m11x a 2 year gaming laptop?

Hi all i've been lurking here for a short time now and have gone from 100% ready to buy the m11x to considering just buying a desktop instead (for the same price I can get a desktop with better specs, although im sure you're all aware of that anyway.) I was just wondering if you could answer a few of my questions (I have done some research but havnt found to much about it)

Any help is greatly appreciated,

First of all the obvious I mean heck its in the title. Will the m11x last for 2 years being able to play (pretty much) all new releases to some degree.

I know this isnt a top of the line gaming rig (although its not far off from what i've seen) but will I be able to run most current gen games at xbox/ps3 level or higher graphics with the same amount of FPS (I believe its 30)

Does anyone know how well STALKER will run? (I did actualy see one thread on it im just wondering if anyone else has tried)

Will this thing handle anything up to 10 hours a day gaming (Plugged into the mains and with a laptop cooler obviously!) without destroying itself.

because this will for me be a desktop replacement (Im using a 4 year old prebuilt dell desktop that wasnt a gaming rig back then!) I will be overclocking it to play games the question however is do I need to overclock everytime I boot up or does an overclock(CPU overlock) stay?

*adding another question in here* Will this game run MODS for other games well? because I know alot of them can be very CPU dependant but if I just have the odd mod here and there for different games will it be able to handle it?

And my last question is how will this run WoW? (That includes old areas / new and even the new expansion if anyone knows)

Finally all of these questions are about the R1 as it is the model I will be getting (if I go ahead and get it that is)

(also I know a desktop would be alot better for pure gaming but the main attraction to this is obviously I can take it anywhere!)

p.s sorry for my grammar (Or lack of )

Thank you all for reading!

Seb.

(edit, im really on the fence about this one so any help is very very appretiated.)

 

Just to add I know there is a big thread on WoW performance and the m11x but that seems to be for the R2 model and im after any info on the R1 model

 

This will run WoW well without question.
However, the M11x will not be able to run games at Xbox 360 graphics levels for the next two years. Honestly, you would be better off getting a desktop.
Anyways, you said, "this will for me be a desktop replacement".

The M11x is gosh darn powerful, but it can't compete with a gaming desktop.

 

Ah, thank you for the response I will add coming from someone with a non gaming desktop that barely runs WoW at a notch above minimum specs this will be a dream (if I decide to get it) it WILL be a desktop replacement but running games that are out now with a decent level will be more than adequate for a replacement also I know the m11x wont compete with a gaming laptop but the tradeof is the portability.

Thank you for your quick response

 

simple answer is just plain NO.

You need something better then a mid-range card

 

Ah well thats kind of a dissapointment, thank you for the answer.

Im still very much interested in getting this but it seems asthough it may not be able to last as long as I hoped, how about I change the question to will this be last for 1 year? (as in being able to play ALOT if not all of the games released in that time frame?

 

then my answer is yes

It wont be all on high but It will still play

 

Great thanks!

 

Kind of silly for me to think of this now, but I probably will buy this laptop then just save up and get a desktop (Best of both worlds) so the original question is pretty much null now, however the rest of the questions stand

 

By the way, if you do play 10 hours a day, I suggest you get a cooling pad.
While the M11x defiantly won't destroy it self, it would safe to get a cooling pad, as it does get a bit warm.

 

Great thank you, I dont generally play 10 hours a day but I have done in the past (on odd occasions might I add) and I have looked at a variety of laptop coolers that seem up to the job I typically play between 3 and 5 hours a day.

 

If you're just looking for more power than anything, get a desktop.
If you're looking for a powerful gaming rig you can take places, get an m15x or m17x.
If you're looking for a mobile gaming laptop, and don't care about high settings, go with an m11x.

Edit - Also, if you want to future proof your system, get a desktop. The m11x isn't really upgradable.

 

If you buy the M11x for your needs, you will regret it and will most likely end up wanting to sell it in a short amount of time.

 

While I agree M11x R2 won't fulfill for one's primary gaming needs, it does play some of recent games suprisingly well (like MW2).

 

Thanks for the advice (Im not looking to future-proof my system now as I will get a desktop after the laptop and keep the laptop as a secondary PC )

 

if I could run WoW decently and games like STALKER, bioshock, fallout 3, oblivion on medium settings id be VERY happy.

 

Would I be able to run the above games? thanks.

 

anyone ?

 

It plays games like quake and doom just fine...my guess is that it will still be able to play counter strike in two years as well....




Stevenx

 

not too familiar with those games but if youre a fan of restaurant city i can tell you this laptop works like a champ!

 

Simple answer is yes.
Longer one is yes but some are on mid settings.
Check out the forums and even reviews.. check youtube for some actual footage.

 

You will be able to run all of the above just fine.

 

Buy this now and a desktop you can work on later. No computer is future proof, and for what you get for the price, you can't go wrong with the m11x. Even if it's not a capable gaming machine a few years from now, it should still have plenty of muscle for everything else.

 

The Alienware M11x is not a top-end gaming computer. It isn't even a bang-for-your-buck gaming computer. If you want a machine that can play games really well today, and still play games well 2 years from now, then take the $1000 you would have spent on an Alienware M11x and buy yourself a desktop gaming PC instead.

