*OFFICIAL* Alienware m17 Owner's Lounge

@ franzerich Any love for eluktronics 17.3 rtx 2017 for ~$1600?

 

Yeah, I've found this too very recently. The Mech-17 G1R. Will keep that in mind.

 

That seems low. And weren't they bragging how they redesigned the m15's cooling to be amazing? Seems like thermals just plague the m15 and m17. Hopefully a repaste will help.

 

On the m17 if you undervolt the CPU by -0.012v you the single core performance stays the same and you get better multi core preformance since it won’t thermal throttle and it will only throttle occasionally for power limit. Plus you can overclock the GPU to normal rtx laptop speeds and never get thermal throttling. i7-H8750 and 2070 max-q with 32gb Corsair vengeance and 970 evo plus on the 90 watt battery platform. If you repaste you can also bring thermals down by 2-5c. I own this laptop Incase anyone wanted to know. Gonna to do first strike and heaven test once I burn the thermal paste in more.

 

If you watch linustechtips you can see the the Alienware graphics amp beats the razer core thunderbolt 3 because of dells proprietary port on the back that has those dedicated pcie lanes. When you use the graphics amp it turns the onboard gpu off allowing you more power and thermal efficiency to overclock the cpu and use a desktop graphics card to push amazing frames in 4K with a better monitor.

For anyone that doesn’t like the screen options the FHD 60hz is so much brighter and smoother than the FHD 144z so that’s why they chose it. I’m sure later gens will have better displays and if you follow my under and overclocking instruction you could get the 4K display and run most games at 40-60 FPS but the battery won’t last and the frames will drop on battery. I use mine for work travel and gaming and with the graphics amp and a good monitor it replaces the need for a desktop.

If anyone thinks the keyboard and bottom run hot remember the case is metal and if you use a cheap laptop cooler it will be relatively cool to the touch.

When I get the chance ill post pics of my rig and test scores for everyone to see plus once nvidia releases more drivers to optimize games and other components then you will see some amazing graphics enhancements.

 

I just got my M17. I love it! however! anyone notice the screen shows color differerently? I did a clean install and installed most of the drivers as I could. and had dell driver continue the rest. But it seems Intel UHD graphic driver 25.20.100.6374 has an error but it is install and keeps telling me its not.

 

To those who already have the m17:
What configurations do you have?
How are the temperatures and clock speeds (especially CPU Clock speeds) in demanding games like Battlefield V or Metro Exodus or Far Cry 5? (could you post some screenshots with hw monitor or (even better) hwinfo running while playing?
And if you have ordered an SSD only system - did you get the hdd caddy and cable installed even with no 2.5" HDD being ordered?
How do you like the m17 overall?
I´m currently waiting for the 120hz screen to be available, just not sure whether to get the m17 or the area 51m (i´d prefer the white one, but without a german keyboard layout it really is no good option for me...)

 

Oh man... this Alienware m17 costs €2000 in Europe and not that announced $1650. That's a bit much. Only the version with 1050Ti is cheaper with €1500. But who wants a 1050 at this point? Maybe I should wait for a version with rtx 2050 (if it comes someday). Still looking forward to further impressions from owners of the m17...

 

i got mine last week. it looks incredibly nice. very thin. it ran nice and smooth. but i found the screen (hd variant) to be quite dull making everything look darker (might just be me). Anyway the fan noise if you had it on max was rather loud and i discovered 1 speaker didnt work - it had a screw wedged in it. not sure if it came loose or was left during production. removing the screw fixed the sound but i decided to return the unit as i wasn't fully happy with it and i dont expect to pay £2k and it to arrive damaged.

if it was slightly larger with better thermals (requiring less fan) and better screen for me it would be perfect for me. i will look at either arrea 51m or wait for better screen options.

https://www.userbenchmark.com/UserRun/14880655

https://www.3dmark.com/3dm/33801678

 

Found a review on youtube:

 

Anyone done a repaste yet? What size pads are needed?

