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Alienware Area-51 m15x, M15X Smart Bay Battery+HDD Kit Post #212

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TSstringfellow	Oct 22 2008, 06:04 PM, updated 17y ago Return to original view \| Post #1
Ultrawide \| 4K \| VR Senior Member 11,305 posts Joined: Jan 2003	Thus begins my first journey with Alienware, with my newly ordered Alienware Area-51 m15x laptop. Here are the specs:- u-SQ4Y3gqJ8 The Unboxing Alienware Area-51® m15x Design & Display: Silver Skullcap Design Display: 15.4" WideUXGA 1920 x 1200 LCD (1200p) with Webcam System Lighting: Alienware® AlienFX® System Lighting - Aqua Operating System: Genuine Windows® Vista Home Premium - English Graphics Processor : 512MB NVidia® GeForce® Go 8800M GTX Processor: Intel® Core™ 2 Extreme X9000 2.8GHz (6MB Cache 800MHz FSB) Memory: 4GB Dual Channel DDR2 SO-DIMM at 667MHz - 2 x 2048MB Turbo Cache Memory: None System Drive: Single Drive Configuration - 320GB 7200 RPM SATA with Free Fall Protection CD/DVD/RW: 2x Dual Layer Blu-ray Disc Writer (BD-RE, DVD±RW, CD-RW) Sound Hardware: Intel® High-Definition Audio (24-bit, 192Khz) with surround sound Keypad: Alienware® Area-51 m15x AlienFX® Keyboard - English Wireless Network Card: Internal Intel® Wireless 4965 a/b/g/Draft-N Mini-Card Warranty: AlienCare 1-Year Free Phone 24/7 and Collect & Return AlienContact: Added Bonus with any AlienSupport Selection AlienContact - Remote Alienware Support AlienRespawn: AlienRespawn v2.0 Recovery DVD – Windows Vista Edition Monitor: (None) Alienware Gear: Alienware® T-Shirt - Black - XL Alienware Extras: Alienware® Mesh Cap Alienware Extras: Alienware® Personalised Nameplate Alienware Extras: Alienware® Mousepad Alienware Extras: Alienware® Owner Identification Card Alienware Extras: Area-51® m15x Keyboard Diagram Overlay Alienware Extras: Area-51® m15x Smooth Mylar Touchpad Alienware Extras: Area-51® m15x Protective Cloth Sleeve Avatar: Alienhead Glow Window Style: Default Vista Window Style Mouse Pointers: Standard Mouse Pointers Wallpaper: Alienhead Glow (Widescreen) Wallpaper: Alien Cyborg (Widescreen) Wallpaper: Alien Schematic (Widescreen) Power Plan: Balanced Automatic Updates: Automatic Updates On However, the process from the moment your card is charged, to the time you finally have it in your hands, is fraud with many phases and possible setbacks. Just ask these guys at this link:- http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=229217 . He basically got his unit ONE MONTH later! But thankfully the QC is in place so the one month wait of patience is rewarded with excellent build quality. There are NINE (9) phases that your Alienware laptop have to go through before it reaches your hand. Mine is still in Phase 1. October 21st 2008 - Your Order is Currently in Phase 1 - Phase 1: (Order Confirmation) Your order has been received and is awaiting order confirmation. As part of our security procedures, all orders must be confirmed before they can be processed. October 23rd 2008 - Order moved to Phase 3! Phase 3: (Payment Processed) Payment has been received and the order is now in queue for production. October 24th 2008 - Order moved to Phase 4! Phase 4: (Pre-Production) The inventory that will be used to custom build the PC is being pulled and inspected. In the rare occurrence that a PC component is not readily available, you will be notified via email. October 25th 2008 - Order moved to Phase 5! Phase 5: (Production Phase 1 - Assembly) 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 components and cabling in the system 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! October 28th 2008 - Order is shipped! Phase 9! Phase 9: (Order Shipped) Congratulations, the order has been shipped. We only hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed building it for you. FINALLY! [Expected arrival date and time to my doorstep - October 30th 5pm! What I had done is made a call twice to them confirming that they have received the supporting documents towards the purchase that they needed. It is as per quoted in the following email:- » Click to show Spoiler - click again to hide... « Dear Mr. Stringfellow, Thank you very much for purchasing an Alienware System with GCBD / Corporate Sales. We would like to confirm the receipt of the above order for an Area-51® m15x Notebook. As soon as your Credit Card is billed successfully the order will commence production. We would like to inform you that in order to bill your credit card we would need A copy of your credit card statement (you can block out all transactions on the statement) where the registered address and the last 4 digits of the credit card number are visible (you can of course block out everything else) · Please sign this document before sending it to