The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.
 Next page →

    Need information for RAM

    Discussion in 'Alienware 17 and M17x' started by maxheap, Nov 25, 2011.

  1. maxheap

    maxheap caparison horus :)

    Reputations:
    1,244
    Messages:
    3,294
    Likes Received:
    191
    Trophy Points:
    131
    people, so what is the deal with 1866mhz, can I just PnP? or do I need some tweaks (I don't want to mess with bios level tweaks, not yet :() I would really appreciate (and +rep :)) some info about RAM business, what do you recommend? also is it easy to install all 4 modules in R3? or 2 of them are under the keyboard or something (pain in the neck as usual...)
     
  2. GeoCake

    GeoCake http://ted.ph

    Reputations:
    1,491
    Messages:
    1,232
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    56
    2x4GB HyperX 1600Mhz - 2 slots are easy to get to, the other 2.......... A pain. Easy plug and play, no messing with anything.

    That is all.
     
  3. SlickDude80

    SlickDude80 Notebook Prophet

    Reputations:
    3,262
    Messages:
    4,997
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    106
    Geo, Dude! short, to the point and accurate! you're becoming a pro! :D
     
  4. maxheap

    maxheap caparison horus :)

    Reputations:
    1,244
    Messages:
    3,294
    Likes Received:
    191
    Trophy Points:
    131
    Thanks!! but I am still considering 1866, there are some people out there just PnP'ed 1866 without problem, what are the chances that I am one of the lucky few? :) or asking too much :D
     
  5. GeoCake

    GeoCake http://ted.ph

    Reputations:
    1,491
    Messages:
    1,232
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    56
    I feel like I am cluttering the forums :p I love this machine though, really, like Really.. almost unnaturally attached to it.

    Well you said yourself that you don't want any problems or messing around, so stick to your word and get the 1600Mhz rated RAM. I had the same dilemna myself, but whenever I saw 1866Mhz being mentioned there was always a problem attached to it... Clearly the M17x does not like them very much. The chances that you are the lucky one? Very low!
     
  6. maxheap

    maxheap caparison horus :)

    Reputations:
    1,244
    Messages:
    3,294
    Likes Received:
    191
    Trophy Points:
    131
    ah, I really wish it could work perfect, well I guess I will stick with 1600 2x4GB, thanks geo! btw I am also loving this baby, mobile gaming has never been any better :) slick, you have 12gb, how tough is to take off keyboard and install the other modules? (I am asking because I seriously need ram! some codes I am running demands +10GB :()
     
  7. SlickDude80

    SlickDude80 Notebook Prophet

    Reputations:
    3,262
    Messages:
    4,997
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    106
    its not hard bro. You just have to remove the keyboard screws in the back.

    here it the complete guide:

    Alienware M17x R3 complete teardown / review - Hidevolution.com - YouTube
     
  8. maxheap

    maxheap caparison horus :)

    Reputations:
    1,244
    Messages:
    3,294
    Likes Received:
    191
    Trophy Points:
    131
  9. SlickDude80

    SlickDude80 Notebook Prophet

    Reputations:
    3,262
    Messages:
    4,997
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    106
    lol...bro, believe me, you're not cluttering. Its good to add some real enthusiasts to the already great group we have here
     
  10. SlickDude80

    SlickDude80 Notebook Prophet

    Reputations:
    3,262
    Messages:
    4,997
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    106
    lol...go crazy!!! Just be smart about it. If they don't work the way you intended them to (and there is a significant probability that they won't), just make sure that you can return them for the 1600's
     
  11. maxheap

    maxheap caparison horus :)

    Reputations:
    1,244
    Messages:
    3,294
    Likes Received:
    191
    Trophy Points:
    131
    yupp, that's what I am intending, I will order from amazon, excellent return policy will do the trick I guess (and some extra complain that nothings wrong about my system but the ram, if things go wrong :))
     
  12. maxheap

    maxheap caparison horus :)

    Reputations:
    1,244
    Messages:
    3,294
    Likes Received:
    191
    Trophy Points:
    131
    hey slick, do you think they also went crazy and installed the ram under the keyboard modules? (2x2) if so, after seeing this awfully scary video of a surgery on m17x, I am really scared to dismount keyboard and so on (well, at least for some while, right now this is my little baby :))
     
  13. SlickDude80

    SlickDude80 Notebook Prophet

    Reputations:
    3,262
    Messages:
    4,997
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    106
    if you're not confident doing this, just do 8 gigs with the slots on the back of the laptop...all you have to be is careful. its not really scary
     
  14. maxheap

    maxheap caparison horus :)

    Reputations:
    1,244
    Messages:
    3,294
    Likes Received:
    191
    Trophy Points:
    131
    yupp, they mounted the ram on the easy slots :) btw this thing looks like a beauty when you open the back :) slick, I am just scared to do something bad, especially I have never dismounted the keyboard in my life :( but I will bring my other laptop home and will try doing it looking to a video next weekend (maybe the one after that) and will be writing every single detail here about how I am messing things up :)
     
  15. SlickDude80

    SlickDude80 Notebook Prophet

    Reputations:
    3,262
    Messages:
    4,997
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    106
  16. SlickDude80

    SlickDude80 Notebook Prophet

    Reputations:
    3,262
    Messages:
    4,997
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    106
    sometimes, you can take your toe and touch the cold water OR just jump in :D
     
  17. maxheap

    maxheap caparison horus :)

    Reputations:
    1,244
    Messages:
    3,294
    Likes Received:
    191
    Trophy Points:
    131
  18. SlickDude80

    SlickDude80 Notebook Prophet

    Reputations:
    3,262
    Messages:
    4,997
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    106
    hehehe...no problem.

