Alienware Area51-M 7700 Review - Page 4

I have the exact same dillema cb02zr2

Depends on what you want.

The thing that I don't think most people realize, is that the Dell and the AW both are using the GeForce 6800 Ultra video card. This is where the brunt of the performance is coming from in the 3d bench marks and game tests.

In laymans terms the Pentium M processor can communicate with the geForce just as fast as the P4. This makes game performance between the AW and the XPS2 very similar.

If you use any application other than games, the P4 will win hands down 95% of the time, simply because it is a more versatile chip than the Pm.

So it basically comes down to this (as has been stated in several threads I'm sure):

Dell = Video Games, internet, and 4 pounds lighter.
AW = Video Games, Video Processing/Editing, Photoshop, Music Programming, and everything else, as well as more storage for files, and RAID configured HDs.

Hey guys and girls. I have been out of the loop for awhile now. I lost the password to my alienrex user. I don't have the email address that the user was tied to. Oh well I will try and resolve it with the admins. For now I am going to use Syke. Formally known as alienrex.
So sorry I have been gone for so long. Is Craig, DarthBeavis, Aurora, Leadsblow29, J.clausse, Justin Sane, and the rest of the crew still hanging out. I seems just like yesterday we all were talking about the new 7700 coming out and if it was going to be good or bad.
I need to look over the forum some. I wonder if the AMD based lappy has come out?
Hope everyone is having a fun time with the alienware. I sure do love mine. Not a single freaking problem. Not a single "OH SH!T hope that does not happen again" thought. Fan makes some noise everyone once and awhile. It goes away if I blow out the chassis. So has anyone figured out how to manage the fan speed and watch the temps?
I plan on hanging out again. I can't believe I left everyone after I got my lappy. The 7700 came out in October of 04 right, so its a year old now. Happy birthday 7700 owners. Later Ryan, alienrex

I sent you a pm, syke (alienrex)
hope it helps. welcome Back!

I should be able to get my alienrex user name up and running soon. Thanks Aurura for your help. Ryan

Hmmm

I ordered my AW yesterday and i'm not sure if i should upgrade to the clearview. I'm on a tight budget as is and i don't want to set my parents off by upping the price anymore. I'm an intense gamer and wondering if the normal LCD works just as fine. Here's the specs.

[1] Area-51® m7700

Processor: Intel® Pentium® 4 541 Desktop Processor w/ HT Technology 3.2GHz 800MHz FSB 1MB
Memory: 1GB Dual Channel DDR2 SO-DIMM at 533MHz - 2 x 512MB
Hard Drive: Extreme Performance (RAID 0) - 120GB (60GB x 2) 5400 RPM ATA100
Video Card: 256MB NVidia® GeForce™ Go 6800 Ultra
Sound Card: Intel® High-Definition Audio
Warranty: 1-Year AlienCare Toll-Free 24/7 Phone Support with Onsite Service
Productivity Software: Microsoft® Office 2003 Student and Teacher Edition
Operating System: Microsoft® Windows® XP Home Edition with Service Pack 2
Motherboard: Intel® 915P PCI-Express Chipset
Automated Support: AlienAutopsy: Automated Technical Support Request System
Floppy Drive: USB Floppy Drive
Primary CD ROM/DVD ROM: 8X Dual Layer DVD+/-RW / 24X CD-RW Combo w/Software
Free Alienware T-Shirt: Free Alienware® T-Shirt - Black
Wireless Network: Internal Wireless 802.11b/g miniPCI Card
Additional AC Adapter: Alienware® m7700 220 Watt Auto-switch AC Adapter
Security Software: Norton™ AntiVirus™ 2005
Alienware Exclusive Offers: Gamespot Complete - Free 90-day Trial (a $20.85 value)
Alienware Exclusive Offers: 10% off your next EB Games online purchase
AlienRespawn: Alienware® Respawn Recovery Kit
Free Alienware Mousepad: Free Alienware® Mousepad
Desktop Enhancements: Exclusive AlienGUIse Theme Manager
Primary Battery: Alienware® m7700 12-cell Lithium-Ion Smart Battery Pack
Communications: Integrated 10/1000Mb Gigabit Ethernet & 56K V.92 Modem
LCD Display: 17" WideXGA+ 1440 x 900 LCD Display

my recommendation is to drop the RAID, get a single drive instead.

use that money to get a 3 year warranty. the 1440x900 is enough resolution for most games/apps.

your parents will be proud of you. and in 13 months if it breaks down they aren't going to shit their pants.

Hmm

I probably will end up doing that in the end anyway. I'm just worried that i wont have the amazing gaming experience that the AW owners with Clearview have. It's probably better with Clearview...but i need some reassurance that it will still be an AMAZING laptop without it. hrm
Currently in...Phase 5: (Production: Assembly & Integration)
Your system is being hand-built by an Alienware® Assembly Technician. Alienware takes great pride in building our systems, as our motto reflects, "build it as if it were your own." The assembly stage can take some time as all the cabling in the machine is carefully installed for greater upgrade flexibility and thermal airflows. Every assembly technician has been trained and qualified to Alienware Standards. We pride ourselves on giving you a high performance computer system!

