Alienware m14x First Review

Based soley off the information in this post:

Gaming desktop + m14x. It just makes much more sense financially and from a practical standpoint.

The m18x is mostly for people that can't have or don't want a desktop.

 

Firstly, yes, the 460M or the 6850M could have been soldered on, however there's still absolutely no guarantee that they would have fit into the computer. Soldered or not, they'd take up more space.

As for wishing for something .5kg lesser, does 500g really make a difference to you? If it does, then fair enough. Just know that to some people it doesn't make a difference; inferring that these people aren't sane is completely wrong.

As for this board being exclusively for fanboys...wow. Completely and utterly wrong. I'd be the first one to say that these computers have downsides. I would never buy an M11x because the screen is horrible, for example. And I openly admit that my own M17 is just a rebranded OCZ Whitebook sold for more, and that I could have got the same specs for cheaper elsewhere.

Suggesting that people who don't like to talk about hardware never come to these forums...exactly how much time have you spent looking at the AW forum, about 30 seconds?

Again, depends on which way you look at it (as in which dimensions). I look at the bezel, and it's so thin that they couldn't fit a bigger screen in; I'd consider the laptop a 14" on that basis.

It's clear from your name that you've already made your mind up.

In any case, where do you get the idea that it's poor in screen and options? From the very review posted in this thread, I'd say the screen sounds like a good one. As for the options, it's a damn sight better than you'd get with most notebooks (particularly in this size category). As for performance, that's down to opinion.

If you're getting an M18x, getting a desktop would be pointless. The M18x is just a portable desktop. Besides, if you got a good spec M18x, you'd have no money let over for a desktop system (one that would beat it anyway; a 'cheap desktop system' wouldn't perform as well, so would be completely redundant unless you NEED a second computer right next to it)

 

@Voodoo - I (can only speak for me here) never said it was a bad system. It's alienware so it's not bad. I am, however, a realist. This means I give you what you need to hear, not what you necessarily want to hear. You dont see me going to the m17r3 forums going my 5850 dd5 when overclocked almost equals the 6970. Because it doesn't. Not downhill in a hurricane. Likewise people shouldn't say the 555 performs the same as the 460. It wont. The 460 has ddr5, it has more pipelines, it processes more data.

Again the 555 is a good low end (high tier) video card. It will hopefully provide good performance with low heat. The 460 is a mid (high tier card) that belongs with the 5850, 5870, 6850, 6870.

I just want folks to know the facts first, this way when they place an order they know exactly what to expect. If we fail here, 1 month from now we see a post in the forums that says "My m14x needs more FPS" or "Not what I expected".

StevenX

 

And to add I am one of those people who have Dell credit ready to spend and took a good long look this morning at the m14x. Based on what I have seen vs what I currently have, I will keep the credit ready for later...

StevenX

 

I'll wait for the refurbs to show up and a 20% coupon.

 

My comment wasn't directed to the video card comparison (I find your posts quite useful). It was directed to the people who just flame/troll the laptop (with no constructive comment) or the people who claim their 15.6" HP dv6 is better in their egotistic superiority attitude and laugh at anyone considering the M14X (in several threads)

 

Ok guys i am getting a head ache reading through all this... so hard to get any useful information from all this childish arguing... can you keep all that to PM's and leave this thread free for people who want to talk about the m14x sensibly

 

I'll probably wait and see future revisions of the m14x to see, especially if a better screen comes out. That's when I'll jump on. I know it's a pipe dream, but meh.

 

Definitely getting a M14X.

-I only use it for RTS games and light gaming (CSS)
-I have a PS3 for heavy games
-The M14X is big, but small enough to carry to LAN-parties.

The M14X is perfect for me! ;D

(Now I just need to get some money... fast.)

 

Me too .... Sad face..

 

About the GTX460m, i dont think you can "solder" that in because that "engineering" is for Optimus tech only. I don't think the GTX 460m has optimus and it is heavier (in performance). It would suck the life out of your battery and that would defeat the purpose of "annihilate from anywhere" slogan that they have.

