ready to buy m17 please comment on my choices

Hello Alienwaredroids.

I don't have a lot of cash to spare and I'm paying cash for it - my credit wasn't approved by Alienware Titanium. ( !!!!111 I have a good credit score)

anyhow, here we go:

Black Ripley Design 1920x1200 + $100
Illuminated Keyboard with Numeric Pad - Alienware Exclusive Design + $50
2GB Dual Channel DDR3 SO-DIMM at 1066MHz – 2 x 1024MB (cheaper to upgrade it later)
320GB 7,200RPM (16MB Cache) w/ Free Fall Protection + $75
Internal Intel® Ultimate N 5300 a/b/g/Draft-N Mini-Card with MIMO Technology The World's First 450 Mbps Wi-Fi Adapter! [+$50 or $2/mo.] ( do I really need it?)

thanks guys,

I'm going to use it as a replacement of my HP 15'4 dv5t that's about it. (the games I play: Age of Conan / FEAR 2 / Battlefield 2)

 

get 4 gig of ram and your set.

 

What CPU/GPU set up did you opt for?

No, you don't need that WiFi adapter. Even with my old E1705's Dell 1390 (or whatever it was), I still hit my ISP's download and upload caps.

I agree with 1920x1200.
I have the illuminated keyboard, and it is barely visible even when it's dark. I hate to can on my own laptop, but it's the truth.
Good choice to buy RAM elsewhere.
Probably cheaper to get another HDD elsewhere too.
Get rid of the little stuff you don't need, and you may possibly save enough to upgrade the CPU/GPU's. Again, I don't know what you got.

 

This CPU and standard GPU 3870 Intel® Core™2 P8600 2.4GHz (3MB Cache, 1066MHz FSB) [+$50 or $2/mo.]

 

Hmmm. So a P8600 with a single 3870? I've said this before, and others may disagree, but a single 3870 with a 1920x1200 LCD may not be a good choice. Unless you plan on upgrading to Xfire at a later date.

 

May be I'm doing something wrong but I have a desktop AMD x2 +4200, ATI AGP 3850 with 512GB and 2GB RAM - I was able to play FEAR2 on medium-high with 30+ fps. on 24'' 1920x1200.

 

asgaroth perhaps you shoudl put off buying the m17 for now theres new technology comming in october.

 

yep, it might be a good idea. But what can improve in m17?

it's already have DDR3 and 4850, new GPU 58xx wouldn't be ready for a while. And I'm not sure if the starting price would be 999.

just MHO

 

5000 series will most likely not work with the M17, but who knows. also get dual core, not quad on the 17.

 

I really wouldn't recommend just the single 3870,I'm not sure it would even be the equivalent of a desktop 3850.

 

Asgaroth, don't count on any GPU upgrades for the M17. If you get a 3870, plan on being stuck with that until your next laptop purchase. CPU's are a dime a dozen, because socket P is socket P, even in another laptop model. You can get them on Ebay. GPU's are another story. What you buy when you order the laptop is likely what you'll be stuck with. I'm still waiting for Alienware to make the 4850s available to prior M17 owners. Hard drives, CPUs, RAM, WiFi cards...all can be purchased online. If you find an extra couple of bucks to spend on two 4850s, you'll have a very stout laptop.

 

what is your need for having a m17. is it because of the "alienware logo" on the back????

i'm am pulling up some old data from my whitebook and you will see the difference between crossfire and a single card.

edit: i can't find my records but you NEED crossfire.

i well tell you that i would to get the everything stock and 4850 crossfire and 1920*1200. if you can't afford that then 3870x2 and 1920*1200.....

what is your budget?

 

MSI GT 729


is EXACTLY what you need

but if you do get the M17 DROP THE SCREEN get Xfire

 

Asgaroth, I have literally had my m17 for 1.5 weeks. Here is what I got...
m17, free upgrade to p8600, xfire 3870s, 1900x1200 screen, keyboard lighting, 2gb ram, 160hd. I have played champions online, the new Dungeons and dragons online, arma2, css, and a few others. Most I can play at maximum res with all the bells and whistles, minus arma2.

Now, with all that said, the gents above are 100 percent correct... everything on the laptop is pretty easy to upgrade, including hard drive and cpu... except the gpu. Obviously I wish I would have got the 4850.. I just could not afford it. Offering one would have been nice... but oh well.. so .. the order of importance is as follows...
1. GPU GPU GPU GPU GPU GPU
2. SCREEN
3. CPU
4. RAM/HD either can be purchased much cheaper outside of the website.

I hope this helps. I love my M17 so far.. took a few days to get used to it and iron out everything... But I can't wait to walk into my nearest starbucks and smoke everyones @#$#... (did I just say that?).. yes I did...

ps.. i ran setfsb last night and got the p8600 up to 2.6 with no worries at all...

