I don't like carrying around a notebook cooler, it's another peripheral I have to stuff in the bag when 1 inch book does well for everything

In fact, I don't have to carry a book, I can pretty much use anything.

xandman I'd suggest getting yourself a SSD, anywhere from 240-512gb (you don't really need a 940g SSD right now). SSD used for games, and software. Nothing else. Keep your porno and whatever else on the 750g that you'll use a secondary storage bit.

To be honest, I hardly use it. Well, used it once to install Mass Effect 3 and Max Payne 3. I recently used it to test my 32gb of RAM. No idea why I even bothered with a blu-ray drive since I mostly use my Dune for blu-ray disc.

But I will admit that it's useful when you least expect it. When you need to memtest your system, or when you need to use a boot disc, or recovery disc, that's one reason I have it.

This post has been edited by refnulf: Jul 9 2013, 04:57 PM

Can you boot into your system recovery?

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/...command-prompt/

True, you could also wipe everything and reinstall Win 7. It's easy as pie, doesn't take long to get everything back to stock (check forum.notebookreview.com). There are threads about getting your machine back to Alienware stock mode. Also you'll need a Dell account to get all the drivers, software for Alienware. Also provided in those threads.

Here's the one for Windows 8
Here's the one for Windows 7

Here's to get the look and feel of the stock Alienware

Nice, same one I'm using.

How long from boot to login screen?

I have 32gb, just wanted to fill in the slots

Yeah, 2 under the keyboard, 2 under the back cover.

I'm at about 10s, I'm not using UEFI.

Yeah I'm fine with the booting time.

Actually, Killer has consistent performance compared to everything else. Not sure if that has changed recently.

Mine is great. Works perfectly. Version 1103 with 2012 drivers. Never drops, never an issue. Most of my friends that use it also have nothing but good things to say.

One of those 512gb SSDs.

This post has been edited by refnulf: Jul 12 2013, 11:39 AM

I downloaded a bunch of updated drivers for my R4, everything from BIOS to Command Center. Looks like there's a bunch of em, might want to reinstall Windows 7. Gotta go get my machine backed up first. Lots of games on the SSD. Looks like I'll just have to reinstall everything again later (from Steam, Origin, Uplay, GOG, etc)

Huh, of course it can?

Borderlands 2 runs on high for me without issues. Was it a problem before the SSD?

No issues with performance drops for my machine. In fact, it's pretty amazing. Only performance issues I have is with GW2.

Hell man, it's so bad sometimes it drops to 3 fps (this is with the game detecting the settings automatically). Haven't been playing much these days these days to monitor fps.

I'm on the M17xR4

This post has been edited by refnulf: Jul 14 2013, 06:25 PM

Yeah, I'm not a fan of the newer designs. The specs remain incredible though.

My next machine will be a M18x fully loaded.

This post has been edited by refnulf: Jul 14 2013, 10:17 PM

Even the M18x is mobile. My M17x goes everywhere. No issues.

Not too heavy if it's in the back pack. But I've been lugging about heavy machines from day one so this is nothing to me.