alienware area 51m Alienware Area51-M XMP Settings Locked Out Due to Different Mobos

[Always_Wipe]

Hi,

I've been on the phone/emailing Dell Support regarding why the XMP settings are missing from the BIOS and how to enable it. It has sent me down a rabbit hole with a potential answer/truth that we will NEVER be able to have XMP profiles unless you purchased the faster ram directly from Dell during your initial purchase.

1. They advertise on the product page that XMP is enable for up to 64GB Ram at 2800Mhz: https://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/cty/pdp/spd/alienware-17-area51m-laptop

2. The service manual states that XMP settings for 64GB do not exist: https://www.dell.com/support/manual...7064b8-2eb4-49ec-88a8-43b102e42417&lang=en-us

3. They use different MOBOs depending on the laptop you order from Dell directly. IE: If you ordered a 2400Mhz model, you will never be able to upgrade your ram as they are flashed from the factory to never allow access to XMP

4. The recent BIOS update that allows "XMP" is only for customers who already have the feature enabled as they purchased the higher frequency RAM from Dell directly.

Their website clearly indicates their product is able to utilize XMP ram and the service manual even states: "NOTE: : The computer is shipped with these default configurations. You can also configure the memory according to the supported memory per slot."

So when I pressed Dell Tech Support regarding this issue, they stated the following: Depending on the Area-51M you ordered, it will come with a different motherboard with the memory frequency locked from the factory. That is why we cannot change the frequency of the RAM. They literally lock it in BIOS and ship with different motherboards depending on your initial purchase. I am escalating this higher up to get a solution that doesn't involve a refund but it's pretty disappointing that they are clearly lying about the PC's performance. Has anyone experienced this or found a workaround?

I watch LinusTech review of this device and nowhere did they state this was an issue. I am hoping someone with Linus's influence will be able to pressure Dell to unlock XMP profiles for all Area51-M laptops since Dell explicitly advertises it is a feature. 

I 

 

[HanZie82]

7 minutes ago, Always_Wipe said:

 

I watch LinusTech review of this device and nowhere did they state this was an issue. I am hoping someone with Linus's influence will be able to pressure Dell to unlock XMP profiles for all Area51-M laptops since Dell explicitly advertises it is a feature. 

I 

 

Just telling you, this forum has over thousands of active users. You think Linus has time for any of us? He's already really busy running a company with 20+ employees. He's also an involved father and has family.
Asking him to take time out his life for you is kinda selfish or misinformed.

As for the technical questions, among those thousands of active users are some very smart ppl, that might be able to help you out on the technical front.

This is just in my hope so you wont be to disappointed with not getting the response you hoping for.

 

[Always_Wipe]

6 minutes ago, HanZie82 said:

Just telling you, this forum has over thousands of active users. You think Linus has time for any of us? He's already really busy running a company with 20+ employees. He's also an involved father and has family.
Asking him to take time out his life for you is kinda selfish or misinformed.

As for the technical questions, among those thousands of active users are some very smart ppl, that might be able to help you out on the technical front.

This is just in my hope so you wont be to disappointed with not getting the response you hoping for.

 

Just posting in hopes someone with influence sees it. Should I not even try? Dell flat out states they're locking out the BIOS on purpose and I know Linus hates practices like that. Just watch his 10th gen Intel video. He often talks about threads on the forum during livestreams too. 

[64 Tech]

Dell's marketing has gone to absolute, well Pentium D. I cant upgrade my R7 to a i7-9700k, because of a software lock, or the engineers don't care. Gotta wait 2 weeks to a couple of months before i can do a build that will retain value. Gonna either give my current prebuilt to my bro or sell for 1300.

[Always_Wipe]

4 minutes ago, 64 Tech said:

Dell's marketing has gone to absolute, well Pentium D. I cant upgrade my R7 to a i7-9700k, because of a software lock, or the engineers don't care. Gotta wait 2 weeks to a couple of months before i can do a build that will retain value. Gonna either give my current prebuilt to my bro or sell for 1300.

The problem is that what they're doing is illegal. They flat out market the Area51-M as their "Upgradable" laptop. I did swap the i7 9700 with an i9 9900K with zero problems. They act like XMP is some magical feature they have no control over. I finally got them to admit that they literally flash the MOBOs from the factory to lockout any RAM upgrades you try to do. What's even worse is that if you fork out for their overpriced ADATA ram, you won't be able to change the speeds since you need a different MOBO. 

 

All documentation on their website states otherwise. I've emailed legal/management and they cant show me where Dell locks out BIOS features on the Area51-M. When pressed they finally said what I posted.