Alienware m11x

fnord0 said:
notebookreview.com has just published the most extensive review (all-in-one page review) I've yet seen on the alienware m11x. I found that site thru this thread, and must say it's such a great site for laptops. props indeed :D
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Interesting bit:

"As you'll see in the benchmarks below, overclocking the CPU is essential if you want the M11x to perform as advertised on the Dell website."

They sure do gush over it don't they?

Would 8GB of RAM really help this laptop in real world performance?
 
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InfernalMachine said:
Interesting bit:

"As you'll see in the benchmarks below, overclocking the CPU is essential if you want the M11x to perform as advertised on the Dell website."

They sure do gush over it don't they?

Would 8GB of RAM really help this laptop in real world performance?
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They sure do LOL the forums over there are pretty good if your in the laptop market you can get a pretty good idea of what to expect from the actual user postings in the forums. I don't put much weight in the actual reviews posted by NBR though nor do I with any actual website for the mostpart just due to the general nature of advertising. The [H] seems to be one of the only websites left these days with the integrity to actually call a spade a spade and I really do appreciate this site for that.
 
magnetik said:
fwiw, I haven't had any issues so far playing... MW2, Bioshock, SFIV, NFS:Shift, and Burnout Paradise. played all night yesterday. No lockups and my m11x is overclocked in the bios. I also want to mention that I am on a clean install also of Win7 Ult.

I also picked up this sleeve and it fit perfectly. (for those looking for one)
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Hey man, mind posting some pics of the case and how well it fits? I have been thinking of picking this one up.
 
notebookcheck have the m11x review up too.. only in german for now...( i read it using translator)
 
furyagain said:
notebookcheck have the m11x review up too.. only in german for now...( i read it using translator)
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That seems like a much more accurate review, they mention alot of the same problems users have been bringing up over in the NBR forums and it seems more accurate in general with regards screen quality etc... Never read their reviews before always just went through their performance database will have to be sure and look them up in the future.

Thanks mate.
 
wrxdrunkie said:
Hey man, mind posting some pics of the case and how well it fits? I have been thinking of picking this one up.
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here ya go.. it's a little tight with my nano reciever and microsd reader in the available usb ports but nothing too bad. you can see them in the pic

The sleeve is on the chunky side but that's how I like them. When it's all the way in.. that felt flap thing folds down over the top of the laptop then the main flap hooks on with velcro.

just a heads up that you can get it cheaper through amazon w/ free shipping. Like $10-12 iirc. It ended up being almost $20 at newegg. If you've ever owned a "booq" the build feels similar. I hope the Zagg skin comes out soon for this.. sure it would help with the fingerprints.

P1010943a.jpg
 
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Thanks for that pic, decided to order one for myself too from Amazon. Also bought it with the Logitech Portable Lapdesk N315.
 
bluehaze013 said:
That seems like a much more accurate review, they mention alot of the same problems users have been bringing up over in the NBR forums and it seems more accurate in general with regards screen quality etc... Never read their reviews before always just went through their performance database will have to be sure and look them up in the future.

Thanks mate.
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I think they are too hard on the display and miss the point about the device. It is intended "not" as a desktop replacement.

1. It looks FAR better than the UL30 display and the CW27FX that I had.
2. Plays all of my very demanding games and emulators very well
3. High def video plays great using the 335m.
4. Got about seven hours (plus or minus 10 minutes) using the integrated chipset. I am ashamed I wasted that much time browsing and playing a few MAME games....
5. Build quality for mine is solid- no fan, bsod or other issues reported by a few people
6. Speakers are amazing for 1W rated and blow the CW27 and Dells I have tried away (CW27 speakers may be the worst ever).

Frankly, I was looking for reasons to return it and re-purchase the CW27, but now I can not think of a better media and gaming device that is also near-netbook for portability.

BTW, Flash 10.1 uses the GPU very well on the M11X, but I wish the 4500HD was supported now too. Guess the final version it will be. Battery will be even better then, since no need to switch over when watching Hulu:)

The M11X is at least a 90%, and that is coming from someone who actually bought one and is very picky. I love this thing more than my N900 and that is saying something.
 
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Ah what the hell, I bit.

1 224-9555 Alienware M11x, Cosmic Black $999
1 313-9589 Intel Core2 Duo SU7300 1.3GHz (3MB Cache, 800MHz FSB) $0.00
1 317-8954 4GB Dual Channel DDR3 at 1066MHz $0.00
1 342-8743 250GB SATAII 7,200RPM $0.00
1 430-8555 Optional Bluetooth Module, 2.1+ Enhanced Data Rate $20

I'll be swapping in/out the HDD for my SSD that is in my sager (which I'll be selling off). Too bad the build time takes a month! Insane.
 
InfernalMachine said:
Ah what the hell, I bit.

