Best accessories for M11x R3

New to all this and getting my R3 in a few weeks. Was just wondering what accessories you guys thought were best? I am looking at Alienware tactx mouse and logitech G13 gameboard.

 

Word of warning on the tactx mouse.

The cable is like 6 feel long, if you keep it bundled up with a rubber band or something the sheeth with fray and split with in a month.

I took my mouse apart and cut the cable down to 20 inches. This gives me the perfect length for laptop use and still looks factory.

Here is a picture of the screw holes location on the mouse. The cable is just plugged into the mouse, so unplug it, trim to length, solder wires back together, heat shrink exposed wires and put it back together.

 

Thanks for the tip. What other accessories do you use? This is my first venture into pc gaming (xbox all my life) so any advice would be handy ?

 

I second the orion portfolio case. Its worked great as a laptop bag and a cooling pad (by flipping the top side over to the bottom to create a nice bag gap where there fan mesh needs to be.) Played long hours on this and the laptop worked fine.

My other recommendation (but only for the mobility of this) would be the microsoft arc touch, and one of the smaller mouse pads (razer kabuto i think, it fits PERFECTLY for being a keyboard cover). The arc touch straightens flat so it can easily be stored into the bag with the power cable and brick. And you have yourself a nice little mobile gaming package! (note: the arc mouse can get getting use to... and its definitely not a gaming mouse, but it does the job pretty well for me anyways.)

 

The things that I found best to get for my m11x are.

tactx mouse with modded cable
tactx headphones (they already have a short cord and a extension... perfect for the laptop)
razer kubotu mouse pad
external hdd

 

If you are interested in Wireless check the picture in my sig of my Logitech bundle. The K800 Backlit wireless board and MX Performance mouse are the best I have used for wireless and I have not seen any lag or delay yet when using them for gaming.

I just hate wires!!

 

If you want to go wireless like yiddo says, I would get this
http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-m11x/660220-internal-usb-plug.html
Its a mpci to usb port that fits into the m11x wwan slot. This card is the perfect fit for small wireless recievers that logitech uses. You can then has a wireless keyboard/mouse and still have the use of the 3 external usb ports.

 

Not too sure about any of the alienware bags/sleeves(read nothing but bad reviews on the alienware rucksack). I have ordered a swissgear laptop rucksack that looks pretty good.

I do like the look of the microsoft arc touch mouse, would be a good addition as a mouse for on the go. Is it good for gaming and do you really need a mousepad or will it work okay on say a wooden table?

 

I would get a mouse pad for the simple reason the razer one I listed fits between the keyboard and the screen protecting the lcd from scratchs, and it gives you the same surface everytime you play. No having to get used to a new mousing surface evertime you move to a new spot.

 

That's because it is in fact an Alienware rebranded Logitech G9x (which is a little better than the Logitech G9 - 5000dpi vs 3200dpi)

 

+ for the Roccat Pyra wireless and the Alienware Neoprene Sleeve.

- I originally didn't get the Alienware Neoprene Sleeve but soon realized how much easier life would be with one. It's reasonably thick so it soaks up alot of knocks, your M11x is perfectly safe being just thrown into a backpack when it's in one of these. In fact i got it primarily so i could stop using my padded messenger bag and just throw all this stuff into my Caribee Force backpack knowing the M11x would still be fully protected.
- The Pyra wireless is a decent wireless mouse to match any Alienware, the only downside is the battery life which at ~7-10 hours of straight usage is pretty pathetic imo. But it does recharge through a USB cable which can be done while it's in-use, and this is with the included batteries so i might try getting some good rechargeable AAA's and see what i get. Not usually a fan of wireless for this exact reason, but sometimes you just can't deal with all that cable clutter and the long-life Logitech's just didn't cut it in the gaming department. Reasonably cheap, under $40.
- For audio i really don't have the space or the need for bulky headphones, so i got a pair of Etymotic mc3™ earphones. Perfect audio, excellent noise isolation, and in-line controls and mic with iPhone compatibility so it also doubles as a hands-free kit when I'm on the move. My travel buddies across the entire globe these bad boys have seen over 100 hours of airplane usage, the moment you chuck em in not even the engine noise is audible.
- Naturally i got an SSD and couldn't be happier, but the 128GB capacity can be somewhat limiting for media storage especially. Picked up a WD Elements SE 2.5" USB 3.0 1TB external for $75 last year just before the price increases hit, hasn't skipped a beat and transfers wicked fast.
- Finally i carry a massive XFX Warpad rolled up in my bag too, it's probably 2x as long as my M11x R3 but it clamps onto any desk (up to 2" thick) and the pad wraps around the corner giving you an "edgeless" (as they call it) surface to lean your forearm on. The pad is a little squishy but very thick and extremely comfortable especially at work where i'm on a PC for 8 hours straight. Gone are the days of having dents on your forearm from resting on the edge of the table, or freezing your forearm when you rest it on the table on those wicked cold winter mornings.

 

I've never had a problem playing games with this mouse, but I havent played any first person shooters with it, just a lot of Diablo (which it works fine! ... just gets a little getting use to). In terms of playing it on other surfaces, its worked fine on most things, but I keep it on my razor mousepad since it just keeps it consistent. Otherwise, it would run fine on many other surfaces that I found.

It also has a very tiny usb plug so if you're opting for the internal mouse plug, you can do that too!

 

I just received the Portfolio Case and the Orion Neoprene Sleeve from Dell today and immediately noticed the design flaws of having no feet to elevate the mesh and only aligning to expose half of the vents. I also came to the conclusion that it may be designed to fold backwards to elevate the notebook, but I stopped flipping it back when I noticed how tight the zippers were getting. I found this post and decided to try it anyway and, sure enough, it ripped where the zipper stitches in to the leather on the right-rear corner of the notebook (at least I didn't notice it before). I did note that it is MUCH more useable in this orientation and the elastic Velcro straps will keep in in this position, but it is either more poorly made than I thought or it is just badly designed to sit flat. I will probably continue using it like this but I thought I should say something in case anyone else tries to follow your advice who doesn't want it to rip.

 

1. You are going to want more storage, whichever internal option you choose. WD MyPassport 2TB 7200rpm drive is fast, compact and sleek solution.
2. The sleeve that came with the R3 is nice, pads the laptop when being carried in a bag, but it is very tight fit and rubs the corners of the laptop chassis pretty strong, rubbing out the paint and leaving 'wear' stains. I was very upset when I saw these for the first time, only after a couple of months of usage. I stopped using the sleeve for a awhile, but then I realized these paint rubs actually gave 'character' to the laptop, a bit of 'steampunk touch' if you wish
3. If you are going to use it as a desktop replacement, you are going to want external monitor, keyboard and mouse. You might notice that there aren't enough USB ports, so buy monitors (asus) and keyboards (apple) that contain usb hubs and extend the connectivity.
4. I went with the largest internal option (750GB) because I work with huge files (music production). I would love an SSD, but I am not going to pay more than $200 for a 500GB SSD. So, until the prices fall that much, I am going to be ok with the pretty fast 7200rpm HDD.
5. I use Logitech MX Revolution mouse and it has been great for general use and gaming. The relatively low resolution is not felt in practical use. I've tried several mouse pads with it, but didn't feel any improvement, so I got rid of them.