New to Alienware- Question about M17x R3 and keyboard

So i know little about the technical specifications of computers and don't really game on them aside from online games. I'm the current owner of a standard 2007 white macbook so i'm sure anything i buy from here will be a major upgrade.

Anyways, i've heard that the latest model of the M17x, or the "R3", is going to be announced at the CES on January 6th-9th. I'm set on either purchasing it or purchasing the current model of M17x. My questions are:

1. How much do you think the M17x R3 will cost in USD? I'm sure i will just get the default configuration seeing as i don't know why i would need to put in better parts. The current model is $1,799, will it be more?

2. For those of you that already own an alienware, what color do you find looks best for the lit-up keyboard? I was thinking red, but i'm not sure which color would show up the best.

 

You can freely set the color for various sections of the lighting in the Alienware Command Center software which is included, so I suggest to experiment with it once you get it. Personally, I change the color on my M17x lighting depending on my mood.

 

Wow, that's actually really cool. I wonder why they make you choose a color when you configure it on their site then.

 

That's just so they can set the default settings to what you choose. Depending on the games/programs you intend on running you may want to op for a couple of upgrades. These laptops aren't really anything special at the base configuration.

 

Knocturne,

I think you might be meaning the color of the case itself and not the lighting. The guys above are right, you can change the lighting to just about any color you want as many times as you want.

The cases on the other hand, come in 3 colors. Silver, Black, and Nebula Red. I ordered mine in Nebula Red, however that is an extra 100 bucks.

Personally, they all look fantastic, black probably being the best looking really.

 

I was referring to the lighting, thanks. And i would agree that black looks the best and is definitely what i will be getting for the casing.

Does anybody have an estimate on the price of the R3 though? I was just wondering if anyone had a guess based on the past price trends of alienware products as i haven't followed them at all.

As for the parts, as long as i can play simple online games, I am fine. I might buy some old computer games but i wouldnt put anything challenging in it like a modern Call of Duty game or something.

Also do you think the R2 price will drop when the R3 is released? If it does then i may just get an R2 and upgrade the parts for the heck of it.

 

Yeah I would imagine once the R3 is out, they will drop the price on the R2 to clear out the remaining stock left.

 

I guess a smart question to ask would be, do you guys like your R2's? Are you happy you purchased them? Are there any hardware faults that would be fixed with the R3's?

 

You are in for a quite a different experience coming from a Macbook. Not all of it good either.

These machines are not ready for prime time when you receive them. Be prepared to put some time into driver updates and possibly even a fresh install of the OS.

Assuming you want the Alien for gaming it will be great upgrade from the Mac...For a general purpose computer the Alien is not worth the trouble. And I ought to know...I have both a Macbook Pro and a Alien M17x R2. I have my Mac for other essential non-gaming reasons.

Would I buy another M17? I can't say I would with a resounding "Yes". It's been far more work than I imagined it would be. I initially spent more time diagnosing and troubleshooting than enjoying any gaming on it. Once I got things smoothed out it's been a fairly solid machine, though even to this day the Crossfire video card option has been buggy and basically unusable.

Good luck!

 

Hmmm... the more i look into alienware the more i hear troubling things...however, for some reason, this only makes me want to purchase one more.

I'm up for a different experience. I'm sure with this alienware i'll learn much more about computers and everyone seems to say its completely different from a macbook and i could use a fresh change.

 

As long as it's not the m11x, lol. The m17x has it's share of problems, and a bit of it stems from having two mobile GPUs in the system, not only power consumption, but software issues are key factors here.

 

Also remember that if everyones experience was a good one... there wouldnt be a forum. Like the old saying : if something good happens you tell 1 person. If something bad happens you tell 100.

These forums are mainly here for good and bad but you will see that most people as soon as they have a problem jump on here and rant. Not that its a bad thing. Forums are a great help when things go wrong its just you get the impression that everyones r2 is falling apart every day.

 

Yeah, good points. We all get crazy when things aren't perfect, but really, no machine will be perfect ever. All in all, Aliens are pretty darn excellent once you get the cobwebs blown out and get them all gassed up and going. They have matured a lot, and they have taken a lot of heat for their immaturities early-on.

 

^^There's no laptop without issues IMO.

 

IMO (and that's all it is), buying an Alienware at the base configuration is an utter and total waste of money.

Alienware laptops are designed internally to handle the fastest parts on the market, so you're essentially paying the mark up for both the brand name and case design for no reason when you leave it at the base specs. For that much money, you could get a much faster laptop at the same or better price.

Alienware laptops only (this might seem unintuitive) make sense at higher price points with better components.

If this doesn't bother you, by all means, go ahead and buy. You're purchasing a laptop with arguably the best case in the business. When I had my R2, I swear the thing could've taken a bullet for me.

 

It's also good there are forums like this because Alien would have you believe that blowing a couple grand or more on a machine like this and everything is roses. I don't think many people who buy these things are prepared for the down time or are prepared to deal with how to get them working they way they should. Like i've said before, this forum has been invaluable and far more helpful then Alien themselves in getting my M17 working half way right, and I thank all of you out there for that.