us. Alternatively, if you cannot provide a copy of your Credit Card statement, you can supply a utility bill registered in your name at the address registered to the credit card and copy of your CC (front and back)-we need to see the last 4 digits on front of your card, 3 last digits on back of your card, expiry date and your name. You can block out all other information. The document copy can be done with a scanner or a digital camera. If you send your documents by email, the size must not exceed 1MB. The reason we need this document is to perform an AVS check (a name and address check on the card) which is necessary to ensure that the card holder is aware of the transaction and that their card is not being used fraudulently. By checking the address this enables us to ensure the purchase is being shipped to the address the credit card is registered to. If you could forward this document on to us at your soonest convenience. Please note that we cannot take the money from your card unless you send this document and we also cannot begin production of our system until we receive payment. If you could forward these documents on to us at your soonest convenience. You can either fax them to us on + 353 9064 86967 or send an email at emeabilling@alienware.com with the documents attached as a PDF, remembering to include your name and order number. Thank you very much. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any additional questions or concerns. Kind regards, Claire SAILLY Corporate Sales / GCBD EMEA Government Corporate Business Division Alienware Ltd. Free Phone: 0800-279 9751 International Phone: 00 353-906-456-500 Fax: 00 353-906-486-967 www.alienware.co.uk Email: corporate_sales@alienware.co.uk Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail Alienware Limited is registered in Ireland. Company Registration Number: 361662 Registered address: 30 Herbert Street, Dublin 2, Ireland. The content of this email and any attachment may contain proprietary and confidential information. It is intended to be conveyed only to the designated recipient(s). If you are not an intended recipient of this message, please notify the sender by replying to this message and then delete it from your system. Use, dissemination, distribution or reproduction of this message by unintended recipients is not authorized and may be unlawful. DISCLAIMER: The content of this email and any attachment may contain proprietary and confidential information. It is intended to be conveyed only to the designated recipient(s). If you are not an intended recipient of this message, please notify the sender by replying to this message and then deleting it from your system. Use, dissemination, distribution or reproduction of this message by unintended recipients is not authorized and may be unlawful.[/b] These are the rest of the phases:- QUOTE Phase 2: (Billing/Finance) Your order has been validated and is waiting payment processing. While in this stage we are confirming any credit card and/or payment information for security purposes. Please understand that this phase is necessary as it will protect you the customer from any fraudulent transactions. We observe very strict security guidelines and hope you will appreciate our efforts. Note: Your method of payment and other factors may influence how quickly we can build your PC. Phase 3: (Payment Processed) Payment has been received and the order is now in queue for production. Phase 4: (Pre-Production) The inventory that will be used to custom build the PC is being pulled and inspected. In the rare occurrence that a PC component is not readily available, you will be notified via email. Phase 5: (Production Phase 1 - Assembly) 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 components and cabling in the system 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! Phase 6: (Production Phase 2 - Integration) This stage includes the installation of the operating system, drivers and any applications that are specific to the system you ordered. Our Alienware Integration Technician will also install any demos, benchmark utilities, and burn-in software necessary to correctly monitor your system’s performance. These functions are performed by AlienFactory, a proprietary software designed by Alienware for our valued customers. This is also the first stage of the Alienware 200-Point Quality Control Process. Phase 7: (Production Phase 3 – System Testing) Your system is undergoing the second stage of the Alienware 200-Point Quality Control Process. This is the most crucial stage. We perform a series of grueling tests that push the hardware components in your system to the very limit. This phase is especially important because it is here where the system either passes or fails. If it does fail, it will automatically go to one of