Alienware Community Feedback

Hi Alienware Community!

As we continue to plan and innovate our future PC lineup, we wanted to give you, our customers, the chance to help shape those products. We have a series of questions that we would love to hear your feedback on, listed below.

Webcams - How do you use your webcam?

• Many notebooks come with integrated webcams. What do you do with your webcam? Are you: video chatting? Recording video? Using it in game? Or are you not using it at all?

• How interested would you be in an integrated webcam that is certified for high performance video chatting?

Thunderbolt - What would you do with Thunderbolt?

• Are you interested in having Thunderbolt on your computer? What would you do with it if Dell added it?

Battery
- Do you leave your notebook plugged in?

• How often do you leave your notebook plugged in even when it’s fully charged? Do you unplug it once it’s charged? Do you use it plugged in or unplugged more?

- Long battery life span or peak performance when plugged in?

• Batteries which offer 1000 charge cycles typically have less battery life during usage. Which is more important, battery charge cycles, or the amount of time you can use the battery between charges?

RAID - Do you want a RAID SSD?

• How interested are you in a notebook with a RAID SSD?

Thank you for your continued support!


-The Alienware Product Team

 

Wow, loving the AW team more and more these days.


Here is my 2 cents.


Webcams - How do you use your webcam?

I rarely use mine. A few times a year I might do a conference call, but most of it's use is strictly for viddeo chatting, and I admit that I do that less than 5 times a year. On a scale of 1-10 on how often I use mine with 10 being the highest, I would say 2.

How interested would you be in an integrated webcam that is certified for high performance video chatting?

Due to my previous statement, I would prefer that AW spend more time and money putting in other toys than web cams. To me, I don't get much benefit out of it and if it was an upgrade, I would never ask for it. Usefulness for me is again 2 out of a 10.

Thunderbolt - What would you do with Thunderbolt?

It would be cool to have, but by no means a deal breaker for me. It seems like this is becoming all the rage now a days as I see so many people requesting it. For me, my usefulness rating would be a 4 of 10. I buy these machines to game first, everything else second, so the need for a lot of this flare is just more cost on the bottom line is how I see it.

Battery

I use my machine as a desktop replacement, so I rarely have it unplugged. I do travel from time to time but never use the machine on it's battery.

I purchased this machine with gaming in mind, and I have no unrealistic expectations of getting full performance that these machines come with out of a battery for any realistic amount of time. Would I cry if you guys gave us more performance and battery time? No way! Would I pay for such an upgrade? No way! I keep this plugged in on my desk 98% of the year, so battery is really just there in case of a power outage etc. My usefulness rating of extending the battery life for myself is 5 of 10.

RAID - Do you want a RAID SSD?

Now you are talking my language. When I spend cash to upgrade a machine, I go for things that will improve my overall gaming experience. When loading a game or new zones if playing an MMO, I hate sitting there and having to wait for a loading bar to fill up, or even worse when installing something new and having to reboot. Call me spoiled by my SSDs of the past, but this is something I love and crave. Speed kills, but not in the computer world. I would love to have options like this and would gladly open my wallet to such an idea. Usefulness for me 9 of 10. Only got a 9 because nothing is so critical outside of a 3rd video card under one hood

A man can dream right?


My ideal laptop option builder would be something like a complete barebones and you fill it up with what you want. For me, on my current M18X, if given the options, I would have a machine with no battery at all to cut on weight and cost. Also, I would have no web cam and I am sure if I thought about it, a few other things I would remove as well. I would put any money that I saved in scrapping the battery and webcam all together into SSDs and other gaming type upgrades if this idea was possible. Again, just my 2 cents, but this is what I would love.

 

Hello guys, your interest is much appreciated.

Webcams

• 
  I rarely use mine but when i use it i video chat.
  I do want it to be there and i would be interested in a high performance one.

Thunderbolt

• I think it's time to finally bring Thunderbolt to our laptops, keeping HDMI and DP, (VGA port if possible only).

Battery

• I rather sacrifice battery cycles and have better battery life between cycles BUT have available cheap replacements.

RAID - Do you want a RAID SSD

• No, not really a RAID 0 fan myself and i won't see myself using RAID 1 with SSDs ether.

If you guys really want to know what we expect from you, we took the liberty to put up these threads with our ideas and what we want to see in the next Alienware line :

-http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-m17x/583313-m17x-r4-wishlist.html
-http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-m18x/607421-what-users-want-m18x-r2.html

What i would really want to see in the next line over everything else is a REAL MATTE SCREEN.

NBR folks if there are more similar threads feel free to post them.

Cheers

 

Hey guys, glad to see you taking an interest in our opinions!

Webcams

I really don't use my webcam at all. If you were to include one, I would not mind a low quality one but rather none at all.

Thunderbolt

This would definitely make a great addition to any Alienware laptop. Coming from an M11x, I think this would open up a world of opportunities for Thunderbolt eGPU devices to give smaller notebooks a power boost when plugged in and hooked up. For me, this would be a definite inclusion in any model.

Battery

I would also longer battery life over a longer battery lifespan ONLY if the batteries are made much easier and cheaper to replace than they currently are!

RAID

I'm not really fussed with RAID configuration of HDDs or SSDs. I find SSDs to be plenty quick enough as they are and would value the implementation of true SATA III in the M11x and M14x much higher than RAID.


I think it's a great idea to ask the consumers for their ideas but don't stop at just these! Also take note of the many threads within this forum regarding the wishlist of features and inclusions for future revisions of the Alienware lineup, all of which are what your dedicated customers and enthusiasts really want.

Thanks

 

@ Dell

Nice to see AW/Dell showing an interest in the end user and what he/she wants from future products!! - keep up the good work because its the best way to evolve your products and ensure that they continue to "hit the spot" regarding what the consumer wants / needs / dreams of having.

With that said, I agree 100000% with Katalin's post above. A real matte screen is a must - at least the option to configure with one. 1920x1200 rgbled would be a plus as the M17x R2 screen was amazing (apart from the gloss finish).

I personally use my M18x as a DTR. Battery life does not interest me "that much" as mine stays on the desk plugged in at all times even with the battery full (the battery stays in incase of a power out - otherwise, that would be sat in a drawer somewhere!) but like others have said, more performance/longer lasting charges frmo running on battery cant be a bad thing and would be good to have. Maybe the option to choose an extended battery to buy seperate? - that would give those who NEED portability and extended working times on battery could do so even more.

I dont use a webcam - at all - ever.

Thunderbolt - I will take any upgraded offering from Dell, how much I use it depends on how good it is I guess.

Raided SSD's - sure, why not. Good to have as an option. Might be a good idea that whislt configuring, you can choose the manufacturer/model of the SSD's you want eg. Intel 510 or Crucial M4. Seems "pot luck" at the moment with users getting Liteon or other makes....some Sata III and some not.....

There is loads more on this, loads more that many of us can contribute so keep up the good work guys!!

 

Nice post AW team! I know you're owned by dell, but i still like to feel like i've got a bespoke product that is the envy of my friends!

Webcam - tricky really! On my alienware i'm happy i'm getting a 3mp webcam! but no sure what i'll use it for. I used to use skype back in the day, but not now. I dont think i'd pay to add a hi def webcam over a normal webcam, but i might be put off a purchase if it didnt have one at all.

Thunderbolt? I'm happy with the inclusion of USB 3.0! But if the new ipods end up with thunderbolt connections, then more products will demand them on computers.

Batteries - i echo the above really! With the inclusion of optimus, the battery life is ok these days! (i remember my XPS M1710 only getting an hour on the battery!). but these are gaming machines, so they are practically always plugged in where i am!

RAID, absolutely! I hate the way that the windows experience rating is always let down by the HDD's! running in a fast RAID would be superb!

Other than that, i think the Matte screen idea is good! I'd like to see GTX cards in all alienware laptops! But then i know there are thermal considerations! And regular driver updates would be nice too!

 

Great feedback so far.

