Nearly ordered the 9750...

3 times. I had it all configured, ready to press Go!

And then I researched further and confused my tiny little mind even more!

I've decided to buy Alienware; it looks cool and this 38yr old guy is still a kid.
But it doesn't have Santa Rosa or a DX10 GPU. Yeah, I use those terms as if I actually know what they mean in the real World but I'm very much led by the learned knowledge base I find here on the Forums - without which I would be lost.

I just don't know what to do...take the plunge and order what I can get now or wait until October and see if the specs are updated. I'm looking for beautiful graphics more than speed; obviously I want games like Crysis etc to play smoothly but visuals impress me more than ultra fast frame rates. So the DX10 cards may be my best option. But! I could go for a single 7950GTX for now and then buy two 8700GT's later next year...if this is possible as an SLi upgrade.

Hmmm, then there is the Santa Rosa thing; am I missing much? Photography is my hobby and I use Adobe products but not much more than that and general internet use.

I've read the Forums, seen loads of opinions either way. I just need to decide.

 

how about a sager 5790? cheaper AND you can upgrade the graphics cards if you needed to.

 

If you can wait it out, wait. Newer technology is always in the horizon. Let's see what Dell has to offer when they release the XPS m1730 later this month as the 900-lbs. gorilla usually set the industry's pace. But as always, set your mark to pull the trigger. Otherwise, if you keep on playing the waiting game, you'll wait forever as there will always be something better in the horizon to entice you. As for me, I'm waiting on the 8800 series.

 

Good point...I live in the UK so it would be Rock's version of the Clevo for me and Rock are an excellent company here with proven support. I do prefer the Sager/Rock specification but I just don't like the look of the machine.

I want my laptop to appeal to me in terms of how it looks too and the Alienware does it for me. That said, my favourite-looking notebook is Sony's Vaio. But they are expensive at high specs and not as fast anyway. I think.

 

Rock are fantastic, a friend of mine has one of their best. Never stops talking about it, 4 year standard guarantee and everything. So well finely tuned machines too, he has never had to edit it or screw around with it, not once.

Personally though, unless there is a definate announcement from alienware that they have a new laptop in the making, and theres a confirmed time on it. Then i suppose i'd wait.

Though at the same time, hardware and software gets upgraded constantly, your always gonna get a new chipset or gfx card comming out and what used to be uber is now suddenly sub-uber. It happens constantly, the market cant keep up with the technology being developed so you might end up waiting constantly for the next big thing comming out and not have a machine at all.

I took the plundge recently and bought an m9750 with a single gpu, it plays everything perfectly on the highest settings with fantastic frame rate, and thats only one gpu. And theres always the option of upgrading like you said so you'll never be behind.

In the end of the day its up to you. You can wait for something fantastic to come out or you can get something fantastic right now and still get the next big thing whenever it does get released. win win situation really.

Besides, the gpu on the m9750 is so good that i doubt you'll even notice the difference if you were to wait for the next generation notebook gpu's.

The only thing you have to worry about is next generation games, dx10 games that they'll be throwing at us over the next year.

 

Alienware is offering GPU "upgrade" program (it's actually a downgrade lol) to existing owners in October to the 8700M-GT. As for alternatives... The Clevo (Rock, Evesham) is around the same price range but sans SLi and dual HDD capability. I highly doubt the new XPS will be cheaper or even the same price, like the current XPS it will be way more expensive...

 

The 7950GTX will give you plenty of life!
Dont worry about DirectX10. Its nothing to shout home about yet anyway.
I reckon with the decent games being cycled over 3 years anyway. When you have to upgrade you can go for the 8950GTX's!

Push the button!

 

I'm going to...today.

I agree, I've read so much about the 8700 GT and Santa Rosa and I'm not convinced the differences will be that great, if at all. I'll get the 7950 and upgrade the card/s (may opt for SLi) mid-next year.

I simply don't like the look of the Dell - including the next XPS model - and the Clevo notebooks; the Alienware looks special.

 

Im waiting on mine to arrive...thats the worst part of it.
Spoke to a few 9750 owners, and they area ll happy with the machine.

Should be the end of next week...

