M17x Rx or M18x

hello and welcome

initially people who has m18x has a sole reason why they bought it. coz there's 2 gpus inside , the second prize is having the aluminumn chassis.

m17x by the way is smaller, single gpu and has 3d.

the processor? well since you mentioned you are not a bencher, then 2670 is already a good mainstream (depends if ordinarily you run intensive cpu applications like photoshop)

the dual gpus. now here something that gives impact in games, but not all of them, sli only activates itself i needed, that saying a single 6990m and 580m are both like overkill in mainstream gaming, on ultra to high games like bf3 and metro 2033 you might need the 2nd card. that is if you are a graphic enthusiast and consistent frames in ultra settings.

drivers. well i can't speak on behalf on ati since i never owned one and i won't comment on something i haven't seen. so in nvidia, the recent whql driver release this month made a huge bump with regards to my system, more frames, more stability, less or even rare latency spikes.

support, 2 or 3 year advanced service plan is already standard.

all in all don't rush it yet, see good deals from dell and negotiate a reasonable price or discounts.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-m18x/647733-dealing-dell-keys-success.html

 

Thank you for your reply.

I decided to go M18x with i7 2670QM processor, and dual HD 6990M AMD.

After I saw this: AnandTech - Alienware's M18x, Part 2: AMD's Radeon HD 6990M in CrossFire

I really didn't see any reason to spend +$600 on dual 580's when the performance is only slightly better.

I'll start calling Dell next week and hopefully getting a good price won't require too much time.

 

@theDisfigure - Congratulations on your decision to purchase the M18x. This is, by far, the most awesome system I have ever owned. I hope you love yours as much as I do mine. Also, welcome to NBR. We're glad to have you with us, especially in the Alienware Forums. As a new member of the Community, please take a moment to look at the hyperlinks at the bottom of this post. The rules of the forum and the tip for finding information will be indispensable.

Things have changed a little since that AnandTech article was published. The GTX 580M SLI setup had a throttling condition that has since been addressed. Here's a thread with information from actual M18x owners to help with the GPU decision: http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-m18x/616160-580m-sli-vs-6990m-xfire.html. Having owned the M18x with 6970M CrossFire, 6990M CrossFire and GTX 580M SLI, the NVIDIA setup is worth the extra money to me, but that is clearly a matter of personal preference. If your budget is limited, 6990M CrossFire is still a very powerful and beastly setup that is definitely worth owning. Only you can decide what's best for you, but having more information to help with the decision making process is always a good thing.

Here is another AnandTech article on mobile graphics that may be of interest: AnandTech Mobile Graphics Guide, Summer 2011.

Here is a thread with a leader board capturing real head-to-head competition between M18x owners that are members of our forum: *OFFICIAL* Alienware M18x Benchmark Thread.

If you don't care about benchmark scores and are primarily interest in gaming, the 2670QM CPU is enough to provide good results. The 2760QM is noticeably more powerful and worth the extra $150. If having the best performance available is important (and your budget is not limited) then the 2960XM is totally unbeatable, and it stands head and shoulders above the other mobile i7 processors in terms of performance.

As you have most likely seen recommended, go for the best advanced warranty option with accidental damage coverage, for the longest time duration you can possibly afford. This will pay for itself over time.

 

While it's true the performance is only ever so slightly higher, you also get the bonus of good drivers released by Nvidia. ATI's CCC will sometimes BSOD your system, as it may not like your vBios. I've run into this issue with my R2 w/5870 Mobility, and numerous other ATI cards. As of right now, the 580M SLI option is 250 more, but there was a time it was only 100 dollars more over the 6990M, and I think it's well worth the money for good driver support. You cannot have high end hardware without good software.

Also another reason why I haven't considered trading in my R2 for an M18x is the 1080p WLED screen, compared to my RGBLED WUXGA panel which also have very good viewing angles.

 

Thank you both for your comments.

What I'm going to do first is to check what kind of price I can get on M18x system that has 2760QM processor and dual GTX 580's. If I can haggle the price to a decent level (about $3300 with taxes) I will most likely choose that system instead of the one with 2670QM and dual 6990M's. If not then I will be happy to go with the original plan.

Whatever I end up choosing, it will most definitely be the most hardcore gaming system I have ever owned.

