AW 17 120hz 780m OR AW 18 290x crossfire?

my m17 has been out of commission 2 out of the past 6 months, mobo replaced 3 times video card twice, dell has agreed to a replacement. below is their first offer
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Here you will find the suggested configuration for the replacement unit:


Dell Outlet Alienware 18 R1
Processor: Intel Core 4th Generation i7-4810MQ Processor (Quad Core, 6MB Cache, up 3.8GHz)
16 GB Dual Channel DDR3L 1600MHz (8GBx2) Memory
1 TB SATA Hard Drive (5400 RPM) + 80 GB mSATA SSD Caching Drive
Slot-Load Dual Layer Blu-ray Combo (BR-ROM, DVD+/-RW, CD-RW)
Dual AMD Radeon R9 M290X graphics with 8GB total (2x 4GB) GDDR5 - AMD CrossFire Enabled
18.4 Inch WLED FHD (1920 X 1080) TrueLife Display
Windows 8.1 (64Bit) English
8-cell Lithium Ion (86 wHr) Battery
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7260 + Bluetooth 4.0
English Keyboard"

I'm not thrilled about giving up the 120hz 3D for a 290x. Looking for suggestions, should I take it? Keep bugging them till i get a 120hz screen? ( do they even make them anymore!?) tell them no deal unless they throw in something with a newer card like a 980m? ( then again I see some hate directed at the newer models) If I give up the 120hz screen request an sli setup vs crossfire? (no personal experience but from what I hear crossfire has issues ) Open to any suggestions and input.

 

I would have chosen "request something with a newer card like a 980m" but the problem is that they have non unless you want to downgrade to the 17-R2 soldered machines.

 

Yep, hence the conundrum.. The other factor to consider is if I take the m18 and they have to repair that one.. it will likely lead to another replacement lol.

 

The 18.4" panel is worth $300 minimum. Add cpu + gpus and component value alone is ~1,300. Also ... last of the Mohicans; no new 18.4" models now or on the horizon, this will be reflected in resale value; minimum spec. starts at $1,000. Problem is there's no 3D/120Hz panel for 18.4" ... might take it, sell parts, net a profit and use that to buy something decent (non-AW, of course). Haggle for a proper SSD though; can use it to build the new system.

 

Since they are offering you a dual GPU machine that is far more powerful than what you had, this is a decent exchange. No reason to complain. 120Hz is not available. The only problem with the exchange is the 18 is end of life and if something goes wrong with it and there are no more of them available there is no place left to go except down.

Had they been trying to downgrade you to a BGA machine, I would be pressing for a refund. They have already pulled that downgrade shenanigan with a few folks that have 18" dual GPU beasts, so consider yourself lucky and blessed that they are offering this beast. Take it before they change their mind, then sell it without using it (don't even do the first-run Windows setup unless the buyer wants you to) and use the money to buy a Clevo with a socketed CPU and SLI.

 

Don't get the 18 unless it is literally the AW18 . You do not want a M18X-R1 or M18X-R2. Too old, and more and more issues keeping them current. If you can get a recent AW18 Viking model, take it no matter what the specs. I will help you upgrade if you need.
If the 120Hz is an absolute must, I would argue with them to exchange whatever you have and make sure you get AT LEAST an M17X-R4 or AW17R5 model. The R3 and lower is not more good for keeping current. They do not have UEFI. Also, do NOT get the new soldered on laptops. They are thinner, but weaker, slower then generations past. They are an absolute downgrade made to look fancy. They're **** IMO. No one wants them. They're not selling very well. People have literally stopped caring about AW and moved onto Clevo's like those from Eurocom, as an example, for a reason. Pay less, get better performance. Or get a desktop, really!

But really, do not give up fighting. Go to the BBB and make a complaint if your not getting what you believe you should be getting. I've never ended up with the short stick, in dealing with DELL really, but I fought long and hard, sometimes 6 months, to get what I needed. They have to keep up a certain level of customer satisfaction or they lose a **** ton of money from insurance and financing and stock credibility, when reports of malcontent customers do not get a proper resolution. I am not kidding. Dell is so large, their corporate image suffers 10x the loss you suffer when your laptop breaks and you go public with it. You just have to know where to go.

 

Spring for the AW18 offer, don't even think twice about it. You won't regret it.

 

I assume its aw18 since its coming with the 4810mq ( which best as I can tell is the same exact thing as my 4800mq) Other specs are exactly the same, essentially its the age old question of switching a 120hz 3D screen (for which we purchased a couple spare sets of 3d glasses)with a single 780 for a dual 290 with no 120hz. Think I'll probe and see if they have an SLI option available?

