How long will this computer be "relevant"?

In today's society of vastly improving technology, electronics just don't last the same amount of time they used to. Looking at the M14X, 2630 processor being the only upgrade other than the screen upgrade, how long will this computer be "above average" compared to some consumer Toshiba or HP... And, this computer is apparently very sturdy according to everyone else. How long will this computer go before it breaks/wears down to under practical use? I didn't get the upgraded warranty, but I may upgrade later, if I feel it is necessary.

Thanks for the input!

 

first off if u want the warranty then get it when u buy the system cause they charge outragoues prices when u buy after u get the system. also as far as tech, i wouldnt be optimistic as newer revisions come out every few months so get what u want and never look back. from what i've read they are sturdy but it seems a lot of the systems come with minor imperfections. if u are curious to other gaming companies try origin, mythlogic, msi, cyberpowerpc, avadirect, or xotic. but do your research before u buy, things like outsourcing can make a difference.

 

m14x r1 will be a monster all this year... In 2012 we will have better and cheaper laptops. Maybe m14x r2...

And I think in normal use this machine should work at least 3 years without real problems...

 

I agree, not much it cant do. Future proofs the most meaningless, often used twaddlely phrase in IT.

2-3 years is an eternity in pc hardware, gpu will be outdated first but new models will keep it fresh. I dont think it will ever be irrelevant as the whole pc back catalogue is available and gonna get mine set up with dolphin for gamecube stuff

 

Depends on what you use your computer for and how you maintain it. I still use my 10 year old Dell Inspiron 8200 at home. I used this laptop everyday for 4 years (through out my undergraduate studies) and wore down the letters on the keys and had a few cracks in the plastic casing, but overall it's working well. I've cleaned it up and stream lined XP on it. It still has decent battery life (2-3 hours of light usage), though I mainly use the battery as a UPS. It does its job well - looking up recipes or researching basic things on the web when I'm in the kitchen. Sure it's pretty slow still but it works well and I'm happy that I have maximized the value of my obsolete laptop. Sure I could use my smartphone or tablet/slate but sometimes it's nice to have a bigger screen and keyboard, plus you don't to worry about damaging it since it's built like a tank (and weighs a good amount lol).

 

agree with most of the comments above, technology is always changing, getting better etc...the one thing I love about the M14x is that its easily tweekable...you can increase the performance and other aspects too which arent as easily changed in other notebooks its size. The tough build quality will help in prolonging its life

 

I may be biased, but I think it's barely relevant now . . . The GT 555m, is pretty average, or slightly below average by todays gaming standards.

As a computer for basic computing, the laptop will be relevant for years. However for gaming, it won't stay "relevant" as a powerful gaming solution for much longer.

 

I don't think any laptop will remain relevant in the long run. The m14x will do better than most laptops so enjoy it. In the long run everything becomes obsolete but m14x is still a beast and will be for a while.

 

This is pretty much what I had expected to hear, and I'm not really disappointed either... I figure in a couple years I'm just going to build my own desktop, and I think this laptop will hold out by then... Hopefully...

 

Of course it will be relevant and play any game you want on high settings, especially the higher performance configurations of the m14x.

Obviously the computer manufacturers have the ability to release new technology in longer periods of time, but logically, its a money making scheme to release minute updates to their tech. in sporadic bursts, so they can acquire more $$$$$.

Such is life for the peasant consume. So get yourself a high performance laptop now, and like someone said, "don't look back".

There's videos of the m14x all over youtube gaming on ultra or high at 900p with over 40-50fps on average. People are always going to try to rationalize why their computer is the best.

 

The GT 555m isn't exactly what I would call high performance for gaming . . . sure it's passable now, but in the very near future it's going to have problems - whereas a laptop with a much more powerful gpu solution which are available today won't be having those problems for a considerable amount of time to come.

(Perhaps I would consider the M14x more relevant if it used the MXM standard.)

 

It will be more relevant than a HP computer six months from now. Or a HP tablet ........next week.

 

Not necessarily. . . .

HP EliteBook 8760w Mobile Workstation (ENERGY STAR) - HP Elitebook 8760w Mobile Workstation

HP ENVY 17 3D series | HP Official Store

And the HP in my sig is about equally relevant.

 

Not entirely true. The Lenovo acquisition of IBM's Thinkpad division went off without a hitch, with both sides succeeding in profits. The Thinkpad remained "relevant" in terms of performance, standard with the time it took for newer iterations of tech to be released.

Your comment is out of place and unintelligibly stated.

An HP computer (vague description) will be relevant six months from now in respect to what it's specifications may entail. Packing a Sandybridge i7 2620M and Radeon 6490M it will remain "relevant" though not up-to-date like all other laptops within the span of six months.

On the topic of the HP Touchpad: it will remain relevant and may often be referred to. It is selling out everywhere as we speak. And will gain more support from developers because of this firesale. Though I have no clue what a tablet has to do with laptop computer "relevancy".

