Alienware M17X not working as fast as it should?

Mohamed612 · 10-28-2009, 02:34 AM

Hello everyone.

I don't know all that much about computers, honestly, and I feel stupid that I didn't spend some time researching into this.

Well, I decided to buy the Alienware M17X from the Dell site, and I upgraded it up to a $1000 worth, thinking that at that rate just how fast it would be. I have an excellent desktop that runs virtually anything on max settings lagless, and now i'm finding that on my Alienware that this isn't that case at all. Often times even at default or regular settings i'm getting lag. I'm seriously let down, as things such as the video card and RAM are similiar to that of my desktop, which me and a friend built using similiar components.

Basically, I was seriously expecting this laptop I spent so much money on to be all the more powerful, but i'm finding even relatively normal or easy games such as World of Warcraft and Mass Effect require lowering the settings, which I wasn't expecting at all.

Here are my specs:

An Intel Core Duo CPU P8700 running at 2.53 GHz
500GB Free-Fall protection hard-drive.
4 GB dual-channel RAM
A nVidia GeForce 9400M G

That's about it, I have only downloaded 3 games (World of Warcraft, Empire: Total War and Mass Effect) and an anti-virus, and have updated my drivers.

Was it just a waste?

Please post... thanks!

Mohamed612 · 10-28-2009, 03:00 AM

Bump...

Mohamed612 · 10-28-2009, 04:53 AM

Bump yet again; is it so hard?

Ramomar · 10-28-2009, 05:19 AM

The problem there is the video card. The 9400M is a low-end / budget card. It should let you play on low settings but that's about it.

Bodaggit23 · 10-28-2009, 06:10 AM

Agreed.

Also, you need to give the forum more time to respond.

24hrs is a good time frame for responses, as not everyone is in the same time zone.

Mohamed612 · 10-28-2009, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ramomar

The problem there is the video card. The 9400M is a low-end / budget card. It should let you play on low settings but that's about it.

I see....

What's a really good video card that would run well on my computer?

G25r8cer · 10-28-2009, 09:08 AM

Yeah def money NOT well spent. Alienware's are way overpriced. You could have gotten an Acer/HP/Gateway with specs like that for $600-700

Mohamed612 · 10-28-2009, 06:55 PM

Turns out Dell made a mistake and SOMEHOW managed to install the wrong video card. I'm on the phone with a representative now, the video card I have isn't even one of the options to install.

diduknowthat · 10-28-2009, 07:41 PM

What card did you originally order? A $1000 Alienware isn't going to game that well...

Mohamed612 · 10-28-2009, 07:42 PM

Problem solved; Thanks!

10-28-2009, 02:34 AM	#1 (permalink)
Mohamed612 New Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 7	Alienware M17X not working as fast as it should? Hello everyone. I don't know all that much about computers, honestly, and I feel stupid that I didn't spend some time researching into this. Well, I decided to buy the Alienware M17X from the Dell site, and I upgraded it up to a $1000 worth, thinking that at that rate just how fast it would be. I have an excellent desktop that runs virtually anything on max settings lagless, and now i'm finding that on my Alienware that this isn't that case at all. Often times even at default or regular settings i'm getting lag. I'm seriously let down, as things such as the video card and RAM are similiar to that of my desktop, which me and a friend built using similiar components. Basically, I was seriously expecting this laptop I spent so much money on to be all the more powerful, but i'm finding even relatively normal or easy games such as World of Warcraft and Mass Effect require lowering the settings, which I wasn't expecting at all. Here are my specs: An Intel Core Duo CPU P8700 running at 2.53 GHz 500GB Free-Fall protection hard-drive. 4 GB dual-channel RAM A nVidia GeForce 9400M G That's about it, I have only downloaded 3 games (World of Warcraft, Empire: Total War and Mass Effect) and an anti-virus, and have updated my drivers. Was it just a waste? Please post... thanks!

10-28-2009, 05:19 AM	#4 (permalink)
Ramomar VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: There > Age: 17 Posts: 6,829	The problem there is the video card. The 9400M is a low-end / budget card. It should let you play on low settings but that's about it. __________________ Pentium E2160 \| AC Freezer 7 Pro \| Gigabyte P35-DS3L \| 2GB BallistiX Tracers PC2-6400 \| Sapphire HD3870 \| Rosewill RD500 500W \| Antec 300 Winner of Photo Tourney: "What Were They Thinking?", "Grass", "Feelings/Emotions" & "Fireworks" My Flickr

10-28-2009, 06:10 AM	#5 (permalink)
Bodaggit23 Diamond Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Aperture Science Posts: 4,534	Agreed. Also, you need to give the forum more time to respond. 24hrs is a good time frame for responses, as not everyone is in the same time zone. __________________ Team Stats @ ExtremeOverclocking.com Team Stats FOLDING FOR THE GOOD OF MANKIND :F@H Team 44358 CPU: i7 920 Batch#3841A525 (@3.43Ghz) Board: EVGA E758-A1 Memory: Dominator 3x2GB DDR3 1600 Hard Drive: 300GB VelociRaptor GPU: EVGA GTX260 SC Core 216 Optical: Sony Optiarc 22x DVD/CD Burner PSU: Corsair TX850W CPU Cooling: Noctua NH-U12P SE1366 Primary OS: Windows Vista x64 SP2 Case: Coolermaster HAF 932

10-28-2009, 09:08 AM	#7 (permalink)
G25r8cer Diamond Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Zeeland, MI Posts: 4,799	Yeah def money NOT well spent. Alienware's are way overpriced. You could have gotten an Acer/HP/Gateway with specs like that for $600-700 __________________ My Rig Antec 300 w/Scyth Kaze Master Asus M4A785TD-V EVO Phenom II 955BE w/ CoolerMaster V8 2 x 2gb Gskill DDR3 1600mhz Ultra X-Finity 600watt psu Samsung F3 500gb and F1 750gb XFX 8600gt XXX will be 5850 soon Logitech G25, Illuminated, and MX Revo Team Stats FOLDING FOR THE GOOD OF MANKIND F@H Team 44358

10-28-2009, 07:41 PM	#9 (permalink)
diduknowthat formerly liuliuboy Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Massachusetts Age: 19 Posts: 7,494	What card did you originally order? A $1000 Alienware isn't going to game that well... __________________ Media - Gaming Hybrid PC Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 4GB G.Skill DDR2 800 Memory \| 400GB WD SATA HD eVGA 8800GT 512mb Graphics Card X-Fi Xtrememusic Sound Card Hauppauge HVR 1800 MCE TV Tuner Scythe Ninja \| AC Accelero S1 Passive heatsink CM Elite 340 mATX Case \| Noctua NF-S12 Fans liusland - myminicity

10-28-2009, 03:00 AM	#2 (permalink)
Mohamed612 New Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 7	Bump...

10-28-2009, 04:53 AM	#3 (permalink)
Mohamed612 New Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 7	Bump yet again; is it so hard?

10-28-2009, 06:55 PM	#8 (permalink)
Mohamed612 New Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 7	Turns out Dell made a mistake and SOMEHOW managed to install the wrong video card. I'm on the phone with a representative now, the video card I have isn't even one of the options to install.

10-28-2009, 07:42 PM	#10 (permalink)
Mohamed612 New Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 7	Problem solved; Thanks!

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