Need help! Really torn between the M17x and the M18x

You an elitist stevie? Because you sure do come across as blatantly arrogant.

That so?
Please read and educate yourself.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...-2960xm-cpus-m17x-r3-without-modded-bios.html

It'll help...but it will be so minuscule that it wouldn't have been worth the time nor the investment.
Are you really claiming otherwise?
You'll get what? 2, 3 FPS more? And for what cost?
The CPU won't affect your gaming in the manner you are suggesting.

"Regardless of cost"....You've just proven my point with that statement.
God I'm so sick of hearing about this best crap from you.
And at what cost does in your eyes the best no longer become the best?

You WANT best?!
For that price you can have BOTH a portable M17x R4 powerhouse AND a desktop that would eat the M18x alive.
I'm a laptop enthusiast but even I can see when goods just aren't worth the paper.
Clearly you can't. That 18inch screen blocking your view?
(Which by the way I do believe is the same FHD screen available on the M17x)

In terms of material goods usage it's not.
Having either a complete M14x r2 or an extreme CPU alone speaks boundaries for how over costed Dell rate these components.
But hey, you want to pay those prices go right ahead...

No I didn't forget what I typed, but thanks for the reminder anyway.
That's an accurate statement. It can play all games currently out. I never said all games, all maxed, all the time.
30FPS is the universal figure of acceptance so is why I stated it.
I can tell the difference myself between 30 and 60 and despite that my gaming satisfaction is still being met.

Actually no - I'm not happy with low framerates which is precisely why I got this Alienware.
And for the record stop putting words in my mouth or state supposed beliefs I have which are not the case whatsoever.
My HD 6990m is playing planetside 2 at the aforementioned settings beautifully...so there's another report for you.

Heck I might even just record some footage just to silence you.

Yeah Stevie - You are an elitist as well as an arrogant boy.
Ha - the term "lesser" you M18x owners use always brings a laugh.
Almost get the impression that someone's getting very defensive purely on the basis that you feel the need to defend your investment.
As a M17x user I dont.
You made an interesting point by bringing in other M18x users on the forum. I get the feeling it was an attempt at statistical backing to support your opinion.
Ha - stevie - I can't count the amount of M17x users on this forum.
And which unit do you think has sold more anyway?
Yeah it's a petty point but it's in defense of a petty argument from you.

Yeah I chose the "lesser", but that's because I got such a good price for the system and would have been an idiot to pass it up despite the fact that I could have afforded a maxed M18x.
It included the entire system and a 3 year warranty for LESS than some of your M18x component alone prices.

In a few years as is the way with technology I'll be able to upgrade to yet another M17x system that will utterly destroy your M18x... for and get this....still cheaper overall than your initial purchase.

The M18x is the best system (Subjective).
But it is not the better valued system nor it is it the only performance powerhouse despite what you think.

And no Stevie - If you want performance you don't need the M18x - For one who loves calling out opinion over fact you sure don't practice it.
The M17x will give you the performance you need regardless of your gaming desires be they casual or hardcore.

All for much less too. That's the bottom line.

EDIT: Just briefly noticed a car analogy you've now uploaded. Just so original...and just so pointless.
I didn't read it either.

 

I give up. You are obviously very defensive about owning your current machine that you are blinkered by it when comparing it to better machines. See what you want to see if it makes you happy. Getting agressive about it towards me only goes to show how defensive you are. What we are trying to do here is to provide the OP with a perspective from both sides - not just your opinion.

I never said that the M17x was a poor choice, as that would not be objective. I did say it wasn't the best choice if you want ultimate performance and upgradability - you don't have to buy a loaded M18x for it to be a sound investment as it afford more user upgradability than a M17x. If you wish to class that as my being elitist, that's your problem. Just because I chose to drop my cash in that fashion does not make me an elitist. Again, I don't really care how cheap your current machine was or how many other machines you could get for the cost of a heavily spec'd M18x.....that's irrelevant.

You giving the OP the opinion that a 3630qm/675m is gonna last in terms of performance is a clear blunder on your behalf. You obviously know that a 675m is a 580m rebadge, which is a good card but it's limits are already pushed to the limits. Is it wrong of me to point this out or would you prefer that the OP ordered a 675m on your advice only to find out that it will not cope with tomorrows games pretty quickly? - if that's your idea of good advice, I'd sooner pass on heeding it.

You say Dell's price for an XM is astronomical. Yes, it is. Have you recently checked Intel's tray prices? - that might give you an idea why they are high, don't blame Dell for Intel's over-pricing. $1,096 for a 3940xm.......I think Dell is pretty good for the same. Just because you think it's expensive or not worth it does not make it so.

