Ask Alienware's General Manager, Frank Azor, Anything on AWA!

The way they talked all around that question when asked before, instead of just giving us a simple "yes" or "no" response, there was no question in my mind that the chances of them fixing the problems on the past two generations of flagship products was going to be slim to none. My kids figured out at a tender young age that when mom or dad said "we'll see" that was actually secret code for "probably not" with no room for debate.

 

I'm also thinking that they've had several years to address current issues (besides the GTX 900 cards) and really haven't done anything, so it would seem unlikely they'd start now.

 

I'm sure this has been said but it's surprising and dumbfounding that the AW18 simply never had a set of 980m's slapped in and kept as an option for people who don't want to be shackled by an eGPU. There would have next to no hassle for that to happen. It was a fresh and good looking design (bezel aside) that had life left in it, although the beginning of the end.

 

@TBoneSan - I was really dumbfounded by that as well... I still am, in fact. I really don't know what to make of it. It does not make a lick of sense to me. They HAD TO KNOW this new stuff they are peddling was not going to set well with their performance enthusiast customers, and especially not with those that are unwilling to settle for a single GPU laptop. It almost feels like it was a deliberate business strategy to end their participation in high-end performance laptop market.

As you say, it should have been super easy for them to do. They would have needed to fix whatever is goofed up with the BIOS that doesn't play nice with Maxwell. Other than this, the product would have pretty much sold itself with no additional effort. If they truly thought that we were going to be OK with the type of machines they selling now or we would all be so excited about the eGPU that we would not notice how pathetic the rest of the hardware configurations have become there is probably no point in being optimistic that things will get back on track again. That would represent a far too huge disconnect and lack of understanding about the interests of too many customers.

 

The fight is not over! Despite AW's General Manager vision.

GeForce 347.90 MS Update

This MS update driver is was available for both Win10 TP build 10041 & Win8.1, includes Optimus fix, Miracast update, dynamic update and CUDA 7.0.31.


ManuelG referring to v347.90


More lies from Nvidia...Alienware 17/M17x & AW18/M18x (PEG) throttling implementation, constant P0 P1 switching was removed from this driver and OCing truly restored, unlike 347.88 throttling mess, proving that AW throttling is intentional 'nvlddmkm.sys' (prior to clock-block drivers & FW) totally different behavior when compared to previous version (OCing workaround) which only lasts a few hours without throttling. The fact that NV removed throttling and/or other methods to hinder performance is probably due to Win10 TP telemetry and performance issues.

Microsoft promptly pulled 347.90 MS Update catalog, included INFs: nv_whql.inf Desktop and Mobile, single OEM nvdm.inf/Dell >GA aberration installation issues< "All OEMs"...


GeForce 347.90 MOD - Desktop & Mobile 900 series

 

You say that you can just buy clevo laptop and be fine but there are people that wants 18 inch screen and there's no clevo laptop that offers it. There only was X8100 and it's discontinued now. IMHO not releasing new 18 inch model is big clevo mistake but alienware releases much worse crap now.

 

Much Much Much worse Crap...

 

Still no answer. Disappointing.

Or is there anything new in this matter? @ all

 

Alienware's new "ideal" customer:

 

actually pretty funny

 

It seams as if alienware came here to find out what we thought of there new machines and found out a lot were no longer interested anymore and decided to abandon the enthusiast and move on to the other guys .

 

Haha, yeah, that was actually a funny video, especially the beginning part of it!

 

Pretty much exactly the market Dell's aimed their cookie cut terd to.
They'll happily go after people who don't know what they are buying so they don't have to put quality hardware inside - weak sauce. On the topic of lame, I've read the Area-51 has been gimped something hard too with the bios not holding OC settings after restart. I don't know how true that is but I've found quite a few threads with people complaining about it.

