Sneak peek on the upcoming M17x and M14x

I think i'll wait and see just now No need to panic before anything is released.

 

I actually kind of like the design, they keyboard maybe not so much..........but it does sort of "fit" the stealthy look better than the previous ones.

 

Who wants a stealthy look, we want crazy/insane/sexy/pretty lights in our alien ships

 

IF that really is the new m14x, the asus g46 has it beat in every regard, aside from optical drive.

 

Warranty support.

Some other high-end laptop vendor needs to offer Alienware competition on its warranty.

 

I could go down the street and pick up a G series laptop at bestbuy and get a great face to face warranty package.

 

Will Best Buy send a tech out to your house the next day for in-home repairs? Do they replace older faulty notebooks with brand new models of the current model year? Do they provide accidental coverage?

Best Buy isn't going to match Dell's warranty support.

 

Not everyone wants a disco ball for a laptop, however the back-lit touchpad (hopefully touch lcd) is pretty cool. I'll be in the market for a second laptop soon and I'd like to see AW bring something new to the table than just a different lighting setup...........

 

Backlit touchpad is cool? Unless it's something like the switchblade UI on the Blade, then it's pointless... and pretty goofy looking lol. Just find it odd that you'd like that when you aren't a fan of AW's current styling.

 

As long as it's not ridiculously bright then I think I would find it a welcome addition, I use my computer a lot at night and in places of low light so it has nothing to do with styling.

 

Ah, well I'm not a huge fan of the lighting around the touchpad on current models, so making the entire touchpad backlit would clash with the rest of the lighting imo. It'd just be strange to have a big lit up rectangle on the palm rest lol.

 

I actually like the rectangle around the touchpad, it's one of the features on the m15 I'd found myself being continuously appreciative of and it's one of the things that I miss about it when compared to my current system.

 

I'd like it more if it had brightness control. It's one thing that's missing from current AW backlighting. I liked that I could lower brightness on my old NP9150 (about the only thing I liked about that keyboard.) Could you control brightness on your M15x? I know the older AW models had more lighting options than the new ones.

 

not good... i guess i'm keeping my m14x for as long as possible...

 

No, but the keyboard lighting did fade over the years so I guess in that sense I could haha.

 

lol that works. Same thing happened to one of the grill lights on my M11x. Looked pretty goofy until I swapped the palm rest to fix it.

 

there isn't going to be flashy keyboard that Alienware is much well-known for in the upcoming M14x??? that's it I'm moving on

 

I like the cooling holes.

 

While you can't dial it up and down, people often forget (I did for like 2 years lol) that you can dim the lights from the context menu on the icon for the AlienFX in the system tray. My M14x-R2 was just too bright then I finally remembered the dimming option - looks better and lasts longer IMHO.

That light up mouse pad I am convinced is pure BS.... the whole thing smacks of Chinese knock-off at best, or perhaps home modded setup of some kind, or a trial system with temporary parts like a clear deck for the mouse. Giving up lighted keyboards I suspect will never happen since I have watched in stores time and again someone wander in and zip over to the AW when they notice the lighting. Without lighting they are just playing everyone else's game. Besides, better to have the option and turn it off (which for some reason AW-haters seem to forget is possible) if it bothers you.

Seriously, I wouldn't worry much about these pics as the final design.

EDIT: it also occured to me that perhaps the square edge that allows light is gone but perhaps the keys them selves still show light through, or perhaps the keys are dim but the whole thing lights up (clear-dark keys possibly). I would be surprised but it might fit the over-the-top mouse pad... that would truly be hideous....

 

Ummm what? You say you use your laptop in low-light conditions... How is a backlit touchpad doing ANYTHING? In the dark I still know left from right, which is all you need to operate a touchpad. On the other hand I look down at my keyboard occaisonally to find a key, which you need to see the keys for, so that is a useful alienfx feature. And I will agree with failwheel, it does look goofy

 

Wow, didn't know you could dim the lighting like that. +rep for pointing that out. I'd still prefer to be able to dim the zones individually.

 

Whether or not I find it useful is for me to determine. I could manage with there being no light if need be, but if there are options to make things either easier or more convenient then I am going to look at them favorably.

 

Personally it's not a huge deal for me as I just shut off all the lights when I'm on battery or in a professional setting.

 

No offense meant, just wondering if I overlooked something.

 

Yes, I turn off the lighting on my M11x or M14x when I travel for work. It's funny, invariably someone will notice the Alienware logo and start some kind of discussion even without the lighting effects. Sometimres running the keyboard dark but the powerbutton, logo and front "ports" lit looks nice.

Gaming in the dark with red (your eyes are least sensitive to red wavelength hence the red light in subs, etc) would be something I would sorely miss.

 

I'd be extremely surprised if they go for backlighting the touchpad but not the keyboard....

 

I have the m14x r1 and one of the main reason I got it was because it was flashy, that's why you buy an alienware besides build quality. If they take away the backlit keyboard, I will have second thoughts about getting the new model vs the r2...

 

They won't change the aesthetic appeal Alienware is known for, I can almost guarantee you that. Why would they? There is no advantage in doing so, at least none that I can see. To save money? Redesigning all of their systems may lower production costs in the long run, but will likely cause a drop in sales if the design doesn't reflect improvements. Just wait and see, these pics could be anything from anyone. For all we know these are models some guy made himself -- nothing to do with Alienware/Dell -- as a project piece because it's his hobby.

If I had to bet on it, the M14x R3 will have addressed the heat issues and noise due to the heat, and hopefully all SATA III with additional USB 3.0; along with the new hardware coming out this year, it can't get any better.

