m17x r2 vs r3 overall differences

is there a real benefit to having the r3 vs the r2
Is there any difference in the monitors used for the r2 vs r3? which one gives you better picture quality.

just wondering what the preferences are amongst the m17x community?

 

Well, I can't speak personally for the R3 as I've never owned one, but have seen one in the flesh and speaking as a current owner of an R2 and formerly an M18x I believe the M17x R3 was intended to be a Sandybridge single GPU lower cost successor to the R2.

Asthethically and functionally it looks identical to the M18x minus the custom keys on the left hand side of the keyboard, the volume up/down, CD eject buttons etc aren't capacitive like the R2 which is a nice touch in my opinion as the R2 touch sensitive buttons aren't that responsive. The palm rest feels nicer than the R2, there are less sharp edges than the R2 and the touchpad is more responsive than the R2, but it's not all a bed of roses.

The screen, in particular the RGB LED is by far superior to the WLED in the R3
The overall build quality of the R2 is supposed to be better, and that is believable because the R3 outer shell is plastic more like the XPS M1730.
Battery life should be better than the R2 because of switchable graphics, not seen since the R1.

Being newer than the R2 official GPU support is better than the R2, but unofficially the R2 is capable of running the same GPU's that the R3 currently runs. Something i'm interested in.

I had an M18x but sold it in favour of the R2, says a lot for the M18x doesn't it??

Many would argue that because the 18x is bigger that it is superior, but I don't agree, even if it does have Klipsch audio!.

For starters, although the 18x audio is very good, the R2 audio isn't too bad either, but neither are a match audio-wise to the likes of the Toshiba Qosmio line.

If they bring out an M18x with a RGB LED screen, that might just about do it, but for now, i'm happy with my R2.

At one point I paid nearly £2000 for a XPS M1730 and never for a minute thought it was overpriced, everything worked perfect right out of the box, but I've not had similar luck with the AW machines, so I think the new ones are a little overpriced at £2k, but at £1150 for my R2 with 940XM, BD-RE and CFX 5870 i'm much happier with the machine for the money.

 

thanks for that post AlienBMW

 

I now have got R3 with FHD and 6990m and waiting for R2 CF RGB.
When I receive it I'll make a decision which one is better for me.