*OFFICIAL* Alienware 18 Owner's Lounge Thread

Actually, the 4700MQ could be overclocked/forced to run at 3.4GHz under 4 cores load. That's two bins of overclock, 200MHz.

The 4930MX, well if we can keep it cool then it could potentially go far, though most likely still slower than the 3920XM/3940XM. The efficiency of the integrated voltage regulator seems plummet when the cores are pulling a lot of power.

 

Hi all. First, thanks to all the knowledgeable posters who contribute to this forum (and especially the Alienware subforums). Seems like a great community, and I have already learned much from lurking around.

I have a couple of quick questions as I consider what AW18 model to get:

1. I am also curious about the actual gaming capabilities of the base model with the 765s. Can I expect to be gaming at the highest settings with this machine? For the record, I typically play MMOs (I’m most excited about Wildstar coming next year), but also play the occasional F/TPS (lately, Warframe), Skyrim, Diablo 3, and love a good Total War game. Now, perhaps I have the wrong mindset here, but it just seems like a waste to go with something as monstrous as the AW18 and then get the barebones model. Is it even worth it??

2. Although I would LOVE to simply max out the rig with all the bells and whistles, I suspect my wife may have other ideas and cap the budget at ~$3500. Bracketing out tax for a moment, and given that gaming is my sole real focus (though this would also be my only computer, and thus used for all everyday tasks as well), what would be the best use of this budget? Do I go for 780s and give up most other things (such as an ssd)? I have read that the extended AW warranty is totally worth it--do I really need to bake that into the budget?

3. How good is the 1.5TB RAID 0 (2x750GB 7200RPM)+ 80GB mSATA SSD Caching option? I know nothing about this kind of set-up, and how it might compare to a ssd as far as experienced performance goes.

4. Horribly noobish question: what kind of rig would I need in order to hook it up to my HDTV (42” Bravia) via HDMI and experience great gaming graphics/video playback (movies, etc)?

Thanks for any help!

 

I doubt any of the CPU's but 4930MX could be overclocked in any modern laptop. Sure, it's on paper you can gain those 200-600Mhz for the MQ models, but they can't hold that clocks for long. Unless anyone can share a 5 min build in Intel XTU stress test with no clock drops on non XM models overclocked.

Last gen gaming laptops, on the other hand, were much more suited for real overlockers)

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4

 

I agree with you. Even the 4930MX isn't great at overclocking. The 4800MQ and 4900MQ won't handle it as well as 4930MX. Being able to do it and realizing a meaningful benefit from it are two different things. Having a wicked overclock at an idle is completely worthless if it doesn't hold those clock ratios (and not overheat like a big dog) under load. IMHO, Sandy Bridge and Ivy Bridge were both much better processors, whether QM or XM.

 

So on the 5080 dollar Alienware 18 model, how much could one expect to be discounted?

It sounds like Alienware doesn't do haggling anymore... Which reduces my chances of EVER ordering an Alienware again.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note II

 

Apologies for the bump, but would love any feedback before I go forward with a purchase. Many thanks.

 

1. I tried a friends brand new AW14 with a 765 (before deciding to go the money-and-practicality-is-no-concept AW18 route) and was impressed with how well it ran Skyrim on medium/high details. MSAA was turned down low, but it looked pretty good and was smooth. Based on that I believe you will get acceptable performance out of most current games - depending on what you term 'acceptable'. My educated guess is that on some FPS driven games you will need to leave MSAA turned off, and on some newer games drop to medium/high rather than high/ultra.
With the dual 780's on my AW18 I seem to bottleneck Shogun: Total War with the CPU.

2. Not sure how pricing would affect things in the US Store, sorry, but you could always wait 12 months and get an SSD anyway. (I replaced by 750gb SATA drive with an aftermarket SSD and it worked flawlessly). Honestly the dual 780's are going to be much more difficult to replace than the hard drive, so if it's SSD vs. 780's, take the 780's and upgrade the SSD later.

