Alienware Laptop

[Robert Rohloff]

Has anyone used an Alienware laptop? I notice they are linked on the Dell site so I do not know if they are part of Dell. What I did note was the two video cards and wondered if that would be a plus for running everything on a chase including downloading the video.

 

[Skip Talbot]

Robert, Alienware makes gaming machines. They used to be a separate company, but Dell gobbled them up. I would shy away from this brand for a chasing laptop as you'll want something more reliable rather than something that's been tweaked for performance.

Having two video cards is going to improve your framerate while playing Crysis. A dual video card system is designed to speed up rendering of Direct3D in games. This is not going to have any influence on video playback and especially not on downloading. The only chaser application that might benefit from this configuration would be Grlevel2 AE which gets rather graphics intensive. This application really wasn't designed for chasing, however, but for analyzing radar data after the fact. Any modern machine with a Radeon or Geforce is going to be able to do everything you'll want to do while chasing including smoothing your radar data in Grlevel3. Save yourself some money and go with a single graphics card, or put that money into more RAM. Additional RAM will certainly help with having lots of applications open at the same such as chasers tend to do.

 

[Kyle Soldani]

I agree with everything Skip said above, almost word for word what I would've said.

For a chase laptop, I highly recommend a Dell Latitude.

If you've never heard of them, it's Dell's business line of laptops which are built specifically to travel. The frame used in these laptops, hinges for the LCD, plastic, mount points, etc have all been engineered for extra strength/durability. Just whatever you do, don't buy a consumer level laptop (inspiron, studio, etc.) to chase with and expect it to be in good shape after a year.

 

[Jason Foster]

From what my IT geek friend tells me, Dell purchased Alienware for know how. However, for the at least at the beginning, Alienware was allowed to still develop their own machines but would be distributed through Dell. I'm sure however, with marketing being critical to Dell right now to repair some of the bad image of the brand, they will start using "Alienware" to hide the real origins of their own products.

Bottom line: Do your homework (as it appears your are doing by asking here for instance) before buying.

 

[Kyle Soldani]

Yup. They were bought out almost 2 years ago now I believe, however an Alienware I think would be major overkill for this application..

 

[Robert Rohloff]

Thanks for the input, I currently run a Dell Latitude D520 however I still have some crashes when downloading video to send in from the field. I have two rugged laptops from work a Rockies and recently a Panasonic Tough Book. I enjoy the lighted keyboards they have and miss that option when chasing.

I had looked at the Dell XPS 16 but if what you say is correct it would not holdup well for chasing. I will continue my research......Thanks Again

 

[Kyle Soldani]

XPS's are built well, however I think you'd be spending way more than what you need for chasing.

When you say crashes, do you mean bluescreen, freezing or something else?

 

[Robert Rohloff]

Studio 11 locks up the computer after downloading short clips from the camera. I do think 4 GB memory might help, this computer only allows 2 GB. I am glad to get the input since I will use the computer chasing. I do run a lot at once now, GR2 and 3 and Threat Net along with GPS inputs spotter net and such so I am sure it would help to have a computer with more memory and a better chip. I have also looked at the Sony FW series.

 

[J Kinkaid]

XPS's are built well, however I think you'd be spending way more than what you need for chasing.

When you say crashes, do you mean bluescreen, freezing or something else?

XPS computers are crap. If you are going to get a Dell go with the precision line. The M4400 is a very nice laptop and built to with stand an EF-5

 

[Kyle Soldani]

XPS computers are crap. If you are going to get a Dell go with the precision line. The M4400 is a very nice laptop and built to with stand an EF-5

Eh, they aren't crap, at least the models I've worked on. Some of the lower end XPS's are however, crap. But for his situation, it's not what he needs.

I do agree though. If he's chasing, a consumer level laptop is not the right choice. Precision and Latitude is where the eyeball should be here..

 

[D. Hayes]

I have a XPS M1530 decked out. Only beef I have with this laptop is the keyboard area is aluminum and that sucks with dings and scratches. Seriously, it does. Honestly if you can afford a XPS/Alienware get a Panasonic toughbook instead. For storm chasing/spotting I would love to have a Panasonic. I have plenty of friends that have alienware and really, they are a bad choice for portability since they really burn the battery life down. I know most people would run a inverter but still the less power you draw the better, even with an inverter.

 

[John Wetter]

Studio 11 locks up the computer after downloading short clips from the camera. I do think 4 GB memory might help, this computer only allows 2 GB. I am glad to get the input since I will use the computer chasing. I do run a lot at once now, GR2 and 3 and Threat Net along with GPS inputs spotter net and such so I am sure it would help to have a computer with more memory and a better chip. I have also looked at the Sony FW series.

To address a couple points there... The locking up likely has nothing to do with the laptop, but is a software issue. With the RAM, remember that to use much more over 3GB, you need to move to a 64-bit OS. I routinely run GR3, SN, Street Atlas, Firefox while chasing and it isn't a big issue with 2GB RAM and an older CoreDuo processor (3 year old computer). Threat Net might be the resource hog there. GR2Analyst gets used when I'm not mobile as the bandwidth just uses up my 5GB too quick.

If a backlit keyboard is what you're looking for, I know the Dell Latituce E-series has it as an option and I believe the studio's do as well.