 

If I had the choice between the two, I'd probably get the M18X because it's the same price as the M17xR3 on ebay (1499$ if you can catch it) with a single 560m as a sealed refurb with full warranty. When I was shopping for my M14X, it was very tempting since the price difference was about 300$ between the two, but I valued portability more than performance.

 

My biggest concern is money at this point! I really like that the m17x starts at $1499. My biggest question though is if I use this laptop for gaming like WoW and Call of Duty..things like that, would it be a big deal to opt for the m17x and only get 1 ATI 7970 or should I bump the price another $500 for the m18x with CF 7970?

I want to be able to play on ultra settings and I know the CF 7970 will be able to handle that no problem, but would it be worth it?

Also, are there any considerable differences between the m17x and m18x that make you lean one way or the other?

Thanks for your help!!!

 

The m17x is lighter and 7970 is more than enough for wow and cod and that stuff. You do not really need the crossfire imo. Its not worth it.

 

If those 2 games you've listed is what you'll be playing mainly then the 7970M will slaughter them easily.
The only game (as it stands) that the GPU have trouble running at 1080p atm is Metro 2033 on High/Ultra settings (whichever is the highest).
Drop that by one notch and even that is playing above 30 FPS.

 

It really depends on what your future plans are. If you go with the M18X w/ dual 7970M, then you'll be set for a while and not have to worry about games coming out that will be too demanding. You'll be spending a lot more for it, but it may save you in the long run.

If you take the M17X w/ the 7970M, you should max out most games coming out in the near future, possibly even longer. If you run into a game that you must max out, but can't, then you're going to start looking at either upgrading, or selling and purchasing a new laptop. That's where the choice of the M18X would have suited you better.

The games you have listed will be no problem with the M17X. I have an R3 w/ a 580M (soon to be 7970M) and I love it. Of course I would have loved to have gotten an M18X (there were some minor cosmetic things that turned me off of it), but my budget just wouldn't allow it at this time. I do plan on upgrading to a dual GPU alienware in 2-3 years. That's how long I feel my R3 will last me.

 

Thanks for the replies everyone! I really appreciate your feedback!

Skyline, I can relate to what you said about if I find a game that I can't max out then I will look to upgrade and would have been better off with the m18x, but hey sometimes I just gotta deal and upgrade at a later time. Another thing I really like about the m18x is the HDMI-In! Ahh well..

 

M17x has HDMI in as well (not sure about the M14x though).

 

I don't know how I missed that! I thought only the m18x had the HDMI-In, but I'm wrong! I'm pretty sure I've made up my mind then! How does this build look:

3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i7-3720QM (6MB Cache, up to 3.6GHz w/ Turbo Boost 2.0)
Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium, 64bit
6GB DDR3 at 1600MHz (2DIMMS)
500GB 7,200 RPM SATA 3Gb/s
2GB GDDR5 AMD Radeon™ HD 7970M
17.3-inch WideFHD 1920 x 1080 60Hz WLED
Intel® Centrino® Wireless-N 2230 With Bluetooth 4.0
Slot-Loading Dual Layer Blu-ray Reader (BR-ROM, DVD+-RW, CD-RW)

I think this should be good, may upgrade to Killer Wireless and will definitely will upgrade to Crucial SSD.

This look good for roughly $2000 before haggle?

 

If you like to keep on top of tech and always have the latest GPU, the M17x would probably be a better choice because of:

1. Only one GPU, upgrading an SLI/Xfire system can be expensive
2. M18x upgrade requires a full disassembly to get to the CPU/GPUs

And don't forget the full aluminum chassis the M18x has, making it more sturdy but also heavier.

 

That looks to be a really good system there. Worth every penny, but definitely call and haggle.

What I meant about having to max a game out, but not being able to, was for a game that came out in the near future (like 3-6 months from now). But as it is right now, the 7970M is an amazing card and should hold you over for some time.

 

Thanks!! I'm about to call up Dell now and see what I can do! For future purposes does the m17x have capability for a second GPU for crossfire? I don't think so, but thought I'd ask!

 

No, only one GPU

 

Okay thanks. I'm pretty sure the single 7970 will be enough to last me a while!

 

I'm thinking the same thing

I can't wait till mine gets here

 

Oh yeah just placed my order! Upgraded to Killer Wireless and got the 1 year accidental plan...what should have cost me $2400 and I got it down to $2180. I don't know if that's any good but I did my best!

