RIP - Alienware 18

Thanks for sharing. Actually I was asking woodzstack about his allegation that the soldered on 980Ms have "half the cores" disabled. Still waiting for some source on that..

 

SO... what are we to do with our m18x r2s.... do you think we will ever have proper working 980ms?

 

I think the CUDA core count will be the same, but 4GB of vRAM isn't "more than enough" any more.

It is possible 980M might work better than it does now in the M18xR2 and M17xR4 when better drivers are released. However, I am skeptical about that and we can say with certainly that 980M will never work correctly on those machines because VGA/Legacy boot does not work. It is very unlikely that Alienware will release BIOS updates that fix the need for pure UEFI boot for those EOL machines.

 

Brother Dan Dan. There are certain caveats to upgrading right now, and possibly forever.
At the moment I am on 347.09 drivers and 980m SLI is working great. But these drivers don't allow overclocking, even if they did throttling may occur. I'm really interested to see what happens with Nvidia's next set of drivers or the official Dell ones. I'm optimistic it will get better since throttling isn't a problem on these drivers. It's not inconceivable we could get a set that give us the goods, but this could be wishful thinking.
The other problem as Mr Fox pointed out is no Legacy support. The reason why is unknown and not knowing why is bothersome. This really annoys me as using Windows 8.1 totally knocks the XM CPU's wind out of its sails, as if I'm using my old 3610qm . Not just a big deal for benchmarkers IMO.. it sucks for everything.
As if now, just running no OC it does about 16900 for me in 3D Mark 11, which is close to my best 780m SLI single PSU score of 16300.
For someone who loves W8 and doesn't want to ever OC, right now probably wouldn't care. But this kind of person doesn't usually own a Alienware (pre 2015 )
Its not all bad if you can live with any of those caveats. Otherwise wait and see if the next set of drivers look to be taking us in the right direction.

 

Looks like Microsoft does not want to support Win7 in the future...

 

I was planning to sell my AW 18 and just found out today about this ....making me rethink now as no more AW 18 would be available ...any thoughts ?

 

Depends what you want in a notebook/desktop/computer. I would keep it, but that's just me.

 

If you want a dual GPU alienware you don't have much choice. If a docked solution would suit you then the new models could be interesting.

 

Reading this thread is like a bad dream come true.

That being said I actually had a nightmare about BGA processors the other night.

Farewell AW.

 

They do this with every OS that no longer has mainstream support. 7 will be on life support but it's going to be the new XP it looks like. You'll get security updates until 2020.

I'd personally keep it, as there may not be anymore in the future. I'm keeping my M18x for now. It all depends on what you really need/use it for.

 

See I have sold mine on as the AW18 doesn't fit my needs anymore. I need something smaller to use and I the space for a desktop at home and they are cheaper with more power than a laptop so thats where I am going.

 

ssj92...I am glad your machine is still running strong. I have to go portable now, but the lack of any genuine 970m machines on the market that are in a small factor is what is making me wait.

 

From my point of view Alienware has always been a benchmark for quality and performance, something like American cars we've seen in the movies (I'm from Spain). It is a hallmark of the United States. It's like the differences between NASCAR and F1. As if the Camaro SS will change by one with an electric motor. It will be nonsense and the market will not accept that.
They will ruin their reputation at the speed of light.
Wherever I go with my M18X-R2 people stop and ask. They just freak out, no one sees something like this every day.
If they really stop making laptops as powerful as possible, its future is going to be very dark.
Like many of you, or if not at least all who seek the ultimate in performance, we will see ourselves doomed to switch brands. And honestly I feel bad to think about changing to other brand.
They are not appreciating the loyalty that we gave to them during all this time. So I guess they need to taste their own medicine. I think we should not do anything more. Just abandon them as they did with us today. To make them realize that without their real customers, the ones who has supported them all those years they are nothing but futureless.

 

Welp, looks like it is time to go back to desktop land. It's a shame. My clevo got me into high end laptops, yet it is AW that will be forcing me out. I really wanted an 18in model. Clevo does not (yet?) make one. The MSI looks awesome, but I actually don't like mech keyboards, nor am I paying $4k for a laptop. So it's time to build a 4k ready machine, X99 mobo with a real 980....all for about $2500.

 

That's how I look at it, too. If they don't care about their most loyal customers or the reputation of the brand (at least for the time being) then why should I care? I mean, all that will happen is the problem will get worse if I cut them any slack. Absolutely nothing good would come from accepting the new BGA trash. It's a formula that would only produce more waves of failure behind this one. Maybe a single punch in the mouth won't take out a giant, but a few thousand will. There's always someone that draws first blood. Then, there is heartfelt hope the giant won't be a wuss and after a few severe upper cuts to the lower jaw he will get pissed off enough to go ballistic and that's actually what we wanted all along. If the giant decides to be a wuss and not retaliate, then he deserves to have his neck broken.

