New Alienware Models - June 2013

[Brian]

So Alienware should be gearing up to introduce us to their new redesigned lineup this June. A Chinese website has some leaked images, video and specs of these new models, here they are:

Changes

1. No express card and possibly no eSata.
   
2. Keyboard has been changed and should be similar to the island style one found in Clevo notebooks and others. This should also affect how AlienFx looks and functions compared to previous models.
   
3. New lid design with light strips.
   
4. New base is more blockier in design, old speaker grills are gone and now the front is flat with some speaker lines.
   
5. Touchpad lights up completely.
   
6. Cooling? Remains to be seen, will update as we get more info.
   
7. Option of IPS FHD display in all 3 models.
   
8. Aluminum build for all 3 models though some parts will undoubtedly be plastic - we'll see and update.
   

Videos:

<embed src="http://player.youku.com/player.php/sid/XNTY0ODIxNzky/v.swf" allowfullscreen="true" quality="high" width="480" height="400" align="middle" allowscriptaccess="always" type="application/x-shockwave-flash">

Pictures:​

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[Khenglish]

IPS option! Definitely very interesting. Hopefully the response time will be good. What would truly be awesome is if the resolution was over 1080p. Of all laptops, SLI laptops with the top end cards make the most sense for super high res, and the fact that the m18x has the biggest laptop screen of anything just makes it seem silly to only offer 1080p.

I'm really not aware of any use of expresscard slots besides eGPU use, and the m18x has no need of an egpu. I suppose you can have expresscard based SSDs, but I haven't heard of people getting them.

The light up touchpad looks childish to me. It's like dell decided to tone down the AW look since many people avoided them simply for looks, but they kinda got stuck in the middle.

Clevo is having a new approach where the same laptop will have a plain chassis, and have a 2nd chassis option with a flashier look. I think that is a better way to go.

Hopefully cooling is good. One thing I thought of is that AW layouts make it possible to not use heatpipes at all, and just have vapor chambers the directly contact processor dies and the radiators. That would result in tremendous temperature reduction.

Good to hear that AWs are still aluminum. I'd so much rather have a little more weight for the tremendous durability increase.

And what's up with lady gaga and other chicks in those pictures?

[Brian]

I was wondering the same thing about the chicks in those photos, either the Chinese dudes plastered it there or its some Dell thing. As far as IPS goes, it can either be really good or terrible. If they have low end panels, then they can potentially be plagued with lots of bleeding, IPS glow, high latency and low gamut. Hopefully Dell takes a better approach and uses low lag IPS panels + high gamut. I also forgot to include that they may be including the option for matte display this time around.

As for the design, I don't like it at all, it is far too reminiscent of a Clevo notebook which I never liked. I personally love the current muscle car look and it has a nice balance by being able to turn off the lighting. This takes it a step further by overdoing the lighting while giving it a blocky base. As for the cooling, vapor chamber would be nice but those are thicker than heatpipe designs and require more surface area to be effective.

[Khenglish]

I was wondering the same thing about the chicks in those photos, either the Chinese dudes plastered it there or its some Dell thing. As far as IPS goes, it can either be really good or terrible. If they have low end panels, then they can potentially be plagued with lots of bleeding, IPS glow, high latency and low gamut. Hopefully Dell takes a better approach and uses low lag IPS panels + high gamut. I also forgot to include that they may be including the option for matte display this time around.

As for the design, I don't like it at all, it is far too reminiscent of a Clevo notebook which I never liked. I personally love the current muscle car look and it has a nice balance by being able to turn off the lighting. This takes it a step further by overdoing the lighting while giving it a blocky base. As for the cooling, vapor chamber would be nice but those are thicker than heatpipe designs and require more surface area to be effective.

If anything vapor chambers would be thinner since you wouldn't need the copper plate between the processor dies and the heat pipes. All a vapor chamber is is a fat heatpipe.

I'm thinking of ordering a 12mm heatpipe and directly contacting my cpu die with it. 12mm should be fat enough that when flattened it's wide enough to cover the entire cpu die. same concept as the vapor chamber idea, but the vapor chamber can be even wider.

As for the look again, I never liked the previous AW look. I still don't like this one either though.

[Guest]

Dell-Clevo slowly slowly morphs into De-Vo...

[unreal25]

Great news for IPS displays, but the design.... seriously what the heck is that?! In particular the laptop back isn't flat but instead ends in some kind of edge and I much prefer old school / Apple designs where the screen feels like a part of the laptop and not like its something that's just attached to it. The light strips are nice touch I guess.

