Joining the Alienware Ranks, but I have a concern....

@rinneh

Well, I would assume that the latest documentation is correct.

LOL what AW representatives? You are probably the closest to being one If there were any, I would have expected them to come forward and identify themselves in the "980M 8GB" disaster thread, for example. No joy.

Trying to obtain some info on this - no luck so far.

Well, the function prevents unnecessary re-charges and actually increases the depth of charge cycles, right?

As for the faster=better claim, I think you are over-interpreting this. All they are saying is that there is potentially a better approach, and that scientists are working on it.
Which brings me to another question - is Express Charge actually desirable from the standpoint of extending battery life. Looking at prior posts, people tend to believe that Express Charge is detrimental.

[/QUOTE]

I think there is a general consensus that AW15 build quality is excellent, while Clevos are good enough but could be better.

 

I think there is a general consensus that AW15 build quality is excellent, while Clevos are good enough but could be better.[/QUOTE]

I saw @Alienware-L_Porras responding quite a bit from time to time.

Regarding the battery, Dell is a very bloated company and I found that out unfortunately too when I needed support. Their techsupport is quite good if you call them directly (In the netherlands) But the administration part often states multiple opinions which contradict eachother when speaking with multiple employees. I hope Dell/Alienware can resolve this in the near future because as you have experienced as well one employee says there are 8gb versions and you received the wrong laptop, another states that no such machines are available. It wouldnt surprise me if this was the case regarding the batteries as well since 300cycles is really a minimum nowadays. Smart battery firmwares improve this. It is not the case that the Samsung laptop battery cells are extraordinary with their 2000cycles, it is that the firmware controlling those cells are having multiple intelligent functions that preserves them. HP is offering such batteries for years too now.

As you can see here multiple types of Clevo machines uses Simplo battery packs https://www.google.co.jp/webhp?sour...on=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=simplo batteries clevo and I must be honest that I do read some contradicting stories now about SImplo and apple that some state they switched back from Dynapack to Simplo for their iphones. Anyway my experiences with 3 gigabyte machines and their Simplo batteries havent been stellar. I unfortunately saw them wearing down too quickly while I didnt even use it without the poweradapter plugged in a lot. It had less than 10 cycles each and all had some wear depending the time I had them in my posession.

There are some more articles on the matter of charging but the general consensus is that fast charging doesnt hurt the battery if it is done right. Heat while using&charging, cheap construction and also a flexing chassis that pushes battery layers onto eachother do hurt the battery. Aside from going trough the cycles ofcourse.

 

I saw @Alienware-L_Porras responding quite a bit from time to time.

Regarding the battery, Dell is a very bloated company and I found that out unfortunately too when I needed support. Their techsupport is quite good if you call them directly (In the netherlands) But the administration part often states multiple opinions which contradict eachother when speaking with multiple employees. I hope Dell/Alienware can resolve this in the near future because as you have experienced as well one employee says there are 8gb versions and you received the wrong laptop, another states that no such machines are available. It wouldnt surprise me if this was the case regarding the batteries as well since 300cycles is really a minimum nowadays. Smart battery firmwares improve this. It is not the case that the Samsung laptop battery cells are extraordinary with their 2000cycles, it is that the firmware controlling those cells are having multiple intelligent functions that preserves them. HP is offering such batteries for years too now.

As you can see here multiple types of Clevo machines uses Simplo battery packs https://www.google.co.jp/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=simplo batteries clevo and I must be honest that I do read some contradicting stories now about SImplo and apple that some state they switched back from Dynapack to Simplo for their iphones. Anyway my experiences with 3 gigabyte machines and their Simplo batteries havent been stellar. I unfortunately saw them wearing down too quickly while I didnt even use it without the poweradapter plugged in a lot. It had less than 10 cycles each and all had some wear depending the time I had them in my posession.

There are some more articles on the matter of charging but the general consensus is that fast charging doesnt hurt the battery if it is done right. Heat while using&charging, cheap construction and also a flexing chassis that pushes battery layers onto eachother do hurt the battery. Aside from going trough the cycles ofcourse.[/QUOTE]

Just to clarify: how do you know a Samsung battery is used in the AW15 R2, and that this battery supports 2000 cycles? Does the 2000 cycles figure apply when fast charging is enabled?

