*OFFICIAL* M17xR3 Owner's Lounge Thread - Part 1

LOL are you calling me a novice? For what? Saying the 460m may be slower than the 6870?

Wow! You need to cool down.

 

No, he's saying that the chart could potentially mis-inform people ('novices') as we'll only truly know which is better when we get some R3 benchmarks.

 

I called no one a novice. This is pure miscommunication. I said do not inform the novice meaning people that google info about the 460M vs 6870M and find this thread. That's what I meant.

Too many people here have been saying the 6870M is faster than the 460M and that is simply not true. It might be faster in synthetic benchmark but as the German site I linked yesterday. It is confirmed the 460M is faster than the 5870M in most games therefore will be faster than the 6870M.

That is all I said and nothing more. You can look in my previous post for the benchmark I have linked.

 

Nobody has been saying that, but 'quite the opposite.' and they use the 5870vs460 argument as support.

5870 offers a higher fps in many games, such as Mafia 2, , BC, Metro but it's close enough to matter less.

At this point we are off topic

 

Bottom line is all this arguing is doing nothing. There are no solid benchmarks for the 6870m from any reputable websites (or websites I've heard of, rather). Lets wait for NBR, Toms Hardware, or any of the other reputable websites to benchmark both of these cards in the M17x before any further discussion on which is more powerful is had. Bottom line is still that either card is perfectly fine, but they offer different features (Optimus + 3D vs Eyefinity).

 

Have there been any ball-park estimates on when a NBR R3 review may appear? (I realise they need a machine first )

 

NRF?

We refer to this forum as NBR typically

 

I don't think they'd tell us when they are receiving a test unit because they will then get 2 million PM's asking for details and rushing them to do the review.

Just be patient and, hopefully, within the next couple of weeks we'll see an official NBR review.

 

Fair enough - cheers.

Yeah, had noticed and fixed that 'NBR' error... my bad

 

At this point I assume most people here who ordered one in the first three days are already utilizing Google earth and Google maps to try an evaluate the most efficient path to intercept the shipment of their laptop as soon as the status of the system goes from In Production to Shipping. As a matter of fact any lag or slowness you might have encountered while trying to select or tweak your build-out before hitting buy are most likely not thousands of people doing the same as you but the 200 or so here hitting refresh on the status page every 30 seconds. Ive been tempted 10-15 times myself to crack open visual studio and try to grind out an app to monitor the page in memory and pop me up a window when its changed.

 

Page 16 of the manual has set up instructions for the wireless HD so I assume its built in already. Here is a conversation I had with a rep about it.

Taylor: "I am interested in the new m17 r3, but was wondering when the wireless hdmi will be available?"

Agent (Kyle S): "I'd be happy to help you out with that!"

Agent (Kyle S): "You mean the capability to wirelessly transmit to a TV? The Wireless Display?"

Taylor: "I assume thats it. Alienware displayed the functionality of it at CES this year."

Agent (Kyle S): "The M17x R3 is already capable of doing that, the only thing you'd need to make sure and get is a Netgear Push2TV box, which plugs into the TV and acts as a receiver for the computer."

Agent (Kyle S): "http://search.dell.com/results.aspx?s=dhs&c=us&l=en&cs=19&k=push2tv&cat=all";

Taylor: "I was not aware of that, thank you. Do you know what resolution the disply will be in?"

Agent (Kyle S): "when it first came out the wireless display systems were only capable of 720p, but the M17x R3 is the first system we have that can do it in full 1080p"

 

so this agent is saying the wireless hd is built into every m17x standard?

 

Benchmarks are benchmarks... its great if you are a number chaser however its nothing to 'base' your purchase decision on if you are interested in straight 'real world' game play. With that said, lets go easy on 'so and so reviewed this GPU vs. this GPU and found...'. We have a benchmark thread for that along with multiple threads within the Graphics section of NBR.

 

I wonder if that means it's limited to the push2 receiver or if others can talk to others, such as the ps3 or a boxee.

 

Thats what he said.

 

All you need is the Intel Gen 2 Core cpu and intel wifi. This laptop has both. Then you need the netgear box. It also looks like it only operates using the IGP if I understood it correctly. Pretty lame.....Intel is completely and artificially limiting what could otherwise be a great technology

 

They're trying to improve it, DX11 with Ivy Bridge.

 

Improve what?

 

IGP performance....that's not where you were going?

 

No. I was simply referring to the fact that no one else is trying to implement an HD video over IP/wifi solution. And sadly, in the one Intel is, they are completely knee capping by making it necessary to use the Intel IGP on an Intel Core i series processor (2nd gen - Sandy Bridge - for 1080p). I can understand needing their wifi card, the rest is completely unnecessary limitations in my mind (unless they are using some sort of DRM that is in the IGP driver).

 

Maybe they are doing that because of a bandwidth limitation. I'm assuming there isn't enough bandwidth to play full on video games over Wireless HD and thats probably why they are forcing people to use the onboard card, so they aren't tempted to try and game.

Then again, the IGP on the new Sandy Bridge chips is more than enough to run games at low/medium settings, so who knows...

 

Whether you are sending a white screen or an action screen during a game, the number of bits needed to define that screen does not change - just the data. Once you make the connection, the link bandwidth should be pretty static for the video feed.

