Best Alienware & Configuration?

Hey guys,

I own an mx15 that I bought about 3 years ago. It's still in good shape, but I'd need a second laptop anyways and I'd like to go for a high-end gaming laptop. Obviously Alienware is one of my preferred choices, so was wondering what you guys would recommend right now? Alienware 17? Or is there anything better out there at this point? Also, what is the optimal configuration to go for? What graphics card, how much RAM, SSD, etc? If someone can post the full & best configuration available right now (i.e. from what you can choose on their website) I'd be eternally graceful! (I would assume that just buying the most expensive compenents won't do the trick, or am I wrong? Price doesn't really matter for me right now)

Thanks!

 

Go with 18! Do i7-4930MX, 780M SLI, and 32 GB RAM. The hard drive is tied to the OS, so you have 2 choices:
Windows 7 Ultimate with 512 GB mSATA + 750 GB HDD, or
Windows 8 Professional with 1.5 TB Raid 0 HDD + 64 GB mSATA cache or just 750 GB HDD + 64 GB mSATA and you can install an SSD yourself.

 

Don't listen to this guy....

...but to this guy:

Although 32GB RAM might be overkill though.

 

Thanks for this guys!

When you say I can install the SSD myself - how would I do that? Is this simple? Is there a specific drive that already fits/comes fitted? I'd really like to have more than 64gb SSD if possible

 

64 mSATA SSD is only used as a cache for HDD (in which 64 GB is the max for cache volume).

To install a regular 2.5" SSD in place of HDD is really not that hard as long as you are careful (the thing you need to watch out is static discharge from you to the machine). If you look into the user manual, it has nice instructions on replacing SSD.

Alternatively, if you want to use Windows 7 Ult, you can order it with 512 GB mSATA SSD.

 

The Alienware 18 is what you will want. Period.

Price should matter to you. Give us a price range to work with, and what you want to get out of this system, and we may be able to suggest specifications that will better suit you and your interests/wants/needs.

 

The 17 does have the nice 120hz screen option and is a lot less heavy than the 18 so it's not automatic.

 

If he's still using his M15x, I'd recommend the 18 over the 17. If not, I'd consider both the 17 & 18.

 

Well then that brings in the question of keeping the M15X and getting a desktop.

 

Why do you say that? That would represent limitations that none of the other options have.

 

Gotta love a good sense of humour.....

 

For gaming and bangs for the buck: max out the graphics option and choose the weakest, cheapest i7 option, even with the weakest quad core i7 processer you're able to run all the games. Keep others with lowest option and have reasonable amount of ram
For perfectionist/super enthusiast: max out everything except the storage and ram options, buy aftermarket stuff instead. The stock one(even the most costy option) is not always the best component on the market. For example, I ordered my 14 with 8 GB of ram, and it comes with a pair of samsung with latency 11. I bet even I chose the 16 GB option I will end up with something similar (not the best). I purchased 16GB kingston Hyperx kit(latency 9-9-9-27) for my 14 and I believe they are the top-end product on the market (except for the 1866MHz variant, which I can't find one in my region)

 

I agree with you on max out the gpu if you can then upgrade on your own. I just installed last nite a 240g Mushkin mSata for my boot and put in a second Samsung 840 SSD to match the other one. Went from windows experience 6.2 because of the drives to 7.7 over all 7.9 on the mSata boot. made a huge difference in over all performance. Makes a great gaming machine.
:thumbsup:
Anyone still wondering on removing the pam rest only the hard drives bluray and 22 screws need be removed. Not the CPU or GPU oh yes the battery also comes out. I used a credit card to get the palm rest to pop up. Not hard at all.

 

I literally think I am the only person in the world with HyperX ram kit that runs 1866Mhz at 9-9-9-27. I dial it down just slightly to 9-10-9-27 to ensure maximum stability. I know other people have gotten 2133Mhz etc to work but mine was like this out of the box. It is awesome.

As for best Alienware configuration, I dunno I quite like mine....

 

It's usually that second timing that catches the kingston, 9-10-9 should work for most sticks.

 

Well the 120hz does give a better graphics performance but it disables the integrated graphics when your not playing games and hurts battery life.

 

Why did you necro the thread .. XD