 

Got a m17 on the way with the 4k screen and 2060 GPU and 6 core CPU.

I got it with the M.2 256GB drive so that I could get the larger battery. I also ordered a Samsung 970 PRO 512GB. According to the service manual, I need to get a full thermal shield when running dual M.2 drives. I contacted Dell support and they don't yet have a the part number for the full thermal shield, nor do they have any in stock. They said to check back in a few weeks. I'll probably go ahead and install the 970 PRO and just keep an eye on the temps.

Was curious if anyone ordered a m17 with dual M.2's and if there is a part number on the thermal shield?

 

So far no issues with a second m.2 and no shield.

 

My first m17 has some heat problems. During battlefield4 99c cpu, pch 86c, m.2ssd 87c. Gpu stayed in the upper 70’s. Exchanged it, have theborher sirtibg here in the box. Not sure what I’m going to try it again or take it back.

 

Good to hear! (referring to @nebbish 's reply). @pathfindercod , sorry to hear about your heat issues.

So I placed my order on 2/27 and when I look at the order status is still says Confirmed. The only other 2 "dots" on the timeline are Shipped and Delivered.

Shouldn't there be a "Order Processing" step between Confirmed and Shipped?

Arrival estimate is 3/7 - 3/12. I'm leaving on a business trip on 3/11 and I really hope to have it by then!

 

Got my m17 today and the GPU fan is DOA. It will start up, but goes into self diagnostic immediately, which always ends with the following error:



I'm able to continue and boot into windows, but the CPU fans is running at a pretty speed, I guess to make up for the fact that the GPU fan is not running and the whole underside of the laptop gets really hot.

I removed the bottom cover and the GPU fan header connector is fully seated so that it not the issue. Also, with the cover off, for a seconds or two after turning it on, the GPU fan does spin, but then it stops again.

I did upgrade the BIOS from 1.3.3 to 1.4.1, but that did not make a difference either.

Guess I'll have to return it...

 

Let them replace the fan and then try it, maybe it will be to your liking and if not you still will be in your return period.

 

The fan itself works ok. It spins up when the laptop is powered on, but then it stops again. So the issue is with the circuitry that controls the fan speed I think, or the rpm wire. Replacing the fan may or may not resolve the issue. This thing runs way hot just idling. The bottom is almost uncomfortable hot, even when sitting on the BIOS screen. I think this one is a dud so I'm leaning towards just getting a full refund.

 

It spins up during a test which most likely detects it's failure. It's your decision but I would try to repair it first as it may also be the cause of the hot temperatures.
You will still have time to return it once you thoroughly test it.

 

Does anyone happen to know the product number for the 90whr battery in the m17’s?

 

Tweet your question to @DellCares they are pretty fast to respond!

 

Check Dell support site and type your service tag and select accessories or your system config button to get detailed part-numbers.

 

Does the M17 run any cooler or have less fan noise than the smaller M15 when gaming?
Typically bigger laptops have better cooling and fan profiles but with thin and lite laptops not always the case.

 

My M17, cores 1,3,5 ran hotter until I replaced the thermal pads and balanced the heat sink. Those cores would get to 95-98c while the even cores would be 85-88. Now they’ll all hangout around 80-82 when gaming. I exchanged it twice until I opted to replace the pads from 2.5mm pads to 1.5mm.

 

I placed my order today from @Ted@HIDevolution with the specs below. I ask Ted to send me a few assembling photos containing the liquid metal and fujipoly so i hope to update this thread soon.

