Let's DELL

[WhiteHunter]

wireless still not that stable compare to wired thus nowadays gaming mouse/keyboard still wired as you dont want you gaming half way on Dell Alienware laptop than reach the most critical moment and the sad thing happen~ the wireless got no signal/lose signal your action cannot be executed.

good wireless keyboard or mouse won't have such problems. furthermore the distance between them won't be that far apart. Alienware laptop has mouse functions and the keyboard is good unless you want to connect extra mouse or keyboard to Alienware Graphics Amplifier.

 

[koreanlover]

Dell Alienware Graphic Amplifier external wiring connection was too messy, I wonder how many would bother to plug in and out the cables everyday for 365 days a year.

Maybe a better solution would be using a ultra fast 5G wireless connection at 1Tbps between the laptop and Graphics Amplifier

Link: http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/5g-researchers-achieve-1tbps-record-connection-speed-uk-1489525

But wireless connections can be disrupted and if you are in the middle of the game, the monitor can black out suddenly.
Cable is still better for higher bandwidth for the Alienware Graphics Amplifier.

 

[koreanlover]

It will be good if Alienware Graphics Amplifier could be use with Dell Inspiron series laptop~ win win situation lightweght when go out for normal usage while back at home extended GPU for high tier gaming experiences.

But back to reality i think Dell dedicated this Alienware Graphics Amplifier for their alienware gaming laptop series doubt will provide to Dell Inspiron series laptop as it will affect their alienware sales perhaps this is a unique selling point for alienware laptop too. By adding this special port/function in Dell Inspiron will also increase additional cost to the laptop

But if the Alienware Graphics Amplifier also supports other brands laptop, would it be good for their sales?

 

[koreanlover]

Personally i think the Dell Graphics Amplifier more suitable to purchase together with Dell Alienware 13 gaming laptop as the Alienware 13 is much lighter 2kg so you can bring it out without feel heavy/bulky. When you at home you want to have better graphic experiences you connect to the Graphics Amplifier to booast the GPU power. If you find 13inch screen is small you can even have a Dell monitor screen connect to the laptop when you gaming at home

somehow this setup strike a balance between gaming experience & portable if you wish to bring the laptop out for work/study purpose.

Yes the Alienware 13 is better suited to be paired with the Graphics Amplifier and another bigger monitor if required. Alienware 15 and 17 are probably powerful enough, unless Dell comes out with a Graphics Amplifier which allows double or triple SLI.

 

[WhiteHunter]

But if the Alienware Graphics Amplifier also supports other brands laptop, would it be good for their sales?

obviously no cos it would hurt the sales of their laptops. their laptops even though are quite powerful are very expensive for the normal gamers. normal gamers would buy other brands laptop and buy this Alienware Graphics Amplifier.

 

[xtramadness]

Which company would want to lose exclusivity to their own innovation technology?

Who made up an idea of the "extendable" graphics card first though? MSI or Dell Alienware?

Dell Alienware 17 R3 to use the Dell Graphics Amplifier... I don't think they are the first!

 

[xtramadness]

I think this proprietary cables and port is one of the way how Dell will make serious gamer did die must get their Alienware series in order to make use of the Alienware Graphics Amplifier.

It is... Like how Apple charges for their s***ty MFI or lightning cables. This raises costs, prices... Unlike Apple, Dell does not have the scale of Apple... So consumer has pretty much alot to lose in getting spare parts for this (in pricing).

And the fact that only selected models such as the Dell Alienware 17 R3 can use, it further constricts the amount of sets the Dell graphics amplifier can sell since Asus and MSI supporters won't be able to use it.

 

[koreanlover]

Alienware 17 R3 does not have a powerful GPU as compared to Desktop GPU?

Else, why are consumer paying more for Alienware 17 R3 when a dell inspiron 17 7000 is just less than 50% of the price?

Since need to get a Alienware Graphics Amplifier for Alienware laptop, the Alienware laptop like handicapped.

Gaming needs powerful CPU and GPU like the Alienware laptops and Graphics Amplifier.
Other usage like watching videos, word processing,.... don't need that powerful CPU and GPU.

 

[xtramadness]

The alienware graphics amplifier will need to be specially made for alienware laptop so Dell can control how well it works. It does not use standard thunderbolt because Dell find that it is limiting to what they want.

True to an extent. But if they opened it up, they can make it not only for themselves but to others, potentially opening up to sell to even more customers! Imagine selling not only to Dell Alienware 17 R3 but to Asus and MSI users!

 

[xtramadness]

this one you must ask boss liao. ask him/her to put it as one of the prize then you go redeem it. heard alot of good reviews abt black ops 3. make me gian to get also.

@Boss can we please borrow the Dell Alienware 17 R3?

