*OFFICIAL* "All Powerful" M15x Owner's Lounge, *Part 2*

here is the BT card.

fit...yes

work...looks like it wont after a quick search.




EDIT: found this post http://en.community.dell.com/forums/p/19277507/19495117.aspx

 

Interesting, I will have to let the guys at General Dynamics C4S know they need to get rid of their Dell M6400s and replace them with the Alienware M15X.
Also, Lockeed Martin, General Dynamics, L3, Northrup Grumman and all the other contracting companies that do all the things you mentioned all get along just fine with the high-end machines they already have. Please don't preach at me. I just spent a year in Iraq supporting Battle Command Systems for the US Army, I have a wonderful appreciation of how computers make life better, design better vehicles and help figure out logistics. The M15X is a pure gaming machine. It has a pretty glass screen, pretty color changing periphs, a webcam (a DoD no-no) wifi (another DoD no-no). It is not a work machine. It is a play machine. There are plenty of other machines out there specced out for work. The M15X looks like a carnival ride.

 

I did some Batman Arkham Asylum benchmarks if anyone is interested. I kept all graphics on full with V-Sync off and just changed the AA and PhysX settings:

16xAA, PhysX High:
Min FPS = 0
Avg FPS = 15
Max FPS = 25

4xAA, PhysX High:
Min FPS = 10
Avg FPS = 24
Max FPS = 89

2x AA, PhysX High:
Min FPS = 15
Avg FPS = 26
Max FPS = 42

0xAA, PhysX High:
Min FPS = 15
Avg FPS = 30
Max FPS = 53

0xAA, PhysX Normal:
Min FPS = 22
Avg FPS = 36
Max FPS = 52

0xAA, PhysX Off:
Min FPS = 43
Avg FPS = 69
Max FPS = 88

It appears that turning PhysX down does not reduce graphics detail but it removed the graphic elements completely (e.g. fog or cloth wall hangings disappear). When I play I think I'll stick with high PhysX and 0xAA, tho that may be a while cos Dragon Age is still my game of the moment

 

nice videos Roxy! Helps people who want to see before ordering.
Joker: my prediction is one week with your girl's laptop and you're going to bite on one yourself! btw, what colour did you order for her?
Sadly, I appear to have reached the point where I have now finished tweaking mine and I have to stop playing with it and actually use it for work....

 

Thanks for the vids Roxy! BTW that's also my Boston Terrier pups name

 

Oh darn, would have been cool to have that as extra storage space.

 

Roxy, you are super cute, thanks for your video. What kind of game is the one you were playing? Is it an MMO?

 

Great videos Roxy. Are you running anything special on the desktop? It looked like you had a neat calendar thing running, or was it just a part of the background?

 

http://www.driverheaven.net/reviews.php?reviewid=843&pageid=15

 

j-train what is your experience so far with the i7-720QM?
I have a very hard time to choose between that one and the 820QM.

 

gadgets? nothing new

 

I have noticed that if you go on www.dell.com/epp there is a bar from which you can choose a wide array of options instead of putting the EPP number, and one of these options is "Federal or Civilian", which is pretty much us common people, right? Or it means US Federal Government and Civilian? What would civilian mean other than us?
And not only you get $150 off from the starting price, every augmentantion costs 10% less!!

 

Roxy is very Cute +rep on the videos good job..

I also would like to know what gadgets you are running

 

I got her the black one like Roxy's. If I end up ordering one for myself, I'll get the same color and specs. How long did it take for you to receive it after ordering?

 

I don't know why everyone thinks the fact that all of the upgrades are 10% less is a big deal. It only makes sense because the EPP discount is 10% off the whole computer, so that includes upgrades.

 

It is great. I have not had a single issue. I hear the fans spin-up when turbo is kicking in, that is a lovely sound. I chose the 720 so I could spend extra on the GPU, ya know I do complicated non-gaming "GPU Loading" and what-not and wanted all that extra horse power (my voice sounds like Thurston Howell III when I say this....)

 

I'm very tempted to buy the 820 for an even better performance...
to kevblah: the EPP site can be very easily tricked it seems and 10% off a $2300 is still $230, which can be used in many enjoyable ways, like moar games !!!
for your build i'm guessing you paid about $2030, with 40 bucks more I get a faster processor, how is that no biggie?

 

Oh, I didn't mean like the difference between 10% off the base price and 10% off a fully upgraded computer wouldn't be significant. I meant that it only makes sense that 10% off means 10% off the price of the computer (w/ upgraded components or not), not just 10% off the base price.

But on a side note, I did qualify for the EPP program and with a few other promotions/compensation, I ended up paying in total $1669 (tax and shipping included) for my computer, and that's with the 9-cell battery and next day shipping.

 

Well holy crap is that unfair!
did you have to give them the college id number and such?
or did you use some haggling skills?
im a college student in italy, and i am ordering in the US because its WAY cheaper and i can get it sent to my girlfriend that lives there C=

 

Hey, thanks for the link. I changed my settings to match theirs but I could not turn on Stereoscopic 3D (guess I need some kind of hardware). This setting must make a big difference because I got slightly better FPS even tho they used a 920xm.

My Score:
Min = 26
Avg = 46
Max = 81

Their Score:
Min = 28
Avg = 43
Max = 62

 

order went in Oct. 12, delivered to Canada Oct. 21 -- so good turn around and mine does have the BT installed.

 

Mine didn't come with bluetooth; yet, a technician will be out next weekend to install it.

Btw, just got my Razor Mamba (mouse) and its sweet. Goes will with the blue light scheme on my m15x.

 

Has anyone noticed that Best Buy is also selling Alienware brand computers? I thought they only came custom built; yet, I do recall someone mentioning that Microcenter sells them too.

