RIP - Alienware 18

Yes, but let's examine this option until it's exhausted. Exactly what kind of graphical horsepower do you need, and what is your spending budget aside from the refund? Wouldn't an older GTX 9800/8800M get the job done? If so, there are cheaper used laptops with these GPUs available on the used market.

 

Aside from the refund i have no spending power unless i ask money from my parents.Again it all depends for how much i can find these used laptops,i am using Lumion3D for my renders.I am not sure how these cards you told me about would run them too.

 

I've checked with the Lumion3D website and you need something that is at least up to the Passmark performance (2,000 points) of a GTX 570M with a CPU scoring at least 6,000, so a CPU that is at least a 2820QM.

 

So how much approx a laptop with these specifications would be ? talking about second hand systems.I am also checking some websites now and see if i can find anything around the things you said

 

By the way,do you think if it is worth waiting for a laptop with 980m 8GB or 980m with 4GB is enough ? I might have a solution for a laptop to work on for the next few weeks and go for full refund.I will build myself a monster desktop this summer so i will go for the alienware 17 for a bit more portability while also being able to work in very smooth way aswell.I am just wondering now if it is worth waiting for 980m 8GB over the 980 4GB in the laptop and the amp box.

 

Why isn't anyone buying my 4900MQ CPU that I put for sale:, it's almost brand new took it out of my Alienware 18 when I upgraded to a 4940MX FTW:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/fs-intel-core-i7-4900mq-mobile-processor.773345/unread

 

Hi, how do you do exchange? Do you just trade in your current AW with AW and get a refurb AW after paying for the price difference? Is there a website for this?

Cheers

 

I would get the 8GB version if possible as game development, in conjunction with this console cycle, has the potential of producing a few titles that might require more than 4GB of vRAM. Shadow of Mordor stands out as one example, and while it can be managed on 4GB, the texture loading is substantially smoother with 8GB.

Also, it's good to know that you've got an alternative solution. From what I could tell, perusing ebay, there were a couple of M17X R3 units (with the GPU and CPU spec above), going for around £700-800.

 

Yeah, i spoke to Dell today again and they emailed me and said i should get full system refund and also warranty refund in the end of june when i hand back my laptop.So i guess i can calmly keep my laptop until then.

 

Keep record of everything (especially emails, the days you talked to them about it).. This will protect you in case they try to pull anything in June!

 

The desktop 980 is a decent step up over the 980M and that over rides any ram limitations really. There will of course likely be a cut down titan-x core with 8-12GB of memory in the next 3 months or so.

 

Good advice, Brother Tom. Otherwise, the process might become more difficult than herding cats. Even with all of the hard evidence on hand it can sometimes still be a real chore to get people to keep their promises.

 

Oh, this totally . . .

That response you received is vital, but I would say that it would be even better if you could get it in written email. As matter of fact, that might be a very important factor.

In keeping a track of the record, create a parallel document that provides a summarised chronology of your entire interaction with Dell on this matter as this will likely serve as excellent supplementary information to the actual detailed emails and correspondence.

 

Are you certain about that? Because from the examples I have seen of of faster cards with lesser VRAM, some cases of have shown small but discernable texture load issues (such as with games like Shadow of Mordor and those running on the infamous IdTech5 engine) that slower cards with higher vRAM have avoided. In these cases, it seemed literally a matter of having all that texture data already loaded within adequate space, regardless of how fast the cards might function. Although I could understand this issue being compensated for if the faster card was literally many folds faster with memory load management, which I don't think the GTX 980 is in comparison to the 980M.

 

It becomes more of an issue of settings that push it to that level becoming unplayable anyway for the lower card.

 

Fair enough and good point. I'd still favour erring on the side of being covered on all the primary fronts, but to reinforce your very argument, even a solid 4GB vRAM setup is actually enough--as we speak--to handle the 5.5 GB+ texture load of titles like Shadow of Mordor with practically unnoticeable micro-stuttering.

 

anyone know are Falcon Northwest's laptops rebranded clevo's?

 

They are.

 

Time will tell I guess. Hostorically cards which were close can have their position swap over time due to memory, but in this case the two cards are fairly wide apart in power.

 

Yes they are.. The prices are also absurd too

 

No they are pushing the graphics amplifier with Desktop graphics to allow the thinner systems.

 

Almost every brand not sold in Best Buy are Clevo OEM's.

 

Anyone know if I can still get a P370SM-A? seems nowhere is selling them anymore, I pefer the look to the P375SM-A.

 

Here you go: http://www.xoticpc.com/sager-np9377s-clevo-p377sma-p-6981.html

 

That is the P375SM-A lol.

Is it worth trying to overclock the 880m?

Should I be scoring higher than this? seems pretty low.

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/9622641

 

Just for the extra lights? Isn't the 377SM-A essentially the same thing but with the SLi 980m GTX upgrade you've been eyeing? ; )

Regarding overclocking. It depends. Overclocking with stock BIOS to score higher in 3DMark11 is futile as hell because the card clocks fluctuate and throttle with the stock BIOS. The score linked in my signature is one of the more impressive showings I have seen for the 880M, likely using the SLV bios because it seems fixed at the 993 boost clock. What are you looking to push with an overclock?

 

The one that I like is this one, without the lights

http://www.clevo.com.tw/clevo_prodetail.asp?id=470&lang=en

Was just wondering as I havnt done overclocking before, do you suggest I use the SLV bios to get better performance from the 880m? where do I get the bios?