 

I agree. maybe a little thinner...maybe... honestly I wish they brought back the m11x, I thought about picking one up a while back, but it is becoming outdated fast. that's off topic, here is my wishlist besides the 750m (woot woot)

Extra usb port
Wee bit thinner
Sata III definately
better cooling system
better job on the screen hinges, my hinge is kinda sloppy :l
Customize the light on the back of the laptop because it is sexy...

mainly cosmetics, this laptop can put the power down when you need it, any idea on the release date? talked to somebody who says sometime this summer, I hope that is true because I'm looking to upgrade my R1 before the new school year.

 

On the point about the M11x... all computers get outdated quickly these days with Intel's tick-tock timetable still in progress. However, many games will stay play well on an M11x-R2/R3, especially when you consider the use of overclocking and throttlestop (R2). If you can pick up an R2 for a good price I think they are still decent machines and the size is just always a benefit.

 

Well maybe when I have the means I will buy the m11x, looks epic

 

You do also have the 11 inch clevo, but they have stated that is not getting an update with haswell and they are more going for the 13" model.

 

c'mon manufacturers D: an 11" gaming laptop would be insane!

 

still hoping for an 11-13 in alienware to replace my m11x r2

 

Same here... I wish they'd do an M12x with the XPS 12's 1080 (IPS?) screen.

 

Damn, the new m17x r5 looks UGLY. Really, the fully customizable keyboard alienware is known for is usually a deal breaker. They're amazing, and one of the things that are actually unique to dell! If they're going with a Clevo keyboard now, it becomes a laptop the sorts that is re-branded, like cyberpower's laptops. If we're paying so much more why would we not pay less for the same unit?
Anyways, I'm probably just going to buy an m17x.. No use in paying extra for this, clearly.

 

This is true, if they ditch the colorful keyboard, Alienware notebooks would look less appealing than Asus ROG which is already $500 cheaper or so. I wish a guy from alienware could clarify those blurry pics

Sent from my PadFone 2 using Tapatalk 2

 

They can't because if they know something, they signed an agreement to keep it to themselves. sucks but that us the way it is.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S2 running Resurrection Remix

 

I'm surprised so many of you are hating on the new design. Frankly the current M14x is thick, heavy and the front grills are atrocious. I think this newer design is an improvement all around though they should have ditched M14x altogether and brought M15x back (maybe they will). M18x is definitely EOL as I predicted long ago. M17x will be the top end again with metal. I'm digging the new lid design, looks great. The keyboard will probably still retain AlienFx but be better quality than the current one. New M17x looks to be a bit thinner, probably will have some compromises in cooling vs M18x so enjoy the good times while it lasts.

 

Thin and ugly as hell

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk 2

 

Prototypes are usually not pretty....

 

looking back at the pictures now has anyone noticed that the screen is less glossy? i.e not mirror like. Sure its not matt in finish but it definately looks to be less reflective

 

There may not be a glass front to the screen, but again a prototype may not be looking at that.

 

Looks pretty damn glossy to me - note the reflections of the stickers and what looks like a roll of sellotape in the display. You can even see the top of the KB in the "reflection" too. If that's less glossy or reflective, somebody didn't explain what a mirror is to Dell LOL (Methinks that had he been around now, Narcissus would have had the top job in Dell's LCD display team )



I know this is not specific to the 17x or 14x, but if rumours are true, and the 18x is to be axed, I hope to god that Dell offer the option to have a display like the Precision range:

 

The more I look at it the more I am convinced that there is a different lighting effect - the keys look like there is a two-tiered step to them. I'm also thinking that the touch-pad is either a reflective piece in place of a final assembly there to indicate a future part, or possibly a simple plastic cover meant to be removed.


It would be unfortunate if the M18x got axed, but I think it's inevitable. People want lighter laptops, and with increasing power and better graphics card I'm not sure the whole dual-GPU is that big a deal going forward. On the flipside I agree that if the line is to continue, the M17x with dual GPU and a better screen would be preferred.

 

Let's hope for more customization (decently priced SSD/HDD combinations and decent matte high-gamut screens) and less keyboard flex.

Too much?

 

This is probably a fairly accurate statement, the m18x is a nice piece of hardware but from a practical standpoint it's unwieldy at best. The M17xR2 and M15x were in my opinion the highest points in Alienwares production series, scratching both of those has left consumers in an odd position were they have to make large sacrifices in one area to gain in another. It would be nice to see AW go back to their "roots" as it were and release a dual GPU 17inch that could compete weight wise against the 370EM and either a 14 or 15 inch that could compete with the 150EM in power.

I think there is a threshold in which weight ceases to be a major issue in mobility to most people, personally I would like to see a gaming 15' around ~4lbs but I suspect we are still a ways off from that (6.8lbs ain't bad though!!).

 

The M17x r2 is just as "unwieldy" as the M18x. Any time you have an aluminum dual GPU notebook it's going to be massive and heavy. It needs to be. I worry that an SLI M17x will suffer in the cooling department, something that the M18x excels at.

 

I think most 17'+ notebooks are a bit awkward, especially when hey tip the scale at 12lbs, add an extra in on top of that and we are talking about something that's completely impractical to use outside of an office with sufficient space.

That being said I'm going to agree with Doc on this one and say that the dual-GPU design is probably going to fade away, at least in "mainstream" equipment...........it's too much of a niche in an already niche market.

 

Ehh what's another inch. It's not like anyone lugging around a already hefty dual GPU m17 is going to complain about a few more pounds and some extra real estate. I think most people already threw the idea or getting a 'practical' laptop out the window at the Dual GPU stage.