What's your actual source on the lack of impact of fast charging on battery life? E.g. this article suggests the opposite:
http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/ultra_fast_chargers

 

Its a toshiba battery, i just used the samsung battery as an example that newer cells last longer. Toshiba has a similar quality of cellpacks.Samsung laptops also have a fast charge function by the way. The specsheet of the AW15 doesnt seem to be correct though. Or at least, it says full charging takes on average 4 hours. Did it in 2 yesterday without special charging functions enabled and using the laptop for productivity. Wouldnt surprise me if this is just their basic specifications list for all their laptops.

Your link by the way states batteries should be optimized for fast charging, isnt this the case with all fast charging batteries these days? They would not offer the function if it isnt supported because it could be catastrophic on legacy battery packs.

 

Is there a particular reason why Dellienware selected standard charging and not fast charging in bios? I can an understand that Dellienware selected standard charging for early Aw Echo model's but not otherwise.

 

What do you mean? Fast charging is the default in my AW15 bios. just wondering if that's the best setting from the battery longevity perspective.

 

If I remember correctly so have I seen that Aw reps said standard charging and not express is the best. Nearly 99% sure on that. And I think standard battery charging was default on my Aw17.

 

Yeah, changed mine to standard until I see a convincing argument for rapid charging not affecting battery life.

 

Is the battery the same in AW15 and 17? 92Whr?

 

Yes

 

The biggest problem in that order is Windows 10 Home. If the 1080p screen really is as dark as described though, I'd not take it by any means. I'd also not take a 15' notebook though, 17' is what's absolutely necessary imho, 15' or even 13' are simply non-usable over longer times.

Can't say anything about Alienware at the moment. The M17xR4 I bought 2.5y ago is excellent and the best PC I ever owned, and if I had to buy a new notebook today, I'd probably buy the same or an M18xR2 and upgrade with a 980GTX, and I wouldn't know what would speak against it. I generally never liked Clevo or similar, but cannot talk bad about them, as I never owned one.

 

I've never bought an Alienware or any other brand gaming laptop as a matter of fact for any sort of portability... I think that is why a majority of people that are enthusiasts and used to AW old laptops are so upset with the new line of laptops forced into a corner using BGA cpu/gpu components. Hopefully its temporary.

 

Or soldered memory will be the next step in 2016

 

Well, that's cool but I have heard of people who use laptops on the go

Also note that you could have mobile chipsets with upgradability and portability if Intel produced socketed versions so I guess they are to blame in this case.

 

DELLIENWARE could use desktop processors. But his majesty Mr. Azor said NO

 

Delete

 

someone that wants portability isnt less of an enthusiast. But any laptop that can be upgraded with mxm out there (and even than not all cards fit any laptop) I do not consider portable. But it is something I take with me daily so it has to be for me. Non upgradable cpu's arent an issue for me though. Intel changes it chipsets almost every 2 years so in the end the chance to do an upgrade is fairly low and in practice it is not possible to get a motherboard replacement that fits the chassis. GPU's on the othe rhand I would like to upgrade if it would fit in a more light chassis.

Desktop CPU's arent really great for portability and battery life. I considered the Clevo 15inch laptop with desktop parts and it is just too thick and only has a runtime of less than 2 hours.

 

I dont know who Mr Azor is, but sounds like a good point, particularly regarding then 17 models which are not portable anyway. But then they would need to up their cooling game.

 

Well, right, but what about the thinner P650RE model with mobile parts and 64gb ram support

 

With the same slim Echo design or if Dell want an even slimmer design on their next Alienware models will Dellienware struggle to use some of the latest desktop cards from Nvidia. Asus, Msi and Clevo have thicker design on their 17" models and better cooling. Maybe Dell only will compete with Razer now? Thinnest possible and with lowest hardware throttling.
@etern4l Mr. Azor is the Aw boss.

 

Great machine but the problem is window 10 Home

 

17' notebooks are definitely portable. The difference between a 4kg laptop and a 3kg laptop is negligable, especially when carried in a backpack, and 4 kg aren't actually a weight aswell.

 

Well, maybe, if your definition of portable is "fits in a sizeable backpack/can be carried by a reasonably fit adult". I commute 2h/day and the 3kg 39cm wide AW15 is really as much as make sense on a crowded train, otherwise I'd need 2 seats

 

I considered it but not good enough battery and not a well made lid. It seems to flex a lot. But its a good laptop. Not the balance I search for.

