New Alienware 18 Config and Order Status Thread

I'm not so sure why you'd really want pics. It's the exact same machine as 2013, just with part options. There are plenty of pictures of the 2013 model and the new ones would like identical

 

I was honestly hoping for the revision look of the newer other models. I really liked the alien head power button from the older generations, and so did manyou others because they brought that back with the new revision of the other models. Oh well I guess, but atleast if that's the case the led lights go around the sides too. The new ones have the led lights only on the front grill area and lid if I'm not mistaking.

 

Anyone with the 980M SLI care to share some benchmarks of whatever games they're playing?

 

Just to compare similar setup my GT80 scores around 14000 in 3dmark firestrike stock and 17000 overclocked. So as long as your around one of those you should be doing well. Congrats too.

Sent from my SM-G925T using Tapatalk

 

Well I don't have mine yet, and it will still be a while. I was just wondering if anyone had some numbes already. Any FPS numbers in any games?

 

I sent my R1 in for repair in late July (both gpu's had fried spontaneously). I was expecting a simple swap out and ship back, but they had no stock of those amd cards, and proposed an m17 replacement with the soldered BGA cpu/gpu. I declined, as my system was a top-tier (for it's time) machine with a 2960xm and 6990m's. They made a second (very generous) offer in the vein others here seem to have encountered, tier-4 m18 with 4940mx and sli'd 980m's. I was completely shocked, and very appreciative. This offer was accepted back in the beginning of August.

For the next two months the build status slowly moved through the process of pre-production to "in production". I remained cordial and understanding with them in our email exchanges, not minding the wait granted things were moving along. This brings us to a few days ago; with the system still stuck in production limbo, I received a random email from the support specialist (who has been handling my case from the beginning) offering a tier-3 system with zero explanation of what happened to the machine I'd been waiting all this time for.

Needless to say, I was a bit confused. Alienware has always been a brand I both trusted & respected. This shady business practice was so unbecoming of a company I thought I knew...

I declined the offer, essentially demanding the previous system they'd promised and expressing (calmly) my frustration of being strung along. Yesterday they sent another proposed replacement email, this time same spec as the first, tier-4, all that. I accepted, but can't shake the feeling I'm now stuck on a carousel ride of orders being canceled without notice then being proposed phantom systems which likely don't actually exist.

I sympathize with their parts/manufacturing deficit(s) situation, but this ordeal has really tested my patience. Nevertheless, I'll try to remain positive and give them the benefit of the doubt. Hopefully the system makes it's way home in the near future. I really dislike having to take a forceful/demanding tone with others, especially those in customer service positions (I know they have to put up with a lot). It just feels like I'm being pushed up against the wall here. I guess time will tell...sorry for the rant, y'all.

 

120 fps on borderlands2

 

I was running Shadows of Mordor with DSR enabled at 4k. It was butter smooth. I will see what the fps was tonight.

 

Which tier system?

 

I have the 3rd tier system. I added 2 500gb SSD's in it after I got it in RAID 0.

 

Same here...good to know...don't think these systems will encounter a stressful game till DX12 games start emerging ...I'm all warm and fuzzy inside

 

I hope these don't have the DX12 issues that they have been talking about on the desktop cards. They don't fully support it like AMD does.

 

Also, I ordered this cooler for it http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ED3WMTC?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=od_aui_detailpages00

 

All will be resolved in time

 

Awesome pad...my system barely gets warm ...even during a stress test ...I'm extremely impressed

 

What are the clock speeds? It could be throttling. Then again, 330 watts probably isn't enough for both the CPU and GPU's to run max speed anyway, so that's probably the limiting factor.

 

XTU SHOWED NO THROTTLING. ...FALL OUT 4 ON ULTRA should be a great test tho

 

Far Cry 4 caused my previous 18 to cut off power. CPU was 4910QM with BIOS overclock and 880M SLI slv7/johnksss BIOS

 

Something wrong with your hardware ...that should never happen ever...it should just crash if it could not handle it

 

Are you sure you have SLI enabled? My M18X with stock 680M SLI stayed between 100-130 fps max settings at 1080p.

 

no sli was away from power

 

The overclock probably drew too much power. I don't overclock mine.

 

Ran 3dmark... fire strike total score 12627....graphics score 17187physics score 10447....combined score 4718

 

It hit the limit of 330W, and so the machine just turns off. Same with all 18s.

 

Are you overclocking? If so, what are your clocks on cpu and graphics?

 

I don't have the machine anymore. At the time it shut off I was overclocked with Dells Level 1 CPU overclocking. GPUs ran at 993/1250Mhz, which is what they were advertised for.