 

Looks good. I got the same basic config. Got mine at a significant discount.

Sent from my Samsung Captivate/ICS using Tapatalk 2

 

advanatages and disadvantes?

and ur experiences with it,

 

if size is an issue they are almost the same size, of course the m18x is bigger by a few inches, weight wise the m18x is heavier by a few pounds.

m18x lets you have sli or crossfire, and xtreme cpu if you want it, m17x will only let you have a single gfx card and highest cpu is the i7-3820QM

i have an m18x and at first im was like holy cow this laptop is hugeeee! after a few days of using it, i don't notice it as huge anymore.

also the m18x can potentially let you have 5 hard drives, 3 in caddy one in optical(but you need to get a caddy that goes into the optical bay and you have to remove the optical drive) and one mSATA SSD on the mSATA port

 

I went through the same dilemma and ended up deciding on the M17x. Reason being is that I didn't think it was worth it paying roughly 700 euro extra just for 1 7970m and having a larger laptop (I want it to be somewhat portable).

If you have the money and you want the M18x then by all means go for it. My situation is that I'm putting aside 150 euro a week during the summer from my wages and getting it at the start of September for University. I don't think its worth waiting an extra month and spending money that could be used on other things. In my case a 512gb SSD and 32gb RAM lol

 

nice config on ur m18x how did that set u back?

what configuration u put on ur m17x and how much?

 

Im Irish so Im going with HIDEvolution to save around 500 euro.

Only upgrade is the 7970m. I'm tempted to get a 3720QM if I get the money. I'll upgrade the RAM myself to 16gb and I will be installing a 128gb SSD & 128gb mSata SSD and setting up a Raid0 array along with the 500gb for storage.

I will be buying within Ireland if HIDevolution can't dodge customs charges for me.

 

is upgrading the ram and hard drive an easy process of take in and take out?
i heard if u get an plain hdd, and put in sdd you would have problems or something.
alienware offers 32gb sdd but i doubt that will last. do i just install my games and programs till 32gb fills up?

 

The 32gb SSD they offer is set up for caching but that can easily be changed.

You can add an SSD whenever you want. Remember it has 2 2.5" bays and an mSata bay (both 17 & 18) + the optical drive bay if you want to replace it with a HDD.

If you want an SSD for the OS ONLY then go with a 32gb mSata
Go 60gb if you want some applications on their and 1 or 2 games.
Go 120gb if you want all your apps and a lot of your most played games.
Go 240/256gb if you want all your games, apps and OS.
Go 512 if you're an SSD W*ore .

No point in having Movies and Music on an SSD so don't go huge.

All up to you on what you want to do. You have a lot of choices with up to 3 HDD bays and an mSata bay. Raid0 and Raid1 are always options for better performance and security.

 

Hey guys thinking of purchasing a m17x r3 from the outlet......or even an m18x ...here are my configs....i am a bit low on cash ....actually ....the configzz i listed is all i think i can afford

i7 2670 with 2gb 6990m or i7 2820 with 1gb 6970m

or a m18x with 560m ??(considering this is more upgradable)

 

You're a little vague on the specs of each system. What's the RAM, HHD/SSD size, wireless card, price? You didn't even mention the processor on the M18X. If you want help, gives us something to work with.

 

oops i missed out the process on the 18x - 2760m ....17x with 6990m - 320gb / 4

6970m - 500gb/8gb

m18x - 500 / 4gb

the reason i dint mention these is ...cause for me ...the cpu and gpu are main criteria since i can pretty much upgrade the rest....(i know you can upgrade the gpu and cpu as well...but i would like to stick with the ones i get for a while) Also apologize for rushing this...i found a few good deals on the outlet

 

I am an avid gamer but a travel every now and again with work.
Games like arma 2 bf3 witcher2 etc i love .
factoring in the extra weight of the m18x and cost esp in the uk , and the fact it doesnt have a 3d screen option (movie buff here as well).
Would you guys recommend the m18x or the m17 x ?

 

For gaming, and the quality of build compared to the M17X - the M18X wins hands down.

If you have to have 3D, and a slightly lighter beast, the M17X is the way to go.

 

Given the start weights of the 17x (4.26kg) vs. the 18x (5.41kg), I don't think the extra kilo would make THAT much difference...guess it depends on the individual who's carrying it! - also, if you only plan on travelling with it every now and then, I would just put up with the extra weight for those times when you do lug it about....