The more individual responses the better so even if you have seen your thoughts posted by another user, please feel free to reiterate. Sample size is important as we pursue new features.

Thanks again,

 

AW Product Team:

Thank you for the customer-centric approach! The service we receive from Alienware Support is a competitive advantage that distinguishes your product line in a fierce market. The recent increased interaction with this Community is phenomenal and much appreciated. This should prove to be an effective way of improving your product and developing strong customer loyalty.

Below are my responses to your questions.

Webcams - How do you use your webcam?

• Many notebooks come with integrated webcams. What do you do with your webcam? Are you: video chatting? Recording video? Using it in game? Or are you not using it at all?

I do not use it frequently, but when I do it is generally for video chat. I have a family in another state and it is great doing that occasionally. I would like to see the integrated webcam continue to be included as a standard feature. I would be unhappy about losing that feature.

(I was unhappy about losing infrared on the M18x even though it did not use it on a daily basis. When I use my M18x with my Dell remote, I now have to use the external infrared transmitter, which kind of sucks. Having to use USB peripheral devices on a mobile system when they can be integrated is not attractive to me.)

• How interested would you be in an integrated webcam that is certified for high performance video chatting?

Yes, very much so. This would make the M18x well suited as a business-class portable workstation as well.

Thunderbolt - What would you do with Thunderbolt?

• Are you interested in having Thunderbolt on your computer? What would you do with it if Dell added it?

It's difficult to say what the possibilities are since the technology is underused at this time. I am interested in seeing it developed because of its performance potential.

Battery - Do you leave your notebook plugged in?

• How often do you leave your notebook plugged in even when it’s fully charged? Do you unplug it once it’s charged? Do you use it plugged in or unplugged more?

I use it plugged in most of the time, using discreet graphics and all power saving functionality completely disabled for performance. I use it unplugged on the IGP only when traveling.

- Long battery life span or peak performance when plugged in?

• Batteries which offer 1000 charge cycles typically have less battery life during usage. Which is more important, battery charge cycles, or the amount of time you can use the battery between charges?

If I had to choose between the two, I would go with more charge cycles versus battery life between charges. However, the 5 hour battery run time it excellent for the long plane trips without access to AC power.

RAID - Do you want a RAID SSD?

• How interested are you in a notebook with a RAID SSD?

Yes, definitely interested in this. Speeds in the vicinity of 1000MB/s are very attractive. SSD prices need to become more affordable before this will be an option for many of us. SSD drive prices are absurd right now.

Additional feedback... I am a frequent business traveler and the M18x goes everywhere I go. The mobility and battery life on the HD 3000 combined with the dual GPU performance capabilities makes the M18x the perfect travel companion for a gamer and power user like me. The size and weight of the M18x are not an issue for me at all and I don't think I would be nearly as happy if it was smaller. While nothing is perfect, in my opinion the M18x comes closer to perfection than any system I have ever owned.

 

I don't typically use my webcam, I'm glad I have one if I ever need it, but an upgraded webcam wouldn't be a "must have".

Thunderbolt- Again, something that would be nice to have, I don't currently have a use for it, but down the road I may.

Battery- I mostly use my M14X plugged in, as the gaming performance on battery really blows (the GPU seems to be throttled down when on battery). I do use it occasionally for web surfing and other non-gaming activities when unplugged though. Prefer a higher capacity battery over a higher-charge-cycle one, especially if it's user replaceable.

RAID SSD: Not really my thing. SSDs have a low enough seek time that RAIDing them (in my mind) doesn't offer enough benefit for the potential issues.

One thing I wish my M14X had: a matte screen. I hate the current trend of high-gloss screens. In anything other than perfect light (or darkness) the reflections are terrible.

And driver updates are necessary. I think the latest video driver update for the M14X is from last April. With new games coming out all the time that require driver updates, this is really poor customer service. (I realize we can download driver updates directly from nVidia or the other hardware companies, but they sometimes don't work quite right.)

 

Webcams - Having a webcam has been has been rather useful. Having a webcam isn't a deal breaker but it is definitely a good thing to have.

Thunderbolt - Thunderbolt would be a great addition to the alienware line of laptops. It would allow faster data rates and new peripherals such as faster external HD's etc. This would be useful for not just people who use these as gaming machines but business applications as well.

Battery - i take my m17x to and from school a lot and use it on battery. The battery life is plenty for the class or two i need it. The biggest thing though is i bought this thing for power. Id rather have more performance than battery life if i need it. Basically all im trying to say is that i hope performance doesn't suffer in the future just to get better battery times.

AID - I think Raid SSD's will be out of my price range for a bit, but even if they were more affordable, id rather have one SSD for the OS and a traditional HD for storage.

its great that you are taking our feedback and I for one hope it helps make the AW laptops even better

 

I'm follower of Alienware and I did have the M17 R3 for a while too so hopefully my input helps too.


Webcams:
I usually use it for video chatting and taking quick pictures. It's still should remain there in the future of course.

Thunderbolt -
Yea, I would like to have it especially if it cuts down on a number of extra ports one day. Since it's still a new tech outside Apple I'm sure with time it would be a great option especially for external hard drives.

Battery
I pretty much leave it plugged in of course if I had M11x or M14x then I would use it more on battery.

RAID - Do you want a RAID SSD?
It would be a nice option but for sure it would be out my price range. I still would like the option since it will be covered by warranty.

Thanks for asking the feedback I'm sure it's quite tempting for all of us to give our opinion on things we want outside of these question but there is a thread already for this.

Still I will leave two suggestions since I can't help it since for me it's very important and that is a great matte screen option for the Alienware and HDMI 1.4a.

Also well done to the Alienware team for bringing an actual HDMI input in the first place since it's one of the best features and a great selling point.

 

First of all, thanks for this oportunity. It's also nice noticing our feedback is taken into account.

I own both M17x-R2 and M11x-R3 (previous owner of a M11x-R2 also, and waiting for the next refresh of M18x to switch my "old" M17x with it).

Webcams
- How do you use your webcam?
• Integrated webcam is essential in a laptop.
M17X (used a DTR): Except for Aliensense, I almost never use it (but it is there when I need it from time to time for video chatting).
M11X (used a lot in profetionnal travels): used quite much for video chatting when I'm away from home.
• High performance video chatting is not the first thing I'd be interested in. I'm pretty ok with the current technology and would prefer to invest money elsewhere than an improved webcam.
Short answer: not interested.

Thunderbolt
- What would you do with Thunderbolt?
• Seems to be definitely a step forward in I/O Tech. I would say it is a must have for the next release, keeping of course the HDMI and USB3 port.
I may use it mainly for an external drive (so only with M17x or M18x DTR, not sure if it is really usefull on a M11x equivalent model).
I would also be interested to compare display perfomance, but would stick to HDMI anyway.

Battery
- Do you leave your notebook plugged in?
• M17X, as DTR, always plugged in, never remove the battery. Sometime (rarely) I do a battery empty/charge cycle.
M11x, almost never plugged in as used in travel. I charge it and the unplug it 'till the battery is empty. I would plug it for long hours of gaming though.

- Long battery life span or peak performance when plugged in?
• M17X: I'll say charge cycle (don't care much about battery life for a DTR).
M11X: definitely battery life over charge cycles.

RAID
- Do you want a RAID SSD?
• Depend of the price of course (as it is already expensive - still I have a SSD in my M11X). Answer would be yes at an accessible price.

 

Webcams: (Like BlazeGaj)
I usually use it for video chatting and taking quick pictures and sometimes little movie. I don't need an incredible quality webcam but a good quality is required.

Thunderbolt
Yea, I would like to have it and 2x ! And use it for plug everything that's pluggable in it

Battery
I pretty much leave it plugged in of course, but I like/need to have a capabilities to travel with and need a long battery life.

RAID
As long as SSD will not support the TRIM command in Raid then not I would not need.


