Sager vs Alienware--Case Quality

I'm curios as to the only reason Alienware still appeals to me are their cases, especially that backlit keyboard. I heard they are both sourced from Clevo, but how do the cases compare to each quality compare to each other? such as the M17x

-cooling/ airflow
-material quality
-keyboard
-monitor, does Alienware have any 90%+ NTSC color gamuts screens?

 

Alienware does not get their chassis from Clevo. They used to have their machines manufactured by Clevo once upon a time, but they have changed their manufacturers, or the factories that actually makes them, quite a few times since then. On this side of the pond, Alienware's are usually quite pricey compared to the equivalent Clevo, and quite frankly I'm not impressed by their design at all. They look ... juvenile, to me.

 

ahh..I see, thanks for clearing. Has anyone take an Alienware apart and studied its airflow system? compared to a Sager system?

Also anyone have any clue what color NTSC gamut the 1920x1080 60Hz screen runs at?

 

I'm pretty sure you can upgrade to the 95% Gamut on Glossy or Matte LCD for Sager/CLEVO models. Check with the reseller to be certain.

 

im not a 100% sure but i think the 17 and 18 have a 72% gamlut screen, alienwware if course.

 

Agreed but some people like that and are willing to pay for it. Clevo build quality is excellent and has what it needs under the hood and that's all that matters to me.

 

So there's this graph regarding the color gamut of the M17x screen at the bottom of this link. Problem is I don't know what it means or how to read it:/

AnandTech - Alienware's M17x R3: An Antidote to Clevo

 

yes according to anandtech m17x screen was closer to 71% gamut, while the stock screen on the p150 and p151 was around 64%. the p150 also had the brightest screen, and i know from experience on my machine, the screen is so bright that i can literally take a lens and use it as a projector, and i usually use it on the second lowest setting.

 

I think from what I've read and researched - if you can get past the garish looks, Alienware machines are pretty nice. Clevo machines are pretty understated (which is what i like about them). Their keyboards supposed to better than Clevo's - but when it comes to best bang for the buck, Clevo is still on top. Now that said - if you don't mind upgrading your own RAM and HD (WAY $$$ from Alienware/Dell), there is a small enough spread in price to make a decent case for buying an Alienware.

From what I've read the m17x and m18x have pretty comparable cooling as they keep the same cards near the same temperatures in each chassis. (someone correct me if I'm wrong).

 

Alright thanks--quite helpful. Also is it true that the latest Alienware M17x is made of magnesium and rubber?

 

If the freaky looks of alienware doesn't bother you and you want a case with especially good cooling, you might look at MSI

 

I like MSI and Asus, but they don't have the latest and greatest GTX 580m or 6990m.

 

also if you only want the 560m, they have a 15 with that has th hm67 chipset and it has raid with 2 hdd slots, and the diskdrive slot as well, i might have gone with this if i was going with the 560m, but i had enough for the 485m, and i convinced my parents it was for cad.

 

Colour gamut charts are pretty cool once you understand what they're showing you. Looking at that final chart on AnandTech, there are essentially two graphs being shown on top on one another.

1. The larger one is the wireframe (the one that looks like a mesh or grid). This is showing the 100% colour gamut according to AdobeRGB NTSC specifications. Notebookcheck shows similar graphs but also plots displays against SRGB, and some other noteable laptop screens.
2. The second is the completely filled/coloured polygon, which in this case is inside the wireframe. That show the colour gamut that the display is capable of rendering. since it's inside the wireframe, you know it isn't 100%. You also can see it is pretty strong in yellows, blues, and white, with very good purples and blacks, but not so good greens.

Should you care? Eh... If you edit a lot of photos and need print-grade colour accuracy, then yes. A professional photographer or graphic designer will pay good money for a quality screen, and tools to ensure proper colour calibration. Everyone else would be ecstatic in the 60-75% range as everything will be very vivid and quite true/accurate. Most cheap consumer grade LCDs, sadly, fill less than 50% of the gamut.