our Diagnostic Technicians to identify and correct any problems before we ship it to you. The system may need to go back to an earlier production phase to meet stringent Alienware performance standards. Phase 8: (Production Phase 4 - Quality Control/Shipping Prep) The system is undergoing the final stage of the Alienware 200-Point Quality Control Process. An Alienware Quality Inspector is in charge of inspecting your system from top to bottom for any obvious or latent defects. Our Inspectors are seasoned technicians/engineers and are very experienced in the art of perfection. Note: If the system does not pass any of our performance standards, the system may have to go back to an earlier production phase and it may slightly delay your order. Phase 9: (Order Shipped) Congratulations, the order has been shipped. We only hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed building it for you. So what I'll do is chronicle it as how those guys at the NotebookReview forum does it , to compare if it does indeed takes that long. I'm praying that it does not. Otherwise, this may be a loooooong journey. This post has been edited by stringfellow: Dec 15 2008, 05:25 PM
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TSstringfellow	Oct 22 2008, 06:25 PM Return to original view \| Post #2
Ultrawide \| 4K \| VR Senior Member 11,305 posts Joined: Jan 2003	QUOTE(qkchuah @ Oct 22 2008, 06:11 PM) Can i know where are you from? US or Malaysia? Alienware does not ship international. I envy you for having the system. Alienware does ship international, Alienware UK does. In fact, that's where I configure this unit from, from www.alienware.co.uk. I could wait until I get back to the States and get mine, but the cost of double shipping basically makes it the same. (Double shipping = Alienware ship to my place in CA., then ship second time to KL). The fact that the recent economic meltdown also means that the Euro denomination is at its weakest, and makes it cost-friendly enough, in my books, to get it done from UK. I've recently got back from Melbourne, and have personally tried out an almost max-specced out Alienware m15x there, and can vouch for its excellent build quality, and sterling performance. The waiting continues....... P/S: This was partly thanks to the recent disappointing Apple Macbook Pro keynote announcement, for having wrap the almost same spec-ed Macbook Pro, but only in a fancier unibody shell and glass trackpad. I've also personally fondled the new Macbooks in Melbourne, and my gut feeling still says the same: Once you get past the tacky glass trackpad and the shinier shell, the new Macbook Pro hold no significant specs. Added on October 22, 2008, 6:26 pm QUOTE(keccik @ Oct 22 2008, 06:19 PM) yeah i guess its worth waiting. blue-ray rom... damn its tempting. If you read my specs, mine's the Blu-ray Writer as well, not a Blu-ray Reader/DVD Writer drive. This post has been edited by stringfellow: Oct 22 2008, 06:26 PM
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TSstringfellow	Oct 22 2008, 08:40 PM Return to original view \| Post #3
Ultrawide \| 4K \| VR Senior Member 11,305 posts Joined: Jan 2003	QUOTE(hazardcradle @ Oct 22 2008, 08:02 PM) ^ do you apply for alienfinance? No I did not. Are purchasers outside UK eligible for this?
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TSstringfellow	Oct 22 2008, 08:55 PM Return to original view \| Post #4
Ultrawide \| 4K \| VR Senior Member 11,305 posts Joined: Jan 2003	QUOTE(mdzaboy @ Oct 22 2008, 08:43 PM) how much u bought? in RM After added shipping, it is EU3460.
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TSstringfellow	Oct 22 2008, 09:24 PM Return to original view \| Post #5
Ultrawide \| 4K \| VR Senior Member 11,305 posts Joined: Jan 2003	It's in Euro, not British Pound Sterling. Euro dropped to 4.6 today which makes it even cheaper. RM15,000 is the figure you're looking at. It may seem a bit too much, but if I just want a "typical" laptop, I could have just get the Dell XPS or Asus. No point spending so much online when it is locally available. If you want to get something with more ooomph in it, go all out. If you cab live with mediocre or above-decent specs, then it makes more sense financially to get them locally. When the specs being offered here no longer excites you, it's time to look for more exotic solutions. In my case, it is simple. I wanted portability with power. 17inch is not portable, 15 is. Otherwise I'd just get an XPS 1730, max out the specs and be done with. But the 1730 is not portable enough for me, and the design is butt-ugly. So which manufacturer makes the most powerful 15inch laptop? Sager and Alienware. Sager's design, personally, looks like 2 paper folders glued together to me, just aesthetically bland and dull. What's left then?
