Hiii Suggestions required M17 plizzzz =)

hi

im new here{newbie} ^^
so thats my story
i was thinking of getting a new laptop since the one i own now is almost a garbage...

ok maybe not comletely at all
it is fact that it doesnt shut down on its own anymore {lol}
was doing so some months ago dunno why
but i dont think i can go on with it any further
i mean it always lag and the programs and games stop resppnding
i have to ctrl alt del to fix it or even unplug it :O
and thats annoying...

some things about my "junk" ...

Toshiba Satellite
Intel Core 2 Duo T5600 at 1,83 GHz
1 GB of DDRII RAM
32 bit VISTA OS
2 HDD each of about 45 gbs
date of purchase late 2006{its old i know}

i usually surf on the internet or play games like
Team FOrtress 2 and Left 4 Dead
yeah am Valve-Infected =)

but not only
would luve to c my favourite {singepalyer game} with the bext possible graphics also i would like to try games like FarCry2 and Crysis and Fallout3
{with good graphics obviously}
so...

anyway i would like a new one and when i saw that Alienware released the
"m17" i thought that it would be a good deal for me and so i started dreaming of it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ok before i get it first i would like to c what other guys have to say about it
very lucky i am yesterday i found this forum so i just become member of it
am not any epxert on technical issues but i know some things
from what i read...

anyway here are some topics i woud like to hear about...

i am not sure what resolution would be better to choose
the 1440x900 or the 1900x1200 with Clearview technology
some say tehre is HUGE difference other say the 1440 is just fine
so...
also the resolution is soemthing that you cant improve in the future can you?
so since i am letting this option for future modding maybe i should spend a little mroe for the LCD...

ok at begin i was thinking about the single or dual graphics
not anymore heheh
CROSSFIREX enabled NO matter

about the processor i would really like to try an EXTREME but it costs way too much
on the other hand the 2,26 sounds too small
i understand that its not only about the numbers
i was thinking {IF POSSIBLE} to start with a small processor like the P8400 or the P8600 and maybe some time later get an EXTREME or something like that

but how easy would it be to change the processor and what things should i be aware of

also i am thinking to get 32bit VISTA so 4GBs DDRIII RAM is the maximum i can get for it
but would it worth to get a 64bit version WIndows?
i read somewhere that some drivers may not work properly
also some games will do the same and anyway from what i have understood it looks like it worths more if you have much much GBs of RAM with the 64bit...

about the HDD i think that a simple 160 gbs would be cool for me
since i usually dont like filling my computer with bull!#$%
also i dont intend to have like thousands of movies or songs or games so...

then i found out a little about the Solid State Drives and i can say that they look pretty interesting and expensive as well

but somewher on this forum on a topic i read that changing the HDD is not difficult and that it doesn affect the warranty so i was thinking of letting it for some time in the future
...

ok i think i have finished

i know it was a bit long sorry but thanx if you read it
i would appreciate some advices
if there is somehting you would like to add pliz feel free
you are welcome!!!

 

1) get the WUXGA (1920x1200) resolution. everything else on a 17" monitor is just stupid.

2) the P8600 is a good CPU that should last a while, and yes you will be able to upgrade the CPU later on to an Extreme and/or quadcore model. it's not that difficult.

3) definitely get 64bit Windows. you'll be able to utilize all your RAM (32bit will only see around 3gb), and it's quite simply the future of operating systems.

4) solid state drives are way overpriced right now. sooner or later, prices will drop, and everybody will switch, but for now, it's not really worth the money unless you're an uber-hardcore gamer who can't stand more than 2 seconds of loading time. exchanging the HDD for an SSD is also very easy and can be done within a few minutes. there are numerous guides around the web so it's pretty hard to screw up.

hope that helped.

 

I think you can't go wrong with the M17 a.k.a the OCZ Whitebook. The AW has the cool alienhead, but it sounds to me that looks aren't your main concern. In any event, a little bit of personal insight..

Good call on the Crossfire setup.

Screen: Personal preference.. you can go for the 1920x1200 (which I suggest), and then just increase your icon sizes if you find yourself squinting. Nothing is better than a high-res display with beautiful wallpapers..and sexy movies.. and the crispness of EVERYTHING. Or, the 1440x900 will leave you guessing. You can always set your resolution to 1440x900 if you wanna see what you WOULD have had. Go 1200p, for the extra loot it's well worth it.