Custom Built Alienware M17 - 17.3" FHD 60Hz / UHD 60Hz - i7-8750H - RTX 2060 / 2070 Max-Q - 90WHr Battery - Silver

Chassis Color
Epic Silver - Satin Finish

Internal Battery
Lithium Ion (90 Wh) Battery - No 2.5" HDD/SSD Slot Available

Free Game Bundles
NVIDIA RTX Triple Threat - Anthem, Battlefield V, and Metro Exodus for laptops with RTX 2080, GET YOUR CHOICE of Anthem, Battlefield V, OR Metro Exodus for laptops with RTX 2060 or 2070

Processor
Intel 8th Generation "Coffee Lake" Core i7-8750H (2.2-4.1GHz) 6 Core - 12 Thread Processor, 9MB Smart Cache

Video Card
NVIDIA® GeForce® RTX 2060 w/ 6GB GDDR6

Thermal Interface Materials
Thermal Grizzly Conductonaut on CPU + GPU, and Fujipoly Extreme Thermal Pads on heat sensitive surfaces – BEST PERFORMANCE – installed by HIDevolution - $95.00

Alienware Graphics Amplifier
None

LCD Panel
17.3" UHD (3840 x 2160) 60Hz IPS, 400-nits, sRGB 100% color gamut, Narrow-Border - $300.00

Display Warranty
30 Days Zero Defective Pixel Warranty (perfect panel guarantee) - $35.00

System Memory (RAM)
HIDevolution Approved Standard 32GB Dual Channel DDR4/2666MHz (2 x 16GB) - installed by HIDevolution - $270.00

RAID Options
RAID 0 (striping) - Must select 2x identical drives in M.2 SSD Slots 1 and 2

M.2 SSD Slot 1 (supports PCIe or SATA)
Samsung 970 EVO 1TB M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe 3D-VNAND SSD - Up to 3,500 MB/s Read-3,300 MB/s Write - Installed by HIDevolution - $335.00

M.2 SSD Slot 2 (supports PCIe or SATA)
Samsung 970 EVO 1TB M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe 3D-VNAND SSD - Up to 3,500 MB/s Read-3,300 MB/s Write - Installed by HIDevolution - $380.00

Alternate Language Keyboard Laser Engraving - $179.00
Hebrew Layout

Wireless Cards
Intel® Wireless-AC 9260 802.11 ac/a/b/g/n 2x2 NGFF w/ Bluetooth 5.0 - installed by HIDevolution - $35.00

Operating System
Windows 10 Home, 64bit, English, with Multi Language Support

Operating System Clean Install
Yes, Clean Install of Windows 10 including 32GB Clean Install Flash Drive - $40.00

Office Software
None

Power Adapter
180 Watt 3 Prong AC Adapter with 6 ft Power Cord (will work worldwide, includes FREE plug adapter for those without "U.S. style" outlets)

Warranty and Service
1 Year Premium Support + 1 Year HIDevolution US Warranty + LIFETIME HIDevolution Technical Support - $139.00

Accidental Damage Protection
None

HIDevolution International Pre-paid Shipping (HIPS) Service
None

Total Value: USD 3,807.00
P.S.: The 40 USD from the NBR forum discount will be sent back through paypal.

 

So AW still has problems with uneven heatsink distribution?
It’s one of the reasons I avoided the R versions line.

 

So you're still using your MSI GT60?

 

Sweet! I ordered an m15, check my order: http://forum.notebookreview.com/thr...5-owners-lounge.825553/page-169#post-10884121

 

Nice! Can you show me a few photos of the keyboard so I can see the quality of the laser engraving ? The backlit light can pass through the engraved chars ? Do you have photos of the liquid metal and fujipoly inside the chassi ? Thanks

 

1) I just literally ordered mine bro after I saw your order so I don't have actual photos to show you from the laser engraving but from what I've seen on their Facebook page, it looks like it came like that from the factory!

See:

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=340476769908970

and



2) So I don't have pics of the Liquid Metal but I can show you how perfectly they applied Coollaboratory Liquid Ultra on my previous Clevo P870DM, nothing but perfection!

