XPS Studio 1640 or Alienware M15x?

I've just received a response from Dell Head office after emailing [email protected] and they've offered me a choice of 2 Brand new replacement systems:

XPS Studio 1640 or Alienware M15X

Here are the Specs I've been offered:

 

I have owned both and have to vote for the m15x.
I loved the sxps 1640 but the heat issues and throttling drove me nuts.

The only downside I have found with the m15x is it is big and heavy

 

The specs make all the difference. A top of the line 1640 is going to dominate the base M15x in terms of performance. The M15x offers some pretty poor performing parts in the base model (i3-330m and GT240m) considering other currently available options. Post the specs when you get them.

 

Should be with me in the next half hour

 

Great result there Robot, I doubt you could've wanted more

Adam

 

Specs have just been received.

Opinions would be much appreciated

btw.

Is T6600 lower spec then my current T7500 processor?

 

Yep it's weaker. Usually the higher numbers <=> the better CPU

 

Are you going to be gaming? if so get the m15x, that 5850 is a beast! The i3's are also much better than a t6600 and can also be easily upgraded later if you want a quad

 

I'm going to email him back and ask if I could get a a better spec processor, plus a 9 cell battery (which is what I currently have at the moment). I might even try and push for a 3 year warranty, as I currently have another 3 to go on my current XPS

 

It's the same speed but half as much cache, so yes, it is lower spec.

After seeing the specs, go with the Alienware. It's graphics card is very nice (much more powerful and it's 2 generations newer than the other one). All the other specs are pretty much identical or also favor the Alienware.

 

Even if they bump you up to a 2.8GHz Core 2 Duo on the Studio XPS 1640 I'd still go with the Alienware. But I agree that you should push for your warranty to end when the original laptop's warranty ends.

 

Yeh, the specs do look so much better on the Alienware, plus it's also worth £350 more.

Is the the new Core i3 a better processor then the T7500?

The only issues ore me are the weight and lights, but I'm willing to get used it.

 

M15x Handsdown it's almost night and day I used to have a 1640 love/hate got me an M17x the big brother to the 15 and its all love here now and you can turn off the lights.

the 1640 specs you posted BTW are crappy and that is an old old 1640 with a 3670 the M15x you will not regret stick with it plus you can upgrade video cards and proc alienware uses true discrete graphics using MXM 3.0b standard which means it is like a desktop and you can upgrade those cards to whatever is permitted in the bios. (which is alot) the t7500 is a decent proc but an i3 is that much better + on the m15x you can go upto a 920XM which is an extreme proc the 1640 you cant go higher than a t9900 which is an excellent CPU but the Core i series dominates the COre 2 series anytime anyplace

 

It's got an excellent GPU I have to say, but would it still work well with the low end Intel i3?

 

I was editing my post re read also the i3 is a midrange CPU which anyway no proc these days are bottlenecks and the 3670 is two generations old the 5850 is brand new the alienware M15x is more futureproof where the 1640 is EOL(end of life) and the 3670 is a grandpa. and to answer your question it will, but lets say your not satisfied with it you have these options to goto.
Intel® Core™ i3-330M 2.13GHz (3M cache)
Intel® Core™ i5-540M 2.53GHz (3.06Ghz Turbo Mode, 3M cache)
Intel® Core™ i7-620M 2.66GHz (3.33Ghz Turbo Mode, 4M cache)
Intel® Core™ i7-720QM Quad Core Processor 1.6GHz (2.8GHz Turbo Mode, 6MB Cache) <-----my proc amazing
Intel® Core™ i7-820QM Quad Core Processor 1.73GHz (3.06GHz Turbo Mode, 8MB Cache)
Intel Core i7 920XM 2.0GHz (3.2GHz Turbo Mode, 8MB Cache)
World's fastest mobile Intel processor

you wont have those options on the 1640 and once you get past the i3 there is no C2D that will compete the i5 and i7's outperform C2D

 

Thanks for the info

I've just emailed dell back and have gone with the M15x

 

Great choice you will not regret It look forward to seeing you in the Alienware forum

 

I hope so. This will be my 1st experience with a gaming laptop

 

You will never want to go back also push for your existing warranty forgot to mention that Dell has to honor it

 

Yep, I mentioned that on the email.

 

I love my studio, but looking at those 2 systems I would take the m15x. The 1640 looks great, but has some old specs. Coming from an m17x to a 1645 I am still happy, but the alienware build quality is hard to match and you will be more then happy.

 

He has already chosen the Alienware. Can a mod close this thread.

 

Just in case I change my mind

lol

 

I've just emailed the Support guy back asked if he could do another spec of the Studio XPS system, as some of the parts are a downgrade of what I currently have. I'll post here once that's happened

 

That's the OP's choice to request the thread to be closed. : )

Yes please post back the lastest, and congrat's on finally getting some resolve.

If you get better specs on a XPS 16xx that is going to make your choice even harder!!

Cin...

 

tbh, if the specs were good the I would actually prefer to go with the Studio as it's a slimmer, lighter machine. But I would also have to consider it's price as the Aienware seems to be £400 more then the Studio XPS (at this moment in time), therefore it seems silly to go with the much cheaper machine. I will also decide whether to go with the alienware and then sell it and purchase a better spec Studio XPS, as I'm not such an enthusiastic gamer (plus I already have an Xbox)

Decisions Decisions

 

Quick Update

I've just spoken to the agent and I've managed to get the following changes done for the Alienware


Processor - Intel® Core™ i5 Processor 430M
Memory - 4096MB 1333MHz Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM [2x2048]
LCD - 15.6-inch Wide Full HD Display (1920x1080)


I tried to get a better processor, but he said that he was unable to go above a certain price (as it's a replacement) and that it was already on £1200.

It'll be a week before I get the replacement laptop, in which there'll be plenty of time say all my goodbyes before switching to the other forum

 

Thanks for all your help guys.

Couldn't have asked for a better resolution (apart from a better processor)

 

This is great news for you.. Glad you were able to settle on something you will be happy with And really, a week..is not that long of a wait!!


Cin...

 

Yeh, I'm really pleased.

The agent was willing to give me the 1647 with the i5 processor, but after reading the other threads it seems like there are still heat problems with the XPS.

All I can say is..... Bring on Next Week!!

 

i wish i had your luck. i cant get a single person at dell to help me. ive tried all channels and nothing. i guess ill just have to accept the stripped out model they are offering.

 

What are they offering?

 

1640
t9600 processor
512mb ati vid card
4gb memory
250gb hd
6cell battery
and no leather for the screen case. its literally the base model

 

As you can see in the OP, that's what they were offering me originally.

It's only because I had a 9 cell battery that they were going to offer me the 1647, as the 1640 didn't have the option to include this.

You'll need to find something in the replacement specs that seems a downgrade of your current specs, or maybe try and make a case that the 1640 has heating issues and that you don't want to go through any more problems.

I've sent a PM, which you might find useful