*NEW* M17xR3 Available for order... details and discussion here

Well, because of the M17xR3, I actually started to consider Alienware.

I mean, it was the first Alienware that actually had a good default GPU - 6870, and started at $1500.

And I also doubt that the 485 would only cost $50 more than the 6870.

 

I think that's just an error, on the U.S. website they have 1866MHz ram is available, which is not true.

Anyway the 3D screen is back up on dell's config page.

 

I would pull the trigger if either the 485M or the 6970M was an option but if Dell believes that the high-end gamer will go with the 460M or 6870M than they are fools.

 

I just thought of something. It seems Dell won't let you configure the 3D screen option without an Nvidia video card therefore, they may have intentionally delayed the 6970M as to increase the sale of the 3D screen because otherwise people would want the 6970M over the 3D screen which might be more of a cash cow than the graphic card.

Now if they offered the 485M than all these issues would be resolved. People could get the Nvidia option, one of the fastest card right now and the 3D screen.

 

I agree, i would probably buy one right now if a 485M was available, I can't see myself enjoying 3D with a 460M because of the lag.

 

LOL, thank Joebarchuck. I've owned a few high end gaming rigs in the last year or two and ordered one of these for myself. I'm starting to realize that you don't have to run games at 200 fps to be a "high-end gamer". The R3 may not be a "gamer's pipe dream" for everybody right now, especially for the guys with the maxxed out R2's but it will be a very potent rig especially once we start seeing things like the 6970, Extreme SB, etc. The R2 is an awesome rig but unfortunately as many have already said it's probably seen the end of it's upgrade cycles now that SB is out and a lot of the high end GPU's are taking more power from each MXM slot than the R2 can provide. All I'm saying is the R2 has it's ideal market, the R3 has it's ideal market. I don't understand why there's been so much bashing on the R3 in here, so the R3 isn't you ideal rig? Then move on.

 

If Dell Offered a 485M and the RGB LED R3 I would buy it in a heart beat

 

Wonder if a 485M from a clevo etc would work in the R3, and the RGB LED screen from a R2

Considering the base price is so low on the R3 might be a worth while investment

 

Possible, will take someone with some courage and extra funds to test it. Odds are ALOT better for using Clevo GPUs in a single gpu config vs crossfire/SLI

 

i made a thread about it, im sure you can search it out, it was basically a fail, while the 460m maintain a slightly higher min FPS it didn't even come close to the max, and in synthetics it was a total fail VS the 5870. This is just like the initial 5870 fail Dell rolled out in the R2s. Hope they wise up and make some better specs avail, because the R3 isn't really appealing at all i wouldn't bother buying one, there is no upgrade here at all. what a letdown.

 

I didn't see any picture of the bottom so I share it if some people interested...

 

you think they did not included 485m because of heat or because they did not feel the price of the 485m went with there target market?

 

Same here. If I order, it'll likely be around March 10th. And I'll be damned disappointed if I can't get it with a 6970M GPU. A 460M would certainly be a considerable boost over what I've got now; but I definitely fear it wouldn't be enough to run in the same detail levels at 1080p res, let alone in 3D too. I'd also feel really let down if they released the 6970M for it after I bought it.

Same here. I love the soft touch on my M17. It's also less of a fingerprint magnet.

The 2620QM will outperform (or at least match) your 920XM. So yes, the 2820QM will definitely outperform it.

My personal theory is that ATi's 3D solution might not be ready for the market yet, that would be a good reason to hold them back. But still, why would they offer the 6870M?

At the same time I can't really see them holding it back purely to try and sell more 3D screens. It might be true, but they're touting it as a 3D gaming laptop; I doubt anyone would buy it with a 6970M without the 3D screen for cost reasons at least, maybe enthusiasts that don't care about 3D but then they wouldn't be buying the 3D screens no matter what graphics card is in there.

I wish they did offer a 485M. That would satisfy me perfectly.

 

Thanks,i think that scratches out the possibility of having SLi/CF in the R3. hehe

 

Uh, I would. 3d holds no interest for me, but a 6970 does, just as a 485 does.

 

Yep, that's confirmed. R3 will not have an SLI or Crossfire config which is fine with me if an M18X comes down the road.

 

So I'm wondering, is the upgrade from 2720 i7 to 2820 i7 really even worth it? And is the hdmi really input and output?

 

I'm sticking to 2720, 2820 doesnt seems to worth it.


Guys, tried already 3 different sales rep and none gave me any discounts on m17x R3, is it normal? All of them says its a brand new machine and they can't get any discounts...


And, which graphic card should I get, gtx460m or 6870m? Looks like 6870m is faster and cheaper, is it?

 

I think you misread.

I said that few people would buy a 6970M without 3D screen due to cost reasons. If they do it because they hold no interest in 3D, that's a different matter entirely.

I was saying that in reply to the suggested theory that Dell's holding back the 6970Ms to sell more 3D screens.

The upgrade's worth it if you'll use the extra CPU power. For most people? Probably not.

The HDMI is supposedly input/output.