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TSstringfellow	Oct 23 2008, 04:46 PM Return to original view \| Post #6
Ultrawide \| 4K \| VR Senior Member 11,305 posts Joined: Jan 2003	QUOTE(wilsonjay @ Oct 23 2008, 04:38 PM) hm.....if spoil how? sent b to uk? If you worry about sending things back overseas, then I'm afraid you're not the target audience for this. Sending it back for service should be the least of your worries, the price should already deter the typical end user here from even considering! The cost of sending it back, if that happens, should already been factored into the cost of living with, using and maintaining an Alienware product. If skimping and throttling back on your budget is the main priority here, then there are loads of other options available locally. You dont go Alienware if you dont go all the way. I'm sorry but I don't feel like being confined to the paltry selection of underpowered-speced-overpriced-pricetag offerings you have here. Even with the supposed peace-of-mind perception of buying local, the level of support service locally here leaves load of headaches to counterbalance the supposed savings you make by buying local. Thanks, but no thanks. This post has been edited by stringfellow: Oct 23 2008, 05:28 PM
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TSstringfellow	Oct 23 2008, 06:37 PM Return to original view \| Post #7
Ultrawide \| 4K \| VR Senior Member 11,305 posts Joined: Jan 2003	October 23rd 2008 - Order moved to Phase 3! Phase 3: (Payment Processed) Payment has been received and the order is now in queue for production. All thanks to the effort I made yesterday. Emailed Corporate Sales and Billing Department, and they have confirmed receipt of the required documents. Also faxed the documents, along with the extras like front/back scans of the credit card, and then called them to check if they have received it. Had three questions pertaining to the order, and they are as follows:- QUOTE 1. How long does it take from the moment my credit card accepted and charged for payment, which is Phase 2, until it is ready for shipping, Phase 9. My primary concern is regarding your policy of assembling the components for the order and prioritising them for assembly. My worries also stem from this link:- http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=229217 , which chronicles the horrific delays and further delays incurred upon that particular user in that forum, before he finally receives his unit A MONTH later, but not without further heckling, reminders and phone-calls on his part! Is my experience going to mirror his, or have the apparent problem of securing parts and components for the assembly of the laptops have been resolved? 2. I am from Malaysia, and if you notice from the order, I have included a Blu-ray Writer drive into the order of the m15x I have ordered. The UK, if I recall correctly, would reside in Region B when it comes to Blu-ray disc region playback. Blu-ray discs from South East Asia (Malaysia included), Japan and the US all resides in the Region A, and therefore REQUIRES Blu-ray drives of similar region (Region A in this case) to enable playback. My question is, is the Blu-ray Writer drive that is going to be assembled into my m15x allows for region change, or if that is not possible, maintains a Region A designation so that all my Blu-ray discs I have accumulated can be played on the laptop? 3. My third concern, being an order outside of the UK/Europe for that matter, would be regarding the voltage/power requirements of the laptop. Is the power adapter/charger unit for the laptop capable of accepting Malaysian voltage of 240Volts/50Hz? I believe the plug head is similar to the British/UK specification, it is just the voltage/power rating may differ. If the laptop power adapter/charger unit accepts multiple voltage ratings (100-240V), then there should not be any problems in this regard. And here are the return email responses:- QUOTE Dear Stringfellow, Thank you for contacting Alienware. Please find the answers to your questions below: 1. When placing an order, you are given an estimated ship date. This date depends on payment being processed in the next 24-48 hours and on the availability of the items you have selected for your system. Some components are in such high demand that it may take more time before they become available. Thus, if you configure a more sophisticated system, the delivery time may be longer. Keep in mind that Alienware computers are customized and built by hand. When a customer places an order for a computer, we reserve the parts exclusively for that computer. In your case, your estimated ship date is November 17, 2008. This is the date when the system will be shipped to your address. 