Please read the first post of this link, where you can clearly found what's the user'c want for the future :
http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-m18x/607421-what-users-want-m18x-r2.html

This thread is also on IdeaStorm, please look at my signature.

 

Awesome to see you guys are looking for and interested in feedback! Just for reference's sake, I own a m11x r3 and use my Alienware for travel, uni and everyday use to supplement my desktop. As such I would only ever be interested in m11x or m14x models, so most of my comments are directed at those models

Webcam
As I travel a lot and am away from family and friends, I mind myself using my webcam A LOT. Usually three or four times a week. I personally find the webcam in my current m11x absolutely abysmal. The lighting has to be just perfect, otherwise all the person on the other end sees is black, or a grainy, flickering blue image. It's been so bad at times that I've hooked up my Logitech C910 to the laptop just so my friends can see me properly. So a high performance, good quality webcam is an instant sell for me.

Thunderbolt
I cannot think of any use for this at the moment, seeing as I don't know of any devices that could take advantage of it, but would be nice to have just so the Apple boys can't pull the snooty "we've got Thunderbolt, do you?" comment on us any more

Battery
As I use my laptop for travel and study, long battery life is really important, but then again so is the battery's life span... All day battery life on the m11x would be awesome, although I'm very pleased with what I get at the moment Although, if when the laptop was plugged in (as it is when sitting at home) it didn't constantly go into the battery, but ran independently (to give more life to the battery), that would be awesome. Hope that made sense...

RAID
Not quite on topic but... It's a big ask, but dual hard drives in the m14x would make it a very attractive option for me to step up to the slightly larger model. If you guys could pull that off, that would be... incredible!

 

Targeted questions are unproductive.
Its like asking what color you want your asbestos paint to be in some ones house.

How about addressing the air flow and power circuit design issues.

Connectivity doesn't come before reliability when I make a very large purchase like this.

 

Hello guys, thank you very much for asking!

Webcams

Communication is something essential in our lives and I think this is the main use of the Webcam in a laptop. I work abroad and I'm away from my family and friends for long periods. For me and all the people I know who work internationally a certified high performance video chatting Webcam would be a very welcome improvement! it would keep us closer to home thanks!

Thunderbolt

This is a must! How come "the most powerfull laptop in the universe" don't have Thunderbolt?? I would use it for external drives, video, A/D audio interface (music recording), PC interconnect...

Battery

I go for battery life between charges. I have my laptop plugged in most of the time and the battery is normally removed in order to save it. A SMART CHARGER that disconnects itself once the battery is charged and sends an amp Pulse Maintenance Charge when the voltage drops would be perfect. This gives minimum power loss and maximum battery life. I would also love to have the possibility to stop charging the battery while the power cord is connected using alienware power management soft or hardware switch, So I can decide when I want to charge the battery and it wouldn't be necessary to remove it from the laptop anymore.

RAID

For me the best balance between performance, price and data security is SSD for system and highest capacity/rpm HDD for data, and that's what I look for.


And last... I guess you are not asking anything about the display because you already know what users want... RGB, IPS 120Hz, matte and more resolution... I don't have a m18x just because of that! Thanks again.

 

Webcams -
I don't use my web cam

•How interested would you be in an integrated webcam that is certified for high performance video chatting?

I am not interested in this though others quite likely will be

Thunderbolt- What would you do with Thunderbolt? •Are you interested in having Thunderbolt on your computer? What would you do with it if Dell added it?

I have no interest in thunderbolt

Battery
- Do you leave your notebook plugged in?•How often do you leave your notebook plugged in even when it’s fully charged? Do you unplug it once it’s charged? Do you use it plugged in or unplugged more?

My note book is plugged in all day long

I have the habit of watching a couple hrs of online streaming video when I go to bed.. I do this on the battery (I have had my laptop since Aug. 3rd and show 15% battery wear at the time of this post due to my habits)

I use my computer plugged in more but appreciated the battery for when I take a dump and browse the internet or move it closer to my bed for my nightly vedging =)

- Long battery life span or peak performance when plugged in?•Batteries which offer 1000 charge cycles typically have less battery life during usage. Which is more important, battery charge cycles, or the amount of time you can use the battery between charges?

For me the amount of time I can use the battery between charges is of most importance (yes I enjoy browing web sites and playing MUD's even on battery... I plug in for the real performance when gaming hard)

RAID - Do you want a RAID SSD?•How interested are you in a notebook with a RAID SSD?

I do not want a raid ssd... alienware is in the business of making awesome laptops so I think that it should be seriously considered though

MISC. REQUEST Please a good matte screen !! I don't want to see my own head on my computer screen lol

 

Dear AW Team
Congratulations and thanks to the AW team for this post.
Hope it will bring to the team the so many useful ideas that the AW followers are posting here and in the IdeaStorm.
Hope too that eventually you, the team, will evidence the reception of the ideas and thoughts.
We love the AW approach (and Dells international NBD warranty and service!) and we are waiting for the improvements and your news (and decisions) on them.
Just my 0.01 cent: the propossed questions are a little bit limiting...

As katalin_2003 says:

And... since to game we need also to work ( ):

Also we need (really badly) that Dellienware offer the customizing option of a 1920x1280 res. with RGB-LED/IPS since we do not just use the machines for motion pictures and alike: we also do some real work on them!

Besides that:

Webcam

My fellows colleagues and I and also our students, do very heavy use of the webcams. Actually most of us had to buy an external (like the Logitech HD Pro Webcam C910) because of that. We need good resolution and definition. We run lectures and consultancies with the webcams and save a more than a lot this way. Many governments and instituions around the world recognize and use the Skype facilities for this purpose.

Thunderbolt

same answer as katalin_2003:

adding what Mr. Fox already state:

I do believe that this kind of technology, as it's announced so far, can help us solve many connectivity and performance problems...

Battery

Almost same answer as Mr. Fox (yes, me too Brutus): Most of the time my computer is plugged and only use the battery when traveling (what I need to do quite a lot).

Raid
Personally don't need it: 'just' use two internal SSD (and one external mechanical disk for backups once a day) and it's enough 4 me.

Thanks again for being receptives...

 

Looks as if the UFO has been spotted and the Alien has landed Welcome to the party.

Webcam

Sad to say I never use it, but one of these days...

Thunderbolt

Haven't really used it or looked into it, since it seems as its largely overlooked.

Battery

Always have my laptop plugged in, because games require the outlet power or you'll be down in the single digit areas. Thanks to Optimus and Power Play keeping out laptops alive away from the outlet in the latest AW models I think that overall the battery should be able to withstand constant charging rather than have a long single charge. You could always adopt an approach which offers two batteries for both purposes though.

Raid
Not really important to me, since I just use an SSD with a regular old HDD for storage.

P.S. - I'd love for you guys to bring anodized aluminum back in the M17x R4 and to revive Lunar Silver. Black is kinda bland and Nebula Red's a bit too flashy for me.

 

Webcams - How do you use your webcam?

I only use the webcam for Skype and a web cam that is certified for high performance video chatting would be nice.

Thunderbolt - What would you do with Thunderbolt?

It looks like that is where future connectivity will be going. Thunderbolt, HDMI and USB 3.0 is a good package

Battery- Do you leave your notebook plugged in?

I leave my laptop (14X) plugged in 90% of the time. Peak performance while plugged in is a given. As for charge cycles vs battery life? 1000 charge cycles seems to be the norm and if I need extended battery life for a long flight I will use my iPad or Netbook


RAID - Do you want a RAID SSD?

I am more interested in SATA III. As an owner of a M14X the SATA III issue is a huge disappointment. RAID is however a welcome addition.

 

FYI....the following answer is in response to you "request to innovate" statement......have you read through the forum and seen the trouble an average joe has had (and all of these guys are techie's.... definitively better than anything Dell has to offer via tech support...oh yes..case in point....i was advised by a tech support for AW after spending 1.5 hours trying to fix the AW optimus issue on the M17r3 , to flash it with the A10 bios...which i said doesn't exist for the 17r 3 but infact the r2 (back then)...and numerous other issues)

anywho after the rant

Webcams - How do you use your webcam?
I use it frequently for video chatting...i like an integrated machine...so i'd rather you wouldnt take the webcam out of future products..