We don't have benchmarks for the two GPUs in this machine yet so we can't say for sure. But if the 6870M is the successor to the 5870M, then yes it's cheaper and faster.

However, if like in the desktop series (most likely) the 6870M is actually a weaker card, and the 6970M is the actual successor to the 5870M, then the 6870M might not be as powerful.

 

Ah okay... Cause I'm going to be doing a decent amount of gaming, and even more 3D Modelling (3dsmax) /photoshop. And I'm keepin my fingers crossed its input output lol. But I'm sure most of what I'll be doing is more GPU intensive so heres hoping the 460M is either upgradeable or good enough to last a while lol

 

It is confirmed the HDMI is input/ouput. There is no questions about that.

 

Awesome. Now I'm excited lol.

 

Well the cost of acquisition is just a valid a reason why someone wouldn't be interested in it, especially with doubtful results.

It's more likely they just don't have the supply of 6970s.

 

That's the most plausible reason. One of my own theories is also that ATi's 3D technology might not be ready yet, but that wouldn't be a reason to hold back the 6970M.

I hope they have the 6970s in 2 months time. (Because that's around the time I'll probably order, if I decide to go ahead)

 

I just pulled the trigger on the new M17x-R3. I've been lurking around these threads ever since my xps 1530 died on me. I know a lot of you guys are disappointed by the specs of the R3, but for me, 1 GPU is better than 0 GPU.. I am currently using my 10 year old desktop with Windows ME lol ^^ I will still be looking forward to the M18x when it does come out. But I am super excited about finally able to own an alienware =p

ps: I shall run TRY (Im a super noob) to run a bunch of benchmarks to help answer some of the questions on NBR.

 

What config did you purchase?

 

Congrats on your new purchase and welcome to Alienware...hope you enjoy it and post up some figures so we can all check 'em out!

 

so how will a single 460 GPU R3 option compare to my SLI 280m cards in my R1 ?

 

nice congrats on the purchase. keep us posted on the results.

 

Crikey! - the underside of that thing is flat as a pancake and only 2 fans....guess that really does scupper ANY chance of sli/crossfire.....good findings by that poster...

Also, and its just from an aesthetics point of view, (i also know ya dont look at it that much either) BUT....man, the underside of my R2 looks positively gorgeous....the underside of the R3 looks just like a plastic run of the mill lappy you can get for a couple of hundred $$$ or £££... - when you flip an R2 over, you KNOW it means business if ya get me! lol

 

LOL, Dave do you really have to ask that question? In anything that has SLi support your 280's should still have a decent margin If it doesn't have SLi support it might be a closer battle though. Unless the 460m has an enormous overclock headroom on it there's no question.

I'd also like to know what config you bought, it would be nice to see a 6870 on here as well. I snagged the 460m and as soon as I get it I'll run it through a few tests

 

Indeed, this is definitely something I'm waiting on.

 

The 280m SLI should beat a single GTX 460m

 

I'd also like to know what config you bought, it would be nice to see a 6870 on here as well. I snagged the 460m and as soon as I get it I'll run it through a few tests [/QUOTE]

Here is my specs for my system, I didn't really upgrade much being a poor college student who eats ramen everyday =) But here are the specs:

225-0536 1 Alienware M17x Soft-Touch, Stealth Black
317-6602 1 Intel Core i7 2630QM 2.0GHz (2.8GHz Turbo Mode, 6MB Cache)
317-6116 1 MOD,DIMM,4GB,1333MHZ,DDR3,2X2G
331-1347 1 Alienware M17x 240W A/C Adapter
320-1933 1 17.3-inch WideFHD1920 x 1080 60Hz WLED
320-1929 1 1GB GDDR5 ATI Radeon HD 6870M
342-2218 1 320GB 7,200RPM SATA-II HDD
331-1350 1 Custom Nameplate
330-6106 1 Personalized Nameplate Trigger
313-8796 1 AlienFX Color, Plasma Purple
421-4655 1 Alienware Command Center Software, M17X
421-1400 1 Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium, 64bit, English
420-9691 1 DataSafe Local BackUp
420-9956 1 Vista PC Restore
421-0092 1 DELL-DOWNLOAD-FLAG
410-1883 1 Adobe Acrobat Reader 9.0 Multi-Language
318-0395 1 Slot-Load Dual Layer DVD Burner (DVD+-RW, CD-RW)
421-4541 1 Roxio Creator Starter,No Media
318-0424 1 Internal High-Definition 5.1 Surround Sound Audio
430-4021 1 MOD,CRD,NTWK,6300,ANW
330-6348 1 Automatic Updates: On
939-0320 1 Dell Hardware Limited Warranty, Initial Year
939-0340 1 Dell Limited Hardware Warranty Plus In-Home Service After Remote Diagnosis, Initial Year
950-3337 1 3 Year Limited Warranty
421-1721 1 Soft Contracts Service Hardware Agreement for Alienware
994-3730 1 Warranty Support, Initial Year
421-2611 1 AlienGUIse Theme Manager with Breed Theme
421-1586 1 Alienhead Chrome Red
421-1596 1 Alienhead Chrome Red
330-5090 1 Thank You for Purchasing AlienWare

 

well was more wondering just how much more the SB chipset and CPU would improve the 460m performance in the R3 over a R1

 

dell singapore seems to limit my options for the r3, cant get i7 2630qm, minimum is the 2720, 8gb ram, 750 hdd. i guess that because they dont want the r3 to be cheaper then a m15x. LOL

 

Nice rig Aznfire14, same rig in the specs that count now we'll have a real comparison of the 6870 -vs- 460m when they arrive

 

Haha thanks, Did you happen to get the 3D? I am kind of curious about 3D, but more like curiosity rather genuinely interested.

