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    Alienware 13 vs MX14 R2 Noise?

    Discussion in '2015+ Alienware 13 / 15 / 17' started by Shere Khaan, Feb 22, 2015.

  1. Shere Khaan

    Shere Khaan Notebook Enthusiast

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    I am still undecided on whether to pick up an Alienware 13 or not. I'm currently using an MX14 R2 and I find the noise a little high under load, and the laptop a bit too heavy at a hair under 3kg. I have actually taken to turning the graphics card off to try and reduce fan noise.

    Can anyone who had the mx14 R2, and now has the Alienware 13, give me an idea of any difference in noise during load and non load? It would be greatly appreciated!

    Thanks,
     
  2. Docsteel

    Docsteel Vast Alien Conspiracy

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    I can - the AW 13 basically makes no noise if not under load, and if you have an SSD all the better. I have yet to get the fans to kick very high on my AW 13, even trying to run games like Hitman Absolution and Assassin's Creed: Unity. Some have reported fan sounds getting high but I can tell you on the M14x-R2 with the single fan it is much louder in general. As many know on here my wife hates fan sounds so the AW 13 works perfect for me at the breakfast table or on the sofa; she even commented one day how quiet it was so that is something :)
    In terms of performance my M14x-R2 has the highest processor in it you could get (see below) overclocked, and with the 650m the AW 13 still runs rings around it in terms of game performance. For instance, a game I might get 35 fps on with the M14x-R2 will hit about 49-50 fps on the AW 13; that is incidentally with a CPU (not GPU) bound game.
     
  3. Game7a1

    Game7a1 ?

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    I too can respond. I used to have an m14x R2, and I currently have a 13.
    For non-load, both laptops are pretty quiet, but I find the 13 a bit more quiet. Under load, though, both can get pretty loud. To me, it's pretty close. I didn't hear the m14xR2 through my headphones as often as I heard the 13, but even then, the sound difference between them is not that much.
    Overall, I think the 13 handles fan load much better than the m14x R2. I must mention though that is has been a couple of months since I used my m14x R2, so my memory may be off.
     
  4. Shere Khaan

    Shere Khaan Notebook Enthusiast

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    Thank you very much for the feedback. It is exactly the complaints of my wife that has me questioning the noise of the AW 13 :)