*OFFICIAL* M18x Owner's Lounge Thread

Now that there is a possibility for me to actually use the laptop, I just have a couple questions. I understand that they might have been addressed in previous pages, but I really cant read through the whole thing. So your response will be appreciated..

I. I am planning on overclocking xm i7 to about 4.5ghz, like many people achieved.
1) Should I repaste? I have Arctic Silver 5. I was wondering how Dell paste is.
2) What settings did you use with Throttlestop for that stable clock?

II. I am planning on overclocking the 6990Ms
1) Should I repaste? I had an R2 which with repasting had 12c lower temp. If so, will AS5 work alright? Should I get those 0.5mm pads?
2) What is the latest stable drivers? 12.1 preview?
3) Can I use the radeon bios editor to change clocks in bios setting like I can with the R2? Will this also allow me to up the voltage like I can with the R2?

Sorry for the long questions, but I will appreciate your help! I am new to M18x and hopefully I can help other new comers in the future!

*Scook9: I paid nearly 10k for each of the precisions and so it is really hard for me to get a price that "appears" decent. Its just physiological.

 

One can never ever get what one paid for on a laptop...unless you get a refund.

 

Thank you for the response. I now see how it is. Are 6990Ms not compatible with the radeon bios editor? So they cannot be edited like the 5870s?

Where can I get the unlocked bios? Do you know any settings I can try/aim for for TDP with throttlestop if I want to hit 4-4.5ghz?

Thank you very much again for your response.

 

A very good place to start is here...
http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...920xm-2960xm-cpu-overclocking-discussion.html
A03 Unlocked bios
http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...iental-has-been-unlocked-modded-a03-bios.html

 

Thank you for that link. I think it explains it all. I wont oc the 6990Ms until I find a way to edit its vbios. I play on 1600p screen so for games like BF3 I might benefit in very intense scenes.

But now that Megaupload no longer exists, is there any other link to download the unlocked bios?

My M18x is out for sale, but if I cant get a good price on it, I might end up using it!

 

DELL M18X A03 BIOS THROTTLE REMOVAL GTX580M SLI

post 45

 

Hi all,
I just unboxed the m18x, everything seems to be fine except the F7 key, it gets stuck when I press it, it won't rebounce back..

Anyway to fix it other than calling for a replacement?

I won't be using F7 key except for switching graphics...but it just bothers me to have such annoying flaw =[

 

I have the same thing happen with my HOME key, not really sure what the quick remedy would be.

 

Take the central control cover off and loosen the keyboard adjust then retighten the keyboard put the central control cover back on=profit Here's a link for disassembly Documentation

 

Besides the F7 key problem, I notice blue flickering on SWTOR, I suspect a loose CF cable?....

It's been 2+ hours out of the box and I can't start a single game =[

 

So, the flickering is present in every game supporting Xfire? Most likely a loose CF cable. I'd try reseating the cards and cables + repaste for starters.

 

Umm how do I get to the CF cable? Is it under the keyboard?

EDIT: Just tried witcher 2, it has the same flicker, and it will disappear when i disable crossfire...

 

You can follow this guide.

 

I fixed the F7 key problem, but the CF problem is not fixed, I tried re-plugging the CF cable, the problem still exist..

Any pointers?

EDIT: By the way, does the crossfire disable itself when I don't use the charger? Because the problem is gone if I play games with battery... But the framerate is slow...

 

Hey guys, if I buy the M18x and I have a 400-watt power inverter for my "12 volt 120watt 10amp MAX" power outlet in my 2010 Honda, will I be able to plug in the M18x and charge it as well as use it for simple things like listening to iTunes or typing on Microsoft Word while having it plugging into my vehicle and still charging safely? This is with an architecture build of 2960xm/580mSLI. Thanks.

 

No it's not that. It's still enabled. The problem when gaming on battery is that the GPUs are not supplied with all the juice they need to run at full performance. This is the reason you notice lower framerates. If you plan on gaming, you should always game on A/C unless your games aren't very demanding.

 

1. Can the i7-990x overclock higher than i7-2960xm? The highest I've seen for 2960xm is around 5.2GHz and its stock clock speed is 2.7GHz. The 990x has a stock speed of 3.4GHz. Would 990x overclock higher than 5.2GHz?

