The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    M14x Ordered. Check my config. :)

    Discussion in 'Alienware 14 and M14x' started by Narthecium, Jul 20, 2011.

  1. Narthecium

    Narthecium Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    97
    Messages:
    380
    Likes Received:
    24
    Trophy Points:
    31
    Processor:

    Intel® Core™ i7 2630QM 2.0GHz (2.9GHz w/Turbo Boost, 6MB Cache)


    Memory: 6GB DDR3 at 1600MHz


    Hard Drive: 500GB 7200RPM SATA 3Gb/s


    Video Card: 1.5GB DDR3 NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 555M using NVIDIA Optimus™ technology

    Wireless Card: Killer N :)


    Well whatcha think? I think it's a fairly min-maxed system, pretty sure I didn't miss any upgrades that woulda done it good after reading about the 3gb GT555M and higher processors I decided to pass on them. Splurged on one or two small upgrades but kept the price right at a grand even with the 25% off EPP. Thanks to those who told me about this deal.
     
  2. edit1754

    edit1754 Notebook Prophet

    Reputations:
    1,475
    Messages:
    5,145
    Likes Received:
    71
    Trophy Points:
    216
    1600x900 display?

    All you really need for the M14x is the 1600x900 display, and the second most popular thing would probably be upgrade from the i5 to the i7.
     
  3. clienterror

    clienterror Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    22
    Messages:
    275
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    30
    No upgraded screen? I had almost the same order config but a 6205 work card and screen upgrade. I swaped out the hdd with a momentus xt and upgraded to 8 gigs of hyper x ram to enable ddr, I think with a 2 and 4 gigs ram chips you're not getting ddr love :-(
     
  4. Narthecium

    Narthecium Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    97
    Messages:
    380
    Likes Received:
    24
    Trophy Points:
    31
    Yes I upgraded the display, sorry i didn't mention that! :)
     
  5. clienterror

    clienterror Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    22
    Messages:
    275
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Good choice ;)
     
  6. ComputerMD82

    ComputerMD82 NX-74205

    Reputations:
    623
    Messages:
    725
    Likes Received:
    7
    Trophy Points:
    31
    A wise decision indeed ;) Enjoy!
     
  7. /Drakk_

    /Drakk_ Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    2
    Messages:
    281
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    I would have left the memory stock and upgraded it yourself, purely because dell memory upgrades are overpriced.
     
  8. smokingjam

    smokingjam Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    52
    Messages:
    380
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    31
    same as mine. im well pleased with mine.
     
  9. everythingsablur

    everythingsablur Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    89
    Messages:
    312
    Likes Received:
    16
    Trophy Points:
    31
    True, but Dell doesn't always give you the option. Example, for us Canadians, you can't configure an i7 M14x with anything less than 6 GB, as it forces you to upgrade to 1600 Mhz RAM (where 6 GB is the lowest listed option).
     
  10. CGSDR

    CGSDR Alien Master Race

    Reputations:
    285
    Messages:
    1,477
    Likes Received:
    10
    Trophy Points:
    56
    It will slowly release the one with 6GB and lower, because this is happen here in NZ too, a few day after I order mine, at the time I order my M14x, it has the 6GB version only, that why I got the 6GB. And after like 3-4 days they made the 4GB version available and I was like :eek: :mad2: Because I could have save some $ and buy myself some upgrade to 8GB as a DC.
     
  11. ComputerMD82

    ComputerMD82 NX-74205

    Reputations:
    623
    Messages:
    725
    Likes Received:
    7
    Trophy Points:
    31
    The price gouging on upgrades is definitely not my favorite thing about Dell. If you start with the base model and upgrade to what they consider the best (8GB, DDR3-1600), you've shelled out another $200 (USD).

    The memory you'd receive is Hynix, and runs at CAS 11

    Instead, for $70 at Newegg you can buy a G Skill 8gb kit, DDR3-1600, CAS 9.
     
  12. Xaser04

    Xaser04 Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    233
    Messages:
    215
    Likes Received:
    5
    Trophy Points:
    31
    You will get DDR regardless given this merely relates to the double data rate of the I/O clock (of the memory) itself. What I think you mean is dual channel mode.

    Essentially when you have 1x2GB stick and 1x4GB stick of otherwise identical memory you will still get dual channel memory but only on 4GB of memory. The remaining 4GB of memory on the 2nd stick (the 4GB one) will be "running" in single channel mode - after all it is only linked via a single channel.

    This can get very complicated but generally speaking the O/S will always balance the memory use between both sticks until the 4GB is fully utilised.