My Alienware dream M17 (in 5days order) - advice pls

I'm reading this forum since 3-4 months or more, was registered as flyduffer, but can't post(some issues, so new account). The forum perfect, thanks.

I'm going to order my dream after 3-5 days, and I have few questions.
It's going to be Alienware M17 with the new 4850x2, but the problem is, that I'm not sure is that going to late my order, because I'm from Europe, and now I'm in USA only for the summer, till the end of August. My flight is at 30th.
So I have 30 days to receive that monster, test it for a few days and I'm little bit worried about the lot of issues that I read in several threads. (overheating, paint problems, drivers, the new ati 4850 cards, what else, bad support, no chance for returns for me)
If something happen, my warranty will not be valid in Europe, right?
And I'll not have days to return the item, if it's not quality and working.
How much is the ordering time - and receiving also - around 10 days?!
So I'm wondering about all of that. You are fans and professionals here, may I hear you advices.
There is not chat support at the Alienware website anymore, so what do you think, is it possible for them to make me coupon with worldwide warranty, or without warranty at all for less money. And the important thing is about the videocard, are they working, is there any benchmarks yet, is it worthy.

I'm not going to M17x, because it's more expensive and I like very much the scull design, that's my dream since 8 years and more.
So now they have also a price drop for $200, which is great.
And if I'm not US citizen, may I use some student discounts or can you offer me some coupons and somethings about tax reduce, and shipping.
Also I'm wondering between LCD res - 900 or 1200, maybe it's better to buy x9100 cpu from ebay instead of $200 for 1200p lcd?
Also I saw a lot of pictures at google for keyboard lights, but can someone show me a video of lights. I know that they are worse then m17x, also old m17x and m15x? But how much?
Can you offer me anything better for a price around $1800, but alienware.
Basic 17x with tax and shipping is $1920 for me. My m17 will be 1700-1800. But I'm confused about ATI new cards, support, and good item, because if I receive bad not working notebook, it'll be big trouble.

Thanks a lot, apologize for my English, I'm Bulgarian. Sorry for the many words.

 

Hi Flymouse,

Thanks for starting a new thread pal.

For us M17 owners the chance to get the 4850x2 cards in our machines is also like a dream...it will be amazing and you will be so lucky to order an M17 with these cards already installed.
For us people who already have an M17 we are trying to buy these new 4850 cards from Alienware but they wont sell them to us yet...just to new customers like you.
The M17 is perfect and I am sure you will not have any issues as long as you dont get quad-core processor!! The quad-core has caused some problems in the M17 so stay away from this if you want to stay on the safe side.
I think you should definitely get the 4850s and try and get the 1900x1200 screen if possible...everything else you can get later from E-bay. Such as X9100 processor(I ordered mine cheap last night from Ebay) hard drive and RAM, blu-ray. Just get the cheap options here.
The LCD might be difficult to change but some have managed this before.

The 4850 cards that come with the M17 will turn this notebook into a monster and you can guarantee that they will work flawlessly.

good luck with it.

 

But why is so important to have that hi-def screen? Isn't it going to downstream the FPS in gaming in this resolution? I'm not going to watch movies more then 720p, 1080p are for LCD TV more then 40"

Now I have Asus F3ka 15.4" at 1200x800, my brother has Sony Vaio at 16.4" at 1600x900(strange for that size for me).

Also I'm not such a gamer, I want only, anything to run smooth and perfect. And not to have troubles with my future system, that's why sometimes I'm trying to choose between MacBook Pro and Alienware, but Alienware is my dream since years.

So it will be perfect choice, but what's going on with these cards, if the late my order, I can't do that

And I don't know about buying a CPU from ebay with international shipping, maybe the customs in Bulgaria will put taxes on the cpu. So what is the better choice, lcd or cpu. I want also to buy RAM from USA, as long as I'm here, maybe a HDD too.
So it's going to be around $ 2k again :S

Anyone with information, to write
Thanks.

 

If I was in your situation (going to USA soon) I would wait until you get to the USA to buy a laptop. The price will be WAY cheaper, many hundred $ cheaper.

 

Good point about the resolution! I just think it looks awesome in HD regardless of what your doing. If your used to and happy with a lower resolution screen then that should save you some money, Im just saying that it might not be easy if you change your mind later.
Your right about buying RAM and HDs in the US as it works out a lot less.
I dont believe the 4850 cards will delay your order at all because another person has just ordered this system and his is moving through the stages fine and Alienware have said that these cards are just for new customers!

Have Alienware said that they wont provide you with support in Bulgaria if you buy in the US?? Im just wondering about this?

Good luck either way Flymouse!

 

v_c @ I think flymouse is already in the US.

 

Yes, I'm here.

I chat with Dell Live Chat Agent, and he want to sell me m17x, the don't know anything about the others. No Success.