 

Personally, I would get the 18 R1 as configured (m290x crossfire) then replace the GPUs with GTX 780m SLI aftermarket. But I (personally) would rather have the 18.4 Samsung PLS TrueLife display than the 120 hz 3D display. So that swayed my decision. I'd also rather have 2 GPUs than 1 GPU, all things being equal. I can replace the GPUs more easily (MXM 3.0b card) than the LCD (or at least I think I can). With these Alienware PCs being as locked down as they are, all bets are off!

With that said, laptops are tools. And since the 120 hz 3D display matters to you, I would press AW support to offer a replacement model with that display.

And if AW is out of replacement systems with the 120 hz 3D display, then I would press for a refund, then buy a laptop from a different vendor that meets your needs. I see little to no point to slug through life with substandard tools. Do you agree?

If I were holding out for a new system, I would get the AW 17 R2 with i7-4980HQ, GTX 980m, and the 1920x1080 TrueLife touch display. Also get the 240 watt power supply. The i7-4980HQ has the option to use Intel Iris Pro Graphics 5200 whereas the Plebeian i7-4720HQ (or 4710HQ) lacks this. Plus the CPU is soldered to the motherboard so you can't upgrade later. So you might as well get the best that you can get



PS: Your title was a little misleading with the "m18r1." At first I thought you meant "M18x R1" which I thought was a year-2011 system with a 2nd Generation i7 (Sandy Bridge). Then I saw you meant "18 R1" which were the year-2013-2014 systems with 4th Generation i7 (Haswell).

 

From appearances I believe they simply offer random units. Below is their second offer, which is worse than mine in every single category...

Here you will find the suggested configuration for the replacement unit:
Dell Outlet Alienware 17 R1
Processor: Intel Core 4th Generation i7-4710MQ Processor (6MB Cache, up to 3.5GHz w/ Turbo Boost)
8 GB Dual Channel DDR3L 1600MHz (4GBx2) Memory
1 TB SATA Hard Drive (5400 RPM) + 80 GB mSATA SSD Caching Drive
Slot load DVD Drive (Reads and Writes to DVD/CD)
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 860M graphics with 2GB GDDR5
17.3 inch 3D WLED FHD (1920 x 1080) TrueLife (3D glasses not included)
Windows 8.1 (64Bit) English
8-cell Lithium Ion (86 wHr) Battery
Anodized Aluminum (3D)
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7260 + Bluetooth 4.0
English Keyboard

 

The people offering the system exchanges seem to know nothing... zilch, nada... about the product line. That, or they are good at pretending to be ignorant. This kind of nonsense started around a year and a half back, which is why I am no longer an advocate of extending the warranty. It's more likely to result in a downgrade than it is a workable solution... if not a downgrade, a long and protracted battle over doing the right thing. It never used to be that way. The dynamic has changed further in that there is no longer a suitable product available as a replacement. They don't have one to offer even if they wanted to.

 

I'm a disabled vet, desktop displays are not an option for me alas as I do everything laying in bed. They just offered me an aw18 with 880 sli a 4910 mq and 32 Gigs of ram. Will probably take them up on the offer I think. Just hope the 880's don't overheat or throttle. Odd it doesn't appear to have an SSD, But I'll just add that in myself. Also seems to be lacking an ac card and comes with the Killer Wireless-N 1202, easy enough to swap out. Anyone have any particular recommendations ?

 

@Valera84 - Good choice to take the SLI option.

Killer 1202 works great for me... driver-only installation without Killer Networking suite. Don't install their software... it's garbage. The older Killer 110X cards have issues, but I was impressed enough with my first 1202 that I purchased a second for my Clevo to replace the Broadcom AC card it had (which gave me nothing but fits).

Thank you very much for your service to our country, and for the sacrifice you made that affects your life in such a dramatic way every day. I appreciate both very much.

 

now i am tempted to get a 120hz (non-3d) panel

 

Valera84,

I am hoping you didn't mistake me for suggesting a desktop LCD display, as I wasn't. I don't think you were, BTW.

And again, I also want to thank you for your service to this great country of ours. Thank you.

The LCD panel on the AW18 is a great panel. I, too, have the AW18. I am very pleased with it. It is even better than any of the panels in my work laptops. So I like it a lot and am very critical when it comes to LCD displays (or so I like to think). I think you will like it.

The SLI GTX 880m doesn't get hot. It gets a little warm, but not hot (In my experience). I think if the fans spun up to higher rpm, it would help. I certainly don't have throttling issues now do I have heat issues. But you should still take that with a grain of salt.

