What Should I Be Testing For?

So hopefully, if I get out of Phase 8 (Been there since Thursday) I'll be recieving mine this week. Some of you mentioned there were things you wanted me to test. What exactly do you want me to test? I'd like to do it right away as soon as I recieve my the laptop so I can let you guys know.

Specs:

Display: 15.4" WideXGA+ 1440 x 900 LCD (720p) with Clearview Technology
System Lighting: Alienware® AlienFX® System Lighting - Aqua
Video/Graphics Card: 512MB NVIDIA® GeForce® 8700M GT
Processor: Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T9300 2.5GHz (6MB Cache 800MHz FSB)
Operating System (Office software not included): Windows Vista® Home Premium with Service Pack 1
Notebook Tuners and Remotes: With Express Card Media Center Remote Control
Memory: 4GB Dual Channel DDR2 SO-DIMM at 667MHz – 2 x 2048MB
System Drive: 320GB 7,200RPM (16MB Cache) w/ Free Fall Protection
Optical Drives : 8x Dual Layer Burner (DVD±RW, CD-RW) w/ LightScribe Technology - View Demo
Wireless: Internal Intel® Wireless 4965 a/b/g/Draft-N Mini-Card
Sound Card : External Creative X-Fi Xtreme Audio Card
Keyboard Options: AlienFX® Illuminated Keyboard – Exclusive Design


Also, those who recieved their systems, were you planning on keeping Vista? My intention was to play with it for a few days, then make two small partitions for Vista and Linux, with XP being the main OS.

Edit: Yes guys, I know installing RAM is cheaper and that the 8800 GTX is better, I'd like to remind everyone of what I said a month ago when I ordered: Poor student who doesn't trust herself with installing RAM, and not being able to afford the 8800 GTX. Not to mention all the overheating issues.

 

any reason why u didn't get the 8800m gtx? and a higher res screen?

 

Didn't see the need for a higher res screen, and both my student funds and all the overheating issues made me decided not to get the 8800.

Also, VERY cute cat!

 

the higher screen res on the m15x isnt that good. At 15.4 inch the quality difference is barely noticable and at the high resolution, words are very small. Also, gaming at higher resolutions stresses the gpu and the cpu much more since they have to upkeep more detailed graphics. Most gamers wont go for the higher resolutions.

If not for the 8800 though, i wouldnt get the m15x. At least u can update it in the future.

 

I would ditch the RAM(install it yourself), the media center remote, and get the 8800m GTX.

 

Well seeing as how it should be arriving this week, it's a bit late. But as I mentioned when I ordered it a month ago, I don't trust myself with installing the RAM myself, nor I do I know anyone in my area who is experienced enough to attempt it.

 

im planning on getting the m15x over the next few months. Is it easy to install the ram yourself? Also does it void the warranty? I have little/no experiance regarding the internals of a computer.

Sorry about hijacking the thread, i thought it would be a waste to create a new one for one simple question.

 

installing new ram is one of the easiest things to do for a laptop. all you have to do is take out the old ram and put in the new ram. you dont have to do anything after that. once you do it you will know how easy it is.

changing ram will not void the warranty

here is the link to the guide
http://4help.alienware.com/cgi-bin/...2VhcmNoX3RleHQ9bTE1eCByYW0*&p_li=&p_topview=1

 

To give yourself some more peace of mind, check this link out.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=263138

 

Some thing that has been annoying me a little is this question from people. Not everyone has money growing in their backyards. It is very expensive. (the 8800m gtx) And yes there are other reasons for buying this notebook: The ability to upgrade, the looks, the name, the 8700mGT(which is not bad), etc.

 

There is no 8800 overheating anymore.

 

I think advice can be given, as long as you give them a way of accomplishing the recommendation. I advised getting the 8800m GTX, and recommended not purchasing 4 gigs of RAM to afford it. Upgrading the RAM is easy and cheap. Upgrading the GPU is neither...

 

Do the 2.5 and 2.4 ghz processors have overheating issues still?

 

Only the X9000 2.8GHz processor had widely reported downclocking problems.

I don't recall any reports of the 2.4 & 2.5s having problems.

 

GPU overheating seems not to be present in majority of people receiving their laptops now, but I would be a bit careful saying they solved the overheating problem. My THEORY is that probably old GPUs had this problem and newer ones do not heat so much.
Regarding CPUs, nothing has been made and the extreme processors will downclock. My CPU (2.5GHz) reaches 92ºC after 2 hours of constant heavy use.

Livre, regarding what you should test:

Exterior
- Paint Job
- Scratches
- Keyboard flex close to the arrow keys
- Screen wobbliness/creaking/firmness (also, is there light bleeding on the silver plastic?)
- Kensington lock (does it fit Kensington chain locks?)
- Gap above ethernet
- Lights (AlienFX)

Interior
- Monitor temps of GPU during gameplay (check my thread on that)
- Monitor temps of CPU during CPU intensive usage (check my thread on that)
- Register temps on idle and intensive usage. Check fan behaviour (mine were ALWAYS on)

That's all that comes to my mind now. I'm sure yours will be amazing!

 

what milcs seid. Question to Milcs did you get your system back and how is it running?

 

I wish...
Still waiting. I'm supposed to receive a call today or tomorrow regarding receiving a new laptop. It will be good to make a solid judgment on any possible improvements, as I will be receiving a (hopefully) brand new laptop.

 

We are in the same boat, Phase 8, that means they are doing a GOOD QUALITY CONTROL CHECK ON OURS, since it is taking so long. :twitcy: :twitcy: :twitcy:

 

JK jeep, have you called AW about that phase 8? Thats an awful long time. I ordered mine on the 13th, a day after you and im already recieving mine on thursday. Thats doesnt really make sense. I dont understand how i can recieve mine faster, in fact much since yours hasnt even shipped yet, and yours is still in phase 8...

 

Sent an email to the Roswell Team

 

they have seen his posts here and don't want to send him something he can be even more negative about