[*]How interested would you be in an integrated webcam that is certified for high performance video chatting?
.sure give out 720HD cam's ...they can't be that expensive to include

Thunderbolt - What would you do with Thunderbolt?
well if thunderbolt is the future...and there are products, it'd be better to include....considering there will be no way to include this as an after market upgrade

Battery
- Do you leave your notebook plugged in?
well...this is a yes...and no the battery isn't installed....i do leave it plugged and since we have no hx of brownout's ...i am quite safe to use it as such

[*]How often do you leave your notebook plugged in even when it’s fully charged? Do you unplug it once it’s charged? Do you use it plugged in or unplugged more?
No, once fully charged i normally don't leave it plugged in (although i do know Dell's systems do bypass the battery and AIDA64 does report a change from "charging" to "AC line"

- Long battery life span or peak performance when plugged in?

which would be cheaper for the end consumer? in my opinion i'd rather have a battery that runs longer than peak performance... thing is i know a battery supply isn't "perfect" , but a laptop..no matter DTR, should be portable, with the excellent switching capability..i'd rather enjoy a movie, or some basic game...etc on the iGPU while being portable..

RAID - Do you want a RAID SSD?
Welll again if it's cheaper i am all for it....but won't be a deal breaker...

[*]How interested are you in a notebook with a RAID SSD?
i'd rather not have RAID 0/1 (either ways paying too much for unpredictability and or space available....respectively

Thank you for your continued support!.....yeah ain't that right....continued support to Dell's AW division for expensivly annoying machines...that all the guys within NBR and other forums are tasked to fix


[

 

Webcam - I haven't used a webcam in years, I see very little need or use for one.

Thunderbolt - Anything that helps future proof the system is a nice add on.

Battery - I have my laptops set to high performance plugged in 99% of the time. If I needed battery power its for web surfing not gaming.

Raid - Would really like to see 3 drive Alienware, 2 in Raid 0 and a third for High storage.

Future - Matt screen option yes screens are really important to most of us offer best as upgrade and we will buy them. Second I would like to see even better sound systems as in speakers for gaming. we are still behind in that area. Last thanks for asking what we would like to see.

 

Webcams - How do you use your webcam?
Video chat with family. It is probably used 10-20 times per year.

• Many notebooks come with integrated webcams. What do you do with your webcam? Are you: video chatting? Recording video? Using it in game? Or are you not using it at all?

See above.

• How interested would you be in an integrated webcam that is certified for high performance video chatting?

Simply put, this is an Alienware product that we are talking about. Cutting corners should not happen. If you are going to cut corners for the base model, then have upgrade options to get the certified version or don't cut the corner.


Thunderbolt - What would you do with Thunderbolt?
Meh. It peaks my interest for "future proofing", but until it becomes mainstream it would not affect my decision of what brand laptop I will buy next.

• Are you interested in having Thunderbolt on your computer? What would you do with it if Dell added it?

See above.


Battery - Do you leave your notebook plugged in?
Yes.

• How often do you leave your notebook plugged in even when it’s fully charged? Do you unplug it once it’s charged? Do you use it plugged in or unplugged more?

Most of the time, my Alienware laptop is plugged in whenever I am using it & unplugged when it is turned off. I run it on battery power to a 5% drain once per month to keep up on if the battery is functioning properly. Excluding that, I use my Alienware on battery maybe 2% of the time. My wife has a tendency to leave her laptop plugged in all the time, even when it is turned off.

To give you a better understanding of usage, we game with the family in the living room, sitting in recliners, with our laptops on trays. We were both using Alienware M17x-R2 laptops while our daughters used 15" Dell laptops. Now I'm the only one using an Alienware (see signature). Our batteries primarily serve as a UPS for our laptops.

- Long battery life span or peak performance when plugged in?
Performance... always. This is supposed to be a performance system. If I want battery life, I'll use our tablet or our netbook.

• Batteries which offer 1000 charge cycles typically have less battery life during usage. Which is more important, battery charge cycles, or the amount of time you can use the battery between charges?

The total life of the battery is more important than how long the battery lasts per charge. I can't stand products where the battery has to be replaced within 13-18 months from purchase... especially when the batteries are over $100. It weighs HEAVILY on my decision of what to purchase when the product itself needs replaced later.


RAID - Do you want a RAID SSD?
Once the prices of SSD drives get more reasonable (& RAID is more dependable), I might consider it. At this time, I still value my data more than the performance increase per dollar. $500-$1000 to upgrade a computer to half the storage, just because it reads the data faster is not cost efficient to me. I'm still "old school" in that regard. SSD for the OS & a huge 7200rpm hard drive for data storage, or dual 7200rpm hard drives are my choice for now.

• How interested are you in a notebook with a RAID SSD?

I am interested, but not enough to pay $1000 extra for it.


OTHER STUFF
First & foremost, Alienware is supposed to be a name that stands for performance & cutting edge technology with a solid build quality. The most recent models are NOT those things... to the point that my wife just went from a mid-range Alienware M17x-R2 to a loaded XPS 17 (L702X) because there was nothing about the Alienware M17x-R3 or M18x that gave a real reason for the price premium, aside from the colored lights & slightly more powerful graphics card(s).

My requests:

• Bring back higher resolutions. My wife & I have both been using a 1920x1200 resolution Dell or Alienware branded 17" laptop since 2006. For there not to be anything "equal to, or better than" that screen resolution FIVE YEARS later is silly. For "the best" to be a lower resolution is preposterous.
• Bring back the RGB LED option.
• As others have requested, a matte screen option across all models would be nice. Occasionally, even a gamer goes outside!
• Bring back the metal casing & high quality cooling system. After using my Alienware M17x-R2 for 8 hours, it is still cool to the touch. That is not the case with any currently shipping Dell/Alienware laptop that I have used. Most are at least warm to the touch after an hour. Some are HOT to the touch after an hour.
• Air intakes on the sides or front & exhaust out the back. Sometimes I want to just put it on the bed, on the carpet, or on my lap without concern over blocking airflow or having to get a tray to place it on.
• At least 1 USB port on each side & back. In one word, convenience.
• Speakers on the front or between the keyboard & screen. This latest trend of putting speakers on the bottom is insane. If the surface the laptop is placed on is not solid, it causes muffled sound, causing the user to turn up the volume, causing blown speakers, causing replacement costs to Dell (if the user has a good service contract) or an upset customer (if the user does not have a good service contract).
• We want more solid color options than red or black & not just a skin or swappable lid. We're talking top & bottom at a minimum, preferably the palmrest too. On an Alienware system, I would consider paying $50-$100 for a color option if they were available. Start with Silver, Black & Red as "included" in the price. Then have White, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo & Violet for $50 extra. IF those do well, consider a couple "limited edition" color shifting options for $100 extra.
• Please, please, PLEASE bring back the pre-Dell option of a Ripley or Skullcap lid... or something similar. Make one lid design look "sleek, muted & professional", but make the other exotic & screaming from a distance that there is no doubt it is an Alienware... even if it costs an extra $50.
• and finally, the one that is definitely a pipe dream... please drop the M14x down to a M13x & bring back the M15x, but add a number pad to the M15x. My daughter wants one for college.

Thank you.

 

Webcams - How do you use your webcam?

• Many notebooks come with integrated webcams. What do you do with your webcam? Are you: video chatting? Recording video? Using it in game? Or are you not using it at all?

I use it for video chatting and occasionally recording video.

• How interested would you be in an integrated webcam that is certified for high performance video chatting?

VERY. I own a Logitech C910 (1080P) and would love to not have to carry it with me/plug it in and hook it on!

Thunderbolt - What would you do with Thunderbolt?

• Are you interested in having Thunderbolt on your computer? What would you do with it if Dell added it?

