The "Why you shouldn't buy the M15x" thread [OUTDATED] [FIRST GEN MODEL]

But tell him to wait for a couple of months... The M15x will eventually be the best choice on it's laptop range, I am sure.
The new clevo will just be a shadow of what the M15x is. The M15x has the power the clevo will have (a tiny bit less), but it has something that the clevo is completely eclipsed of... Style and class.

 

Eleron, the last time I gamed at 800x600 was to play Duke Nukem 3d and Doom. There's a reason that screen resolutions have gone up since then and why people typically enjoy gaming at higher resolutions when they have games that can handle it. Don't try to make this whole concept sound like it's something new. If you enjoy 960x600 then have at it. I happen to think it looks terrible at that res and that's nothing more than my opinion.

This entire discussion started due to Heathcliff arguing that MBP's were good "gaming" computers and he used Crysis as an example, putatively showing that it could run "smooth" with most settings at "high". That's misinforming readers on here that don't know any better. You have to severely restrict screen resolution to get it to run "smooth" and that degrades image quality, plain and simple. Any time you take 576,000 pixels and interpolate them on a 2+ million pixel screen, you get image degradation. It's not rocket science.

 

Heathcliff? Ahaha... That's a good one.

Anyway, can you stop it now and go and discuss it somewhere else please?
Can we try to keep this post informative and not get new readers into an off topic conversation?
Let's help the community now, shall we?
Cheers,
M

 

He needs it now, and no matter how "cool and fancy" the m15x is, it has already proven how terribly it handles heat .

Again,personal opinions ,as I said, so let's let it be, to each their own.

Sorry,but saying that 90-100C is the average range for this laptop in terms of heat is not helping anyone. As far as I'm concerned , it may be the sexiest 15 incher out there, but it seems to have the most problems also. It's pathetic how AW did this and still HAS NOT fixed most of the issues.
AW lost another customer today.

 

Fair enough. Ok, I'm done.

 

I agree with Eleron... It's really pathetic all the irresponsability AW has shown dealing with the recurrent problem the M15x has shown. The worst thing is the silence... They don't say a thing and if they do, it's a standard message "Oh yes... we are working on it!".

As the rest is concearned... The temperatures are obviously not acceptable. If the M15x can't handle a 8800GTX, then they shouldn't have put it there to start with. It's great to say "World fastest laptop", but that comes with the added responsability of stepping up to that. Fair enough, it does behave amazingly while playing, it's really something unreal on a 15.4''. But at what cost?
Right now, the M15x is a risk and an unwise bet for the future. 100C worth of gameplay for 2-4 hours a day will make it burn in no time. When (and if) that changes, then I have no problem on saying the M15x is the best thing money can buy out there.

Right now... the M15x is the best headache your money can get you. Mine is gone back to repairs (2 and a half weeks after I received it). For a brand new laptop... that can't possibly be right or, in any ways, acceptable.

 

Well just dropped back in to see how things were improving. And was saddened to see nothing still has been done for you M15x owners.

And still nothing from Engadget or any other tech website.
I guess we know who is filling the advertising budget.

Again Guys so sorry to hear nothing has been done.

 

yeah, so far nothing official. There is some hope as the phase 4 logjam has finally been broken with a resupply with cases -- there are rumours that these cases are actually a little revised for quality purposes. CSRs have been telling that story but no other official AW response at this point.

not that mine personally has a problem, but just in terms of the community as a whole

 

GRB - how long have you had an m15x, and had no problems? None, by the way? It runs great, and you're stoked about it?

 

Well I guess time will tell. I know before i canceled my system I was told the bottle neck was Screens not cases. But Who knows the truth these days. And still nothing from AW regarding the DC'ing.

Well hopefully if a case redesign did happen the early adopters will get the update free of charge.

 

Newfie, check out taco's thread on the cpu downclocking. It appears to have been temporarily solved by lowering the voltage on the cpu with RMclock. It's a work around at the moment, but it seems to work.

 

Well, as you can see by my sig, it was four months to the day yesterday since I got my laptop.

It hasn't been flawless as it has headed to the repair depot twice, but I don't *really* count those two issues. The first time was a trip to fix GPU downclocking; as I was one of the very first to have outlined the issue they had no idea how to fix it at first, and neither did I (I suspected it may have been something wrong in the BIOS, which it was, but I was actually more convinced it was a faulty card). Unfortunately for me I sent it in just a day before AW came out and told everyone a BIOS fix was about to be released. The second time was when my computer just shut off randomly and I smelled an electric smoke smell coming from the inside. However, while that sounds bad (and it was -- CPU was fried) it was due to a power fault, so nothing of AW's doing. They still repaired it on warranty, nonetheless, and in fact in doing so gave me a CPU upgrade.