 

Graphics Score you are referencing to; P14170 is low .. This is what Notebookcheck.net shows for gtx880m (2x) ..

http://www.notebookcheck.net/Review...ker-XMG-P724-Barebones-Notebook.114495.0.html

 

Vbios files can be found at tech inferno.

 

Changing the vbios sounds scary, and there any guides on here?

 

They couldn't or wouldn't be that stupid would they??? If the act of limiting the AW18's was intentional and proof can be sourced then Dell will be COMPLETELY screwed. Every AW18 owner on the planet will have grounds for lawsuits and compensation against Dell

 

No, highly unlikely to be intentional and malicious (to prevent GPU upgrades) as much as lack of engagement in the latest GPU firmware development and simply no incentive to provide ongoing support for their very expensive previous generation flagship products or the customers that want to continue using them. They have moved on to lesser new things.

 

new things... LoL

 

Dell finally killed Alienware with this "new things" as how @Mr. Fox calls them... Well at least I have some amazing discontinued beasts.

 

So glad I bought the 18 in my signature recently vs. one of Dells 'new things'.........I just don't get how a backwards step in performance is deemed to be a step forward for Alienware?

 

In my experience large companies like Dell are only interested in the "Bottom Line", which equates to profits and not much else.
I wonder if the "Smart Cookies" at Alienware HQ have realized what they have done by releasing the AW toaster.
If you strip everything away from all the recent going's on then the one point still remains valid, customers want high FPS ect while playing games, Dell have now made it sooooo cheap to "upgrade" your "main" GPU in the toaster with virtually any sort of aftermarket desktop GPU available.

I will quote AU prices here, but the following point is still relevant.

These are the prices for new GPU's direct from Dell Australia

GTX680M - $1800AU each

GTX780M - $2100AU each

GTX880M - $2300AU each

Desktop GPU's available in AU stores

GTX 690 - $525AU each

GTX780 - $700AU each

GTX980 - $800AU each

No matter how I look at the current situation with Alienware I cannot figure out what they are thinking, looks to me as if they really are cutting their nose off despite their face

 

The above kind of highlights at least what I think they were going for with the dock to extend its gaming life span.

 

I was rather shocked when I found out they had basically killed of there "good" laptops for these new joke of a machine. After owning a Sony Aw series laptop with an 18.4 RGB screen I couldn't have anything less, so seeing the 18 come back was what has been waiting for. Sadly I waited to long and boom discontinued I mean really Alienware !

I will settle with M18X-R2 looks better than the 18 anyway.

 

Not that many options for 18 inch machines it's true. We don't see the huge 21 inch devices either.

 

Well, it looks as if my next upgrade will be to an MSI Titan - it appears they have picked up the torch for giant, powerful gaming laptops.

Never been a fan of MSI's cooling or their recent habit of using soldered CPU's, but after these recent changes they are better than Alienware and available in my part of the world. (Unfortunately Clevo's are not ...)

 

Ha..
I was just looking at my local Alienware for m18x and nothing. Then did a search online and still nothing and was wondering what happened.
Then I read this thread and realize what has occurred.

Such a shame. Was thinking of upgrading my m17xr2 to something bigger but I guess not.
Ohhh well... will wait some more and more and more probably till next year for an upgrade.

 

Next year my Alien will be 5 years old, will be replaced by a kickass desktop now. Too bad they discontinued the alienware 18.
Not blowing my money on something silly. Was contemplating a clevo, but those are not exactly cheap either, with too many hit and miss stories in my opinion.
Too bad about alienware. Collegue of mine rcently bought Area 51, horrible customer service.
I am done with Alienware.

Q

 

I am done with Alienware too

 

The only problems seem to be that there's an inordinately large number of scenarios where users are buying machines and not having QA done properly. Basically retailers cutting corners. They may be a bit expensive but Mythlogic is one that definitely won't do that, and Eurocom seems to have quite good aftermarket service now. Sager... I can't tell. Sometimes they do good, other times I wonder about them. I think they'd benefit a lot from slowing down a bit (and learning how to apply thermal paste XD).

 

Rip - Alienware 18 = Rip Dellienware.
Made by Dell. The new future...
http://forum.notebookreview.com/thr...2-owners-lounge.770314/page-120#post-10022183
http://forum.notebookreview.com/thr...u-throttling-to-800-mhz.777144/#post-10022736
http://forum.notebookreview.com/thr...2-owners-lounge.770314/page-122#post-10022538

 

Lol ... yep those new machines are heaps of overpriced phoney junk.

 

Aw the new CrApple. Equally fancy and almost as thin with the same trottled performance... Almost so I think Dell and Apple cooperate .

 

I myself got mine Mid(2013) with the following specs, i7-4900MQ CPU @ 2.80GHz w/TurboBoost 3.80GHz , 8 GB x 4 Vengence memory (32GB), Dual Nvidia GTX 770M's SLI, LITEONIT DMT-80 SCSI Disk Device ( Cache), WDC WD7500BPKX-SCSI Disk Device 7200RPM, HL-DT-ST DVDRWBD CA40N SCSI CdRom Device. I must have gotten mine just in time..lol

 

AMEN

 

So the Alienware 18 is nowhere to be found on Dell's websites (not just US), outside of support and the Outlet. It's been, what, 6 months since the new models came out before they finally deplenished the leftover stock with their R9 m290x's and the GTX 880ms. The AW17 R1 lasted about 4 months, so that speaks volumes about how much 18's Alienware had and that people were willing to search for new AW 18's from Dell.