2. Can the 2960xm processor be swapped out for the 990x in the M18x model?

I wasn't sure whether to ask this in the Benchmark thread or this thread. Thanks.

 

In a laptop...nope.

Nope, they can not be swapped

 

Thanks, John.
Do you know if a 400 watt power inverter will be enough power to run the M18x while plugged into my 2010 Honda (12volt/120watt max) power outlet for doing simple tasks like listening to iTunes or typing on Microsoft Word?

 

Max I've seen is 4Ghz for the 990X in a laptop but it was still too hot and unstable. 2960XM can be pretty stable @4.5ghz but some extra cooling is necessary.

 

120w should run the laptop on the igp. On the discrete though it could spike and blow your fuse.

 

Have you seen OriginPC's Eon17? Link. They have factory overclocking at 4.1 - 4.8GHz. I'm guessing the laptop will run in the low 4Ghz range while playing games. Do you reckon the M18x overclocks better than the EON-17s?
Johnksss got his 2960xm up to 5.2GHz but that doesn't necessarily mean he can play CPU-intensive games at 5.2GHz, right?

What's igp mean?
You're saying playing iTunes on the M18xR1 while plugged into my car with the ignition turned on may blow a fuse?

 

IGP is the onboard graphics not the 6990s or 580s. So on the IGP playing iTunes should be fine. Hope this helps ya

 

It helps sufficiently. Thanks, Etowns.
Regarding RAM, am I able to install 16GB of 1866MHz Kingston HyperX? As in, are there enough slots on the M18x motherboard to allow for this... or more?

Also, what default brandname factory-installed RAM is Dell using when they build the machines for you? Is it Corsair or Kingston?

 

Yes you can install up to 32gb 8gb x 4 slots. And for the factory ram they sent me Hynix @1333 Also check for the ram I have in my sig it's cheaper than the Kingston HyperX and has lower cas timing and it's also PnP (plug and play) hope this helps ya

 

Well I have had my m18x for a day now, and here is what I think so far.

The machine is a beast, it is amazing in every where and its built with a crapload of features, the swiss army knife of gaming laptops if you will. Coming from a Clevo which tends to look bland and normal, the alienware shines its flashyness everywhere lol. So far everyone who has seen the two next to each other are just amazed at how the Alienware looks.

I have encountered only one issue which I posted about on this forum, and it seems to have been resolved, due to shipping overseas either the SLI bridge or the Display Cable must have gotten a bit loose, but I seemed to have pushed it back into place.

After this I am definitely not getting anything other than an Alienware if I ever plan to get another laptop. But the only thing that bugs me is the quality control dell has on these laptops, I know there is a high demand for them and its unrealistic to want everyone of them shipped out to be 100% problem free, its still kinda unnerving considering we are paying 4K+ for these beasts.

Gameplay performance is beyond amazing, I own a desktop with two heavily overclocked 580's in SLI, my buddy has one with a single 580, and in terms fo FPS I definitely see it on par with my friends desktop which is more than enough for a laptop in my opinion. I can play battlefield on ultra and get reasonable fps. So far this thing has played anything I threw at it, of course its to be expected

There are still a ton of features I cannot wait to try out, the HDMI In and WirelessHD come to mind.

All in all I would say this has to be the best laptop I have ever owned so far. I can only hope the next generation gets even better. And Dell if your reading this, you better not even dream of soldering the GPU on the motherboard for the next models of the m17x and m18x, without user upgradability whats the point?

 

The Eon17 is not gonna run @4.8ghz on all cores, just a single one. It won't even hold 4.1ghz on all cores. And you can definitely push the M18x (29x0XM) past that

 

Yes, you sure can... here's an example LINK

 

The price isn't what concerns me; it's the quality. After reading several other forum posts, I deduced that this Kingston HyperX is the best quality RAM for gaming laptops. Would you agree or disagree?

1. RAM may be overclocked if desired, correct?
2. And is 1866MHz the highest frequency available on the market for laptop RAM?
3. Is installing anything above 8GB of RAM just an unnecessary waste and contributor to heat production? I've read on many websites that 8GB is the most anybody ever uses on their machine and 16GB+ is for companies with multiple servers or multiple virtual machines (Although I do plan to play Windows XP games on my Windows Ultimate operating system)

And that is something that OriginPC definitely does not tell you on their website. hehe, here I was thinking all four processors ran at 4.8GHz all day every day.

