*Prospective* News/Discussion: Alienware M18x R3

very, very curious now. could it be a slight refresh with the 680mx option? no product on CES has mentioned Haswell so far, so I doubt it would be Dell who'd do so... now if it's a significant incremental update with a better screen, a better cooling system and the fabled 680mx cards, I would be annoyed heh, seeing as I just bought the present iteration.

 

I could have read too much into him saying about "wait till Thursday" but then the penny dropped with CES being on right now.....I'm hoping that 2 plus 2 equals four, but I could have added it up wrong and could quite easily have read too much into it on my own.....still, we shall see....

 

info HOOK IT UP!! tbh I was hyped, but then disappointed on the new smaller desktop system as their new product, good for people who love it and purchased it but I want a beast lappy with a built in monitor so I dont have to carry additional screen around.

COME ON DELL WHERES M20000X?

 

I'll have some news for ya in a couple of months

 

imo the new thing coming out would be for the aurora, not for lappy. sad face =(

 

Can't wait to hear some legitimate news from Dell about the next models.

 

I was talking about the IPS screen which is 18.4"

 

He didnt have a clue what i meant when i threw this at him ... .Just that offers changed every Thursday i was trying to hold out to see if Dell/Alienware had something up there sleaves
Just a router i can't use as i have to use my Infinity hardware iirc

 

Yeah - seems that maybe I read too much into the "cloak and dagger" comment about wait till Thursday.....I thought that with CES being on,there might be some news he wasn't able to disclose until then. Still, if he can do you a better deal, thats all good.......

 

We got router, no real information just yet.

 

Great. A StreamBoost Router.......oh joy!!!!

 

Hmm... a router and a Steam Box, eh? Meh... might as well get another PS3 or XBOX 360 instead except I'm not into console gaming. Neat idea, but don't really see a need for a fancy looking router or a Steam Box when it can be done so much better with an M17x or M18x, or even an X51.

I suppose we don't have a list of benefits this router delivers that ordinary routers do not... or do we? Maybe there is a ground-breaking feature or some kind of surprise that we cannot identify yet.

 

Well, this is a brief idea of what the Alienware router is supposed to offer..... Qualcomm StreamBoost Hands-On: Your Network on Steroids - nice video too....

 

and the press release... Qualcomm Introduces StreamBoost Technology to Optimize Performance and Capacity of Home Networks | Qualcomm

 

If it works as well as advertised, that might be a good router to grab. I like the Alienware theme. Will have to see how many people grab one and report whether or not they actually work well. Wonder how much they will cost?

 

well I for one am not paying alienware prices for a router and it is neat that they branded it alienware and that is the problem.. the price point is going to be insane...

 

Don't see me being in a position to use the router think im tied to what my ISP gave me , but then i've just got it installed so maybe i'll look into it

 

Whilst it may be a fantastic router, I think Qualcomm should invest some time in ensuring their Bigfoot Killer 1103n Win 8 drivers are up to the job - I said in another thread that there is little point having an all singing, all dancing router if the Wifi card is a bag of poop because of lack of good driver support.

 

Well, we don't exactly know what that means yet. It might be competitively priced, but we will have to wait and see how much they ask for it. I already have an awesome Linksys E4200 Dual Band N750 that works great, so I don't need a router. I don't need the bells and whistles demoed in the video either, but it looks like it has some cool features. It is neat looking, but I put my routers where they are not visible. So, nobody would be able to admire it anyway, LOL.

 

lol after asking all of the other wanted features they gave us a router

GOOOOOO AW!!

 

maybe SAS ports to fit both SAS/SATA drives? SAS port to fit one of these.. LSI AIS 2012 - Avant Shows Engineering Muscle with New SSD Designs :: TweakTown USA Edition

 

hate to say it but they did the same thing when the r2 came out. As much as I love dreaming about new stuff, besides a couple reps I don't think anyone else from dell or alienware really reads this forum.

I didn't think dell really does much announcing at CES...

 

Go! Go! Go Dell! (That's the way I like it!)

The sky (and the universe) are the limit!

 

Anyone have a idea when the next generation of video cards are coming out for the m18x? I know the desktop versions aren't even out yet but was wondering when. Perhaps 3rd or 4th quarter this year. Just curious that's all.

 

We already have a speculation thread. I will move this there. I think we can only guess when. Ultimately, we will have to wait and see. I think your guess is probably as good as anyone else's, but we are all very curious.

Actually, I think you might be very surprised how much is quietly observed. Just because something appears on our wish list does not mean it will magically appear in the next model. A lot goes into determining what goes into a new system, but a community like ours does a lot to shape what happens next. If I were the person in charge of it at Dell, I also would not do much announcing at CES. There is no better way to defeat an opponent than the element of surprise. The less Dell's competitors know about what Dell plans to do, the more that can work to Dell's advantage. It is better to hide in the shadows and wait for the right opportunity to snipe with a killer product than to give your enemy a target to aim at.

