New to Alienware

Hey guys/gals!

Seen a few recommendations about the site so thought i'd swing by and see if anyone could enlighten me on Alienware products.

Im familar with desktop pc's and already have a decent setup although laptops/netbooks is uncharted territory for me and I have little knowledge on the tech implemented now days.

Basically im interested in a new laptop for university for general stuff like web browsing, word processing and other student like activities but also some light gaming.

Dell Alienware M11X 11.6 Inch Notebook (Intel Core 2 Duo SU7300,1.3GHz,4GB RAM,320GB HDD,WLAN,Webcam,Win 7 Home Premium 64-bit): Amazon.co.uk: Computers & Accessories

I came across this on amazon and thought it looked a good deal but wasnt sure if it was worth shelling out on the newer models?

Any adivce would be appreciated.

Cheers

 

Hey GodWarner,

The M11x you are looking at is the first model and there have been 2 revisions since then.

That being said, the M11xR1 that you are looking at sounds like it would suit your needs very well. It has the best battery life of the models which is definitely a big positive for Uni.

Also, have a look at this thread for more of an idea of a comparison of the models, I even think DeeVu is planning on writing a short comparison.

I think the Dell Outlet would be a better place to buy an M11x from, even though they are refurbished some people have got some awesome deals and they come in very good used condition.

Goodluck man, I hope it helps

 

Cheers for the advice!

Yeah from the research ive done it appears the battery life is more adequete on the R1 how im slightly put off by the CPU which is relatively dated now. Is it even possible to play games without OC'ing to 1.7ghz or is it pretty much a must?

I cant help but be cautious towards refurbished models... missing out on the euphoria of opening a brand new box maybe Am I right to assume refurbs have to be good quality to be fit for selling? Both cosmetically and under the hood?

Thanks again for the advice ill check the thread also!

 

Hey GodWarner... I would be weary of this price. I know you guys in europe pay more, but 499.99 english pounds is equal to about 825 bucks. The R1 is not even close to worth that anymore, especially considering the poor Core2duo performance compared to the Core i7.

If I were you, I'd save up a little bit and go with the Core i7 R3. It's going to be more, but you're going to save yourself a lot of disappointment and headaches.

 

No worries, glad it helped.

Lots of games push they GPU much more than the CPU which is why the M11xR1 is still a good option, however in games which push the CPU, the R1 starts to chug even when OC'd.

I've got the R2 and with throttlestop there is quite a big jump in terms of CPU power. The R3 is even better with an updated CPU and GPU but then the price starts to increase, so it's all a matter of what you a willing to spend vs. the performance you are after.

I can totally understand your caution toward refurbished models, I was like that before I heard of others experiences.
It seems that the refurbs need to undergo a decent quality control before they can be resold and sometimes the only way to tell it apart from a new model is the green refurb sticker on the bottom.

 

Yeah I see what your saying. The fact that I was pleased to see it at that price pretty much shows how outrageous prices are in he UK. May I ask which model you have if any ?

 

Excuse my ignorance but could you enlighten me on the throttlestop? Okies so im thinking now that maybe forking out for the R3 will be a more sustainable option. Wish I had more cash to play around with

 

http://outlet.euro.dell.com/Online/InventorySearch.aspx?c=uk&cs=ukdfh1&l=en&s=dfh&brandid=7&fid=2923

Its rather depressing to see refurbished models just as expensive as the new one from amazon.

 

On the R2, the CPU has a feature called Turbo Boost which boosts the multiplier and runs at a higher value to increase performance. Normally, the CPU throttles back after boosting up and performance suffers however throttlestop locks the Turbo Boost and keeps it running as fast as possible.

This doesn't work on the R3 due to changes in the Sandy Bridge CPU by Intel but it runs faster than a Throttlestopped R2 anyway so it doesn't matter

Read here for more info...

I think the R3 is the best purchase especially if you plan on keeping it for a few years, just my input.

 

Ah right I see. Slightly off topic but does this by any chance apply to the desktop i5 2500k and its turbo boost function aswell?

I may have to find a way to muster the neccessary funds based on everyones advice! Im only going to get poorer as a student

 

Not too sure about the desktop CPU sorry.

I'm also an underfunded Uni student so I feel your pain
You should try ordering over the phone as opposed to online and haggle with a rep to knock down the price a bit, people seem to have quite a bit of luck with that. Also scour the internet for coupons, any discount helps!

 

I hear they do student discounts but i cant imagine them being very substantial. I know this is a Alienware forum but can anyone suggest any real alternatives from other brands? I found a good acer one but apparently the build quality isnt as good as Dell's Alienware.

 

If you're looking for something the size of the m11x, there really isn't a competitor, it's a beast for its size.

In regards to which one you should get, I would highly recommend the R3, even if it is just the i5 version. I had a R1 which was brilliant for university studies and some gaming, but my replacement R3 leaves it in the dust. The loss of battery life is minimal and the gains in performance are huge! Plus, if you get a R1, there's a change that it will suffer from the hinge issue, but the R3s have the fixed hinge.

Hope that helps

 

The balance seems to be tipped in favour of the R3 then! If it wasnt for the outrageous prices in the UK i'd place my order right now. Ive seen some great prices on US sites ..makes me jealous

 

If wanting NOW but cannot afford R3 then no real harm in R1. For "light" gaming is waaaaaay more than good enough.

If can at all swing it I too suggest R3.

 

Have you tried HIDevolution.com - Specializing in customized computers, electronics, and mobile devices for gamers and professionals ?

You can import systems at US prices from there, can work out significantly cheaper, although I don't know the import taxes for the UK...