Need Advice on new computer!!!

Hey guys. I have been reading these forums for almost a year now while I look for a new laptop and save money for it.

I have a really good HP 15" that has lasted me almost 5 years, but is lacking in features I'm craving in newer laptops:

edge to edge screens
HD screens
USB 3.0 ports
Better GPU/CPU
Backlit keyboard

I travel for a living so I am living out of hotels and always on an airplane/airport. I want something powerful enough to play mainstream games like Battlefield and Crysis 2, be smooth enough for DVD/Blu-Ray movies, use Photoshop, and connect to my LG Infinia 47LX9500 via HDMI 1.4 cable.

I have thought about getting a M17X R3 but I am not so sure now. I want to wait because before I buy a fully loaded machine that costs $3000 plus w/4 years of Accidental warranty coverage, I would like some new technology features that will be coming out in the near future (next year, 2012) such as Windows 8 and Intel's Tri-Gate Technology.

So in the meantime, I was thinking of a machine in the sub-$1500 range w/4 years of Accidental warranty coverage that will replace my current machine and at least hold me over until next year. The problem is that I am struggling with a decision between portability, power and price.

I have read that the M11x will not play nicely with my 47” tv via HDMI (to use as a screen to play games/watch movies/video files), and the M14x loaded puts me back in the $2000 plus range that I am trying to avoid.

I was thinking about just getting the new HP dv6t, but I cannot stop thinking about Alienware’s backlit keyboard. There are so many times that it could have been useful.

I am just going crazy with what to do. Do I wait until next year to go all out on a new M17x or do I just get one now?????

Hopefully someone can steer me in the right direction! I am leaning towards a new M11x.

Cheers,

Terry

 

Go for it! You can't keep waiting there is always something else to come. The m11x is a great little gaming machine as I travel every week it is great on size and Battery life. Any of these machines are great for years. If you want to wait and not wait get a refurb from the Dell Outlet site, make a great buy and will play what you need.

 

Mine plays fine with my 42" minus the small issue that the native resolution does not work on my T.V. Other than that its smooth as can be (I basically run the TV as the only monitor instead of a secondary monitor giving it its own resolution After setting it up it has worked flawlessly since)

It works great as a portable machine for me. If you are trying to hold over till next year think about grabbing an R2. It will be cheaper than grabbing the new r3 and hold you over till you can get that m17x which will blow anything else you buy out of the water.

YouTube - ‪Crysis 2 M11xR2 Gameplay‬‏

That is an R2 playing Crysis 2 one the "High" setting option.

 

If your looking for a powerful truly "portable" PC, this is one of the only options. if you dont NEED the absolute most portability possible, id go with a M14x or a different brand altogether.

I love my R1 but if i needed a more powerful PC and battery life was less of an issue for me, i would be totally rockin a M14x right now.

 

Be aware that the M11x doesn't have an "edge to edge screen". It has edge to edge "glass" (plastic). The bezel is fairly average on the sides but the top and bottom has a lot of dead space due to the depth of the base.

Not sure what problems you're referring to regarding output via HDMI.

As others have mentioned or alluded to, the M11x is a trade off between gaming performance and portability (size/battery/weight). There are much better gaming notebooks out there that will wipe the floor with an M11x. There are smaller, more portable notebooks that will last forever and a day on a single charge. There aren't (m)any that do a pretty good job in both of those areas like the M11x does. It's a very narrow niche that the M11x fills.

 

Will second Slickie88.. your need should be very specific if you want to go with m11x. And if you mean by performing on 43" WUXGA monitor for editing and playing games, yes, you would suffer the stutters and less satisfying graphics with m11x (done that w/ philips WUXGA)

As for me, I choose M11x for its portability vs ability to game and light video editing (would go for m14x and up were I only game, and lenovo x220 for portability and battery life.

So if you're focused with high demand on both, I'd say either wait or look around more.
Hope that helps.

 

Er, which Battlefield do you mean? BF Bad Company 2 runs like a crap Xbox360 port and Battlefield3 will definitely not run well (Actually, it might, because it's made on PC and it won't be a port). If you need the M11X, get the R3. For backlights, there are many alternatives. If I can remember correctly, I had (Still have) a USB lamp. It could adjust brightness and I used to do my University work on that at midnight. You could fit it snugly on the side of any laptop or even on the top. Get the HP laptop and get a USB lamp, weird I know, but they're epic. Very cheap as well. Sorry for the HUGE wall of text.

 

Well I'm still playing Battlefield 2. As for the backlights... I do have a usb lamp but I hate it. The less I have to carry, the better. I have looked at all the options I could and determined that AW's backlight is the best and "brightest." I also love the ability to change the colors as well. Ah still so torn apart.

The HP laptop I have now as been amazing. Almost 5 years old and it runs almost everything perfectly (i.e. Windows 7, moderate games, Microsoft Office products, Adobe products, has HDMI) but no edge to edge glass, no hd screen, no USB 3.0 ports, no backlit keyboard. Plus it is starting to seem to work “harder” at simple tasks because the fan almost immediately works hard after a few minutes of turning the machine on.

I am just ready for a new machine and make this my backup computer. I might just get the M11x now and wait until next year to make the leap to the M17x. We’ll see. I’ll keep everyone posted

So does anyone know of any good coupons/deals running for Alienware?

 

Hey there, the new m11x r3 seems to have almost everything you are asking, except for the DVD/blu ray drive, since the m11x does not have any of it.

As for the CPU/GPU, they are low voltage, but the m11x can play games out-of-the-box like Crysis 2,BFBC2 (im sure BF2 also), Mass Effect 2, Starcraft 1 & 2 and list goes on.
The backlight keyboard is very comfortable, and with a mouse with light ie razer naga, make a nice combo

This little m11x is powerful, comfortable, and practical, like you said above, the less things to carry the better. I was sick of my 15'HP pavilion because
a) battery life was like 2 1/2hours TOP (in m11x getting around 3 1/2 of gaming with m11x, 6-7 for doing homeworks)
b) huge laptop for university, homeworks (m11x is very small and portable)
c) heavy (well the m11x is like 2 1/2 kg)
d) laptop had heat issues (had AMD turionx2 proccesor, very hot) (m11x have nice vents)
e) sucked playing games with a nvidia gt 6400 (my m11x have gt 335, but the r3 have gt 540 should be a huge boost)

the m11x have fixed all of the above problems, even I have the m11x r1 with the core 2 duo SU7300 processor, I just imagine the r3 is a powerful machine enough to cover all your needs.
Also I don't see why the m11x will not play properly to a 47' screen (please explain)

 

Well, I was not saying it will not run on a 47" tv. I said that I read on this forum that some people were having trouble with the resolution on their tv's. It just concerned me because I use my current lappy on my tv as a monitor when I am home via HDMI and I want the M11x to be able to do the same. Just wondering if this was a real issue or an isolated incident?

Thanks for the comments!!!! Now just waiting for some good coupons/deals??????

 

I've had no problems connecting my m11x via HDMI to anything. Maybe an isolated incident?

Max resolution I've tried is 1080p, usually I use 720p for games

 

Shouldn't be any problems. I have hooked mine up to my 42" with no issues and also use it with a 23" 1080p monitor on a daily basis.