 

This kind of display confirms my suspicion in part about how Intel and vendors like Dellienware now see the gaming market... it's a new generation that has little or no interest in general about the innards of a PC, as they were raised on effortless consoles; it's all attitude and style for a public expression. I commented once before how the whole feel now is one of "console-izing" the PC world; remove any need for hardware knowledge or software touching as much as you can and then create a fixed demand-creation-support commoditized product lineup. I think Dellienware execs are taking the tack of "market realignment", ie moving away from the prior high-end enthusiast hobby-ist market to simply capitalizing on the name for broad sales until they run it into the ground and then likely ditch the name.

 

An Area-51 with max specs costs $ 5,750 home. Buying an Area-51 that does not not holding OC settings after restart? Is this a joke ? Everything is possible from DEllienware it looks like ... Who is crazy enough to buy something like this if you can not overclock such a machine? Quite perverse ... Are you serious?

 

Don't forget to add the crap about BIOS RAID problems, custom PSU/motherboard and GPU connectors and all the other crap.. I love how the Area-51 looks but this is worse then a joke!

 

I saw a video on Youtube posted by Alienware showing use of their tools to do the overclocking, sounds like maybe you have to use the tools to do it and they get reset each time perhaps?

On the connectors, I was waiting to hear about that... think they would have learned from the get-go from the last time not to do the custom connector routine. I swear to God... I am beginning to wish they would just sell the damn case and let you put your own hardware in.

 

It is as I say; Alienware computers regardless of whether it is a laptop or desktop pc is becoming more and more similar to CrApple computers. Tragic .. Nicely design but with proprietary hardware. Translated with Google ..

 

Well, the design of the Area-51 hits the same notes as the last true tower... non-standard motherboard, proprietary power connectors, etc. It hasn't really changed in that regard, but it is a shame that with all the criticism over it the last time they wouldn't try to change it this go round. My frustration is feeling like I have to buy not one, but two power supplies to get the full likely life out of a motherboard in an Area-51.

It's funny, Apple actually uses decent hardware, but even compared to Alienware they charge waaay to much for it. As much as Alienware gets criticized what you get for your money on a Mac... its a bargain when you compare them.

 

You say;My frustration is feeling like I have to buy not one, but two power supplies to get the full likely life out of a motherboard in an Area-51. Totally agree. This is correct at least with a AW18 Viking ... But you can't use 2x330w on AW18Viking. This is just as bad.

 

Dearest @AW Khan @Alienware-Frank_L ,

Spoiler

 

750M for 2500 wheeeeeeee

 

I see this as the case too, unfortunately. This is the route I ultimately went down, with X99. I still have my M18x R2, hooked up to the living room TV. It's still a hell of a machine.

It really is a shame, I've always loved the NBR & T|I Alienware community.

 

***** ATTENTION ALIENWARE EMPLOYEES****

Please just someone update us with you guys are screwed and getting updated bios's or we are still analyzing it or something....

 

From the look of it all the employees bailed a long time ago, they wont be back for the foreseeable future with anything concrete. This whole thread was basically a publicity stunt in the end to increase some short term sales. The enlarged power supplies they ended up sending out to people turned out to be useless as the gpu's became overclock blocked on multiple levels that they were guaranteed to have known about.
This entire facade was a publicity stunt, in a way we were all duped into believing it too when the GM and other employees showed up.

 

They're not overclocked blocked anymore though. (Are they!?)

 

Ehh... it's both a yes and no. Yes because the drivers 347.25 and 347.52 (and 347.71 if you want to include it) disable overclocking and pre-347.xx have limited overclocking , but once 347.88 rolled out, full overclocking (with the +135 MHz core limit) was enabled despite what vBIOS was present, overclocked-blocked or not.

I think the problem with them even saying a word about progress is they have to keep their end if they end up saying, "Oh yeah, we just got started/going through some testing." If they don't end up shipping a new BIOS, things would just get worse.
All they have said was, "It's on the table." A floating idea but we don't know if it has materialized or not. And they can keep say this all they want because it's an idea. They pass and go all the time.

 

Good good, I knew the overclock block wasn't an issue anymore, (thought I had missed something recently!).