 

Currently mostly using a Acer Predator 17x GTX 1070 and i7 6700HQ to game on, still runs great but showing its age.
Bought in sale from MicroCenter over 2 years ago so just looking for a upgrade.
I do still have the GT60 somewhere

 

Wow! I really respect how you are contempt with what you have and don't go jumping on each upgrade like me and some others here. That is a treasure on its own, to be contempt with what you have.

What are you looking to get next? I just ordered an Alienware M15 as I love the long battery life when equipped with the 90WHr battery and the compact design packing so much power. See: http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/ordered-an-alienware-area-51m.826914/

 

*** EDIT: As of 03/21/19 the 17% sale on again ***

I ordered a new m17 during the semi-annual sale last week, while they were offering 17% off their final price on all personal computers, even after other discounts. My HP dreamcolor laptop is over 8 years old and I'll be giving my 5 month old Acer Nitro 5 (intended as a spacer until the 2080s came out) to my son - as long as he keeps up his all As and Bs streak this school year. Here are the specs:

8th Generation Intel(R) Core(TM) i9-8950HK (6-Core, 12MB Cache, Overclocking up to 5.0GHz)
17.3" UHD (3840 x 2160) 60Hz IPS, 400-nits, sRGB 100% color gamut, Narrow-Border - Nebula Red
NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 2080 8GB GDDR6 with Max-Q Design
32GB 2x16GB DDR4-2666MHz
90 WHr, 6-Cell Battery (integrated)
1TB PCIe M.2 SSD + 1TB PCIe M.2 SSD
Windows 10 Pro, 64bit English
Killer 1550 802.11ac 2x2 WiFi and Bluetooth 5.0
Premium Support/Extended Warranty with Onsite Service After Remote Diagnosis, 5 Years
Accidental Damage Service, 5 Years
Extended Battery Service for Years 2 and 3 of System Life
Alienware 17" Sleeve

Total price: $4,524.34 ($4,829.74 after tax).

I very much wanted a 4K 17" screen with 100% sRBG, an RTX 2080 and a decent i9 chip in a reasonably weighted package. I'm not a huge fan of the Alienware design but, once the sale hit, it filled all my check boxes with a price that was too good to pass up.

In five years, when the warranty goes, I'll get something new.

From reading here, I've grown concerned about the temps and wondered about putting thermal grizzly in the system, like I did with the ACER Nitro 5. So I contacted Dell Technical support: they said I can re-paste the CPU and GPU as I see fit without voiding the warranty, but if I damaged the unit in the process, any damage caused by doing so would not be covered by the warranty.

I'll probably re-paste the unit myself, after reading the service manual and watching some YouTube videos on how to do it - I want those thermals well under control. I also plan on using MSI's afterburner and ThrottleStop to address the likely heating issues. I'll post a review once I get a chance to use it.

I was going to pay cash, but did 12 months same-as-cash financing for the 6% bonus ($271) in Dell cash good for free (over-priced) swag on their website. I'm thinking of getting the Bose Quiet Comfort II headphones...

 

Alienware m15/m17 System BIOS v1.5.2

Importance
Urgent

This package contains the Dell system BIOS update for Alienware m15 and Alienware m17 systems that run the Windows 10 operating system. BIOS is a firmware that is embedded on a small memory chip on the computer's system board. It controls the keyboard, monitor, disk drives and other devices. This update addresses security advisory INTEL-SA-00185 and INTEL-SA-00191.

Fixes & Enhancements
Fixes:
- Firmware updates to address security advisory INTEL-SA-00185 (CVE-2018-12188 CVE-2018-12190 CVE-2018-12191 CVE-2018-12192 CVE-2018-12199 CVE-2018-12198 CVE-2018-12200 CVE-2018-12187 CVE-2018-12196 CVE-2018-12185).
- Firmware updates to address security advisories INTEL-SA-00191(CVE-2018-12201, CVE-2018- 12202, CVE-2018-12203, CVE-2018-12205).
- Fixed the issue where a yellow exclamation is displayed under the graphics driver in Device Manager when the system is resumed from sleep mode. This issue occurs on systems with the nVIDIA GeForce 1080 graphics card, when the system is connected to Alienware Graphics Amplifier.

