M17x-R2 - out with HD5870

Damn I'm jealous. I decided to wait until E3 to see if there is some kind of R2 refresh in the works, with USB3.0 among some other things. I feel left out though seeing all these boxing stages and shipped notices.

 

Lol. It could be worse bro, you could still be stuck with an R1. Save the upgrade money, get an M11x-R2, and let's go hit some Crysis Wars I'm about to do that

 

Yeah, I know what you mean, the gold rush is staining my blood as well, hehe. But hold on, in 8 days we should know a lot more

 

I removed the last few numbers, but you are right.

 

now that i ordered the M17x I'm really excited and want it in my hands like tomorrow

 

Iraq, dude i hope you have a cooling pad for that mother. Man you got screwed, i ordered the same day and supposedly will be getting i on the 18th of next month.

 

I know what you mean. I lost the USB 3.0 when I chose my Alienware over the ENVY17, but there are cheap $30 USB 3.0 dual port express cards out there that can be used in the m17x(Yay for express card slots!). Afterall, the USB 3.0 will only be used by special activities like external HDD backups or such.(But in external HDD back ups, eSata is almost just as fast).

However, if there is anything more drastic in a refresh, it will still be within my 21 day period and I can return my current order and consider the refreshed one...hee.

 

Bummer, I'm not going to have access to a computer during E3. Guess I'll have to stop here when I get a chance to see whats announced.

 

Ordered 05/18/2010, 06/21/2010 estimated ETA.
*sigh*

 

Don't sweat it. Almost everyone's getting some good news about their laptop. You'll be up soon fo sho

 

onto this E3 and seeing what is announced my guess it will either be USB 3.0 or showing off the fact they now have Xfire 5870..if there was something HUGE wouldn't they hype up the laptop even more like they did back in 2009?

Look at the link below..just a thought mind you lol

Alienware has E3 2009 announcement plans

 

if they did not update XFIRE 5870, then they probably have some major announcement. But for now, i doubt it. At least we did not hear any rumors. USB 3.0 or something else are minor change and our speculation only.

 

Something tells me we might see a X7200 competitor from AW, how knows...

 

News from Alienware jp...M17x can now be configured with dual 5870s

 

You guys are late!

 

better than nothing

 

Honestly USB 3.0 isnt really a consideration for gamers. Video editors oh yeah, not gamers. I'm just happy that i'll be cruising my new 5870cf by wednesday according to my rep.

 

Got to look at resale value. Someone will take an equally specced M17x from guy (a) over guy (b) because guy (a)'s M17x has something generally more future proof even though the buyer doesn't have a use for it and even though it's not even main stream yet.

 

I hope so. If AW comes out with a notebook that supports CF, SLI, desktop CPU's, and can power them all and cool them all with no issues, I'll be all over it.

 

Well, AW is gonna be @E3 and since M17X is already here, I don't see why they would bother showing it with some minor upgrades - like USB 3.0. Clevo is showcasing their new beasts 2 weeks before E3, so it looks logical to me that AW will have to answer. Dunno.

 

at E3 it should be the 940 cpu and single 480 card on display.

 

Well they could just be there to showcase the new M11x and a minor M17x revision to allow use of Intel's Arrandale IGP's and USB 3.0. But then again... I hope it's an aluminum clad 17" (preferably) or 18" notebook with desktop Core i7 980X dual CF or SLI GPU's. I really really hope.

 

AW will show off their i3/i5 ULV M11x refresh along with a single card 480M M17x and 5870 XF. I wouldn't count on a desktop CPU in any alienware notebook because it makes no sense to use one. High power consumption, tons of heat and practically zero benefit for gaming. It doesn't fit the alienware business model. In gaming the X7200 will have virtually no advantage over the M17x because ALL gaming notebooks are GPU limited! Even desktops are GPU limited despite the much more powerful video card setups. Computers really haven't been CPU limited for years. As soon as you hit native resolution with some AA, the GPU quickly becomes the bottleneck.

Granted there are a few games (namely some RTS) that benefit from a faster CPU but the gains there are even questionable. Bottom line is the X7200 will be for people that do a lot of multimedia work. For gamers, it would be of no benefit, just added power consumption.

 

This is very true. If you are buying a notebook and gaming is your thing and you are doing very little else when it comes to CPU intensive stuff then no need for the x7200. Of course if you are in to both big time, and just want the most "horse power" and can stay plugged in all the time that's where the x7200 comes in...