 

^ I'm quite amazed how you're always able to word that kinda stuff in such an awesome way:thumbsup:.

 

I'd like to think that Alienware is more like the town of Rock Ridge, and this is what we have in store for them:


Taggart: I got it, I got it!

Hedley Lamarr: You do?

Taggart: We'll work up a "Number 6" on 'em!

Hedley Lamarr: "Number 6?" I'm afraid I'm not familiar with that one...

Taggart: Well, that's where we go a-ridin' into town, a-whompin' and whoopin' every livin' thing that moves within an inch of its life. Except the womenfolks, of course.

Hedley Lamarr: You spare the women?

Taggart: Naw, we the $H!T out of them at the Number 6 Dance later on!

Hedley Lamarr: Marvelous!

 

Here I am looking forward to the 5th gen mobile extreme CPUs and SLI 980m but instead AW not only axes the AW18 but apparently think BGA garbage is an option for us enthusiasts. I cant help but feel just a little bit betrayed by the brand I once swore by. Oh well time to check out Origin PC.

 

I think that's exactly what they're trying to cut costs on, the enthusiast market. Maybe someone up there thinks that they can make more money off the (drooling) masses, so to speak.

 

Oh great i was waiting for an 18inch ips 4k Sli Alienwear 18?

Jesus! Well at least give us a 4k option for the BLOOD 17inch!! model what the hell!??

 

If no one buys this junk then AW will have no choice but to go back to making quality machines. Either that or slowly watch their brand go even further down the toilet.

 

here's the solution

 

Don't hold your breath to be next year though. Even most of you guys get every other model, not all. So it might be couple of years before they hit rock bottom. And that's optimistic, there's obviously interest in those new offerings (can't call them machines, it's a word reserved for something serious), time will tell how much they would actually sell, but they will.

 

Very eloquently said Mr Fox

 

Register your disgust with Dell Alienware's decision to stop production of 18 inch laptops and dedicated GPU's here - The more votes the better - Please take the time to register and vote.


Idea Storm

 

Well I use my M18X R2 for gaming and the Oculus Rift DK2 I was going to upgrade to the 980's but now decided to build a liquid cooled desktop pc. I believe that Dell never wanted us to have upgradable gaming laptops in the first place but they had to. Now they see that we keep buying parts for our laptops they aren't making the money that they want. So they decided to go down the bolt down all upgradable parts, typical.

 

Alienware's problem at the moment believes that 18 inch are not the trend. Little do they know that they are a lot of gamers or hardcore overclockers who want maximum power and huge screen.

If you want a 15 or smaller inch laptop that is powerful and slim, go for Gigabyte or MSI Ghost. No need to discontinue the 18 inch models for that.

 

It is done. The Alienware 14, 17, and 18 are gone.

Alienware 13, 15, and 17 online and available now with that fugly junk amplifier in the middle of it all.

 

There... I fixed that for you Brother GTO.

 

HAHA, my man.

 

I thought that this was some kind of internet joke...

Here I was waiting for the next 18 gen to handle 980m so that I can buy one.....

 

Wow. This is sad. I have never owned an Alienware, but have admired them from afar. I feel like we have lost some family. SLI cousins or some such thing. I am not sure how to describe it.

 

Competition and variety is good, I would have preferred an amplified 15 and then the traditional 17 and 18. Hopefully they re - enter the super high end again at some point.

 

Maybe Powernotebooks can save us and sell AW18 upgraded to the 980M SLI out of the box??

 

I have never had the AW, but it was my dream from the very first moment, when my first laptop died due to cooked CPU (don`t remember the model - it was and old ASUS). After that, my current machine was bought. From that laptop my illness with upgradable laptops started. I`ve modified my old 5739G as far as I could for now. And the most I liked the idea, that the GPU can be swapped. The MXM idea, MXM-style laptop. And when I was ready to buy a new ACER (I didn`t know, that Core 2 laptops were the last laptops from that manufacturer with MXM structures, exception was 8940G) I checked the ACER site and have not seen ANY laptop, that would fulfill my needs - good cooling, upgradable cpu, and most important, upgradable GPU. Instead of this, they have started a new line of s(&^y-ultra-slim laptops. Yeah, great.

Of course, ACER never was such gaming laptop, as the weakest AW, but, I really liked it.

And now, damn, when I wanted to buy AW with MXM SLIed cards and with upgradable CPU - the top line is discontinued.

 

For some reason I still want to believe that this is just a marketing trick to make up for the low sale of the AW18 so ppl would rush to buy the last AW18-s and with the next lineup we will see a new fresh 18 inch from AW. However the "amplifier" does look like they have taken a turn for the worse and just given up on high end notebooks. Kind of kills the term mobile gaming if you have to have that breadbox with you.

 

Even so, if the MQ processors from intel are discontinued, the 18 R2 would have been BGA...