 

In the service manual it says "WirelessHD Card (Optional)". That has me thinking there is a separate card.

 

According to Intel's page there is no additional card needed. The default for the R3 is non intel (most likely realtek) so the optional Intel WiFi would be needed to make it work. That is most likely what they mean.

 

Interesting......

 

I suppose thats true, but what about frames per second? You could be sending 150fps to that screen or the standard 24-30 in video.

That would require additional bandwidth and the technology to have a certain degree of speed not yet attainable.

 

I am sure that the wifi stream will be limited to 24 FPS, 30 at most. That is a considerable bandwidth problem there. I would be very surprised it they can do 1080p60 considering that high end HDMI over ethernet extenders can only do 1080i60 with Cat5e.

We ran into this problem at my parents house where they have a Gefen extender (very high-end product) and it uses 2 Cat5e cables currently and could not handle 1080p60. We have some replacement cables that are Cat6 and will install them early march to see if it makes the needed difference.

Expecting to match that bandwidth wireless is just a joke really....lol

 

If I recall correctly, one of the CES visitors noted they had Crysis or another title streaming - now, they mentioned that the system was showing signs of throttling but of course this may have been due to a number of causes. I'm guessing that part has been resolved of course but what is important was (and if memory serves), the reviewer stated that the game being streamed looked great.

If I come across the review, I'll post a link.

 

I wouldn't be too surprised if it did work. We went from the original Cat V to Cat VI and it's a night and day difference. I wonder if the 6300 would be imperative for successful streaming in 1080p60

 

The stream was also at the lower resolution if I remember correctly. Not FHD as they like to call it. That further reinforces the bandwidth thing (unless I am thinking of the 3D demo which I might be....)

 

I perused the manual for the extender while there over christmas and it did mention upgrading to Cat 6 for 1080p60 so I am hopeful. We did not even realize the problem until we were installing the BR player I got my dad and got a black screen whenever we set the video to 1080p on the player. We thought we had been getting 1080p the whole time but guess it was really 1080i.

But like I said, this reinforces the belief that the WiFi is NOT going to be able to send 1080p60. If 1Gbps (Cat5e) was not enough then the 450Mbps of a triple connected (MIMO 3x3) Intel 6300 Wireless N is absolutely not enough haha. Nevermind the fact that I think there are like NO consumer routers that successfully can make that connection? lol

 

Ah ok. That makes sense. I didn't think such a new technology would be able to accurately stream FHD gaming at full FPS. Sometime down the road I'm sure it will be able to, though. Then we'll have to move to 3D or Eyefinity over wireless HD. lol.

 

Will those options actually make it to the release BIOS though?

If the HM67 follows the desktop H67 chipset then your standard BIOS overclocking features will be locked out. Dell might still manage some other form of overclocking but I'd expect that kinda feature to be very limited.

First gen i7 skipped half of the tick-tock CPU involved. 45nm duo and quad i7s were to share the same socket and chipset as 32nm duos and quads.

Sandy Bridge is a whole different tick with Ivy Bridge as it's tock.

If none of the CPU are scrapped, Sandy Bridge & Ivy Bridge will look more like C2D 65nm to C2D 45nm which shared the same sockets and chipsets.

 

In the past versions it has. I can only assume until we get them.

Same response as the first.

 

If its in the manual then expect it to be in the BIOS. That manual is the manual which they posted for customer use. To remove it would only cause an uproar.

 

According to the Manual the BIOS supports two discrete cards and only 2 DIMM slots.

But that's why Dell puts in the disclaimer...

 

I don't think you are looking at the right manual.

 

I believe that also. If any of it is grayed out it's because of the lack of extreme proc.

 

I'm just hoping AW was sneaky and included some of the overclocking options for non-extreme cpu's like they did in the R1 with the FSB changes. I would be one happy camper if they did!

 

Alienware: Online Documentation

Mobile Manual. Chapter 3. Page 56.

 

As usual the Reps don't know what they are talking about.

The Service Manaual clearly states the HD Card is Optional

WirelessHD Card (Optional)


It is only normal that the user manual would have instructions on how to use it, based on the assumption you have purchased that option.

 

I confirm the rep has no idea what he is talking about. Is is an optional card as mentioned in the manual and also as mentioned by a journalist in a CES video.

 

Just an interesting tid bit on the Widi situation. If you look at the pics of the manual it shows two different locations and pieces of hardware for the Wifi card and the WiDi cards so unless AW printed it wrong they're not the same thing.

Edit: Got beat to it, look at the pics for both the Wireless Mini Card and Wireless Display Card.

 

There service manual shows a different bios....way to go Dell, get your act get together.

 

Lots of conflicting info on the net about this. I'm going with scook's theory that you need to buy the optional card if you don't get the Intel 6300.

 

Hi all,

I've just took a plunge on the system with default config. Now I'm looking over my order, is there much of a performance difference stepping up from 2630QM to 2720QM for $147 more?

THX

 

At least they keep the disclaimer consistent in both manuals.

 

Typical CYA......doesn't mean people wouldn't complain.

 

do we need to get some units in to pick apart, scraping the bottom of the barrel here.

 

^^^No kidding and I think best case scenario based on dates I've seen the end of next week is the soonest we'll have one lol.