Alienware M11X

shuffles03

I have an M11X- i3, 2GB RAM, GT540. I'm looking to do a few things to it but need a bit of advice.

I definitely need more RAM so I was looking to maybe throw 8GB into it. Where's the best/cheapest place online to buy it? Crucial.com?

Will an SSD make a huge difference to the performance of the laptop? I know it won't affect gaming but for general use, will I see a big bump in speed?

Are there any tweaks I can make to get the most power out of this thing for gaming? (I've never overclocked before).

I just signed up to Steam and I'm trying out a few demo's to see what runs well. So far I've had no problems with games like Arkham City, Sleeping Dogs etc. Can anyone recommend a game to download that has a good Steam online community?

Finally, I went to the Windows 8 website and downloaded the free trial version of the Windows 8 beta. I've no optical drive so how do I install it? It's saved to my desktop at the moment.

Cheers.

Torqay

shuffles03 wrote: »

I definitely need more RAM so I was looking to maybe throw 8GB into it. Where's the best/cheapest place online to buy it? Crucial.com?

Crucial is one of the cheapest places, yes.

shuffles03 wrote: »

Will an SSD make a huge difference to the performance of the laptop? I know it won't affect gaming but for general use, will I see a big bump in speed?

Absolutely.

shuffles03 wrote: »

Are there any tweaks I can make to get the most power out of this thing for gaming? (I've never overclocked before).

You can tweak the GT 540M with MSI Afterburner. (Quick Guide)

shuffles03 wrote: »

Finally, I went to the Windows 8 website and downloaded the free trial version of the Windows 8 beta. I've no optical drive so how do I install it? It's saved to my desktop at the moment.

Install Windows 8 from a USB stick.

shuffles03

@Torqay:

Cheers for that. Literally the best response I could have gotten. Any recommendations for a good Steam game with an active online community that would play well on an M11X?

Torqay

shuffles03 wrote: »

@Torqay:

Cheers for that. Literally the best response I could have gotten. Any recommendations for a good Steam game with an active online community that would play well on an M11X?

I don't like Steam and wouldn't go near it, I'm afraid you'll have to ask someone else, sorry.

shuffles03

I was just on crucial there and after scanning my system they came back with these options. Not sure what's the fastest

http://www.crucial.com/eu/systemscanner/viewscanbyid.aspx?id=8AF3C8EE31D926C3

If you click 'show all computer memory', there's a hefty list of alternatives to the 16GB option they recommend. Personally, I think 16GB is a bit overkill (unless I embark on my flight mission to Mars but realistically that's going to take some time as I've only amassed four toilet roll tubes so far and I'm all out of lollipop sticks).

shuffles03

Torqay wrote: »

I don't like Steam and wouldn't go near it, I'm afraid you'll have to ask someone else, sorry.

Should I be using something else? I'm new to this.

deceit

shuffles03 wrote: »

@Torqay:

Cheers for that. Literally the best response I could have gotten. Any recommendations for a good Steam game with an active online community that would play well on an M11X?

What type of games do you like?
also memoryc.ie is good for memory

Torqay

shuffles03 wrote: »

I was just on crucial there and after scanning my system they came back with these options. Not sure what's the fastest

Go with this.

shuffles03

deceit wrote: »

What type of games do you like?
also memoryc.ie is good for memory

I literally like anything. RPG, FPS, open world. I've been away for the last year so I've missed out on a lot. My only concern is performance. Maybe something with a good solo campaign and active online community all in one? Is Saints Row The Third a good choice for that? Or Sleeping Dogs. I also thought about getting two games: a purely online game and then a separate solo game. The Walking Dead looks pretty epic.

mordeith

shuffles03 wrote: »

Maybe something with a good solo campaign and active online community all in one? Is Saints Row The Third a good choice for that? .

Half-Life 2 (Episode 1 and 2) are a few years old at this stage so you'll have not problem running it but it's an excellent single player FPS and there is a huge online community for the Counterstrike multi-player spin off series. Mind you I haven't done any serious gaming in a while.
As an aside I use Steam and have no issues with it I have to say. Bought some indie game special lately such as Limbo as they are all I have time for at the moment. Last proper game I got was Bioshock :rolleyes:

marco_polo

Team Fortress 2 is 100% free to play, tonnes of fun and has a pretty big community, leaving you with all the cash for a good single player game. As a Source engine game it will also run great on nearly any machine.

