M18xR2 Pre-Order Configuration Questions... Ask HERE

Just to put my two cents worth in, I kind of have to agree with TommydCat...a base M18xR2 for $1999 includes a GPU card, and that GPU card has a cost/value. They aren't free to Dell (and, even if they are, they do have a net worth).

So, base card A is worth, say, $100. It's cost/value is built into the $1999 system price.

To upgrade to a better card B, costs, $550. Simple math says that B card is worth $650 ($100 + $550) (not counting any sort of price gouging or funky pricing). If B card is then worth $650, then a 2nd B-card is worth $650. Since a 2nd card does not come with the system, the price to add a B-card should be $650, not $550, assuming Dell is charging an "upgrade" price on the original A-card upgrade. If, on the other hand, Dell is keeping (as profit) the value of the A-card, and charging list for the B-card (1st and 2nd) then your theory makes sense.

Since no one knows how much Dell pays for these things and their pricing structure, then no on can say for sure, but on the surface, to upgrade one for $550 and add a 2nd for $550 doesn't make sense.

Also, look at the 675M option. Upgrade price from 660M to 675M is $250. To add another 675M , according to your logic, should be $250, but it's $550 over the price of a single. First and 2nd card, in this case, are not the same price, as the first upgrade takes into account a value of the base card.

Maybe I'm not understanding what you're thinking?

 

Guys, I am still stuck on making the decision between the 7970m and the 680m. I mean both are similar in performance but I want to know that if I plug the 7970m into an external 3d SCREEN, will the 3d work because it is the new generation of AMD ??!!!! And tell me which purchase you think I should do

 

Apologies for missing you question in the fray. To answer your questions, the 7970m seems to support 3d to an external display ( see here). As for the choice between the two, there wont be any huge jump in performance going from AMD to Nvidia, certainly not one that would justify the initial pricing anyway. Things appear to be looking up on the AMD driver front as several members are reporting good things overf here.

I guess the choice boils down to wether you have deep pockets and a taste for Nvidia. It's also yet to be seen how well AMD's new plans to provide better driver support will be in the future....they plan on scrapping monthly updates and focus on quality not regularity. Nvidia on the other hand, seems to offer better product support, at least as of now anyway. The other things which may sway your decision would the abilities/benefits of PhysX and CUDA.

I can't say go with one or the other - if it were me, I would go for Nvidia but the pricing obviously is ridiculously high and is something only you yourself could decide wether its worth it or not.

Also, this may be of interest to you: http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-m17x/671352-alienware-23-3d-monitor-7970m-m17x-2.html

 

I think you need a gtx 675m or gtx680m for 3D capability.

I haven't heard of AMD graphics that are able to do that. There might some third party software/drivers for the 7970m.

 

The 7970m will certainly support 3d movies on any 3d-capable external HDMI display with PowerDVD, and games should work in 3d mode on compatible displays (list of which can be found here). I personally like the Samsung displays, but your mileage may vary

I don't know if smallgene is alluding to the fact that only the M17x in the AW line has the 3d built-in display option and then only bundled with the nvidia cards. This is unfortunate, as I really love the 120Hz refresh rate in 2d mode and would pay for that without the 3d at all. An 18 inch 120hz display would rock!

 

thanks guys and Stevie no need to apolagize lol u, DR and Katalin are prolly the most helpfull people for guys who own/want to own an alienware

 

Guys, just want to go back to the pricing briefly. I agree, we shouldnt argue - let's just call it an enthusiastic discussion, eh?

As per the above, I agree.

As you say yourself above, the cost value of card "A" has already been built in to the system starting price, thus its intrinsic value to Dell has already been covered by the $1999 base price for anyone NOT wanting to upgrade. If you DO upgrade, I very much doubt that Dell take the cost of a single 660m off your 1st gpu upgrade, which explains why one 680m is exactly half the cost of two 680m's in the States. If they did factor in the removal of the 660m cost somehow, I am at a loss to see how or why in the US, the cost for SLI is exactly double, as the first gpu would become slightly cheaper because of the removal of the 660m overhead costs....and it isnt.

You never had a 660m in the first place mate....ever....

I'm not saying that the 660m doesnt have a cost, it obviously does.

I will try to explain my logic - it's my belief that the mistake you guys are making (as above) is assuming that Dell have to cover the cost of the base 660m that NEVER gets installed or even ORDERED in the first place. Why would they order a 660m for your system only to remove it and upgrade them and have the customer stand the cost of doing so? - Dell dont have to stand the cost of a 660m because, quite simply, it never even existed for you if you chose to upgrade the gpu.

