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Shall I review my 2 year old Alienware M18x

ShadowCaptain
By ShadowCaptain
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Hey guys my Alienware M18x is approaching 2 years old since I bought it new from Dell

 

 

Shall I do a review of my life with it over the last 2 years?

Desktop - Corsair 300r i7 4770k H100i MSI 780ti 16GB Vengeance Pro 2400mhz Crucial MX100 512gb Samsung Evo 250gb 2 TB WD Green, AOC Q2770PQU 1440p 27" monitor Laptop Clevo W110er - 11.6" 768p, i5 3230m, 650m GT 2gb, OCZ vertex 4 256gb,  4gb ram, Server: Fractal Define Mini, MSI Z78-G43, Intel G3220, 8GB Corsair Vengeance, 4x 3tb WD Reds in Raid 10, Phone Oppo Reno 10x 256gb , Camera Sony A7iii

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Hey guys my Alienware M18x is approaching 2 years old since I bought it new from Dell

 

 

Shall I do a review of my life with it over the last 2 years?

Why isn't there a "yes go eat a shoe option"? I'd like to see you review it while eating a shoe.

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I would love to hear about your experiences with an Alienware PC :)

Personally I don't understand why there is so much hate for Alienware, in my experience Dell PCs are really solidly built and perform very well.

"PSU brands are meaningless, look up the OEM."

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Why isn't there a "yes go eat a shoe option"? I'd like to see you review it while eating a shoe.

 

Because then I have to multi-task and I am male so that will not end well

 

I would love to hear about your experiences with an Alienware PC :)

Personally I don't understand why there is so much hate for Alienware, in my experience Dell PCs are really solidly built and perform very well.

 

Ah huh I agree there, sure it was not cheap but go find me a 18.4" 1080p Laptop with 2 graphics cards and 3 hard drive bays haha :P

 

That said their desktops are something I personally would not buy (although they are very well made, and very gorgeous inside and out)

Desktop - Corsair 300r i7 4770k H100i MSI 780ti 16GB Vengeance Pro 2400mhz Crucial MX100 512gb Samsung Evo 250gb 2 TB WD Green, AOC Q2770PQU 1440p 27" monitor Laptop Clevo W110er - 11.6" 768p, i5 3230m, 650m GT 2gb, OCZ vertex 4 256gb,  4gb ram, Server: Fractal Define Mini, MSI Z78-G43, Intel G3220, 8GB Corsair Vengeance, 4x 3tb WD Reds in Raid 10, Phone Oppo Reno 10x 256gb , Camera Sony A7iii

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I would love to hear about your experiences with an Alienware PC :)

Personally I don't understand why there is so much hate for Alienware, in my experience Dell PCs are really solidly built and perform very well.

My personal experience with an alienware laptop was horrible, mainly because the dell customer support absolutely sucks :P

Specs: 4790k | Asus Z-97 Pro Wifi | MX100 512GB SSD | NZXT H440 Plastidipped Black | Dark Rock 3 CPU Cooler | MSI 290x Lightning | EVGA 850 G2 | 3x Noctua Industrial NF-F12's

Bought a powermac G5, expect a mod log sometime in 2015

Corsair is overrated, and Anime is ruined by the people who watch it

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My personal experience with an alienware laptop was horrible, mainly because the dell customer support absolutely sucks :P

 

They have been amazing for me, I will detail this in my review

Desktop - Corsair 300r i7 4770k H100i MSI 780ti 16GB Vengeance Pro 2400mhz Crucial MX100 512gb Samsung Evo 250gb 2 TB WD Green, AOC Q2770PQU 1440p 27" monitor Laptop Clevo W110er - 11.6" 768p, i5 3230m, 650m GT 2gb, OCZ vertex 4 256gb,  4gb ram, Server: Fractal Define Mini, MSI Z78-G43, Intel G3220, 8GB Corsair Vengeance, 4x 3tb WD Reds in Raid 10, Phone Oppo Reno 10x 256gb , Camera Sony A7iii

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They have been amazing for me, I will detail this in my review

I actually ended up having to use microsoft to help fix my issues. Dell kinda left me hanging, and they were more than willing to help. Also, the dell website is the worst i've seen in a long time. I'd be interested to hear your experiences, maybe i'm just a rare case.