I would like to see Thunderbolt added, for chaining of peripherals, fast external storage etc.

Battery
- Do you leave your notebook plugged in?

• How often do you leave your notebook plugged in even when it’s fully charged? Do you unplug it once it’s charged? Do you use it plugged in or unplugged more?

I have it plugged in most of the time running on full power with discrete graphics.

I use it from time to time on battery, mainly when traveling.

- Long battery life span or peak performance when plugged in?

• Batteries which offer 1000 charge cycles typically have less battery life during usage. Which is more important, battery charge cycles, or the amount of time you can use the battery between charges?

I would rather be able to use it unplugged for a longer period of time than to have a higher number of charge cycles.

RAID - Do you want a RAID SSD?

• How interested are you in a notebook with a RAID SSD?

No interest in this. I do feel that you should keep 2 HDD slots in as many models as possible though, to offer the option, but mainly to allow for an SSD boot disk with a standard HDD for storage.

Other things I'd personally like to see:

• 90+ % Gamut screens with a matte option,
• More color choice (ability to enter any hex code), more brightness choices and the ability to fully control each zone independently (uncluding turning off) for alienfx.
• A sturdier keyboard with less flex and maybe more a macbook-style, where the light doesn't come around the edge of the keys.
• More choices of chassis color.
• An integrated subwoofer and generally higher quality speakers
• Tighter quality control before shipping (mine came with a screw rattling around inside which I'm awaiting a technician visit for).
• Respawn to allow full disk imaging including software installed post-build as well as the ability to restore to any size of disk as long as the amount of data is not greater than the free space on the destination drive.
• Higher quality buttons on the touchpad as well as multi-touch/gesture support
• Better driver support - for example more frequent updating of video drivers, especially when you HAVE to use the Dell ones (for example the M17X R3 with 6990M which requires them in order for the IGP and switching to work).
• At least one usb port on the back
• Front and/or side air intake to allow for placing a laptop on... a lap (or bed or couch etc).

Thank you for your continued support!

No worries. Despite the things i mentioned above, I love my M17X R3. it's easily the best laptop I've ever owned (and I've owned a LOT). Most of the things listed are minor niggles (although some are major) but if more attention was paid to the little things, these laptops would go from being great to being a class apart from absolutely anything else out there.

 

• 
  
  Tooootally agree... just I start using the wonderful Dell's WUXGA matte 1920x1280 back in... 2004! and it's still kicking butt!

 

Webcams
mine works well enough for video chatting


Thunderbolt
yes. as an addon to the hdmi/hdmi in/and or vga-dvi (since TB can run all the above - speculation)

Battery
better battery life and reasonable battery replacement pricing

RAID - Do you want a RAID SSD
No. running at 300 to 500 MB is plenty fast for the majority of users. not to mention all the laptops that only have one drive bay, but for the price we pay, it at least needs to be a high rated drive. (speed and reliability and rated 6gb mandatory! with out the Beverly Hills price tag!)

also while your at it, time for you to get with the times and make all the new model to where you can pull out the dvd drive and swap it with a ssd or hd. that add on ports are nice and all..but i would rather have this option for more internal storage.

 

My last Alienware was an M17x R1, however, I might look into an M17x of some sort over the Summer, so I'll fill this out.

Webcams - How do you use your webcam?

I really only use it for the occasional video chat. This is with a girlfriend that, half of the year, lives on another continent, and even then I don't mine about quality too much. I'd say a 2-3MP one would do fine. If a better one is included, great, but I don't really care.


Thunderbolt - What would you do with Thunderbolt?

Similar to a webcam - It would be nice to have, but it wouldn't be a deal-breaker for me.


Battery

When I had my R1, I left it plugged in most of the time - I was mostly using it in a college dorm room, then going to friends' houses for LANs and the like. I also used it a fair bit when travelling too, but on balance, it was probably plugged in about 70% of the time.

I left it plugged in when it was fully charged, mainly because I do bits and pieces of things when on my computer. Gaming for a half hour, then reading, studying, gaming, music, reading, gaming, etc. It was a pain to have stealth mode kick in and have to plug the cable back in, so I just left it there.

On the topic of time/performance for batteries, I'm honestly not sure. Ideally, both, but if I had to pick I suppose I'd go for time. I'd prefer a battery that lasted longer and died sooner provided it doesn't degrade too much over time. I'd rather it degrades over a few weeks toward the end of its life-cycle, rather than the moment I buy it.


RAID - Do you want a RAID SSD?

I'd probably try to avoid this, if possible. I think SSDs provide enough performance as-is. Introducing a controller into the mix just adds another point of failure.


--------

My ideal M17x, would have a tough, hard-wearing chassis, a big battery, and a decent processor and graphics card (much the same as the current M17x's hardware). Most importantly: a matte display! Glossy != Vibrant. It's just annoying.

In summary:
Webcam - meh.
Thunderbolt - meh, though more interesting than cam/SSD.
Battery - plugged in mostly, life over power.
RAID SSD - meh.

Ideal laptop features:
Aluminium chassis
9-12 cell battery
Matte display


Hope that helps.

 

Give people the option for RAID 5! Give the option to remove the Optical drive and get a third HDD. This is one of the main reasons I will consider a system like the Clevo X7200/Sager 7280. They have 3 HDD bays, plus an optical drive bay, which they offer to have replaced with a 4th HDD instead of purchasing an optical drive. Give us 3 drives and possibly even 4! We'd (I'd) love you for it

Other things to mention. RGBLED The screen in the M17x R2 is perfect. Bring it back!! Get back with 1900x1200 resolution!

 

I second the motion

 

And I also agree.....its one of the biggest selling points as the built in display is "all important" on these systems....if your gonna be looking at a built in display, you want it to be the BEST if you have the BEST laptop, right?

 

I do not own an alienware laptop at the present moment but I am looking out for an M14x.

In response to your questions;

Webcam:
I use my webcam frequently over a variety of tasks, I believe webcams are a must for all laptops.

Thunderbolt:

Ever since thunderbolt was released on macs, I have been waiting to hear if alienware is implementing the technology in their products. Thunderbolt is the way of the future and if the technology is put on alienware laptops I would use it to its fullest potential. Alienware needs thunderbolt to still carry the title: Best 14" laptop in the universe.

Battery:

Laptops need good batteries. Alienware laptops need to have the best performance. I would like to see a combination of this. Being able to stay away from the power point for at least 6 hours but when I come back I can max out the laptops capabilities.
I am interested in the m14x and that is what I am basing my opinions/ideas on.

RAID

This, is an excellent idea and could be easily pulled off by using 2 1.8 inch drives. As more memory can be crammed into small spaces these days you can still have high capacity drives in the same amount of space as a single 2.5 inch drive. Imagine having a 180gb SSD and a 320gb HDD or 2x 180gb SSD in RAID. You get the best of both worlds.

Thank you very much alienware for asking customers what they want. This is what makes you a great company.

 

Webcams - How do you use your webcam?•Many notebooks come with integrated webcams. What do you do with your webcam? Are you: video chatting? Recording video? Using it in game? Or are you not using it at all?
•How interested would you be in an integrated webcam that is certified for high performance video chatting?

I my self use the web cam quite a bit on my system. Up to 3x per day. I use it for video chatting and for recording videos. I would very much loke to see the high performace video chat.

Thunderbolt - What would you do with Thunderbolt? •Are you interested in having Thunderbolt on your computer? What would you do with it if Dell added it?

I think that is a technology that is still growing and having the ablity to use it would be a nice feature.

Battery
- Do you leave your notebook plugged in?•How often do you leave your notebook plugged in even when it’s fully charged? Do you unplug it once it’s charged? Do you use it plugged in or unplugged more?

- Long battery life span or peak performance when plugged in?•Batteries which offer 1000 charge cycles typically have less battery life during usage. Which is more important, battery charge cycles, or the amount of time you can use the battery between charges?