If you think that they all roll off the production line with a single 660m installed already that Dell have to remove and either throw away or cover the cost of, then you're crazy - these machines are built to order - you spec up a machine, place your order and if you place it with a gpu upgrade, your machine doesnt get 660m orederd for it and it never comes close to having a 660m put in it, so why you feel the need to warrant its cost is beyond me

I don't know if you have ever heard of the production strategy called "JIT" (just-in-time) but I imagine Dell use it quite alot. Basically, it's where stock is ordered in only "as and when" required, as late as possible to keep costs down as opposed to stockpiling loads of expensive gpu's (and other components) that they may or may not sell. Dell will still get "economies of scale" discounts from Nvidia/AMD because they both know that Dell will be a massive customer placing plenty of repeat orders for these gpu's. They probably dont hold a massive stock of 660m as most people look at upgrading and Dell know this - chances are, when systems are ordered with stock gpu, Dell would order some in....that would be my business logic anyway. No point in having them sat around if they are not going to prove popular and these are gaming rigs, most guys want a stronger gpu. It's also another reason why the cost of a 660m should not be taken into serious account as they aren't (or I imagine them not to be) a tangible stock asset in the first place, on the most part, due to forecasted lack of demand.

Think of the pricing for upgrades a bit like ordering a take-away. I know the 660m has a cost/value, but from what you are saying, it's like the restaurant (Dell) cooks the whole menu and then they charge me more simply becasue I dont want to order it all. I don't expect to pay for chinese fried rice (660m) when I order chicken curry (680m) just because chinese fried rice (660m) might be on the menu or has an associated cost to supply me with it HAD I wanted the rice in the first place!! LOL

What you are intimating is that we should cover the cost of a part that Dell never ordered or installed in your customised machine order....if you are happy to pay for it in the cost of an "upgrade" then more fool you.

If Dell actually remove the cost of the 660m from the cost of an upgrade, that's all well and good. I dont see how this works though as for the US, this should make the first gpu cheaper than the second but it is not - it's the same price. For example, say a 680m costs $650 minus the $100 cost of card "A" (660m) which you NEVER had, that would be right for a single gpu upgrade as the cost is $550. The second gpu module STILL costs $650, and there is no other base gpu to remove, so the cost of adding a second gpu is actually increased in reality. $550 for the first and $650 for the second does not make $1100....see my point?

On the same principal as above, the worth of card "B" has nothing to do with the worth of card "A" as you never had card "A" to begin with......Dell didnt book your order with a 660m, then change it to whatever....the 660m in your order never existed, only on paper/website as an example of how much extra you pay for a gpu upgrade.

Again, card "A" has nothing to do with a gpu upgrade as it was never there in the first place when an upgraded order gets placed - however, it's highly likely that Dell never bothered to remove that $100 that was incorporated into the $1999 base price for a 660m that you never had or ever will receive. You are correct in seing where I am coming from though!

I think we can all agree that dell are not "non-profit" and that they are in business to make money. I dont know how much money they make on a single 680m or 680m SLI but I do know that the only difference between supply of a single or SLI solution is a different heatsink on the secondary card and the addition of a SLI ribbon. The MXM cards themselves are the same "cost to Dell" for primary/secondary so it should not cost more to go SLI for that reason.

Nvidia don't supply the heatsinks (beacuse each OEM will have to have them made for their own machines) so that cost is down to Dell also. That may be the reason why 675m SLI is $50 more than a single 675m....perhaps, when we get up to the price range of over $1000, Dell simply elect not to charge the small amount over for the different heatsink & SLI ribbon, because lets face it, they have already had the $100 out your pocket for the 660m you never had LOL

Proportionally, I imagine Dell pay the same unit price for all MXM gpu modules regardless of which country they will be destined for. They don't buy them from anywhere else, they are all purchased from Nvidia or AMD in the States with worldwide distribution in mind - you dont get a "UK" gpu or a "Australian" gpu which suddenly becomes more expensive for Dell to buy!!. With that in mind, it would be safe to say that the RETAIL cost of the module should be the purchase cost (plus any additional charges for sending to the country of destination) plus Dell's mark-up.

The UK cost is fair for one 680m as it is proportionally "in line" with the additional charges we expect in the UK and is also proportional to the cost of a single 680m in the States of $550usd PLUS 20% UK customs, equalling £660usd, which is the equivalent of the UK website price of £430.....Where it gets out of whack is that the cost to provide a 2nd gpu - It's no more expensive in terms of cost of parts for Dell to make a UK M18x with 680m SLI vs. the US equivalent. Costings don't suddenly multiply disproportionally for SLI just because Dell are sending a machine to the UK. The only cost increase I would have expected would have been the 20% customs. I would have expected that our SLI pricing (had it been "in line") should have been around the $1100usd + 20% = around £860 but it is obviously not. Its some £160/$300 more......and there is no reason for it other than profiteering in my eyes.