Whatever I have said has been in the best interest of the OP's question - unlike yourself who only seems to want to reinforce/justify your choice to yourself.

Regarding the cpu - as I said before, it's possible to drop an XM into the 17x, no one is arguing that. Can you run it at 4ghz across all cores 24/7 like I can with my M18x, without heat issues? - NOPE! - before you start quoting threads at me, I suggest you actually read them. Remember your argument that there is no difference in cooling systems? If you actually bothered to read that thread before tossing it my way, you would have realised that heat is an issue when trying to run the XM at overclocked speeds.....so, go ahead, knock yourself out and have a proper read of it........

Before giving advice, or criticizing me, I suggest you do some more reading and practice a bit less bravado when it comes to your own machine.

 

Some folks get very upset when others don't embrace their opinions as facts and they cannot be reasoned with. It's unfortunate, but in the end it's their loss. Not only is their narrow-mindedness an impediment to learning and personal growth, they estrange themselves from the community by their adverse disposition.

 

I'm sure that the m18x is better than the m17x in most categories. I would pick one up if I were comfortable with the Alienware outlet. The question for the OP to answer is whether it's "better enough": a new m18x with a 3740qm and 680m SLI costs about $2400 at least (base warranty). I draw an arbitrary line after $2500 beyond which a laptop must be excellent in almost all categories for me to buy it instead of a cheaper laptop and desktop. The m18x isn't. Neither is an HP Elitebook 8770w. Of course, the OP can disagree.

 

You CAN configure an M18x with a decent spec within the OP's budget that would allow for him/her to upgrade aftermarket on an as and when basis - add a second 680m, upgrade the cpu etc etc - that's the beauty of the M18x versus the M17x - upgradability. IMHO, that's a better option than having to upgrade the whole machine.

You can't add another gpu to a 17x, you can with the 18x.....you can configure an 18x with a single gpu to keep initial costs down. I know I'd prefer the option of being able to add another gpu versus potentially having to upgrade the whole machine to keep up with tomorrow's most demanding titles.....

 

Right Mr Fox.

I figured I would get a bias email such from you seeing as you are a M18x User.
It is not childish demonstrations but mere defense of a point(s).
Stevie's replies were becoming more bitterly fueled as it went along.
Your recent post and "infraction" is in of itself a flame as well as an abuse of your mod power.
I am a very reasonable person but have decided that this M18x section of the forum is both unjustly bias as well as exclusive of those whom disagree on any point with them.

You wish to play this game then fine.

I will take the matter to the administrator and report you for this.

 

@Stevie.

You will notice that the tested User admits that his machine can't.
It does not make it impossible because of this to run the XM at 4Ghz or above in the M17x.
He even states that some users have ALREADY accomplished this.
Motherboards vary tremendously from person to person.

And even if it "only" reaches 4Ghz, that further shows the sheer quality of the M17x's functional form which is continually 'tarnished' by you for being lesser.

And no Stevie - I am not blinkered by my machine either.
My laptop history shows I've explored MANY machines and can easily criticize as well as praise.
I'd happily bet that I've not only owned but sampled more than you.
This further supports my "opinion" of gaming machines in general be they for casual or hardcore.

The M17x is not perfect but it deserves FAR more than the pitiful comments being directed at it when brought into comparison against the M18x.

The very fact that it is so often compared to this "better" machine alone speaks volumes for it.

The Gtx 675m is still a good card.
I have no idea where this notion that I apparently think that it'll last for gaming has come from when compared to the new HD7970m or Gtx 680m. That is your assumption.
Let's not forget that the M17x is upgradable, so even if the OP does in fact buy one with a Gtx 675m he/she will always be able to upgrade in the future.

Sli or crossfire is not needed to keep up with mainstream titles.
When the new cycle of cards is available, the newly released single card usually supersedes the crossfire or sli of the previous generation.
Driver issues to this day still plague those set ups.

You have agreed with the points I wished from the XM being ridiculously expensive to the M17x being a solid machine so therefore by default you know it's sense that I'm forth putting.

And to clearly state how I feel about the OP's decision is the following.
I don't care.

It is entirely his choice if he wishes to fork out the cost for a M18x.
He can go high, low or just plain crazy with his component choice.
Whatever makes him happy.

However the M17x deserves more of a looking into than I believe you are addressing to him. That's my point.
Either way we all win.
He buys an Alienware and supports the company.

Also if you don't wish to heed my advice then so be it.
However please read between the lines in future.

 

For what? Levying a justified infraction against you? For shaming you publicly with a singularly erudite post concerning your conduct all the while advising others to basically ignore you in an effort to get the thread back on a positive and helpful tack?