I think most people would agree peak performace is key with Alienware. My laptop is plugged in all the time, very rarely is it used not pluged in but i like the battery that it has in it now good life on the battery mode.

RAID - Do you want a RAID SSD?•How interested are you in a notebook with a RAID SSD?

I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THIS!!!!!!

On a side note I really think that the m18x needs the RBG LED and higher resolution. The m17x R2 screen was amazing and should be in the m18x.

 

As I said on the other thread, I don't own an Alienware but I am considering the purchase of an M11x (since it has no competition for now).

1) I use my webcam twice per week for work, in international Skype meetings. Since the connection speed is low, I doubt a good webcam would make a difference since the Internet connection is the weakest link in the chain. I also use the webcam to call home when I'm travelling on business, and the same applies there. However, having a webcam, even a relatively weak one, is a must. For comparison, the webcam on my Dell Latitude E6400 is good enough for me.

2) Thunderbolt is useless for me.

3) I always plug in my laptop if an outlet is available. I most definitely prefer higher performance when plugged in over performance when on battery.

4) RAID is useless for me. If I want speed, I'll use an SSD. I have plenty of storage and backup capabilities at work and on my desktop.

 

I use my current webcam daily. Thunderbolt would be nice. I play on a power supply 95% of the time... extended battery would be good every once in a while but it's mostly useless. RAID is useless for me.

 

Webcams - How do you use your webcam?

I don't use my webcam at all and don't care about what webcam (if any) is in future AW notebooks. I'd rather see the money spent elsewhere.

Thunderbolt - What would you do with Thunderbolt?

I wouldn't use it at all right now but if future accessories will be using it then it's definitely a nice port to have.

Battery
- Do you leave your notebook plugged in?

Nearly all of the time. I rarely use my notebook on battery but it's a larger model (17"). I feel that battery in the smaller models is very important and would certainly appreciate longer battery life in any of your systems of any size.

- Long battery life span or peak performance when plugged in?

This would depend on the availability of replacement batteries and the difference in battery life between one lasting fewer charge cycles or one that lasts through more charge cycles. If the difference is minor then I'd rather have one that lasts through more charge cycles, but if it will make a difference of hours then I'd rather have the battery life, provided the batteries are relatively easy to find and replace.

RAID - Do you want a RAID SSD?

No. I don't see any benefit in RAID SSDs because the performance of SSDs is so high in the first place. I'd rather see more SSD options available, with the actual model displayed on the product configuration page.


Just to add as a note at the bottom...the one thing I really want to see more than anything else is better screen options. I would definitely purchase Alienware for my next system if it had an RGBLED screen option, or if that's not possible, a B+RG LED screen. I really want to see a screen in these laptops with close to (or exceeding) 100% coverage of AdobeRGB using an 8bit screen. Also, please retain the HDMI in port, it's a fantastic idea.

Please bring back the RGBLED screen options, as you can see on this thread and site it's very much a desired option!

 

1) A nice webcam that would work well with something such as Skype would be great. Nothing too fancy that drives up the price is necessary though.

2) Definitely a nice option.

3) I rarely depend on the battery. If I'm lugging around something any larger than the M11X, there is a problem with my head. I just like the improved mobility over a tower.

4) I really just want more SSD choices, RAID or not.

 

Fix the damn mobo so we can plug in headphones and you'll have a customer again.

Other than that, I absolutely LOVE this computer. But I can't deal with not having any speakers.

 

Webcams - How do you use your webcam?
Many notebooks come with integrated webcams. What do you do with your webcam? Are you: video chatting? Recording video? Using it in game? Or are you not using it at all?
How interested would you be in an integrated webcam that is certified for high performance video chatting?

- Just a standard decent quality webcam. I don't use it too often if I do it's for taking random pictures or video chats.

Thunderbolt - What would you do with Thunderbolt?
Are you interested in having Thunderbolt on your computer? What would you do with it if Dell added it?

- Not to concerned about this.

Battery
- Do you leave your notebook plugged in?
How often do you leave your notebook plugged in even when it’s fully charged? Do you unplug it once it’s charged? Do you use it plugged in or unplugged more?

- My notebook is plugged in 70% the time, I leave it for hours when it's fully charged and it remains plugged in.

- Long battery life span or peak performance when plugged in?
Batteries which offer 1000 charge cycles typically have less battery life during usage. Which is more important, battery charge cycles, or the amount of time you can use the battery between charges?

- Peak performance when plugged in. And battery charge cycles.

RAID - Do you want a RAID SSD?
How interested are you in a notebook with a RAID SSD?

- Not at all, SSD SATAIII is fast enough, don't see any point is having a RAID setup, plus the cost would be insane. Would rather see Alienware m14x able to work 100% correctly with most SSD's rather then constant issues.

 

1) I would love to see a 720p webcam, as now those are becoming standard for business notebooks, no reason why the largest manufacturer of gaming notebooks cannot add them.

2) Thunderbolt would be nice but not necessary as there are very few devices out that support it. Let's put it this way, I wouldn't pay an extra 100 for a Thunderbolt connector

3) My Alienware is plugged in all the time. It gets throttled so badly, there is no point using it on battery (mine has no Optimus/switchable graphics support) and I would hope Alienware continues this trend of not having switchable graphics unless via a manual switch or a BIOS option to disable the discreet card.

4) Not really interested in RAID 0 SSDs, too much money, too little performance gain.

 

1) If there is a webcam than it should be a HD 720p atleast.

2) USB is fine by me.

3) Battery is useless for me.

4) Raid not nessasery but ssd great improvement.

Alienware are good looking and pretty cool but in my opinion they should be sold just as top of the bill and not with lesser ATI/Nvidea Cards (like 5730m).
I think they should be pure gaming and nothing less, but thats my opinion.

 

Nice bump, thanks for the continued feedback. It's definitely being put to good use

 

My ten cents.

I dont use a webcam , I already know Im beautiful

Raid: No
Thunderbolt: No
Battery: Has the life of a mayfly, and integrated G card is no good for my titles.

In summary anything that detracts from playing games at high settings is surplus to requirements.

 

Webcams - How do you use your webcam?

Other than facial recognition at login, I don't use it. But it is still good to have.

How interested would you be in an integrated webcam that is certified for high performance video chatting?

Well if it's going to be included, might as well be high performance like everything else.

Thunderbolt - What would you do with Thunderbolt?

Well, nothing at the moment. But good to have once more devices start supporting it.

Are you interested in having Thunderbolt on your computer? What would you do with it if Dell added it?

Yes. Thunderbolt should be included.

Battery
- Do you leave your notebook plugged in?

Always

How often do you leave your notebook plugged in even when it’s fully charged? Do you unplug it once it’s charged? Do you use it plugged in or unplugged more?

Always plugged in. Never use battery.

- Long battery life span or peak performance when plugged in?

Peak performance.

Batteries which offer 1000 charge cycles typically have less battery life during usage. Which is more important, battery charge cycles, or the amount of time you can use the battery between charges?

Longer on battery time.

RAID - Do you want a RAID SSD?

No. Although I'm sure some do. Could make it an option.

How interested are you in a notebook with a RAID SSD?

Not very interested. RAID'd SSD's mean no room for large storage drive. Currently have a SSD as primary drive with a 500GB mechanical as storage. RAID 0 would be too high of a gamble. RAID 1 sacrifices performance. Better to have the option of having a high capacity mechanical drive.

Good to see Dell/Alienware on the forum. There is a lot of feedback on this site from people who are longtime supporters. Getting our input will ensure you guys continue to deliver computers that meet and exceed expectations.
Thanks for showing interest!

 

Webcams - How do you use your webcam?

In the 9 months or so I've had my M18X I've used the cam for Skype once. A hi-def cam wouldn't get any more use. I vastly prefer to have an inbuilt cam to a USB one however so I'd like to see some sort of cam maintained.

How interested would you be in an integrated webcam that is certified for high performance video chatting?

See above.

Thunderbolt - What would you do with Thunderbolt?

