Dell customer service called me after I placed an inquiry on the new Alienware 14. Here's some info I get from my questions asking them. Hope it helps

1. The color of the back lid is not changeable, it comes only in silver.
2. Customization of specs would not be available anytime soon.
3. Alienware Vindicator backpack is available for MYR 200+ forgot exact number.
4. Shipping time for this model is around 3 weeks from confirmation.

I suggest you guys to place inquiry on their website if you wanna buy. My agent (from customer service) said he can get me a better price for all Dell/Alienware products.

Good luck ! Gonna place my order as soon as I get a solid database of reviews xD

Here's something to help out the future Alienware 14 owners including me ! !

Owner's manual.

ftp://ftp.dell.com/Manuals/all-products/e...anual_en-us.pdf

I hope that I can add in another SSD as boot drive for my AW14 without removing the optical drive >.< but I couldn't understand the part in the owner's manual which only mentions about removal and replacement of secondary HDD. So does it means in order to add in a second drive I have to remove optical drive ? Or the slot itself is in the optical drive bay ? confused T.T

I'd be grateful for anyone who can shed further light in this ><

p/s: 64gb msata is enough for caching 750gb hdd ? O_O

I hope it'll be it ! Waiting for your review soon !

Hory mory that's one heck of a beautiful beast O_O. Ok I probably lost myself in the language part there.

Mind doing some benchmark tests / other pictures (back/internal) if can ? XD just suggesting, I understand if you don't wanna take out the parts that early as new owners are very careful with their baby esp the first few months XD .. Did you ordered the Vindicator backpacks as well ?

I wanted to place my order today but the agent told me the Vindicators can only be ordered on 10 july so I decided to order later XD !

On a sidenote, I hope you enjoy your new baby xD looking forward for more pictures xD

From what I noticed about this error, it happens when the system mistakenly reassign your drives,
Let's say your OS in installed in C but it got reassigned as E and vise-versa.
-Or the software that was used to move your OS got messed up.

1. First, one of the ways I think may fix it is to
(i). Detach your HDD and leave the mSATA (or Wherever your OS is in)
(ii). Then try boot from Windows 8 DVD and reassign the primary OS drive manually (take note that the system may prompt to fix it automatically).

2. Second way.
(i). Insert the Windows 8 disc, Boot into “Repair your computer” and select Troubleshoot > advanced options. Go into the MS-DOS mode by choosing Command Prompt, type the command to run:
(ii). BCDboot c:\windows /s c: /l en-us

That's from what I can understand and I hope it helps.
Do give feedback whether it works or not so that others that face this problem can use the solution as well

Kinda true

But as for me, I would quickly burn myself a recovery disk (maybe two) before I remove the optical bay x)
Then prepare a backup to boot on external hard disk.
Then only I'll install my SSD.

Additional information for those who wondering about installing an SSD on the 3rd slot (by removing optical bay):

1. Can purchase part and ask technician to install with surcharge.
- But then would have your parts covered in warranty as well.

I will add in the price and other stuffs after I get my quotation from my awesome agent xD
(She had been very patient and willing to answer my questions as well as giving me freebies and discounts as much as possible).

Not fully true, unless you plan to hold on to your SSD for a very very long time. By the time our present (as of July 2013, depending on the usage and size) SSDs die off, I guess that the SSD price would have dropped significantly to be affordable (I hope). Plus, future SSD surely would benefit from a more efficient space management to reduce wear rate (other than wear leveling and over provisioning for now).

On tweaktown, they managed to test Samsung 840 250gb SSD and they wrote 101 TB to the 250gb (and lasted 1024 hours) before the test went out .


http://www.tweaktown.com/articles/5196/sam...end/index3.html

So by a rough estimation, for a 64gb SSD perhaps could last 25.6TB of write .

Edit: Remove image because cannot load, sorry newbie to forums don't know how to use link to image. Replaced with link instead for convenience of all.

This post has been edited by sadukarzz: Jul 9 2013, 10:45 PM

I guess this can help out.
http://www.tricksage.com/2013/05/make-wind...sb-step-by.html

Haven't try that out myself so I couldn't give any comment on it XD
Will be able to try after my baby arrives.

Yea it's quite, however judging from the language/grammar skill the author displayed, I'd say take extra precautions. Bad language for me is like a direct seller is selling the product with bad communication skills (as if direct selling itself was already not convincing). Maybe I'm just being paranoid, but its better to be safe than be sorry so go check out few more sources before proceeding. XD

I got the Alienware 14 shortlisted by my agent for confirmation tomorrow, the current quotation for me is 5035 for 2 years warranty and a Orion bag (Plus freebies and discounts). However I am waiting for the new quotation as I am getting two vindicator backpacks XD.

Should be able provided that you have the disc and license key. But I guess that would mean wiping out your system, by that you should take note of the hardware you have to download the drivers for installation. But you can easily do that by just logging into your dell account (if you have one) then you can choose your current device and find the relevant drivers, it should all be listed there (from my Inspiron experience). Good luck bro

Yup thats correct.

i7-4700MQ - up to 3.4ghz
8gb 1600mhz RAM
Gtx 765m, 2gb VRAM
Full HD
750gb 7200rpm + 64gb msata cache
2 years warranty
2 vindicator backpacks
and etc ..

Gonna get RAM + SSD upgrade after I finish preparing the backup DVD and eHDDs

edit: /\

This post has been edited by sadukarzz: Jul 9 2013, 11:23 PM

Yeah, I was very grateful for that too. xD .. With my baby beast en route now I suddenly become brave to disassemble my inspiron and do cleaning O_O torn it down to pieces then put it back up, did full cleaning (int&ex) now its kinda speedy though its not as speedy as it was when I firstly bought it XD

Yes I think so, cuz m14xr2 was removed from the website recently. But I think he still can get it if he call to ask (maybe got leftover stocks).

Yup yup I was very cautious this time, first time bought my Inspiron online with nothing that came free except for the bag, no discounts as well xD But now lesson learnt and I was lucky to get a good agent, she was very willing and patient with me But its alright lar, you'll get comfort from your baby beast.

Both phone and email. Phone to ask of my details, emails to ask questions and get my quotation.

Firstly think of which model you would want (everything including laptop and backpack), then email dell or use chat online, ask them to give you the quotation on the things you want (they will ask for your email) then maybe after half an hour getting the approval of quotation from their boss, then they will send you the quotation. Then ask them to call you, then when they do, ask whether there are freebies available. After that basically if you're satisfied you can proceed dy.

Freebies that I know that comes:
Razer Electra headset
Free 1tb HDD

without the two above I think you'll probably get a discount only. I will update you once I get full quotation.

This post has been edited by sadukarzz: Jul 10 2013, 12:54 AM

Sry guys for those who were waiting for my quotation, I was outstation due to emergency staff meeting >< .. oh well I hope it still helps

Quotation:
5433 > all same spec (5019 if not mistaken) + 2 years warranty + 14' vindicator + 17' messenger
freebies > 1tb hdd, razer electra headset
method > email/call, payment = maybank mastercard

For those who may want my agent's contact (not sure can call her direct to order or have other procedures to go through), please PM me as I would like to give references to her as she did a great job in helping me placing my order and not forgetting to mention that she was patient enough and efficient.

my AW14 will be arriving before 30/7 if not on 30/7 itself (from what my confirmation told me)

again thanks guys and sry for keeping you guys waiting.