If you look at the US 4.1ghz XM upgrade vs the UK equivalent, that IS priced roughly in line ($1150 usd +20% = $1380usd = £880gbp) working out actually a tiny bit cheaper than the US version, so I fail to see why it should be any different with gpu's.....

Wow, didn't realise this post got so long!! - I hope you guys see where I am coming from here, sorry for the chapter and verse, at the end of the day, we all have our own opinions so wether it's right or wrong - this is mine.

Thanks for your kind words - I'm blushing now LOL

 

I hear what you're saying, stevie.. and I'll just leave the note that when I go through the drive-through at Burger King and get the combo meal, they'll just charge the difference for substituting onion rings for fries/chips - not the whole retail price for onion rings. (They likely only have fries/chips in the hopper since onion rings aren't as popular, so I'll have to wait a few more minutes but no real cost to the restaurant).

However, if they introduce a brand new product (poutine, for example... heh), they'll likely not include it as an option into the combo, or charge a premium over the sub price - perhaps what Dell is doing with the brand-new GPU that every kid on the block has to have.

But this doesn't mean Dell has to follow this model at all, so whatever divination we perform to figure out their pricing strategy (if there is one, heh) is likely wrong in any case. (But I digest... Burger King can make me gassy )

Dell thinks - new kit, let's gouge the early adopters and ease off the price as the competition catches up (which in retrospect I think is a bigger factor than inventory). Or... some young executive is typing random numbers into a spreadsheet...

I'll let go now

 

Hahaha. I totally agree - but don't get me started on the whole "supersizing" cost/profit ratio LOL - very little cost to fry up a few more fries and charge alot more for them.....

I do still feel that the UK gets charged over the odds in direct comparison for the priveledge of SLI. It's always been the case that we get hammered by everyone who thinks they can just "take the mickey".....as there is no real formula we can go off, it's all hypothetical anyway....I just hate the thought of getting bent over backwards...

+rep for a great bit of banter!

 

Anybody have any other info on this?

3940XM.... kinda-like how the 2960XM beat the 2920XM, if there's a better chip / option, I "need" it!

Here: Google Translate

- Me.

 

Well, Intel will probably do a refresh like Sandybridge so there will probably be an Ivy refresh too but i have no idea when it would be available on Alienware platforms. Chaces are that just like the Sandy refresh, it will only be a small clock bump....better than nothing I guess but not really worth losing sleep over......you may end up waiting longer for it to appear....not sure if that's worth it to you for maybe 100 or 200mhz increase....

 

Your point of view would be valid, if, as you were configuring your PC, your total cost started at $0.00. As I add items, the price increases, to an ultimate total cost. In that case, you're right, I didn't have a 660M to begin with, because it hadn't been added into my total yet. Therefore, Card A and Card B should be equal value.

But that is not the case.

The STARTING PRICE of $1999 INCLUDES a certain combination of hardware parts, in this case, a SINGLE 660M. So, in fact, if I were rolling a shopping cart through Dell's store accumulating items for my PC, and I entered the store and asked for the $1999 special, they'd throw a 660M into my cart. As I rolled down the GPU aisle, and found a 7970M, I'd put it in my cart. At the register, they'd ring me up for $1999, and I'd say, "I can't use both, so i'd like to return the 660M" and they'd give me a credit for that part. If they didn't give me credit for it, then i'd certainly want it thrown into my bag so I can sell it later, since it does have a value.

Essentially, the 680M pricing scheme seemed in error at Dell with the cost of upgrading one and adding a 2nd 680M to be incorrect because you're not getting the value back on first. (OR, vice versa, you could be getting a deal on the 2nd , assuming Dell IS giving you something for the original and hence the price for Card B is LOWER than it should be).

In any case, I hope my example makes sense. Look at any Dell system configuration and pricing pages. For items where you can upgrade, the price is lower than just starting with it in the first place or buying it off the shelf from Dell. It's UPGRADE pricing. Hard drives, SSD's, etc.

Now, if this topic hadn't already been run into the ground, it has now.

Just wanted to add that when you configure an M18xR2, the basic $1999 unit says "2GB GDDR5 NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 660M [Included in Price]".

