Alienware 18 2013 or Alienware 15 early 2015?

Hi guys, i'm stuck with these 2 laptop and don't know which to get. Below are the specs for these laptops.

Alienware 18 2013
CPU - Intel core i7 4900MQ @ 2.80ghz (8M cache, Turbo up to 3.8ghz)
Ram - 16GB dual-channel ddr3
Graphics - 2x NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 780M SLI with 8gb ddr5 memory
Storage - 750gb WD Black (RAID), 80gb Intel SSD (RAID)
Optical drives - DVDRW +Bluray reader

Alienware 15 early 2015
CPU - Intel core i7 4720HQ @ 2.60ghz
RAM - 16GB
Graphics - NVIDIA GEFORE GTX 970M
Storage - 1 TB

Anyone can help me out? Which to get?

 

Oh, and if I get the Alienware 18, eventually I would change the dual gtx 780m to gtx 980m when the price is lowered.

 

buy both, then sell the one you dont want

 

The problem is I can only choose between one.

 

First, that's easy. The 15 is a BGA jokebook. The CPU won't hold full turbo boost indefinitely and if you are wanting to do any overclocking it won't get the job done. You won't be able to upgrade it and 970M isn't any better than one 780M. Well, maybe a little bit better, but not by much. Won't even come close to 780M SLI in terms of performance. And, the 4900MQ will absolutely annihilate a pathetic 4720HQ. If the 15 dies out of warranty it will cost you an arm and a leg to buy a motherboard with CPU and GPU and you won't be able to fix it at all if the GPU goes bad. And, GPUs often don't go the distance.

The 15 is basically a mainstream notebook that looks like an Alienware and won't be a good long-term solution for you. Might as well buy an XPS 15 or a 15" HP Envy, something really "normal" and overpriced by average consumer standards because all you are buying is a disposable dead-end laptop with a fancy-looking shell. The 18 is a much better product... by a gigantic margin.

How much are they? New or used?

Better to get a Clevo with 6700K and 200W GTX 980 or 980M SLI. Much better, more powerful, and more affordable... and not a disposable, dead-end electronics device.

 

Thank you so much for the detailed explaination. Even with the new GA, Alienware 15 still sucks compared with Alienware 18 2013? (I haven't gotten any GA yet) Price wise the Alienware 18 is slightly higher than the Alienware 15(Even though the 15 released this year)

I'm owning the Alienware 15 (Warranty till 2018) and someone offered his Alienware 18 2013 (Warranty till 2017) for a 1-1 exchange. Should i go ahead?

 

The GA gives it a chance to fight graphics-wise. Still, between those two I'd definitely go for the Alienware 18.

 

Even if it's a Alienware 18 2013 model?

 

Hi guys, just an update. I did the trade with my Alienware 15 for the Alienware 18 2013 model.

Question:
1) How do i fully utilize this beast? Overclocking? Or any settings I need to do to enable the SLI? Am very noob in PC technology.

2) Do I7 4930MX has really really much better performance than I7 4900MQ? Should I upgrade the processor? And why?

3) Does the SLI gtx780m good enough for current games? Should I upgrade to SLI gtx980m? By SLI, i suppose i have to get 2 x gtx980m right?

Thank you!

 

New does not always mean better. In many cases newer is not as good. That applies to many things, including computers. For example, an Alienware M18xR1, made in 2011, equipped with 780M SLI and 2920XM CPU will literally crawl up one side and down the other, and beat the living crap out of the new Alienware laptops with 970M and 980M even with the eGPU attached.

We have an entire sub-forum dedicated to the wonderful dual-GPU 18" monster laptops Alienware has given us. Your questions would be better presented there since your request for system selection advice has been resolved here. I think you made a very wise choice. An Alienware 18 with 780M SLI will perform better than an Alienware 17 R2/R3 with a GA fitted with a GTX 980 GPU and it will not be tethered to a desk.

Unfortunately, NVIDIA has caused great harm to owners of Kepler GPUs since Maxwell was released. Some really amazing products have been neutered by them either through intent or neglect. GTX 780M is an amazing graphics card, but it has been crippled by horrible drivers. I have three systems that have 780M and all three have become almost worthless due to driver-induced throttling. I have to use driver 345.20 or older for the 780M to function correctly and that is problem with many newer games. If it works well for you, no need for a 980M SLI upgrade to play games. 780M SLI plays games as well as 980M SLI does (I have both and the difference is unremarkable for gaming) if throttling doesn't totally destroy the experience for you. Dell has updated the Alienware 18 BIOS (version A12) and vBIOS mods are available to allow the 980M to work correctly in the Alienware 18, so if you need to upgrade you will have the firmware support you need for that.

As time permits, there may be an option for an unlocked system BIOS for the 18 as well. It will require manual programming of the EEPROM due to Secure Flash crap that was added on Haswell machines, but I have learned to do SMD soldering. If I can get an unlocked A12 ROM from one of my hex-editing friends I may offer a BIOS hardware mod service for those that want it sometime in 2016.

I think you will find those questions are already answered, but being new to our community it would like searching for a needle in a haystack. Feel free to start a new thread to ask those questions in the following sub-forum:

Alienware 18 and M18x

The following threads may be of particular interest to you:

***Prema Mod Alienware 18 970M / 980M SLI Performance vBIOS***

How to Overclock the Alienware 18 and Haswell CPU (or actually have it run full stock Turbo Speed)

*OFFICIAL* Alienware M18xR1/R2/18 Benchmark Thread - Part 3

*OFFICIAL* Alienware 18 Owner's Lounge Thread

I am going to close this thread now. Welcome to our community and congratulations on that new beast you have. Very nice computer... very powerful, extremely well built and full upgradeable.