M14x or M18x which is worth to keep.

Hello im new to the forum, new to Alienware!

im also stuck with what alienware laptop to get im stuck with these the m14x and m18x. im hoping to get more views on which would be best to keep for a long time. im hoping to make a purchase before july 20. i plan to upgrade the RAM to 8gigs myself and get an SSD for either laptop i decide to get and maybe get windows ultimate(maybe or stick with just home). i know the M14x is more towards being portable while the m18x is a more towards keeping it a home. im not too much of a gamer as i have a time consuming job (military) but would like to get into when i can .

and this configs are from AAFES.

i want to make a upgrade from a dell studio xps 1640

let me know your thoughts and opinions!

Thanks!




Alienware M14x

Price $1,822.00
EPP Discount $263.70

Price $1,558.30



Alienware M14x
Nebula Red with Soft Touch Finish, Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium, 64bit, English
Unit Price: $1,558.30

SYSTEM OPTIONS


Operating System
Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium, 64bit, English edit
System Color
Nebula Red with Soft Touch Finish edit
Processor
Intel® Core™ i7 2630QM 2.0GHz (2.9GHz w/Turbo Boost, 6MB Cache) edit
Memory
4GB Dual Channel DDR3 at 1600MHz edit
Display Panel
14.0" High Def+ (900p/1600x900) with WLED backlight edit
Video Card
1.5GB DDR3 NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 555M using NVIDIA Optimus™ technology edit
Hard Drive
500GB 7200RPM SATA 3Gb/s edit
Optical Drive
8x SuperMulti DVD±R/RW Slot Load Optical Drive edit
AlienFX
Mars Red edit
Adobe Reader Acrobat SW
Adobe Acrobat X Reader edit
Office Productivity Software
None edit
Audio
Internal High-Definition 5.1 Surround Sound Audio edit
Security Software
None edit
Wireless
Intel® Advanced-N WiFi Link 6250 a/g/n 2x2 MIMO Technology with WiMax edit
Service Activation Available.
OS Customization
Alien Red Glyphs edit
Mobile Broadband
None edit
Pre-Installed Software
Steam and Portal™ Factory Installed edit
Bluetooth
None edit
Hardware Support Services
3 Year Advanced Plan edit
WirelessHD
Internal 60GHz WirelessHD Transmitter edit ( i don't if i'd even use it when i could just connect and HDMI cord to the laptop. i might take this off)



Alienware M18x

Price $3,217.00
EPP Discount $579.06

Price $2,637.94






Alienware M18x
Nebula Red Anodized Aluminum, Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium, 64bit
Unit Price: $2,637.94

SYSTEM OPTIONS


System Color
Nebula Red Anodized Aluminum edit
Operating System
Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium, 64bit edit
Processor
Intel® Core™ i7 2630QM 2.0GHz (2.8GHz w/Turbo Boost, 6MB Cache) edit
Memory
4GB Dual Channel DDR3 at 1333MHz (2DIMMS) edit
Display Panel
18.4-inch WideFHD 1920 x 1080 WLED edit
Video Card
Dual 2GB GDDR5 AMD Radeon™ HD 6970M - AMD CrossFireX™ edit
Hard Drive
750GB 7200RPM SATA 3Gb/s edit
AlienFX
Mars Red edit
Adobe Reader Acrobat SW
Adobe Acrobat X Reader edit
Optical Drive
Slot-Loading Dual Layer Blu-ray Reader (BR-ROM, DVD+-RW, CD-RW) edit
Sound
Internal High-Definition 5.1 Surround Sound Audio edit
Wireless and Bluetooth
Intel® Centrino Ultimate-N 6300 a/b/g/n 3x3 MIMO Technology and Bluetooth 3.0 edit
Office Productivity Software
None edit
Security Software
None edit
OS Customization
Alien Cyborg edit
Pre-Installed Software
Steam and Portal™ Factory Installed edit
Hardware Support Services
3 Year Advanced Plan edit
WirelessHD
Internal WirelessHD Technology - FullHD Video Transmitter edit

 

Why not go middle of the road and get a m17x?

But if you insist I'd go for the m18x.

 

I would say the M18x.

It is about 1k more, but it is worth it. It has more GPU power and better build quality.

 

M14X.
Here's a little key to all the X brand AW laptops
M11X - Okay performance, can max games under the year 2005, focuses completely on battery and portability.
M14X - A step higher then the M11X, focuses on a little bit more on the portablity side then the performance.
M15X - Good all round laptop, focuses on nothing special, it's balanced between performance and battery life.
M16X - Doesn't exist
M17X - Like the M14X, it has a slight lean to one area. A bit more on the performance side then the battery and portability.
M18X - Simple performance powerhouse. Battery life is swift and low. If you're near a socket 70% of the time then this is the machine you need.
M23X with non mobility parts - My dream laptop. Has 5 years of battery life and is made of crystal and gold and emerald and has cooling type I (special ice that comes from another galaxy.)