3. Feeding into that I was actually impressed with how well the 64gb cache/750gb HDD solution worked. The speed bump going to an SSD was noticeable, but not as great as I expected.

4. Even the most basic Alienware will ace video playback. You have absolutely no worries there, even if you get the cheapest AW14. However gaming - that is a matter of opinion. If you want smooth frames at 1080p in challenging games, then I would put as much investment as possible into the GPU and CPU. Diablo 3 and Skyrim will run well enough on 765/770's, but to throw enough MSAA at Skyrim and keep it smooth you might want the 780's. Likewise the next generation of games are likely to need bigger badder GPU's because the new console generation will allow higher fidelity.

 

Really appreciate the response--extremely helpful. Thanks!

 

Try calling in, the reps on the phone will give you some sort of deal if you try hard enough. that's how you usually get the discounts done.

 

Hi, am in similar situation. Not yet readyto move on. But if situation does not change will attempt the german alien site, they do sell the 18, dont know whether they deliver in nl and if they will deliver english or dutch windows, or maybe you already tried this?

 

Sadly didn't try it. Decided to go for a Clevo instead (I am happy with it, but as I have said many times before, I would take an Alienware above this Clevo anyday ).

 

Hoi, did you go with BTO? how do you like the buid quality? How is the cooling on your machine? Besides the pricetag how does the clevo compare to the Alien. Just curious in case I can't get hold of an alien 18 in the future and I don't want a single gpu laptop. Thanks
Q

 

I will PM you about this because this is getting off-topic.

 

This information might be useful. http://forum.notebookreview.com/sager-clevo/737579-power-plug.html#post9454689

I'm still a strong Alienware fanboy, but I can't in good conscience recommend any new computer with a Haswell CPU regardless of brand. Unfortunately, there are not many options available in a brand new laptop without Haswell and a dual GPU extreme beast is even harder to identify. It seems there is only one option left at this time and it's not an Alienware. I don't like having only one option available. Plan B would be a refurbished M18xR2.

 

Few updates from Dell Techs in Australia. AW18 780's came with vram cooling on the bottom but only for half of the ram chips. This has been updated with Dell spares and now new/replacement cards are coming with spare strip of thermal pads for cooling all vram chips. On the right hand its all good since heat will spread over motherboard from gpu vram but of the left hand, vram chips come right on top of the hole for fan, but should still spread some heat over motherboard.

To me a super slim heatsink will do a better job, considering there is direct air flow for left hand side vram and all it needs is a small piece of cardboard on right hand side for similar airflow.

On a side note, repasting 4930mx is a bitc4, since die is so slim, very fine line of very small tim is needed to do this. For 780's just a drop (size of rice grain) is enough since heat sinks have more than enough pressure to spread it.

 

Anyone here knows if owning an Alienware has any benneficts in the Alienware Arena account?? Because I've searched around for it and I don't find anything about it

 

It's basically a community of Alienware owners. Sometimes they have giveaways and stuff like that, but the only thing I've noticed that is special about it (worth having an account for) is the direct line to Alienware for support.

 

No, there is no gain. It's just a community of people who own our machines and can help you out with issues and tips. There are some users who don't actually own an Alienware but have a gaming rig and go there for advise.
Just like it's done here sometimes :thumbsup:

 

For anyone wondering what to expect from GTX 770M SLI right out of the box, check this out
http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-18-m18x/730723-official-alienware-m18xr1-r2-18-benchmark-thread-part-3-a-46.html#post9460689

 

Does anyone use or have any recommendations for a desk stand for the 18? It doesn't need a fan built into it or anything such as that (though it wouldn't hurt either), I would just like to elevate my 18 a bit more than my desk does and be able to adjust the tilt of the keyboard. I've seen multiple videos and pictures of M18x's and the like on desk stands but I've never seen anyone mention which kind they are using. Right now I just have mine sitting on top of a couple small books which doesn't help my neck out very much but it does keep my temperatures lower.