 

As far as GPU pricing is concerned, it is what it is. If you want better, it comes at a price and that price will be as much as people are willing pay for it. It doesn't necessarily need to make good sense or follow any scientific rationale to sell. In my view, nobody has a legitimate reason to question the pricing and it's a take it or leave proposition. You either want it bad enough to pay for it or your don't. That's simple economics and free enterprise doing exactly what it's supposed to do. It's not price gouging when it involves a luxury item. I shun the concept of price controls and I wouldn't want it to be any different even though I like a bargain and hate spending too much. Supply and demand can certainly come into play, but I suspect it is merely a condition where it's new, and desirable, and demands a premium. If people are not willing to pay the high price, then the price will drop to a value that people are willing to pay.

Having had another roll in the grass with AMD, I would pay the difference in premium if GTX 680M SLI is roughly the equivalent horsepower as 7970M CrossFire. I would not want to downgrade my performance for a higher cost, but all things being equal I am willing to pay a premium for historically better driver support and more robust features. Amortized over several years of pleasurable ownership versus incessant driver headaches, the higher cost for NVIDIA is justified in my view.

ErikO - haven't read up on any of the upcoming Ivy Bridge procs. If the evolution of Intel procs follows the historical path, I would expect the 3940XM to represent a very minor improvement over the 3920XM. Based on the feedback from NBR members, most of those that had 2920XM and later ended up with 2960XM saw little to no benefit... minuscule improvement for most of them. Some said they could see no difference at all except for the name being different. Unless the price difference is minuscule, it may not be worth any extra money or worth waiting for. When it's ready for distribution, Intel's web site should have a side-by-side comparison available to look at. Until an unlocked BIOS is available for the M18x R2, the Ivy Bridge procs are going to remained shackled with performance limitations.

 

I'm not talking about the actual cost of the cards or how Dell works out the formula for upgrades, moreso the pricing disparity between the UK and US for what is essentially the same thing - forget about base cards and all the other stuff, just look at the pricing and costing.

Would you agree with the fact that regardless of country of destination, it doesnt cost Dell ANY more money to manufacture TWO IDENTICAL systems at their factory in China? - all the components are purchased at whatever unit cost to Dell, so it doesnt matter which country they end up in...the cost to build two exact systems is exactly the same - yes?

If you agree with that, then the only other thing to factor in would be cost increases to the customer in the destination country, due to customs or whatever, right?

If you are following me on that so far, let's look at the increased cost for us to buy 680m's in the UK - in the UK, we get hammered an additional 20% on imports, meaning the equivalent 680m should cost us $550usd + 20% = £660usd = around £430, which ACTUALLY IS the UK price for a single 680m. To me, THAT IS PROPORTIONAL TO THE US RETAIL PRICING and is FAIR...... following me so far?

Now, if proportionality exists, logic dictates that if Dell can supply one 680m to the UK at a price that is "proportional" to the US price (as per above), they should also be able to do the same for TWO 680m's, right? - still with me?

My WHOLE point is that the UK SLI price is FAR from being PROPORTIONAL. It takes a HUGE jump in comparison - actually another 20% on what would be proprtional pricing for 680m SLI in the US.

If proportionality were applied to UK SLI, it would be $1100usd + 20% = $1320usd = £850 - THAT IS PROPORTIONAL and also "in line" with the same logic as the costing of one UK 680m.

What I fail to see is where this extra 20% comes from to bump the cost of SLI in the UK up from a proportionally correct price of around £850, to £1020......its not in extra cost to manufacture as the cost is the same, we have already included UK customs charges but all of a sudden, theres a huge increase in cost which is NOT proportional.

The only thing I can think of is profiteering, and that's what annoys me......if you can explain why its more, please do so...I'm all ears.

EDIT: It's not about being able to afford it because I could - it's moreso about principles and about getting raped for no good reason.

 

I'm not an economist, and don't have the knowledge to want to enter into a discussion of global economies or even Dell's business model, but your earlier post was mostly about this:

" I will try to explain my logic - it's my belief that the mistake you guys are making (as above) is assuming that Dell have to cover the cost of the base 660m that NEVER gets installed or even ORDERED in the first place. Why would they order a 660m for your system only to remove it and upgrade them and have the customer stand the cost of doing so? - Dell dont have to stand the cost of a 660m because, quite simply, it never even existed for you if you chose to upgrade the gpu.

If you think that they all roll off the production line with a single 660m installed already that Dell have to remove and either throw away or cover the cost of, then you're crazy - these machines are built to order - you spec up a machine, place your order and if you place it with a gpu upgrade, your machine doesnt get 660m orederd for it and it never comes close to having a 660m put in it, so why you feel the need to warrant its cost is beyond me "

Maybe we both agree, but are wording it differently? The current 680M pricing in the US does not make sense given that the upgrade price for the first card is equal to adding a 2nd card. But, the included 660M does have a value, and should be tallied when upgrading to a 680M.