 

Exactly.. I'm quite disgusted tbh...

 

Given that they likely knew about the backlash from enthusiasts, I'm surprised they didn't have a better damage-control plan in place. They had to have known something like this would happen.

 

Im sure theres still some of us out there, me included, have a tiny sliver of hope that they will come out and support the enthusiasts around here, then maybe some of us could hop back on the alienware wagon with the 17r3 or something. However the likelihood is quite low as more time progresses.

 

Well it's all panned out to be exercise of total insincerity. The real clock blocking here has been done by Dell not wanting us to get our money's worth upgrading our $4000+ machines.

"Go Clevo" I say.

 

I'd have to agree - especially if your budget for a machine is $4k+

 

New model AW17-R2 (2015) has the following:

· (2) SO-DIMM slots (16 GB)
· IPS display panel (17.3 inch)
· (1) 2.5 inch SATA
· (4) M.2 drive slots
· No ODD
· BGA CPU
· Thinner/lighter


Old model AW18 (2014 "Viking") has the following

· (4) SO-DIMM slots (32 GB)
· Samsung PLS display panel (18.4 inch)
· (2) 2.5 inch SATA
· (1) mSATA
· (1) ODD (Blu ray/DVDRW)
· PGA socket CPU
· Very thick slab construction; knowledge knowing that CPU/GPUs have sufficient heat dissipation to run all three units WOT (Wide-Open throttle). "Flows like a dryer vent."


I went with the 2014 model because I would be more able to easily pull it apart to tweak/upgrade. Also the reduction in SO-DIMM slot numbers was a deal-breaker for me (physics/software programmer). Mr. Azor, please bring back the ability to tweak/upgrade/overclock the internals of the flagship model for expert enthusiasts.

 

Do not forget that the processor's in AW17R2 only overclock when you connect the laptop to a G/A. No processor overclocking when you bring your laptop with you other places without the G/A.

 

Don't forget you can overclock in XTU. I tried it, it worked, didn't need it, so I ended up not overclocking it.

 

If it works very well, is what counts ..

 

Oh no, go MSI before Clevo, much better laptop GT80 and GT72 are beasty!!! I have the GT72 Dom pro, super powerful, super quiet and less than 2 grand... I was going to buy an AW, but there were too many complaints/unsolved issues out there so I went with MSI, glad I did, AW makes a great computer, but I think MSI is in the lead at this point. And I love how you guys call it Clock Blocking... love it!

 

Even after all this time and all the promises made to us by Frank, they're still unaware of the issue. Was this "AMA" an attempt to shut us up? Spread awareness on YouTube! They are basically selling defective products.

Spoiler: Look at me.

The video I linked to is of someone playing BF4 and seeing about a 50% decrease in FPS.

 

Kind of contradicting each other, aren't they? - on one hand, there is an official Dell Article about it stating that anyone in the US & Canada can call and get a free 240w PSU, then an AW rep basically ignoring the issue.

The thing that pee's me off is that Dell obviously know there is an issue, otherwise why have the Article? - another thing that pee's me off even MORE is that whilst this problem is acknowledged, Frank & Co have done a Harry Houdini on us all.....and the thing that pee's me off the MOST is that not EVERY customer is in the bloody US & Canada, y'know? - many EMEA owners have tried to no avail to get the same free offer with no dice.

Dell need to sort this out for everyone, just man up, provide the correct rated PSU with every machine sold worldwide and retro-supply anyone who wants to swap up. End of story.

 

Dell cannot do that. It's illegal.

In the US / CA we have something called Underwriters Laboratory that certifies electrical things (like power supplies) to make sure they don't short and burn your house down. However, this certification is completely voluntary and not a legal requirement for them to be sold. Now most companies will pursue this certification for insurance reasons. But another important thing to note, in the US they only have to certify the PSU. Not the laptop and not the whole unit. So Dell can sell / replace PSUs with w/e wattage they so choose. It's legal.