2- You may change the region on the Blu-Ray optical drive in order to watch region A instead of region B. 3- The AC Adapters we use for our notebooks are 110-220V capable, with auto-switch. According to our records, your order is currently in Phase 3 (payment applied) and in queue for production. If you need further information, please do not hesitate to contact us. Best regards, Andrea Gil Electronic Support Department Alienware Ltd. Main Line: 00353 906 456 500 Fax: 00353 906 486 967 www.alienware.co.uk QUOTE Dear Mr. Stringfellow, Thank you for calling Alienware. In regards to our phone call yesterday in relation to your questions about the Blu-ray drive and the Power Supply Unit. The power supply needs 220 -240 Volt, this means you will be able to use the system without an extra adapter. With the Hardware you are able to switch the Blu-ray drive to region A or B, but you just have 5 times and then it will be blocked. The other way to switch the regions between A and B should work with the Software ( PowerDVD programme) and then it should be unlocked all the time. Unfortunately we do not have an update on your order yet, at the moment we are waiting until the payment has been proceeded successfully. This should be done by this evening or tomorrow. After it has been proceeded your order status will change and you can see that online on our Website www.alienware.co.uk . I hope this informations have been useful for you and if you have more questions please feel free to contact me under the number below and I will assist you. Kind Regards Christina Sommer Customer service UK Alienware Ltd. Free Phone: 0800-279 9751 International Phone: 00 353-906-456-500 Fax: 00 353-906-486-967 www.alienware.co.uk ........November 17th, so far away....... This post has been edited by stringfellow: Oct 23 2008, 06:38 PM
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TSstringfellow	Oct 23 2008, 09:41 PM Return to original view \| Post #8
Ultrawide \| 4K \| VR Senior Member 11,305 posts Joined: Jan 2003	I wonder if computer/PCs are taxable at all? Appreciate the heads-up on all angles of possibilities where I may get shafted, but this is not something I have just decided overnight. First the brought up RMA/returns issue and now duty/taxable amount. Even if it is taxable, I'm determined. The amount set aside for that is already in place. Added on October 23, 2008, 10:34 pm QUOTE(OlgaC4 @ Oct 23 2008, 09:20 PM) I wonder how much our Kastam Malaysia will tax your for laptop over 15K? And this is for you. Go to this link :- http://tariff.customs.gov.my/ Click "Customs" and choose "AHTN Duties Order 2004", and click "Schedule 1" Under the Search field, type in "computer" and see what results it gives you. My results? "personal computers excluding portable computers of subheading 8471.30", which is exactly what this Alienware laptop is, there are no import duties, sales tax, CEPT tax or Import Prohibition on item described as what I have quoted. For those wondering what a "portable computers of subheading 8471.30 is, it is a "portable automatic data processing machine". I'll shove this up the customs face if he dares to tax my Alienware. This post has been edited by stringfellow: Oct 23 2008, 10:34 PM
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TSstringfellow	Oct 24 2008, 08:48 PM Return to original view \| Post #9
Ultrawide \| 4K \| VR Senior Member 11,305 posts Joined: Jan 2003	Them numbers play tricks! The number denominations of these Nvidia mobile GPUs represent their graphic card architechture, with the 9xxx supposedly leading the 8xxx, in terms of shader technologies and the like. But when it comes to reali-time application, they are regarded as the rebadged version of the other, the 9600 GT would be regarded as a rebadged 8600 GT with slightly bumped up core frequency. It is not, however, just about the race of who is able to shove the latest mobile GPU into a mobile form factor. It is also about the thermal envelope, and as of the writing of this post, if you want them in the 15inch case, you can only go up to either the 9800 GT, or the 8800 GTX, none of that dual-SLI action. The thermal envelopes simply wouldnt allow it, or try it and see your laptop melts on your lap, ruining your family jewels in the process. Yup, thanks to Apple, they have inadvertently shoved me towards this market segment. Their stubbornness of not including Blu-ray, even as a BTO in the new Macbook Pros, is the final straw for me. I've waited patiently to get a "pro" laptop for almost 2 years already, and that keynote is the straw that broke the camel's back. Even if Apple decides to allow Blu-ray drive as a custom order on the latest Macbook Pro configurator, I'd already be happy. Their stubbornness is their loss, and Alienware's gain. Latest update on my Alienware......Phase 4! Phase 4: (Pre-Production) The inventory that will be used to custom build the PC is being pulled and inspected. In the rare occurrence that a PC component is not readily available, you will be notified via email. I'm halfway there! This post has been edited by stringfellow: Oct 24 2008, 08:48 PM
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TSstringfellow	Oct 25 2008, 01:15 AM Return to original view \| Post #10
Ultrawide \| 4K \| VR Senior Member 11,305 posts Joined: Jan 2003	I'm not at home long enough to justify buying or using a desktop. With the m15x, it IS my desktop, it is powerful enough to be one.