The reason that people like the Alienware M11x is because it is a small laptop that runs games very well for its size. It will get 30fps - 50fps in most games at medium or medium-high settings. For a gaming computer, that performance isn't that great. For a 4.5lb 11.6" laptop, that performance is spectacular. The value of an M11x is its size and portability. If that is important to you, then get an M11x. If you'd rather have a very powerful gaming computer, then get a larger laptop or a desktop gaming PC.

 

from what i've been reading...it does not play WoW very well...that is to say if you raid 25 mans.
i had the r1, and 25man raids were pretty difficult to run, i was forced to set everything pretty low, and it was still choppy from all the hot action.
i had it OC'd with 4gb ram.
10man was way more playable...
like most people are saying, for it's size and mobility, you're getting alot of power.
but as strictly a gaming laptop, it isn't as spectacular as you'd want it to be.
altho, most current games run well on it, WoW is a special case.

 

Thank you for all the answers people, I will be getting this laptop

 

if you are taking this as a hardcore gaming laptop. my answer is no. thou this is classify by Alienware as a gaming laptop. But it does already clearly indicate "The most powerful 11" gaming laptop in the universe". Which indeed for the size this is best you can get. But still its not meant to be a hardcore gaming laptop. So if you are looking to play games at high settings for another 2 years. best bet is to go with desktop and thats the way to go. If you are willing to spend more and prefer to stay on laptop. you may need to look out for 15/17" gaming laptops. Those are ones that usually come with the full intel core mobile processor along with higher end GPU. Cant say they can last you for 2 years but at least within a year you should not have much issue running those newer games at higher settings.

M11x is mainly meant for ppl who want something portable yet able to play games while they are away. then for such scenario M11x is probably the best you can get at this point of time. For how long this will last god knows. Since technology move really fast these days. But as a portable gaming device this should last for awhile. At least within the next 6-12mths it should remain strong in its own league.

 

I think you'd love having the M11x. I just got mine yesterday along with my M17x (from a user here) and I love them both. The M11x serves my purpose of being a portable laptop that games. It's small enough to take everywhere.

 

I have Oblivion, bioshock 1&2, borderlands, bad company 2, and several other games. They all run great on this laptop(R2 core i5). Look into dell employee purchase program and see if you qualify for their discount too. I was a student and it saved me 10% aka 100$

 

Wow that sounds pretty awesome, thanks I will look into it (although im in the UK and dont know if they do these kind of promotions + im not in education at the minute)

 

I want to let you know that after I installed the NVIDIA drivers (takes a bit of work, but kopiche has great directions), my WoW FPS is around 50-70 in 5 mans, and I average around 50 in cities..

This is on high graphics.

 

Wow that is fantastic! much more than im getting now (and I have the "fair" graphics option on) thank you

 

Stalker runs great for me. I have an R1 and most of my games from 2006-present (ie: Oblivion, Fallout 3, Mass Effect Series, Stalker, etc.) have had no problems as long as you turn on the NVidia card. CPU or PhysX intense games like Cryostasis really kill the performance on it. Then again, Cryostasis was kind of badly optimized anyway (cool game though! no pun intended) I love my R1, I'd say go for it. It's great little cheap gaming notebook if you want to spend under a grande. Telling people "I own an Alienware" usually has a similar effect to saying "I own a DeLorean" -which I do, ironically.

 

Telling people "I own an Alienware" usually has a similar effect to saying "I own a DeLorean" -which I do, ironically.[/QUOTE]

HAHA Awesome!!

 

You are a true nerd's nerd.

+1 rep, sir.

 

Never forget seeing a guy filling up at a QT with his DeLorean in snow/icy weather. Terrible cold too. That was really the only "driver" version Ive seen.

If a gaming engine is NEW right now and your system plays it... it will likely play games based on that engine even if they only release 2 years later.

 

Awesome car and great news as those are the games I will be playing on it primarily (that and WoW) just a quick question though (for future referances) how does one go about turning on the nvidia card?

 

R1-Press FN + F6 (Binary GFX)
R2- Add games to white list in Nvidia Optimus

 

@ebond - Flux Capacitor at 1.21 gigawatts of power baby! Man I bet you get tired of hearing that.



StevenX

 

Another game which I noticed gives me a lot of lag was the PC version of Just Cause 2. I played the demo version, but it was seriously choppy.

 

Mr Fusion!

 

@GNandGS - "What's your name..?" "Uhhhh.. .Calvin, Calvin Klein... "

@Ebond - ok seriously.. Just Cause2 should play great! Play it on the R1 and for you it should smoke! Turn off the pokah filter or whatever it is... We dont have enough GPU to support it. Also turn of high def shadows. Everything else should be fine.

Bset Wishes,

StevenX

 

Google is your friend. Search Dell discounts, Alienware discounts. Subscribe to Dell's email newsletter where they usually send a 10% discount / shipping discount etc...

There is a dedicated UK thread which shows some of the deals we have found so far, best for a while was i7, 500GB, 4GB, BT, W7hp for £880.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-m11x/495886-all-uk-owners-thread-10.html