RIP - Alienware 18

I think he was talking to me about the desktop... I dont think I can go thru another laptop... but I am going to water cool this laptop before it dies on me...

 

I'll check when I get home. You want a budget below 1k, right?

 

I can go a little more if the bang for the buck is there... pm me with what you have... I don't want to sidetrack the thread again...

 

Well, yes, I don't intend to drop my AW18 anytime soon, since it works wonders and it will be able to max out most titles for a while. My worries was about the future. For now my 780sli and 4930MX @ 4.3 do the job nicely. But after Dell killed AW18 Clevo/MSI seem the way to go for a future portable powerhouse.

 

Yes, Clevo is for the future. That's why I got the NP9377-S. It's thinner than the AW 18 (lighter too) yet more flexible in upgrades and it is a powerhouse. That baby plays AC Unity Max settings with FXAA (their AA options are broken) 60FPS with rarely frame drops.

MSI, well... the soldered CPU doe ....

 

I guess it comes down to waiting for someone to deliver a product close to what the MX18 series was: flexibility, power, portability, ability to modify and upgrade without hardware/software builder-imposed limits (AW 18), and with a 18" screen. I wouldn't like to go back to 17 inch display. That's why Clevo won't do it for me. And yes, soldiered CPU is not that appealing on an almost 4k machine.

 

Really excited about the P570WM (Panther 5). For anyone that wants a direct replacement for the Alienware 18 with Extreme Mobile CPU and 980M SLI, this is really the only option worth entertaining. The MSI BGA Titan is a jokebook. This option is not.

 

That looks nice actually, could be a replacement for the Alienwaer machines

 

damn you I want one now, but my wallet can't handle that budget...

 

Fox I think the video you posted is for the NP9377, I actually prefer that to the bulkier P570WM though by far.

 

Yep, the Eurocom X8 is a Clevo P377SM-A, not P570WM.

 

I am confused about something, is there a way to use a monitor or do you have to use a usb to vga thing... I dont understand it...

 

P570WM (Panther 5).

146 fps in 3D Mark Vantage - Nice

I'm sure Mr Fox will blow that away once he gets his hand on it

 

If you look closer at what I said, I was mentioning this product as the best replacement available for the Alienware 18 with a mobile Extreme processor. My comment that I am excited about the P570WM is because I have wanted one for a good while and just purchased one, but it had nothing to do with the video. Maybe it was not clear because I said it in the same paragraph.

Speaking of the P377SM-A, the 980M cards I purchased from RJ-Tech came with heat sinks. I have a brand new pair of them for that model and I have absolutely no use for them. They would work well as sinkers for deep sea fishing, or maybe even some kind of microwave transmitter, but I am not into that. If anyone has a suggestion on how they might be put to a good use, let me know.

If nobody can think of anything, maybe the local police department can use them as bait for a copper theft sting operation.

 

Only thing I could think of is that I wanted a better heatsink for my master GPU, but unless you're up for giving them away and sending them to my country, I'm out of ideas XD.

Maybe you could lap them in case you ever get one of those P37xSM-A models?

 

My biggest issue with the clevo's I've had is the screens suck on the three I've had and they just feel like a big hunk of plastic... But they perform great..

 

Yeah, I have been afraid of stuff exactly like that for a long time. That kind of concern held me back for about a year. Before Alienware, my plastic high performance laptops ended up with stress cracks, squeaks, groans or worse. They did not hold up well to frequent travel and I don't park them on a desk. Can't beat the Alienware build quality. But, I would rather have a plastic chassis than crappy BGA internals or 980M SLI that doesn't work correctly. Once it actually arrives and I have time to use it for a bit, I will share my impressions. The feedback from Johnksss, usmc362, ssj92, Meaker, Q56Monster and a few others has been such that I expect I will be content with that aspect of the P570WM. Pictures never do any high quality machine justice. All of my Alienware beasts look way better in real life than they do in photos, and I expect that to be true here as well.

 

It'd be great if one could get a fully unlocked AW18 or M18X R1/R2 design with the hardware flexibility and inclusiveness of a Clevo, but at this point, the ideal balance between maintaining standards (not acquiescing to the latest Alienware line up) and remaining pragmatic is the Clevo option. I think the big hunk of plastic feel--which many of us spoilt by Alienware's approach between 2009-2013 dislike by contrast--is a more acceptable form of compromise than the current rising orthodoxy of BGA boards pushing the design philosophy of constricted hardware.

 

Oh I'm sure. I'll add my two cents to it too... my D900F is built in the same vein as the P570WM. I can say with 300% certainty that if I were to get nitpicky about it, this laptop I'm on feels like a toy compared to the fine craftsmanship of that old machine. Don't get me wrong, the P37xSM models are great! But they're just not as amazingly sturdy and HEFTY as the old ones, and as the X7200 and P570WM ones are. You're going to love it, and it's gonna be the sturdiest thing you've seen in ages.

 

DIY-added heatpipes?

Spoiler: W230ST with additional heatpipes and fans

 

The issue I see is the CPU cooling is not up to pushing an extreme mobile CPU past what the soldered ones will do.

 

Probably so. I initially considered that option, in case I found a screaming good deal on one. After getting feedback from a couple of owners about overclocking I ruled it out and decided it was going to have to be a P570WM or putting the 780M SLI back in the M18xR2 and doing without 980M SLI (unless it were to somehow magically get fixed).

