What would you like to see in the next M11x?

[rpg-XPS]

core i3 would be great (with a turbo boost feature for i3 perhaps, for plugged-in gaming). i5 more than enough. i don't think an i7 would be feasible, though. as surely, marketing would want alienware to have as much a difference as possible between m11x (hopefully m13x) and m15x.

I know it seems logical to assume i3 < i5 < i7 but Intel's system is far more complicated than that.

The M11x uses an ultra low voltage CPU at the moment (SU4100/7300) with a TDP of 10W, so assuming they keep the ~30W GPU in there, they're going to have to keep to a CPU with a TDP of that level - for power consumption and heat reasons.

This leaves only two options - the ultra low voltage i5's or i7's, which combined with the new series chipsets will equal the TDP of the existing C2D setup. Just to note, these are not "normal" i5/i7's per se, but tamed down versions. They're clocked considerably lower, the IGP is slower, the highest memory speed they can work with is lower etc.

The i3's do not have a ultra low voltage variant. In fact, they don't even have a low voltage variant, they only offer full voltage options - with a TDP nearly 4x the TDP of the current C2D's in the M11x (35W vs 10W). So to put it simply, there's absolutely no chance we'll see i3's in the M11xR2 as the TDP is way too high (just like the standard voltage i5/i7's). FYI, performance wise, the standard voltage i3-3X0M CPU's would pretty much destroy the ULV i5's and i7's.

So the ULV i5's and i7's that will most likely be used in the M11xR2 (whenever that happens) simply can't be compared to the standard voltage i5/i7's offered in the M15x - the M15x CPU's are in a different league. Also, just for reference, Turbo Boost is not available on any i3 CPU - mobile or desktop.

But I need to be able to carry this thing around at work, in front of clients. And at church, and in front of my kids, and my wife. I'm a grown-up now, and I can't be seen carrying around what, for all appearances, is a fancy expensive toy.

What I need is an Alienware M11x "Stealth". A killer portable gaming notebook that looks like an understated, or even boring, standard business-class laptop. It would not only become the primary laptop for me, but half of my co-workers would probably follow suit.

The M11x isn't aimed towards that market though - Dell's Studio line should be able to satisfy basic gaming requirements or as DR650SE mentioned the Sony Vaio Z, and these would be a lot more presentable in a business environment.

[KeyLimeSoda]

Yeah, a Vaio Z would be perfect, if it didn't cost $2,500 and the Studio line is underpowered comparatively.

I know the M11x isn't necessarily geared towards that market, but what I'm saying is that it *could* be. With it's battery life and form factor, it's a useful portable productivity/note taking laptop, with a whole different secret life at the flip of a switch!

Drop these guts in a Vostro box and you'd open yourself up to a whole market of 28+ yr old guys who want to game, but still have a day job.

[D.Vinci]

@rpg
Oh. That's better. Tnx man. Just needed someone to say that. Cause some are saying they'll just put another core 2 but with higher ghz.
Just curious how much weight would it add on the overall cost.

+1 to that

Now if only they could stretch the screen a bit. As the reviews say, seems like this baby was really meant to be connected to an external display as hinted by the array of ports, at least as far as gaming is concerned. So complaining for a larger screen might be futile. Still, 12-13" would have been great reducing the desire for xternal display to a minimal while avoiding the bulkiness of m15x. But knowing alienware a 13" would prolly be bulky. Oh well, can't have them all. Wouldn't hurt to wish though.

[Twe Foju]

now the tricky question is, with the revision from SU7300 to ULV i5/i7 will Dell maintain the price for under 900 dollars, because that is what makes this notebook so amazingly well worthed

because i expect at least a $150 - 200 raise with the upgrades from SU700 to i5/i7s ULV and with the new Optimus GPU which i think Dell will try to aviod, after all, the most advantage of having this notebook is it's super low price

if they can, it's gonna be awesome, i wouldnt have to wait that long and can still get my M11X now and sell when the refreshed is out for almost the same price

[fyro11]

now the tricky question is, with the revision from SU7300 to ULV i5/i7 will Dell maintain the price for under 900 dollars, because that is what makes this notebook so amazingly well worthed

because i expect at least a $150 - 200 raise with the upgrades from SU700 to i5/i7s ULV and with the new Optimus GPU which i think Dell will try to aviod, after all, the most advantage of having this notebook is it's super low price

if they can, it's gonna be awesome, i wouldnt have to wait that long and can still get my M11X now and sell when the refreshed is out for almost the same price

Well, I remember seeing the Intel SU7400 at $289. However I suspect this price may have fallen. An interesting thing to note, as someone else said on this forum, is that the Intel SU4100 is tagged as the same. The reason why I say it must have fallen, is because this comparison shows the three new ULVs apparently in the market already: http://ark.intel.com/Compare.aspx?ids=47700,43562,47554,

- i5-520UM - $241.00
- i7-620UM - $278.00
- i7-640UM - $305.00

I don't think Optimus will be expensive since it will also come with the cheap ION chipsets.

[Ravenlocke]

Yeah, a Vaio Z would be perfect, if it didn't cost $2,500 and the Studio line is underpowered comparatively.

I know the M11x isn't necessarily geared towards that market, but what I'm saying is that it *could* be. With it's battery life and form factor, it's a useful portable productivity/note taking laptop, with a whole different secret life at the flip of a switch!

Drop these guts in a Vostro box and you'd open yourself up to a whole market of 28+ yr old guys who want to game, but still have a day job.

I am 41 and have a day job and could care less what others think of my shiny new toy. Just turn the led lighting to off and the system looks much tamer and more mainstream. However, I rather enjoy the Alienware mystique and it sets this system apart for what it is....something special.

[DR650SE]

Yea, the alienware/age trend is actually quite suprising. Check out the results of the Average M17x owners age thread.

As far as the M11x price, I think that the tech will drop in price. Like others stated, the appeal of the M11x is the price tag, therefore I see them always marketing it with a baseprice <$1000.

[rpg-XPS]

this comparison shows the three new ULVs apparently in the market already

Yeah, they were released in January. Fujitsu and Panasonic have actually been using the i7-640UM in a couple of their notebooks (P770, CF-R9) since February. Also, I read somewhere that the new Vaio Y models will use the ULV i5/i7 CPU's also. So they're definitely taking off. By the time the M11x refresh comes about, I really can't see AW using anything other than these CPU's.

[fyro11]

I was surprised they didn't use them from the get-go, since they pride themselves on the latest tech. The only reason that comes to mind is to offload old stock, not that it's a bad thing.

[synaesthetic]

It's actually "lady," not "sir."

The only reason I'm not lusting over the M11x already is because I'm worried about driver support. Optimus is getting all the love, and I've already heard owners of the Asus UL80Vt complain about the driver issue.

I don't really care about Optimus's dynamic GPU switching; I care more about games not working right because my drivers are way out of date.

I do tend to agree that I'd rather see the M11x's guts in a Studio XPS 13 chassis, though. What a disappointment that one was; with these internals, it'd be glorious.