I just got a Alienware :P

E

Epyon

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Oct 25, 2001
Messages
1,212
Yeah I know don't flame me. I had a 1.7 pentium 4 Alienware and I loved it to death. Sold it tho. Now I have been on a (pos) 1.6 pentium 4 1gb ram were the screws are falling out of the bottom of the case and the power cord won't stay on unless it has weight on it so I jumped on the M 17.

ere are the items in your cart:

[1] M17

Video/Graphics Card: 512MB ATI Mobility Radeon™ HD 3870
Processor: Intel® Core™2 P8400 2.26GHz (3MB Cache, 1066MHz FSB)
Chassis: 17-Inch WideXGA+ 1440 x 900 LCD (720p)
Keyboard Options: Illuminated Keyboard – Alienware Exclusive Design - Fusion Red
Operating System (Office software not included): Windows Vista® Ultimate (32-bit Edition) with Service Pack 1
Notebook Tuners and Remotes: Without Media Center Remote Control or TV Tuner
Memory: 2GB Dual Channel DDR3 SO-DIMM at 1066MHz – 2 x 1024MB
System Drive: Single Drive Configuration - 160GB 7,200RPM (8MB Cache) w/ Free Fall Protection
Optical Drives : 8x Dual Layer Burner (DVD±RW, CD-RW)
Wireless Network Card: Internal Intel® Ultimate N 5300 a/b/g/Draft-N Mini-Card with MIMO Technology
The World's First 450 Mbps Wi-Fi Adapter!
Sound Card : Internal High-Definition Audio with Surround Sound
Warranty: 1-Year AlienCare Onsite Service and 24/7 Toll-Free Phone Support
Alienware Extras: Alienware® Mesh Cap
Alienware Extras: Alienware® Mousepad
Alienware Extras: Alienware® Mobile Binder
Alienware Extras: Owner Identification Card
Alienware Extras: M17 Protective Cloth Sleeve
Alienware Extras: M17 Keyboard Diagram Overlay
Avatar: Alienhead 3D
Window Style: Default Window Style
Mouse Pointers: Standard Mouse Pointers
Power Plan: Standard Power Plan
Automatic Updates: Automatic Updates On
Time Zones: (GMT - 5.00) Eastern Time (US & Canada)


SubTotal: $1,549.00
Shipping: $76.33
Discount: $0.00
Tax: $134.09
Order Total: $1,759.42

At first I had the 64 bit vista but then called a day later and got the 32 bit. I think I will pick up 64 bits later next year or when SP2 comes into play. I am a real big XP fan boy and I will be trying to load xp on after I get the laptop. I won't get mine till after the 24th. Phase 3 right now.

What are the pros and cons of 64 bits? I mean I just did not want a repeat of getting the latest and greatest OS and then nothing work for the damn thing. Thats why I called back and changed it. Right move or wrong move? I want to play alot of the older games so meh. I know I am going to be super happy when I get it. Got a laptop stand for it too because of heat.

Right now I am hunting down sites that tell me how to delete all of the garbage off the OS from start. I don't know anything about this OS.
 
Get 64-bit. I've been using a 64-bit OS for a few years now and I've had no problems.

64-bit drivers and support are available unlike the mess that was XP64. Also, 64-bit OS will let you use 4GB+ of memory. You have just 2GB now, but if you upgrade (which you probably will) to 4GB, 8GB, etc... Then a 64-bit OS will be needed then anyway.

Vista SP1 fixes most if not all the issues with Vista. Once you get Vista, going back to ex-pee is painful IMO.
 
I don't know if you do anything really obscure with your computer, but for almost all purposes 64bit is better. It's a little inefficient in very small systems because it benefits from more system resources. Although it takes more system resources to run, 64bit runs more efficiently once those requirements are met than 32bit does when its "sweet-spot" requirements are met. 64bit is good in environments where you are using close to 4gb of ram in a 32bit OS.

Also useful if you game, but you aren't looking for the most insane gaming performance because you want to balance it with overall performance and stability, like multitasking while gaming. That's where the extra memory support comes in.

x64 is also just more "future proof" because with ram and other parts coming down in price it's easier for everyone to have more of them so it becomes more mainstream to develop software that utilizes those extra system resources.

In your system x64 wouldn't make a huge difference, but with what you are probably going to run on your machine you will probably go over the 2gb ram that you have, but your machine won't be able to support much more than 3gb because of the 32 bit os.

You would most likely benefit from 4gb ram and x64. Your system would probably be much more stable/future proof. Ram is cheap and if you can still change the OS it won't cost you much either?

I've used both 32bit and 64bit vista and haven't had any problems even though people seem to complain a lot about vista. I honestly don't know why. I haven't seen any advantages in 32bit over 64bit except for running it on highly mobile machines.
 
I have never been on a Visa windows. I want to game yeah but I am not one of those guys that has to have max everything on setting to have a good time. I think I will be fine with the 2GB of ram and I called to change the OS TO 32 bits from the 64bits I ordered. It only set me back a day. I am in phase 4 as a few hours ago. Honesty, Lets be real for a sec

1.6 Pentium 4
1gb of ram
screws falling out from the bottom of the case
15in screen
hard drive falling (shows at post start up)
power won't stay on unless weight is added to the cord
battery won't hold a charge over night.

I was happy when it ran www.sidefx.com houdini 9. I am not doing anything major in the program anyways just toying with it. I want to see what this system can do and then if I need more then I will go from there later on. Look at what I am on right now.

I think that 3GB of ram will do me. But I'm not picky. I was told that some things don't work right with 64 bits so I down graded. I'm happy with 32 bits. I want to see how bad vista is with 2gb of ram. I mean if its dead slow or workable.
 
FYI - I use Vista Ultimate 64. No problems. It's actually less problematic than 32 bit Vista. Sure - XP-64 had problems, Vista - 64 does not. IMHO - it actually runs better. You have full use of all of your ram...not just 3 gigs. I understand that you're onlying using 2 right now - but trust me - with today's current app's and so on and so forth - plus the fact that you're using vista - you're going to want 4 - and vista 64 bit just has less problems - at least as far as i've seen.
 
What's the point of having such a nice GPU but such a low resolution display?
 
Newer games will tax the system more, and a graphics card update isn't easy as it is on the desktop.
 
CEpeep said:
What's the point of having such a nice GPU but such a low resolution display?
Click to expand...


I think it has alittle to do with I am tight on cash and I don't have a computer at all what so ever now. The other one died 100%. See post #4 by be to see what I had. When I get the time I will upgrade the screen. right now I am looking for 4GB of ram but I can NOT find any DDR 3 1066 2x 2GB ram to save my life. I can NOT find it on zipzoomfly or even newegg. Any ways. my M17 Shipped just minutes ago so I am happy about that.

Thanks for your posts.

edit I was looking for 200 dim but it seems I need 204 thats what was screwy
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820226019
 
Just leave Vista alone, the OS tweaking will make extremely little, if any difference at all. Instead go play a nice game on that shiny new Alienware. :D
 
Epyon said:
I was told that some things don't work right with 64 bits so I down graded. I'm happy with 32 bits.
Click to expand...

That is true.

Microsoft Fingerprint Reader won't work with 64bit OS

Blackberry Desk or whatever it is doesn't work with 64bit OS

...that's about it as far as I know first hand..



(You should have stuck with Vista64...it's the future direction of Windows OS)
 
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