Why Laptops Are Difficult To Upgrade
With desktops, you have a lot more room to house the hardware. Often, you will find extra slots in the motherboard for additional RAM or GPUs. Most of the parts are also attached with screws that you can easily detach.
Laptops do not offer that luxury. Typically, the key hardware such as the GPU, RAM, etc. is soldered or glued to the internal motherboard. You may also find that some parts are wired over one another, making it pretty much impossible to replace those parts separately.
The cooling system is also a problem. You can easily detach and reattach the cooling system of a desktop. Air-cooled systems are connected to the external casing which you can readily replace. But in laptops, the casing is intricately linked with most if not all other major parts.
Then there is the problem of finding spare parts for the exact model of your laptop. This may not surprise you but most companies make their laptop according to their own standard. Meaning, there is little chance that the SSD of one brand will work with another brands laptop.
This becomes an even bigger issue with bigger companies. Even if they are upgradeable, you will probably find that you can only upgrade them with parts of the same company. This also limits your choices as those parts may not be available near you at that time.
Dell Faces Lawsuit Over Botched Upgradability For Alienware Area
A California resident wants Dell to pay damages for falsely marketing the Alienware Area-51M as an upgradable gaming laptop.
Alienware Area-51M
Dells botched attempt to create an upgradable Alienware gaming laptop has sparked a class-action lawsuit.
Last week, a consumer filed a complaint against Dell for falsely advertising the upgradability options for the Alienware Area-M51. The system’s first edition arrived in 2019 as a rare gaming laptop that could supposedly let you swap out the CPU and GPU for newer components.
Indeed, Dell itself marketed the Area-M51 R1 as a product with unprecedented upgradability. But a year later, the company told owners who bought the laptop they wouldnt be able to upgrade their Area-M51 units to newer CPUs or GPUs from Intel and Nvidia.
Dell’s own website for the Area-M51 R1 laptop.
The controversy sparked San Francisco resident Robert Felter to file a class-action lawsuit that demands damages from Dell. According to him, Dell used the upgradability claims to try and boost sales for the Area-M51 laptop. To the gaming consumer, this unprecedented upgradability as Dell described it, i.e. a laptop that is upgradable like a desktop, is the elusive holy grail of mobile computing, the lawsuit says.
Felters lawsuit is seeking class-action status for affected Alienware Area-M51 owners based in nine states, including Arizona, California, and Oregon.
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Can You Customize Alienware
Customization is one of the most fun aspects of owning any computer, and there are elements of an Alienware computer that a user can customize. That said, these computers come out of the box pretty well set up the way that you would want them to look. The company has limited certain customization features simply because what the equipment already comes with is top-notch and very difficult to beat.
That is why you may choose to customize your device, but you are probably going to fare better if you just go with what the company has already laid out for all of its users. You dont want to mess with a good thing that is already set up so nicely for you, and you dont have to. Alienware will bring you all of the equipment that you need in the format that you need right from the start.
One of the areas where you do have a little more freedom with this brand is in the skins that you can put on your equipment to add a little style to them. You want people to notice that you are using Alienware equipment, and the various skins that are available for showing off this fact make it easier than ever for you to show the world a little taste of your personality. If you feel like this is something that you would want to do, then you should start shopping for those skins right away.
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Iconic Design With A Modern Edge
The Alienware Area-51m R2 raises the bar for innovative engineering with its game-changing design. The visual identity was inspired by our early industrial designs, marking a return to form while taking cues from our original roots.The futuristic design of the Area-51m R2 reflects the diverse, evolving nature of gamers everywhere, incorporating high contrast, performance-focused engineering with blended bone lines, angled sections, bold lighting, and celebrated thermals. Bold lighting: The latest evolution of AlienFX lighting features a striking ring of light at the rear of the system, highlighting system performance while maintaining ultimate customizability.Narrow bezel: The Area-51m R2 features a drastic reduction of screen borders thanks to its narrow bezel with a three-knuckle hinge. This reduces the mass and maintains a strong connection to the base. Premium shell: The unique magnesium alloy exoskeleton enables enhanced rigidity, while reducing overall chassis weight. This allows more space for high-performance components inside the machine.Dual color options: Gamers can choose between a new, futuristic look in Lunar Light or Dark Side of the Moon, a darker, more traditional appearance.
Dell Screws Early Adopters With Its Failed Alienware Area
- By Joel Hruska on May 14, 2020 at 7:30 am
Dell demonstrated an astonishing amount of chutzpah today when it unveiled a second-generation Alienware Area-51m and declared that whoops, the first-generation of the upgradeable laptop isnt actually going to be upgradeable after all. The company has officially stated that: Area-51m R1 only supports GPU upgrades within its current generation of graphics cards.
