M11x R3 or M14x...

My M11x R1 needs another hinger replacement outside of warranty. I was thinking of buying a replacement but was wondering what you all would advise:
(1) M11xR3 Core i7 or
(2) M14x Core i7
both will have 8 gigs ram, similar hard drives (500) and killer gaming cards.

So which one would you chose?

Thanks

 

M11x is for if you want an ultraportable gaming laptop, and M14x is somewhere between portable and performance, for me I will choose M14x, as I want thing portable with good performance.

In fact, both are although same, but just few things in different which is the GPU, Screen Size, RAM clock speed, CPU and version support of it.

M11x has GT 540M 1/2GB while M14x has GT 555M 1/3GB

M11x has obviously 11" while M14x has 14"

M11x support up to 1333Mhz speed of RAM since only the 2700 Series is the minimum support for the 1600Mhz version, and M14x has option for you to choose up to 2820QM (I think it is possible to get the 2920XM version soon)

M11x has only 2 options of CPU which is the i3 and the i7, however the i7 version isnt really that as powerful as the one on the M14x, since it use less power so that mean the performance is reduce as well.

M11x is the 3rd version of the Series, so it would has a better improvement and support over M14x since it is the first version of the series and there are quite many downsides of it.

But it is up to you to choose which is good for you, If u need an ultraportable then go for the M11x, and as seen you already had the M17x, so if you want to then give it a try on the M14x. Good luck on that

 

So I need a laptop. I run some protein generating programs, so I figured I would need a relatively powerful laptop (The fact that I play BF:BC2 is just a sidenote ). My choices have been narrowed down to the m14x and the m11x. Screen size is not an issue, I need something that will fit on my desk as I work, yet not get in the way. I understand that the M14X is a more powerul ocmputer, but considering I don't really play games on max settings anyway, would that even matter? Would the M11x be able to play BF3 on med settings? Is the size of the M14X too large to comfortably fit on a desk?

 

So... there is actually a few gameplay pieces of footage with BF3 alpha on the m11x, however these are with the i7 and i5's, therefore they have throttlestop and such... Myself, I have the U5400, which is a little weaker processor and I am worried about BF3 gameplay, HOWEVER, this laptop does run black ops quite nicely (and we know how crappy their optimization was) So, basically my point here is that in all honesty, if you're moving from place to place all the time, like I usually do, then the m11x is perfect and should work for you (even though you'll need to spend a grand for the i7!)

HOWEVER, in all honesty, even though I love alienware and what they do, If you opt away from the m11x, then pretty much any other laptop out there can preform just as well as the m14x and for a MUCH lower price, example, here's a great laptop that has roughly the same specs as a starting m14x for a lot less, lenovo IdeaPad Y570, check it out on Newegg.

Good luck choosing your laptop... it's a whole other world! (Especially if you go with alienware )

 

If I were to get the M11x, I would opt for the r3, with the i7 and the 2.0 vram.
Also, I really don't want a 15.6" laptop. They are far too large, not in the sense that I dislike lugging them around (weight is a non-issue), but they take up far too much real estate. The 14" dimensions look solid, 10" by 13.3". Does anyone have any size comparisons to, say, a hand?

 

It's all up to your budget, if you wanna spend the 1,400 (Or whatever it is EXACTLY) for the i7 R3 model, then by all means it IS worth it, but if you're on a budget, then alienwares are something to stay away from I personally love my m11x and think it's great, my girlfriend may even be a little jealous

 

My budget isn't really a concern, but I have seen i7 models on the dell outlet for around 1100. Same with high end i7 m14x models for around 1350

 

So, if you're not a budget, and the m14x seems to fit you well then go for it! its GPU is significantly better than that of the m11x's, along with the CPU. They are both really great laptops. I personally (For having large hands) love my little m11x.

EDIT: The dell outlets are GREAT, the only reason I ordered mine directly from alienware was because I wanted my little nameplate

 

Do you have a nice monitor, then go M11. If not then M14. I'm waiting till pay-day so I can snag a display port to HDMI so I can go back to using my monitor instead of the 15" panel on this computer.