Nah, that report won't get you anywhere. After all, you started degrading the conversation using passive aggressiveness and insulting S. Jones by calling him an elitist and arrogant. [Pot, Kettle, black]. If there's any bias, it would be bias directed against your person seeing as how you conducted yourself in this thread. Not any particularly discernible bias with respect to hardware choice and ownership pride.

Um. Hmm.

 

That pretty much sums it up - Your attitude towards helping people to make an INFORMED choice is abundantly clear by this statement.

Did you not read the title of this thread which clearly states "NEED HELP!" - that's all we are doing here, trying to help, as this is a forum whereby we should help each other first and foremost. That makes for a tight community where anyone can come to get good advice. If part of that advice includes confirming that the M18x is superior in some categories - which includes the ability to have dual gpu's and a legitimate XM cpu - does not make it bad advice.......you only see it as such because of how you justify your own purchases to yourself.

The OP was clearly undecided about which model to pursue. With that being the case, I felt it of note to inform the OP of all the possibilities. It is a FACT that the M18x is Alienware's flagship model, but you seem to get quite annoyed when this truth is told to you. Dell want customers to know it's "the best and ultimate in performance", should you want it. As I have said, it does not make the M17x a poor choice - far from it. It simply means that if you DO want the best and ultimate in performance, it HAS to be a fully loaded M18x over a fully loaded M17x - that's just how it is. Like it or not, there are "tiers" of supremacy in virtually every consumer product being sold - that ranges from a tin of value-branded baked beans vs. Heinz baked beans, a high street handbag vs. a Prada handbag or a cheap cologne vs. Chanel perfume - the list will go on forever.

Where an individual chooses to "fit in" to those "tiers" is entirely up to them. Any argument based on "oooh - I coulda had three of them for the price of one" is not really a very valid argument, or point, if someone aspires to owning the best regardless of cost. You might gain personal satisfaction from knowing that you have "three for the price of one" but you cannot in the same breath say that someone who owns a product from the "top tier" is any way an elitist or arrogant - it's their choice, not yours.

Yes, an M17x is upgradeable, but what happens when the top gpu in that machine fails to keep up with tomorrows games? - you cannot upgrade a card that is non existent, but with an M18x, you CAN add a second of the same to provide more longevity to your machine before having to change it all again. This is why I say the M18x is more flexible in terms of upgrading than a 17x. You can order both machines with a single gpu, as I have said before, and you can also order both with a 3630qm currently. Can you add another gpu to the 17x? - NOPE. Can you add an XM and not have to worry about managing temperatures? - NOPE.

I felt that these are valid points that the OP should be aware of. Again, if you feel offended by these facts, there is little I can do to help you with this.

Anyway, the thread has kinda been de-railed enough already. Bickering is not going to help the OP out......what would I do with a budget of $2500? - I'd get an M18x with as good a cpu/gpu configuration as I could afford at the outset and worry about the other stuff later. That gives a whole lot more scope to upgrade graphics cards to keep up with new titles, allows you to "comfortably" drop an XM cpu under the hood, should you want to, and provides the great cooling system already in place to do so. It also allows the OP to own a flagship model with the aluminium casing, providing build quality/robustness that the M17x does not offer and is second to none in the world of gaming laptops.

I would also advise maybe holding off on any order until Dell/Alienware releases news on up and coming revisions to the Alienware laptop range - no point in buying technology that's about to be superceeded if you get new technology in a few weeks - or the opportunity to then make the decision.

That's my opinion - it's not biased by the fact I already have an M18x, nor is it in any way saying the M17x is an inferior machine that should not be considered. Armed with all the facts, the OP can then make an informed decision about how to proceed.

 

Bush's. Bush's baked beans. Best of the best. Ask Duke.

 

Bush "Chili Style" beans...umm yum ! :hi2:

 

I think he agrees.....mind you, maybe he's not had Heinz

 

In general, which computer is a better option? Assuming an equal processor and 580 sli vs. 680m...

I would guess that the m18x is better, but I don't know. Thoughts?

Bob

 

Since having a low budget or physical limitations (being abnormally weak) were not mentioned as being important factors to consider, I am interpreting the question literally. Unless you have a unique view of what "better" means, that's a no brainer. Metal versus plastic... anodized finish versus rubberized coating... dual GPU versus single... superior cooling system... significantly higher performance potential. A single 680M doesn't have much to offer over 580M SLI and you'll miss out on a superior upgrade path that the lesser machine is incapable of supporting (will always be stuck with one GPU... forever).

We already have a thread for this discussion. I will find it and merge this for you.

 

Cool. Thanks for the response.