 

That's a long time of waiting good lol ..

 

I'll be picking up and M14x as well. Probably just a base model with at 750GB HDD. It'll probably be for reasonably light gaming - Borderlands, Portal 2, UT3, etc. - and note-taking and the like in college.

I had been looking at the M11x-R3 as well, and as cool, and "cute" I suppose you'd say, as it is, it's just too small for me and my poor vision I'm afraid. The M14x looks like a great option though. The only thing that's got me slightly concerned is the battery life. Four hours is still fine, just not as much as I was hoping for. I'm hoping most of the power in the review went to the bigger LCD.

 

If I can save up, I'll probably be picking up an M14x (probably base spec, or with a 2720QM if it's an option). However I'll wait for reviews that go into more details about the screen, cooling, and the 555M's performance first.

 

Small for an Alienware means nothing, I am not comparing it to other Alienware notebooks. Did you even check the dimensions? The only thing that the m14x has on most 15.6'' notebooks is that it is not a long. But it is deeper, thicker and heavier. When I am comparing size, I prefer to use more than just one dimension.

For the record, I am not complaining. I am just pointing out what is a fact. I don't own a dv6, either, and I am not specifically comparing the m14x to one. I am comparing it to all 15.6'' notebooks.

 

thought this guys size comparison was very good so i will post it here

 

LOL @ Optimus. Such bad battery life for the m11xr3 and m14x versus what it could/should be getting. The fact a 6970M loaded m17xR3 can get similar battery life is telling

M14x getting 4+ hours isn't bad, but you're talking about comparing it to GTX 460M and 6970M level cards. In other words, enthusiast grade cards. There shouldn't be any comparison, and yet there is..

No, it will not. 3dMarkVantage scores != real world gaming either

Since when did 15-25% become barely noticeable? That's the difference between going with a desktop 6970 and a desktop GTX 560. Big difference.

 

I have a precision M4500 and there's more to a laptop's portability than simple weight.

I wouldn't be caught dead lugging around a 15.6" laptop.

 

Dude why are you in all the Alienware forums posting about how "Cool" HP is? We dont care man. Find something better to do with your time. When we want crappy overheating pieces of junk that weight a tiny less we will meet you in the HP forums.

 

apparently, they can make a 460m optimus enabled. it is a manufacturer choice in hardware. I think I will wait out on buying the m14x to see what happens. however, the laptop looks great.

 

affirmative!. I don't want to be caught up between the r1 and r2 release date..

 

What are you even talking about?

I am not comparing the m14x specifically to any laptop. I do not own a dv6. I did not even mention HP in this topic, and only mentioned the dv6 among other notebooks in the other one to compare the size of 15.6'' to the m14x. I am not supporting any brand. All I am doing is simply stating a fact. The m14x is more comparable in size and weight to 15.6'' notebooks than 14'' notebooks.

I do find it funny you would even bring up overheating considering the Laptopmag review of the m14x, though.

 

I have just grown sick of seeing you in a bunch of Alienware threads bashing and pointing to HP stating how it is "superior". I guess I don't see the point other than boredom. Well... whatever

 

Umm.. Would you like to point out where it states that the M14x is overheating?

If this is the review you are referring to Alienware M14x - Benchmark Test Results

It looks like the M14x temps were actually below average vs the other gaming laptops compared.

 

Just calm the **** down already. He's 100% entitled to his opinion and quite frankly you're starting to sound like a pathetic raging fanboy. So you want an M14x, we get it. That doesn't mean people can't state negative opinions about it. It just makes you look like a prat when you get so defensive. He has a very valid point. For a 14" notebook it IS big. For an Alienware notebook it falls right into the size gap quite comfortably. That's all he's trying to say, is it really that hard for you to understand?

I'm thinking the same. Got my M15x R1 a while before they brought out the upgraded cards but thankfully it wasn't such an issue as the replacement is a straightforward DIY job. Doesn't look to be the case here though, so I'm eagerly awaiting the R2 to see if they'll offer anything stronger in the GPU department.