    Where is the heat mark? back of the CPU? can you take a pic?
     
  19. maxheap

    maxheap caparison horus :)

    Reputations:
    1,244
    Messages:
    3,294
    Likes Received:
    191
    Trophy Points:
    131
    will do that, be right back!
     
  20. maxheap

    maxheap caparison horus :)

    Reputations:
    1,244
    Messages:
    3,294
    Likes Received:
    191
    Trophy Points:
    131
    here you go slick, it is on the right of the heatsink, do you think it is normal? (sorry, this is the best quality pic I can take :( damn phone...)
     

    Attached Files:

    • CPU.jpg
      CPU.jpg
      File size:
      134.9 KB
      Views:
      121
  21. SlickDude80

    SlickDude80 Notebook Prophet

    Reputations:
    3,262
    Messages:
    4,997
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    106
    that looks normal to me
     
  22. maxheap

    maxheap caparison horus :)

    Reputations:
    1,244
    Messages:
    3,294
    Likes Received:
    191
    Trophy Points:
    131
    thanks slick, will keep an eye on that little dent over there, also ordered my ram finally, fingers crossed, hope everything works fine :)
     
  23. SlickDude80

    SlickDude80 Notebook Prophet

    Reputations:
    3,262
    Messages:
    4,997
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    106
    np Graz...you get the 1866's?
     
  24. maxheap

    maxheap caparison horus :)

    Reputations:
    1,244
    Messages:
    3,294
    Likes Received:
    191
    Trophy Points:
    131
    you know it :D will either see a happy or a sad newbie around this wednesday :)
     
  25. SlickDude80

    SlickDude80 Notebook Prophet

    Reputations:
    3,262
    Messages:
    4,997
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    106
    hehehe...at the least, you're gonna have lots of fun with them. If you do run into trouble, downclocking them to 1600 will work
     
  26. maxheap

    maxheap caparison horus :)

    Reputations:
    1,244
    Messages:
    3,294
    Likes Received:
    191
    Trophy Points:
    131
    yupp, will let you know how my adventure into 1866 realm goes :) dangerous :D
     
  27. maxheap

    maxheap caparison horus :)

    Reputations:
    1,244
    Messages:
    3,294
    Likes Received:
    191
    Trophy Points:
    131
    IT IS WORKING!!! 1866Mhz and flying :) windows experience index jumped to 7.9 :) will run memtest tonight to see if there is any problems :) yihuuuu (so far :))
     
  28. widezu69

    widezu69 Goodbye Alienware

    Reputations:
    3,079
    Messages:
    4,207
    Likes Received:
    168
    Trophy Points:
    131
    Can you post a CPU-z screenshot of the memory tab? Thanks
     
  29. maxheap

    maxheap caparison horus :)

    Reputations:
    1,244
    Messages:
    3,294
    Likes Received:
    191
    Trophy Points:
    131
    here you go widezu!
     

    Attached Files:

  30. widezu69

    widezu69 Goodbye Alienware

    Reputations:
    3,079
    Messages:
    4,207
    Likes Received:
    168
    Trophy Points:
    131
    Nice one. Looks like a keeper to me :)
     
  31. Sekmeth

    Sekmeth Notebook Guru

    Reputations:
    6
    Messages:
    73
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    A quick question:

    G.Skill for 43 €ur. or Kingston Hyper X for 60 €ur.

    ???

    (same specs for both).
     
  32. widezu69

    widezu69 Goodbye Alienware

    Reputations:
    3,079
    Messages:
    4,207
    Likes Received:
    168
    Trophy Points:
    131
    Show us the G.Skill ones :)
     
  33. Sekmeth

    Sekmeth Notebook Guru

    Reputations:
    6
    Messages:
    73
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
  34. widezu69

    widezu69 Goodbye Alienware

    Reputations:
    3,079
    Messages:
    4,207
    Likes Received:
    168
    Trophy Points:
    131
    Alright, first of all, that website has some of it's info wrong. The G.Skill ran runs at 9-9-9-28 not 9-9-9-24. HyperX is slightly faster @9-9-9-27. I recommend the HyperX for 2 reasons:

    Heatspreaders must be there for a reason, even if not, it looks good :)
    It is fully Intel XMP compliant.
     
