Alienware's M17x R3: An Antidote to Clevo
by Dustin Sklavos on June 20, 2011 9:06 AM ESTHeat, Noise, and Battery Life
Examining these metrics is where you'll find the major differences in the Alienware M17x R3's internal design as compared to other gaming notebooks available. The 90Wh battery included is copious on its own, but the switchable graphics and smart cooling design (there are two intakes on the bottom and two exhausts just behind them) allow the M17x R3 to run cool, quiet, and long.
Despite offering a switchable graphics solution, the M17x R3 still can't keep up with the Dell XPS 15 and its Optimus-enabled GeForce GT 540M. That in mind, it's basically untouchable compared to the other gaming notebooks. Only the Clevo P151HM is able to come close, and that's with a weaker GPU and a smaller screen.
Where noise and thermals are concerned, the M17x R3 is as close to a model citizen as you can find when it comes to high-powered gaming notebooks. Only the ASUS G73 series really compares in terms of the low noise levels when the system is under load. The fan is definitely audible, but it's a low hum and nowhere near the hairdryers that many of the Clevo units can be when they're stressed (the X7200 is particularly nasty that way.)
With the hard disks in RAID 0, it's next to impossible to get thermal readings from those. What we're left with are a GPU and CPU that run admirably cool. The CPU is roughly where one expects a Sandy Bridge quad core to run in a notebook, but the GPU's thermals are fantastic. 79C may be hot by most standards, but for a top-of-the-line mobile GPU it's remarkably frosty.
I have a friend of mine that tends to run his gaming notebook on his lap or on whatever surface is available. For the most part that works out (although it makes me more than a little nervous), but with the M17x R3 the basic advice is: don't. Ignoring the fact that the notebook is nearly ten pounds on its own, the bottom is where the intakes are, and it gets hot. That particularly nasty hot spot in the center is the personalized nameplate, which can become downright painful to touch.
The interior surfaces are far more accommodating though, with precious little in the way of hot spots. Your hands aren't liable to sweat while using the M17x R3, so as long as you're using the notebook the way it's intended (on a flat surface) you're probably going to be perfectly fine. I also appreciate that the notebook vents heat out of the back instead of either side, thus avoiding cooking your mousing hand.
Facebook
Twitter
RSS
84 Comments
View All Comments
TEAMSWITCHER - Monday, June 20, 2011 - link
"Price as configured: $2,503" - Holy Shit!You can get a Apple 17" MacBook Pro for less. And the MacBook Pro will have a more pixels, be made of metal not plastic, and still weigh three pounds less. Who would buy this thing?
chinedooo - Monday, June 20, 2011 - link
will have more pixels? what do you mean both have 1080p screens? And the M17x is way more powerful than the macbook pro regardless of configuration.Brad4 - Monday, June 20, 2011 - link
The 17" macbook pro uses a 16x10 resolution (1920 x 1200), which is much better for productivity.This dell product, and all of dell's products, use a 16x9 resolution (1920 x 1080).
The0ne - Monday, June 20, 2011 - link
There aren't many laptops that give 16x10 nowadays and that is a sad thing. Thankfully I still have my R2 with that resolution, despite what you've claimed as Dell using 16x9 on all products. It is great for productivity and I would not trade that in since I also use it for business and need the extra space.And while I ponder why anyone would hate a company who's sole slogan is to be "Alien" in its product and statements, the MBP really can't beat the R3 in gaming. Don't believe me, go look at charts!
esSJae - Monday, June 20, 2011 - link
Cheaper? Configured comparably as possible, the 14" Macboo Pro is $2,949.00on Apple's site.
And the MBP has a significantly slower CPU and GPU and only 1 HDD.
I own both an M17r2 and a 13" MBP. They are designed for completely different tasks and users.
Shinya - Monday, June 20, 2011 - link
But the macbook pro would get stomped into the ground spec wise and all other things associated with owning apple computers. Not to mention it gives the image of being insecure just from owning an apple product. Only hipsters and macf**s would be deterred from purchasing something this powerful because of the way it looked or because *waaaa im a huge wuss* weight.Thinkpads are the greatest looking things in the world, but they get more done in the REAL world than any apple toy
Shinya - Monday, June 20, 2011 - link
Thinkpads aren't*scook9 - Monday, June 20, 2011 - link
You ignorance comes out in every post you makeIt becomes blatantly obvious you have never bought or even looked at high end laptops - $2500 is cheap for a top tier laptop.
I will ignore the post on looks, that is purely opinion and you are entitled to yours - even if many disagree. If it is not for you, get the painfully bland Clevo
Your 2nd post however about price makes me laugh.....Comparing this to a MBP 17" is a joke due to the hardware and cooling involved - MBPs are some of the hottest running laptops on the market - period. Your remark regarding resolution is moot as apple is the ONLY company still offering 16:10 panels afaik (sadly - I miss WUXGA). The outer shell of the M17x R3 is in fact metal - not as thick as the R1 and R2 or M18x but still metal
Call me a fanboy if you want but I actually have an Alienware (the newer M18x) and know that the build quality is above anything else on the market - just like the reviewer here mentioned
TEAMSWITCHER - Monday, June 20, 2011 - link
Please - I have owned nothing but high end laptops! This thing is hamburger sold at price of steak. The 17" MacBook Pro may run hotter, but it will crush this techno frumpy laptop in battery life.And they are at least a couple of hundred dollars less.
http://www.appleinsider.com/mac_price_guide/
I'd buy the 17" Apple laptop in a second, then take the savings and get an SSD. Overall, it would blow this fat, ugly, juvenile, crappy PC laptop off the face of the earth. And no one would miss it!
Paying this kind of money and getting a bouncy keyboard should be illegal!
Friendly0Fire - Monday, June 20, 2011 - link
And then you'll try to GAME on your Mac and you'll suddenly understand what's this business about "GPUs" and "CPUs" and all those other fancy acronyms.If you can't understand this is a gaming laptop/desktop replacement, you have no business buying one anyways.