Best Wishes,

StevenX

 

1) I love Alienware design.
2) I'm doing a lot of programming sitting in front of TV watching whatever. 15'4 - 17'' is fine for me. Also I will be taking it to school I don't care about the weight.
3) I love computer games and I play Age of Conan (it's kind of a bit slow on AGP 3850 on medium.
4) I need a stable laptop not HP falling apart piece of carp.
5) I want something to last more than 3 years.

and it seem I will be getting 3870 in crossfire. Thanks to the group.

 

Seriously GET THE 4850 CARDS. You will SERIOUSLY regret it later on if you don't. They are TWICE as powerful (Yes, twice) as two 3870s. And people haven't been able to get them for an upgrade at ALL.

If you want it to last more than 3 years then 4850s is the way to go.

Seriously, make the money somehow, it's well worth the extra cost, and then some.

 

GET THE 4850s above everything else! Everything is secondary to those things because, like mentioned above, no one has been able to upgrade to them.

 

I doubt he can afford the 600 .... With what he said ...

 

yep, can't I can crossfire 3870 max

 

Can you do 4850 and 1440*900 lcd. If you an do that then do it.

The lcd, ram, cpu, and every else can come last. The lcd would be the next to upgrade..........

The 4850 crossfire are serious and make the 3870 look like a joke..... If you have to wait a month, do it... We are not leading you in the wrong direction.

 

For 4850 I have to wait for at least a month
my problem is - in a few weeks I'm selling HP dv5t for $600 and I can't be without a laptop more than a week.

 

come on squeeze it out

4850s are ALOT ALOT ALOT more powerful .....like peeing in your pants more

IF you can get them , because you can upgrade EVERY thing with peices off ebay later

 

But would I ever reach the need for that much power? ever? in 3 years? I don't see the difference 200fps or 50fps and medium-high is fine with me if it's a fun game.

Guys, I really appreciate all your posts. Just trying to justify every dime. and +400 it's a lot

 

lol i know i work @ subway and go to school

if you want the laptop to last on playign games 2+ years on high then yea


but i will admit the 3870's play games @ 1900 res JUST fine now

 

Ye, I will go with 3870. Sorry to disappoint lol

 

It's worth it. There are plenty of games that'll be released in the next 3 years that will seriously utilise the power of the 4850s. And trust me, the graphics are that nice that it's worth it. It's like playing Crysis on high for the first time: you might not think spending tons on a computer for the graphics is good, however it is just breathtaking. The $400 is well worth it, especially considering the most expensive desktop cards cost a lot more than that and people normally buy several of them. (Example: the new Asus Mars graphics card, which Asus makes from two GTX 285 (desktop card obviously) cards, the most powerful card in the world and it costs over $1000.)

^^^sorry about the wall of text^^^

 

hoesntly. that is up to you. the difference between the 4850 and the 3870 i big. right now it isn't a huge enough difference in performance. the 3870 is get 30fps and the 4850 would get 40-50fps.

BUT with games that are heavy on shaders (which is an important note because games are using more and more shaders) the 3870 will fall big time. vantage even though it's a benchmark is a perfect example.
the 3870x2 gets an average gpu score of 6200-6400 points(this was tested my me using a [email protected]). depending on the user and the knowlege the know.......
the 4850 x2 will get 9000-10,000(this is not exactly accurate because more testing needs to be done in order to know where it should be) depending on the user and the cpu
an important note is that these are stock clocks. (3870x2=660/850)(4850=500/800)

in order to get the 3870x2 to get any where close to these scores you would have to overclock it very very very very high.

on a real benchmark, an example would be crysis. on the 3870x2 on very high, i believe my fps was 13fps(13fps on very high and 17fps on high). on the w90(they have the specs on the 4850 alittle higher clock on the memory) got 29fps average.

even though that doesn't seem big, if you want to use a percentage that's more then double.....
for me. i want the best out there no questions ask.

if you want more comparsions. let me know. i think you should do more research on the 3870x2 vs the 4850x2 before dropping the bomb on it.

what other games will you be playing. i have ran alot of games with the 3870x2 so i know where they stand. (moo, corsiar, talon and alot others has also...)
and i have some scores of the 4850 so thats not a really problem.

dmc4 benchmark removed.

 

I know the 4850s are said to be twice as powerful but nobody has proved this yet on this site through benchmarks! forgive me if Im wrong.

But just to add.....yes get the 4850s over anything else. They are more powerful than the 3870s and everybody rates them.

 

in vantage the 4850 scored 7 k on a single card

the 3870's in xfire score 8.5k MAXXXX

 

well only 3-4 people have them so that's why there isn't enough test. a good comparision is the w90(4850x2) vs the m17(3870x2) (which the w90 whips it)
or the msi gt725(single 4850) vs a m17 (single 3870).(again the msi whips it)


i'm in class so i can't really toss out benchmarks

i'll bring up links when class is over about it. (some other benchmarks.) the only problem is finding notebooks with the same cpu.....

