Just how portable is the m17x?

Hi all,

I'm considering to get an alienware and I was wondering how portable is a m17x because I will be doing a lot of gaming/traveling specially lugging my laptop around my school's campus. I am really looking toward to purchasing an alienware.

 

Define...."portable" It is heavy, large, and pointy. Though I can move it with me around the house with no problem whatsoever. I assume if you are like 5"1 and 100 pounds, i wouldnt get this laptop. But in all seriousness, it is a big laptop, it is heavy, but if you want to game. Go for it, its handsome, decked out, performs well. The size doesnt affect me at all, granted im 6"2 but if you wanna game on the go, I am sure you could get another laptop that is suitable for playing games and lighter. But if you want the top of the line alienware m17x, go for it. It whoops (butt). haha i still am not used to the word filter.

 

it IS portable, but its alot bigger than most other laptops, and its heavier too.

 

Thanks for the response guys, I was initially considering the 15" but I've read a lot of threads regarding the m15x hinge's and other problems about it. Hopefully if a new one comes out before Q4, I might consider waiting for that instead.

 

It depends on what you consider portable. Imo, my M17 is actually fairly portable, it's not THAT heavy and fits perfectly in the AW bag I bought for it. In fact if I don't have too much stuff to carry with it, it's not very heavy at all on my back.

However the M17x is quite a bit heavier and thicker than the M17, so...Yea. In terms of portability, take it on holiday or to someone's house or whatever, but it's probably not something you'd want to take around everyday.

 

Where are you buying from, because you could go non Dell and go for something else without dodgy hinges (which I too have heard many issues with). Also, where are you likely to be taking the laptop? As has been said in this thread, it'd be fine to take somewhere once in a while, but I wouldn't want to carry the thing to work or college every day

 

Well I could go non-dell, I'm from the states. I will most likely taking my laptop around the campus in college with me and to most of my classes.

 

I'd strongly advise against the m17x then. You'd bust your back in having to carry that and school books. Unless you play for the football team?

Take a look at Xoticpc.com, specifically their np8662. It's a great notebook that doesn't weight in at quite so heavy. Plus their service is pretty good (I'm non US but I've bought from them).

Or there is the Asus G51....what model was it. Dang it's gone. I'll have a nosey to find it; but bet someone else comes back and tells you what it is before I do.

 

What you could do (and what I'm considering) is get the m17x as a desktop replacement that you can still take places, and get a netbook for toting around campus and doing classwork on.

 

Asus G51VX.

However, what you have to keep in mind is that by saving your back (from near enough 12 lbs of weight for the m17x) you do have to accept lesser performance; for example neither of those offers GPUs in SLI.

The age old question. Portability or power.

 

I thought m17x does offer GPUs in Sli

 

yes they offer 2 different sets of cards in SLI 260m and 280m.

 

The M17x offers duel 260M and 280M's in SLI, but other lighter, less powerful laptops probably wouldn't

 

m17X is a desktop replacement, mine definately isnt portable for any practical sense.

 

Well, according to Bestbuy's description of the M17x, they think it's pretty portable :

 

Gotta love those ads

 

Mine hasn't left the room I unboxed it in. I have a 15" notebook for my portability needs. It will move eventually when I get a bag for it.

 

It's not even 2.1 inches thick, but only 2.1" THIN.

 

Agreed! In fact, most 17"+ laptops are considered desk top replacements. That means they typically are expected to spend most of their time in one place. This does not mean, however, that it portability is unlikely. Rather that there are better alternatives if that is of primary importance to you.

 

12 lbs of weight is really nothing to me it is portable... I have no problem with it, In my 4 years of high school I never used my locker I carried everything in my backpack with me, as long as you got both straps on you don't have a problem (most my books weighed that much lol) AP BIO, Calc etc

 

Wait til you turn into an old man like some of us. 20+ years of working on computers have really left a pain in my neck and shoulders.

 

Well I am aware of that... but I also have a very high pain tolerance... Tumbling and parkour in the day, airsoft on the weekends... that is when I'm not gaming or working on computers lol
My body is going to shut down hard someday lol

 

Agreed. But take it from someone who's carried a boatload of books since Middle school, a lot can be said of a well designed pack. Not to mention the importance of how it's worn--make sure to keep it balanced!

 

Yea check out the which backpack for my M17x thread

 

the M17x is a laptop it is portable, but its not as easy as some of the smaller laptops simple as that.

 

I was talking about the other two machines I'd recommended, the Asus and the Sager. Of course the M17x offers SLI

 

If you know of a thread where they talk about "dodgy" hinges in the M17x could you link it? This is the first I've heard about it and since I was considering the m15x revision (which is supposed to be similar) I'd like to do some more homework.

 

We we're referring to the m15x, not the m17x:

Click on this search link and you'll see a bundle of them

Search - m15x hinge

Regards

 

If you just get a good backpack you should be fine. I carry my OCZ Whitebook (AW M17) along with a couple binders and a thick textbook regularly. Yes it is heavy, but I am a big person, so i can handle it.

I have a Mobile Edge backpack. They are very nice although a little pricey.

If it has a battery, its portable

AND, you cant defend yourself with a measly 15 inch......could KO someone with the M17x haha

 

I carry (and use) my m17x in its Orion backpack to and from work every day, no issues. Granted, it does take a few more seconds to get it out and ready, but unless you're in a race to see who can whip out their notebook faster, no big deal.

 

does the ORION work well as carrier for a laptop that size? I got an OCZ whitebook (same as M17) and am looking at getting an Orion for it for school. Would I be able to get much else besides the laptop and ac adapter into the backpack?

 

Yes it is almost perfectly suited for the M17, you would be able to throw some books in there as well

Works for the M17x but not really well suited as it has sharper edges and is a little larger

 

Well, i use my VINTAGE dell XPS backpack... and it barely fits there... but it DOES!!!! I can't believe i got this backpack with the first XPS laptop that was made by dell (yeah, thast whne they put a desktop processor on a lappy). Well, to this day, I have used it for that lappy, then for an xps m1710 (and several upgrades to it), and now for my m17x (this back pack has sure been around the block)

Ohh, and i still own all 3 lappys to this day

 

Anyone here know the estimated weight of this thing?

 

The answer to your post is: Who cares????

 

12 pounds

10 char

 

Yeah it says starting weight of 11.5 lbs on the website... and the point is it is an portable as you are able to handle.... It's 17" so their will be quite a few options for bags, and to me 12lbs in nothing to others it might be