- - - Updated - - -

btw believe it or not I've actually not noticed the chicks at all until you pointed it out! Maybe I should be worried... :D

[svl7]

I dunno, need to see this in person... Some thing is definitely missing in this vid, backlight keyboard. I bet the AWs won't be shipped without backlight keyboard.

[angerthosenear]

The beveled edges would make it easy to put in a back for transport. The full backlight touchpad is just silly, might be okay if you could dim it and have it just be a soft glow. The light strips are fine.

The last pic of the 17" model almost makes it look like a face lol. The beveled edges being the eyes.

[ratinox]

Keyboard has been changed and should be similar to the island style one found in Clevo notebooks and others. This should also affect how AlienFx looks and functions compared to previous models.

I call that a deal-breaker. I HATE chiclet keyboards. I've hated chiclet keyboards since I first experienced one on the old CoCo.

[widezu69]

Actually, knowing Chinese , I managed to put the videos in the highest res possible and noticed that the keyboards are actually lit. I'm unsure how exactly in terms of led configuration. Perhaps one can replace the keyboard with a current gen one? I am ok with the design but need to see more first. I like the exterior lights though. IPS will add thickness to the display panel/lid. Aluminium definitely lends itself to desirability.

I'm more interested with the GPU and GPU Boost 2.0. Maybe we will finally be able to control it the same way as the desktop versions ie setting power and temperature thresholds instead of clocks. I see huge potentials with vbios and cooling mods here.

My warranty ends in July. mid June will decide whether to phone up Dell or not...

[deadbydawn]

imo those are ugly as sh1t.. -.- i have been a fan of the grills, which are now gone. those things do not look like aliens anymore ^^

[svl7]

A slightly higher quality video showing the new models:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7QECRA4ABo

[deadbydawn]

A slightly higher quality video showing the new models:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7QECRA4ABo

oh wait!....ah no, still ugly as sh1t haha

[svl7]

Hahahaha Well, I need some hands-on time in order to make a definite statement, but generally yes, fugly.

[alperi75]

New Alienware X51 R2 is available in USA.

http://www.dell.com/us/p/alienware-x51-r2/pd.aspx?dgc=SM&cid=56834&lid=4804500

[Harikrl]

I never expected Alienware to refresh their models so soon. I mean, I just got my R4. If only I knew maybe I would have waited few more months,

[unreal25]

Yeah. You could have been a proud owner of one of the ugliest AW ever made.

[Brian]

Something I noticed so far on TI and other forums: Most existing Alienware owners and enthusiasts are dissatisfied with the new look or at best on the sidelines. However, Clevo/MSI owners seem to favor the new look because it more closely resembles a bastardized MSI/Clevo look. This may end up backfiring on Dell if they lose their core enthusiast group because out of gaming notebook makers, they're the largest so it doesn't make sense to cater to a smaller base of customers. Will see how this all plays out once people start receiving their orders but based on the pics and now high res video, I'm just as unimpressed as ever.

[nidcuim]

oh gawd, they're bad looking. I still need to see one in person since I have considered a m14x as a portable now with going to a desktop in april. Chiclet keyboard and the front grill, whats happened? The older design was rehashed for a few generations and maybe its grown on me. Time to wait and see like most of you guys.

[svl7]

They added some new teasers on the AW site and announced a "Pre-E3 Unveil" livestream for the 10th of June.

Alienware Epic Launch Teasers

[Brian]

I bet they're pissed that the promotional video + pics already leaked thanks to those Chinese LOL!

[widezu69]

The final up close and in person design will help me decide on a i7 3940XM. Bad design = upgrade current. Good design = get new laptop. The EE CPU is the final step for my decked out machine with 4GB GTX 680m, 1866Mhz CL9 ram, 256GB + 512GB SSDs and 3D Vision. Been coasting along on a "lowly" i7 3610QM.

Shame no alternative GPUs without losing 3D functionality.

[Nospheratu]

The aluminium chassis areas looks quite good, even the black "lip" on the screen lid. Nothings changed much with the screen design so that's okay although the rubber strips seem like an after thought. The lighting strips are also a nice touch. The entire keyboard area and surrounds and the speaker grills are just plain wrong. If they were going for a muted keyboard design whats with that hideous light-up trackpad?? Its almost as if two designers were fighting between the normal level of Alienware lighting and a more muted design and they ended with this fugly compromise.

The only saving grace for that trackpad is that it switches off once you connect your mouse

[svl7]

Seems the bottom is plastic, the lid aluminium and word has it that the chassis is a magnesium alloy... we'll see. I need to see at least a real life pic and not just all those rendered vids and pics.

Atm I'm not very enthusiastic about the front. And especially not about the keyboard.

[svl7]

Seems like Dell is ashamed of the new models... the video got removed from youtube