Base Alienware m15x model

Do you guys think that the base Alienware m15x model with the core i3 processor is enough for programming, gaming, web designing and photoshopping?

Here are a few more questions:
1. Is the 900p display okay?
2. Is it possible to upgrade from a Core i3 to a Core i7 processor?
3. Should I wait for a R3 refresh?

 

1. Is the 900p display okay?
2. Is it possible to upgrade from a Core i3 to a Core i7 processor?
3. Should I wait for a R3 refresh?

(1) The 900p display is fine, it actually gives better framerates for games (lower resolution = higher framerates, depending on the settings used and the hardware.

(2) So long as the processor is a PM55 chipset the upgrade will be fine, pretty simple, plug & play.

(3) Depends whether you can wait for it or not. If you can then you should, you don't necessarily need to, though, since there are plenty of powerful brands similar to Alienware.

 

1. The screen is fine for doing work on. Higher resolution just means more on the screen and it's your call. You haven't mentioned a thing about the graphics card which is the deciding factor of your M15x performance in games. If you like photoshop then go for the nvidia option.

2. Yes you can go all the way up to a 940XM. As long as it is not Sandy Bridge, it is fine.

3. Chances are there won't be a refresh. M14x is coming so the M17x R3 is likely to replace the M15x. To be honest, the R3 is a better laptop. Similar size, Sandy Bridge, higher graphics (but still single card), 3d display and better battery.

 

At this point people are fairly sure there will not be an R3 refresh for the m15x, rather the:

M11XR2 --> M14X
M15XR2 --> M17X R3
M17XR2 --> M18X

Obviously once these models are announced the prices on the current models (with first gen I3/5/7 cores) will come down

Still, if you need a machine now I wouldn't delay... the wait, even if it's only a few months, can be tough

I just bought an m15x and have no regrets... it satisfies my need perfectly and I know my 920xm overclocked will compete very well with the sandy bridge processors (I would definitely upgrade to an i7 vs an i5 because more and more programs are going multi-core these days (unless you play a lot of a specific game which only utilizes 1-2 cores where the higher clock speed of the i5 provides an advantage))

900p display will give you better frame rates and still has enough real estate for getting stuff done. 1080P on a 15in screen is overkill most of the time, however, it all depends what you are used to.

Processor is a fairly easy upgrade and is as easy as swapping one for the other. Even if you've never done it before it's no longer than a 30 min job (really helps to have the instruction up on another computer so you aren't "flying blind")

 

How about the Sager np8130? Is it worth it? I am an international student and I have never heard of the brand. Are they any good?

 

Right the Sager's are made by a company called Clevo. Clevo supply chassis etc to other companies around the world and they brand it themselves. Alienware used to be a Clevo reseller before it changed hands over to Dell. You may have heard of Malibal, Cyberpower and Eurocom from the US, Kobalt or RockPC in the UK and MySN from Germany. These companies, including Sager, are all Clevo resellers. Obviously in this forum we are quite biased towards Dell but the Clevo machines are good value for money in terms of performance. They are also damn ugly.

 

Better bang for your buck but they are ugly/the customer support isn't as good (usually)...

... yea... we are a little biased here

 

1080p means more screen room which is nice for research, coding, running multiple windows at once. Would recommend upgrading there as I do alot of the same stuff as you do. Went from a 900p to 1080p and it made a big difference for me.

1080p for programming, photoshop, research, video editing.
900p for gaming if frame rates are a issue.

Its a great build system either way. Easy to upgrade internal components.

 

I'm actually biased at this point in my notebook experience towards Sager/Clevo. It's also worth noting that customer service (I believe) is done by the re-seller, not the Sager/Clevo company themselves; the parts just come from the main Sager/Clevo company.

The reason I'm biased towards Dell is because I owned one of the defective XPS M1530 laptops prior to receiving an M15x as a replacement. In some cases the XPS M1530 was much more manageable, like a Sager laptop to manage at school than this Alienware is because people don't know the Sager/Clevo laptop brand unless they're knowledgeable about notebooks in general.

(Sager's don't necessarily emit strange keyboard lights ) and are a little more low-key, though it depends on the model (in terms of things like desk-note & weight distribution). The NP8130/8150/8170 are all great value laptops, it's more important, however, to choose which re-seller.

 

LxGST has a good point. Clevo laptops are great performers but less known. So at College and work and stuff people might think you have a Chinese clone or something. The warranty from Clevo is non existent but if you get it from a reputable reseller, I have heard great things about Malibal and XoticPC, you should be fine if you choose them. It is your choice, in terms of performance, you can't go wrong with a Clevo, if you want bragging rights and your laptop is a representation of your handhood (this may backfire if Desi Munda were female) then go with Alienware.

PS Additional anecdote: I came from a MacBook Pro and when I told my friends that I didn't have it anymore they asked, 'Too cool for you?' To which I replied, 'not cool enough.' They immediately then knew I had an Alienware. Don't think same can be said about a Clevo.

 

900p screen should be fine for programming, photoshop, research, and video editing as well. The plus in having a 1080p screen is the added real estate so more space for all of the above tasks but 900p should be more than sufficient of the above tasks. I came from doing photoshop and research and light video editing on a 1280x800 screen then had a 900p screen for a while and now a 1080p screen and between the last two I only saw that I had more space for such tasks no other downsides.

As for gaming, gaming at a native screen resolution is always best even if you get a 1080p screen and downscale to 900p it wont be the same as gaming on a native 900p screen.

But as others have said in this thread, it depends on the Graphics card you have as well.

 

as for the 900p display, I'm very happy with it... gives a very nice eye-candy, allowing good framerates also.

 

I too am very happy with my 900p but I am looking to get a 1080p screen in the near future. I'm just spoiled with my desktop having 1080p granted that is a 23inch monitor but still extra screen space is always nice.