Enhancements:
- Lowered the volume of default beep sounds in ePSA during diagnostics.
- Enhanced the graphics performance of systems with nVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060, RTX 2070, and RTX 2080

 

I’m looking at everything but it needs:
Gsync screen
Run fairly quiet when gaming
No thermal or power throttling under when gaming
Congrats on your new m15, I’ve been seriously looking at almost the same exact model after Dell sent me a 17% off coupon but I’m just a little concerned about how hot and loud it would get with a MaxQ RTX 2080.
What size power brick does the 2080MQ come with?
When are you getting it? Would love to hear some pros and cons of your laptop.

 

comes with a 240Watt power brick (a small upgrade from the previous 180W which wasn't sufficient). It's a bit smaller than your standard 330W power brick I got me 2 of em, one to keep at home and one to keep in the Vindicator backpack:



I got the 90W battery which is supposed to last for around 7-8 hours when using the iGPU which is superb by any gaming laptop standards.

Now yes it's been seen everywhere that it DOES overheat and reach easily to 95-99C but I asked HIDevolution about the temps they have gotten in their stress tests before buying it and in gaming it reaches around 85C during long gaming sessions after repasting with Thermal Grizzly Conductonaut + applying the Fujipoly Extreme Thermal pads so that's promising. Then give it like a -80mV to -120mV undervolt and things should be under control.

 

Huzzah! I just checked with the DELL website and it appears they have released a 120HZ Panel for the Alienware M17 :3 It is a TN panel though, but it is advertised to be able to go up to 400 Nits of Brightness xD Maybe with HIDevolution's screen calibration, it could look exceptional. However, it is 1440P... I would have hoped it would also come with a 1080P version since I only plan to get the RTX2060 configuration to maximize FPS, but oh wells.. I could always lower the graphics settings.

If ever I am going to go for Alienware, looks like I would be picking up the M17. Originally, I planned on going for the M15 due to it having a faster refresh screen option, but now, the M17 takes the cake and on HIDEvolution's website, the M17 comes cheaper as compared to it's 15.6 inch little brother, the M15. xD which makes it even better. I am also hoping the larger size would make for a cooler overall system.

So M17 laptop owners.. I hope you are liking your M17s xD

 

Do you know if Hidevolution does this undervolt and make stress tests before shipping when we select the repasting with Thermal Grizzly Conductonaut ?

Thanks

 

Ooh, yes, I would also like to know this. I know they would stress test and benchmark the system, but I do not know if they would actually undervolt it to maximize the performance.

 

Yes offcourse they don't just blindly ship laptops off the shelf, it's a tailored and customized experience for every new owner which is why I always buy from them. When I asked them what tests are they gonna do on my laptop, here is what they told me:

3Dmark11

Firestrike

Catzilla 4K

Passmark/Performance test

AIDA64 Extreme

HDtunepro (for SSDs/HDDs)

Intel BurnIn test

Heaven benchmark


They also perform online gaming with high end games tests for those with a heavy build and mods.

So all of the above tests, custom upgrades with Thermal Grizzly Conductonaut (using their proprietary method which avoids the liquid metal from leakage/spilling) + Fujipoly Extreme Thermal pads + Dell's good warranty and HIDevolution's free lifetime tech support and one is GOLD!

PS: As for the undervolting, I believe that's done as needed. Not every machine may need it and not every machine can handle the same undervolt so that's up to their tests and what they deem necessary to give us a properly working system.

 

I am now really interested in HIDevolution and the Alienware M17 the brand new high refresh panel has just reignited my want for AW laptops... Would I be able to extend their HIPS service after the initial purchase? For now, I would like to allocate my funds to get the best possible system that I would be content with.

