Darn you Alienware!

Hey all! Haven't been here in a while but after seeing the new m15x and its amazing benchmarks, I can only say darn you Alienware!!! Why must you make such attractive laptops!!! Anyways, I plan on keeping my 13in macbook pro for work on the go but have already sold my old desktop with the intention of using the m15x as a desktop replacement. After my nightmarish experience with Alienware and my old 15x before, I wanted to get some feedback from you guys if there is anything to fear this time around.

- I understand that the acquisition from Dell has resulted in more positive CS experiences can anyone comment on this?

- Coming from the old m15x's McDonald's toy design, can anyone comment on the new design and quality of the all powerful m15x? I understand its not anodized aluminum like the m17x but is it better than the plastiky old m15x?

- I am planning on getting the 2.8 GHz i7 and 260m as well as the 3gb of the higher RAM speed (1333). Can anyone comment on performance in games like Aion or Crysis with this configuration?

- Any critical issues I should be aware of? I understand that stealth mode does not corrently work but that does not bother me. Any major BSODs and can someone elaborate on this supposed audio issue?

Thank you very much in advance and I look forward to placing my order this week and re-joining the Alienware community!

 

Hi arcade16,
First and foremost I would like to assure you that Dell's aquisition of Alienware has had a very positive influence on the company. All of the products have gotten considerably better. As for the design of the M15X, it is significantly more stable and durable. This is a whole new design, and I'm sure you'll love it. Also, you'll be happy to know that the M15X is currently the strongest 15" laptop available, and games like Aion or Crysis won't even phase it.

Thanks,
Gabe

 

Hahaha, I am thinking the same mate! Was never a fan of Alienware mainly due to the horror stories I was hearing about their CS. I was that close to picking up one of the original M15x's, luckily went with the Dell XPS M1730. Now I am doing alot more travel with work, and I am over lugging the Dell around airports...

From what I have read, the M15x is built very well. Very tough, no flex in the body when picking it up from a corner etc. Plus the cooling is quite good in them as well. All backed by an excellent warranty. Can't really go wrong.

One thing to consider, since you already have a Macbook pro 13" for travel/work requirements, have you thought about getting the M17x instead? Much better spec's for only a small increase in cost. Since it will be a desktop replacement, this seems like a better idea? The M15x, powerful as it is, still won't be up too par with the M17x.

 

If your replacing your desktop, why not just get a desktop? You can get a get the aurora with awesome specs!

 

Which is awsomely overpriced


But yes the new m15x is alot better but the 860cu is better

 

Thank you all for the fast responses, I feel much better As for getting another desktop, I cannot carry a desktop with me when I travel so I need a real portable monster. The m17x is nice but I HATE the fact that it is not an i7 and just another core duo laptop so I refuse to purchase it even tho I know I can get SLI cards in it. Also the stock monitor is a bad joke for a 17in laptop so in the end it ends up being too pricey with all the mandatory "upgrades" they sneak in there

 

I dont have the m15x but i do have the m17x with the 260m. It plays crysis just fine and Aion on highest settings just fine also.

 

whats wrong with the core duos ?

 

Old, outdated tech, and they will come with a whole new rev. of m17x's to support i7 in the future, not feeling like getting left behind

 

if you are always waiting for the next big thing, you will ALWAYS be stuck waiting

The difference in CPUs is a very poor reason to wait, if gaming performance is your main consideration, the current M17x will be more then enough (it can run crysis pretty well...which means it has a few years of useful gaming life in it). If the processor is that huge of an issue for you....core 2 quads are just as adept at multitasking as the i7 cpu's. Sure they are fancy and new but they still barely edge out the core 2 quads for productivity. Nevermind the fact that any i7 laptop will not have on IGP which the current M17x does have affording it up to 3.5 hours when desired (which is OUTSTANDING for a 17" laptop with this kind of power)

 

To clarify, I am NOT waiting for a new m17x, the m15x seems perfect for me. In the end of the day the i7 is the cream of the crop these days and I have no need for an IGP as my m15x will be a desktop replacement. Not to mention 3.5 hours battery life is pretty poor these days and lugging the 11 pound m17x is hardly convenient. My macbook gets 4.5+ hours and my netbook gets 7+ hours , both combined weigh less AND COST LESS than an m17x.....owned

 

its good but the new clevo as MR Moo said is better.