Specs: 4790k | Asus Z-97 Pro Wifi | MX100 512GB SSD | NZXT H440 Plastidipped Black | Dark Rock 3 CPU Cooler | MSI 290x Lightning | EVGA 850 G2 | 3x Noctua Industrial NF-F12's

Bought a powermac G5, expect a mod log sometime in 2015

Corsair is overrated, and Anime is ruined by the people who watch it

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I actually ended up having to use microsoft to help fix my issues. Dell kinda left me hanging, and they were more than willing to help. Also, the dell website is the worst i've seen in a long time. I'd be interested to hear your experiences, maybe i'm just a rare case.

 

Ill make sure to cover it for you, there was one bad thing (quite funny actually) but genreally i was amazed

 

Youll see :)

Desktop - Corsair 300r i7 4770k H100i MSI 780ti 16GB Vengeance Pro 2400mhz Crucial MX100 512gb Samsung Evo 250gb 2 TB WD Green, AOC Q2770PQU 1440p 27" monitor Laptop Clevo W110er - 11.6" 768p, i5 3230m, 650m GT 2gb, OCZ vertex 4 256gb,  4gb ram, Server: Fractal Define Mini, MSI Z78-G43, Intel G3220, 8GB Corsair Vengeance, 4x 3tb WD Reds in Raid 10, Phone Oppo Reno 10x 256gb , Camera Sony A7iii

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Ill make sure to cover it for you, there was one bad thing (quite funny actually) but genreally i was amazed

 

Youll see :)

I look forward to it.

Specs: 4790k | Asus Z-97 Pro Wifi | MX100 512GB SSD | NZXT H440 Plastidipped Black | Dark Rock 3 CPU Cooler | MSI 290x Lightning | EVGA 850 G2 | 3x Noctua Industrial NF-F12's

Bought a powermac G5, expect a mod log sometime in 2015

Corsair is overrated, and Anime is ruined by the people who watch it

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Id like to see the review  :)

My Sig Rig: "X79 (3970X) -Midas"http://pcpartpicker.com/p/wsjGt6"  "Midas" Build Log - https://linustechtips.com/main/topic/59768-build-log-in-progress-code-name-midas/


"The Riddler" Custom Watercooled H440 Build Log ( in collaboration with my wife @ _TechPuppet_ ) - http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/149652-green-h440-special-edition-the-riddler-almost-there/


*Riptide Customs* " We sleeve PSU cables "

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I'm up for what you're laying down.

Main rig on profile

VAULT - File Server

Spoiler

Intel Core i5 11400 w/ Shadow Rock LP, 2x16GB SP GAMING 3200MHz CL16, ASUS PRIME Z590-A, 2x LSI 9211-8i, Fractal Define 7, 256GB Team MP33, 3x 6TB WD Red Pro (general storage), 3x 1TB Seagate Barracuda (dumping ground), 3x 8TB WD White-Label (Plex) (all 3 arrays in their respective Windows Parity storage spaces), Corsair RM750x, Windows 11 Education

Sleeper HP Pavilion A6137C

Spoiler

Intel Core i7 6700K @ 4.4GHz, 4x8GB G.SKILL Ares 1800MHz CL10, ASUS Z170M-E D3, 128GB Team MP33, 1TB Seagate Barracuda, 320GB Samsung Spinpoint (for video capture), MSI GTX 970 100ME, EVGA 650G1, Windows 10 Pro

Mac Mini (Late 2020)

Spoiler

Apple M1, 8GB RAM, 256GB, macOS Sonoma

Consoles: Softmodded 1.4 Xbox w/ 500GB HDD, Xbox 360 Elite 120GB Falcon, XB1X w/2TB MX500, Xbox Series X, PS1 1001, PS2 Slim 70000 w/ FreeMcBoot, PS4 Pro 7015B 1TB (retired), PS5 Digital, Nintendo Switch OLED, Nintendo Wii RVL-001 (black)

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Yes please. I want to hear how much it justified its price tag.