RAM: 4GB should be plenty.. regardless of 32 or 64bit Vista. 64Bit vista does have some compatability problems with older programs, or even with programs coded with unsigned drivers. BUT - 64bit is more than likely compatible with anything you'd be looking to do. And I may be wrong, but they should send you a Vista DVD allowing you to install 32/64 bit on your own accord, if you decide to change one day. Anyhow, I still suggest 64bit Vista.

CPU; The P8400 is a bit weak, and will not allow the Crossfire setup to perform to its' max capabilities. I'd suggest a T9600 or T9800. Or..buy my Extreme x9100 (shameless plug). But really though, you need something with a 6MB Cache, and some good speed. No 3MB Cache CPU will suffice.

Hard Drives: Go for a 7200RPM drive, 320GB would do you well.. for the cost difference, it's worth the increase. SSDs will drop in price soon(hopefully), and unless you need the performance NOW - then you can upgrade and add the SSD as a 2nd hard drive down the road.

Overall, I think you're on the right track. If you would like to consider the other options, in which you would save a little money.. or if you want to compare prices - check out these resellers:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=311358

I purchased from XoticPC, and really appreciate their superior customer service. Although, I have heard nothing but GREAT things from DarkSmiley, or RKC. It's your call, just think about service after the sale. I find that to be crucial. And not throwing AW under the bus, but there have been a few issues posted within these forums. In the end, as long as you're happy..then that's all that matters, right?

 

First off your machine isnt "too old" and if you put another stick of ram into it it should be good for a few more years.

But other than that the M17 is the way to go if want a new machine. If you can wait for it Windows 7 is coming as well as a few chip upgrades that would really future proof it for a while.

 

ok guys thnx for your response

but some more questions ...
the P8400 may be a bit weak and it will probably make the graphic cards not to give the best but that is not going to create any problem will it?

definately i am looking forward for upgrades
but when are they gonna come?
Windows7 release date?

actually i do care about the looks =)
m17 looks cool in black with skullcup design and the alienhdead is awesome but i am not sure i did get that thing about the OCZ Whitebook
is there any secret

since i live in europe i am intending to order it from the UK site...

ps yeah i know maybe is not that old but it just doesnt go for me anymore

aaa i cant wait anymore

 

the P8400 is weak compared to other CPUs..
however I have it right now(plan to upgrade in the future)..

i run mostly all games besides behemoths like Crysis on the highest settings and resolution generally without any hiccups.

you sound like your not too hardcore of techy and gamer, so i think the P8400 would be just fine for you

 

well
maybe i am not that hardcore but i do play a lot
and i think that {finally} i deserve somthing good
corse i like technology am just a little newbie =)
so from what i c you have similar specs to these i am about to get
thnx- if you can make it then i could make it too
{at least for some short period of time}
one more question and i am done

would i benefit at all with Windows Vista Ultimate?
what do gamers prefer?

 

Would you benefit? For gaming, no.. for security, if you need it. Most people don't 'benefit' from it.

 

the t9400 is the sweet spot i play fallout 3 on ultra high AA and AF on highest at 1440 rez and it runs with 40-60 fps outside and 60 inside the t9400 FTW and the 1440 FTW and the crossfire FTW lol im done ....

 

I'm gonna have to stop short on the Screen Res, my old laptop (Dell) used to be 1440x900, once I upgraded to the 1920x1200, there was no going back for me.

 

yea i like the 1920 but .... money and just overall gaming in the end when new games come out imma still be runnign ultra high lol but yes 1920 is amazing if you get it i will admit defeat there

 

** We interrupt this love-in on 1920x1200 to bring you a message from the 1440x900 club.... **

-->Insert images of patriotism and 1440x900 LCDs HERE<--

"I am Electrosoft....and I approve this message"

 

and when they gone do all this,for instance do 8 Gig ram needs a bios FW upgrade or a chipset upgrade,what about gpu upgrade?what is the release date of win7?
another question is what chipset did they used on M17's mother board?

 

@amir, only very recent laptops (Montevina or some Santa Rosas) can support more than 4Gb of RAM. No, a BIOS update will not allow more RAM support, and you can't upgrade the chipset.