But then again, it's Dell we're talking about here...who knows why they do what they do!

 

Gents,

I'm 'bowing-out' of this GPU price argument, but all I will say is that I agree with Stevie, USA charges x2, so why not UK, and finally that I DID vote with my feet, crossed my fingers, and went with AMD, and that is that. (Market forces at work there)

On the 3940XM;

I don't see it being just a small speed bump, but rather a chance to fix bugs in the architecture too.

For example;

When the 2820QM, was updated to the 2860QM, it placed 3 places higher than the 2920XM on the mobile processor Benchmarklist, on notebookcheck.

Mobile Processors - Benchmarklist - Notebookcheck.net Tech

No small change there.

But anyway, this is taking up too much of my time, and I hope my next comments are to offer you all some benchies when my beast arrives, ETA 12-July.

Good day to you all.

 

Im obviously not getting this across LOL....the SAME single 680m cost the SAME proportionally in the UK as it does for a single 680m in the States - we know this because one 680m & heatsink is £430 - the proportional equivalent of $550 + UK customs at 20%.

Going SLI for both the UK & US involves exactly the same additional parts (680m/heatsink/SLi ribbon) and we have already established that Dell can provide the "primary single 680m and heatsink" at a proportional price in the UK, so why can they not provide the secondary parts at a proportional price too, because they are EXACTLY the same parts they fit into a US m18x to enable SLI.

It's safe to say that the additional parts to "go SLI" for both countries is again, the same cost to Dell, yet they choose to "inflate" the price of the UK secondary beyond proportion.

I guess I will just have to put it down to Dell giving us Brits (and those outside of the US) the royal shaft again....

That's the last I will say on the subject, as I am also concious about thread disruption. If you can't see where I am coming from, there is little else I can do.....might as well thrash my head against a brick wall....Thanks Erik for you comments.

 

I have no doubt in my mind that the upcharge is more than the price of a single GTX 660M and that the SLI cable and heatsink for the second GPU don't cost 170 quid.

Let's just leave it at Dell thumbing their nose at us while laughing all the way to the bank as we bicker about petty details.

My apologies for being the one to originally stir the pot..

 

Well, it takes two (or three in this case) to have a debate (not an argument ) ....that's all it ever was from my part...me just spilling my thoughts out and trying to fathom it out.

No need for apologies - I don't think any of us has anything to apologise for as we each have a different perspective on things and we were just openly discussing them (probably more to the dismay of the moderators LOL) but I think we can draw a line in the sand and put this sucker to bed....hang on, no....I'm gonna hit Dell up directly and ask them to comment, you might have guessed I am a bit of a "consumer warrior" and I always try my best to get anyone in the UK a "better or fairer" deal...so what if I hit a brick wall, if you don't try, you will never know the outcome of what might have happened if you DID try.....

Peace out LOL

 

Likewise! Never an argument, just different attempts to get my point of view across.

FWIW, my comments were never directed at the US vs UK pricing issue, but more towards the discussion about single vs dual card cost/value ( in the US).

Anyways, 'nuff said on that.

 

"Group hug", anyone? :laugh:

 

Yay! Looks like my new R2 system (exchanged by Dell from a R1) shipped today and they gave me next day delivery, so guess what i'll be playing with tomorrow?

 

This is definitely a scrub question but I'm ignorant so please educate me

The cost of 3rd Gen i7-3920xm is the same for 3.8ghz with Turbo and 4.1 ghz overclocked

Can someone explain to me the differences and strengths and weaknesses of one over the other?
Sent from my using gurlllllltalk

 

Congrats! - what's the spec. ?

I am assuming you are looking at the UK website as the cost for both options is the same....just go for the 4.1, no difference between either except Dell set the OC changes in bios for you.....they choose to charge US customers a premium to do this....another illustration of Dell's crazy pricing.

 

Your assumption is incorrect and now you have made an of u and me

I'm looking at alienware Japan and its that way too...and my question is regarding longevity / performance and etc what makes the of changes in Bio significant what does that mean/enable?


Sent from my using gurlllllltalk

 

3920XM, 6GB, 500GB, 7970M CF, Killer-N, RED, Windows Ultimate

This is replacing a previous Outlet purchase that cost me about $1460. It had a SATA channel speed issue, and Dell exchanged it with another, but it was Black. The black one had issues freezing (stock clocks, default bios settings, etc). They started to give me grief, then I reminded them that the black one should have been Red. They then consulted with the Dell Gods, and told me I'd be getting a new R2, in RED. So, for the money I have into it, I can't complain.