The laptops that do use the desktop 980 are A LOT thicker and onl ythe thickest MSI, Clevo & Asus have m. THe asus even only with liquid cooling. Liquid cooling which isnt portable. I do not consider these laptops anymore but desktops you can move. No battery runtime to speak of, too thick and heavy to carry around. Nice if you use a car to move it to a lanparty but thats it It is not that Dell struggles with it, they just do not make it.

What is wrong with windows 10? Dont come with privacy issues, WIndows 7 had those as well and you can turn m off.

The 3kg of the AW15 is what I consider borderlining doable. More is just not convenient, especially in the summer on a bicycle and in a full train for 30 minutes. It was also already a bit of a problem to find a fashionable backpack that could fit the 15inch model. 17 only fits in bags that look like you are backpacking for weeks in another country imo. Also the better specced laptops are a a kilo or more heavy, but also have a much larger powersupply.

 

The graphics amplifier from Dell is neither portable as you know I personally find it easier to take with me a little heavier gaming laptop than a slim and light 15/17" laptop + a large graphics amplifier when I'm on the move. But this is me.

Sorry I forgot; Dell don't have to use the best from Nvidia anymore <the new Nvidia desktop card>in their AW gaming laptops... Dell has the modern graphics amplifier as I remember now. Razer and Asus will also offer similar solution as Dell http://hothardware.com/news/razer-s...ore-thunderbolt-3-external-graphics-enclosure
http://www.sweclockers.com/nyhet/21522-asus-forbereder-den-externa-grafikkortsdockan-rog-xg2
Dell has chosen portability vs performance for their newer gaming models as you said. Quite unique I think Great that some brand now starting to compete <about who has the thinnest laptop design and lowest weight>. Important for many who prefer the portability vs. performance... You probably know that Apple is also good with this. I understand perfectly well why Dell chose to remove Alienware 18 from their model range. Such a model does not fit into their new strategy.

As Hot hardware states in the link; Choosing a laptop usually involves a series of compromises, one of those being power versus portability. I think Hot hardware hit the nail on the head

Dell get a new Competitors in the low end gaming laptop market now as you can see... http://www.pcworld.com/article/3019...ith-the-sc-17a-stunning-4k-gaming-laptop.html
Also Acer, Emachines and Lenovo is on a roll now with similar gaming laptops.

 

I dont need the graphics amplifier to take with me (i also do not haveit by the way).

It can run the second best performing GPU out there the 980M only the 980 is better but only large, thick and heavy SLI able laptops can run it since it doesnt fit in a single MXM slot. So stop using that as an argument, there are not even a handful laptops out there that can use that card. It is even debatable if these are even laptops since they are so large that a consumer would be able to take it with them daily because the total package is up to 6kg! Asus only can use that card with watercooling and the watercooling unit is not portable either so only the MSI and Clevo chassis are left and the MSI is the smallest of the 2 but still a behemoth of a machine.

 

All major OEM's have the new from Nvidia now. MSI, Asus and Clevo. Only Dellienware of the major is in tune with Razer and Apple now. You know Razer comes with graphics amplifier as I wrote. This is not strange at all. A 17" gaming laptop that can not handle anything other than a 100W graphics card cant compete today. Nice.

 

I'm sry, but have to laugh about arguments like "it looks like you're going backpacking towards another country" ^^ . My own perception is, that it also looks ridiculous, it's like being an astronaut and having a large supply of O² on the back, but what do I care how it looks like. Saying something has a greater portability, is something different than saying something isn't portable. I've travelled several times with far heavier notebooks than my current 17' AW, and I don't consider myself even averagely trained, because the last time I regularly trained is over 10y ago. Personally, I find all of that discussion to be neatpicking at most, the difference between 17 and 15' are 2' in diagonal so maybe 1.5' at most. If those 1.5' inches really decide whether you can ride on a train with it on your femorals, then you must have different trains then the ones I'm used to, because in the last, even a person thicker than me is able to sit on one seat, and be sure, that that person takes more place than me and my 17' notebook. If a woman with a pushchair is able to ride in those trains, how should it not be possible with a 17'?