 

I'll have to wait 12 million years if I'm only ordering today but I have an Asus G1 in the meantime so not a problem. My Asus has a damaged power thingy - I opened up the notebook and the power pin casing is cracked so I have to seat the power cord plug just right for the battery to charge!
No doubt I'll sell the G1 for a bargain to some lucky person willing to send it away for repair when my Alienware eventually arrives.

 

Ordered!

Now I'll forget about it and have a nice surprise when it arrives.

 

What you go and do that for? they are rubbish!!

 

Love Live Alienware!

 

So are the English Rugby team but I still support them!

 

I went through the same debate myself a million times and finally ordered mine, it came today and is rediculously fast. Glad I did.

 

Hey guys! I just ordered my m9750 laptop on Friday and can't wait to get it! These are the specs:

Video/Graphics Card: 512MB NVidia® GeForce™ Go 7950 GTX
Chassis: 17" WideUXGA 1920 x 1200 LCD with Clearview Technology - Stealth Black
Processor: Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor T7400 2.16GHz 4MB Cache 667MHz FSB
Memory: 2GB Dual Channel DDR2 SO-DIMM at 667MHz - 2 x 1024MB
Operating System (Office software not included): Genuine Windows Vista™ Home Premium
Notebook Tuners and Remotes: Without Media Center Remote Control or TV Tuner
System Drive: High Performance with Data Security (RAID 1) - 160GB (160GB x 2) Serial ATA 1.5Gb/s 7,200 RPM w/ 8MB Cache
Optical Drives : 8x Dual Layer CD-RW/DVD±RW Burner
Wireless Network Card: Internal Intel® PRO Wireless 3945 a/b/g Mini-Card
Sound Card : High-Definition Audio with surround sound
Warranty: 2-Year AlienCare Toll-Free 24/7 Phone Support w/ Onsite Service
Alienware Extras: Alienware® Mesh Cap
Alienware Extras: Alienware® Mousepad
Alienware Extras: Alienware® Mobile Binder
Alienware Extras: Owner Identification Card
Avatar: Alienhead 3D
Window Style: Default Window Style
Mouse Pointers: Standard Mouse Pointers
Power Plan: Standard Power Plan
Automatic Updates: Automatic Updates On
Time Zones: (GMT - 5.00) Eastern Time (US & Canada)


I am glad I found this forum, so I can discuss gaming on our alienware systems! Of course I also will use my alienware for more practical purposes which include Word Processing and running different kinds of business software.

 

Is there any particular reason alot of people are going for the single 9750 GTX and not the Sli???

I am in same position, trying to make final decision!

 

I am only getting the single video card right now because it's cheaper heh. I will definitely be getting the 2nd one here in a few months, so I can use sli. Right now I am going to go with Vista but if it gives me any problems, I am definitely going to install XP Home or Professional. I also heard that sli doesn't seem to work well in Vista but works fine in XP. Good luck on your decision.

 

why buy dual cards (which HAS come down in price, but is still 400 dollars) when the new ones will come out soon and an upgrade wont be free....

By the time you get your machine the new ones will be out.

 

I ordered my m9750 with two 7590GTX cards. The 8800m may be out soon, and they may rock the house. Or may not. My 8700GT is ok, but left much to be desired.

Laptop upgradability is getting better, but you still have to risk the chance that your laptop may never get an upgrade option, or even one that's affordable. So, I say if you go, go with gusto.

 

Quoted for truth. Never buy a laptop and plan on upgrading the graphics card. There's a good chance that it may not happen.

 

Well, its just back to the same defense first of all which is that I wanted this laptop and dont really need the SLI. Many others feel the same. At least the price for the second card has come down since I ordered it.

But based on who Im talking to at AW, the cards ARE coming (I dont know which ones), but they are NOT likely gonna be out in the next month.

 

My bet is for something for the Christmas season, unless the DX10 AW says they've been testing is a top secret 256bit DX10 card... but thats hopeful thinking...

 

All I know is they said they have testing to do that will take more than a month from now.

 

is it possible to buy the m7950 with 1 graghics card and then later on upgrade and buy 2 graghics cards, will i be able to fit both in?

 

that is what they have told me multiple times.

 

<----very happy & satisfied ,9750 owner =D

congrats on your new rig!

 

Dude!
Yang88she.....
PLEASE change that picture????



I can watch all the gore and horror films in the world, and yet, that picture just gives me the heebeegeebees!!!

(just kidding...............sort of)