I would consider using a larger, external drive enclosure with RAID for music\video production. Keep the O/S and applications on an SSD.

Battery
- Do you leave your notebook plugged in?

Always. Well... 99.9% of the time yes. Only if I need a quick move for a quick job will I unplug and use sans power.

How often do you leave your notebook plugged in even when it’s fully charged? Do you unplug it once it’s charged? Do you use it plugged in or unplugged more?

I close the lid\hibernate when it's not in use but it's always plugged in.

Long battery life span or peak performance when plugged in?

For me, the M18X is purely a gaming rig, as such it's always plugged in. Battery times and charge cycles are irrelevant to my way of thinking.

RAID - Do you want a RAID SSD?

Single SSD's are plenty fast for me but if you could bring your buying power to bear and provide a RAID solution way more cheaply than I could source and install myself, I would certainly consider it.

 

get yourself ready this is a long post
I've been searching for the Alienware suggestion thread all over for a while already but haven't found one, so I gave up and decided to make a thread. Do move/merge this to the relevant section/thread if necessary.

I make no secret out of having just ordered a M14x (which I am still expecting in 3 days and hyping my innards up, it's also my first Alienware ever), and being an owner of the venerable G73Jh, but my purchase of the M14x is purely of necessity (the G73Jh seems to have had a hard drive error and while I am replacing it, I can't have my sibling taking a potentially faulty system abroad for academic purposes). I've always been rather cautious over buying Alienware notebooks in the past, having considered the M15x during the GTX260M era and then the M11x R2 and so on, before settling for the G73 due to its far more attractive price-point, so I'm hardly an Alienware fanatic or a hater.

Anyway, that's some backstory out of the way, while I had plenty of internal debate between the M14x, the larger M17x and even other brands (I was initially quite set on an Origin EON-15s since it spiced up the regular Clevo look a bit or even a Malibal P150EM-SE), I eventually settled on the M14x because it did tick off the most boxes that mattered (sufficient performance to surpass my G73, equal or better portability, reasonable (...okay not really) pricing, aesthetics and global warranty coverage), it still leaves much to be desired in my eyes.

So, with that too out of the way, I'd like to describe what I'd see as the perfect Alienware notebook, if not lineup;


To start with, resurrect the fifteen inch lineup. Reincarnate the M15x.
Make it weigh less than 3.5kg, or even better, at exactly 3kg or less.
Stuff it with dual-fans exhausting through the rear for more efficient, quieter cooling.
The wishlist continues, in, well, list form:

• The return of Lunar Shadow, or other matte, non-rubberized exterior finishes (or a powder-silver finish... or something like a Lamborghini Reventon would be fantastic)
• More exterior colors, not just Lunar Shadow as mentioned above - a dark powder-finished blue would be absolutely gorgeous with the Alienware design
• 1920x1080/1920x1200 screen, with a wide-gamut option (no I don't need "retina" resolution, WUXGA or FHD will do. I mean, WQXSGA would be an awesome selling point but, no, I don't actually need something so dense. But I do need a wide-gamut, color-accurate screen because I am a graphics art person)
• The 2.1 speaker system of the M14x (I'm an audiophile by some standards and this was actually quite an influence in my decision, over the M17x, and same was for the G73Jh's)
• Full-size keyboard layout with numpad (ASUS can do it with the G53/54/55 and so can MSI with their GT60/GE60, so can Alienware)
• Multimedia keys dashboard (as per the M17x and M18x. I typically hit playback keys on my desktop very often and even more so when gaming)
• A minimum of the GTX660M, if not all the way up to the GTX680M or HD7970M, or whatever GPU of the time (again, the competitors can do it.)
• Corning Gorilla Glass scratch-resistant screen with an oleophobic (fingerprint-resistant) coating, with matte option (Alienware notebooks are expensive. I'd expect something like this to be standard on something of this price range. The little touches matter to me.)
• 128/256/512GB M-SATA boot-drive option (I was considering ordering from XoticPC solely because of this)
• Internal audio amplifier (again, audiophile side speaking)
• No less than four USB 3.0 ports
• The traditional, faceted Alienware design language (I really do like this, but I think that designing a machine that's a bit thinner whilst wider, rather than thick and with smaller screen space is a far better use of dimensions and weight distribution. I have engineering design training.)

Alternatively, Alienware could also diversify the line-up a bit further. The system I described above - I could live with it being a bit leaner, like only running a GTX660M as the maximum option - a M15s (slim) maybe, whereas a M15x is akin to the previous M15x (which has since been discontinued.) That particular model is often said to be a 15.6" notebook that ended up feeling like a 17.3" Which is a bad thing.

The above said, applying such concepts to the 17.3" M17x would be nice too, don't you think? The M17x could definitely benefit from higher quality speakers and a subwoofer. Or, at the very least, shaving off four hundred grams of its weight. Or, like suggested for the M15, a 'M17s' - a lighter M17x that may not be as high powered or graphics loaded, but more portable without sacrificing too much screen space and performance.

Keep the M14x, of course. It's definitely a unique proposition, being a fourteen incher makes it more compact than average, even if it's still heavy. But I still think that a fifteen inch chassis offers much more useful space to the end consumer and avoids excessive vertical stuffing of components which can compound head build up (we know heat goes upwards and not sideways). And of course, not stacking components on top of each other makes them more accessible for maintenance (the M14x's compact frame resulted in many of its more crucial components being stacked under others, which is why you have to disassemble so many parts to get to another).

And in general for the entire Alienware lineup, I'd much love to see;

• More customization options (I am the type to build my own desktops and hardware customization is a thing for me)
• Smooth transitions when swapping colors in AlienFX, instead of a cut (again, small touches matter), more built-in AlienFX options without plugins (e.g. responding to audio as a system-wide visualizer)
• Dedicated hot keys for special features (such as 'stealth modes', 'turbo cooling' or 'turbo mode', etc.)
• Matte screen options, scratch-resistant, oleophobic glass (honestly here, as I stated, Alienware is a super-premium brand and having things like this strikes me as a must)
• Less absurd upgrade pricing (many of us here know the prices on these upgrades are a joke, especially the builders)
• Use of advanced cooling systems (vapor chamber based heatsinks, Apple's fancy asymmetrical fans, maybe?)
• More focus on the non-gamer crowd with appropriate features (it's true, Alienware. You might have noticed a lot of people buy your machines for the performance, or creative jobs and not just to play games)
• Longer standard warranties (ASUS and MSI seem to offer two years as standard now. And you're a pricey boutique that supposedly prides yourself on service.)
• More exterior colors and finishes (as mentioned earlier - options for anything such as metallic green paint could sell well)

That's all I seem to be able to think of at the moment, but it's still plenty.
Seeing these things I ask for in future Alienware models, would definitely reinforce my trust in the company (truthfully I don't actually have a lot in them at the moment). It's plenty to ask for, but I have reason to believe it can be done. And seeing these things I've asked for in an Alienware notebook two or three years down the line is going to make me all the more likely to buy that machine.

As for anyone who's not from Alienware, why not take the time to discuss what I've suggested, offer some of your own, etc.

 

Dear Alienware representative:

First of all I would like to quickly add my suggestions for Alienware M17X R5.

1) I would like to see chiclet keyboard similar if not the same as Sony Vaio/MacBook Pro.
2) Centre positioned mouse track pad.
3) Professional metallic looking laptop like Sony Vaio/Macbook Pros. I am grateful that AW have improved their M17X R3/R4 to look more serious compared to the original M17. Keep up the good work.

My reason for chiclet keyboard is it'll be a flatter keyboard surface thus allowing easier cleaning and my reason for centre positioned track pad is to give more room for the palm rest when playing games that require W,A,S,D.

Webcams - How do you use your webcam?

Throughout my years of owning various laptops I have never used the webcam and feel being looked/spied at by someone behind the camera.

Thunderbolt - What would you do with Thunderbolt?