As said above, the build quality of the 18x is superb. Solid aluminum casing vs. soft touch plastic on the 17x - a big thing for alot of people and I personally love the solid feel of the 18x - it's like nothing else on the market and sets it head and shoulders above the build of other machines.

If you must have 3d, then the decision is made for you as the 18x doesnt have the 120hz display. You can still watch bluray with both if configured with the BR drive - not sure how "good" 3d movies etc are on the 17x as I have never seen one up close and personal....3d is like marmite, you either love it or hate it. I'm not a fan, personally although the 120hz screen would be nice for gaming even without 3d functionality because of its refresh rate.

If you plan on keeping the machine for a long period of time, you might wanna think about how it will run games in the future. A single 680m or 7970m will max out most of Today's games with ease, with the exception of maybe a few such as Metro 2033. Game developers will continue to push the boundaries (as we know) and what your machine can handle now may not be the case in 12mths time. If you end up with a 17x, you are stuck with one gpu. Sure, you can upgrade that but if you went 18x, you could either add a second gpu (if you configured with one to start) or upgrade the two cards in the future. I just think the 18x has more flexibility in terms of futureproofing your purchase.

All of the above is just my opinion, of course - I hope it helps!

 

Having owned both an M17xR3 and M18xR1 I can tell you that in terms of performance and build the M18x wins hands down - the only negative I can come up with in this aspect is that the M18xR1 is a bit more annoying to take apart than the M17xR3 (e.g. getting to the GPU/CPU is easy on the M17xR3 but harder and more time consuming on the M18xR1). Obviously this is not much of a problem and may mean nothing to you if you don't plan on taking it apart anyway.

The weight may or may not bother you. Personally it doesn't bother me one bit, I like to consider carrying it around as 'exercise' lol.

If 3D is really important for you, then the only alternatives I can think of are the M17x (R3/R4) with the 120Hz screen, or get the M18x (R1/R2) and buy a 3D tv and 3D-capable media player for it. Obvious issue here is how much money you are willing to spend but in the end you will get a decent, well built powerful laptop and an excuse to buy yourself a nice new 3DTV setup; if you are a movie buff then you will appreciate watching films on a big screen with decent speakers rather than a smaller, laptop screen with laptop-quality speakers.

On another note, before you spend any of your hard earned cash be sure to visit steviejones133's money saving thread.

 

How is sound on the m18x compared to the m17x ?

 

Both have the best sound i have ever heard from a laptop. The m18x wins between the two though.
It actually has bass and if you play music with it in a room it sounds like a decent set of desktop speakers.

 

I'm really interested with the M18X due to its screen size and from what I see in pics on read online, its casing material not being plastic. It's good to hear how proud M18X owners are. I think it has the option now for a single 680M.

Also, how is the picture / color quality of a standard glossy 1080p screen on the M18X?

I have a glossy screen in my ASUS G and I like it so much. I hope the M18X glossy screen will be equal or better than my Chei Mei 1726 1000:1 ratio.

 

M18x for Future possible upgrades and flat out performance. I almost switched over to the m17x but I knew I'd always envy that extra inch (even though its not much) I am so glad I chose the m18x.

 

Totally agree with you Brandon!!!
Well if you really want to play game at their full power n fun, M18x is best choice!!!

 

Hello all, I am new to the forum and just so you know I am not a gamer LOL...I am looking to buy my first Alienware simply because they are awesome, I like the design, love the keyboard (I am a female so the colors aere a big draw) I will pretty much only be using it for everyday stuff, internet, I do alot with photos (photoshop), microsoft office etc....but as I said no games....so my biggest questions is other than size what is the biggest difference between the 17 & 18? I want something I will have for at least a few years that will be very fast and do everything I need it to. I am not handy in the sense of adding any hardware or parts myself so can someone give me the basics as far as what I would want in a configuration. Thanks

Hey Guys, I did take into consideration that if I'm not gaming I don't need an Alienware but as completely ridiculous as it sounds I love the illuminated keyboard and the screen on the Alienware, From what I have seen the Alienware is the only laptop with a colored illuminated keyboard and to me that's worth spending the money. The size doesn't really bother me, I mostly use it at home so I wouldn't carry it around much...my biggest thing is that whatever I order I want it to be up to date and last a while, to me if I'm going to spend that much on a laptop because of what it is, I don't want to get it an wish I would've gotten something different in it, right now I am working with an i3 with 4 GB Ram so I know whatever I do will be a huge improvement but I don't want that blinding me..I guess what I need to know where should I spend money in upgrading on a configuration ???