Beyond those two events, I'm loving my machine. The thing looks really cool, performance is incredible (especially compared to my old machine) and the feel is great. Probably the only m15x-wide issues I have are wobbly screen and a sorta-creaky hinge. I don't notice the wobbly screen so much because I'm practically never using my laptop in a non-stable location, and I didn't become conscious of my squeaky hinge until other people started complaining about it. I think that's because mine only makes a noise the second you start moving it (overcoming the friction between the plastic) and then it's silent -- for others supposedly it's squeaky all the time you're moving it. As for heat, recently I noticed that my GPU has been going up to mid 90s in terms of heat, which it didn't do before, but I think that's due to dust. Just the other day I installed a new GPU fan (it was broken due to the power fault but AW didn't diagnose it, but it's not their fault -- long story) and then checked with FurMark immediately afterward, temperature never hit 90s. Now, only a couple days later, it's going past 90. I'm thinking some dust may have gotten in the fan during that process, so I reserve judgment on heat for now. CPU heat seems OK as I don't notice any CPU downclocking.

So yeah, in 300 words that's how my laptop is I love the machine and don't see why it can't last me as long as my old one, but I don't talk about my experience so much just because there are so many horror stories. I feel I'm too lucky.

 

Well, it's an encouraging story. I know someone who has one also, with the xtreme processor. She loves it, and has had no issues in the past 3 months. I've used it quite a bit, to sort of 'kick the tires' as I prepared to purchase. Her's sounds like yours, minus the initial two issues you had to have repaired. Well, I'm in Phase 4, so hopefully I'll get a good one!

 

Yeah, as I say, the first time it went to the depot it really didn't need to, and then the second time it went it was due to a problem outside AW's control (but they still repaired it free of charge)

 

I think m15x is just gonna die like m7700 did, until AW come up with a new model (m9700)

 

especially with the new revised chassis they have coming out..what bs, if i had a m15x, i would go nuts right now.

 

GBR, in "synthetic" tests, the GPU never goes very far in terms of temperatures.
What you need is to run Crysis or Stalker. Then you will be shocked...
I had the same as you. Furmark and ATI tools goes to 90-95C. Crysis or Stalker... you can cook on your laptop.

I would just like to ask people to stop for a second and think ahead. It's working fine now... and in half a year from now? Look at the 2 melting laptops already reported here.

 

I think that a new issue has arised and we all should be aware of. Two owners have reported their right hinges (close to the GPU) breaking. This might be due to the extreme temperatures the GPU reaches during gameplay.
To me, this just highlights the fact that the M15x is a time bomb, a computer that is slowing killing itself due essentially, to the bad cooling solutions.

Here are the posts detailing this problem:

 

Notice how that brass nut is loose...

thats prob the source of the prob a loose nut lewl not the heat...

un screwed joint + pressure of springs in lid = bend...

that my theory.. Aw forgot to put a nut on...?

This pic

the brass thingo
heat cant make bolts unscrew... thats sort of like a 1 off human error sort of thing.

 

Updated post number 1 with this new development.
I hope people realize that this is the current state of affairs and, until proven wrong, this is what you should assume when getting the m15x.

If I was suggesting not getting the M15x, right now my attitude is drastically changing.
If you do get the M15x now, that's probably the most unwise thing you could possible do.

 

Heathkid... do you love Bonzy buddy?

 

stay on topic?

i will repeat... over heating can not make a screw go loose so NO u do not have a ticking time bomb.

the Light leaking issues do look horible but if u remember the early m15x shipped with out the light pipe turned on because clearly AW was aware of this and decided to disable that feature before people complained....
Im sure the majority of new cases don't have this.

 

Happy we have such a helpful community around.

 

So does it seem to anyone else that mot of the people that are having M15x quality issues live outside of the U.S.?

 

I'm from the UK. Although Fex, Jaynhavokk, newfie, taco, etc... are from the USA (or Canada).

And, even if people do not complain regarding quality, we have to consider what are temperatures that the GPUs are coming up to during gameplay. There are two cases of lid's hinges breaking on the right side (close to the GPU). Who knows if this has a direct correlation with the high temperatures the 8800GTX reaches. I deeply believe we should try to clear this out on everyone's interest. Old and new owners (and potential as well).

 

Milcs bro, I just want to tell you that I really admire the courage you have to stand up and make a thread like this for potential buyers warning about the major flaws of the M15x. I think this is an excellent thread which will reveal the truths behind the M15x, preventing many owners to think it's ok for them to pay such a large amount of money for a premium laptop with so many flaws.

I really applaud you man. I hope you will stick firmly to your cause and not let those negative comments from that special someone bring you down. I'm behind you all the way bro.

 

Well, you may actually be right that heat isn't the best explanation for the damage to those two screens. (If it were heat, I think we'd see warping and damage closer to the actual heat-source...)

But the indisputable fact is that whatever the reason, those two screens are damaged. I'm more inclined to think that it's pressure from the hinges and springs themselves cracking the plastic. But whatever - heat, pressure, poor quality on the assembly line - it's happened more than once, and that's the problem.

 

After seing some of those pics,there is no doubt in my mind that AW is among the crappiest laptop assemblers yet.

 

@lightning penguin- thanks for the encouraging words. Sometimes people seem to think we are in some kind of war here. I wish everyone realised that this was done so that we could all benefit from it. Anyway...