 

In terms of the GT555, it cant play every game at 900p on maximum. We already know this.

Its more about compromise, there are better GPU's but not necessarily in a 14" laptop of this size.

Thats why I bought it, for its size and portability. Not for its all conquering power, or would have got the m15x/m17x.

 

Laptops go out of date very quickly, you can't replace the gpu so in 6 months - 1 year poof out of date. Then in 2 years poof really out of date, then 3 more years making a total of 5 sell the laptop on ebay and get $250. Then you buy a new m16x or what ever the hell dell is going to market in the coming years. Then you repeat the steps until you

 

My first laptop (inspiron 5100 14" 2003 with pentium 4 and 32mb ati 7500m) ran for 3 year after which it started showing its age. It still works but it is very slow.
My second one (inspiron 1720 17" 2007 with 1200p core2duo and 256mb gt8600m) still works but you have to run the games on medium to low settings at 1280x800 resolution. I am sure it will be able to run the games at low settings even after 2012
So I am guessing that the M14x should be future proof for at least 5 years before you have to start playing games at low settings.

 

To the OP, it became irrelevant about 24 hours before launch. Just think, it will be considered a classic be next xmas!

 

I would call it performance since the GT555m runs almost every game at Ultra/high settings at 900p. The video proof is all over youtube.

Most people who knock the m14x are m17x owners, or Mac book owners. People forget the machine is 14" like other people have stated; your not going to fit a 6990 in that form factor lmfao.

It's all relative anyway, for me, an m17x with "crossfire 6990's" is worthless to me because it isn't portable at all and has to be chained to the desk. It's absolutely worthless to me, who is out and about 24/7.

Which I'm sure, for the person who stays home, it's PERFECT.

Thank Einstein for redefining the concepts of relativity

 

For what is offered in this current generation of gpu's, the GT 555m is exceedingly average. Maxing a lot of games out at 900p, is not the definition of high performance. What determines whether something is "high performance" is how well it ranks up against other solutions currently available - and when compared to, well, anything more powerful than a GTX 260m, the GT 555m is exceedingly average.

If you tried hard enough, I'm sure you could, and it probably wouldn't be very hard. There are a few laptops with 15" form factors which house 6970m's, 6990m's GTX 485m's and GTX 580m's. And jumping off of one of my previous posts, the M14x doesn't have an MXM slot! That means there is no option for upgrading the gpu - there is no ability for the computer to adapt and evolve as time passes. If it had an MXM slot, you could be sure someone would fit it with a GTX 580m, just as the M15x has been fitted with a GTX 480m, 6970m, 6990m, GTX 485m, and GTX 580m. It would be so much more "relevant" if it had this one simple feature.

For you it might be worthless, and that whole point really doesn't have a place in the "relevance" debate. My guess is that you've either never owned a M17x, or you are a person of vastly limited physical fortitude. The M17x may be a bit less portable than the M14x, but by no means is it chained to a desk. I've carried my M17x around with me in my backpack to and from all my classes almost everyday at my college. Many other people do the same as well on the M17x forums. If you physically can't carry around 12lbs of weight in a backpack, then I'd say there is something quite wrong with you physically.

I'd understand and agree with your statement if Alienware actually shipped the M17x with a desk chained to it through an unmovable chain.

But regardless, weight/portability has nothing to do with relevance. Relevance for the sole purpose of gaming - which is what the TC stated as the definition of relevance in the OP- is simply not present with the M14x. It may be relevant now for most games, but 6 months or a year down the road, it's going to be very out of date and not be very relevant for games released in the near future when compared to a much, much more powerful system which is available today at the same time as the M14x.

 

I agree with aarpcard, no mxm slot means no upgrading means it will be over soon. Something like that.

If you want something futureproof get the M17x R3 with FHD screen and 6990m the rest stock. Wont cost that much more then a specced M14x.

Think about it:
-4 memory slots, up to 32GB 2133Mhz RAM.
-Blu ray option.....they look amazing on the FHD screen.
-2 HDD bays.
-MXM slot so you can upgrade the card.

I'm not saying the M14x is a bad system its portable yes, for future gaming no. The GT 555 is just to weak. Spending a lot of money on a small laptop doesnt feel right, for a little extra you can get a much better system.

The lack of a MXM slot is just a turn off.

 

I guess part of the problem is due to the lack of a sandy bridge M15x

 

I think I wasn't super clear when I started this thread, I just wanted to know how long it would be before the system would just not be able to run any games at any settings... But I like debate, and the one going on now is interesting, so continue, if you wish, haha.

 

Its just subjective, I'll put money it'll run black ops just as well ten years from now. Its more a question of how gpu's will progress leaving the 555gt seem underpowered.

Any gaming pc / console suffers from the same cyclic regression into obseletion. PC unfortunately a couple of years , consoles with each new gen. Approx 5 years.

I still go back and play my old gamecube games, theres always something the m14x will be good for.

It might be retired as a media centre pc for example