 

The M14x is absolutely NOT too big to sit comfortably on a desk. I was actually really pleasantly surprised with its size - I was expecting something much heftier, as the stories of hefty Alienware laptops I'd heard. The M14x has a much, much more powerful processor than the M11x (and I have both, so I have direct experience with this), which would probably be of benefit to your protein generating programs. I would go with that!

 

For me I enjoy features not so easy to get on other models like backlit keys. That option even less than a year ago was still pricey no matter the brand. This means feature bs feature the AW is still ok

CPU GPU can be matched for less though on larger models as pointed out

 

same problem with me

 

Hi guys, I need help on deciding on these 2 models, m11x r3 and m14x.

Initially, I was planning to purchase the m11x r3 full specs, but I read some threads here that the i5+1gb gt540m and i7+2gb gt540m has only minimal difference in performance, but has $200 difference on the price tag.

So I was settled on the m11x, but then my friend pointed out to me the i5 version of m14x, which is only a $100 difference.

I only have very little idea about PC specs because im a console gamer. But now I just sold all my consoles, and wants to shift to PC gaming as most of my friends already shifted.

From what I read, I need to be careful on the custom set ups, because some upgrades are just wasted due to some hardware limitations (ex. The 3gb gt555m on the m14x is not worth the $100 upgrade cost).

My budget is around $1300.

Now my dilemma is which alienware to buy:

M11x
Intel® Core™ i5 2537M 1.4GHz(2.3GHz w/Turbo Boost, 3MB Cache)
Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium, 64bit, English
4GB Dual Channel DDR3 at 1333MHz
320GB 7200RPM SATA 3Gb/s
Intel® Centrino® Wireless-N 1000 a/g/n 1x2
NVIDIA® GeForce® GT540M graphics with 1.0GB Video Memory and Optimus
11.6" High Def (720p/1366x768) with WLED backlight
Price = $999

M14x
Intel® Core™ i5 2410M 2.3GHz (2.9GHz w/Turbo Boost, 3MB Cache)
Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium, 64bit, English
4GB Dual Channel DDR3 at 1333MHz
500GB 7200RPM SATA 3Gb/s
Intel® Wireless-N WiFi Link 1000 a/g/n 1x2
1.5GB DDR3 NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 555M using NVIDIA Optimus™ technology
14.0" High Def (720p/1366x768) with WLED backlight
8x SuperMulti DVD±R/RW Slot Load Optical Drive
Price = $1099


Portability is not that important to me, as I only travel occasionally. But if the performance is almost the same, I would go with m11.

And I also appreciate any upgrade suggestions.

I have read a few forums, and I noticed that this forum will help me the best. Signed up to be a part of this great community.

 

I think that the M11x is perfect for being light yet able to run games and programs well
I played the bf3 alpha and some friends of mine have like a GTX 260 or somthing super old and they ran it fine, so i wouldnt be too worried about bf3

 

And it was alpha, so the beta and full retail version should be better optimized

 

I recommend getting a Sager NP8130 because even though it is a 15 in the price to performance ratio is astounding for a laptop and there are many awesome distributors out there that ACTUALLY WANT TO HELP YOU, Unlike Dell...

Edit: The Sager NP8130 I reccomend the 95% color gamut matte screen upgrade, the upgrade to a 2720 is not really needed unless you are running CAD or other CPU intensive programs, If you can apply thermal paste yourself, Do it, If you can't just purchase it, I also recommend a upgrade from the base wi-fi card to the
$25 option ( I can't remember then name).

 

bigger hdd, optical drive, better GPU, faster CPU all for $100 more. M14 /thread

 

thanks for the reply guys.

@azn: Im not familiar the Sager brand that much, so my choice is only these 2, but thanks for the suggestion. I will consider it in the future, when i get the hang of PC gaming.

@asci: is the performance significant? what about the i7 version of the m11x? its about $50 more than the m14x.

 

Nooooo you should do it
Resellers: Laptops, Gaming Laptops & Fastest, Custom Laptops - MALIBAL Gaming Laptops - XOTIC PC - Gaming Notebooks - Custom Laptops - Custom Notebooks
People on the forums: http://forum.notebookreview.com/member.php?u=27368
http://forum.notebookreview.com/member.php?u=206620

before you consider the Alienware, talk to these guys, you never know you might just get a Sager

As for your question I would reccomend the upgrade, you arn't going to get significant frames since those come from the GPU but it's a nice upgrade because it is a little more future proof

 

My max size is only 14", that is why i was planning to buy the m11x at first

how bout the i7 m11 or i5 m14?