 

The M17x is an amazing system I never had any serious issues unless the techs damaged it for simple repairs such as a speaker repair they just never seem to put it back together right or damage other things in the process. After you get it set it will stay solid but it does take a little work to get it working the way you want. And I barely have any issues with crossfire, but I do have the 4870's which some say is the most solid and reliable version. the 5870's have had their issues which I believe most have been resolved.

 

Any gaming machine is going to be more work than any non-gaming Windows machine, and any Windows machine is going to be more work than a Mac. However, if you want high performance, there is no comparison. Gaming machines are more work because they have high performance / high cost / low volume / short lifecycle parts that don't get the kind of testing that mainstream parts have (individually, and as integrated into systems); moreover, these parts tend to get customized and put into systems which push them to their limits. Comparing an Alienware and a Mac is really an apples and oranges comparison.

 

Yes, that's true. Aliens are techy and edgy, and I have told a few of my friends that they really should not buy one, as these friends of mine are not the intrepid types who can take on a challenge and be counted on to stick to it and punch through. Aliens can blow the doors off almost all other machines except maybe for true high-end workstation laptops/desktops, but they require adjusting and tweaking to get there. The tech support is generally lousy because hardly anyone Dell wants to hire cheap to answer phones and do parts swaps knows anything. You will need this forum, perhaps magazines, and your own research to learn the ropes. I think it can be a rewarding experience, but you shouldn't come into it thinking that you will just open the box, hit the on button, plug in a mouse, and be off to the greatest computer experience ever with no further effort.

 

I had a some trouble at the begining with power management but video bios flash/update took of that.

 

Keep in mind that people don't start threads to say how impressed they are with their laptops.

People DO start threads (thousands of them) to gripe about problems. So you cannot let yourself be biased by the number of threads GOOD VS BAD.

As far as the base configuration being worthless, maybe, maybe not. You can buy the base configuration and upgrade all of the parts yourself for thousands of dollars cheaper. The laptop in my signature is just that.

I challenge you to find another laptop in the same bracket as the Alienware M17x that has an aluminum chassis and such great build quality. Most everything is cheap plastic garbage.

People will take any opportunity to they can to trash talk a product. There are many in this thread that already have. I will take this opportunity to say how great all four of the Alienware laptops I've owned have been. Get your opinion from reading as many product reviews as you can. Don't base your opinion on forums like this one.

 

Seems like lots of good and bad points really.

This is my 5th Alien by courtesy of replacements for the initial brand new system I bought a few months ago.

I went through a fair bit of hell with DELL and admit that at one point, I was gonna take my money, run and buy something else. I AM SO GLAD I DIDNT!!!

It really is the epitome of bespoke gaming laptops, there isnt anything that comes close to an Alien in term so performance, build, quality, deisgn, aesthetics and everything else.

Yes its true to say they dont come out the box "all singing and dancing" and that the best is obtained by various tweaks here and there....but thats half the fun of owning one.

I would say, if you can, hold off till CES, see what the prices of the R3 are gonna be, see how the R2 prices change...have in mind a spec that you want and most importantly, DONT JUST CALL UP AND ORDER ONE! - you need to get in touch and talk and haggle for all your worth...tell 'em what you want, your budget, the fact you are thinking of other laptops...anything that might get you that bit more off the price. LOOK for coupons or discounts on R2's that may be available - i doubt you will get any for the new R3....

Patience is a virtue - I would wait, take my time and settle on a spec you want and then get ready to do some bartering.

All in all, great machines, good fun, hard work, reliable and wow.....blow your socks off.....

 

I would have to say that the Sager/Clevo x7200 has more performance "potential", but the boneheads gave it a 300? watt power supply. That's not enough for two GTX480s and a i7-980 desktop CPU. There had to be something...

 

Haha - and besides, it looks like a brick and has no panache...

 

See i was not aware the prices were even negotiable. However, as i do not know much about the technical specifications of computers, i feel like i would sound pretty stupid trying to argue the price on something i know little about. That...and i'm only 18. Not quite as powerful at haggling as i'm sure an adult with a full time career would be.

I have decided to wait and buy an R2. Hopefully the price will drop with the release of the R3. If not, i can wait a couple more months and see how it is by then. I'm not a pc gamer, i'm just looking for a powerful laptop with gaming capabilities and most importantly, good aesthetics. The aesthetics of the alienware is really what has gotten me and that is why i am so set on getting one. Probably a stupid decision, but one of the perks of being 18 is that my decisions don't really affect me as much.

EDIT: I do like the idea of using a coupon though. Where would one find a coupon for alienware computers? I was unaware such expensive technology even had coupons

 

Have a look here http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware/456885-aw-dell-ordering-advice-how-save.html i am not in the US so different for us over in England but you should be able to get some money off SOMEWHERE...just a case of looking for it!

Ya dont have to be 50yrs old to haggle a good deal, just tell 'em you have your eye on something else, budgets tight....drop in a few "oh, man, i would love to BUT $$$$" and "ive seen this for $$$$$" and even a good old "man, I just would buy it off you right now if it were $$$$ cheaper!"....gotta be cheeky - ya just dont get if you dont ask...thats my motto....

I think your best holding off, wait to see IF R3 comes out, what price IT is and what price the R2's are THEN....i would say then you are in a good position to bargain....go get 'em!