I found this one but it is a bit expensive, though I am willing to pay around this much if it is built well enough.

Amazon.com: LapWorks Z-Lift Desk Stand w/One Large Fan (Black); Completely Adjustable Incline & Elevation: Electronics

 

Are you using the built-in keyboard or external? I ask because raising the whole system too much might be uncomfortable for typing.

The CoolerMaster U3 is probably the best overall, but if you want to raise it more and use an external keyboard, something like a monitor riser stand could work, with the U3 on top of that.

Maybe something like this, with the U3 sitting on top of it? Fellowes Office Suites Monitor Riser

If you have the right tools, you could actually make something out of wood to match the finish and look of your desk for less money than buying a stand.

 

I use an external keyboard most of the time. There are times when I stand up while using my computer though and for those times having my 18 elevated enough to use its keyboard would be ideal. I have been considering getting the U3 but wanted to look into some stands first. My desk is pretty small and cheap (my 18 takes up about half the space which doesn't leave much room for a keyboard, but I manage haha) but I may try scrapping together something of my own.

 

Alienware 18 with i7-4700MQ, SSD and Windows 7. Seems a little slow. I installed the Intel Turbo Boost Monitor 2.5 that i've used on all my PC's in the past. It runs, but never shows a boost.

Is this a Haswell 4th gen issue or is TB off in my system somehow, or what is available for a TB monitor on Haswell CPU's?

My searching found only ver 2.5...

Thanks.

 

Hi everyone.
Just a quick question on mice. Can anyone recommend (or not) some good gaming mice for the 18?

I don't do a lot of gaming but will be doing more.
Thanks in advance.

 

It all depends. Some people prefer the Razer Deathadder '13, other the R.A.T. 7, other the Logitech G500 etc. If I would have to pick one though, I would get the Deathadder. Seriously good mouse.

 

Never mind...figured it out. For some reason it wasn't liking the power supply. I unplugged it and TB started working.
I plugged it back in and TB was still working.

So, non-issue.

ps. Found Intel Turbo Boost Monitor 2.6. Is that the latest?

 

As 1nstance replied above, I also recommend the Deathadder, its not too pricy and it feels really good.

 

I scrapped together something very simular to the Fellow monitor riser but make with pine wood, and using a table saw, (skill saw will do). Just make sure if you decide to go that route to allow enough space for the keyboard to slip into the garage like riser. I used some urethane varish, or marine spar varish to give it the nice look, plus you have the satisfaction of creating a craftsman work of art.

 

I use the RAT 7, a decision made because I cared more about mouse size and comfort than macro keys. The DPI is great - nearly a bit much for my old reflexes - but on paper a bit behind the newer models. The mouse software works, but is starting to show its age.

I am pretty happy with it - by far the most comfortable mouse I have ever owned.

The Logitech G500 gets a lot of love online, but I've never used it. If you are after a large number of macros I would recommend a Razer model.

 

I am using a corsair m95 and m65 on my machines now. Really like the feel, options and build quality. I've tried the rat mouse one had the dreaded sensor issue when you lift the mouse it would take 2-3 seconds for the sensor to re-acquire and respond again. Byron placement on the corsair mice make sense and work really well.

 

hello guys. i want my numpad to be turned on after a boot without pressing the num lock key. is there a way to that?

 

You should be able to modify the registry to enable/disable numlock status on start up. Something like this guide: How to Change the Default Numlock State: 8 Steps (with Pictures)

Backing up your registry before modifying can be a good idea - in case you want to revert back to before you made any changes that affect the machine.

 

NumLock on boot should be available in the BIOS. Have you looked to see?

 

reg edit dont work . cant see the numlock . when i go to bios.