  35. maxheap

    maxheap caparison horus :)

    Reputations:
    1,244
    Messages:
    3,294
    Likes Received:
    191
    Trophy Points:
    131
    I hope it passes the memtest :)
     
  36. Sekmeth

    Sekmeth Notebook Guru

    Reputations:
    6
    Messages:
    73
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15

    Thanks :)


    You're right

    G.SKILL-Products

    9-9-9-28


    or evern worst:


    G.SKILL-Products

    11-11-11-28

    I will go for HyperX instead GSkill :)


    (heat spreaders doesn't matter since I have ordered a Coolermaster Notepal U3 :) :) )
     
  37. Sekmeth

    Sekmeth Notebook Guru

    Reputations:
    6
    Messages:
    73
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15

    I have mailed at the shop asking for the GSkill is 9-9-9-27.

    They say me that there was an error and the true cas latency for the RAM they sell is 11-11-11-28.

    So I have decided to go to Kingston Hyper X.
    More expensive, but better choice. :)


    EDIT: Only one question remains....
    If the M17x-R3 has a 1600 chipset side bus.
    If the 2720QM (and above) has native support for 1600 mhz ram.
    Why some people buy PC1866 Mhz RAM instead of PC1600???

    If I am not mistaken, M17x-R3 works at 1600 mhz bus with PC1600 and PC1866 RAM, and PC1600 is cheaper and has better cas latency.
     
  38. widezu69

    widezu69 Goodbye Alienware

    Reputations:
    3,079
    Messages:
    4,207
    Likes Received:
    168
    Trophy Points:
    131
    1866Mhz is better for the IGP. Good for speeding up on battery.
     
  39. GeoCake

    GeoCake http://ted.ph

    Reputations:
    1,491
    Messages:
    1,232
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    56
    Hmmm, I am jelly of 1866. :p Glad it works!

    So a better cas latency is better for us 1600Mhz in what way? Or is 1866 generally better I am confused lol
     
  40. maxheap

    maxheap caparison horus :)

    Reputations:
    1,244
    Messages:
    3,294
    Likes Received:
    191
    Trophy Points:
    131
    11 hours of memtest did not bring any erros, that's good :)
     
  41. maxheap

    maxheap caparison horus :)

    Reputations:
    1,244
    Messages:
    3,294
    Likes Received:
    191
    Trophy Points:
    131
    geo, where did you buy 2860qm oem?
     
  42. widezu69

    widezu69 Goodbye Alienware

    Reputations:
    3,079
    Messages:
    4,207
    Likes Received:
    168
    Trophy Points:
    131
    1600mhz users have better cas latency. Think of it like ping. The lower the quicker apps swtich etc. The speed is like bandwidth, the quicker, the faster the data is loaded.
     
  43. Sekmeth

    Sekmeth Notebook Guru

    Reputations:
    6
    Messages:
    73
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15

    I don't understand it....
    How can PC1866 help to the Intel IGP?
    Is a very important improvement?
     
  44. GeoCake

    GeoCake http://ted.ph

    Reputations:
    1,491
    Messages:
    1,232
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    56
    eBay - The UK's Online Marketplace
    Haggled down to 380 pound, decided to pass on the XM because I will get OCD (did I get it right this time? :D) for overclocking and probs rage at the end. Grats on the RAM working though!
    Ah I see. Think I will stick at 1600 for now, do you think real world benefits will actually be noticed between the both of them?
     
  45. maxheap

    maxheap caparison horus :)

    Reputations:
    1,244
    Messages:
    3,294
    Likes Received:
    191
    Trophy Points:
    131
    the higher the shared memory for IGP is the better (for windows environment definitely, not possible to game on IGP :))
     
  46. maxheap

    maxheap caparison horus :)

    Reputations:
    1,244
    Messages:
    3,294
    Likes Received:
    191
    Trophy Points:
    131
    thanks geo! it is going sweet so far, I hope everything will keep on working :) congratz on your CPU too!
     
  47. GeoCake

    GeoCake http://ted.ph

    Reputations:
    1,491
    Messages:
    1,232
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    56
    I hope everything will keep working as well!

    I have spent way too much money man, I feel sick inside. But then again, I saved about £1000 doing it this way, and way more fun installing all this shizzle :D
     
  48. maxheap

    maxheap caparison horus :)

    Reputations:
    1,244
    Messages:
    3,294
    Likes Received:
    191
    Trophy Points:
    131
    Oh yes and way more educative :) well, high end laptop costs a lot unfortunately, my other laptop HP workstation also cost a lot back in the time :(
     
  49. maxheap

    maxheap caparison horus :)

    Reputations:
    1,244
    Messages:
    3,294
    Likes Received:
    191
    Trophy Points:
    131
    slick, I never downclocked a ram :) (or even clocked a ram :)) how can I do it? I am experiencing some freezes in bf3 and trying to figure out if it is because of ram..
     
  50. GeoCake

    GeoCake http://ted.ph

    Reputations:
    1,491
    Messages:
    1,232
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    56
    [​IMG]

    Overide memory settings and then change memory frequency via unlocked bios
     
 Next page →