And now you know, and knowing is half the battle...

 

Professional photographers or graphic designers would most likely use a much bigger and higher resolution external screen, if they did their work on one of these laptops. Higher gamut screens on a laptop is largely a waste, in my opinion. They need to be properly calibrated to work properly, for the enthusiast, and the average user, who don't have the means or know-how to get this done, would end up with a screen with over-saturated and inaccurate colours, on most software that is not "professional". The software used needs to support this higher colour gamut - if not, the colours will most probably look over-saturated, distorted and un-natural.

 

True for most "normal" users, but I know many professional photographers who must do much of their work in the field (photojournalists mostly). No home base to go back and do all of your post processing work on; must be done in the field, and ASAP. It's really not hard to calibrate if you've got the tools. They've really come down in price. You can get a Spyder3Express for $90 for just a basic calibrator.

But sure, for most people, you'll never really make use of it. Doesn't mean there isn't a market for it.

 

actually if u order a laptop from mythlogic they color calibrate the screen for free so u can say the upgrade is worth it if u buy from them.

 

is there another way to color calibrate a screen, like by printing a highquallity picture on special picture paper, that just has different colors and trying to match it?

 

Depends on how accurate you want your calibration to be, and what the purpose of your calibration is. If you are trying to get exact colour calibration because you need are proofing prints for reproduction or graphic designs being sent to a factory, then you really shouldn't trust your eyes and go get a proper calibration tool.

But yes, you can do a print and compare validation if you want. You can make things reasonably accurate, but it won't be perfect. Your eyeballs are highly influenced by ambient light, how good your vision is, individual color sensitivities (i.e. even slight color blindness or bias; neither my wife or I are colour blind, but certain colours we seem to disagree on by anecdotal description), etc. Google it. You should be able to find colour evaluation charts that you can compare against.

 

Yes, I've taken both apart, -

-> External case design/build quality award goes to AW (at least for the M17xR2 and M18xR1)

-> Airflow is similar with some minor PRO's and CON's for both

-> Cooling system is very good on both but the crown goes to Clevo (X7200) as the most robust on the market up to date.

-> Internal design award goes to Clevo for simplicity and Do-It-Yourself friendly approach. For example, to repaste the GPU/CPU in M18x you need to remove the HHDs, Keyboard, palmrest, media button cover, lid assembly, and unplug about 10 connectors and 20+ screws...

 

Ok Aiki beat me to it, but I would simply second everything he has said.

As for the cost of the Alienware ...

If you buy at the right time and if you negotiate (something much harder to do on Sager / Clevo machines from my experience) you can get a very good price, as cheap or cheaper then Sager/Clevo.

Many people manage between 10-20% discounts from alienware.

 

negotiation through chat? phone?

 

through phone off course, is quite easier to say no to someone via pc.

I would simply get the m18x and be done with it

 

there is a thread in alienware about how to save$$$ Basically, build the system online, save to your cart, then call in and negotiate ...

it works.

 

based on my Sager NP8662 and the a few Alienware I seen in shops, I'd say quality wise probably similar. As of design, it's a subjective matter and my opinion is that Alienware is just too bulky and heavy for what it contains compare to other brand of similar spec. I'm never an alienware fan coming from a poor student always trying to find the most bang for the buck deal in computer stuff. It's simply overpriced, and bulky and heavy......yeah I know I just said that...

 

My Alienware M15x would creak and groan whenever I so much as touched the front speakers, and the screen would come into contact with the keyboard when the lid was closed and leave small chips in the screen. (this happened even after a replacement for other reasons)
I am much more impressed with the P150hm, the only thing that moves is the CD tray.

 

I find Alienware to be the ugliest computers made by mankind so I would never touch one. I don't want my computer to have giant exhausts and bright LEDs and a obscene curves and bulging everywhere like it took too many steroids and I definitely don't want a decapitated alien head with glowing eyes on the back of my screen. Using an Alienware makes you look like you are 13 years old.

