Alienware m17 R4 laptop review: Burning up into the atmosphere

[Redaktion]

The Alienware m17 R4 is the latest addition to Alienware's m17 lineup. Compared to the m17 R3, there's a brand new RTX 3000 graphics card, but the CPU is identical to the predecessor's top configuration. The new 360 Hz display is also currently one of the fastest on the market.

https://www.notebookcheck.net/Alienware-m17-R4-laptop-review-Burning-up-into-the-atmosphere.533137.0.html

[rinnnnnnn]

3800 euros for an overheating mess...

[Kevin Dickinson]

I have one. I've had no heating issues or screen issues, though I have mine on a laptop riser and plugged into a razer monitor. It plays Outriders on Ultra at 1440 (something that allegedly requires a desktop 3080). All of my benchmark scores are slightly higher than the reviewers. Also, I only paid 3200 usd for mine, not 3800 euro. Reasonable for the performance and the beauty of this laptop.

[_MT_]

Again, no mention of Optimus. This version clearly doesn't have it. Or it's disabled by default. But others might. I vaguely recall it was previously tied to display choice.

[_MT_]

Also, I only paid 3200 usd for mine, not 3800 euro.

Reviewer is based in Europe. The article is translated from German. It's not unusual for prices to be higher in the EU.

[james A lawson]

My r17 r4 only gets to 83c at peak and I'm over clocking to 5.1 almost constantly. Ambient temperature of 60f  probably has something to do with it.

[GeneraISoybeans]

I have one. I've had no heating issues or screen issues, though I have mine on a laptop riser and plugged into a razer monitor. Reasonable for the performance and the beauty of this laptop.

What's the point of getting a gaming laptop when you can just buy a desktop, if you're going to have it plugged in all the time and use an external mouse and keyboard with an external display? You're not even any part of the laptop!

[Mog]

1.7Ghz isn't even the stock clock speeds on that CPU...something is very very wrong with that unit. 

[dude what]

This is the only review reporting such insane temperatures and the cpu downclocking below the base clock. Didn't you think there might be something wrong with this unit?

[Greg Fisher]

Something is wrong with your review unit.  1.7ghz isn't even a valid frequency for the CPU.  I have this exact build and unless I overclock I don't get temps anywhere above 85-90c.  Also, the CPU thermal throttles at 100c, so it should be impossible to hit 105.  And GPU TDP is 165max, not 180.  Did you even get the laptop or just pull this from your a**?

[noneguy]

I'd suggest to call DELL and ask for replacement: the unit in this review was probably faulty.

[noneguy]

Again, no mention of Optimus. This version clearly doesn't have it. Or it's disabled by default. But others might. I vaguely recall it was previously tied to display choice.

M17 R4
144Hz ~100% sRGB G-Sync, with Optimus and MUX for dGPU (reboot required)
360Hz 100% sRGB G-Sync, no Optimus/MUX dGPU all the time
4K UHD 100% ARGB 60Hz, no G-Sync and Optimus all the time

[TheQ42]

I have one of these systems, but I picked the i7 with the 3080.  I figured, with the thermals of the i9, you wouldn't actually get that much of a gain.  Mine doesn't get as crazy hot as this i9 version, and doesn't spike up to 105.  I have also never experienced screen flickering, even during long sessions.  My thermals over the course of 3 hours of Cyberpunk (on Ultra with Ultra RT ON) averaged in the low-to-mid 80's.  Thermal throttling was reported on several cores, but never enough to impact performance.  I'm actually pretty impressed with this thing's thermals . . . the i9 just seems to pump out TOO much heat.