Dell releases its flagship Alienware M18x. Is Alienware worth the cost?

[Guest Frontpage News]

After much anticipation and speculation, Dell has finally made available the Alienware M18x for order in the US, UK, Canada and elsewhere. Starting at a price of $1999 in the US, the base system [...]

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[wbabt007 398]

I usually never disagree with the front page news "bot" but a lot of members have place orders for the m18x including me, is the bot telling us we bought a turd?

Problem is here we have a more than a few early adapters and I can warranty you there is more than 6 people in this forums that order the m18x on day one, is that an official stance "do not get" ?

Maybe is time we bring TI to the forefront and request test machines to be deliver before release dates.

[StamatisX 1066]

I wish they could have sent us a review unit...

[Jimbo 696]

Are any reputable sites getting review units?

[wbabt007 398]

I am not trying to start a flame war, just pointing out that that information would have been useful before we bought the monsters, not that is gonna break the deal but if I knew that I would be able to haggle the price more effectively and to be clear I am not blaming TI staff either, not playing the blame game.

I hope in the Future TI grows to the point that it would receive test machines, at least for a day or so.

[StamatisX 1066]

Yeah of course, I totally see your point, I was telling Brian about the screen from the very beginning when M18x was a speculation -that was the deal breaker for me all along- but since we had nothing solid in our hands we couldn't support it, videos actually from the screen caught our attention, I think Brian mentioned that in the past in this forum, but now with that table from Dell we can back it up.

[Jimbo 696]

So are there any 18.4 screens that would be a worthy/possible replacement?

[StamatisX 1066]

Brian and I speculated that there might be a better option down the line (like a month or two), but this is highly hypothetical...

[Brian 1980]

Nobody knew about the M18x's display specs until Dell posted them today. So commenting on them would have been only speculation at best. We aren't saying the M18x is a bad buy but we are letting people know that the published contrast ratio + color gamut figures leave a lot to be desired for a flagship product. We would of course like it if Dell furnished us with test samples but thus far, they only seem to have a working relationship with a few select sites.

[Jimbo 696]

Dagnammit! I don't want to wait much longer, but I will be using it at work for long periods of time on the native screen. Really, really hope it's not too bad when reviewers get their hands on it. Or that there's a replacement unit available.

EDIT: Couldn't dell get an IPS panel built for it like they did with 17x r2? I would pay a bunch for an upgraded, high end screen. More worthy upgrade than wireless HD broadcasting or Blu-ray IMO.

Edited May 4, 2011 by Jimbo

[unreal25 786]

Also from what I remember, Eric G had a post where he mentioned some a "surprise" LCD or something. I sure hope this wasn't it, lol.

[Brian 1980]

Also from what I remember, Eric G had a post where he mentioned some a "surprise" LCD or something. I sure hope this wasn't it, lol.

Well it certainly was a surprise, just not a pleasant one. Maybe he meant, "surprise, no quality display for you!".

[Michael 1315]

Merged the News Bot thread with this one.

[e46justice 29]

How does this compare with the 17xr3 screen?

[vikingrinn 33]

How does this compare with the 17xr3 screen?

atm the M17x R.3D's 120Hz WLED is the best display offering across the entire alienware laptop lineup, and hopefully alienware eventually offers something similar (or better) in the M18x as well...

[e46justice 29]

Hmm well I had the standard 1080p I don't think I did the 120hz screen. If the screen blows it will be a letdown. What's the point of having badass media/gaming framerates if it still looks like shit? Evenmore, what's the point of a laptop that you still use an external monitor on?

[kune 39]

EDIT: Couldn't dell get an IPS panel built for it like they did with 17x r2? I would pay a bunch for an upgraded, high end screen. More worthy upgrade than wireless HD broadcasting or Blu-ray IMO.

I'm sure they could, but that doesn't mean they will.

Even their flagship business notebook - the Precision M6600 - is shipping with a 60% gamut screen; though, IPS is available on the 15" M4600.

[Brian 1980]

Hmm well I had the standard 1080p I don't think I did the 120hz screen. If the screen blows it will be a letdown. What's the point of having badass media/gaming framerates if it still looks like shit? Evenmore, what's the point of a laptop that you still use an external monitor on?

It won't look like shit, its gonna be better than most LEDs you see at best buy or whatever. It won't be near the quality of the M17x-R2 RGB LED but aside from slightly subpar contrast ratio it should be decent. The figures (e.g. CR, brightness) dell quotes for all of its displays are not accurate anyway. Websites that tested them with a colorimeter found lower (and sometimes higher) values than on Dell's spec sheet, the M11x display is a prime example of having a very shit CR of 150ish. But the M17x-R3 has a measured CR of 527 by notebookcheck (dell says 500:1) and a brightness of 243 nits (dell says 300). So it's entirely possible that a colorimeter might show the M18x CR to be >500 (least that is my hope). If it ends up having at least 500:1 CR, it will be a decent display.

[StamatisX 1066]

I am pretty convinced that they won't give a bad display, it is that we are used to an excellent one (RGB-LED) and it takes us by surprise to not be offered something equal or better.