is the m15x worth it now?

well im just wondering as some people are saying that they're built different now and their stronger. i dont know if its true but do you think its worth taking the plunge and getting an m15x? will it still downclock? will it warp the plastic because it gets too hot? will the hinge break? will it creak when opening? will there be light bleeding? will it just fall apart in a year?

what do you all think? my friend is thinking of getting one and wants to know some info on it.

 

In before someone suggests a sager/clevo.

Most of the problems that were deemed "major" have been fixed.

Will it downclock?
With the X34 BIOS, it shouldn't.

Will it warp plastic?
The fan speed updates should cover this.

Will the hinge break?
We do not have a definite answer on this yet. When you're buying an m15x, you have to acknowledge the risks that will come from buying this. This includes the hinges that could possibly break. So far, there have been (11?) cases so far and they're mostly (if not all) with the older m15x's.

Will it creak?
It can't tell you it loves you if it doesn't. It creaks a little.

Will there be light bleeding?
Possibly.

Will it just fall apart in a year?
The m15x hasn't been out long enough to tell. We're hoping it will and if you're not certain, extend the warranty.

I think it's a great notebook. I love it and it's just absolutely what I could have ever wanted. Style, performance, and well, so far for me, stability.

 

thanks alot oceanus (rep+) very clearly explained. its definitly a gamble without the extended warrenty. i myself am probably getting the ocz whitebook, which has the same chasis as the alienware m9750 but with lights and other stuff.

and just wondering, how long have you had your notebook, i (tornbacchus's friend) might order the m15x later this week

 

I've had it since August 5th. Anything before May seems to have had defects with it. My m15x along with a few others who have purchased their m15x's recently (and by recently, I mean early-June until now) have had little or no problems with their m15x's.

 

received mine on january 30th and so far no major problems here. my system did have overheating issues, but the latest x34bios and x32 have seemed to solve those problems. just get the 3year warranty. the newer systems shipped out have the x34bios installed and i'm sure AW have a much thorough check due to the many complaints/issues. you have a better chance of getting a gem than the unlucky ones who got duds. good luck.

 

Whoa, since January 30th. This is rare, good news (or maybe these forums just make it seem that way). I hope for the continued well being of your m15x.

 

i hope so planning on ordering 1 soon

 

yeah...since being one of the first guinea pigs, i am one of the few who ordered the m15x with the C2D processor T7700

 

I'm one of the later owners of the m15x, and I can say that I am still very satisfied with it now. Been using it for over a month now

 

I've only owned mine for 2 days but I'm very happy with it this far at least!

 

Yeah. For some reason though, I think buying the m15x has given me something to do. Troubleshooting small problems with the m15x is sort of thrilling for me (I find some excitement in fixing problems.) Not to mention working closely with Roswell is quite a nice experience too.

In other words, I'm a freak who likes to try and fix things. 8)

 

I'm always at a loss as to how to respond to these posts. On one hand, I'm one of the lucky buyers who's had almost no issues, whatsoever. That being said, there's plenty of horror stories on here. Does that mean that AW's QA department is lacking? Or... does it mean that some people just can't be satisfied and are going to find something wrong regardless, as well as exaggerate their problems? It's probably a little bit of both.

Either way, I've been almost completely happy with mine. My only complaints at this point would be from an aesthetic standpoint and that's completely relative. I just don't like the shiny, plastic look which is why I find the macbook pro's so attractive. On the other hand, the mbp's can't play my games at 1920x1200 with 8x AA and maxed out detail on my 24" monitor. Other than that, my keyboard still has a bit of lag that hasn't been fixed yet with any of the software updates and I refuse to uninstall the trackpad drivers but that's my choice. It's not a big issue to me because I typically have the laptop closed and type on a usb keyboard. Let's see... the card gets a bit warm under certain games but is still within specs. The security lock to my knowledge still does not work. The squeakiness of the lid is still present but you get used to it after awhile. That's about it I guess. I'm stuck on the fence about selling mine for a macbook pro. As soon as I convince myself that I want to use OSX and will be happy enough gaming on a less powerful card, I boot up something and run it maxed out in all it's glory on my 24" LCD and can't bear the thought of giving that up, lol.

 

the battery life on the m860tu is really bad... i think there is still a good reason to get the m15x... battery life.


the m860tu bearly makes 2hours.. its depressingly bad for a 8cell 15inch laptop

 

What are your other impressions of the notebook Heath? I've been following some of the reviews and taking what I think is an objective look at the notebook since I'm considering switching to mac anyway. So far, I haven't been impressed by what I've read. I think cooling might be a bit better but the laptop looks cheap in the photos I've seen and the lack of battery saving features is a bummer. What's been your experience so far?

 

Just a little info for those planning to order a m15x with 8800M GTX - they are all on backordered and Alienware is waiting for a new shipment of the cards which will be in a few weeks. Ive placed my order on August 17th and still waiting...

 

It seems like the number of us satisfied customers is increasing.

 

I agree. I have a friend who just bought an m15x... I havn't had time to compare the build quality to mine (purchased in march), but I will. So far he's had NONE of the typical complaints about the system. I told him about everything that COULD go wrong, he got the system anyways.

He's really really happy about the purchase. very few complaints and I think most of those are just misunderstandings about how the hardware is supposed to be working... I havn't actually sat down to talk to him about it seriously.

I'll keep everyone posted. Maybe after reviewing his unit and getting his input, I'll finally post a review. (maybe even a video review?)

 

Might want to interrogate him then, haha. 8)

 

I guess that's one way to look at problem solving LOL!

No matter how much good or bad you hear about something, it always come down to what you want. As you can see on these boards, not all of the units is defective. If you're looking at getting one, them I'm sure money is not a concern and it would seem worth a shot to get one. The only reason I can think of to get a 15" notebook, is to have good battery life. Seeing that the m15x has that and the ability to game, go for it!

 

ok, just another question, how easy is it to install an 8800M GTX on the m15x? i see that its 500$ to upgrade, but know i can get is for less than half of that.

so is there a way, and is it easy? any videos?

 

You cannot purchase the 8800gtx from anyone but AW. Seems they make them somewhat proprietary. The installation itself is a cakewalk. Save money in the long run and get the highest CPU/GPU you can. Cheap out on the RAM and HDD. Those are simple to upgrade yourself later. Not to mention they do not void the warranty.

 

My bad!

Maybe you better look into something else.

 

I've heard that the card has been back ordered a few times since the m15x was released indicating short supply. It's a good idea and I did the same thing when upgrading to SLI on my old m9700 but you might run the risk of having to wait a long time for the part. You would be on the bottom of the list under the m15x and m17x existing orders. It's not hard to install. If you're short on cash and don't mind waiting, then go for it.

 

nope....too much too little