As coincidence would have it, an amazing deal on a barebones unit did surface on eBay. I contacted the Clevo reseller about that unit and stated my intent for overclocking (used my example of running the R2 @ 4.3GHz 24/7 and benching at 4.7GHz) and they said they were familiar with my benchmarks and did not think it would be a good fit. That reseller also recommended the P570WM as being the better alternative based on my intent.

I would never be content with a CPU that cannot handle a significant overclock... but I am inclined to think that being socketed would still make the P377SM-A a better option than that soldered turd CPU in the MSI. I could always bench it using my AC unit like I had to with the Alienwares before discovering the incredible performance of Liquid Ultra.

 

Yes, as far as the P37xSM and P37xSM-A models go, you *ABSOLUTELY* need the P370EM CPU and slave GPU heatsinks to truly keep cool with OCing CPUs like you do in that machine line. There is absolutely no doubt about that. But there is no way to purchase one of the computers from the resellers like that. The P570WM would be the nicest fit for you, though, due to the hexacore and your benchmarking. Also, Windows 7 XD.

 

TROUBLE IN PARADISE


sounds like Dell are really organized..............
​

 

No kidding. And to actually see the AW and that black toaster side by side really makes me cringe. Now the AW is a perfect travel companion. NOT.

 

Bring back the 18!!!!!!! All these problems will lead to its resurrection!

 

Just remember that Digital Storm has a Dual GPU gaming laptop.

 

It's a clevo. Best you buy it from a different Clevo rebrander as it'll likely be cheaper and the warranty might be more relaxed.

 

Yeah, configured as any of us would like it, this beast's prices skyrockets well above 4k

 

Hey guys remember Alienware killed of the 18 mALX years ago and they eventually brought it back, maybe with all the brouhaha they may bring it back.

 

It's all in the number as well. Hopefully sales for the 18's were well enough for them to justify the r&d and manufacturing to bring back to us well needed 18...

 

Actually the mALX was 19.4 inches in size, loved that beast, it was my first Alienware. The backpack was freaking huge!

 

Well that would be a good thing since I am looking at an 18 on ebay and the MSI GT80 Titain. Trying to figure if I want the refurbished 18 or not.
i7-4940xm / 2 880m.

 

Wait for Frank's response on the 18 R2 with 980M SLI and then order.

 

As soon as I saw the announcement I went to check the site for AW18, I had been saving for months, and you could still buy the 2013 AW18. Last week I finally had enough to buy only to find out dell took the 18s down. I was finally able to get one in my cart through a link I had pinned to my cell favorites but could check out because a glitch caused the price to be wrong. I ended up buying one through Amazon. Its a beast. No way I would buy any of the new models. No hdmi input, optical drive or dual graphics.

 

God damn does that amplifier look massive. At first I saw it as a mildly practical option...now... #nope.

 

Yes the amp is really not meant for moving around at all.

 

That's the first I've seen an actual photo of the amp next to the 15. IT IS BIGGER THAN THE LAPTOP! Portability goes out the window, which makes total sense for a laptop right?

Ridiculous. Bring back a dual GPU laptop setup.

 

Wouldn't it be nice if this little mess lead to the old 19 inch Alienware Corp laptop being resurrected by Dell - Now that would be something.......

Maybe this current series is just a tease to stir everyone up

Not much chance I know but lets hope, Dell have certainly done stranger things than that.

 

I cannot even begin to believe how silly AW is going. Any argument I've heard about the advantages of the new models always zeroes back to the flipping GPU box. How anyone can consider that box plus a 14 inch brick more portable than just an 18 inch brick is beyond me.

 

This GA idea is quite dumb.. I want a laptop because I don't have space for anything in my house and especially for another box.. I rather pay an absurd price to upgrade MXM GPU's then have this box around...

 

Alienware 18 purchase link is available again.

http://www.dell.com/au/p/alienware-18/pd

http://www.dell.com/us/p/alienware-18/pd.aspx


They only have AMD R9 M290X GPU's so may be "leftover" stock

 

Who in their right minds would buy AW18 with M290X now?

 

UK still has 880M SLI

 

Well, it's a start and a positive sign that they offer it again. R9 M290X is probably all they have right now. I hope the firmware team is working on a fix for the BIOS/EC to make 970M/980M SLI 100% compatible. Since we are hoping, I hope we finally get the unlocked BIOS we have been waiting for since mid-2013, or at least Secure Flash removal so we can take care of that ourselves.

 

Yeah I agree its good that AW18 is back online. But I would rather see a preorder page with AW18 + 980M/970M, or a page with a teaser of "AW18 Unleashed" or something if they are planning on going with AW18. Buying one and upgrading to 970M/980M like we have done is maybe an option, but still need 9 series support before I can recommend going that route imo.'

 

My biggest problem with my upgrade isn't throttling, it's Windows 8.1 is dirty. I really want legacy support.

 

Then install StartIsBack and disable metro, what's problem?

 

Could care less about 'start' my friend. CPU takes a massive kick in the gonads.

 

Yup, Windows 8.X.X is truly a pile of crap OS. I agree Brother TBoneSan, although the extremely unattractive and inefficient UI isn't the best, the things that make it horrible are the CPU performance it, botched up file and folder permissions, RTC problems... just a half-butted buggy mess that Micro$haft pinched off on the public.