 

Don't forget dell uses crappy thermal "chunks"(not sure if they use the same crap for AW), so a repaste will most likely drop the temp by a good amount.

 

I do get Revdiesel's point.. seems many people are judging the m14x before its actually been tried and tested by us. I say we give it a chance, alienware haven't messed up to badly on a laptop before so i reckon it will probably be a great laptop

 

LMAO check out this amazing review of the M14x

Specifications of a new Alienware portable notebook have surfaced online and the machine sounds interesting. It’s called the M14x and wit will use an 11-inch screen making it portable. The machine is said to use an 8-cell battery with 63Wh of juice inside. Storage options are pegged to range 250GB to 750GB with SSD options up to 256GB.

RAM will be 1GB to 4GB DDR3 and the little notebook will be offered with Core i3-2310M up to i7-2820QM CPU options. The screen will come in a 1920 x 1080 resolution HD optional and a standard 1366 x 768 screen. There is no word on what GPU will be inside the little rig at this point and pricing isn’t known either.

 

I have not said anything about HP being superior. I am just pointing out that the m14x is as big as most 15.6'' notebooks. Like laxxi said, is that really hard to understand. Maybe someone else was talking about the dv6 and you are confusing them with me so I could maybe understand. Still, you should read what I am actually posting before you respond.

However, when we were gaming, temperatures quickly increased into the 90s, and the right wrist rest got as hot as 100 degrees, which was very uncomfortable.

 

Ahh, I missed that part about the right side of the wrist rest. Didn't it also say Alienware was aware of this and has a firmware fix? I wouldn't doubt it if they had reviewed this laptop quite awhile ago when this was still in nearly beta form. The first Sony Vaio SB models that were launched in Europe had the same problem if im not mistaken and it was fixed with a Bio's update.

 

My Sager 8660 also gets pretty hot in that same area, but I don't think it is much of a problem.

 

Alienware has ALWAYS had a history of releasing bios fixes to adjust fan speed. I know for FACT that the m11x has had 2 different bios updates specifically for this. No machine is perfect at launch. I work at a fortune 50 that has contracts with HP, IBM and Dell. I promise that on any given day, if you ask any of our members at work what they would purchase as a gaming pc or notebook they would all say Alienware. HP make quality equipment, but it's not in the same league as AW. So please call me a fanboy. I love AW notebooks (never had an AW desktop). I have purchased 4 of them in 2 years. m17, 2M11xs, m15x. I will continue to buy them as long as I see they are one of the best available and offer mobile performance.

Just my .02

StevenX

 

I'm torn between the M11x and the M14x. I'll be using it mainly for taking to school everyday and traveling to Europe over the summers.
I really like M14x's larger screen, and it's stronger GPU/CPU, but I don't like the drop in Battery life and the 2 pound difference.

I'd probably be using it for medium gaming, playing games like Fear 3, and maybe battlefield 3 on low, and heroes might and magic 6...
What is the % of GPU difference,
In-game will there be a visible difference for the cpu?
Thank you, and sorry for the slightly off topic.

** I was leaning towards the M14x, because I can handle the weight, but I would need around 5-6 hours of battery life... Also the M11x is 350$ off for a config over 1459$ on us site so that caught my attention...


EDIT: Also I heard the 1.5, 3.0 gb difference in the M14x doesn't really make a big difference at all, but I was wondering if there was a big difference between the 1.0 gb and the 2.0 gb GPU in the m11x

 

I agree that AW will probably have a fix for the fan and heat soon, they did for my m11x R1. I also agree that they are ahead of HP's Pavilion line in terms of quality.

 

Metuo--If I can help sway you, if you plan on playing ANY of the newer games on PC (Battlefield 3, etc...) then get the m14x. If you have a console and don't require as much from your pc then m11x is great.

I am one of the folks that wrote lots and lots of optimization guides for the m11x R1. Please trust me on this. You will be happy you have the 2630qm if you game.

