Was getting a R3,but now M15x will be fine but.

Ive been wanting an Alienware for years and finally have the means to get one but dont want to spend 2 grand or more on one. Was planning on a R3 until the current fiasco is going on with the fault in the chipset. So a new M15x is looking better to me now. My questions are can the video card be changed out like when the 6970m hits can it be ordered seperate from Dell and install it myself and still be covered under warranty? Same with the hard drive do I have to order one from Dell say I wanted a aftermarket SSD drive like a crucial? Are there any plans to update the M15x or phase it out entirely this year? Is the R3 the replacement for the current M15x? Are the refurbished ones from the Dell outlet worth it to save a few hundred bucks Im thinking I should just buy new and pay the $1500-1700..

Thanks for any input.

 

i really doubt the M15x will get support for the 6970. its up to dell if they supply a bios for it.

outlet comp are a good deal. most report good experiences with outlet laptop.

 

Most components of the M15x can be replaced or upgraded by the user, subject to compatibility. SSD/HDD's are easily upgraded, as are video cards and processors generally. However, it is unlikely that the 6970M will be compatible, partly because its power demands are outside the M15x's range, but also because Dell is expected to reserve the 6970M for the R3 to differentiate the two models.

 

As others have said the m15x probably won't be a contender for the 6970m because it will put so many off getting the r3. How will they make a profit? It will fit into the system but the BIOS will probably not support it. Also the wattage of it will be high, certainly higher than the current GPUs offered and we are already running thin from the first gen i7 quads drawing so much power.

I never recommend getting a refurb because they are still so expensive and hardware only ever has a limited lifespan anyway. I wouldn't buy a refurbished car for 80% of market value. I just can't see the point unless you get one from a private seller for a huge discount and thoroughly check over it.

The M15X is still a nice system but since you live in the US prices for sandy seem reasonable so it is probably worth waiting til they fix the issues. It makes me wonder if Dell will offer less discounts if there are less options again and no sandy bridge. Still, I don't think the M15X is a good investment anymore with the premiums you pay unless you are really desperate for an alienware. If you can get a new or nearly new m15x for $1000 or something then yeh ok good deal...

 

I think that the 6970M will not be supported.

However, I think there is a glimmer of hope that the 6950M will be supported (assuming that the GTX470M might be supported in the BIOS). Not much point to the 6850M, since it is literally the 5850M with a lower clock rate.