1 224-9555 Alienware M11x, Cosmic Black $999
1 313-9589 Intel Core2 Duo SU7300 1.3GHz (3MB Cache, 800MHz FSB) $0.00
1 317-8954 4GB Dual Channel DDR3 at 1066MHz $0.00
1 342-8743 250GB SATAII 7,200RPM $0.00
1 430-8555 Optional Bluetooth Module, 2.1+ Enhanced Data Rate $20

I'll be swapping in/out the HDD for my SSD that is in my sager (which I'll be selling off). Too bad the build time takes a month! Insane.
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You should be very happy. Perfect device to fill the void between a netbook and larger gaming rig :)
 
rushmore69 said:
You should be very happy. Perfect device to fill the void between a netbook and larger gaming rig :)
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I bought my Sager to be my portable solution but it's really heavy, powersupply is bulky, etc. don't get me wrong it's a beast of a laptop but honestly for the amount of travel I will be doing and what I really need a notebook for (emails, web and movies/gaming on the go) I don't need the better computer overall, just the scaled down one ;)
 
Is 11" really big enough for gaming though? I don't know... I've got a 15.4" right now and sometimes feel like it's not big enough.
 
nighthawk8k said:
Is 11" really big enough for gaming though? I don't know... I've got a 15.4" right now and sometimes feel like it's not big enough.
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My perspective is a very portable system, so 11.6" is fine. If 15.4" seems too small, 11.6" will be super small.
 
The 11.6" screen works fine for me. In fact the resolution is perfect for it since everything is sharp and crisp. Matte might have been nicer but it's not an issue.

The sound quality is simply awesome too, especially for this package. Like rushnore69 I love this thing, it perfectly fits my need for something between a netbook and larger gaming laptop.

Also I've been playing sc2 beta pretty intensely online. Works great here even with competitive playing
 
Is Dell going to make a regular version as well, one that is not Alienware?
 
Catsonar said:
Is Dell going to make a regular version as well, one that is not Alienware?
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Doubtful; nothing's been mentioned, at any rate!

I'd rather see something like this from Apple. It might not use as strong a GPU, because Apple favors thin-and-light over raw speed, but it would probably also be half as thick and about a pound lighter. It'd be nice to have an 11.6-inch system which is reasonably fast but also not overly chunky, either!
 
Aurelius said:
Doubtful; nothing's been mentioned, at any rate!

I'd rather see something like this from Apple. It might not use as strong a GPU, because Apple favors thin-and-light over raw speed, but it would probably also be half as thick and about a pound lighter. It'd be nice to have an 11.6-inch system which is reasonably fast but also not overly chunky, either!
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Actually the MBP 13 weighs as much as the m11x and is a much beater gaming machine.
 
^^^^^ because it will last long on battery than the 335M, THAT IS WHY!
 
I've been looking at the M11x and it looks like a good option for ultra-portability with a high-end-ish processor, good RAM and HDD/SDD options and a solid GPU (especially for such a small machine).

I'm planning on picking up something like the M11x (ultra-portable: <13" & <3lbs) and the big thing that's holding me back is the fact that they're only making it available with a C2D processor. Also - I can't tell what SSD Dell is putting in the M11x - so I'm a bit worried about ending up with a crap one - or having to spend another $200 to get an Intel SSD.

Thinkpad just put out the X201 and its sporting an i7-640M (2.66Mhz up to 3.03). It doesn't have discrete graphics, but I think I can deal with not having a gaming-ready machine. Its mostly going to get used for heavy number crunching in Excel and other cycle-intensive modeling software. Its got a 12" screen and weighs only 2.5lbs. Comes with 4GB@1066MHz with either the Intel or the newer Samsung SSDs as an option. The price point is a bit higher than the M11x, but in the same neighborhood

Anyone know of anything else that stacks up?
 
9400m drains more battery and is a lot slower than the 335m. What are you all smoking? ;)

9400m is as a BIG bottleneck with a SU7300, yet alone anything faster. For gaming, there is no point in the 9400m compared to the 335m- unless games
are not a main factor.
 
After reading a ton of reviews everywhere, and deciphering these Mx11 threads here and on other forums/reviews, IS there a general consensus that the UL30Jt is probably going to be one of the better "All Around / All Purpose" portable laptops on the market soon that's probably going to cost less then 1100/1200 bones???

Seems like people are saying to hold off on pulling the trigger on similar laptops in favor of the UL30Jt ? Is that fair to say ?

My general concern is that I want a speedy laptop / netbook (around the 13" mark) that won't be slow if you're multi taskin / loadin basic programs, one that that won't bog down in general daily tasks, one that that can be used to watch movies (various qualities, streamed and not) on a larger TV, one that can play various old/new games with decent overall performance (mainly older tho), and finally one that has a decent battery which will be able last ~6 hours (or longer) while traveling & watching movies. (b.c who games hardcore on the road?)