 

Today I wrote to Alienware inside their company profile in Facebook redirecting them to this thread with my personal profile. I hope they are smart enough to come here and be able to draw conclusions about their clever way of changing their path to this decaffeinated one.
Recently I read that Apple was thinking (just rumours) to leave intel as CPU providers to ARM's CPUs. This is similar to me to what both companies will suffer in matter of losing customers.
Lets put this way:

MacBook Pro without i5-i7 and Windows capable = High incomes & Higher % of penetration in market.

MacBook Pro without i5-i7 and Windows capable = No way I could pay almost 3K$

Alienware with highest performance parts = Reference in market, What everyone aims to buy. What every other brands aims to achieve. Large communities of people with high technical knowledge delivering solutions and bugfixes for free. Purchase of new equipment almost every year or two.

Alienware w/o highest performance mobile parts = Crappy super inflated price laptop. Lot of claims to Dell. Not offering what their motto says "High performance systems". No way I am going to pay such a big amount of money for that. Dissolution of communities with high technical knowledge, and helping with collecting bug fixes.
You can cheat on them once, but no there is no way they are going to repeat with you. So you lost them almost for ever, and most important you lost all their social circles too in just one shot.

So happy journey Alienware, the gates of hell have just begun to open, if you manage to get back. I will be more than happy to help you getting you back to who you were.

In the meanwhile good luck and goodbye.

 

I just emailed Mike Dell and told him about our disappointment with a link to this thread........ I hope he takes notice to how they have destroyed the High Performance Alienware systems brand

 

whats the best alternative to the 18 now ?

 

I am starting to look at a clevo reseller in the Netherlands, Xnotebooks. Starting my homework in case my trusty r1 dies on me.

 

Zero
No notebook exists that can replace the 18" notebooks from Alienware :/

The best route is getting a new AW18 from ebay, with socket CPUs and upgrading the GPUs yourself.
The only other alternative is desktops in my opinion

 

I have to agree with Cloudfire to the extent of build quality and aesthetics. The Alienware 18 and its predecessors are absolutely amazing products. They are of the highest quality and offer tremendous performance.

I disagree about the 18 being the best option for someone that wants face-melting performance. They implemented a number of draconian engineered restrictions (cripple tactics) that really hold back the 18 from being all it could be had they left it more unfettered like the M18xR1 and R2. Because of their self-serving, malicious, anti-customer, control-freak roadblocks (like Secure Flash and mother power handling limitations) I am shifting gears and going with the next best option. If the cash I am expecting to become available in the next few weeks pans out I will be buying a Clevo P570WM. This is the newest machine available that can deliver performance that meets my expectations. I still love my M18xR2 and have no plans on turning loose of it, the R1 or the 18. However, the rigmarole I have run into with 980M SLI not playing nice with the BIOS and forcing me to use pure UEFI and Windows 8 are just too much at this point. Had it not had issues with throttling I could have put up with Windows 8, but the combination of undesirable characteristics (which also affect the 18) has really turned me sour.

Indeed, it does feel that way. While things will never be as precious as beloved family and friends, Alienware fans have been very passionate about their hobby and sub-culture and this does feel very much like the death of a loved one. Considering these machines have been a tie that binds many of us as friends, having it severed is very painful. Because these machines are just things, I'm not going to allow my fondness of the brand cloud my good judgment. It's just "stuff" and I won't drink the BGA jokebook Kool-Aid only for the sake of being an Alienware customer and a maintaining a sense of community. Products will serve me, not me serve them. But, yes... it's still painful and the sense of being a victim of betrayal really sucks.

Another angle for looking at the situation... The dog has not only bitten the hand that feeds it, that disrespectful pooch has also pooped and peed on the carpet and ruined the living room furniture. Time to have it put to sleep.

 

Not before we watch in horror as it castrates itself first.

Hopefully it's just a case, that AW needs to bad before it can get good again.

 

Well, I agree on the build quality. no one can compete with Alienware on that matter!

 

XNB is a good reseller. I bought my laptop from them 1.5y ago. No regrets. Hell they even send me some screws for free when I lost a couple of them when dissasembling my laptop last week.

 

Ah, that is good to know! Are you happy with the overall build quality and even more important the cooling and customer service?

 

Sager NP9377-S or just got the 18 and upgrade to 980M SLI.

 

It is sad that i have made the horrendous decision to move on from the AW 18. Sadly portability is a must for me in my current junction of life. But knowing there will not be an SLI option, will probably never have me back on the AW wagon. Thank you all for the support to this noob....including brother fox, meaker, Tbone san, cloudfire and everyone else who has actively participated in here and specially helped me out. Its been an amazing journey and it feels like a goodbye to a wonderful family. Hopefully once my AW 18 sells, Ill move on to another family, but you guys will always be special as you will be my first. Thanks again.

 

What laptop do you want to get this time? Your AW 18 is a monster to be quite honest.