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TSstringfellow	Oct 25 2008, 04:39 PM Return to original view \| Post #11
Ultrawide \| 4K \| VR Senior Member 11,305 posts Joined: Jan 2003	Unless you're talking about buying stock config Alienwares, then my unit will not be available there. The LCD is custom 1900x1200, so does the C2E processor. Unless that SG store really is a certified retailer, I'm not inclined to but off shady third-parties, especially for the amount I'm paying. Again I reiterate, there is no tax, duty or tariff of any kind for computers and laptops. The previous Customs schedule I posted proves that. Which store in SG sells Alienware? Last I check, the closest Alienware got to Asia is Australia. Even if they do sell them, after-sale support will gave to be handled by Alienware EU/AUS/US. Dealing with anyone other than then would mean wasting more money on the middleman.
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TSstringfellow	Oct 25 2008, 09:25 PM Return to original view \| Post #12
Ultrawide \| 4K \| VR Senior Member 11,305 posts Joined: Jan 2003	There's nothing to defend really, it is all personal opinions. And when it comes to opinions, everyone have them and theirs are always right according to their preferences. It should be that way, including mine as well, since both you and me spend our hard-earned money on our laptops, our opinions should be right for both our cases. What I'm saying is that, this is not a contest to sway people's mind away from one and to the other, but just an outlet to tell what you own preference criterias are. The Alienware order entered a new phase today - Phase 5! Phase 5: (Production Phase 1 - Assembly) 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 components and cabling in the system 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! I actually did something to accelerate this, but it is totally not necessary . I'm just worried about my purchase, and there are certain aspect of the m15x build quality that is bugging me. Had that forwarded to their Alienware Support, Corporate Sales and now in constant email conversation with a Ms. Christina Sommers of Alienware UK. Their support quality is bloody awesome, you are guaranteed a response by 72 hours, but in my case, I always have a response to my queries, no matter how mundane or nitpicky, by 24 hours! From build quality, different BIOS versions and their characteristics advantages and weaknesses, right up to asking things like if they have received my payment , or querying about which part may be holding up the assembly of your unit. It's always a pleasure to deal with them, and they make you feel like you're part of the whole process as well, keeping you in the loop.
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TSstringfellow	Oct 27 2008, 12:12 PM Return to original view \| Post #13
Ultrawide \| 4K \| VR Senior Member 11,305 posts Joined: Jan 2003	QUOTE(OlgaC4 @ Oct 26 2008, 11:13 AM) Stringfellow. Can test drive right? I might get one later when i am bored with my Asus G1SN. Sure, I can bring it out to test-drive once I have it in my hands. You're not allergic to bling, are you? Because apparently, the built-in "bling" on the Alienware may exarcebate a further reaction from those with low self-esteem or those with self-security issues. You'll have to tell me beforehand, because I dont want you to be ashamed or self-conscious of the public scrutiny that may or may not come you way when we fire this up in public. I can simply turn it OFF, there is an OPTION to do so. QUOTE(ykj @ Oct 26 2008, 02:05 PM) 9800M GT is available for customize now on m15x. Only if Montevina platform is available as well then it would be near-perfect. Looking at notebookcheck.net, the 9800 GT is essentially a rebadged 8800, but with the 9000 series architecture. There have been reviews, and impressions from the guys at the notebookreview.com forums that adding in a faster FSB and moving up to Montevina platform, not really improving benchmarks significantly. The assembly is still in Phase 5, probably since it was not a working day last Sat/Sun. I just hope it doesnt phase-shift into a lower phase number, then something may be wrong. At Alienware, we don't really have the need for a "Wilayah", we just patrol the skies. Don't forget to look up once in a while