Alanstrainor

Careful installing the Windows 8 beta, it'll wipe your machine and install the trial windows 8...which will expire...seems nuts at this stage.

Just wait until it comes out and get the professional version.

shuffles03

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Careful installing the Windows 8 beta, it'll wipe your machine and install the trial windows 8...which will expire...seems nuts at this stage.

Just wait until it comes out and get the professional version.

Yeah I figured after that it would just be better to wait. Cheers.

Is it true that Saints Row The Third doesn't offer online play? I'm about to download it but won't if that's the case. I think I'll get Half Life too so cheers for that but does anyone know of a more recent game with good solo and online gameplay?

shuffles03

I have to say, although there are many Alienware haters out there, for €600 and over a year old, this thing is a beast. My girlfriend's €1500 MacBook can barely play The Sims!!

Fluffy88

You can't compare a normal laptop to a Mac, especially when price comes into the equation :P

I agree with the Half-life 2 suggestions, it's a great game
If your not sure about it there is a open-source community developed recreation of the original Half-life game called Black Mesa which is free and plays just like Half-life 2 so you could try it out first to see do you like the series. In the middle of it myself.

I also use Steam, I have no problems with it, as far as a service goes Steam has to be one of the best. I have over $400 worth of games in my steam account and only paid just over €50 for them, because of all the great sales Steam has.

shuffles03

Has anyone played Day Z?

Fluffy88

I have. The concept is brilliant and it really could be a great game but I just don't like the Arma engine. When I first started a game of DayZ it was pitch black, couldn't see two feet infront of me, needless to say I walked into the wall of a shed that had a tonne of zombies in it, they started chasing, I started running, it was scary and fun for a bit but then I got sick of running in the dark so started again. Next game was a bit more fun.

Apparently the creators are working on their own full version game of DayZ and it's meant to be out soon. I would do a little bit of research into when that might be coming out before investing in Arma 2 as it's expensive and for me at least I don't enjoy the game play.

shuffles03

Yeah I read about it and thought the concept was pretty cool.

Zulu

[QUOTE=Torqay;81158073You can tweak the GT 540M with MSI Afterburner. (Quick Guide)

[/QUOTE]
Hey Torqay, I've an m11x also, but with a GeForce GT 335M. Do you know of anything useful for getting the most out of that?
<apologies for thread hi-jack>

shuffles03

Zulu wrote: »

Hey Torqay, I've an m11x also, but with a GeForce GT 335M. Do you know of anything useful for getting the most out of that?
<apologies for thread hi-jack>

TERRORISSSSSSSSSSST!!!!!

Zulu

You! I kill you.

shuffles03

Zulu wrote: »

You! I kill you.

What games play well on you M11X? I'm about to load up Team Fortress 2.

shuffles03

Is it normal to wait 58 mins to start a game in TF?

Zulu

Well I'm hooked on FTL at the moment.
Batman Arkham City runs well, as does CIV V, and Dragon Age 2, Mass Effect 3 - all ran grand. So I'm happy out.

Its probably worth noting though that I have the M11XR2 with 8GB Ram and the i7 U640.

shuffles03

Ah ok. I've got the R3, i3, 2GB RAM, 540 although Arkham City seems fine so maybe the others will too.

Torqay

Zulu wrote: »

Hey Torqay, I've an m11x also, but with a GeForce GT 335M. Do you know of anything useful for getting the most out of that?
<apologies for thread hi-jack>

MSI Afterburner.

The usual warning that goes with any kind of overclocking: Do this at your peril!.

Having said this, Afterburner will not turn your 635M into a GTX 680M, the improvements are rather marginal... but sometimes every little helps.

shuffles03

Would my M11X power the AlienwRe 23" 3D display? If connected, could I play Arkham City etc in 3D??

shuffles03

Also, The Witcher 2. Get it for the M11X or 360? I'm trying to find out online if it'll run better on my Alienware. Not too sure though.