Alienware m11x

Sorry for the barrage of questions here, but...

How easy is it to install your own SSD?

Can you post pics of the back panel?

Is there a disk/image you can use supplied with the system?

How much crapware is pre-loaded?

Is it worth just doing a clean install from another W7 disk? I have an extra copy.

Dell is saying 7/12 for approximate ship date. Do you guys think that is due to high demand or low supply of the i5/i7 parts (looks like they will ship you the C2D version now).
 
I'm getting ~6 hours or so just using it on balanced power plan with the backlight low-medium (it's BRIGHT if you turn it up) and wireless on. Power saver adds about a half hour or so, but never done a full rundown on power saver as I'd have to sit there and keep it from going to sleep heh. (Yes I know I can change that, but then it's not a controlled test :p)

Not sure why you felt it was cheap DeathSmasher, it feels very solidly built to me. Ugly is whatever, it's utilitarian for sure, but find another notebook in this size/performance class and you may have a case.

As for the matte cover, there is quite a bit of bezel around the screen, not sure if it uses it over the whole sheet or just the edges, but if it's the edges there is plenty of bezel to attach it too without gluing directly over the screen.


The back panel comes off with 7 or 8 captive screws (i.e. they stay attached to the panel when you unscrew them so you can't lose them). The hdd comes out with a pull tab after the back panel is off, it's cake.

It comes with a recovery cd (but no cd drive by default! :D )

Crapware is pretty light actually. Don't recall having to uninstall much of anything, it came with a version of windowblinds or whatever the win7 themer from stardock is called rebranded as alienGUIse, and a lighting configuration/touchpad/face recognition configuration tool that's also alienware branded. I think there is the normal dell service and support stuff too. I didn't find it necessary to reinstall.

Not sure on the ship dates, mine originally said a month out but came in about a week and a half. They updated the build time 2 or so days after I ordered, IIRC.
 
Thanks for the fast response!

I am really close to buying one of these for my couch surfing!
 
I just bought one for about 960. i5 version with 250gb hdd and 1 year advanced coverage.

Kinda pissed I couldn't stack on the $50 coupon for joining EPP but whatever...

I'll run any benchmarks or whatever anyone asks for as soon as I get it.
 
How long did it say it would take for delivery. I don't really want to wait until 7-12 for ship.
 
notsane said:
How long did it say it would take for delivery. I don't really want to wait until 7-12 for ship.
Click to expand...

I ordered mine a couple days after they went live on their site and got a 7/9 ship date, still says that, so I don't think they are producing them any quicker than estimated... Probably more of a cpu supply issue
 
Order Date: 6/8/2010

Ship date Jun 14, 2010

Delivery date Jun 15, 2010

and that was with "7" day shipping. Original delivery estimate was 7/9/2010.
 
I bought mine through the "Fast Track" systems because that was pretty much exactly what I needed so it should either ship today or tomorrow.
 
sigh.... does anyone else have a bad screen flicker issue on dark colors? not black but like dark grey or dark blue? mine is quite bad unless on the brightest two settings....
 
thought i should keep this thread alive!

I got my m11x R2 finally and put in the Intel 160g G2 SSD I had, but I decided to put the stock 320gig hard drive back in.

For some reason I just couldn't get the drivers to work perfectly. Bluetooth was the main one that wouldn't function that well with the SSD.

The stock installation stuff had it all working perfectly fine. I wanted to clone the hard drive but I was reading that the SSD wouldn't be as optimized as if it was a fresh install, is this accurate?

Love the machine so far, feels solid
 
danyune said:
thought i should keep this thread alive!

I got my m11x R2 finally and put in the Intel 160g G2 SSD I had, but I decided to put the stock 320gig hard drive back in.

Love the machine so far, feels solid
Click to expand...

You got any games on it yet? If you do how is the game play?
 
This thing is a fast little bugger with the my new OCZ Agility II 60GB drive. Destroys my old T60P with a 2.3GHZ Core 2. I am getting around 5 1/2 to 6 hours with light surfing on wireless. SC2 is very playable. I run on the default high settings. It does slow down to 30-35FPS during heavy battles.
 
Hey, guys just wanted to join the party even if I'm a bit late. Got in on an EPP deal last week. Got the i7, 4gb RAM, 320gb, +BT for 957 (ell, 857 after my reward points hit, 10X reward points for Dell purchases, sweet). So apparently I am ignorant when it comes to computer stuff these days (my last laptop purchase was 10+ years ago, Gateway Solo 1400, back when there were Gateway stores...). Can someone explain to me how overclocking works? I finally discovered earlier today how Turbo Boost works (I was a little disappointed to learn TB only boosts one core, not both). But what about oc? I probably won't mess around with oc right off the bat since I don't know what I'm doing but it would be nice to know how it works and why I should care. Thanks.
 
It's a BIOS setting, hit F2 upon boot, enable it, save settings and reboot.

I've been OC'd since I powered it for the first time without issues. YMMV.
 
Sitting at starbucks on a little lunch break on my M11 r2.

Bought it for a 12day trip I took out of the country.
What a pleasure to have, light, long battery,games great.