 

Age of Conan!
FEAR 2
Prototype
Cryostasis: The Sleep of Reason
Battlefield 2
Wolfenstein

looking forward for these:
BioShock 2
Starcraft II
Battlefield: Bad Company 2

I don't like CRYSYS

 

all those i ran on 3870's @ 1440 res MAXEED

 

All I was saying was that some of the early benchmarks from the guys on here with the new 4850 X-fire setup were not that impressive.

I suspect this was just circumstance and bet they do kick butt.

 

i wish i have the 4850 for a week.

but i sold my whitebook before all those games.
but crystasis @1920*1200 16x everything maxed out, i got 5fps on my whitebook. i was so mad i couldn't max out that game.

my 9800m gtx single got 15fps with the same settings.

i believe it was the shaders that cause the 3870x2 to fall on it's knees.

(i'm out class ... do you have any older games before june 09... i can compare)

 

Did you check my updated benchmarks to see the difference a good CPU made? They were substantially faster than peoples 3870 results after
Not double faster but still much nicer, especially at high settings etc

 

Age of Conan, EVE Online, Bioshock, Fallout 3, Mass Effect

 

no Alex, I must have missed it. I have only ever used 3Dmark06 so can only compare with that....what score did you hit at 1280 x 1024?

sorry for interrupting the thread.

 

nice alex... i was waiting for you to join. can you run some stock runs real quick. (just the gpu not the cpu)
dmc4 maxed no aa
dx9 @1080p

dx10 @1920*1200



vantage



you can run overclocked on the gpu's also but just tell us if you do. these are all stocked. except the cpu which is at 3.2ghz. i have fc2 also but that's alittle to high of a score.

i only play bioshock fallout3 and a minute of mass effect.

bioshock. i was at 60fps because of v-sync. i couldn't turn it off for some reason. so it was just at 60fps firm

fallout i was at 30fps outside doing stupid stuff. inside it was alot higher. i believe it was 40-50fps. a bigger jump......

mass effect i don't remember. (i'm getting old lol)

but the reason why we are saying to ge tht e4850 is because it will last longer. some of the games, the cards was under 30fps which made me start to worry..... the 4850 should have higher runs then those....

 

3dmark 06 was about 16k, and didnt show any major differences, Vantage (I actually managed to push 10.5K GPU score with a mild test GPU overclock) and games however showed some pretty nice improvements, average game improvement over the 3870s was anywhere between 10-50%. I mean the DMC default on some scenes average rose by about 100fps
Crysis is also completely playable (20-50fps, 30-40 average) at DX9 High, 1920x1200...the 3870s have to drop to 1440x900 to get similar fps.

Check out my benchmark thread as I've added loads of before and after pictures, sorry about the picture sizes, I dont know the code to resize them!

@Don - I wouldnt if my M17 wasnt on it's way back to AW

 

oh oh i see.

 

get the 4850s i got them and they are well worth it.. I ordered everything stock (fml shouldve gotten screen), and it rocks. One thing I hate about the m17 though is that its so damn ugly.. (chunk of metal)

 

Tony, here's a link to the thread, again sorry the pictures are huge, they're 1:1.

Early pictures are with the p8400, after the update they're the x9100

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=404008

Here's an example DMC4 shot so you see what I mean (720p), the 4850s are really CPU limited with a low end CPU, with a faster CPU they're awesome.
Before:



After:

 

leg(sorry lol i had to do it)

what's your setup???
maybe you can run some stuff???

 

Cheers Alex, from the little I know 16000 is a good score and the 10.5 Vantage score is awesome.

Damn I want those 4850s now!

 

Hehe yeah I loved them RIP.
My average Vantage GPU score with my X9100 at 3.3 was 9.8, which is still faster than my old desktop 4870

In games, from what I've seen, these 4850s are working out somewhere between 10-50% faster with a comparable, decent CPU, over the 3870s. My benchmark thread has a load of results from stuff like Farcry 2, RE5 etc

 

i don't have any runs at 1280*720. only a single 3870 run. and it was done in dx10.

 

Don, heres a 1920x1200 DX10, no AA shot for comparison to your 3870X2 shot

 

im just rolling with a p8600, 4gb ddr3, 160+320gb 7200rpm hd, dual 4850s with the 720p screen(i know, FAIL).

havent been able to play much cause i exceeded my bandwith at school and they banned me for a couple of days..lol....

 

Don as a direct comparison your scores DX10, 1920x1200 were
100.2, 74.6, 121.8, 79
Mine were:
130.3, 118.9, 146.57, 101

As you can see 20-40% improvement or so.

 

thanks alex. i wasn't going to go back and forth with the scores.....

yeah i wish i had more games. here's quadzilla's w90 with 4850 crossfired
DMC 1920*1080 maxed 8aa. overclocked.
http://i32.tinypic.com/25hdcth.jpg

there's ichime's whitebook 3870x2