Thanks, Mr. Fox. Those bench results are for the 2920xm, though. I presume the 2960xm would deliver even higher speeds.



Regarding the Soundblaster® X-Fi™ Hi Def Audio - Software Enabled option, I was reading in this post by N0¢yph3r who says it uses extra processing power from the CPU even when in idle mode. One of the reasons I'm choosing the M18x is to obtain as high of a CPU clock speed as I can. I don't want any extra added features or superfluous software added that may use up processing power from my CPU. So is it true that the Soundblaster X-Fi option will but a slight increase on my CPU usage? I can always go to Fry's Electronics or Best Buy and pick up a brand new sound card any ways if I am dissatisfied with the default sound card. Or will new soundcard hardware put a strain on my CPU as well?

(I want to understand as much as I can before I make my purchase, in case y'all are wondering why I am so inquisitive)

 

With the correct settings, it will most definitely. There's not a massive performance difference between them.

 

Here you go, tried asking the guys at Origin and as expected, got no real answer and in addition, the operator left the chat in the middle without even saying bye:

Start Time: 01/30/2012 18:49:27
End Time: 01/30/2012 18:59:40
Operators: Origin PC - S
Transcripts:
Please wait for a site operator to respond...
If you do not want to wait, please click here to leave us a message.
Operator Origin PC - S has joined the chat.
Origin PC - S: Hello, how may I help you?
Aiki: Hi, I'd like to know more about your CPU overclock on the Eon17
Origin PC - S: sure
Aiki: 4.8ghz, does it mean 4.8 on 4 cores/8 threads 24/7?
Aiki: And if not, what's the max stable overclock on all cores/threads that won't throttle down after a couple minutes?
Origin PC - S: alright
Origin PC - S: just so im clear
Origin PC - S: you are inquiring about the 17s correct?
Aiki: yes
Origin PC - S: we do not ofer OC on the Eon17
Origin PC - S: alright
Aiki: but is says on your website - up to 4.8Ghz
Origin PC - S: yes on the Eon17s not the Eon17
Origin PC - S: they are two different systems
Aiki: ORIGIN Overclocking up to 4.8GHz with Turbo Boost. Oh, yes, I mean the 17s
Origin PC - S: alright so the processor will not utilize the OC until it is placed under load
Origin PC - S: this is the speedstep feature
Aiki: That's clear, my question is, what's the max OC ( 4cores/8threads) that will last for hours under load?
Aiki: meaning that if I run Prime95 on all threads it won't throttle down after just a few min
Origin PC - S: i couldnt really give you a specific clock speed
Origin PC - S: all CPUs are different and one may be able to take on a higher OC speed

 

I know this is the antithesis of what this laptop is built for but I have a question regarding maximizing battery life. Asides from the profile are there any recommendations on extending battery life on this monster?

I'd like to take the m18x rather than one of my portables because I'll be watching movies in a hospital. I am going to assume the area I am in has no outlet or I won't be able to access it.

I know I should disable hardware such as wireless, etc.

Any suggestion but the inevitable "take a laptop meant for battery life" would be helpful. I've never used a machine this big for the intended time period. My previous xps m1730 battery life was essentially a battery backup. The m17x had excellent battery life. I'm looking to squeeze as much battery life as I can.

Thanks in advance

 

I think you will be pleasantly surprised to know that the M18x can last up to 5hrs on battery. You can maximize it by switching to IGP before moving to a hospital, so when you turn it on, it won't "eat" the battery on boot. Second, reduce the brightness to 1 or 2 bars, should be enough. Next, you can of course turn off devices like wireless, WHD, Bluetooth, etc. You can also lock the CPU at 5% (advanced power options -> processor power management).

Good Luck

 

Thanks Alkimox, unfortunately I cannot get the IGP to work and there's no brightness control available. It's no wonder my battery life is so poor but I suspected that. The other suggestions you have made are already done but I thank you for it.

I've tried the FN+F7 and there's no dialog. I've had this problem previously with the m17x. Any ideas? I believe the brightness is a known issue with AMD. Ideas on what's causing the failure of the dialog/IGP?