So yes, I understand those arguments and accept greater portability as something some uers desire, but plz stay realistic. All in all, you trade 1kg of weight to carry around against the possibility to have a proper-sized display with which working is possible without needing to focus on deciphering what that display says. If you didn't have that problem, then at least choose a 13' or 14', those are really so different, that I accept them as different sorts of notebooks, but 15' or 17' is a minimal difference. I just checked Alienware.de because I feared that I might tell something wrong and would be unfair, and found, that the difference is even smaller, it's 15'6' against 17'3'... Check the dimensions Alienware gives, it's less than 2' of a difference and the difference in weight is 0.5kg. I believe people just think, that a 15' is the most that's "portable" and completely underestimate how little difference towards a 17' actually is. The difference between having only a 15' monitor or having a 17' one is massive though imo., because 17' really is the lowest limit, but maybe you simply have better eyes, or my opinion is outdated, because nowadays displays are so much better and sharper, that 15' might be enough.

 

@rinneh certainly looks forward to maybe Dell launch next Aw 15/17"gaming models at under 3kg. Perhaps Dell will invest more in their G/A and get rid of internal Nvidia/Amd or use medium powerfull cards. That way he get a lighter and more portable laptop because the cooling solution for the laptop becomes smaller. Also the power supply will be slimmer and perhaps weigh max 250gram. I know Dell can do that. They have tried such a thing before with the use of the slim 180w and the famous hybrid bios

 

The difference between the 15 and 17inch model is quite a lot in term o f size. a normal sized backpack cannot carry it just due to the sheer size. The 15 just barely fits my backpack and it is not the smallest out there. Trains in NL and JP where I am most of the time are packed as hell I do not want to have even a bigger laptop in such a situation with me. The AW17 is not much more heavy than the AW15 ofcourse because the internals are 100% the same with just some parts such as the screen and speakers. But the Clevo models that do carry the 980 desktop version for example are up to 2kg more heavy which is a whole different ballpark. I can carry it but it isnt healthy for my back. Its nice when you are young but it will wear your back down quite a bit when you get older. FOr me 15inch is the uppe rlaptop for any laptop above I consider desktop replcements, the AW17 is one of the most portable 17inch laptops out there but the desktop replacements from Clevo are are really too heavy for daily commuting, you still might do it but it is unacceptable for most. Screen real estate is no problem for me though but I have used a 13.1inch vaio z for years for produtivity with a 1080p panel and i loved it

Razer makes compromised ultraportables, the heat of the 970m kills the battery, it is a real issue so yeah the size is nice but the quality is not. I would have bought it if it was more durable.

And the other brands have the 980 running with compromises not the other way around. Watercooling for the 980 with Asus trough an external dock (why not by the GA then?), the Clevo needs a SLI bay with 2mxm slots just to fit 1 980 and the same goes for MSI. So it is nice for bragging rights but efficient and convenient? No it isnt. Apple doesnt have any gaming grade gpu available in its laptops so it isnt even in the same ballpark.

 

You forget the slimmer Aorus X7 DT also use Gtx980 in your rant DELLIENWARE is not so keen on VR gaming as other OEMs. You probably know why Nvidia created desktop card for laptops Dellienware is not even interested in offering G-sync in their gaming models as you probably know very well. The same With Anti-Ghosting keyboard. And this rebadged Aw Echo models is so called gaming laptops created late 2015. Nice.

 

The Aorus DT is still not ready and I wonder if it will still come. All Aorus models run very hot so I wonder if they could fix that this time.

Also the 980 desktop for laptop cards are not for VR perse. Also till now all development kits worked fine on the Alienware laptops, so i still do not have a doubt that the final version will run on all well specced laptops.

The Gsync is a shame though. I wish it would just be an option to turn on because i also do not want to lose optimus for power efficiency.

But complaining about the keyboard? There is no keyboard as solid when it comes to feel and travel as the Alienware keyboard. I didnt notice any ghosing issues with playing high level COD, CS, BF4 etc.

 

Yes. Aw laptops have very good keyboards. No doubt on that. But no Anti-ghosting keyboard on late Aw models.
This is why Nvidia created desktop cards for laptops. Enjoy

 

Your link doesnt work.

 

http://forum.notebookreview.com/thr...enix-has-arisen.781814/page-280#post-10172884

 

ah it does now. But i am not too worried about the checking tool. I will wait with the oculus anyway. Not enough content yet and a too high price for the product. I am curious what the HTC Vive will cost.

 

I think optimus/gtx980m will destroy the experience of VR if someone get it to work. But plug and play on some laptops This is for the keyboard.
If you search you will find similar links http://en.community.dell.com/owners-club/alienware/f/3746/t/19652125

 

I have a lot of game dev friends and they are using the DK2 and that one runs perfectly fine. So I do not expect a problem now too. I tried it myself too with a borrowed unit and the experience is great with the DK2 version.