Hey all! Im awaiting my m7700 and I just thought of something.

I didnt get the screen with the camera, cuz I have no use for it. Does the non camera screen have the glossy look to it, you know sort of mirror finish like? cuz The way it looks their all like that.

Quick answers would help, since Ide like to change it if I need to, I want that glossy screen!

Viva la Alienware!

Reid B

Hey everyone. 1st time here. I am really hoping that someone can help me out a bit. I'm looking at a big purchase and can't affrord to make a mistake. I am looking at a blown out M12, 7700a. The big question/concern I have is the graphics (card.) I can't seem to get a good answer out of they guys at Alienware. Anyhow, is there a huge diff between the NVIDIA 5600 and the new NVIDIA 7600 both with 256mgs? I need a computer for some (photo realistic) 3D rendering and some simple video editing. Any advice anyone? I forgot something else. Is this thing screaming loud cause it has 7 fans!

i believe you have to upgrade for the glossy finish

I am considering to get an Alienware m-7700 but ive heard many horror stories about them..and my fear is that (knowing my luck) that would happen to me.
its either an AW or a dell xps m170
and i like the aw better b/c of the speed the P4 puts out(3.2ghz)
vs.
The speed of the pM (2.26ghz)

AAHHHHhhHHHhhhHHhHhHHHHHhhhHhhHH

from your review it sound WICKED awesome!!

its not all about da clockspeeds :P. both will perform simlarly in games, maybe the duo more so, idk, havent used one yet.

Every brand has a support department to follow up any issues that might arise. The best you can do is research the systems that are available and get the one that you want the most. If you look through the support issues that are in these Alienware forums you can see how many of them are resolved. And you can also see that there isnt really that many considering the number of Alienware owners.

ahh decisons decisons

Dell Xps = better battery life
Alienware= hardcoreness < actually a bit cheaper than xps when i configured it


or a sager.. hmm

Even though I am going through an ordeal right now with my system (see my Adventure post) I am totaly impressed with it's power ! I am totaly impressed with it's look and feel ! I can't believe my expirience is the majority in the overall scheme of things. For some reason I am just a lightning rod right now. I am going to hold out as long as I can stand getting hit. Don't let my story sway you. Remember though, you are not ordering a econo - car. Here you are ordering a top of the line forumal one racer and with that comes some risk. It's a situation where level of risk has a lot to do with the end reward to be reaped. Good luck in whatever you choose.

PS: I am going to hold out as long as my sanity does. We'll see how many more hits that will be. I trust this time I will get a "above average" response from AW.

can you tell me how much ur lap top weight?

My 7700 (specs below) weighs in around 16/17 pounds.

I don't usually review products but I am having a nightmare experience with alienware. My son wanted this 7700 laptop for high school graduation and to take to college. He ordered the computer the first week in March, he waited with anticipation for the best gaming computer. On apr 6 the computer arrived. we had a software problem when it first arrived the wireless internet did not work but my son downloaded the drivers from the internet after alienware said they would mail them to us, but never did. The last week of april the computer froze and with the technician support the diagnosed the problem as a bad hard drive. Even though we had purchased on site warranty for 3 years, they mailed my son the part and he installed it. The computer worked until May 26 and again had the same problem. After hours with technical support they said it was a bad video card. Same process they mailed it to us, my son installed it and the computer worked until June 14.
Again the same problem. Oh how lucky we are alienware agreed that we could return system for repair in miami. I really wanted to return computer but was outside 30 days even though problem had begun within the 30 day return time and I gave them the benefit that they would really fix it. I should have returned it then. Any way I received computer back on Jun 24, they replaced the video card again. My son had told them that the problem was the motherboard but they have to read their policy and procedures and only follow a set of strict moves to fix any problem. So after calling the better business bureau and the credit card company I was assigned a top support tech who was going make sure my system works. Alas, the computer froze again yesterday July 11. My assigned support tech now says I need to return the system to Miami and let them replace the motherboard. I paid 3500.00 for a computer that does not work and very bad customer support. In the 3 months my son had had the computer its only worked for a couple weeks. Maybe they will fix the computer maybe they won"t. I have lost confidence in them and my son who only had great reviews for them now feels like he had been cheated. He goes to college in august I cannot afford another computer, and taking an alienware laptop to college that does not work is useless. anna

Well, I'd return it and let them do their thing. If it doesn't work eventually they will replace, as their discretion. Give it some time; I'm in the same boat as your son; I'm headed to college in September and got my 7700 last Nov. so that problems like these would be taken care of in plenty of time. This laptop pushes the limits and you have to respect that. Things go wrong and replacing the motherboard will help, and remember the warranty is covering it so at least you aren't paying for all these parts. Stay patient, but let them do their job and test the hardware. It'll be more than 20 days after you send it in, but AW will keep trying until it is fixed. If you think it would be beneficial, Private Message AW-Steve here on the forums. Out of courtesy, he visits the boards to help AW customers with special concerns or problems. Simply explain the problems as you did in your post and he'll help get you taken care of. Hope it all works out; this is a great computer when it works.