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.
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scook9 - Monday, June 20, 2011 - link
Also, when are you all getting an M18x to review so we can finally knock that ugly x7200 off the top of your charts? ;)Bolas - Monday, June 20, 2011 - link
I'm currently in the market for a high end gaming laptop, so this review was very helpful to me.I've ruled out Clevo x7200 due to the high noise levels that would annoy my wife too much.
That leaves Asus G74SX-3DE, Clevo P170HM, and Alienware (m17x or m18x).
Asus doesn't really have a good way to upgrade the cpu or gpu, just the base model. Clevo has a lot of good features, but the keyboard is pretty crappy and this may be a deal breaker for me. Alienware has rumors of poor customer service, and this is a concern.
I was glad to read your review of the m17x to find that it is actually a good machine. That was helpful to me.
scook9 - Monday, June 20, 2011 - link
Customer service is actually great, all of the Alienware machines have Next Business Day on-site repair and it is not an exaggeration. It is a shame that warranty does not get mentioned in reviews as this alone sets the Alienwares above the clevos with depot only service.Alienware/Dell customer service just takes patience when dealing with the idiots on the phone, if you can take it though, you will be well taken care of.
Go to forums.notebookreview.com if you want a huge wealth of good information on the Alienwares or Clevos or Asus
noeldillabough - Monday, June 20, 2011 - link
I've got a P170HM and its fantastic. I put a 2920XM, a GTX 485 and an Intel 510 SSD but the machine is now my main computer and there's no going back.I've got an ultraportable for mobile though, you don't really wanna carry a beast like this (or the Alienware...the brick is bigger than my ultraportable lol)
piroroadkill - Monday, June 20, 2011 - link
At least you could do the logical thing: pick a 750GB HDD, then when it arrives, buy a nice SSD for the other bay.You're right though, the options are bizarre. RAID 0 in a laptop?
hammer256 - Monday, June 20, 2011 - link
Yeah, Dell seems to like raid 0 in their large notebooks, even the Precision mobile workstations. Bizarre indeed...Topweasel - Monday, June 20, 2011 - link
Well not so much Raid O, but specifically Raid. To support Mirroring (more important) might as well support Raid 0 as well.stancilmor - Monday, June 20, 2011 - link
Very simple concept: Locate the GPU, the Processor, and the memory behind the LCD and use an aluminum cover as part of the heat sink. I'm fairly certain a fan will still be required, so if thickness allows place the fan in lid too and vent out the top. If thickness doesn't allow, then some sort duct will be required to get the air from the base up to the lid.And all that extra space in the base can now be used for a larger battery that doesn't stick out.
The hot components are up and away from your lap.
The heat is vented up and away.
A larger battery in the base helps balance the weight shift and provides longer run times.
Only concern, will all that heat wreck the display (color shift, early death, etc)?
I think we can stand the extra thickness, because it's a real pain having some kind of thick lap insulator, so the laptop doesn't burn your legs.
I'm in the market for a good gaming laptop, but one just doesn't seem to exist. Either they are too hot, have a bad screen, a bad keyboard, too heavy, or too expensive. I can see spending extra to get everything right, but when the prices are above $2000 and there are still compromises...what gives.
scook9 - Monday, June 20, 2011 - link
Pretty much just described an AIO with a battery base lol.......it would be WAY to top heavy if they did that by the way and user serviceable parts like hard disk and ram are no longer an option....In general....this would be a TERRIBLE design for a laptop
stancilmor - Tuesday, June 21, 2011 - link
Not quite an All-in-One; harddrive, all the I/O and even the memory could be in the base. I just wasn't sure the memory could be located that far away for signal integrity reasons.As for user upgradability, I agree this would give up CPU and GPU upgrades. I think RAM could still be user upgradable.