I will, of course, move my SSD's and 1866 RAM into the R2. Hopefully, the 3920XM will be as fast or faster than my OC'd 2960XM (currently at 4.3 on 2 cores).

Kind of all equals out, eh? You Brits don't get the Royal shaft all the time!

 

So I want to buy an M18x...

I'm looking to configure one of these systems with the following specs

3610QM or 3720QM (which can OC slightly, correct)

there is a $250 discount for ordering with:
8GB DDR3
2x500gb HDD
Blu ray Drive
and GTX 675m (But I want to upgrade this to Crossfire 7970m OR GTX 680m)

Standard Intel Wifi 2230m or Killer Wifi NIC. (how are the Killer cards?) I will be mostly gaming on Wifi...

I will also be upgrading with a Crucial M4 128gb that I had waiting.

The price is a little steep for my budget, I am looking to get the biggest bang for my buck if I do buy this, as my wife will not let me upgrade any time soon.

I REALLY want the 7970ms but the drive issues are a concern, but the Price to performance of them is awesome I have always been an nvidia user before, but $550 for one card that is the same as a 7970m performance wise is tough to swallow, let alone $1100 for a pair of them for SLi.

then there is the 675m in SLi, but that's pretty much buying old tech, which is what I am trying to avoid, and the performance is barely any better than a single card of the new gen, right?

What can I pair down to save a few bucks, and not miss much? Should I just pair down with the same component choices to the m17x with a single GPU?

How is the build quality on the m17x compared to the M18x? I Really like the m18x and its a metal chassis, as well as the screen size.

Sorry to bombard with questions, and thanks for the info in advance,

ID

 

The 3720QM CAN be overclocked - up to 400MHz faster with turbo boost tweaks from what I've read.

If you want to transfer files over wireless, and you have a router that supports 5GHz, go for the Killer as it is MUCH faster. You CAN buy one for 60 bucks from Hidevolution. It's cheaper than the 80 USD Alienware charges, and it pops right into the M18X R2 which comes with 3 antennas, but only 2 are hooked up to the Intel wireless.

7970M Crossfire is MUCH, MUCH better now with the 12.6 WHQLs and 12.7 Desktop BETA drivers. I'm only experiancing issues with The Witcher 2 dropping down to 40 FPS while looking around. Skyrim, Max Payne 3, Spec Ops: The Line, Dirt 3, Dirt Showdown, Metro 2033 to name a few work perfectly. So if you are on a budget, go for the 7970's in Crossfire. Also, the 675M SLI is barely faster than a single 7970M, and costs $50 more! (same for 680M single, costs the same as crossfire 7970M, and is ~1/2 the speed)

You can save money by getting the bare bones + graphics cards and warranty, and then upgrading your SSD/HDDs, RAM, and Killer NIC after the fact. It takes a bit of unscrewing, but if you follow along with the video guide that Mr. Fox did of the R1 (same thing as R2, I followed this) - you won't have any issues if you take your time. Edit: For example, 8 GB of RAM from Alienware = $75. I got 16GB for $100 from Amazon.

For build quality, folks who have owned both say that the M18X R2 has better build quality. Aluminum chassis vs. plastic on the M17. Rubberized hand rests vs. plastic of the M17. Dual video cards vs. one card on the M17. Just to name a few that my buddy from work talked about.

 

I just want to make sure I understand you correctly. I'm going to be only a casual gamer, but want whatever I play to play at its best. I'd also like the machine I marry to stay with me for quite a few years. Hence, the M18x. Are you saying that 7970M CF is going to be better than a single 680m or a dual 680m in SLI?

I'm possibly going to bite the bullet in a few months and get the full shebam.

 

I appreciate the info, I was told by the dell reps that if I have aftermarket components, they wont help me troubleshoot the system with third party components installed. Plus, there is $250 off an M18x configured with 2x500gb HDD, 8gb DDR3, and a Blu Ray Drive. So the "upgrade" doesn't cost a ton more for stuff I would like. Thanks!

I would also like to add, my original intent was to buy a Sager configured similarly to an m17x. But on a whim I went to my local Microcenter, and saw an m18x they had on display, the quality and build impressed me so much that it changed my opinions of the brand to the point I'm working on quotes with a Dell Rep already. Have any of you owned Sagers recently to compare to Alienware?

From my own research, the 7970m in CFire will definitely kill a single 680m, in SLi I would imagine they would be close. I can't say the Sli GTX 680ms would be worth the $1100 price tag, but I have been a big fan of nvidia, and always had luck with their drivers.