 

Spoiler

CPU:Intel Xeon X5660 @ 4.2 GHz RAM:6x2 GB 1600MHz DDR3 MB:Asus P6T Deluxe GPU:Asus GTX 660 TI OC Cooler:Akasa Nero 3


SSD:OCZ Vertex 3 120 GB HDD:2x640 GB WD Black Fans:2xCorsair AF 120 PSU:Seasonic 450 W 80+ Case:Thermaltake Xaser VI MX OS:Windows 10
Speakers:Altec Lansing MX5021 Keyboard:Razer Blackwidow 2013 Mouse:Logitech MX Master Monitor:Dell U2412M Headphones: Logitech G430

Big thanks to Damikiller37 for making me an awesome Intel 4004 out of trixels!

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I have one. I'm using it right now. I was surprised how much I like the sheer size of it. It's really comfortable, though I hear shorter people have an issue keeping it in their lap. 

muh specs 

Gaming and HTPC (reparations)- ASUS 1080, MSI X99A SLI Plus, 5820k- 4.5GHz @ 1.25v, asetek based 360mm AIO, RM 1000x, 16GB memory, 750D with front USB 2.0 replaced with 3.0  ports, 2 250GB 850 EVOs in Raid 0 (why not, only has games on it), some hard drives

Screens- Acer preditor XB241H (1080p, 144Hz Gsync), LG 1080p ultrawide, (all mounted) directly wired to TV in other room

Stuff- k70 with reds, steel series rival, g13, full desk covering mouse mat

All parts black

Workstation(desk)- 3770k, 970 reference, 16GB of some crucial memory, a motherboard of some kind I don't remember, Micomsoft SC-512N1-L/DVI, CM Storm Trooper (It's got a handle, can you handle that?), 240mm Asetek based AIO, Crucial M550 256GB (upgrade soon), some hard drives, disc drives, and hot swap bays

Screens- 3  ASUS VN248H-P IPS 1080p screens mounted on a stand, some old tv on the wall above it. 

Stuff- Epicgear defiant (solderless swappable switches), g600, moutned mic and other stuff. 

Laptop docking area- 2 1440p korean monitors mounted, one AHVA matte, one samsung PLS gloss (very annoying, yes). Trashy Razer blackwidow chroma...I mean like the J key doesn't click anymore. I got a model M i use on it to, but its time for a new keyboard. Some edgy Utechsmart mouse similar to g600. Hooked to laptop dock for both of my dell precision laptops. (not only docking area)

Shelf- i7-2600 non-k (has vt-d), 380t, some ASUS sandy itx board, intel quad nic. Currently hosts shared files, setting up as pfsense box in VM. Also acts as spare gaming PC with a 580 or whatever someone brings. Hooked into laptop dock area via usb switch

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Yes please. I want to hear how much it justified its price tag.

It's not. Get a clevo for  a price tag. Alienwares were clevos before dell bought them I bought mine used, and I doubt I'd ever buy an Alienware new. 

ONE FEATURE THAT NO OTHER LAPTOP HAS-

HDMI input. I have no idea why no one else does this, and why alienware owners don't talk about it, it's awesome and I don't know how I lived without it. It's just a passthrough to the screen, please laptop manufactures, DO IT Clevo did it like on one laptop years ago...not since. 

It would be  nice to have this feature on a small cheap laptop that I can curl up in bed with and put it on my chest without suffering from a collapsed lung. 

Tablets need this too. Would be awesome. 

muh specs 

Gaming and HTPC (reparations)- ASUS 1080, MSI X99A SLI Plus, 5820k- 4.5GHz @ 1.25v, asetek based 360mm AIO, RM 1000x, 16GB memory, 750D with front USB 2.0 replaced with 3.0  ports, 2 250GB 850 EVOs in Raid 0 (why not, only has games on it), some hard drives

Screens- Acer preditor XB241H (1080p, 144Hz Gsync), LG 1080p ultrawide, (all mounted) directly wired to TV in other room

Stuff- k70 with reds, steel series rival, g13, full desk covering mouse mat

All parts black

Workstation(desk)- 3770k, 970 reference, 16GB of some crucial memory, a motherboard of some kind I don't remember, Micomsoft SC-512N1-L/DVI, CM Storm Trooper (It's got a handle, can you handle that?), 240mm Asetek based AIO, Crucial M550 256GB (upgrade soon), some hard drives, disc drives, and hot swap bays

Screens- 3  ASUS VN248H-P IPS 1080p screens mounted on a stand, some old tv on the wall above it. 