The other thing is, everybody thinks their own ideas are best. If we had everything everyone asked for in the next model it would be a engineering nightmare and some folks would hate it because it has features they never wanted. There's not much missing other than a little bit of variety in screen options for those that prefer a matte display. Overall, I think they are doing an awesome job at meeting the configuration expectations of the majority.

 

For all we know, there may not be an R3. This is a pretty speculative topic.

 

When I was on the phone having small talk with an awesome tech support agent, he told me that the new revisions WILL have touch screens. Not sure if i like that idea, we may go to even fatter bodies then we have now. Just a small, but interesting discovery

 

I hope to see more than just a touch screen... By the way, there's a thread dedicated for R3 discussion already.

 

I guess you might be right on who reads what here, I understand but I don't think guessing what is going to be in the next model is good. people dream really big and get mad when it doesn't happen.

I don't understand the one company must fail for another to succeed thing though. I plan my buying out far in advance with lots of research, maybe I am one of a kind doing my research on what I want to buy. That has to be one of the few things I hate about the "a" company. I mean there really isn't much more you can do with a laptop. Better screen, better processor, better gpu, not much more than that.

ces really was a bunch of the same stuff with a couple new twists.

 

I agree, and for that reason I always cringe every time a thread like this one is started. It would be different if it was just fun to speculate. Some people take it very seriously... some too seriously.

The other comment (red text) puzzles me. In the real world capturing business is critical. There is no place for camaraderie or collaboration among competitors. It is a cut-throat environment, and it should be. Anything one company can do to retain existing customers and steal new customers from competitors is mission critical and fair game. I love that part about business and free enterprise. That ultimately helps keep all of them on their toes and pressing the envelope to produce better products and services. Maintaining secrecy and limiting disclosure about upcoming products is very important. The last thing any company would want is for their competitors to know about something they are planning to release. That would give an edge for the competitor to one-up them on something. Keeping details under wraps until it is too late for the competition to re-tool and start over again is a great strategy for any business.

Thanks, J.Dre. I agree... Let's stick to the one we already have. (I merged it with the existing thread.) We used to never allow any speculation threads, but we don't need a new one for each piece of unconfirmed information that comes out. Any discussion before a final product release is considered speculation.

OMG - I hope that is wrong. A touch screen would suck on the M18x. I have had several touch screen laptops and hated every one of them.

 

just picturing myself reach out my hand everytime to use the m18x LOL touch the screen and pull my hand back, very tiring. that aside, if m18x is going to get a redesign, like a jump from m17xr2 to r3, maybe something like bringing screen closer would be a cool idea.. stick to m18x but combine keyboard and mouse pad somehow into 1 piece, or 2 pieces thats close together. something like razerblade is doing or the old xps m2010 keyboard.

most important is still the CPU/GPU/Bios/HDD caddy. amount of storage space should not decrease, it is very good as it is and increase by 1 or 2 more would be amazing but unlikely. up that usb 3 controller and possibly add thunderbolt along with motherboard too.

 

Really I'd just be happy if higher-quality materials were used for the next iteration of the M18x, I don't want to see a total overhaul of a tried-and-tested product. Get rid of flimsy clamps (keyboard and HDD come to mind), use a better screen (not necessarily better-res) with higher gamut, and better quality-control for the innards of our beasts.

Now if I were to pick something more than that, I'd go for better accessibility of the GPU and CPU, at least for something as normal and routine as repasting. As far as I know, Clevo's systems just need you to take aside the bottom panel and you can access most of the stuff. I know AW's are made for tech-savvy people, but there are other customers out there who are really keen on technology and having the best hardware for their own purposes, but maybe don't have the expertise/time for tinkering around excessively with their system.

I follow every tech update imaginable, ranging from 4k TVs to LTE rollouts etc, but that's my limit (for now). I don't have the time to spend a couple of hours dismantling anything, and aside from that, I don't feel comfortable taking apart my own rig... for now. However, I wouldn't want to change my AW's premium feel and aura for anything - I just wish however that us mortals can have the chance to do our own DIY in an easier manner

P.S. - don't take it against me for confessing I can't take apart my own machine - every has their own unsavoury quirks I guess It's just that I hate tinkering around with something that costs over $3000, whatever it may be. I don't mind fiddling with my M11x for example

 

poor m11x =(

 

indeed. Ceeding the 11 inch and 15 inch gaming laptop markets to the competition were one of the dumbest moves dell has made as of late.

 

i wouldnt get a 11 inch gaming book but 15 inch i would. m15x r2 was real good

 

Hmm? 11" gaming laptops are perfect for those dedicated gamers who require ultimate portability due to their working environment... I've seen Eurocom's latest 11" gamer, it's packed with a 3720qm processor and a GT 650m card! That's as powerful as a M14x. University students especially prize 11" portability, as sometimes they have to use it on their lap (most of the time, rather). Anything above 13" is uncomfortable to carry after some time. Imo removing the M11x was a bad move, much worse than removing the M15x

 

ok out of all out that most I can understand, but what university doesn't have desks in their classrooms, that stupids are using their laps most of the time as desks. I don't travel as much as I used to but I have had atleast a 17" for the last 5 years, and this 18 for a little over a year. with the right bag I don't really even feel it.