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TSstringfellow	Oct 27 2008, 02:41 PM Return to original view \| Post #14
Ultrawide \| 4K \| VR Senior Member 11,305 posts Joined: Jan 2003	QUOTE(gigabyte_PHD @ Oct 27 2008, 01:51 PM) i might shop for one but is pricey Anything under 8800M GTX/9800M GT and C2E mobile processor, then it makes more sense to stick with Dell and their XPS lineup. The only reason to go for custom builders like Alienware, Sager, Clevo, Falcon Northwest or VoodooPC is to deck it up with the most powerful component. Paying premium for Alienware, just for 8600M and/or C2D and wrap it up with Ripley/Skullcap chassis, is not worth the price you pay. Paying premium for a chassis does not make sense. Alienware Area-51 m15x General Information Thread That links to the awesome thread on NotebookReview forum, compiled from actual users, so the praises and complaints are valid and genuine, unlike some of the more veiled half-hearted attempts by some of the reviewers out there because they are inclined to do so under sponsorship. Most of the gripes on earlier versions of the m15x have been addressed and solved by Alienware, EXCEPT the broken hinge defect, which pretty much worries me. There was a report from CS Alienware DE that units after July/August were fitted with an improved chassis, but never proven , only replayed verbally by the phone call conversaion to CS.
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TSstringfellow	Oct 28 2008, 11:31 PM Return to original view \| Post #15
Ultrawide \| 4K \| VR Senior Member 11,305 posts Joined: Jan 2003	Checked into Alienware Order Status page, and what do you know? QUOTE Phase 9: (Order Shipped) Congratulations, the order has been shipped. We only hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed building it for you. To double-confirm, made a call to Alienware UK, got Christina again on the phone, and she confirms that the whole package is already ready, just waiting for DHL to pick it up and generate a tracking number! Oh happy days! According to the transit time of the shipping, it should be here in 3 days. In the meantime, check out these excited folks and their Alienware Area-51 m15x Unboxing videos! mNI0xgawcKo This guy's specs almost mirrors mine, so I'm super excited to see how mine would look when it arrives. 9TeTbO1FbIo This guy's a bit dramatic, with the 300 soundtrack in the background and all. Super-excited nonetheless. yPAVV-OBZgs This guy's m15x will be the same Skullcap chassis I'll be getting, unlike the previous two youtube videos, which features Ripley chassis. I'm counting days here, it should be here when I get back from Osaka in 5 days. Will be hitting the F5 button to refresh the current position on the package once Alienware transmit me the tracking details. I understand that the Alienware is not for everyone, for other alternatives of exotic notebooks with powerful innards, you may try Corad's Sager NP8660 thread, which is significantly cheaper than this Alienware. Also checked into the final amount charged for this, it has been revised to EU3239.08, which translate to RM14,600. Also checked my credit card balance, they charged me that amount, instead of the previous RM15,000. Nothing but good news so far, let's hope the same good outlook applies to the unit once I receive it as well. This post has been edited by stringfellow: Oct 28 2008, 11:46 PM
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TSstringfellow	Oct 29 2008, 01:16 AM Return to original view \| Post #16
Ultrawide \| 4K \| VR Senior Member 11,305 posts Joined: Jan 2003	Tracking details received! Here they are:- SECRET Airwaybill number - Detailed Report Date Time Location Service Area Checkpoint Details October 28, 2008 15:58 Dublin - Ireland, Republic Of Shipment picked up October 28, 2008 16:44 Dublin - Ireland, Republic Of Departing origin October 28, 2008 16:59 Dublin - Ireland, Republic Of Departed from DHL facility in Dublin - Ireland, Republic Of Also have confirmed with Customs and Excise, that computer-related materials such as laptops and whole desktop systems are tax and duty-free. Woohoo!