Stuff- Epicgear defiant (solderless swappable switches), g600, moutned mic and other stuff. 

Laptop docking area- 2 1440p korean monitors mounted, one AHVA matte, one samsung PLS gloss (very annoying, yes). Trashy Razer blackwidow chroma...I mean like the J key doesn't click anymore. I got a model M i use on it to, but its time for a new keyboard. Some edgy Utechsmart mouse similar to g600. Hooked to laptop dock for both of my dell precision laptops. (not only docking area)

Shelf- i7-2600 non-k (has vt-d), 380t, some ASUS sandy itx board, intel quad nic. Currently hosts shared files, setting up as pfsense box in VM. Also acts as spare gaming PC with a 580 or whatever someone brings. Hooked into laptop dock area via usb switch

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Because then I have to multi-task and I am male so that will not end well

 

 

 

don't worry i can hook you up with a bran new heart (mobo) and an overclocked brain ( cpu ) and you will be a multitasking monster  B) 

if i helped you and im right give me best answer ok  ;)

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It's not. Get a clevo for  a price tag. Alienwares were clevos before dell bought them I bought mine used, and I doubt I'd ever buy an Alienware new. 

ONE FEATURE THAT NO OTHER LAPTOP HAS-

HDMI input. I have no idea why no one else does this, and why alienware owners don't talk about it, it's awesome and I don't know how I lived without it. It's just a passthrough to the screen, please laptop manufactures, DO IT Clevo did it like on one laptop years ago...not since. 

It would be  nice to have this feature on a small cheap laptop that I can curl up in bed with and put it on my chest without suffering from a collapsed lung. 

Tablets need this too. Would be awesome. 

 

I've used Sagers before. The build quality and construction is nowhere near Alienware. The Alienware is certainly more expensive, but they feel way more sturdy and have far better speakers. 

My system: http://imgur.com/a/la41r

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I've used Sagers before. The build quality and construction is nowhere near Alienware. The Alienware is certainly more expensive, but they feel way more sturdy and have far better speakers. 

the speakers have improved a bit, but yea the m18x has great feel and speakers. Speaker are not very important to some people though. 

muh specs 

Gaming and HTPC (reparations)- ASUS 1080, MSI X99A SLI Plus, 5820k- 4.5GHz @ 1.25v, asetek based 360mm AIO, RM 1000x, 16GB memory, 750D with front USB 2.0 replaced with 3.0  ports, 2 250GB 850 EVOs in Raid 0 (why not, only has games on it), some hard drives

Screens- Acer preditor XB241H (1080p, 144Hz Gsync), LG 1080p ultrawide, (all mounted) directly wired to TV in other room

Stuff- k70 with reds, steel series rival, g13, full desk covering mouse mat

All parts black

Workstation(desk)- 3770k, 970 reference, 16GB of some crucial memory, a motherboard of some kind I don't remember, Micomsoft SC-512N1-L/DVI, CM Storm Trooper (It's got a handle, can you handle that?), 240mm Asetek based AIO, Crucial M550 256GB (upgrade soon), some hard drives, disc drives, and hot swap bays

Screens- 3  ASUS VN248H-P IPS 1080p screens mounted on a stand, some old tv on the wall above it. 

Stuff- Epicgear defiant (solderless swappable switches), g600, moutned mic and other stuff. 

