Too late to get an Alienware M17x r4?

Recently got a better job and is looking to upgrade my m14x to a m17x.
I am just wondering when will m17x r5 come out? Should I wait for the r5 instead of getting a r4 now, since I am not in a real hurry to get a new laptop.

 

Assuming there is an R5, there won't be any significant improvements, other than the CPU and GPU. Right now you can get 15% off, I'd go for it.

I recommend getting at least the 1080p screen, the 3740qm, and the gtx 680m. These specs will do well (max settings) for a good two years. You should also get an extended warranty.

Go for it!

 

I don't see them releasing an R5 anytime soon but I could be wrong. The rumored next CPU family (Haswell) is looking at a Q3 or later launch of this year so you are several months away and it is looking like a 10% ish improvement over current ivy bridge CPU's which I don't think is enough to hold off IMO. GPU wise I know that the specs for the new 8000 series AMD chips wouldn't make me wait either as there has not been anything special that I have seen so far. I don't predict any major case chasis changes or other internal changes so unless your really worried about what cold come out then I don't see any reason to hold off.

 

I'd be expecting a refresh when haswell and then next gen GPU's come out. From what I have heard, this is coming in june, but that date could easily change. Up to you how long you want to wait.

 

id say go for it. waiting just doesnt make sense. there will always be something better

 

We don't have any information yet on whether a new Revision will be coming out soon or not. I would get the R4. you won't regret.

 

The only reason for me to delay buying a R4 laptop is the possibility of a new Anti-Glare screen replacing current one on R5. Give me choice for the AG screen Dell please.

 

Indeed if you always waiting for something better you end up waiting forever.

 

That's kind of the point... GPU is maybe the most significant improvement in any computer.

The R5 won't be out for a while, they're probably waiting for the next generation of Intel CPU's and the GTX 700 and Radeon 8000 GPU's... and even when those come out, I think it will be a while until their next flagship arrives on the Alienwares.

You will have this laptop for many years, so maybe a couple months of waiting would be worth it. But what J.Dre said is true, the 7970M and 680M can already max everything out no problem, and will for the next year or two. Personally I can't even tell the difference between Ultra settings and High or Medium so even in 4 years time I'll just turn some settings down and enjoy 60+fps

Unless maxing out every single thing like antialiasing, and playing tons of graphically intensive games like Witcher or Battlefield or Far Cry etc..... you will be 100% satisfied with an R4 for many years to come.

 

The latest GPUs and CPUs will be on the same process and mostly just tweaks, I'm sure there will be new features and they will be a bit faster but nothing huge like the last generation.

 

I'll give you another aspect

I went with AW first time when the 17r3 came out, I believe that was a time when they had changed the structure a tad bit, and also introduced the SB.
Issues with quality control, the infamous intel's SB issue and the fanfare of Optimus issues made me return,refund and purchase the ATI but with continuing build quality issues I had to return the whole thing, fast forward to IB the machine is fantastic in every regards except for continuing AW build issues (warped LCD in my case this time around only, rather than a failed mobo, gpu and dead adaptor in the 4 r3's I purchased in 2011)

The reason why I told you this tale is,that I made a conscious decision to go with the R4 as I believed the technical issues were settled, IB was a step up and more mature version of the SB,the GPU solutions were stable ( however ATI needs some work in the drivers department) and with Dell's QC department just as ridiculous as ever, getting a perfect machine is just a luck of the draw.....the R4 is better..technically....., the only issue in waiting for haswell is you can't be sure what if any issues may be present with HASWELL, then the pricing issue..(new tech will be expensive for some time) and the gpu concerns (right now if you can, go with the 680m, however even with the current drivers I am thoroughly enjoying the 7970m)

So with all these concerns I went with an R4 now and will skip the HASWELL launch and wait and see the revisions of this tech and buy in 02 years..ergo the warranty I purchased.

EDIT the dGPU went corrupted and quite possibly the iGpu so does the mobo and the dgpu get changed not to mention the LCD...dell......

RE EDIT the motherboard seems to be playing up and the replaced LCD has half a screen where the image looks as if being seen through a poor viewing angle...best I can explain... Have the video to prove it

 

Yeah, I was planning on waiting on Haswell but I decided to go ahead and buy. The performance increase probably won't warrant the 6 month wait. I just made sure i upgraded the cpu from the 3630qm so it won't be such a bottleneck if I upgrade in the future.

 

The new systems will have touch screens. And wibdows 8. I foresee loads of issues.

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk 2

 

I'm in the same situation bro, I want an Alienware m17x, but didn't know if I should wait or not.

But, there was a delay in the release of Haswell to Q3, so,
my deadline is July, and I decided to wait just for May (There is always the delivery's delay for alienwares), and try a good 10% off and the student's discount too..

My advise to you? Don't wait if the waiting time is superior than 4 months.
Think about it: 4 months without your m17x R4... you don't know what R5 will be, and you don't know the price also.
4 months... 120 days without playing in high res with 17"...

Don't wait... The R5 will come just after the haswell realse, is my best guess.

 

and when new amd and nvidia video card comes out u can change the current one with new one i think ...how about to change processor? it is possible?

 

For video this is true in therory, but Dell have already left R3 owners 'out-to-dry' with the NV 680m. They do not approve it and no bios update is released to make it work fully. many R3 owners have got it to work but you give up 3D as that will simply not work on an R3/680m

The CPU can be upgraded easily later but it has to be one that is designed for the chipset on the MB and supported in the bios. Basically whatever dell offer for the model. Future upgrades after a model has been superseded is hit and miss

 

I had the same thoughts as you. I'd buy now to be honest. Even if the 8000/700 series is a huge improvement, chances are AMD will ramp up their premium. I don't think the 8970/90m will be the same bargain as the 7970m. They will probably have learned their lesson with drivers and they wont have any reason to have a low price point.

All that comes down to whether or not you're going AMD or nVidia though.

 

I kinda think the same thing now that their latest drivers have been pretty awesome for 2 whole generations. They will be fools to increase the prices by a lot, but I would expect the nVidia-AMD difference to be around $200 or so now.

 

Yeah go for it and pray you get a build without any problems. I've spent the last year fighting customer support on various build issues. The machine is a beast when it runs perfectly, so I can't turn away from AW quite yet.

 

Unless you require a 675m/680m why not consider the 15" retinaMBP? I think the biggest drawback in my system is the display. It is completely unusable to me outside or even with a bright light behind me. You can always install Windows on the rMBP or run it through VM.

I see no reason to wait for the r5 unless they improve the screen and battery and reduce the weight a lot.

 

I wouldn't say it's too late but if you can wait I definitely would. I decided I wanted an M17x in Sept the year the R3s came out but waited for the R4. The laptop I had been using was 7 years old and on it's last legs but decided to wait anyways. It was an agonizing wait but worth it in the end. The price of the R3 didn't drop near the end of cycle once the R4 was about to be released. You have an M14x which is more than serviceable so why not wait?