Alienware M15x or MSI GX660R

Which one is more reasonable to buy??

  • Alienware M15x

    Votes: 22 71.0%
  • MSI GX660R

    Votes: 9 29.0%

  • Total voters
    31
Joined
Aug 26, 2010
Messages
23
My uncle wanted to buy her son (my cousin) notebook as gifts for entering college. My cousin was very fond of games, so my uncle thought to buy a powerful notebook for gaming. At first, my uncle intend to buy Alienware M15x. However, after I read a review of the MSI Gaming Series GX660R and tell it to him, he consider these notebook..

Alienware M15x
Dell-Alienware-M15x-gets-Core-i7-920XM.jpg

For Alienware M15x, he chose the following specifications:
Intel Core™ i7 740QM, ATI Radeon™ Mobility HD 5850 1GB, 15.6-inch WideHD+ 1600x900, 8GB Dual Channel Memory (2x 4GB DDR3), 640GB 7,200RPM SATA-II..

MSI GX660R
MSI-GX660R-1.jpg

And for GX660R, he chose these configuration:
Intel Core™ i7 740QM, ATI Radeon™ Mobility HD 5870 1GB, 15.6-inch 1366x768, 8GB Dual Channel Memory (2x 4GB DDR3), 2x500GB 7,200RPM SATA-II..

Price for Alienware M15x with these specifications is more expensive than the MSI GX660R with these specifications.. But, the MSI GX660R equipped with Mobility HD5870 whereas Alienware M15x only equipped with Mobility HD5850..

This is the result of a MSI GX660R 3D Mark bench..
3dm61-600x375.jpg

3dmv3-600x375.jpg

I think, the performance of the Alienware M15x will be slightly below that score..

I personally recomend him to buy MSI GX660R for his son.. But, before that, I want your opinion, whichever is more reasonable to buy??:confused: Thanks..
 
You like the MSI for a better graphics card, but the resolution is terrible on it for a 15" laptop. I would go with the alienware in this case just because of the resolution difference.
 
alienware, the higher resolution will be nicer than a 5870
 
You like the MSI for a better graphics card, but the resolution is terrible on it for a 15" laptop. I would go with the alienware in this case just because of the resolution difference.

alienware

5850 is merely a 5870 just clocked down, nothing else different

alienware, the higher resolution will be nicer than a 5870

Ok, thanks for your opinions.. Really appreciate it..:D But, Alienware M15x with these specifications priced approximately U.S. $ 600 more than the MSI GX660R.. Is that difference worth to get a notebook with (only) a better screen resolution??
 
Is that difference worth to get a notebook with (only) a better screen resolution??

$600 is quite a lot. I think if the MX15 is in your price range, there should be a few more options you could consider rather than just those two.
 
Just FYI: That MSI line is horrible about temps. The chassis only has 1 fan in it and the paste job is more than often faulty. A lot of unhappy forums posts out there.
 
The gtx 460 trades blows with and sometimes outruns the 5870 in mobile forms. The latest drivers are "fixed" for the 460 and improved frames about 15%.
 
I hear a lot of good things about alienware laptops. You pay a premium for them, but you rarely find complaints among people who have them. If you like the style, you'll be happy with the laptop.

The resolution on the alienware is nicer too. That little extra pixel height is worth quite a bit in my opinion. More than the extra width is worth in my opinion.

As far as worth $600 more for a slower laptop? nah...with the price difference the MSI might steal the vote --- but before I read the price difference I voted Alienware.
 
The alienware, better res and options for better support in the long run for a school student.
 
I'd go with the Alienware. The MSI looks like a riced out Honda Civic.
 
Alienware laptops are HISTORICALLY one of the few that are able to have their GPU upgraded down the line. They use standard MXM modules.
 
My advice... go to this link and follow the tips there.

Then get the Alienware M15x. I bought it for college... best laptop I ever seen. Build quality is amazing, and the overall experience... unbelievable. My model was $1700 as specced, but combining a 10% student coupon (check at your cousin's college, im sure they offer discounts on dell products), and just simply calling in and haggling (they describe tips in the link), I was able to get the price down to $1375. Much more bearable. I got the 9 cell and the 1600x900 display. and the 5850 with the i5 processor.

I highly recommend the Alienware, im loving it!

Good luck!
 
My advice... go to this link and follow the tips there.

Then get the Alienware M15x. I bought it for college... best laptop I ever seen. Build quality is amazing, and the overall experience... unbelievable. My model was $1700 as specced, but combining a 10% student coupon (check at your cousin's college, im sure they offer discounts on dell products), and just simply calling in and haggling (they describe tips in the link), I was able to get the price down to $1375. Much more bearable. I got the 9 cell and the 1600x900 display. and the 5850 with the i5 processor.

I highly recommend the Alienware, im loving it!

Good luck!

Yep, people harp on AW for being overpriced (I used to be one of them), but as soon as you own one you know why you're paying extra.