Is there a thread about improving performance, benchmarking...etc? I've always loved technology and pc gaming but never really had time or money to pursue my interests. Hopefully now I can get into it. So any links, tips, or hints would be awesome!

 

so listen guys, why would i take ATI 6870 over gtx460?
I will be choosing the following specs for my 15-16th january purchas:
M17x-R3 | Black color | i7-2630qm | 8gb 1333 | 1.5gb GTX460m | 320gb HDD | 1920x1080 @120 hz 3d + googles | DVD |
website cost:$2200
ACTUALLY if u guys r smart enough u can go for a discount on the system... i won't really be telling this @ here coz i think dell reps read everything everywhere

+ a thought: lets all buy new R3 systems, then return it before 21 days, get money back, then go ebay, find there refurbishd systems and buy them 30% cheaper as well DD how does that sound? Let's mass troll DELL? (joke)

 

If you want 3D gaming, you need the GTX 460m right now. I think the 3D ATI tech is blu ray only atm unless I am mistaken

 

U know i dont care about the 3d much. I just want to know which one of the graph cards is best... i got very limited amount of time, i need laptop before Jan 18, coz when study starts i need to have a laptop and i sold my previous... well coz i was expecting to get a better one in terms of perfomance and my choice felt on alienware and since i would like some more hours on battery, i can't go for r2. Though i must honestly say im so dissappointed in what they offer inside new m17r3 ... like m15x didnt have that cursed gtx460...

 

if battery live is your concern I would err towards the 6870m personally

 

Le0- you're not going to get an R3 by January 18 even if you order it today. I ordered mine yesterday within an hour or two of release and still have an estimated ship date of January 31. If you need a laptop by then, are disappointed in the performance of the R3, and want an amazing laptop order an Outlet R2 with a coupon.

 

@scook9
battery life & perfomance you know if its really 6 hours, i can sarcrifice some of it for better perfomance
@DaneGRClose
can always get a refurbrished one maxed out for same price, question is if do i want it over asus g73... if it only runs around 1 hour on battery and is, lets admit it, fat, its not as portable as I would like to. one of the reasons why I am purchasing r3

 

Dell's claimed battery life is usually a little overrated, most of the systems I've had from Dell/Alienware get about 80-90% of claimed battery life. The one thing that hasn't been confirmed yet is if the ATi card can switch to the IGP on the SB chip or not, the Nvidia has Optimus so it's confirmed. If the ATi can't take advantage of the IGP then the Nvidia will kill it in battery life due to the Optimus(although Optimus is still a bit buggy). I would personally never own a single Asus product again no matter what Dell/Alienware does to screw me, I'd go with an HP before I went to Asus again. The R2 is a bulky beast and does have bad battery life but you're not going to get an R3 by the 18th. If you can push your "need by" date back a bit then it sounds like the R3 fits what you want to a tee, if not you may need to look elsewhere. Any CTO type system from any company is going to take longer than the 18th.

 

hoping the hard drive bays can accomodate 12mm drives. I believe 750GB drives was an option so I'm thinking that my 1TB Toshiba drive will fit.

 

I'm pretty sure at least one of the bays will, I know when mine was ordered the 750gb 7.2k drives were an option so I'd imagine it should fit a 12mm drive.

 

yeah, i have a 96gb kingston ssd and a 1tb toshiba so that will be great. also need to splurge for more memory (only 4GB). I only upgraded for the blu ray, the processor, the GFX, and the 120HZ.

 

@ DaneGRClose
ok my friend, you tell me this:
if i, say, get my r3, will i be able to perform a SSD upgrade and a graphics upgrade? (maybe i can find a technician or some geek in good sense to help me out with connecting its pieces together, i know mobile graphcards are purchasable at least i've seen gtx 480M)?
coz.. u know i no like gtx 460 at all and i was laughing out loud on the CES video when they shown lowrez gtx460 perfomance in Black Ops, like hey guys look this laptop can play this game on all high specs xDD
i mean if they turned on Crysis on all maxed ^^ then i would've been like Oo ...
still... the benchmarks are quite interesting , and maybe i havent heared completely, but if the r3 they shown on CES had gtx460 inside and it did around 20k, well, quite a nice choice. I also contacted dell support and have asked them of ATI 6970M option availability, they got no information on whether are DELL technicians ever considering to put it in (!!!) meaning that the card may never come out with r3... interesting isnti t

 

So this is not worth it at all for me a 920xm would be more of an upgrade!