 

Oh, yeah... Alienware 18, not M18xR2. Sorry about that... my bad. Yes, it's definitely there, but it is only visible with an unlocked BIOS. In their infinite wisdom, the BIOS engineers decided to hide that NumLock on boot setting, along with tons of other important settings, from owners of the flagship system. They think NumLock should be off by default, so that's what everybody gets to have... like it or not.

 

so i cant turn it on unless i unlocked the bios? how to do that? is it easy ? any solution?

 

You can't... unfortunately. The BIOS has Secure Flash and we cannot flash an unlocked version of the BIOS any more on the new systems.

If Alienware does the right thing for its customers and removes that Secure Flash and write-protected registers mess, then you will be able to fix that problem with an unlocked BIOS.

 

Hi,
I would like to buy a Alienware 18, but the new design don't like.
The question.
Much better sound new (Haswell) than the previous (M18x R2)?
Or same.
That would help me make my decision.
Thank you so much.

Regards,
Peter

 

Uhm, I`m not sure I answer the question you are asking now, but did you ask: Is Haswell on the new Alienware 18 better than Ivy Bridge on the M18x R2?

No its not. Its not much better. Unless you think like the morons back at Intel and think that you should just disable those dedicated GPUs that come with the Alienware 18 which you paid big bucks for. In that case, yes the Haswell CPU is much better.
But for CPU power (which 99,999% of us use the CPU for), its a pretty meh experience compared to Ivy.

 

I mean sound system quality. Sorry....

 

Oh I see.

I can`t answer that since I have only the Alienware 18 and did not have the R2. Someone else can hopefully answer that

 

the sound is the same as in the R1/2.

 

Thanks a lot.

 

One thing I notice while using this notebook is that I miss the brushed aluminum on the palmrest I had on my MSI GT70.
Too easy to make sweat marks and fingerprints on the rubber on this notebook.

It does go away by just using water or alcohol, but it would be nice to have alumium there.

 

yes man this is very annoying!

 

Yep.. the rubberized texture is very easy to scratch too

 

The good thing about the soft touch surface (is it teflon lined?? might be it) is that it insulates heat very well. The palmrest is actually plastic. If the soft touch material is not there, even with the plastic palmrest heat would come through easily, and it's a more localized heat.

They have the soft touch surface on the sides too, and that's actually magnesium alloy under it. Typically metal would feel cool when you touch it (when the machine is off), but because of the insulating property of the soft touch layer, nowhere would feel cool except the aluminum cover on top of the machine. I guess because magnesium alloy is harder to machine, aluminum which is more malleable is used. Since it's more malleable, it's less resistant to scratches, and that's why they have anodized (and probably sand blasted) it.

It's a great industrial design. Clean and sleek, despite what people might say. Most importantly, it conveys masculine minimalism, with many angular shapes.

You can see the same thing in PS4 and Xbox One. Especially the PS4, with its slanted/italic design.
What the Xbox One, PS4, and Wii U Tell Us About the Future of Consoles

The only thing I dislike is that the front of the palmrest is somewhat sharp.

 

hello everyone. Happy Thanksgiving. I think I got a problem, not sure. Last night I was playing Call Of Duty Black OPS on my 18. I played it for about an hour. no problems. I started my second game Battlefield BC2, about 2 seconds into the game my computer shut down. I checked the power supply and the green light was not on, so I unplugged it and then back into the power strip. The light came back on and powered my 18 up again. I thought what could have caused that.

now I am getting ACPI errors in Windows Event Viewer. Its getting me a bit worried. The only thing that I can think that I have done was flashed to A03 the day before, so I flashed it back to A02 to see if that didn't change anything. It did not. I am still getting those errors, see JPEGS files. there are 2 different events associated with ACPI. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

No need to worry. Windows always logs a bunch of meaningless and harmless errors. I have the same one with my M18xR2 in Event Viewer. See image attached.



It sounds like the circuit breaker in your AC adapter tripped.

 

Thanks for the info Mr. Fox. I am not so worried anymore. I thought that the firmware might have been corrupted during the flash. Thanks for your response.