First, a refresher: The original Alienware Area-51m was a desktop replacement laptop with a socketed CPU that could be swapped for other chips and, at least in theory, the ability to upgrade to different graphics cards in the future. An Alienware spokesperson claimed last year that Dell was committed to providing upgrades for the platform, but apparently what Dell meant by that was that it would only provide upgrades within the product family. In other words, if you have a 1660 Ti, you could swap up to an RTX 2080. What you wont be able to do is improve to any graphics card better than that.
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Can I Upgrade My Alienware Laptop Graphics Card
Any avid PC gamer will know that technology, especially computer technology, changes faster than most budgets will allow for. Attempting to keep up with all the latest computer components can be quite difficult. Eventually, you might be having a conversation with yourself, debating whether to purchase a new gaming rig or laptop altogether.
Before you crack open your piggy bank or work extra hours to afford a complete upgrade, it might be worth asking if you can upgrade some vital components instead.
While this may still cost you a pretty penny, it is nowhere near as expensive. It is a long-held belief that upgrading laptop components is and always has been a near-impossible task.
As these components tend to be integrated directly onto the motherboard and for the average consumer, there is no way of identifying which component to swap out, not to mention soldering the new components onto the motherboard.
The short answer is, tentatively, yes. You can upgrade your Alienware Laptops graphics card. Bearing in mind, there are some serious caveats to this. The main one being it is entirely dependent on the model of Alienware laptop you own.
There are also certain models where upgrading the graphics card is completely off the table as the GPU is soldered to the motherboard. There are a few work arounds if you own a newer model which we discuss further down this article.
Best Desktop Replacement: Alienware Area
With a desktop PC, even a pre-built option, you can usually upgrade just about everything inside it. Laptops are naturally more restricted, but Alienware changes all that with the simply mad Area-51m. Like the Area 51 desktop, it’s pushing boundaries. This is a laptop that you can upgrade pretty much everything on.
There are caveats, such as the custom-designed GPU, but Alienware has so far committed to releasing new parts compatible with the Area-51m in the future. You can also upgrade the CPU, though if you opt for the Core i9 model, you won’t be doing that in a hurry. However, this is essentially a desktop rig you can put in your backpack with completely upgradeable internals.
Of course, RAM and storage upgrades are also possible, and you’ll be getting NVIDIA RTX graphics for your money as well. It’s big, and it’s expensive. But Alienware is challenging the very concept of what you can do with your laptop to keep making it better, and that’s all right by us.
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Alienware M15 Ryzen Edition R5
If theres a star of this announcement, its probably the Alienware m15 Ryzen Edition R5. This laptop comes outfitted with up to Ryzen 5000 H-Series CPUs and RTX 30-series laptop GPUs from NVIDIA, and it has the display tech to match all that power, as buyers will have their choice of either a QHD panel running at 240Hz or a FHD one running at 360Hz.
Alienware also giving us some flexibility when it comes to RAM, making it user-upgradeable a fairly rare sight among Alienware notebooks. Users also have the option of adding ultra-low profile Cherry MX keys, which made their debut last month in the companys m14 R4 and m17 R4 laptops. The laptop even comes equipped with a Silky-Smooth High-Endurance paint formula that apparently resists stains. With a starting price of $1,793.98, though, wed probably just keep anything capable of staining the notebook well away from it to begin with. Look for the Ryzen-based m15 to drop on April 20th.
Can You Upgrade An Alienware Laptop Processor
You can upgrade your Alienware laptop processor, but only on the Area-51m R1. This gaming laptop gives users the chance to upgrade their CPU on the DGFF. No other Alienware laptop has this flexibility.
Even CPU upgrades on the R1 are restricted to only chips of the same generation. You cannot upgrade your processor to the 10th Gen version available on the R2 because of backward incompatibility.
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Can You Overclock A M17xr4 To A Gtx780m
GTX780M Although only 4GB, this GPU will overclock to a higher frequency, run cooler and more stable than a GTX880M. Youll have to do a slight mod on the NVidia driver to get it to install on anything above a GTX680 in a M17xR4 but there are heaping of guides on the net and its not that hard, checkout notebookreview.com
Can You Add More Ram To An Alienware Pc
You are allowed to add more RAM to an Alienware PC if you choose to do so. This is one of the components that the company knew it needed to leave open to customization from its users. They realized that the RAM capacity that any computer has going for it is a critical component of that machine.
Likewise, they understood that most of their users would greatly prefer it if they had the option to add more RAM to their PC before they continue to use it. After all, it only makes sense that people would want to have the chance to make their computer into something that will meet their every need. Sadly, sometimes the RAM capacity of the computer that comes out of the box is not quite up to par with what the end-user wants out of it. When this happens, they may decide that they really want to add some additional RAM capacity to it, and that is why Alienware has made that possible for them.
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Webcam And Tobii Eyetracking
The 720p webcam on the Area-51m is solid. When I took a photo with it at my desk, my image appeared sharp. I could see individual hairs on my head and in my beard, and even the pattern on my black sweater. People behind me were also clear, though the highlights from a nearby window were blown out. The camera may not be streaming quality, but its more than good enough for chatting with some friends or family.