And no, you can't upgrade the GPU and Windows 7 has been in Beta for some time but we don't don't know the release date.

So, bottom line? Unless you want to spend around $450 and have a moderately new laptop that has been confirmed to work with 8Gb of RAM, you won't be upgrading.

Oh, and another thing. Just upgrading to the maximum amount of RAM won't make your laptop future-proof. RAM is the least important thing to upgrade once you have 2GB+. HDD speed and CPU clocks should then be considered.

Is it me or is the majority of the new Alienware (no doubt brought over by the m17's price) owners just a bunch of those "wow that laptop is so shiny and pretty and alien-y i will spend 3K on it though i have no idea about laptops" (not directed at Electrosoft, msparrow, Axman) people?

 

thanx for reply,so it definitely needs a motherboard upgrade,regarding to cpu, IMHO a Penryn QX9300 cpu will be more than enough for 4 years or so,so it's the ram amount and gpu speed and vram amount that is important if I were the case...

as you can see in this picture it say's that the mother board can support single MXM Nvidia gpu!!!is that true or am I the only one that thinks it's odd..!!!

 

Inside the chassis, there are 2 connectors.. one is MXMIV, and the other is MXM III if I remember correctly. Those naming schemes dont make any sense to me, so I can never keep up with the types. Anyhow, the 2 pci-e slots for the GPUs are different types. One supports the NVIDIA card type, and the other fits the ATI type. Here's the catch. The slot which NVIDIA works in, the ATI card ALSO fits in.. however the other slot will not allow the NVIDIA card to fit. So yeah.. a single NVIDIA GPU works fine.. I wonder if you can setup a SliFIRE connection between an NVIDIA and ATI card ;P (kidding, really)

 

thx for reply,that's a cool feature,it would be better if bout slots could support bout brands though,so I take that as it is possible to use a single Nvidia GPU as desired!my another question is what cd/dvd's comes in the pack?

 

No clue, gotta ask an AW guy. But, from what I gather you get the Respawn(complete system image, as shipped to buyer) DVD, a Vista DVD, and a driver DVD/CD. Of course, if you purchase any bundled software then they'd provide that.

 

no am not an expert and sorry about that {do i really have to?}
maybe i am among of this bunch of "this laptop is so shiny and OH" people
what i want is a good laptop where i could play happy and without problems
i consider all of your opinions and i am sure you all know much more than what i do
the reason for i am here is to make some questions {even silly} to get some answers that eventually will help me in my final choice
some may appreciate that some may not
and i definaltey do not indtend to spend 3K i wish i could
thank you for your replies

and yeah mrmoo the sweet spot sounds interesting
i was thinking of it at the begin but then was not sure yet about all the rest
so i guess i will have to make some sacrifices=(
playing on Ultra High sounds intriguing but scary as well
must be cool

 

will they supply Win Vista 32 bit cd as well if some one orders Win Vista 64 bit?

 

no question is a dumb question..especially when purchasing a laptop. I wish, I really wish that I knew what I know now, a year and 3 months ago. I would have never spent $1788 on a HP DV9k series. Don't get me wrong.. built like a rock, and have since passed it on to my mom. BUT, for $1800 I could have gotten a much better gaming rig. The 8600m GS isn't that impressive Anyhow, we're here to help. That's why folks travel to these forums. And, in this AW forum you have some EXTREMELY helpful, and EXTREMELY knowledgeable folks. So, you have come to the right place.

If you'd like a simple suggestion - I assisted someone with building an OCZ Rig(no shiny alien head), but you could build the same from AW and see where it tabs out. Anyhow, here's what it had:

OCZ FORCE EXTREME 840 (Built on Flextronics / Arima W840 DI / OCZNBIM17A / W840DI ) OCZ FORCE EXTREME 840 (Built on Flextronics / Arima W840 DI / OCZNBIM17A / W840DI )
- 17" WUXGA "Glare Type" Super Clear Ultra Bright Glossy Screen (1920x1200)
- Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound
- 15 Day 0 Dead Pixel Guarantee
- -Intel® P9500 45nm "Montevina" Core™2 Duo 2.53GHz w/6MB L2 On-die cache - 1066MHz FSB 25 watt
- CROSSFIRE ATI HD3870 (2) 512MB (1,024MB Total) PCI-Express DDR3 DX10 (User Upgradeable)
- None Standard
- - 2,048MB (1 SODIMM) DDR3 1066MHz Dual Channel Memory
- Standard Finish
- - Combo Dual Layer SuperMulti 8X DVDRW Drive w/ Software
- - 160GB 7200RPM WD or Seagate (Serial-ATA II 3GB/s)
- No Bay 2 Hard Drive - OCZ
- HDD Raid Settings - OFF
- None Standard
- None Standard
- Internal 7-in-1 Card Reader (MS/MS Pro/MS Duo/MS Pro Duo/SD/Mini-SD/MMC/RS)
- Integrated Bluetooth® EDR
- Built-in Intel® PRO/Wireless 5300 802.11 a/g/n Wi-Fi Link
- None Standard
- Built in 2.0 Megapixel Camera
- None Standard
- Sound Blaster Compatible 3D Audio - Included
- Carrying Case Optional (Select if desired)
- Smart Li-ion Battery (12 Cell)
- None Standard
- None Standard
- None Standard
- Integrated Fingerprint Reader
- None Standard
- None Standard
- None Standard - Drivers & Utility Software Only
- None Standard
- None Standard
- 3 Year Complete Care Full Parts / Labor Warranty - Next Business Day Shipping both ways - Lifetime 24/7 DOMESTIC Telephone Tech Support


He purchased an extra stick of 2GB worth of ram elsewhere..as resellers make their profit there. He also added another HDD from elsewhere. And I "assisted" him with a copy of Vista. This is a build from XoticPC.com and they include the 3 year warranty, complimentary..with free overnight shipping for any repairs(both ways). I wanna say he spent $2100 shipped. Now, you can check out the AW setup and compare. I suggest visiting the AW site and building it, visit http://www.xoticpc.com http://www.darksmileysystems.com http://www.rkcomputer.net - spec em all out the same and see what you think. Oh, and here is zlaker's thread where he was considering several laptops - very insightful thread offering you an idea of what's on the market http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=324420

It's a big investment, and you should futureproof as much as possible. Difficult to do nowadays...but hey, it's kinda possible.

 

Oh, ALSO! A forum member just posted his M17 for sale..looks like a sweet rig. Nice setup, bluray included.. it looks identical to what I posted above.. but 320GB HDD, 4GB RAM, and Vista included.. $2500 - great price!!!
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=348193

Oh, and he put in pics of the shiny stuff

 

I'm just curious, here
on the bottom of page says that :

and again :

and as I know this is the same model as M17 right?so are all the above confirmed?

 

Yes. As long as the AW BIOS also supports XMP - otherwise, yes. It does say "Confirmed support..." eh?

 

the only bad things about this system is that it does not support 1333MHz FSB for cpu and SLI for GPU(well the second is understandable though) ,other than that,it looks like kind of future proof for at least 3 years or so...

 

eh.. then again, there's no 1333MHz Mobile CPUs ;P

 

what about Q9650 or E8600??!!are these desktop processors?

 

Nope. Desktop, unless you own a Sager/Clevo/Rebrand D900C/D901C notebook - they use those processors with their systems.

 

and then there is more power consumption and more heat(basically more emission),right?then I will definitely go with M17.

 

Well.. those beasts of machines have a bit better cooling solutions than the M17 - and aren't meant for the budget conscious folks. They actually have either 4 or 6 internal fans if I remember right as opposed to 2. The GPUs max in the mid 50s, which is slightly warmer than where out ATI's idle. And the CPU, equally cool under extreme loads. Sooooo.. it's a true desktop replacement. Kinda like squeezing a desktop into a mobile rig..literally. You should go build one online just to get a chance to see it, and price it, and read a bit about it. google D901C and then customize one.

 

yes I saw that,but the thing is despite the fact that it has a powerfull cpu but it uses DDR2 which is a real turn off in my opinion,because cpu's FSB is 1333 but ram is using 667-800 bus speed compared to cpu's...

 

this is true..

 

what about 1920x1200 lcd's view angle and brightness,is it comparable to sony's?I got an old VAIO VGN-S38GP(made in Japan) 13" 1280x800 that still can kick a brand new 15'' dell's ....