My concerns on some builds are that the screens have limited viewing angles, or are using older already outdated chips. I don't mind spending a couple of hundred bones on something now if it's going to last awhile. I just can't seem to decide which would be the better choice since it's been YEARS since I last researched buying a new comp, I'm so far behind w/ everything....

And I don't mean to jack this thread, I'm just trying to see if anyone can help somebody who has been out of the "new computer loop" make a somewhat educated decision.

Cheers
 
lol I just sold my macbook pro for a m11x. It could not even run mass effect. My m11x runs me2 with flying colors
 
wrxdrunkie said:
lol I just sold my macbook pro for a m11x. It could not even run mass effect. My m11x runs me2 with flying colors
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An MBP 13 I assume? Those are GARBAGE for gaming because they have no dedicated GPU. Even my tm2 tablet plays ME2 well because it has a dedicated GPU. Same CPU as the m11x but only the HD 4550 instead of the 330 for the GPU so the m11x is a better gaming machine.
 
heatlesssun said:
An MBP 13 I assume? Those are GARBAGE for gaming because they have no dedicated GPU. Even my tm2 tablet plays ME2 well because it has a dedicated GPU. Same CPU as the m11x but only the HD 4550 instead of the 330 for the GPU so the m11x is a better gaming machine.
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Exactly, from what I gathered in the last few pages, some moron was trying to claim that a 13 MBP was a better gaming machine than the m11x.
 
robbay686 said:
My general concern is that I want a speedy laptop / netbook (around the 13" mark) that won't be slow if you're multi taskin / loadin basic programs, one that that won't bog down in general daily tasks, one that that can be used to watch movies (various qualities, streamed and not) on a larger TV, one that can play various old/new games with decent overall performance (mainly older tho), and finally one that has a decent battery which will be able last ~6 hours (or longer) while traveling & watching movies. (b.c who games hardcore on the road?)

My concerns on some builds are that the screens have limited viewing angles, or are using older already outdated chips. I don't mind spending a couple of hundred bones on something now if it's going to last awhile. I just can't seem to decide which would be the better choice since it's been YEARS since I last researched buying a new comp, I'm so far behind w/ everything....
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Like with any technology, whatever is out now is already outdated. You could wait for something better to come out, but of course, something on the horizon is always better.

For me, the M11x does great doing normal every day activities and does not get bogged down. With my SU7300 overclocked, wifi and bluetooth on, LED lights on dim setting, using the Intel IGP, and screen brightness set to 2, I get 6 to 6 1/4 hours battery just websurfing and using Office 2007.

The only question you should ask is if 11.6" is too small for your needs.

Also, I will mention that the screen is extremely reflective. The darker the image background is on the screen and if using low brightness, you can see yourself and everything around you easily. This is not an issue when on a higher brightness.
 
I wish that they could have made it with a 14in screen instead of 11.6.
 
my m11x should arrive later today.

I'm wondering whats the best way to load play all my games that i have on dvd / not through steam. If i get an external drive, or even a dvd drive in a machine on my gigabit network, can i use some software to mount the dvd to the mx11 hard drive, install and play from that mounted image?

I'm really not keen on rebuying some games on steam that I already paid for, or having to have an external usb dvd connected just for drm sakes to play a game. Kind of takes the 'ultra' out of ultra portable
 
jhhack said:
my m11x should arrive later today.

I'm wondering whats the best way to load play all my games that i have on dvd / not through steam. If i get an external drive, or even a dvd drive in a machine on my gigabit network, can i use some software to mount the dvd to the mx11 hard drive, install and play from that mounted image?

I'm really not keen on rebuying some games on steam that I already paid for, or having to have an external usb dvd connected just for drm sakes to play a game. Kind of takes the 'ultra' out of ultra portable
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There's a lot out there like Alcohol 120% and GameJackel.
 
You could also use no-cd exe for single player games. Saves space since you do not have to store whole cd/dvd isos on your hd.
 
RAQemUP said:
Like with any technology, whatever is out now is already outdated. You could wait for something better to come out, but of course, something on the horizon is always better.

For me, the M11x does great doing normal every day activities and does not get bogged down. With my SU7300 overclocked, wifi and bluetooth on, LED lights on dim setting, using the Intel IGP, and screen brightness set to 2, I get 6 to 6 1/4 hours battery just websurfing and using Office 2007.

The only question you should ask is if 11.6" is too small for your needs.

Also, I will mention that the screen is extremely reflective. The darker the image background is on the screen and if using low brightness, you can see yourself and everything around you easily. This is not an issue when on a higher brightness.
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I'll be travelling 1/2 the month every month so a lappy this size for airports, airplanes, on the go, hotels, work, etc. the screen size will just have to do. Movies, web, e-mail, and the games (both for work and play). I've lugged around a 15" laptop for the past year and honestly I'd rather have less bulk and deal with the screen size. Keep in mind I'm talking about international/national travel, not just on campus or to and from work, that's a big factor. I really wish I had mine this week!! It's not scheduled to hit until April 6th!!
 
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