StevenX

 

The M14x, in my opinion, is the perfect laptop out there right now. Had I not bought a 4820TG (with which I'm happy) a few months back, I'd be all over the M14x.

 

I guess like i said, the only thing that is making me hesitate is the Battery life... I guess I will wait until the reviews come out and we will see how it fairs in the long run..

 

Tis true, I have the m11xR1, and the CPU frankly holds it back way too much for me to want to go back. The m14x fixes that quite nicely

 

The best compromise is a desktop and an m11x imo.

 

If you plan on playing BF3, a config of at least an m14x is going to be necessary in all likelihood. A full 2nd gen Core i7 and at least a GT 555M, seeing as how BF3 is supposed to push current gen consoles to the brink.

That said, if you can do a desktop + m11x, I'd go with that - you can get quite powerful desktops now, and use the m11x for portability.

I don't know the exact % on the GPU's, but take this for what its worth:

GT540M vs. GT555M:
96 Shaders vs. 144 Shaders
16 Texture Units vs. 24 Texture Units
4 ROPs vs. 24 ROPs
128-bit bus width vs. 192-bit bus width
672/1344/1800 clocks vs. 590/1180/1800 clocks

The GT555M is paired with a full core i7 core, the other is a lower voltage one, so the M14x I wouldn't be surprised to see 30-45% more performance at the same resolution over the m11x, but the m14x also plays at 1600x900

 

I'll stick with my Commodore.

...seriously, M14x will be a good machine to supplant some of us M11x users. Victory for Sylvanas!

 

Thank you.

You just killed any desire to upgrade my R2 to an R3, and better, killed any buyer's remorse I was starting to feel.

When the panel is better, I'll upgrade

 

Here are the panel test results in case you needed proof so you don't second-guess your decision :

Review Alienware M11x R3 Gaming Notebook - Notebookcheck.net Reviews

 

Hmmm. Was looking at this with interest as my kid has his beady little eyes on my M11. So, I was considering either the M11xr3 or the 14 (had a 15 previously and loved it).

But, the thing that got me was the pricing. Dell seemed to have really put some fuzzyness over what should be bold black lines clearly dilineating the model lines. A well specc'd 11 is the same price as a base 14, and a well specc'd 14 is actually very close to a nice specc'd 17.

Before the trolls jump on me, by well specc'd I'm not talking about 4 terrabyte Raid arrays etc etc. Just a decent amount of mem (8 gig), decent graphics, middle of the line proc (except on the 11 where it should be the top of the line) and so on.

With the prices all so close you've really got to have a strong desire for a specific form factor in mind cos there's not much else in it.

 

When you're talking about extremely powerful desktop cards and for performance enthusiasts, 15-25% might be a big difference. It's unlikely to make the difference between graphics levels, and where it does, it means turning a couple of settings down, or turning resolution down one step.

I'd call it a 'big difference' if it was in the area of 50% and above. Such as the difference between the 460M and 6970M. That's a big difference.

Once again, it's down to opinion. I wouldn't consider a drop in the area of 20% a big difference (although it is not a small difference) however it's nothing major.

 

You know, I have to admit that the screen on my 1st edition M11X (Still can't call it r1 as the 'r' designates a revision ) leaves a lot to be desired. However I have it connected to my 32" HDTV right now as I'm typing this and the screen is a non-issue for me. I have learned to accept and adjust to the angle limitations while on the road; I have yet to find a 'perfect' system and I know that there will never be one so for those of you who refuse to compromise one iota, good luck in your endless pursuit of the 'dream machine'.

 

Theres no Wireless HD for UK Customer !!!!!

god damit !!!!!!!!!!!

 

The new Alienware's don't appear to be on the Irish site. Am I missing something? The reason I ask is I've seen people talking about them on the UK site but when I checked there too all they have are the old models.

 

yeah the web sites get updated on thursday ( in the UK )

until then you have to go through links

 

Cool, cheers for that. Does anyone have a link for the Irish site?