 

Are you sure that you want an Alienware? If you are not gaming, there are alternatives like ultrabooks which are much more portable, cheaper, and completely capable of browsing the Internet/Word/etc.

 

Since you're a female, Did you mind about the weight also....?? M17x is heavy.... and M18x is slightly heavier..... even for guy like me...

If you're not using it for gaming, M17x is more than enough. Just took the best processor that your system can handle, added more RAM since you're doing a lot of photoshop program, also a SSD to load your system and photoshop project a lot of faster.....

 

Are you sure that you are willing to pay that much of a premium for features you won't use (gaming GPU) and a cool keyboard?

If you are, this is what I would suggest the bottom line configuration except with 8GB of RAM and an SSD. Those are really the only upgrades that would effect you.

Why not go for the M14x or the M11x? I am pretty sure they have the same lighting effects and they can definitely both hold their own against the most expensive laptops you'll find in retail stores.

 

I don't like either one of those because I need the # keypad....is there any difference in the 17 & 18 other than size??

 

I would not go for an M18x if you are not gaming.

if an m14x is to small, then get the m17x.

if you want it to last a long time, I would upgrade the processor to the second option (although its not really that important), upgrade the ram to 8gb, upgrade the screen to 1080p. also, replace the 500GB HDD with thet 256 GB SSD IF YOU HAVE MONEY TO BURN. SSD's are nice (they cut down on low times) but they are not worth it if you are on a budget.

 

The m18x has an aluminum chassis. all the other alienware laptops use plastic. the keyboard is also slightly bigger on the m18x.

 

I have to agree with everyone, the Alienware is an awfully big price to pay for someone who just wants pretty lights. They are specifically made with gaming in mind...

If the lights are the main thing that draw you to Alienware then why not just buy the TactX Alienware keyboard? It lights up just like the Alienware and comes with the software to control the lights. You can buy a nice mid range ultrabook which would be fine for everything you listed but at a MUCH cheaper price.

If you are really so inclined to get one then id say the only 'must have upgrade' for you would be the 1080p screen. Go with the 17x over the 18x, the 18x is bigger to fit dual GPU's but since you arent gaming then its overkill and not worth it.

 

Hey there guys the names Dave.
First off I'd like to say I love the website I have been reading over all the forums and its a very informative site. That being said I have some questions regarding a new alienware I would like to purchase. I am not very computer savy to say the least so any input would be helpfull and I would like to thank you for your time reading and/or your answering this already.

OK so like I said I'm looking to buy a new alienware lab top and a little stuck on which model to choose. I would mainly use the lab top for gaming currently WoW, which I read is a easier game to run. I constantly watch movies and listen to my music so multimedia is also a big one. I would surf the web and write documents occasionly just to keep in mind. I want to be able to run any game I choose crystal clear on the highest of settings with no lag and and if I decide to stream music or multitask at the same time too even better . So that's what I basically am looking for.

Now what lab top to choose? I am willing to spend the extra buck but what I see and read thanks to this great site with the options to config your lab top how you want the 17 should do the trick. The screen size also seems more than enough imo. But say I should boost up the internals a bit where should I go with that. Like I said I am not very computer smart. I'm basically just looking for any help/knowledge on these computers that can help me with my purchase. I greatly appreciate you reading this as its probably boring to all of you from what I see are very smart in this area. I look forward to hearing from you all and hopefully understand things a little bit better.

 

Well if you do go for an M17x, pick the 1080p screen (a must, less then 1080p just wont do) either the 7970 or the gtx 680 for GPU(best on the market, currently. will eat up your games), stock ram, HDD and unless you plan on using CPU intensive software, stock CPU too.

HDD's and Ram are considerbaly cheaper when bought after market, particularly SSD's. that said, SSD'd make your system lightning quick and if you cant be bothered to do a fresh install, pick a 128gb SSD and 750gb HDD when configuring your laptop.

8GB RAM is plenty.

Blu-ray player? hmmm, depends if you watch them alot or not, i guess. Persoanlly, i download em so never use mine.

In my huble opinion, of course.......