Only way to know is with a power meter.

 

I'm downloading far cry 4 now I'm sure it won't just turn off lol

 

Depends on CPU clock//voltage/amp settings/GPU throttle settings/GPU drivers.

Chances are I will have another 18 soon with 980M SLI, and I will retest.

 

SUPPOSEDLY these machines are throttle free

 

That's determined by the vBIOS and nVIDIA drivers.

 

I wish they were supposedly ready for Win 10 with no LCD issues. It would be nice to know if we have a new revision that doesn't have this problem.

 

I got the targus pad for 18.6". Let me know how you like this pad, ill return mine! haha.

 

My order is in. New deal was too good to pass up, despite GT80 with 980 SLI or Clevo X9 with 6700K/G-Sync/980M SLI.

ETA November 20th.

 

Dragon age on ultra...not even a sweat...4000 well spent

 

Mine shipped today, Fed ex tracking number says it will be delivered by 8pm Tuesday. Looks like its going to miss the updated 10/26 EDD. Looks like it is going to be a long weekend.

 

Ordered mine last night.

4910mq/32gb ddr3/980m sli version for $3374.91 after taxes (military discount/10% off coupon). Not too shabby!

ETA 11/06.

 

Not bad, Mine came out to about the same with same options and discount. Can't wait to get mine!

 

Nice! I had a GT80 for a few months, but didn't like the build quality and speakers on it so I sold it.....I was coming from a first edition m18x before that.

So if it's anything like the m18x I had, I'll be super happy!

 

It's not as nice as the M18x R2 as the R2 has anodized aluminum on most of the outside chassis, but the 18 is the nicest aesthetically, imo, out of the 980M SLI notebooks.

The 18 is thicker and the display isn't one unified piece of glass, instead there's a rubber frame. The battery is 8-cell instead of 12-cell (which sucks). The speakers are nice, but I've never heard the GT80. The build quality overall is quite nice, but watch for stripping screws.

 

That makes much more sense! Sweet!

 

I own both the M18x R2 and the Alienware 18, and I prefer my M18x a billion times over Alienware 18. It just feels more solid and more premium. It also doesn't have the stupid BIOS handicaps that the Alienware 18 has.

That being said, if I HAD to get a 980M SLI notebook, I would look at the P870DM or the Alienware 18.

 

My order shows as shipped but i still havnt received my tracking information. Also, i received the targus cooling pad and i don't really like where the fans are located. looks like they need to be a little more to the top for it to optimally work for the laptop.. Will update once i get the laptop. Also, the switch on the side to increase or decrease fan speed is broken.. so either or im returning this one.


Edit: Update. just got tracking information. They shipped it today. Even though my case specialist said that fedex and ups doesnt ship on saturdays.

 

The GPU score looks real low for a 980m sli. My GT80 I sold got around 18,800 on the GPU stock, nearly 23k overclocked with prema. Is there throttling occurring? What bios came with your laptop, A12? Thanks.

Edit: If anybody else with a AW 18 2015 980m sli edition with newest bios can run firetrike @ stock with or without prema mod, I'd like to see the GPU scores. Hopefully no throttle and just a bad run, otherwise may cancel order

 

New run with updated graphics drivers total score 13520...graphics score 18123...physics score 10746....combined score 5260...With stock bios

 

Thanks, much better! Reading up on the new prema vbios just released, looks like everything will be just fine and dandy when it comes to overclocking with 980m sli. Good to know.

 

Forgot to mention that was with ultra settings enables

 

These GPU's are soldered and prema vbios isn't compatible with soldered GPU's as per there website

 

The AW18 uses MXM slots, they didn't change the design so it should work and improve performance but power will be the issue if you aren't careful due to the hard limit they put on the system.

Glad to see those scores with in the normal range though.

 

Correct. Shouldn't run into issues until I start putting too much voltage on each GPU. Hard limit of 330w into the MB but the actual meter from the wall will show around 375w before efficiency takes place. Should run similar to the overclocked GT80 I had with 1 psu.

Originally was tempted to get a dual psu with converter for the GT80 since I saw a few members run it, but decided it wasn't worth it due to soldered cpu.

13 more days!

Edit: If anybody is curious, I'll be doing a clean install of Windows 10 (no Precision X). Mr. Fox has been running Windows 10 fine now for 3 weeks on his AW 18. We'll see if my EDID gets screwed up on the newest AW 18. Figured I would due it right away while I'm still in the 21 day return/replacement period.

 

Pc mark 4400