Laptop docking area- 2 1440p korean monitors mounted, one AHVA matte, one samsung PLS gloss (very annoying, yes). Trashy Razer blackwidow chroma...I mean like the J key doesn't click anymore. I got a model M i use on it to, but its time for a new keyboard. Some edgy Utechsmart mouse similar to g600. Hooked to laptop dock for both of my dell precision laptops. (not only docking area)

Shelf- i7-2600 non-k (has vt-d), 380t, some ASUS sandy itx board, intel quad nic. Currently hosts shared files, setting up as pfsense box in VM. Also acts as spare gaming PC with a 580 or whatever someone brings. Hooked into laptop dock area via usb switch

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the speakers have improved a bit, but yea the m18x has great feel and speakers. Speaker are not very important to some people though. 

 

You are right. Things like build quality, construction, speaker quality and the like are not important to some people. But when I was going to spend more than $1500 anyway, I figured I might as well spend the extra couple hundred on the machine that was built better. 

My system: http://imgur.com/a/la41r

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You are right. Things like build quality, construction, speaker quality and the like are not important to some people. But when I was going to spend more than $1500 anyway, I figured I might as well spend the extra couple hundred on the machine that was built better. 

Well especially speakers cause most use headphones. But my m18x was the first laptop I found myself using the speaker on, especially gaming. 

muh specs 

Gaming and HTPC (reparations)- ASUS 1080, MSI X99A SLI Plus, 5820k- 4.5GHz @ 1.25v, asetek based 360mm AIO, RM 1000x, 16GB memory, 750D with front USB 2.0 replaced with 3.0  ports, 2 250GB 850 EVOs in Raid 0 (why not, only has games on it), some hard drives

Screens- Acer preditor XB241H (1080p, 144Hz Gsync), LG 1080p ultrawide, (all mounted) directly wired to TV in other room

Stuff- k70 with reds, steel series rival, g13, full desk covering mouse mat

All parts black

Workstation(desk)- 3770k, 970 reference, 16GB of some crucial memory, a motherboard of some kind I don't remember, Micomsoft SC-512N1-L/DVI, CM Storm Trooper (It's got a handle, can you handle that?), 240mm Asetek based AIO, Crucial M550 256GB (upgrade soon), some hard drives, disc drives, and hot swap bays

Screens- 3  ASUS VN248H-P IPS 1080p screens mounted on a stand, some old tv on the wall above it. 

Stuff- Epicgear defiant (solderless swappable switches), g600, moutned mic and other stuff. 

Laptop docking area- 2 1440p korean monitors mounted, one AHVA matte, one samsung PLS gloss (very annoying, yes). Trashy Razer blackwidow chroma...I mean like the J key doesn't click anymore. I got a model M i use on it to, but its time for a new keyboard. Some edgy Utechsmart mouse similar to g600. Hooked to laptop dock for both of my dell precision laptops. (not only docking area)

Shelf- i7-2600 non-k (has vt-d), 380t, some ASUS sandy itx board, intel quad nic. Currently hosts shared files, setting up as pfsense box in VM. Also acts as spare gaming PC with a 580 or whatever someone brings. Hooked into laptop dock area via usb switch

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Well especially speakers cause most use headphones. But my m18x was the first laptop I found myself using the speaker on, especially gaming. 

 

Agreed they are quite fantastic, and actually produce some quality and most importantly volume which laptops always suffer on

 

Your point about HDMI in too, yes, one of my favourite features, I will miss it whenever I change this laptop, I will include it in the review

 

 

 

Thanks everyone for the feedback, I will get this done this week! Might even do a video review, though my camera equiptment and lighting is not ordered yet so it wont exactly be professional, we shall see

Desktop - Corsair 300r i7 4770k H100i MSI 780ti 16GB Vengeance Pro 2400mhz Crucial MX100 512gb Samsung Evo 250gb 2 TB WD Green, AOC Q2770PQU 1440p 27" monitor Laptop Clevo W110er - 11.6" 768p, i5 3230m, 650m GT 2gb, OCZ vertex 4 256gb,  4gb ram, Server: Fractal Define Mini, MSI Z78-G43, Intel G3220, 8GB Corsair Vengeance, 4x 3tb WD Reds in Raid 10, Phone Oppo Reno 10x 256gb , Camera Sony A7iii

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