Below the display is a Tobii eye tracking IR camera. This works in over 130 games, including Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Assassins Creed Odyssey and Final Fantasy XV, often for moving the camera. It also has some use cases in Windows, like moving the mouse and selecting programs, though you still have to confirm those with clicks. I still classify this as a bit of a novelty, but its cool if you have a handful of games that work with it.
Asus Rog Strix Hero Iii Gaming Laptop 173
- CPU: 9th Gen Intel Core i7-9750h Processor.
- GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 6GB GDDR6 .
- RAM: 16GB DDR4 2666MHz.
- Hard Drive: 512GB PCIe SSD.
- Price: $2258.
ASUS ROG Strix Hero laptops are well-renowned among the professional gamers and power users for its powerful performance and excellent thermal efficiency. This laptop features high quality CPU and GPU, which makes it capable of most of games. In addition, this laptop allows you to upgrade its RAM and hard drive.
- Hard Drive: 128GB SSD + 1TB HDD.
- Price: $1349.
HP Omen series laptops have acquired a lot of fame among the professional gamers. Its laptops are equipped with powerful hardware and they are designed to deliver the performance to accomplish anything. Similarly, this laptop allows you to upgrade its RAM and hard drive.
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Youre Too Fixated On Style
Every upgradeable laptop Ive touched in 20 years would never win any beauty contests. Should that matter? On the practical side, no, but we all know design sells. Deliciously thin profiles, zero bezels, and rose gold colorways sway buyers in a way that upgrade it later never has or will.
Thats just another function of human nature. Like your shoes, hair, and phone casea laptop today is a personal expression of your style. Fashion unfortunately always trumps functionality, especially if it comes in Bondi Blue.
Gordon Mah Ung
Thin is all that matters to consumers.
Why Are Alienware Laptops So Special
If you have ever browsed the market for laptops, you most likely heard the name Alienware. But what is the specialty of these laptops that makes them so popular?
Alienware is a subsidiary of Dell that makes dedicated gaming computers. So, they make laptops, desktops, and related products for gaming purposes. This means that the gaming capacity of their laptops is comparable to top-quality desktops. And their brand is easily one of the most recognizable with their unique alien head logo.
For a long time, if you wanted to play the best games on the market, you needed to get a desktop. Laptops at that time were not powerful enough to host all the latest, high-tech games. This is because laptops have a limited space to work with. In contrast, desktops have more hardware and you could easily customize it to your liking.
Laptops had utility in their ease of use and portability. But they did not have the necessary GPU or RAM to run the most advanced games. And their lack of upgradeability prevented users from customizing their laptops to their preference.
But with the progression of technology, companies started making laptops specifically for gaming purposes. And it is here that Alienware established itself as one of the leaders of this industry.
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Tips On Laptop Upgrade
In general, laptop upgrade is always related to laptop disassembly. In this case, I recommend you to clone computer lest you do something wrong when disassembling and assembling the laptop. Cloning computer can help you recover data and system if there is something wrong.
As for computer cloning software, I recommend MiniTool Partition Wizard to you. This software is versed in disk management. Here is the tutorial:
Step 1: Click the above button to buy MiniTool Partition Wizard. Launch this tool and go to its main interface. Right click the system disk and choose Copy from the context menu .
Step 2: Follow the wizard to choose a destination disk . Please note that the data on the destination disk will be destroyed. Then, review changes and click Next button.
Step 3: Click the Apply button to execute pending operations.
Then, you can upgrade the laptop. If the laptop goes wrong after you assembling it, you can boot it from the external hard drive and copy the system and data back to the system disk. In this way, you may rescue your laptop.
Alienware Sued For False Advertising Over Upgradeable Laptop That Wasnt
- By Joel Hruska on June 4, 2021 at 9:01 am
At CES 2019, Alienware made a surprising announcement. The companys then-new Area-51m gaming laptop wouldnt just be a typical boutique refresh. The new system could be upgraded in the future, in a manner and degree different than typical laptops.
Then, about 16 months later, Alienware backtracked. Suddenly we were told that the Area-51m could only be upgraded with components available when the system was ordered. The Area-51m, in other words, wasnt really upgradeable in any particular or special way at all. Now, Alienware has been sued for what the plaintiff claims is false advertising. Looking back at Alienwares specific statements about the Area-51m, its hard not to feel like the plaintiff has a point.
Robert Felter has filed a class-action lawsuit, shared with ExtremeTech, against Dell in the Northern District of California, arguing that the company intentionally misled and deceived the public in order to create a competitive advantage based on false representation to boost sales of its flagship gaming laptop, the Alienware Area 51M R1. He is represented by Brian Mahany, David Kani & Steve Hochfelsen.
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