I use this GPU Comparison page to help me out. I am like you, I want what I get to last for a while, and I want performance, I am above a casual gamer, but definitely don't have the time that I used to game.

 

I love it when reps outright lie.

 

I may have misunderstood what he was saying, but I had asked about buying a GPU and purchasing a 2nd one down the road, or right away (for instance getting a 2nd 660m with the base model).

he said that its usually better to purchase the cards together, otherwise they may(or will) require me to take the additional card out if I ever had any issues.

Just figured I would try to clarify.

Thanks again for the info.

ID

 

As stated above, the 680M in SLI is looking to be on par to a bit better than the 7970M xfire. However, SLI is traditionally more easy/ plug n' play. That said, you are depending on drivers for SLI profiles.

It's hard to say right now since no M18x's with SLI have gotten to NBR users yet. At least not that i know of.

I'm also considering moving to the M18x. Good luck with your purchase!

Sent from my DROID RAZR MAXX Using Tapatalk 2

 

Easy, Tiger!! - no need to bite my head off!, the only person who's made an a-hole of themselves is you with your rudeness....not very polite to call someone when they are just trying to help - maybe if you had your location under your Avatar, that would help others help you....

Maybe not ALL the time, just the majority of it LOL

At least you guys get the choice of either paying less for exactly the same hardware (regarding the xm) at $900. No difference in the hardware, just Dell trying to extract some cash from you guys for changing a few simple bios settings.....

 

Just ordered this
3rd Generation Intel Core i7-3820QM (8MB Cache, up to 3.7GHz w/ Turbo Boost 2.0) $0.00
32GB Dual Channel DDR3 at 1600MHz $0.00

1 320-3263 18.4 inch (467.36 mm) WLED WideFHD (1080p) display (1920 X 1080) $0.00
1 320-9377 2GB GDDR5 NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680M $0.00
1 342-4504 32GB mSATA caching SSD $0.00
1 342-4402 1TB RAID 0 (2x 500GB) 7200RPM $0.00
1 330-6106 Personalized Nameplate Trigger $0.00
1 331-2426 Custom Nameplate $0.00 M18x r2

Can I add the second video card after the fact to make it sli if I'm not satisfied... Sales rep lied to me said I didn't need it .. Now I'm kinda regretting .. Just a casual gamer but on a system like this .. Need to go all out

 

Yes, you can. However, you will need to buy the additional card, heatsink, and SLI cable. Depending on when you buy the card, it could be pretty expensive. I would recommend re-ordering with SLI if you want it. Both cards will be under warranty and it will be cheaper to do so.

I also remember someone mentioned whether or not a tech support rep will have you remove the second card or not. Usually, (at least every time I have seen) they will have you return to stock configuration to troubleshoot. Obviously, warranty does not cover aftermarket parts.

Good luck with your predicament, I hope things work out for the best.

 

i hope the laptop is stocked for everything i would need already... as long as i can play everything full blast i think i should be fine .. also could i not just always send it back to them to do install it for me?.. how do you like your conifg that you have?? seems pretty stacked.

 

It is true a single 680M will be very potent. With today's games you will have more than enough power for 1080p. I don't think Dell offers anything like that, but they will sell you the parts. (Could be very expensive for the GPU, like $1,000+ and it only comes with a 2 month warranty or so.). You also have a 21 day return period for the laptop if you're in the US.

Keep in mind, though, you are in the M18x forum. This is very much a performance driven community.

If you're talking to me, I like my system a lot. It is my first Alienware, and the experience has been great. I was living off an old Insprion, and I finally drove it into the ground, lol. Needless to say, it has gotten me back into gaming and computers. While my config is more than adequate for most, everyone here have been convincing me to go M18x.

 

So your or my system pretty much crush every game and looks beautiful with no hick up ... Main reason I'm going with Alienware .. Just want everything to run fast and beautiful .. Even when you play yours .. There's no hiccups at all.. And upgrading from here is only for performance stats.. Sorry I'm very new to this all ..

 

That's a very nice spec but two or three things I would change. I would drop the 32gb, go stock and upgrade it yourself at a much cheaper cost...doubtful you need even 8gb's if all you do is game on it. On the same note, I would also "bin off" the 3820 and go 3720 - again, if you just game on it, 3720 would be ample.

With the money saved from ditching those, I would toss in another 680m as that is the area that really DOES make the machine fly when it comes to gaming.

Just my 2p's worth....

 

I totally agree !

 

So... I'm going to be talking to the rep tomorrow and possibly ordering an alien ware of some sort...