Now in the EU and a couple of other countries, things are different. It's a legal requirement for companies to certify the power supply AND the laptop. They have to be certified as a complete unit and if not, it cannot be legally sold / given to anyone. That's why in those countries, Dell isn't giving out free 240W PSUs. They simply cannot without breaking the law.

Now Dell might be pursuing recertification but it takes time. But until then their hands are tied. If you want things to change you should ask your local governments to take an elementary school class in physics because a higher wattage PSU isn't less safe than a lower wattage one.

 

That's a cop-out, but why am I not surprised by a post from you that disagrees. I find it hard to believe that a company of Dell's magnitude does not already have ANY 240w PSUs that have CE approval and the like......you seem to forget that Dell does business outside of the US and quite a volume of business, too. It is absurdity to think that they ignore any regulatory bodies outside the US simply because of the lack of US regulations - that would have a huge impact on their global sales........

 

Did you read my whole post?

It's not a PSU certification requirement. Dell has 240W PSUs that are CE certified.

However in the EU both the laptop and the PSU have to be certified as one unit. Dell CANNOT legally change the PSU a laptop ships with or replace a PSU the laptop is supposed to have without getting the entire thing re-certified. They are considered a complete unit.

Dell can sell you a 240W PSU by itself sure because its CE certified. But they cannot change out the PSU or do a warranty replacement with a larger PSU if its going to be used on a laptop that isn't certified for that 240W PSU. The AW-15/17R2 is only certified to use the 180W PSU. That's all they can do.

In the US/CA they can because there is no legal requirement to certify the laptop or the PSU or as a complete unit.

Rather than making personal attacks, read my entire post next time. This has already been mentioned several times in various topics. It's not a cop out. Dell might be pursuing re-certification sure but until that happens (if it happens) they simple cannot help you out in that respect.

 

Now in the EU and a couple of other countries, things are different. It's a legal requirement for companies to certify the power supply AND the laptop. They have to be certified as a complete unit and if not, it cannot be legally sold / given to anyone. That's why in those countries, Dell isn't giving out free 240W PSUs. They simply cannot without breaking the law.

If not the new AW models can be equipped with a more powerful power supply than the weak 180wd a I mean Dell should end(stop) selling AW15 and 17r2 with gtx980m in the EU and a couple of other countries. Dell has delivered a product that is not good enough tested. This is pretty obvious ... How Dell has managed this is quite incomprehensible .. What do you want with such a new Aw gaming laptop, which throttles due to lack of powerful enough power supply? A useless product for those who live in the EU and a couple of other countries ....

withdraw this unfinished Aw laptop product. Why buy one Aw laptop that throttles and who can not or are approved in the EU and a couple of other countries with 240W power supply.....

 

I told you guys, this was just all talk, and no show. Alienware is a dead brand. If we pool our money together, we could start a rival enthusiast line.

 

We aren't talking about that are we? Or do you just want to argue for the sake of arguing?

I fully agree with you (and I have fully agreed with you on this many times) Alienware should have certified the laptop for the 240W PSU. But they didn't, there's nothing we can do about that right now. We can either wait for them to re-certify the laptop or wait for them to fix the hybrid BIOS.

Like Bnosan has already showed you, there is a similar Clevo laptop with the same specs that also uses a 180W PSU but it doesn't throttle because of the hybrid BIOS thing. I have tested the hybrid BIOS, and on A02 with a 180W PSU it generally works fine without throttling.

I don't personally like the hybrid BIOS because I think its silly, just give us a bigger PSU. But they can't in those countries because of that brainless rule. So you EU guys get screwed over twice, once by Dell and once by your incompetent government.

Not to mention the EU is slowly moving towards banning high wattage electrical equipment. Granted they aren't targeting laptops or computers yet but I'm willing to bet you they'll start feeling the squeeze soon enough. I mean they've already banned high wattage vacuum cleaners, hair dryers and smartphones...wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if they start to ban high wattage computers. Bunch of nanny state ****ers they are.

 

Closed on OP request, please discuss other system issues in proper threads.