I just got an m17x and it puts every other laptop I've used (except maybe the excellent, but short-lived Asus w90vp) to shame. Makes my Asus G73 -- a good, well-designed gaming laptop in its own right -- look like a flimsy piece of plastic.

If you're going to try to talk a sales rep down on price, definitely take that NBR thread's advice and make sure to speak to a US-based rep who's likely aused an AW laptop. The off-shored reps are not much better than a set of automated voice prompts, know little else than what's on the script in front of them and have little wiggle room on price or sweetners. When I was trying to order an XPS 1730 last year I remember trying to explain how an 8800m GTX is the same rebadged card as a 9800m GT (which Dell was trying to pass off for $100 more) - the Indian rep just kept repeating "but it's a 9800, so it's better. You should get that one" :rolleyes: After 20 minutes of trying to get the config right, I just gave up and bought an Asus w90vp.
 
I have a M17x as well and I love it. Also you can always check out the dell outlet site to see if you can snag a good deal there and once a month they do offer a 20% off coupon in which will help out on the price as well.
 
Man I can't decide. I need a new gaming rig, and was planning on building a new desktop AND then buying a cheaper laptop for paying bills and such, but I just can't buy a pc that can't play games. It's like non-alcoholic beer, decaf coffee, etc.

I've been looking at some of the Lenovo's, and the Dell Studio XPS16. I was originally turned off by the battery life of the Alienware, and prefer the styling of the Dell or Lenovo. But... it sure sounds like a nice rig.

1) Does it really run all the new games at high res?

2) How loud does the fan get when gaming? When just surfing?

Thanks!

Is this what is sounds like all the time or just when gaming?

http://bestgadgetnow.com/gadget-news/alienware-m15x-gaming-laptop-starcraft-2-beta-preview-ultra/
 
Last edited:
My advice... go to this link and follow the tips there.

Then get the Alienware M15x. I bought it for college... best laptop I ever seen. Build quality is amazing, and the overall experience... unbelievable. My model was $1700 as specced, but combining a 10% student coupon (check at your cousin's college, im sure they offer discounts on dell products), and just simply calling in and haggling (they describe tips in the link), I was able to get the price down to $1375. Much more bearable. I got the 9 cell and the 1600x900 display. and the 5850 with the i5 processor.

I highly recommend the Alienware, im loving it!

Good luck!

Yep, people harp on AW for being overpriced (I used to be one of them), but as soon as you own one you know why you're paying extra.

I just got an m17x and it puts every other laptop I've used (except maybe the excellent, but short-lived Asus w90vp) to shame. Makes my Asus G73 -- a good, well-designed gaming laptop in its own right -- look like a flimsy piece of plastic.

If you're going to try to talk a sales rep down on price, definitely take that NBR thread's advice and make sure to speak to a US-based rep who's likely aused an AW laptop. The off-shored reps are not much better than a set of automated voice prompts, know little else than what's on the script in front of them and have little wiggle room on price or sweetners. When I was trying to order an XPS 1730 last year I remember trying to explain how an 8800m GTX is the same rebadged card as a 9800m GT (which Dell was trying to pass off for $100 more) - the Indian rep just kept repeating "but it's a 9800, so it's better. You should get that one" :rolleyes: After 20 minutes of trying to get the config right, I just gave up and bought an Asus w90vp.
Ok, thanks for your advices.. :)

Neither, get the Asus.
Type??
 
I cannot speak to the MSI GX660R however I do have an M15x and it's an excellent well built Laptop (1600x900, i7 720m, 260m, 4GB, Win7 64Bit)
 
I own the M15x and it is a fantastic notebook. If price is a concern then just go with 4 gigs instead of eight. Mine has the 920xm and a 5870 that I got from dell and installed myself. I keep mine in a back pack and carry it around quite a bit without any problems. Only a complete idiot would buy a laptop like this with less than an hour of battery life and complain about its portability. Ignore morons like that and make a decision based on what you like. I personally love it and will only buy Alienware from now on based on build quality and customer service. All components are easily accessible and are completely user changable.
 
Go for the MSI, and for the price difference, order a $200 LCD.

This will help a lot in school. One screen for reference, and one for work (Word, Excel, etc..).
 
i would go for the m15x without looking back! i own both m17x R1 and R2 and they are great! good luck
 
how are m15x and former m15x owners feeling these days? a lot of glowing reviews back then, still holding up? :D

:eek:
 
I can't believe I read this old ass necrothread. Thanks a lot.

But yeah I guess i'm interested now too.
 
how are m15x and former m15x owners feeling these days? a lot of glowing reviews back then, still holding up? :D

:eek:

My son is still gaming on his all the time, his has same GPU same CPU but 1920x1080 screen. Plays games great still.
 
Just FYI: That MSI line is horrible about temps. The chassis only has 1 fan in it and the paste job is more than often faulty. A lot of unhappy forums posts out there.

I bought an Asus G50 a few year ago, and it's in the junk box, couldn't game for more then five minutes without horrendous lag due to heat. Never seen anything like it. Waste of money. :mad:
 
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