 

[xtramadness]

Area-51 if you get the top end got dual graphics card in sli and think can triple. its more for future gaming purpose as the games in future may need more graphics juice. Alienware Graphics Amplifier can only put one card.

Hmm... Nah I rather build my own... Of course the Dell Alienware 17 R3 + Graphics Amplifier cannot compare with desktop...

But the Area-51 I really dislike the fact that it does not let us opt-OUT (factory) of getting the Office 2016, crappy McAfee software... SSD only up to 512GB... Wireless still using the old Intel 7260..

 

[xtramadness]

USB 3.0 can only offer 5 Gbps or 640 MB/s, which is suffocatingly low to support graphics card....

Liquid cooling option can be optionally, meaning not included inside the amplifier. They can partner up with renowned custom watercooling parts company like Bitspower to release a mini AIO unit. If i'm not wrong there already exist tiny reservoir small enough to mount inside the amplifier.

Wonder if we can use fibre optics instead of standard copper cable in the USB etc in the Dell Alienware 17 R3 and the Graphics Amplifier

 

[jarred1223]

what is that? for 5k plus you get one of the best Alienware gaming laptop plus Alienware Graphics Amplifier. too bad it doesn't come with Intel RealSense 3D camera and can't use Windows 10 Hello.

ok.. enjoy the best Alienware gaming laptop plus Alienware Graphics Amplifier...

 

[jarred1223]

Wonder if we can use fibre optics instead of standard copper cable in the USB etc in the Dell Alienware 17 R3 and the Graphics Amplifier

the only downside for fibre optics is that its very fragile. you can't bend it too much or it'll spoil

 

[jarred1223]

But if the Alienware Graphics Amplifier also supports other brands laptop, would it be good for their sales?

yes this is the only downside IMO, that it can only work on one kind of laptop, which is Alienware laptops. If it caters to all brands and kinds of laptops maybe there is some hope in the market.

If we take SG for example, how many people do you see them using Alienware laptop? The % is so small, imagine in this small number of people, how many of them will purchase the Alienware Graphics Amplifier to boost their laptops' graphics power?

 

[koreanlover]

Hmm... Nah I rather build my own... Of course the Dell Alienware 17 R3 + Graphics Amplifier cannot compare with desktop...

But the Area-51 I really dislike the fact that it does not let us opt-OUT (factory) of getting the Office 2016, crappy McAfee software... SSD only up to 512GB... Wireless still using the old Intel 7260..

The Area-51 is very expensive, maybe Dell thinks buyers wants Office 2016 and the McAfee antivirus. They should let buyers upgrade the SSD and wireless. But does the Alienware 17 R3 have options to upgrade than the Area-51?

 

[koreanlover]

IMHO, Since they are touted as gaming machines, it does not make any sense to include intel realsense camera and 4k UHD due to the below:
1. The alienware family are already selling at a premium, why make it even more expensive by adding more premium stuffs?
2. There are not much games that make use of intel realsense camera at this point of time. (Dell Inspiron 24 7000 and Dell Venue 8 7000 need it to justify the prices )
3. Dell do know that a FHD is sufficient for gaming for a 15"+ screen, can't really see the differences. (It is available in Dell Inspiron 15 7000 to justify the price too )

Yes I agree with you. The Intel RealSense camera is not really needed for Alienware since not many games support them yet. 4k UHD and FHD also has too little difference on 15 inch screen.

Maybe Dell can introduce 4k UHD screen for 17 inch and above Alienware laptops.

 

[koreanlover]

I will not consider the Graphics Amplifier at this moment. I may wait for revision 2 to dabble with one. However i will just get Alienware 15 with GTX 980M if i need all the graphics possible. The GPU will be enough to last the generation of console ports at 1080p FHD.

The additional space taken up by the graphics amplifiers defeats the purpose of buying a gaming laptop. There are people who prefer gaming laptops because of the all in one-ness, and the designs of gaming laptops look like owning a fast sport car or fighter jet, rather than a ordinary big PC box. So to have another big box and cables all around, lessen the cool and neatness factor.

The Graphics Amplifier is probably only for rich people who want more options for their Alienware laptop.

 

[MoneyFace =p]

Wonder if we can use fibre optics instead of standard copper cable in the USB etc in the Dell Alienware 17 R3 and the Graphics Amplifier

You are still gonna bound by the bandwidth limitation on the USB controller interface. Changing cable medium may only improve performance by a little from the overhead advantage.

 

[koreanlover]

Are you willing to carrying such 'laptops' around?

Graphics Amplifier is all about giving your same performance as those 'laptops' above, yet also granting you portability and mobility with smaller Alienware laptops. And certainly those laptops above cost more than lower end Alienware laptop + Graphics Amplifier + GTX 980.

Why not? If I am rich, I might get those laptops which are lighter.
The weight of the laptop is definitely lighter and less bulky than Alienware laptop + Graphics Amplifier.