 

Depends on which lecture hall. And what about just taking a sleeve with you for a 2-hour lecture only? Why would I want to lug a beefy case around all the time... not to mention the extra battery life you get out of 11" systems

 

ok, I guess when I see "most" that is like above 90% of them. I never been in any that didn't have a desk, but ok. How much battery life does an 11" system get. I can get almost 5 hrs out of mine, which has been enough for the couple times I have needed to use it. most of the time I am lazy and just use my ipad and take notes with that. or just record the lecture and use that.

 

I get 6 hours out of mine, and that's with a HDD. The M11x R3 with an SSD gets over 10 hours... and trust me, when plugs are a rare commodity, that battery life is invaluable heh

 

lol sorry if you get an ultrabook with haswell CPU/GPU it'll probably last 8 hours, and light as hell with similar or better performance. BUT that aside, I personally would reduce m18x battery for more storage bays. battery was never my thing.. 1 hr is good enough.

 

With haswell GPU said to be 3 times faster than ivy and about on par with the GT 650M, also given how much Nvidia is pushing their cloud gaming concept, - I'm afraid there's no future for uber-powerful laptops.

 

We will have to wait and see. I think there will be a future for anything that makes money and people continue wanting to buy. The death of the PC has been predicted over and over again, just as the predictions about the internal combustion engine's demise and that we would all be in electric cars or flying saucers by now. Thankfully, those prophecies were never fulfilled, despite the efforts of some to ram it down our throats. I hope they never come to pass. (OK, the flying saucers would be kind of cool.) The PC has consistently outlasted all of the tech fads that gadget junkies are always so goo-goo-gah-gah about. After all is said and done, there is no substitute for a powerful PC. Most of the gadgets turn to crap once the new wears off.

There is also problem with cloud gaming for hardcore gamers because we play games that demand substantially powerful hardware. And, there are too many people using painfully slow DSL connections. There is also a huge growth of cellular "broadband" which does great for web browsing, email and text, but does not have anywhere near enough bandwidth to support serious cloud activity, especially gaming. So, while it is a neat concept that probably works with an über-fast internet connection, there is too much of the world left that does not really have adequate network infrastructure for it to be truly successful. In places that do have it, not everyone is willing to pay extra for it... especially when they really don't need it.

 

That's true brother Fox!!!

 

It's not 3x faster. They range from 10% to 20% depending on which CPU you are speaking of. The 4930MX has a mere 10% performance gain over the 3940XM, which isn't that big of a deal.

This year is going to be a re-brand year. The main focus is going to be efficiency, with that comes slight boosts in performance. I wouldn't get too excited until 2014-2015 when Hexacore (six-core) Mobile CPU's are planned to be launched.

 

Aikimox referred to the GPU, not the CPU The Haswell integrated GPU will be close on the heels of a GT 650m card, which is very, very impressive

 

Ah, okay, my bad. I read "Haswell" and assumed CPU, haha.

 

Where is the information about haswell CPU?

 

What I was referring to can be found here. At the highest levels of the CPU series you won't see huge improvements, but the lower ones you will (Haswell to Ivy).

 

IMHO, the situation in the desktop segment is pretty pathetic. Will desktops perish entirely in a couple of years - probably not. Will there be more people switching over to mobile devices - indubitably. Same with power laptops. When we did our market research for selling Clevo's the rates were several times higher than they are today. M18x is probably the only 18.4" laptop that has generated decent sales in the past 2 years, due to it's AW logo, powerful components and Dell NDB warranty. But its future is pretty grim. I bet, 50% of the AW owners would switch to ultrabooks in a blaze if they were guaranteed a GTX660M performance + quad core + decent storage + high rez IPS touch screen. That alone could force Dell to abandon the flagships. And given the variety of ultra-thin machines coming out this year - it's pretty much a closed case, IMHO. Am I happy about it, - no. I'd rather have a 18" screen and 5 hdd's. In fact, the more I'm thinking about it, the more I intend to keep my beast as long as I possibly can!



Nvidia's cloud gaming has an edge because they use a different approach from Onlive, similar to the best microsoft, vmware and citrix virtualization techniques, they actually don't need high bandwith. I'm pretty sure, it's getting there, the declared latency is actually lower than that of a console + TV setup. I'm optimistic mostly because of my involvement in virtualization. I see it on daily basis, when offices with poor internet connection, still get very good (virtualized) application performance from servers located 10000km away. And the new upcoming systems are miles better in that respect, similar to our GPU refreshes - 2x performance or 1/2 latency. So yeah, we are almost there.

Flying cars have to wait cause we don't have a way of safely controlling a 3D traffic. We can barely manage a few airplanes, not billions of high-maneuverability cars drived by stressed out humans, lol.

As for alternative energy sources, IMHO, as long as "key players" keep control of the majority of oil/gas resources, we can rest assured, nothing is gonna change. Whenever a brilliant idea comes out about free energy, its creator gets sued to death and the technology stolen and buried in a pile of other decent ideas somewhere in a highly secured vault of the guys who hold 51% shares of their oil/gas/energy syndicate.