Alienware Introduces M15x Core i7 Powered 15-inch Gaming Laptop

To be fair, the Alienware also comes with a license for Windows, a 5.1 Speaker system on the laptop itself, the LED lights, aluminum casing, and Alienware's proprietary recovery software.

I think all that together is wroth $600, even if I wouldn't pay for it myself. The aluminum casing is practically useless if it's not dissipating heat from a 280gtx

Edit: let's not forget the design of non-visible screws on the bottom, that's pretty neat

 

The aluminum actually does a poor job dissipating heat I think. It acts more like an insulator than a conductor.

The best part about aluminum is the durability (doesn't chip, flex like plastic), but I think its benefits are wasted on a non-portable notebook.

 

The aluminium is a super-conductor metal. This is, the heat moves thru AL a lot faster than in other metals. That is why it is used, it dissipates faster in theory, but being dispersed on a larger area, downside is that it heats the laptop.
Perhaps that is why the couldnt top to the GTX280M?

 

The aluminum on the M15x/M17x is not for dissipating heat; it is for design purposes. The M17x stays extremely cool under stress and has the best cooling system I have seen in a gaming notebook to date. I imagine the M15x uses a very similar system but I'll wait until my review unit arrives to judge that.

I wouldn't call the design of the M15x 'mediocre'. I agree that the single GTX260M is kind of weak. In a 9 lb chassis, I would like to see a GTX 280M. To be fair, they aren't that far apart in terms of performance.

 

I honestly think alienware was hit off guard.

I don't think they realized that maybe something else better was coming out, and what do you know the same day they show there notebook the Sager floods, lol.

It wont take long before they drop a 280, alienware wont want to get too far behind. Then again it looks they have loyal customers so i doubt sales for them will be a problem. This is a fun time to love notebooks i tell you

 

despite all that, if you have a layer of air between components, it won't work.

have you opened laptops before? aluminium sheets are used to in the chassis to contain heat. especially under the palm rest.

 

Wow, that's... terrible. Well, not terrible, but are they kidding? And of course Sager has a better one, that goes without saying. But that claim to be the fastest 15.6'' in the world is completely ridiculous. It's hard to claim you're the fastest when your competition outclasses you in every way. That's almost false advertising.

 

No tianxia, I have not. But Aluminium properties are well known, and heat disperses on an AL sheet faster than on another metal.

And what I mean, is if all the laptop is made of AL, when you heat up, the small gap between components and the current AL exterior does not matter that much, since heat dissipates thru air too. I may be wrong, but if you heat up AL, it gets hot FAST and in the entire piece (got almost burned after working with some AL pieces today lol... ), so a full AL body with a warm CPU/GPU would translate in warm inferior, no lap friendly.

 

Actually, I forgot to add on a warranty similar to the Sager on that Alienware price I configured. Can you guess how much more that adds on?

Windows license isn't a big deal considering how many ways you get get Windows 7 for free. So then you're left with those very few minor things to make up the $800+. Totally not worth it. Ironic, it's a very similar argument to not get a Macbook lol (please don't flame me, I am half kidding).

 

air is the most insulating material you can find in a laptop. which is why people use thermal paste, which actually transfers heat slower than AL. we use it because it's better than a microscopic air gap. any amount of air matters.
to dissipate heat(conventionally), you need surface area and airflow, a single block of radiating fins probably has half the surface area of a uMB. a good heatsink assembly>>aluminium body.
the reason aluminium, and polished metals, feels very hot or cold is because, they transfer heat faster than say plastic, and they have a smooth surface, which means increased contact surface when touched.
that been said, i don't really know why aluminium sheets are used in laptops. they are called heatshields for sure, but i don't know how they work. my google skills aren't that great.

edit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiant_barrier could this be it? where is a physicist when you need one?

 

i think we shouldn't look at conditional pricing.

 

Ahh your right.

 

It's a well known fact that aluminum is an excellent conductor or heat. However, I'm not sure of the point your making as it applies in laptop construction? I think the main purpose for it's application in laptops is that it's easily and completely recycled.

 

Sure the M15x is affordable for an Alienware, but who in their right mind would buy a 9-pound 15.6-incher? That's around the weight of 18.4" laptops.

Also, is this laptop supposed to be MXM? Any comments on screen quality?

 

It's a nice machine, but ideally for that weight you'd have had space for two HDDs. What I'm looking for is the G51VX refreshed with the i7; that would then be my perfect notebook. Unless I buckle and buy a HP Envy 15 first; which doesn't tick all the boxes, but it looks pretty )

 

Dual hard drives should be able to fit in the M15x no problem. If I'm gonna carry around a 15 incher that weighs 9lbs+ I don't want to carry around an external drive with it. lol Any 15" gaming models besides the G51's that have dual hard drive support?

The 260 instead of the 280 is a surprise but no HDMI? How odd.

 

The HP Envy is rumoured to have two HDD bays (I believe), but then it's lacking an optical drive - which of course you could do with pretty much any 15" notebook, simply swap out the optical drive for a 2.5" caddy.

 

Not too bad. I think I'd rather have that setup instead. I'd use what's on the 2nd drive more often than I'd need to plug in an external optical drive.

 

Yup my thoughts exactly. Get a small SSD for OS and programs and a large 640GB WD HDD (they have them now in 9.5mm flavours) for storage etc.

 

I'm anxious to hear more about the Envy... but I'm still convinced its going to be a hot plate.

