M11xR1 Vs M11xR2, Please Help!

Hi there guys, I'm in the market for a new laptop and need some help. I've been using a macbook at university for the last 3 years but need a windows notebook now as I'm a medical student and much of the software/programs are windows only and my macbook is nearing the end of its lifespan.

So I need a laptop that has a good keyboard, is portable and has great battery life for taking notes and surfing during classes which will go from 8:30-4:30. I may have access to an outlet some days and can charge my laptop during lunch but having a longer battery life is a bonus! But my problem is I can't stand netbooks as they are not fun to type on and arn't very good at anything. So I started looking for 11-14" laptops with good battery life and came across the M11x.

I am a techy at heart, having taken comp sci classes in undergrad and love to play vid games and edit photos and such. I have a gaming desktop at home so I wanted a laptop that would let me play some older games and stuff like L4D when im doing electives away from home and on flights and holidays so I think this laptop fits the bill.

Here is where my dilemma comes into play. I was excited to hear about the refresh (R2) but I have been reading the forums and noticed that it's battery life is ~20% worse (roughly 6 hours versus 8 for the R1). Battery life is important to me and if the R2 only offers minor performace gains, that means very little to me as I have a gaming desktop at home. So what do you guys think? I really don't need the small peformace gains of the R2, is there any other reasons to get the R2 over the R1? Thanks very much!

 

If you don't need the performance gains then no there is no reason to get the R2. That is the only advantage it has over the R1.

Get an R1, especially since you need the battery life. With the extra cash you'd spend on the R2 stick an SSD in there. You will get improved speed, battery life and also heat and noise reduction.

 

What do you mean by "good keyboard"? Pressing the keys is generally fine, but the keyboard itself is uneven (higher on the left side, lower on the right), and the layout makes it more cramped than other keyboards on laptops of the same size. If you're picky about your your keyboard, the M11x might not be for you.

I would go through the gaming threads (google through them, rather) for posts about the games you play and see how both versions do if those not working are a deal breaker for you. If they work to your satisfaction on the R1, get that because, like you said, the battery life is worlds ahead of the R2.

 

The R1 is cheaper and got more battery life, while R2 boosts its cpu and got a better matte finish... I don't know a lot about medical software, but if it is very cpu-intense, you should probably consider the R2. Not buying R2 right away, just put more thought into the decision.

 

Thanks everyone for the replies. Solar Winds, that is a great idea getting an SSD. Do you have any reccommendations? I have a 16gb thumb drive, so can I install windows 7 on the laptop using the thumbdrive by putting my windows 7 OEM disc I bought for another computer on the thumbdrive and using the key from the m11x?

About the keyboard, I'm not picky about keyboards, just want something usable to take notes on. Good idea on checking threads for game performance, but like I said gaming isn't a dealbreaker, just a nice bonus for a laptop this size for me.

And I don't believe med programs are cpu-intensive, they are mainly searchable databases of pharmacology and stuff but good point! Wouldn't have thought of that.

 

About the keyboard, I am in two minds..

On one hand it's cramped because they have an extra column of keys on the right hand side

On the other these are great to remap for games

Other than that it's just getting used to the style and the glowing lights.

 

Ok thanks about the keyboard. My only other concern with the R1 are the problems being reported such as the stuck fans and possible lack of driver support in the near future. Any thoughts?

 

If you want portability and a good keyboard, with gaming as only a minor priority, then look into getting an Acer Timeline X 13.3". I think it will fit your needs a lot better than the Alienware M11x.

The M11x is a fantastic portable gaming laptop, but it makes several trade-offs for that awesome gaming performance in a small package. It's heavy (4.5lbs vs 3lbs for the Timeline X), has a shorter battery life, has a 92% keyboard, has no optical drive, and has a smaller 11.6" screen. These are all sacrafices that are gladly made by anybody who wants mobile gaming. But it sounds like you want a laptop that is more like a laptop, instead of a mobile gaming computer.

 

Thanks for the reply Kent. The reason Ive been thinking about the alienware is that I would like to be able to use this laptop to do some gaming, but not the latest and greatest since I do have a gaming desktop. As for the weight, my 13" macbook from 07 weighs about the same and that was never an issue, nor is an optical drive. As for the keyboard, I'm mainly using it to add notes to lecture powerpoints and pdf's, is it that bad?

My university carries the line of Asus low voltage laptops, specifically the UL20A-A1, UL30A-A2 and the UL80VT-A1. Would these be a better choice as they get better battery life? I still would like to do some gaming on this laptop. Any opinions or suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thanks!!

 

Shorter battery life? How do you figure? It has one of the best battery lives I have ever seen.

 

i think hes talking about the m11x r2

 

The Alienware M11x has about 5.5 hours of battery life on R2 (up to 7 hours on R1). The Acer Timeline X 13.3" has 8 hours of battery life.

5.5 hours is less than 8 hours. 7 hours is less than 8 hours. Therefore, "shorter battery life."

 

He seems to have his eye on the R1 so your point is pretty much void, especially since i've had up to 8 and a half hours battery life on mine.

 

How is my point void?

Even if battery life was equal, the M11x still has a smaller screen, smaller keyboard, heavier weight, and higher price tag than an Acer Timeline X. These are all tradeoffs that people gladly make if they want a mobile gaming computer. But if you want a laptop that is actually a laptop, I think the Acer is worth a look

 

I am saying your point on battery life is void. The guy has already said weight is not an issue and the smaller screen and keyboard are a given. Besides, who wants an acer?

 

i would take alienware over acer any day xD

 

I had an acer once...I'd rather not think about it...

 

I got my Daughter an Acer, at the time this was good specs for a low cost laptop with nvidia, it played games great. However, she killed the keyboard and trackpad buttons within a year. Driver support was rubbish and now it sits on a shelf unused.

So get an Acer if you only expect it to last a year.

That said you can get an i5 with a radion 5650, but that 14" and the M11x is < 12"

 

You sure that's actual battery life and not a manufacturer quote? And does that battery life require purchase of a extended battery that can possibly make the system heavier? Those minor details can mean a lot, and I'm pretty shocked to hear that it achieves 8 hours of battery life on a regular i5/i7 processor

 

My other question is that is it possible that future driver releases for Optimus may improve battery life? I've been reading that it seems that the discrete graphics sometimes stay on for a while after switching back to integrated?

 

the only competition i would see on the m11x is the HP envy 14. I own a alienware m11x -R2 and im totally satisfied. I vowed to myself never to buy another HP product. This is because my first laptop was a HP they just die too quick. Battery life lasted like 30 minutes (so it was constantly played with the adapter), and the reps on the phone will not even try to help you if your out of warranty. They make you pay to talk to them.

 

Ya, I too have been looking at the HP envy 14 but in Canada we can't customize it and we get screwed on the price. I like the fact that the R1 gets better battery life but I hate the thought of buying older hardware and the chance that Dell may stop driver support soon. How much worse is the battery life on the R2 if I was to get the i5 processor

 

I don't consider the Envy 14 to be competition for the M11x, because of the size. When you get to 14" or higher, you have a handful of options for laptops that are capable of gaming. But below 14", you only have two: the Alienware M11x, and the Sony Vaio Z.

 

I considered the Envy 14 but these were the main negative points for me

1. It has a DVD drive, who needs that as a permanent fixture?
2. To get decent battery life you can add a "slice" which increases weight etc..
3. The CPU is throttled back when on battery