 

M11XR3 =
- Portable
- Game on med/high
- Battery @ 6.5hrs~

M14XR1 =
- Portable (heavier)
- Game on high
- Battery @ 4.5-5hrs~

If you have an external LCD at home, the M11X is great; if not, just grab a M14X since you won't have to hook it up to a monitor everytime. The small screen is good when on the go but when you're at home, you want all the screen real-estate you can get, plus the M14XR1 has more juice (555m) and is more future-proof than the 540m.

I personally think both machines are excellent ...it just comes down to how much traveling you're going to be doing. If it's an everyday thing, the M11XR3 might be better.

 

All depends what you're gonna do bonk, some stuff is very CPU dependent (Starcraft 2) some is GPU dependent (Crysis). For me having a ton of software on disc plus wanting to be able to game my choice was easy since it was optical drive vs no optical drive in the end.

The one thing you haven't really mentioned is what you plan on doing with this machine. Hell if portability isn't important get to the dell outlet yesterday and see what's there. You might be able to snag a frickin' M17x R2 for less than a new M11. My M15 was to my door including sales tax for a little over $800. For the i7, Radeon 5850, and Bluray drive..I'd have been a moron for looking at a new machine. This is a HUGE upgrade from my previous desktop (Athlon 64 3800+, geforce 8800 GT).

 

what i mean about portability not a factor is only between these 2 models, im sorry for the mix up.

For gaming, im using it mainly on mmos, like dragon nest and some single player rpgs like mass effect and dragon age. I dont mind setting the settings to med, but i dont like low settings. Some word/excel works and autocads.

and i cant go to any dell outlet store since im not from the US, and my wife is on vacation until august 20, i asked her to buy one for me. any retailers that carry alienware in san francisco CA area? i dont mind not having any discounts, as long as i can get one, as here where i live, its almost double the price for the same system

 

I love my M11x with my LED monitor. Its so beautiful and when I'm in class its wonderful for notes etc.

 

do an outlet purchase and have it shipped to wherever she's staying at. it took 5 or so business days to get to me.

 

I don't think anybody has mentioned this yet, but the i7-2617m in the M11x is a dual core processor unlike the i7-2830QM in the M14x which is a full quad-core CPU. I have both M14x and M11x (r1) and would definitely get the M14x if portability isn't such an issue. You could always pick up an M11x R1 later as they are getting quite cheap now on the secondhand market.

 

Ordered an m11 a few hours ago. I'll just try it first, if it suits my needs, great. If not, maybe I'll buy the m14 r2 next year

By the way, what's the use of the killer wireless? What's the difference between the 3. Wireless options?

 

get the m11x r3 and then get a m17x r3 lol. One for portable the other for performance.

 

I wanted to jump in this thread since I'm thinking similar things. I travel a LOT for work. I currently have a 15.6 inch Acer Aspire 5740. It's way to big for typing in the car (yes, I type a lot in the car, in fact, I am right now). I love my laptop, but I can't stand the horrendous battery life which is under 2 hours. It also generates a ton of heat.

How well would an M11x and a M14x do on battery/heat with on board graphics doing basic tasks like word processing and internet browsing? I also need to be able to do basic video editing. Think along the lines of taking the video from your kid's baseball game, capturing it, editing clips and encoding to MPEG-2. At first I thought about an i3 M11x, but as lame as it probably sounds, I wonder if it could do what I need it to do. Then I started looking at the i7's and couldn't decide if $1500 for an M11x isn't a tad high for the amount of overall computing power in a low voltage i5 or i7 processor.

I need something rugged, Alienware's seem to fit that category. I need something that will run 5 or 6 hours doing light tasks. Alienware's seem to be able to do that as well. The only thing that seems to be in question is operating temperature. I can KILL a laptop fast (most have about a 18 month shelf life for me) It seems like that big, loud fan wouldn't have any issues moving some air.

I thought about a 13.3 inch Acer Timeline because of the tremendous battery life, but they seem to get very hot, very fast and it would be nice to have something that had a bigger punch in graphics and a "beefier" build.