If you like in the Uk then i wouldnt touch Alienware Europe with a bargepole

 

I had to google that xD

 

Fair call about the CPU. Why don't you just wait for the M17X to get the i7 CPU options end of the year/beginning of next year? Needing a desktop replacement, I thought you'd be more leaning towards to the 17 rather than the 15x?

 

Which new clevo? None of the models I looked at seem better to me than the M17x....

 

The M980NU is similar. Bigger, more hdds just no OC'ing, aluminum or integrated graphics. For the price difference in Europe the M980NU is a much better value.

Ironically the price of the Clevo system is what stops me from buying them being in the US.

 

Nah, I live in the USA so now worries, you can put the "bargepole" away I like the m17x but again the stock screen bothers me because its res. is way to low for a 17in. laptop.

So can anyone share their experience with this supposed sound issue and how severe it is?

 

Well you can always pick one up during your frequent visits to Europe. Problem solved.

In any case, I checked out that model, I did not like it, I could not configure the way I wanted....

What the heck do you consider high resolution?!?!?!?! Gawd, 1920x1200 is not exactly low-res....

 

the stock res, which is what he mentioned, is 1440x900.

 

Maybe he is referring to the new screen tech making its way into laptops these days?

 

I've only been there once....no plans on going back.

 

sounds like the M17x is more up your ally Archade16. It is more powerful on games than the M15x thanks to dual GPUs (and faster gpus too!) than the M15x. Yes the chip is better in the M15x but not so much better its adds the kind of FPS SLI does.

Im a motorbike rider so it made alot more sense to get the lighter smaller out of the two, even though the M15x is 'big' for a 15" laptop.

Clearly Dell have imporved the AW products, but due to being joined at the hip in terms of support, technical and customer - i think alienware are now suffering with the shear demand and volume that a brand like dell brings. Dispite obviously massive resources.

 

Yes, all in all if my budget was unlimited then I can see the m17x being a better system for me, but there seems to be far more bang for your buck in the m15x. Not to mention I see way more issues on the forums with the m17x and this whole screen dimming "feature" seems to fall along the lines of the old m15x's hinge cracking "feature" , chronic and unavoidable.

 

Based on price i7 > C2D. The 820qm is comparable with the high end and very expensive qx9300. It's not like the C2D and quads are old and crusty at this point at all but when the new tech is right there its hard to buy the old.

As for the sound issue its pretty major for me, not too many people here besides me are making alot of noise about it but I've decided to exchange my system to find out once and for all if something is wrong with my machine or all M15x have extremely bad audio playback. If this is the case I don't know what I'll do. I love the M15x but for $2400 the audio playback has to be at least decent. I wish they offered an upgraded sound card (internal)

 

LOL....for some reason you struck me as the adventurous type....my bad

 

I have to lulz when somebody asks about the quality and reliability of a product that is selling refurbished units like almost a month after it was released.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=424406

I thought the M15X was far infearior to the M17X, doesnt have nearly as much of an upgrade option like dual gpus, and was prone to heat issues?

I would go with the M17X for a DTR if I had to choose.

 

The m15x refurb discussion you linked to is for the old area-51 model. The M17x I believe has started showing up in the Dell Outlet but not the M15x.

 

I thought the old one was just call the M15, not the M15X

Why would you name two totally different laptops the exact same thing? Not a good idea.

 

Area-51 m15x vs All Powerful M15x.
Different machines.
Just like Area-51 Aurora, and Area-51 Aurora ALX are different machines then All Powerful Aurora and All Powerful Aurora ALX.
And Area-51 m17x vs All Powerful M17x are different machines as well.
Confusing no?

 

^^ Damn! Is it just me or AW is playing hard with their customers brain? Since when m and M are the only indications of two completely different products of the same company? The Area-51 and All Powerful parts are hardly mentioned when we are talking about AW lappies right? Screw you AW

 

He says screw you AW, yet he purchased a roughly $2500 system from them lol

The naming is not that hard to keep track of....just have to have an attention to detail

 

yes, very annoying. I hope they kill the name after these systems.

 

But you know just in case of mistyping. And how the heck we know someone means m15x or M15x when he just says it, not type it