Thanks

 

You might wanna purge/reinstall the AMD drivers and then try FN+F7 again. It should work. I'd even suggest a clean OS install.

 

Make sure you have OSD installed.....

 

So I decided to try out an overclock on my GPU's, 750 Clock, 850 memory, and 1500 shader with a voltage of 0.9. after a game of battleifled 3 with alot of players, I would say took around maybe 20 minutes or 30, the max temps it hit were 74 on the first gpu and 77 on the second, are those good temps or dangerous for the 580m's? Should I revert back to stock clocks?

 

Normal temps, don't worry

 

Well what worried me is when I used OCCTPT to check if it was stable, during gaming it seems the temps don't get that high but I can never be certain, it went all the way up to 86C on the second gpu and 81c on the first and then it BSOD's but that never happens during gaming.

 

Tools like OCCT and Furmark stress the cards way above what games can ever do. I've seen 100C in Furmark, lol.

 

Lol yeah that is true, guess ill go for another OC, a little lower and keep the same voltage. Thanks Aikimox

Edit: Went for 725 on the core, 900 on the memory, and 1450 on the shaders at 0.87, temps seem much better.

 

....and running in the background, too. If it is installed and not starting automatically with Windows, then it may as well not be installed.

There is no way to switch to the IGP except with OSD and the absence of any dialogue box when pressing FN+F7 suggests that OSD is not running.

You can confirm it is installed by looking for C:\Program Files (x86)\Alienware On-Screen Display\AlienwareOn-ScreenDisplay.exe and launch it manually. If the installation is there and manually launching AlienwareOn-ScreenDisplay.exe does not produce a dialogue box using FN+F7, there could be something not set correctly in the BIOS. You could then try re-flashing with A05 to set everything to factory defaults.

You can also run MSCONFIG and look on the startup tab. You should find OSD listed in the startup apps with the box checked. If it's not there in MSCONFIG, it needs to be reinstalled.

 

So after a full day of playing games and messing around, it seems the vBios flash I used with the 725Mhz Core overclock and the 900Mhz memory overclock is very stable, I have yet to notice any issues since its running on the same stock 0.87 voltage I don't see any temps exceeding the 70-74 range. So with those temps on load, only in BF3, most other games tend to hover on 69-70, you think its safe to keep this as an everyday overclock? IE use it constantly?

The performance increase is quite nice if you ask me lol.

 

Yes, I think that is safe... totally. I found 725/900 @ 0.87v to be outstanding for normal everyday use and game playing. I could be wrong, but as long as your temps stay low like they are, I don't know how that could cause any harm to your GPU modules.

 

hello guys. i used this thread and a few others before making the decision to purchase an m18x. first i want to say thanks to all the contributors that helped make this decision because it was a lot of money and i wanted to be as informed as possible. that being said, i travel a lot for work and i was wondering what you guys would suggest for a backpack. i have been looking at the official mobile edge orion backpack, but have been hearing a lot of issues regarding the threading on the straps. are there any other TSA friendly alternatives for this beast? thanks in advance!

 

Thanks for the input Mr. Fox, this overclock definitely helps alot when it comes to FPS in BF3 and Anno 2070, and also helps keep Crysis 2 at bay I love this machine!

There is one thing though, idle temps seem to be drastically different, my main GPU idles at around 48c while my secondary idles at 40, I assume this is because during the idle state more stress is put on the main gpu to actually display the screen and whatnot right?

 

That's right, there will always be a slight difference in temperatures between the GPUs. I wouldn't consider 8 degrees a concern

 

I agree with Katalin. There was a similar temperature variance with 6970M CF and 6990M CF when I had those GPUs. Nothing to worry about.

 

Good choice! The M18x is the best system you can buy. I travel extensively for work and it is at my side all the time.

Here is the thread you need...

http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...backpacks-cases-would-fit-alienware-m18x.html

For what it is worth, the Orion backpack is what I have and it is perfect for me. To the best of my knowledge it is only the Orion messenger bag that has issues with the straps. My Orion M18x backpack has probably 150,000 air miles on it and it looks like new. No strap problems.

 

I highly recommend getting a backpack and not a messenger bag, your back and neck and shoulders will thank you!

I also use the Orion backpack for traveling and it is built like a tank. I think VERY highly of Mobile Edge after using several of their products for the past few years.