But these 7970m crossfire issues are bothering me. This laptop is beyond my original budget as it is. With so many people having issues... should I go with a single 680m in an m18x, stick with the xfire 7970s or bump down to an m17x with just one card. Are single 7970s much more reliable?

The lack of working drivers is pretty troubling and very disappointing...

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

 

There's always a way to reduce the price from what you see on the websites. Two threads you can try are:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware/669327-alienware-sales-assistance-thread-redux.html

http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...ssories-please-contribute-95.html#post8668521

Should help you shave off a fair bit of list prices to make those 680m's more affordable!

 

Thanks for the tip... I have been working with a rep that rev from one of those threads hooked me up with. I'm talking after discounts I'm really at my limit already. My wife has okayed the amount I'm spending but I'm having a hard time with it myself. It boggles my mind that something so expensive can be nothing but a headache for the owner. Its not like crossfire is a new thing you know?

I think for me to buy an sli 680m system I would have to get a base system with no other upgrades. Which i guess is ok but I would like the OCable CPU and 8gb DDR

I could care less about the 1tb drives. 500gb plus an sad is enough for me. But buying a certain combo gets a decent discount for some basic upgrades...

Maybe an m17x is the better option...

This is tough. Never spent this kind of cash on a personal PC before...



Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

 

Best bet would be to concentrate on gpu and cpu. Drop all other upgrades that you dont require as you can probably upgrade them yourself cheaper and also a bit at a time....ram is cheaper aftermarket, so are drives...

If its gaming performance you want, without headaches (I imagine that 680m will be "less" troublesome than 7970m) then it's gotta be m18x 680m sli.

 

Stevie, you say "Less" in quotes, does that mean that sli GPUs are trouble as well?

I've run SLi in the past in desktops with little to no trouble, and we're talking back in the day with 6600gt cards, gtx 260s, 460s and a gtx 590...


How are your 580s in SLi? I assume the 675m in SLi in is not worth performance hit at a similar price over 7970m, despite the better drivers nvidia provides?

 

I'm glad I cancelled my 675M SLI order after finding out about the 7970M crossfire. Granted, I got my 7970M upgrade for free due to a military pricing snafu (their prices were higher than buying straight from Alienware) - but this laptop is a beast. I don't even use my dektop PC w/ 980X @ 4.54GHz and 3 GTX 580 Classifieds in Tri-SLI anymore.

Yes, I can't overclock like mad. 75MHz at the most right now. However, this is a laptop - and even at stock settings it's frikken powerful. Drivers, yes - some headache getting one that works for 99% of what I play now (Witcher 2 needs work to solve FPS dips).

Overall, definitely worth the money I saved that I could put right back into the laptop with better parts at a lower premium than AW charges.

All said and done - if you want to save money, AMD. If you want almost complete fire and forget and can afford it, drop the $1100 on 680M SLI - I am pretty darn sure you won't be disappointed with them one little bit.

 

No. It just means that nothing is problem free until its proven to be so. Until we see some 680m's "landing" its all a bit "will it or wont it" right now....I would suspect it would be a better case sceanrio than AMD's latest offering. My 580's are just pretty much as perfect as I could expect. A few minor hiccups when released but nothing on the magnitude of what we are seeing with 7970m. Dual gpu, when it works, is awesome. Unfortunately, AMD seem to be having lots of problems and I anticipate Nvidia wont....but I say "less" to be on the cautious side...

 

Thanks for the details. That makes sense... this is a real bummer. I'm still debating risking 7970s. I have generally had good luck with hardware in the past.

The amount of money these things cost is insane andi have been considering getting a single 680m gpu seems to be a waste in something with the capability for 2.



Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

 

I'm pretty sure that I'm going to be spending every day of the next 2.5 months visiting the site and configuring my dream machine until I can actually afford it.

Having said that... is there any real-world reason why I'd choose any processor better than the 3610? I don't do any heavy computing. Most demand has been converting music in my library. My 1st gen i7-720 has always performed perfectly fine. I'm in no need of overclocking, so should I just save the $150? I'm much more interested in the 680m SLi.

Also, what kind of warranty/damage protection are you guys here usually signing up for? I'm pretty handy on the mechanical/technical side of things, so I'm going to forgo the US based support and it's extortive fee. My Sony VAIO F is two years old. It's never seen the ground coming at it at high speed, nor a significant drop of water. I understand that things may fail and accidents may happen. I'm at least willing to consider extended warranty, but not sure about damage protection.

It's nice reading this, and the owners thread, and seeing the level of community and information sharing that goes on.