZQRg

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6Tr9k94uQ8

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_GJM9augek

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CM7rRnbpbY

    http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=391226

    http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=386837

    http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=391325

    http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=391283



    M17x: http://www.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/laptop-alienware-m17x?c=us&l=en&s=dhs
     
    Nathrezin, Jun 19, 2009
    #90
  41. Nathrezin

    Nathrezin Notebook Consultant

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    Nathrezin, Jun 19, 2009
    #91
  42. nexuscom

    nexuscom Notebook Consultant

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    nexuscom, Jun 19, 2009
    #92
  43. The_Moo™

    The_Moo™ Here we go again.....

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    yes it is i will ask a mod to please move
     
    The_Moo™, Jun 19, 2009
    #93
  44. ryujin

    ryujin 2B or not 2B

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    i have all those in the initial post, but the LCD one and the youtubes...

    i can not see the youtubes to see if they are worth it or not.

    i am holding off on the LCD one for now until there is more info.
     
    ryujin, Jun 19, 2009
    #94
  45. ryujin

    ryujin 2B or not 2B

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    added the M17x lcd thread as it seems to be an interesting issue now.
     
    ryujin, Jun 19, 2009
    #95
  46. Clauss

    Clauss Notebook Unboxer

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    Clauss, Jun 19, 2009
    #96
  47. ryujin

    ryujin 2B or not 2B

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    gotcha added to the front page Clauss....
    i cant see the vid from the network i am on right now, but hope you get several hits for it....

    and thanks... :)
     
    ryujin, Jun 20, 2009
    #97
  48. Clauss

    Clauss Notebook Unboxer

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    Only 114 so far, but eh. Who knows NBR community is what is important. Since people here actually know what is going on in a laptop.
     
    Clauss, Jun 20, 2009
    #98
  49. Mandrake

    Mandrake Notebook Nobel Laureate NBR Reviewer

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    Mandrake, Jun 20, 2009
    #99
  50. Marvie100

    Marvie100 On a Mission

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    Speaking of which, what is the port on the LHS between the HDMI port and the LAN port? Looks like a wierd shaped USB port.

    And also between the vertical USB Ports and the Optical audio out port, whats that one the eSATA/USB?
     
    Marvie100, Jun 20, 2009
    #100
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