I updated again the 1st post with pictures from the other "Lid Snapping" accident.
Thanks to Fex and Jayonhavok for the pictures.

 

wow...

This is worth 3k?

 

From experience with two AW laptops, I'd say that the build quality is pretty decent. I took both lappies on separate occasions on camping trips (i know... ) and I've carried it around to just any place and they all held up fine.

 

Might have been in the past,hell,I would've bought an AW last year if they had a better rep and deal than Sager , but it wasn't the case.
I think that the m15x is among the worst things AW ever released in terms of quality.

 

No. Actually, just last year. I had an m5550 and the chassis was really well built and the skullcap design looks cool to add on to it.

I have the m15x, and it is definitely a step up from the m5550 concerning heating and the chassis itself. Although I really miss the skullcap.

Also, remember that most of the time you will read about the bad sides of companies. The satisfied customers are too busy having fun.

 

If the M15x is a step up... I can hardly imagine what the m5550 was...

 

Let me list the problems

Area 51 5550i
1 Motherboard that overheated.
So they replaced 4 Heatsinks and GPU.
On the 5 trip they replaced the overheating.

Then the Sleep mode 2 WLan Cards Use one WLan card from a Acer laptop. Same problem

Then replace the Motherboard.

Same issue.

Now upgrading to the M15x. On tuseday.

 

Poor you... Good luck. You are going to need it...

 

What I have to say is when a company abuse it Clients. The Clients will strike back.

 

hey did you get them to credit you for the m5550i?

 

I came a little late to the party and haven't read the entire thread but as a m15x owner I thought I'd add my 0.02$.

First of all I'd like to say that at current the machine does almost everything I need it to do perfectly. I actually like it a lot. My biggest problem with it is the damn keyboard lag, which is so bad that I find it pointless to use IM services because I have to type so slowerly to actually get it to include every letter that by the timeI have finished my sentance it's pointless. This is a really big issue for me and I hope there will be released a fix for it.

That being said, I actually recognze most everything from milcs OP and personally find the webcam so terribly bad that I wish they had just not included it in the first place.

In addition to the things being discussed I have also experienced a mjor problem with my card reader, further detailed with pics here:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=239556

To me this shows how extremly sloppy their production is and how limited the testing must be. This issue would have been immidiately discovered if they had even trid to insert a mem card into the reader.

If I could go back then I would never have bought this laptop.

 

Fr33m4n uninstall the touchpad driver and use the windows default will fix your lag..

 

Fr33m4n, thanks for the input... and honesty.
As you nicely state, most of it is fine and you probably won't mind about all those problems. But they are there...

If they could manage to solve the heating problem and the wobbliness, I would probably not look twice to the other problems. In my opinion, right now, the high temps the GPU reach are just a "technological cancer" that will eventually spread and cause some serious problems.

 

I would have to agree the M15x was the biggest mistake AW have ever released.

Glad I sent mine back and have never looked back. Truly enjoying the MBP. Isn't a top notch gaming system but it gets me by.

I think the only truly option most of you with issues have left is getting public awareness out there. I know we have all tried the different tech sites, with no effect. I think the YouTube video would a good start. And if nothing else comes along, then I would suggest putting a little legal action against them.

I filed a complaint against AW with the BB and I was surprised when she said "they have few complaints on file now" She didn't say exactly what each system was, but she did say they have enough complaints to start looking further into it.

I think AW should be ashamed of the way they have treated their customers, and they truly owe of each of you an apology. I would strongly suggest everyone file a complaint with the BBB and get some outside pressure forced upon AW. Every one has been way way to lenient with AW and should be demanding more from a company self proclaiming to the best with a 200 point inspection.

 

What's bizarre to me is how they have such a high rating on resellerratings.com 9/10 for the past 6 months? I think they have people going on there to skew the numbers but who knows.

 

I doubt that (but i could be wrong). I think there is just a small sampling that is having these issues. In every business they do allocate some % that will fail, the trick is to make it low. Also it could be that most people are oblivious and just don't test their systems to the degree of some on here.

I personally can't attest to quality because i haven't gotten mine yet. Two of my friends do currently own m15x's and do not have any problems with them. So you never know.

 

Part of it too is that those of us who are members on this technical forum tend to push the limits of our hardware. That is probably a minority of consumers. Take the two girls in the AW youtube video on the AW homepage. Chances are they are using their m15x's for nothing more than myspace, the sims, itunes, and color coordinating the AlienFX to their outfit for the day.

 

nice stereotyping. nah, seeing how they go nuts when they see the alien heads on the boxes, chances are they get around to their fair share of video gaming.

 

Plus the father of those girls came on these forums and told us that he owned an m9750, so they would know what the alienhead means when they saw it.

 

Heh, ok so maybe I'm just jealous. It looked like were going to college or something. Wanna know what I got when I went to college? A firm handshake from dad and a free tank of gas.

 

heh fair enough

 

Dont' feel bad, I had to work to buy my laptop.