On the serious note, I recommend the M18X if you do heavy duty tasks, but specially for you, you need the M14X, the M11X already gives a good performance rate and the M14X will increase the performance and it also has a good battery life. The M18X will be a huge brick if you plan on carrying it around a military base or such. I disagree with the guys above, if you plan on carrying a brick then okay. If you plan on going into a firefight with Opposing Forces then I suggest a more bullet proof laptop

 

Depends exactly how powerful you really want it to be - and how portable. I'm not exactly sure how portable you'd need it to be if you're in the military but I'd assume more portability is better.

The M14x is capable of playing the vast majority of games in high/max settings at its native resolution. Even those it can't play in 'high' will still look great. But you won't be running newer games maxed out.

The M18x...performance at the cost of portability. M18x with the high spec GPUs will max literally every game currently in existence, even Metro 2033, and will likely do the same for most new games for years to come. But I can't imagine it's particularly easy to haul around everywhere. Then again considering how much equipment a standard soldier hauls around on the battlefield I can't imagine it's a massive problem for people used to carrying around that sort of weight.

 

I think the m14x is the perfect balance of performance and mobility. The m15x is also good but I think it leans more to performance instead of mobility which is fine I just prefer mobility and it depends on how you weigh it as far as importance. I had a m11x and a Asus G73jh and I sold both of them when I got my m14x because it's easily everyday portable and can game like a monster. The m17x and m18x are too huge IMO to carry daily, they're really geared to be taken to lan parties a few times a month or back and forth to college.

So IMO I'd get a m14x if mobility is more important or a m15x if you don't mind it being a little bulkier and a little better performance.

 

It all depends, I mean there's less than 1.5kg difference between the M14x and M17x, so (provided bag space is not a problem) it all depends on whether someone's willing to carry around that much extra.

 

I hope this one will come one day

If alienware makes a laptop with a desktop cpu (I dont mind if the gpus are mobility parts) it will conquer the entire market.

 

let me know if this ever comes out... in our lifetime.

but OT, i'd go for the M18X if you're looking for longetivity. it's a bigger (might be bad) and more powerful laptop. combined with the option to go sli/xfire, performance is difficult to beat.
*edit*
the m18x config u linked is one beast of a machine, i'd probably step up the cpu a little if possible but it won't be a slouch i can tell you that much.
the real question you should be asking is "is portability really that important to you?" if not then the answer is easy. (also ask youself "is the cost an issue?" because if so the answer is easy also )
you can easily carry around the m18x in a backpack style bag, however as mentioned above... the battery life will be poor in comparison to the m14x and it's larger size and weight may or may not be an issue for you.

 

I got trolled by your signature lol. I agree with a lot of these statements.

I got the m17x r3 because I wanted a ton of power (more than annything available in a store near by) and I could carry it with ease to my friends LANs.

 

thanks everyone for you insights and opinions on this matter as of right now im leaning towards getting the M14x probably because i like the idea of being able to move around with it and play just about anywhere! im just wondering whether or not getting the 3 yr advance warranty or bump it down to 2. im not sure if i'd even take this with me if i were to go on a deployment might leave it in storage and just bring my crap studio xps with me instead but still unsure on that matter. but thanks again everyone for the replies im going to wait couple more days then pull the trigger on one of these laptops!

 

I am always wondering if you have ever seen those M14x and M18x in person. I have not seen them but I saw M15x and M17x in person in a year ago. I notice how much the quality in M17x better than M15x. M15x looks a lot bigger than the size of 15". Right now, I can't find any local store has an Alienware laptop for the demonstration. The salemen usually told me they're too expensive, so that is why I don't see Samsung Series 9 in store anymore.

Honestly, back there I was thinking to save money for M17x instead of M15x after looking at them in person., but the price was still out of my reach. The M14x looks much affordable, but I haven't seen it in person to compare the M18x...

 

Soldiers use tanks. M18X is a tank. Heh.
I have the M17X-R3 and given the M14X/M18X choice, M18X anyday.

 

Soldiers/Foot soldiers/Infantry don't use tanks. That's enough BF2 and CoD for you mister! And I suggest a 3 year warranty. Don't want to get a bullet hole in the middle of your screen and find out that you have no warranty.

 

Whaaat. I thought it was part of the job? LOL.

And yes, 3-years Complete Cover/Care at that

 

Man, go to Dell's Alienware site. You're getting bent over.

 

Stop listening to fanboyism literally.

Cut or expand the size of your system depending on what your needs will be, your mobility , you time away from the wall plug, potential needs that may sprout once you have the system etc. Consider ergonomics..

This is not like buying 2 different Shirts of same size for a different prices. The fact that you are considering 14 inch or 18 inch tells me you are weighing in some factors. But what surprises me the jump gap. A person who considers 14inch in the fray would never reconcile those reasons with an 18 inch and vice versa.

Think well.

 

your question is rather invalid since you are pitting a 14" vs. 18" with an extreme price range.

you first have to ask yourself what is most important, max power or max portability?

 

OP the m14 is reasonably portable yet still packs an impressive punch. The m18 is one of the largest notebooks out there and allows you to double up on pretty much everything, easily one of the best equipped DTR's. If you have the space and are strong enough to carry them they are pretty good road runners when in IGP mode but they have nothing on the m14 in comparison for size and weight.

Horses for courses. Both are designed for different tasks, they can do each others tasks but not as well.

That's odd, I usually get 5-6 hours on mine.