 

Developers that need a powerful CPU for compiling things will definitely benefit from the X7200 if they're on the go. I'm guessing that's who the X7200 is primarily targeting. I'm surprised Clevo didn't stick a workstation graphics setup in there to cater to them. I suppose by going the consumer graphics card route, they can price it cheaper and some devs will still choose to use it without the certified drivers. But for people that are gamers (I'd say the majority of AW customers), a desktop CPU based gaming system doesn't make any sense. Personally I have zero interest in the X7200 if it's the same old Clevo design and build (which it will likely be).

 

Moi aussi. Alienware is much more aesthetically pleasing while still providing performance. If I'm gonna stare at something for hours on end, I want it to look good

 

RGB LED, dual graphics, awesome build quality + pleasing aesthetics works for me. Now watch the X7200 come out with some radical new design, metal chasis and LG RGB LED lol.

 

Honestly, I don't think Im ever buying another monitor/laptop without an RGB screen ever again. Everytime I open this thing it blows me away. It's as solid as a rock as well.

 

Any stutter or other issues with the dual 5870s yet

 

I don't believe anyone has received their laptops with the cf5870 yet.

 

Stuttering and latency was associated with Nvidia chipset/GPUs. I doubt it will happen in R2. Its latency is astonishingly low.

 

Out in Australia.

 

Yeah, I got a phone call on Friday advising they were going to be available for order on Monday once the web/their systems were updated. A few others got calls/e-Mails yesterday (Saturday).

Website should be updated overnight to reflect.

 

Yeah, I'm hoping to get a refund of the sort and reorder. But I dont like my chances.

 

If they bring out IGP I shall be returning my AW within the 21 day period..!

 

Hm.. I might be worried when I see the Aus price. My guess is $4k+

 

M17xR2 920XM+CF5870 $4,110.00

And that isn't if they raise the price which they might do..so it could be $4,200.00+

 

They would have to change the chipset to do it. Don't expect that to happen without a full refresh of the system.

 

In order for them to enable the IGP, they would have to switch to the HM55 chipset. If they do this they cannot do crossfire anymore. That is why they are biting the bullet on that one and just disabling the IGP and using the PM55

 

It would've been interesting if Dell made two versions of the M17x. One with a single card + HM55 so that people can use the IGP and the other with our current config.

 

Couple of points to note:

The stuttering and latency issues are associated with the Nvidia chipset. The 280M GPU when associated with an Intel chipset from other makers does not exhibit these issues.

The combination of "Quad core" + Intel chipset + switchable graphics is coming, but not until the 32nm Sandy Bridge implementation which is likely coming between Q4 2010 to Q1 2011. That's a long wait, but if that is something you desire, that's when it's coming. Remember that Alienware didn't refresh the M17x in the Q4 2009 when the I7 first arrived, so expect Alienware to be around the start of 2011 for this changeover.

 

I'm definitely not going to be the guy who keeps waiting for the next new thing and ends up never getting anything. At some point you just have to do it if you want anything.

 

Oh and one more thing for those looking forward to USB 3, the first USB 3 notebook cooling pad. Remember that USB 3 has a more than doubled power delivery to the USB slot (means it drains batteries faster so there is a penalty to consider) which will enable higher powered fans to exist in cooling pads. This one uses dual 140mm fans, which should cool a R3 quite well

Lian Li Industrial Co., Ltd.

 

R3?

 

The USB 3.0 spec just gives more current. The voltage is what is limiting fans right now

And quad plus intel chipset plus switchable IGP is not nearly as exciting as switchable and crossfire

 

I meant quad + switchable WITH Crossfire when I said what was coming and when. Right now, even if you got switchable from Intel with a discrete chipset, you'd have to go dual core...

Partially correct - but if you have more current, you can do voltage conversion.

 

hahhahaha
who looks for Battery life
when buying a desktop replacment

So USB 3.0 is good to have cos it does transfer files fastter
& thats all we use it for

 

There we go... Australia finally gets it!!!!!
Its quite unbelievable that 5870CF upgrade is cheaper than the 4870CF...
Anyways...who cares about the 4870s anymore...
Been waiting for this day.....!

 

Indeed, I found this very strange. But interesting at same time.

 

the same as dell malaysia ! unbelievable !