And HUZZAH! Spoke with another one of DELL online Chat reps, and he told me that I should still be covered even in the Philippines, with the premium warranty. I even asked him if that also applies for Alienware Laptops that are not locally sold here and he said yes. Well, the Alienware m17 shall be mine soon. Could not wait to finally place my order by next month

 

Do you know if Hidevolution does this undervolt and make stress tests before shipping when we select the repasting with Thermal Grizzly Conductonaut ?

Thanks

Amazing so why they do not publish those tests in videos or make live streams like OriginPC does ? It would be an excellent marketing campaign for free.

I'm buying the Cooler Master NotePal U3 PLUS from amazon (Hid said that they can't beat amazon prices on accessories) along with 3 Noctua NF-A12x25 5V PWM, 4-Pin and 1 Noctua NA-FC1 4-pin PWM Fan Controller to make sure that my CPU gonna last enough for the investment i'm making.

 

1) Yes you can always extend the warranty. A simple call to Dell in your country would do the job.

2) Last time I checked, an Alienware bought anywhere in the world can have its warranty moved to your local country free of charge. You just call them and say you want to move the warranty to have the machine serviced locally which is why out of all the brands, I lean more towards Alienware as I don't really wanna send my system to the US and wait forever for it to be repaired should the need arise. I'd love to have it repaired locally as fast as possible.

 

As I said earlier, they'd undervolt your CPU if it was necessary, meaning, if even after applying the thermal paste that you chose, the laptop still overheats, then they'd undervolt it so it can pass their tests for both stability and heat.

Why do they not advertise their testing methodology? That, you'd need to ask them.

As for the accessories that you mentioned, obviously any company that sells them needs to make profit so you can get them a bit cheaper if you order them directly yourself. Would I do that? NO WAY/ because I live in Dubai and me paying for shipping and waiting and maybe receiving a defective product is of no good to me, so I'd rather pay a bit extra and have it all come in one package knowing for sure that everything is working.

 

Yeah, I am also leaning more towards DELL due to their amazing and rather flexible warranty options. I just got a little scared when all of the local DELL retailers here told me that Alienware is not supported and that there is no guarantee I would get the support I paid for locally. Of course, they are competing heavily against the Grey Market... but still..

And well, I meant the HIPS offered by HIDevolution Would I be able to extend that after the initial purchase? I also do plan to extent the premium warranty and whatnot. A little extra security won't hurt.

 

That I can't answer but I see no reason why you wouldn't be able to. Just email them bro

 

Copy, will do. Hopefully I get more excellent news from Hidevolution. I am now really excited about this Alienware m17. A while ago, I was just bummed out that my country has extremely limited options for me to get good gaming laptops, but now, it is all good. xD

 

Did you not also get a M51?
Reading that thread I was sure you were getting one, I thought about it but for me personally it’s too much of a laptop and don’t need that much power but I can see the appeal of it.

 

Its better to extend to 2years + 1yr standard warranty whilst purchasing because they priced it low and if you're using battery more than usual then additional warranty will cover battery for 2 years(I think its extra and do note even with 3/4 yr warranty battery is only covered during first year only and AC adapter has 6 month warranty). I thought of extending after buying then dropped it due to very high pricing almost double of UK just for a year. Add accidental damage too.
Before ordering just confirm with Dell reps once again to be sure! AW brought from another country will not be repaired unless you transfer the ownership to your place. Even Dell scared me telling they won't repair AW bought from US so I got it from India where I live(Almost double price of USA) and after checking AW forums I came to know there was Warranty transfer program supported Worldwide.

 

Well.. In order for me to get the best possible config, I could only manage to get 1 year warranty upon purchase.. Oh wells.. I could always save up to extend the warranty.. In the future..

Yes, a warranty transfer is necessary for my warranty to take effect in the Philippines.The DELL rep would update me if there was an error im his statements.. Hopefully it would be good news. But yeah, I would contact another them again to reconfirm. Thank you