 

You WILL have less FPS at 1920x1200, however it will look AMAZING and with dual 4850s there are nearly NO games out there that you will not be able to play on max graphics at 1920x1200. Even Crysis you'll be able to play at 1920x1200 with graphics in between medium and high.

You will have to talk to Alienware for the M17. The M17 and m15x are still sold by Alienware, but the M17x is sold by Dell.

 

EviLCorsaiR, true but if I have to choose between 1200p LCD and better CPU then stock T8400, for example x9100 or T9900 or P9800, or I don't know what's the best in class $200-350 more.
What are you going to do?
Because with T8400 and 1200p, I don't know which games are going to be playable at max.
I read that ATI cards are CPU hungry.

PS: Can someone provide me any coupon code for M17 Please

Is that lighting real:
http://www.driverheaven.net/reviews.php?reviewid=720&pageid=2
Can someone post here hi-def images of his own Alienware M17? With all lighting, please!

 

Just looking at those images in that link you posted.....they are exactly what the keyboard looks like at night....not the best but if you have a nice setup with nice peripherals and speakers it all looks nice but dont expect AlienFX.

I can type in the dark with this lighting on the M17.

I have relatives in Hungary and we have a house over there and they buy things off Ebay all the time so I dont think you will have such a big problem buying a nice, cheap processor from Ebay and I am pretty sure you wont have to pay customs any taxes.
Just get a simple processor then upgrade in a few months...we all do this because Alienware charge too much for their processors.

As for vouchers; there are plenty of links and threads on this forum mentioning vouchers in the US.....your lucky in the UK we dont know what an Alienware voucher is.

 

Is Bulgaria classed as being in the EU?

 

Yes, Bulgaria is in the EU since 2007. But I think the customs charge for electronic parts. I had ordered li-ion batteries from Germany(which is EU country), which are electronics and they put me taxes, don't know why?!

So you suggest hi-def screen, and later cpu. I'll think about that.
Thanks all of you.

 

I couldn't wait any more and I ordered my dreeeeeeammmm yesterday!!!
8 Years, I can't belive that. I'm crazy right now So Cool.
Date Ordered: 7/29/2009
Now it is already in Stage 5.
I listened to your advices and I choose 1920x1200 lcd also a 2x Ati 4850 too and my favorite Skullcap design. I'm sooo happy...
And a quick question, what's going on with the drivers, benchmarks, and so on. Is Crysis going to be playable at hi-resolution at maximum details?

 

Ok, the magic dream is here since yesterday. Everything seems ok, except the paint on the corners on the backside is starting breaking :S It's new, but alienware?!

3d mark 06 with ati 4850 CF at M17 started, but I didn't wait to finish the tests, I installed Crysis, and the new Riddick game, try to turn them, and my screen flickers a lot

Is it from the drivers, before installing crysis, or exactly updating directX, there was no issue with riddick, last night?!
Now 3dmark is also flickering. When I turn off the Crossfire - everything is ok, when it's on, every 3d like games and testing is flickering,
is that the shuttering issue or not?
My cpu is p8400, it's not quad.
Any help please, now I'm with Vista Home Premium 64bit + DNA 9.4 drivers for Vista 64.

Should I install different OS, are there any working drivers for 64bit Vista?

Thanks a lot.

 

Don't worry, there is a tiny bit of paint missing in the corners on my M17 too. The rest doesn't start to break off.

When you say 'flickering' are you talking about the stuttering that most M17 quad core owners get i.e. much reduced frame rate, horrible audio, skippy mouse? What exactly do you mean by flickering?

I'd recommend updating to 9.7 drivers anyway as they bring a boost in 4850 performance. Mobility Modder supports 4000 series now so you should not face a problem.

 

he said he has a p8400 no stuttering

he said his screen flickers how do you get stutter out of that



*facepalm*



It is a driver issue or a problem with your slave card

Download 9.7 and then download Mobility Modder and run it then install those drivers

 

I see lines on the screen, when I start 3d mark 06 1.1.0.
When I run Riddick Dark Athena - everything is OK.
The lines are not horizzontal, but a bit on the diagonal, and they are changing their place. I tried Win7 32bit - the same :S
When I turn off crossfire - NO lines on 3dmark.
Tried few times to install 9.7 modded, or 9.4 DNA, 9.5 Ati modded and few other, but I would not want to install.
I don't have a lot of time to try, because I'm working too much, but this night I'll try fix that, because I received the NB at 08/07 and I'm leaving USA at 08/30, so if it is the SLAVE VGA can you tell me any desigions or suggestions.
I'm so sad and worried :S

GOD ;( Please help me!

 

If I send the notebook back to AW, how long will they fix that, I'm pretty sure, that the second videocard is the problem, not very sure, because Riddick starts at 1920x1200 at high very good, but I'll try to find out what's going on may be after 2 hours