The SLI and the display are what swayed me to choose the AW18 over the AW17 when I bought my computer. I also have the i7-4910MQ processor in mine. I put an aftermarket 500 GB Samsung SSD in mine when I got it. I have the Killer Wireless-N 1202 too.

Like Mr. Fox said, the Killer Suite of software is a little strange, and you don't really need it, just the driver. I haven't felt the need to get a 802.11ac wifi card, yet. I have structured wiring in my home, so I have gigabit Ethernet ports everywhere I need them. I recognize not everyone has that option.

 

I wasn't even offered a Alienware 18. All I got offered was a Alienware 17 with a 980M and a 4720HQ.

 

@Raidriar You had Aw17R2 earlier if I remember correctly?

 

Yep. Made a thread over on Alienware Arena for more visability, but it doesn't seem to be working.

 

I thought so. I'd rather sold Aw18 in parts than to accept AW17r2 from Dell.

 

get all of em. that is what Jesus would do.

 

Not really all that surprising. Completely different type of audience over there... more mainstream consumer, social media oriented gamer types than the hardcore enthusiasts and power users like what tend to flock here.

 

18" and risk going with a GTX 990M xd

My 880s reach 78c at gaming load with stock Alienware paste. Johnksss BIOS and zero throttle. 3D Mark11 4.3Ghz CPU and 1Ghz 880Ms w/ 1500Mhz memory = 14.7K score (windows 8.1 pro)


A run with all stock Alienware paste today with almost the latest GPU drivers
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/10068387

Can ask me any questions when you get your system...

I ordered 6 tubes of CLU, which I will add later to CPU/GPUs.

With the wireless Intel is always a safe choice.

 

I recommend intel ultimate wireless N 6300 as it is pretty much one of the few existing half mini pci e WLAN cards that will take all 3 antennas.

 

Your physics score in the 3Dmark11 test is too low if you run 4.3ghz on all 4 cores. You should have between 10260 and 10300 and not 9695 in physics score with win 8.1. Maybe you run 4.3ghz on 1 core that is Dell oc profile ? 4.4ghz is max oc profile for i7-4940Mx in Dells bios.

 

I'm not sure why it's not at 10K. As far as physics tests go in 3DM11, RAM speed/timing matter a lot and so does CPU clock. Do you have any references?

I'm not using the BIOS to overclock, it's actually set to disabled in the BIOS. For me, it's all controlled by ThrottleStop 8.0. Set for max turbo wattage/turbo time/current&processor current power limits. Prime95 (which heats to 100c in seconds), Cinebench and multiple CPU benchmarks show no signs of throttling.

 

Here is my 3Dmark11 run on the same processor speed compered with you(I use stock ram from Dell and the crippled win 8.1). But unfortunately so is my total score lower. LoL. Having only a single gtx780m . How is the physics scores in Fire Strike? With 4.3ghz shall the physics score be over 12,000.
http://www.3dmark.com/compare/3dm11/10068387/3dm11/9860526
Wprime 1024 http://hwbot.org/submission/2849851_papusan_wprime___1024m_core_i7_4930mx_2min_47sec_657ms

 

Score within margin of error. My cache is at 41.

I stopped using 3DMark2013 because running single benchmarks resulted in lower scores vs. all and I didn't feel like waiting a century for it to finish.

 

It is remarkable that you get a lower score in 3Dmark11 physics when your wprime 1024 is ok. Maybe it's power limit is the problem in 3Dmark11? Your 330W psu is to blame?
Here's also Cinebench 11.5 http://hwbot.org/submission/2852931_

 

Can't be the PSU since I have two. I'll try Cinebench.

 

Have you tested with a kill-a-watt to check the wattage when you run 3Dmark11?

 

Nope, and in Cinebench I get 9.30

 

My processor run 9.23 in Cinebench 11.5 with 4.2ghz, so 9.30 in Cinebench 11.5 must have been run with an ok 4.3ghz. Have you tested with only physics test in 3Dmark11?

 

I don't have the paid version, but right now I'm running single GPU just in case it's some weird power issue. The odd thing is in the physics test my GPUs downclock anyway.


EDIT----
Okay, now I wanna go punch the Alienware BIOS team in the face:

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/10071690

 

Yes it does not surprise me at all. LoL

 

Physics score is roughly where it belong with 4.3ghz. + - depending on the driver you use. Have not tested the latest drivers yet. Much junk from Nvidia camp now . http://www.3dmark.com/compare/3dm11/10071690/3dm11/9856809