 

Yeah I picked mine up for 1550 from Microcenter with my 200 dollar gift card I had with them. The machine actually comes with an 18 month xps and next day warranty.

 

I ordered mine on Friday but the deliver date is Dec 8, think I might get it earlier? The rep told me no bluetooth as it there are conflicts with W7, I didn't want to call him on his BS so I let it go...

 

Oh yeah and I also inquired as to why no engraving option for Canadians, I really don't care I was just wondering. He told me that Canadians are super picky and return laptops often so we were not given the option. Again I didn't want to call him on his BS so I let it go...

 

Haha what a bunch of b.s. BTW my order has the bluetooth. If they don't include it I'll call them and have them send it to me.

 

There are BT problems with Windows 7, as in it no likey to install my BT Microsoft 5000 Mouse, ever....

I think they are going to have to replace the BT module with a W7 compatible model....

 

what the hell. that's completely bs.

 

I was running W7 on my aluminum MB and was using a little Logitech BT mouse with absolutely no problems whatsoever.

 

I think the problem is hardware-specific in the M15x, as in the BT card they put in them aren't compatible with BT AND Windows 7.

 

Dell HAS to include a BT module because they charge for it. Not doing so constitutes fraud. If they are going to leave it out, then they need to compensate everyone for the retail value they charge. BTW Josh, the EDD for the M15x I have on order is Dec 3rd. I'm hoping they get it out much sooner.

 

actually Dell is right I went ahead and put the 370 bluetooth module in my m15x and I started to get random BSOD's. I took it back out and have not run into any issues.

 

Whoo! I just placed my order for the m15X. Here are the specs:

M15X Gray
Core i7 820
4GB @1333MHz
GTX 260M
500GB HD @ 7200
Full HD (1920x1080) Display
Blu ray reader
9-Cell Battery

I live in HK so I'm curious to see what the turnaround time to get this is. The rep said about 6-8 working days as its built to order.

Totally psyched tho'! I've been reading these forums the past month and now I finally took the plunge! Thanks for all the info on this board...its helped me out so much!

1 quick question on the audio through display port...it mentions "HD Audio"...does that mean there is some simulated 5.1 surround sound that is outputted from there? I'm probably going to hook the laptop up to my AV receiver and see how the blu ray playback looks and sounds. I'd like to not purchase a PS3 if need be, but just wanted to get people's thoughts on the blu ray playback.

Thank!

Jim

 

Is it just with certain devices? I've only used it to transfer photos from my phone but that worked ok.

 

I know the Canadian and US sites are different but where on the US site do you see the BT listed? I don't see it listed in specs or options.

 

Nevermind I see it on the US site now. Not listed on the Canadian site so I guess it's not included. Dell, $2000+ laptop and no BT!!!

 

It's a program called Rainlendar ^_^

Aw thank you it's aion and yes, it is an mmorpg.

It's Rainlendar ^_^ awesome gadget. <3

 

mine is a Canadian machine and has a fully functioning BT module that works in win7 with no issues.
It is possible for everyone to have something have issues in their particular set up: sometimes its a part, sometimes a driver, more often its operator error -- we've futzed around and messed up a configuration. There is no evidence that there are any systemic design issues with the M15 itself -- other than the stealth option being one most of us could live without! Comne on guys, if that's our biggest issue, get a grip!

Canadian specs: BT is shown as standard not an option
http://www.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/alienware-m15x?c=us&l=en&s=dhs
there is a sticky posted on the Dell community site under Alienware that indicates the BT issues are solely in North America as it was supposed to have been an option but was not posted as such. Indeed, it still shows as standard as in the above link. Anyone receiving an M15 who did not have the option of ordering the BT module, gets one bt default, either fitted in production or installed by Dell/Alienware Tech after the fact -- one BT module per tag number.
We are quick to criticize bas service by Dell but this seems to be a case where they have responded as soon as the issue was brought o their attention.

 

Um I don't think that is a link to the Canadian site. I don't see anywhere on the Canadian site where it indicates BT is standard equipment. The rep actually told me it was not included.

 

http://www1.ca.dell.com/ca/en/home/...refid=alienware-m15x&s=dhs&cs=cadhs1&ref=lthp

Scroll down the page and it states Bluetooth (click on "tech specs"). A laptop of this price and functionality better have bluetooth built in.

 

Sweet thanks

 

yeah i don't see why it shouldn't be included anyways.
if you're paying the same price for the same thing and the US gets it, how could alienware possibly explain that canada shouldn't get it?

 

The laptop is already overpriced compared to its US counterpart. Our base model starts at $200 more than the US version, and each component costs much more than the US version. Exchange rate is definitely no where near that margin to suggest such a huge price difference.

But oh well....

 

Canadians aren't ready for blue teeth.

 

I found a really good end user review of the M15x here: http://www.notebookforums.com/thread230034.html This is definitely making me look forward to the M15x arriving. BTW what displayport to hdmi adapter are you guys using? I was thinking of ordering this one from monoprice.

Edit: Cnet review of the M15x

 

Hey hey... I am in HK as well and i ordered the M15x too. I placed my order on Nov. 5th and based on the phone calls from the courier guy today, i will be getting it tmr, Nov. 17 btwn 2-6pm. When i called and asked Dell about delivery dates they had said 6-8 working days as well, but you can use my date as reference.

 

Not a bad read that review from Notebookforum. Always good getting another users thoughts.

 

I bought this for a couple bucks less, looks the same.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170358839365&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT

 

That's a really stupid thing for the rep to say. The nameplate is simply screwed onto the base of the machine - it would take no time at all to remove it and replace it on a returned unit.

What morons these people can be.