I would be very happy to see TB added to Alienware laptops (especially m17x series) as I use external displays quite often and the current VGA port is useless for me as it's not good enough for HD content. But if you added a DVI port that would feel too big of a port on a laptop with all the space it needs. But a TB port is very small and discrete and can be plugged into a display port to display multiple HD media content. A big yes from me

Battery - Do you leave your notebook plugged in?

I leave my notebook 95% of the time plugged in, and I never really bother to take care of the battery by discharging it from time to time resulting in a shorted life span battery when I really need to use at 5% of the times

- Long battery life span or peak performance when plugged in?

I always have it on peak performance.

RAID - Do you want a RAID SSD?

No. I would prefer a SSD as a primary (OS) and a HDD as a secondary (Data).


Thank you for your consideration.

Regards
John

 

I have never used webcams at all. Although I might use it a bit more for video chatting later on, although I recognize having a very high quality camera as a nice bonus or value-add. If its quality is high enough, I might use it instead of reaching for one of my dedicated cameras.

This does not strike me as overly important considering the limited uses of Thunderbolt as of late. But I could imagine using it for an external SSD or add-on graphics card (especially for smaller models such as the M14x). But yes, going forward, including a Thunderbolt port could be a positive move.

I usually leave my notebook plugged in after it is charged, but sometimes I turn it off. It doesn't matter much to me anymore because I'm aware of how modern Li-ion batteries don't suffer from 'overcharging' or 'memory effects'. However that little power light does use some electricity so my family members usually turn it off.
I also usually leave my notebook in my bag when I bring it home, because I default to my desktop at home, then plug it in when I actually take it out and need it.
When plugged in, I usually stick to the 'balanced' power mode. I prefer to reduce system power consumption as possible - Intel and AMD have SpeedStep and Cool'n'Quiet for a reason. As long as my system actually fires up the hardware when I want it, of course. My desktop also is usually in Balanced, except when I leave it alone overnight (if it's not rendering a long job)

Not much. SSDs don't support TRIM in RAID for one, and I reckon they're already plenty fast enough with a single drive. And in the confined space of a notebook, I much prefer a SSD + HDD combination (ideally with notebooks - MSATA SSD 128/256GB + 750GB HDD). I personally am the sort to hoard files and I can very easily consume space with images, project files and archived work, in addition to the fact that I do have hundreds of gigabytes of programs.

 

Good job, AW team! Never heard of such an initiative by any company before... Taking ideas from the end users for future products you just got yourself a repeat customer!
My answers to your questions are below :

Webcams - How do you use your webcam?

I do use my webcam occasionally (video chatting/skype).

How interested would you be in an integrated webcam that is certified for high performance video chatting?

A High performing webcam would be nice, however not really a deal breaker for me. Am happy the way things are currently on that front, so no big deal.

Thunderbolt - What would you do with Thunderbolt?

Inclusion of Thunderbolt port would be a good addition.

Battery
- Do you leave your notebook plugged in?

99.9% of the time. I understand mine (M17x R3) is a high performance gaming machine, and know that gaming on battery isnt really feasible... Hence it is always plugged in, as my main motive is gaming and watching 3D movies.

How often do you leave your notebook plugged in even when it’s fully charged? Do you unplug it once it’s charged? Do you use it plugged in or unplugged more?

My notebook is fully charged always, and once that is done, i disable battery charging in the bios, and keep the system plugged in all the time.

Long battery life span or peak performance when plugged in?

Peak performance - no doubt on this one. This is a DTR gaming laptop, and hence would always be near a plug point anytime i want to game (which is most of the time). Long battery life span would be nice, but if i have to choose between the two, its performance while plugged in ten times out of ten.

RAID - Do you want a RAID SSD?

Frankly, no. Am at ease with the single SSDs out in the open nowadays.


Hope to see good things in the future... Cheers!

 

Shouldn't this thread be stuck to the front page of the section?



Anyway, I've found some more complaints I'd like to highlight - mainly something mundane as the Fn-key combination functionality, but a bit about the rest of the keyboard as well. This is based on the M14x, but it would likely apply to the larger models as well.

1. Brightness and volume Fn-key shortcuts do not have enough levels/notches. I think the brightness has eight levels, but that could be increased to 10, with the minimum level being darker. I'd recommend doubling the number of notches on the volume control to 20 (increments of 5%)

2. Add a display-off Fn-key combination. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY in a notebook! It should be industry standard! Or, allow the brightness dimming shortcut to disable the screen backlight altogether! I like to leave my notebook at night to play music (the M14x can't be closed when doing this because the speakers are inside and top-firing), and having to resort to a program to do this simple task is inexcusable. My recommendation is to allow the screen-dimmer combination to shut off the screen backlight (a level 0 of sorts, instead of a minimum level 1).

3. Have a power-plan shortcut combination. To toggle between available power plans. This, while not mandatory, is very useful for notebooks, especially for the M14x, or any system intended to be used on the go.

4. Place media controls Fn-combinations on the arrow-keys, instead of on their own dedicated set of Fn-F combos. This is more intuitive in my opinion. Alternatively, have a full set of media keys available on all models, not just the larger ones.

5. Change the AlienFX combinations to use two keys, to control backlighting brightness. AlienFX only seems to have two levels of brightness and I have to resort to the taskbar notification to dim it. This is unintuitive and troublesome in my opinion, while I'm accustomed to hitting Fn+F3 or Fn+F4 to dim/disable and increase lighting brightness respectively. Again, allow AlienFX to have several lighting brightness settings and a 'level 0' for off. It would also be nicer if AlienFX has smooth transitions between dimming and brighter, or when changing colors in basic mode in the Command Center.

6. Swap the key combinations for Screen Brighter and Screen Dimmer. It strikes me as far less intuitive to have the brighter key on the left and the darker key on the right. In general, for anything, higher is on the right, isn't it?!

7. Set the wireless toggle to be exactly that - a toggle (that disables/enables the active transmitters straight away), with a dialog that can be optionally clicked on to selectively disable/enable the desired wireless transmitters. The way that it simply opens a dialog that must be clicked to disable transmitters now completely ruins the purpose of using a keyboard shortcut to begin with. Furthermore, this dialog does not match any of the other OSD notifications.

8. Add function-key combinations to emulate a numpad (and a num-lock) towards the right side cluster of the keyboard, for the M14x. It's entirely excusable that the M14x has no numpad, given its size, but that there is no inbuilt numpad functionality at all is pretty absurd. Example of what I mean: Fn+L = numpad 6. This would be critically useful for anyone who uses alt-key combinations frequently, or for the rare scenario of a program being confined to numpad keys by default and thus being inconfigurable (and unremappable) till a numpad is available.

9. Add Fn-key shortcuts to the Delete, Insert, Home, Pg Up, Pg Dn keys on the right of the M14x? It would be useful, if there aren't any more available keys for function shortcuts.

10. Change the Fn+F1 (external display toggle) to have a matching OSD notification, or replace it with a different function, such as putting the notebook to sleep. Right now, Fn+F1 is quite a useless key combination because it does exactly the same thing as Windows+P (Windows' internal display mode toggle).

11. Keyboard could use a higher NKRO. Right now, it seems only able to register at the most three keys. This isn't entirely excusable in a gaming notebook, but I admit that I don't consider it too serious given the size of the M14x.



I hope this thread is being paid attention to... Because I'm really finding more complaints then I'd like with my M14x. It's different in too many ways that are bad.

 

Webcam, I actually used to use it alot more, I once had a Acer laptop where you could rotate the webcam to record behind the screen, this was the most sensible thing I have seen on a laptop, why it is not standard boggles my mind. On a premium laptop like the alienware this could be a nice feature.

I leave my laptop plugged in whenever it is at the desk. I do not unplug it when the battery is full, I only unplug it when I am mobile.
Life is more important than cycles I usually plan to buy a new battery once a year.

No raid now, SSDs are too expensive but it will get interesting in the next year or 2. Also lack or TRIM support under raid is a deterent.