I don't really game all that much, but I've always liked gaming systems just because they're obviously overbuilt for "normal" PC use and tend to last on down the line. I do technically have a gaming desktop rig that I built myself, so it's not like a laptop would be my first or only choice if something were to come out that I REALLY wanted to play.

So what would you guys do, M11x or M14x? The M14x seems to have the better build quality overall, but is obviously much more expensive. I assume an M11x is going to sip less power and run cooler with any of those processor selections.

 

Potatoes vs carrots... hehe/.

m14x is a better choice for future... More powerful in all the aspects.
m11x is a good choice for portability, nothing more than that...

 

Any current proper laptop is better for VID edits than the CD2 from just a few years ago so no worries. Any i5 or i7 is better for VID edits than su7300 so again pretty safe on editing

My first live tv capture and VID edits were on slow pentiums so the move to M11xR1 was a noticeable improvement. Prior system was E1705 so modest gains there. If can leverage GPU the gains should be huge

 

The m11x r3.... with the i7 core and 2gb nVidea is kick .... I can play Portal at all settings maxed out with absolutely no lag.

 

No doubt the M14x is much more powerful. Here's the order of priority for me:
1) Size/Portability (and there is a thing as being too small)
2) Battery Life
3) Ability to Capture/Edit basic video
4) Ruggedness/Durability
5) Peripheral Hookups (both fit that bill)
6) Gaming

The only game I can foresee myself playing in the future, and it would be very lightly, would be the upcoming Assassins Creed, and realistically I'd just use my Desktop for that.

It sounds like if I went with a M11x I'd be better off saving the $200 and going with an i5 over an i7...it doesn't seem to be THAT big of a bang for your buck for an i7. It sounds like if I went with a M14x an i7 2720QM is the best bang for the buck

Of course, a M14x with the i5 and 6GB of RAM is around $1200 and a M11x with the i5 and 6GB of RAM is around $1100...so it's not really THAT big of a difference.

I won't lie, the things that draw me to those two Alienware's are size (don't care about weight), battery life and backlit keyboard. It almost seems like there might be a bit of a premium price you pay for the M11x?

Damn, decisions, decisions.

 

You can do that on the M11x R1 with SU7300 outputting to a HDTV with portal 2... That 2gb was a waste of money since the card cant handle anywhere near that much. And the i7 isnt really worth the extra money either. supergreatfriend's Channel - YouTube Link to awesome videos of R1 in action stock and 1.6 cpu. Search M11x in the search box

 

Change a r1 for a r3 is not a big improvement...
The m14x r1 is a better option for you...

 

The M14x is much better for video editing, epecially if you get the i7. The encoding step flies on the thing.

 

That's what I figured. What sucks is that the M11x is actually AS deep as my Aspire 5740 and the M14x is DEEPER so I'm not sure of a more narrow computer is going to do anything about making room for a laptop in between my gut and a steering wheel.

 

Strictly talking GPU performance at native res for each system( yes I know both are different 
Trying to see if they are comparable and offer almost the same FPS in most games, CPU wise you can't compare.
Lastly is fan noise for both systems loud under full load, I know some people are not happy about the fan noise in the M14x just wondering if the M11x is less noisy?
And any ideas if the R4 will have a GPU/CPU upgrade and when can we expect to see it.
Thanks!

 

M11 should be less noisy however the M14 will slaughter the M11 in most gaming assuming we're in the same class of processor.

 

Slaughter?
I knew the 555m is better but that much better?

 

a combination of the GPU and better CPU. If you were to have two M14's one with the 540 and one with the 555 the one with the 555 would give you better performance my guess is most noticeable at higher resolutions.

 

yeah, you will see a considerable difference between the two GPU wise, if you want the better performance via GPU 14x is your way to go.

 

Is the performance gap between the m14x and m17x just as high? Is the m17x a LOT better than m14x or just a moderate amount?

 

Alot better!!!

 

Yes, GPU is lot better in M14x.

PS: You might want to check out the hinge problem of M14x which is similar to the one that plagued M11x R1 and R2 owners

 

M17x > M14x /thread

 

I think even my gtx 460m is faster than the 555m

 

Its way better then the 555m.

 

still wish i had a higher end card though

 

In weight and size too, so if you need a portable gaming machine, the M14x is the better choice.