Alienware is just tasteless and an example of the most debased and wholly offensive industrial design in human history and I would be embarassed to even use one.

Clevo nolonger builds Alienware laptops. I think the current ODM is Flextronics for the chassis.

 

But the thing about Alienware is even if you do get the price on par with a Sager/Clevo, you still have to pay tax on it. So if you make a $3,000 machine, depending on the state you're in, you can get charged nearly $300 in sales tax whereas you aren't forced to pay sales tax with a Sager/Clevo unless your reseller is located in your state. But even if your reseller is located in your state, there are others that aren't in your state that you can go to. Of course some resellers charge for shipping whereas it seems shipping is always free with an Alienware, but $70 for shipping is a lot less than $200 in tax. Of course I'm being a bit nit picky here...

 

yes but most of these resellers give free shipping to nbr members.

 

HA that would have been nice to know a few weeks ago >_<

 

Now tell us how you really feel, Electric.

 

And that's the reason why we have so many choices! Some like the flashy and screaming in-your-face looks, others prefer simple, plain and clean design. As long as you can find something that suits your taste - that's awesome!

There have been so many flame wars between Clevo and AW fans it's almost unbelievable. Hopefully, this thread won't become another pointless deviation.

So, back to topic, I think my previous post had the info on case quality comparison between the two brands.

 

I see thanks. I'm 90% going with Sager/Clevo. I do like AW's looks and backlit keyboard but I wouldn't sacrifice a 95% gamut screen nor the portability. Also it seems M17xR2 and M18x both have great build quality, but I've heard the M17xR3 is lacking in it's brethern's case quality--though lighter.

 

Prior to purchasing the one in my signature, I had three Alienware M11x notebooks. Each had at least one quality-control problem as it related to the case. On one, the access panel was improperly installed so when I disassembled it, the screws stripped. On another, the keyboard flexed quite badly. On the third, there was a noticeable bump in the keyboard, near the T and Y keys.

My Clevo has had no such issues.

 

Reading this thread, I'm wondering if the 95% gamut screen is necessary. I have a P150HM on order with Malibal (waiting for the 6990) and am wondering if maybe the 95% screen is overkill. All I'm really going to use this laptop for is gaming.

Thoughts?

 

I don't think you will regret the upgrade and it's not terrible price wise. It used to cost over 200$ as an upgrade just a few months ago. Regardless of whether or not you do color critical work, wider gamut is always a nice bonus. Just my 2cents.

 

95% gamut all the way. I hear the stock screens are nice, but I don't want to be left wondering. As Aikimox mentioned, the prices have dropped, so unless the screen stands in the way of an SSD or a better processor, it's a no-brainer.

 

I have the stock screen and it looks fine. In fact, if it wasn't for these forums I never would have known I was supposed to be dissatified with the stock screen.

 

There's nothing bad about the stock screen But the higher gamut and RGBLED panels offer a better color reproduction, that's all.

 

m18x vs. x7200, both multi-gpu solutions. which one is the louder laptop in terms of cooling solution and fan noise?

also, since you appear knowledgable and a retailer, would you by chance have experience with the older clevo d900c's cooling solution? i am trying to compare noise levels from the x7200 and m18x vs. d900c mgpu solutions. i have the d900c and to me it is very quiet at idle and very tolerable at loads.

 

The M18x is far, far more quiet at idle and load than the X7200 or x90x. It's about 30-50% less noisy, though I don't consider the Clevo's to be very loud, they are tolerable as you said.

 

far quieter? that is unexpected as i thought since the m18x has only 3 fans compared to the clevo's 4, that it would actually be louder.

thanks for your input.

 

Clevo has a 130W CPU vs 55W for the M18x, hence the extra heat, fan and noise. In addition, the airflow design is different.