WWAN Mini PCI for alternate purposes (besides ssd)?

I've been lurking here for awhile and I've searched to the best of my ability so please excuse me if this has been asked before:

I've ordered an M11x without a wwan card installed and it is therefore my impression that an extra slot will be available for use. In my searching on these forums and even on forums about the dell mini 10 inch, everyone seems to be concerned with installing an ssd in that slot; the general consensus is that because ssd drives at this point lack built in controllers, this is not a possibility.

Now, I may be a complete noob (and I am okay with this) but can anything else besides an ssd or wwan card be plugged into the vacant slot-- an extra non ssd hdd, maybe a super amazing time travel/naked women generator (I kid, I kid)?

Anyway, let me know. I'll probably be here asking many more inane questions in the future and I hope we will all have a long and fruitful relationship.

P.S. Some possible future queries: What is a decent option for a budget bluetooth gaming headset? (is there one)? What about a budget gaming mouse (wired or otherwise [I here the logitech with the bullet dents is legendary])?

And finally, what is the meaning of life, and how much do I need to hack my 11x to find out? Do I merely overclock the cpu in the bios? The gpu with evga software maybe? What about a pinmod on the M11x R1?

Let me know. Thank you.

P.P.S. I've noticed in my lurking that the alienware\dell moderator can be quite draconian-- and rightly so-- so if this question floats off into the ether, oh well, I'll write another more up to code.

P.P.P.S This really has been one of the most informative and enjoyable and supportive forums I've come across-- a clean, well-lighted place in an internet so often filled with cynicism and vitriol.

 

AFAIK, you can't use the WWAN slot for anything other than a WWAN card (and a Dell WWAN card if using the latest BIOS), which sucks.

As for bluetooth gaming headset, I'm assuming you're referring to a stereo bluetooth gaming headset. Sadly, while there are decent ones out there, I wouldn't recommend using one with the m11x. The bluetooth adaptor in the m11x has a known bug that causes it to overheat/overload when being used extensively for stereo bluetooth.

Unless you plan to use a USB bluetooth adaptor, I can't recommend using a stero bluetooth headset with the m11x. Additionally, MOST stereo bluetooth headsets suffer from a measurable lag (up to 1 whole second), which can get you killed in FPS games.

Headset wise, I'd recommend a pair of good ol' Sony MDR7506 Professional headphones (one of the best and most accurate for sound) coupled with the internal mic on the m11x for gaming. I use it almost everyday in Valve games and Vent (for WoW).

 

1) Don't buy Bluetooth anything. Bluetooth is by far the worst connectivity option when it comes to mice or audio. Just because it's newer, doesn't mean its better.

2) Unless you absolutely need it, I'd stay away from wireless in general. Wireless is not "just as good as wired, but better, because it's wireless!" Wireless is a pain in the butt. Wireless peripherals are more expensive, they are heavier / bulkier, they run out of batteries in the middle of gaming and require you to swap / recharge batteries (which start losing their charge capacity after 1 or 2 years), and they are often lower performance than wired peripherals (unless you buy top-end wireless gear to get that performance back). They also require you to use their wireless receivers and recharging equipment, which may be a pain to carry around in a laptop bag.

Plus, wireless headsets are almost all USB, which means you can only ever use them with computers. Some wired headsets / headphones are USB-only, but you can find quite a few that use standard 3.5mm audio plugs. Those headphones can be used with anything, including portable music players.


3) When you buy peripherals, pay close attention to gear that can deliver what you actually want. If you want gear that performs well, then stay away from gear that is marketed using features unrelated to performance (e.g. flashy LED lights). Likewise, if those aesthetic features matter to you more, then be sure to specifically find gear that does it. I've seen a lot of people get convinced that paying for something unrelated to performance (like colored LED's or gold-plated USB connectors) somehow made a better-performing mouse aimed at "gamers".



/end_rant

If you want recommendations on mice / headsets, I'd recommend you either flip through the threads on the subject that are already on the forums, or make a new post. People here are generally more than happy to give their opinions in a polite manner.

 

Yeah, i kinda figured from poking around here on the forums that bluetooth is generally frowned upon in the gaming sense, but thanks for confirming it.

So how about on the front of budget wireless solutions for both headsets and mice. Tendomentis, I was referring to a full headset solution (mind you, I'm not even sure if that's the way to describe it), as in a headphone and mic combination unit for playing games like wow and modern warfare, etc.

As for the mouse, is the logitech mx518 pretty much a sure bet, especially considering the price?

Thanks both of you for your help.

 

I knew you meant "headset" over "headphones", and the only point I was trying to make is that with laptops, that is largely unnecessary. Headphones, on the average, will give you better sound at a lower price. Headsets tend to be gimmicky (to appeal to the gamer crowd) and therefore overpriced.

I play MW2 and LFD2 with professional headphones and the laptop mic almost every day and have never had a complaint. The mic is sitting right in front of you when you're gaming on a laptop, unlike a desktop gaming rig. Unless you're trying to game in a VERY noisy environment (think server room level of noise), you don't need a noise-cancelling mic right next to your face.

That's just my experience. Take it FWIW.