This new M15x just looks more and more to me like its not very competitive in its features and pricing... which is a bad combination. Its always a bad thing when you have to convince yourself that gimmicky looks (the alienware 'experience') is worth a significant premium- Dell Adamo, anyone?

 

True, the M17x really rocked my socks with its overall fit and finish. But the M15x @ 9lbs is crazy. The 17" M17 was 9lbs with SLI. I know the M15x is going to be CHUNKY.....like a fat boy and cake.

 

thats not true dell/aw did a great job with the m17x with the overclocking features and now the 4870s and is worth the small premium. here its mystifying and not worth the premium unless you like the looks. maybe theyll learn there lesson with low sales amounts and do it right next time for the 15x

 

Oh wow! Now thats a f*cking BRICK

 

i think they should put some dates on their claims
"world's fastest 15" notebook per xx-xx-2009" lol

but i guess everything will be proven on reviews

 

What about the Asus G51VX? Has two HD bays. And also the fancy case and lighting effects.

 

I'm amazed that people actually like their laptops to look like a Christmas tree.

 

Which does not have the option of having an i7. However, I think they are launching a G51 with an i7 option, though it'll be called something other than the VX.

 

love every second .... i am quite a colorful person

I do liek the alerts from my keyboard and the alerts while gaming (new mail , damage, IM etc )

 

I agree xith chrixx. Instead of all those bell and whistles, I prefer a ,ore subtle design;

 

Of all things to exclude, an HDMI port?

 

It went with VGA and Displayport, which just means you have to buy an adapter.

I think a 'flashy' looking laptop could justify a $200 premium, even $300. Heck, I own an SXPS 16 and I could have had something similar in performance or better (albeit, lacking the RGB screen) for a little less. But I loved the design, and the quality of the build was worth a little extra to me. But I dont think its worth paying $500 for rainbow colored keyboards and nebula red cases and all the other nick nacks.

 

I agree with yoyu Texas. There is a limit for those design prices; and 500+ is not worth it.

But I am old fashiooned, and find the ThinkPads quite appealing for so,e reason...but how much would I love the T400s design to become standard.

 

adding display port is a nice and forward looking move.
i wonder when we would ditch the VGA and finally go all digital.

edit: 3 usb ports? for such a huge laptop, it's a bit pathetic. my 7lb vostro has 6.

 

i feel the same way.
i don't think the alienware design is a problem though, it's a huge plus for some people. they should put more bling on it!!!

 

i believe $500 is justifiable because they had another purpose for the bedazzled casing , eg : attracting hot chicks
haha..lol

 

Well I think my sig expresses my dissapointment in the new 15'inchers, AW didnt impress me here either. Needs to be said that 1. The option for the 280GTX shouldve been planned. 2. Can't wait until the diesets become small enough for a true portable i7 laptop. 3. No HDMI port was just..a mistake.
4. This laptop may indeed be actually the best 15' i7 in the end because of the option of BIOS overclocking, Clevo is mum on any word of BIOS overclocking yet again and we'll just have to see what happens.
5. Labeling Alienware in general as paying for looks only is ridiculous, the M17x is by far the best gaming notebook in the world, period going by proof of benchmarks. Saying your paying for looks alone could apply to the M15x as it appears to be inferior unless Clevo does not release overclocking for the BIOS, if it doesnt once again AW could come out on top, even with the 260GTX only.

 

Well the Asus W90 when overclocked beats the M17x for some reason...so it should be the 2 on par, since both carry a 4870HDx2 GDDR5 by now, I assume...

 

It doesnt...M17x holds the records in Vantage and 3dmark06 ORB verified. I don't believe the W90 will be offering DDR5's in the future either, as far as I know. Kinc still holds the unverified 3dmark 06 record for laptops but most of the benchmarkers have seem to have concluded he was given an unlocked BIOS and voltage settings by Asus to hit a 20k score probably for marketing purposes. He never followed up on questions and emails how he got that.

 

I think it is a shame that Dell/Alienware have taken this direction with this notebook.
This notebook used to be fairly portable and just about on the edge of acceptability for some people to use for work if they didn't customise it with all the bells and whistles.
Now this is really strictly a desktop notebook.
It is clear that they wanted to redefine this notebook.
They probably want people to go for the XPS 16" now instead if they want a pretty powerful 15-16in.
As a gaming laptop this doesn't even threaten the likes of the NP8690 so it is a bit of neither here nor there.

 

The asus is eol and has no future ... The m17x will stomp all over it's 4850's only because of driver issues since asus screwed up the design(ati fan here )


The m17x dare I say will beat the m98nu Only because of it's bios overclockng which gives it the edge


Now with the m17x with actual 4870's not 4850's ( you need to research that) and the ddr5 will beat the 280's by quite a bit

 

Well if somebody try to steal it at least the weight would keep them from running away.

 

Can I plug the yellow/green/black 5.1 speaker plusg directly into this M15x like I do with the M17X?

 

I wish my notebook could be as goodlooking as the M15x
And 8 Gb RAM is massive!

 

The Clevo is much faster than this. It has an GTX 280m...

 

yes the 280 is faster ..... .... but much faster ? NO

10% @ MAX and the 260 has been proven to OC more.


before you start going AW fanboy , i must say i prefer the Clevo in this battle

 

I think I read that the NP8690 is using a GTX 260 as well, not the 280.

In which case, AW still gets frowns for not making the 260 standard...

 

yes they do but they are trying to play to 2 different markets

 

Who is?......

 

What markets?

 

Spoiled college kids looking for a moderately gaming capable laptop and a few hours bettery life (GT 240M).