Bought a Seagate Momentus XT for it recently but havent had a chance to install yet

This lappy was the best purchase ive made this year..
 
I've been using my M11xR1 since March or so, been back and forth to India and Austria twice with it (as well as other trips). It really is a great little machine.
 
I have my R2, only annoyin this is the glossy screen

Been reading over on NBR about screen protectors, apparently they reduce image quality to trade for less glare
 
I'm posting from my new M11X R2, which I turned on for the first time at 20:35 est. Loving it so far, just about to run a 'useless benchmark', 3DMark06 Advanced.

Things have been smooth as silk since powering up, that's for sure. What a quick little machine this is.

I7, 4GB RAM, 500GB 7200RPM.
 
Received my new M11X R2 i7 and it is amazing. Unfortunately, but vary strangely, there aren't many people posting the major issue going on which have yet to be resolve with the Optimus technology.

Is it me, but all the game I play with PUNKBUSTER on it online, MW2, COD4, Battlefield2, I get kicked out by punkbuster. Error either "multiple direct3d loaded" or the "Restriction : unknown Windows API functions 131133" . There's no solution I have yet to find that doesn't involve lowering the graphic driver or editing ini. file which means the Invidia 335M will always be on.

Opening a ticket with Punkbuster evenbalancer was the only thing I am able to do.

Latest video drivers(Both the Nvidia and Intel integrated), latested Windows 7 updates. Patches, latest Punkbuster on the system.
 
I suppose I haven't noticed that issue because I'm not playing or planning to play those games online/multiplayer.

I updated to the latest Dell-approved Optimus drivers after scoring a ~4300 in 3D Mark 06 though. Oc'd the processor as well and tried again with an acceptable result of ~7400.

Civ4, DA:O and Starcraft 2 run well at medium settings, 1366x768.
 
The only thing I can't stand is the screen, but I got a Green Onion anti-glare screen protector on the way, hopefully it gets rid of this glare.

I work in a well lit place so I see reflections nonstop everywhere
 
So i had mine since april or so. 5 months of use and recently the left hinge on the screen started to go out.

anyone else has the same problem? it seems a quick google and on NBR alot of people are reporting the same issue.

i'll probably call dell when i have time to have them fix it. The problem seems to affect both R1 and R2 units from what i read.
 
Too bad about the optimus issues. I was seriously considering selling my R1, buying an R2 i7 (moving away from desktops completely due to travelling a ton), I might have to wait until R3!
 
InfernalMachine said:
Too bad about the optimus issues. I was seriously considering selling my R1, buying an R2 i7 (moving away from desktops completely due to travelling a ton), I might have to wait until R3!
Click to expand...

Maybe they will use an ATi HD5830m and just be done with it, lol :p
 
I got my m11x. Seems ok so far. Build quality and screen is not as good as my older 13" MBP. Actually, the screen on this thing is horrendous. But the build quality is pretty good IMO. I am already used to the keyboard.

There's nothing I hate about the laptop but the screen and the horrible alienware software.
 
Snagged a Certified Refurbished R1 from the Outlet for $580 a few days ago. I'm pretty happy with the purchase.
 
The screen is atrocious yeah lol

I bought a green onion screen protector for the glare
 
xninjagrrl said:
Hey, guys just wanted to join the party even if I'm a bit late. Got in on an EPP deal last week. Got the i7, 4gb RAM, 320gb, +BT for 957
Click to expand...

Is that deal still going on? Wondering if it's a better deal than the Back to SChool thing right now. How exactly did you do it?
 
I got the same setup for $952 + tax/shipping

thing is I had to use a $100 coupon, free shipping coupon, call in to get another $$ bumped, EPP discount
 
After owning my M11X R2 for nearly 2 weeks, I absolutely love it.

It doesn't come close to being able to perform to the level of my Q6600/4890/X48 setup but good god damn, can this thing game!

Of course there are nuances, but I can put them neatly into my pocket. :p
 
I have been thinking about switching to M11X from my G73JH 17" econo-gaming desktop replacement. Several questions however...

1: Has anyone done anything about the M11X screens?
2: How much battery life improvement does one get by going SSD?
3: How much manual control can I get with Optimus?
 
I'm actually about to go from an Asus G71V-Q1 to an AW M11x R2 (i7 640).

The screen protectors from Onion seem to be the solution. I have one on order, but they are backordered till the second week of September

You'll save some battery life, but wild guess is 30 minutes if that. I'm going SSD for the speed

Optimus has the "whitelist" in which you chose which apps use the nVidia card. All others will use the integrated Intel GPU.

Mine actually arrived today at my home in TX, but am in WA for work until Thursday very late evening. I will be moving the SSD / HDD from the Asus to the AW. I have a spare set of 320GB 7200RPM HDDs that will go back to the Asus to be run in RAID 0.

Looking forward to shaving 10lbs from my laptop bag (currently having to carry 3 laptops so it was worth it for me to make the move).
 
I have a green onion screen protector that i have yet to put on because i am lazy!

I'm lucky and got it for $10 shipped ^_^
 
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