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TSstringfellow	Oct 29 2008, 02:27 AM Return to original view \| Post #17
Ultrawide \| 4K \| VR Senior Member 11,305 posts Joined: Jan 2003	QUOTE(FrostLance @ Oct 29 2008, 02:18 AM) just curios tho, stringfellow, ur still a student or already working lol. Still single? LOL not sure if wife would allow their hubbies to get this » Click to show Spoiler - click again to hide... « Working, I drive busses. Wife, or soon-to-be-wife, have her own guilty pleasure as well, and she earns her own living as well. We tolerate each other's traits, hobbies (and sometimes, each other's nonsenses ), so that takes care of everything.
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TSstringfellow	Oct 29 2008, 03:16 AM Return to original view \| Post #18
Ultrawide \| 4K \| VR Senior Member 11,305 posts Joined: Jan 2003	QUOTE(SimpleJack @ Oct 29 2008, 03:06 AM) They sell these in Melbourne ? How much would a uncustomised one cost ? and would it still be able to run games smoothly ? In Melbourne Central, the shop that used to be selling Sony-specifics only. I think they are an agent, so they'd still need to order online. There was a lone unit there, sporting almost the same specs as mine, only the RAM, processor, hard drive and Blu-ray drive falling short of mine. (2GB vs 4GB/ 2.6 Ghz C2D vs 2.8 Ghz C2E/ 250GB 7200rpm HDD vs 320GB 7200rpm HDD/ Blu-ray Reader vs Blu-ray Writer). The rest is the same as mine, including the 1200p screen resolution. They are putting that Alienware as demo, but they can sell it for AUD5500. As for running games smoothly, that depends on what games, at what resolution, complexity levels (High settings), and so on.
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TSstringfellow	Oct 29 2008, 03:41 AM Return to original view \| Post #19
Ultrawide \| 4K \| VR Senior Member 11,305 posts Joined: Jan 2003	Please post those queries in its appropriate thread. Laptop recommendation thread. Dell XPS 1730 thread. Please keep this thread clean other than queries, concerns, discussions or information materials regarding Alienware generally, or this particular model specifically. I cannot answer your queries for you, there are things in life where only you can provide the answer. This is one of them. P/s:Alienware may not have a "Wilayah" around here, but the Mothership patrols the sky, all different layers of them, SAMs be damned.
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TSstringfellow	Oct 29 2008, 01:10 PM Return to original view \| Post #20
Ultrawide \| 4K \| VR Senior Member 11,305 posts Joined: Jan 2003	QUOTE(corad @ Oct 29 2008, 08:52 AM) dropping by hope to see this laptop hit Malaysian shores soon » Click to show Spoiler - click again to hide... « buses that happen to have TCAS? just a wild guess » Click to show Spoiler - click again to hide... « TCAS and EGPWS, so that it doesnt crash into your Wilayah. American "flying bus" though, not the French kind. QUOTE(Crazy.SoT.Gila @ Oct 29 2008, 09:21 AM) Woah. That's fast! It's only been 1 week+ and you've reached phase 9! And already on a plane too! QUOTE(fcuk90 @ Oct 29 2008, 12:56 PM) monster gaming laptop .write a review after this ? Instead of a review, what I may do is a TT. Some of the guys back in the Apple section, specifically the iPhone section of this forum, are keen to take a look at this, so a little get-together will not hurt. Instead of me writing this review, you can molest it your own self, personally! Made a call to DHL Malaysia, with the Airwaybill number in hand. By the way, here's the progress of the whereabouts of the package at this very moment:- QUOTE SECRET Airwaybill number - Detailed Report October 28, 2008 15:58 Dublin - Ireland, Republic Of Shipment picked up October 28, 2008 19:34 Dublin - Ireland, Republic Of Departing origin October 28, 2008 20:44 Dublin - Ireland, Republic Of Departed from DHL facility in Dublin - Ireland, Republic Of October 28, 2008 22:44 East Midlands - UK Arrived at DHL facility in East Midlands - UK October 29, 2008 02:21 East Midlands - UK Departed from DHL facility in East Midlands - UK After calling them up, the package is expected to arrive in Hong Kong first this evening, before departing again for Kuala Lumpur later tonight. Should be arriving via Subang airport, and if customs and the paperwork's done, should even be arriving at my doorstep tomorrow by 1700! I hope everything goes according to this plan, because I gotta go to work by 2000 tomorrow.
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