GTX 1080 SMACKDOWN - Alienware 17R4 v MSI GT73VR. Who Will be King?
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- čas přidán 13. 09. 2024
- Battle of the gaming notebook/laptop giants. Both have same specs GTX 1080, i7 6820hk OC to 4 Ghz, 32GB DDR4 2400 Mhz RAM, 512 GB SSD, 1 TB HDD. Games tested: Tomb Raider, GTA V, Battlefield 1, Metro Last Light, Rainbow Six Siege.
Timeline:
Intro: 00:10
Photos: 00:50
Ports:01:06
Internals 02:20
Size & Weight 03:00
Screen 03:37
Keyboard & Trackpad 05:45
Software 08:24
Chassis Temps 10:56
Fans 11:45
WIFI 13:26
Webcams 14:04
Battery Life 14:30
Benchmarks 14:49
Speakers 17:42
Conclusion 18:17
![MSI GT73VR 6RE TITAN SLI Review [4K]](/img/n.gif)
This man deserves more attention. the honesty, the amazing details, the timesaving time stamps, thumbs up for this channel
Thanks mate ! Really appreciate it :)
Been watching a million of the very same videos and finally I have found the PERFECT review of both laptops. thank you so very much sir! MSI it is for me.
Glad you found my video out of the 1000's out there. Stop by any time :)
Absolutely great and informative video. I've been on the fence between these two laptops for several weeks. Decision now made...my sincere thanks!
Aldrick Bertrand Thanks Aldrick! Glad I was able to answer some of your questions 😃
Are U bought MSI? Are temperatures nearly 76 Celcius CPU/GPU ?, some test, maybe benchmarks, how much FPS in games
I repasted and reapplied the thermal pads and the alienware 17 r4 1080 cpu does not go over 63ºC at full load, while the gpu doesn't go above 70ºC
damn, that sounds nice. Considering the prestige alienware has, this problem shouldn't have existed.
In 10 months I'll make a purchase decision, but what I need is the alienware 15r3 with smaller bezels, gtx 1070, more usb 3.0 ports, card reader, switchable gpu from nvidia to intel while also having a gsync 120hz 1080p display, bigger trackpad, tobii eye tracking AND NO THERMAL ISSUES.
I guess that is the perfect laptop, but manufacturers keep pushing the big bezels down our throats.
What are your biggest problems with the alienware? There has to be something that bothers you
Joshua Shaw That is awesome!
Cristian Constantin Take any Thermal issues out the only things that bother me is the lack of USB ports and an SD card reader. Small things really, although very useful for me..
Cristian Constantin You cant switch between dedicated and integrated with the gsync display (the qhd 120 hz). It just doesn't work, I tried disabling the nvidia card through device manager to force usage of the integrated card, it worked after a reboot, but no improvement in battery life occurred. You will have to go with an fhd or a uhd if you want battery life, which is very annoying. That is my biggest and only issue with this laptop. It meets all my specifications otherwise.
my bet is that this is one of the reasons they haven't announced the i7 7700hq yet, since it doesn't offer big performance gains, they will probably try to make it look good by adding feautures such as being able to work with a gsync display without the need of the nvidia gpu working on battery, but it does seem like a far fetch now.
One can only dream about such things :)
I would recommend to people getting only a GTX 1070 instead of the 1080.
This is why.
(3Dmark11 Graphics Score)
GTX 1060 laptop 15,800 Score
GTX 1070 laptop 25,300 Score
GTX 1080 laptop 28,700 Score
Is not worth to pay so much extra for a 1080.
A slight Overclocking on the 1070 can easily overpass the 1080.
the 1070 cannot overpass the gtx 1080, even with overclocking and that is due to the voltage limitation. I can be near the same territory tho. Plus if you have the money why not get the gtx 1080 and overclock that, you would get closer to the titan territory.
amr sayed
I said it cuz I already did, I have all of them and tested them all at their max.
The 1080 simply can't handle more than what it can, and pretty much makes the i7-6820 to overheat which the 1070 doesn't make the i7 overheat.
Since the 1070 is wattage limited there's no chance to overheat that i7.
Theoretically speaking will overpass it by nvidia laws "Performance per watt" and will depend on the game/engine resources.
In small words, yes the 1070 can easily overpass the 1080
True, the cup won't be able to feed the graphic card anymore than so it won't be worth it. Specially if you can't upgrade the cpu
the cpu is the bootleneck with the 1080, and you cannot overcome it, its also not futureproof therefor.
I got the GT73VR with 1070 SLI. Awesome machine, though haven't done any testing to compare to the 1080. I do know I get about 120fps from GTA5 (it seems to be able to use the SLI graphics) This is at 4K as well.
THANK YOU!!! Finally someone answered the question that's been haunting me for a while :))) great job!!!
Сергей Журавлёв Thanks! Appreciate you watching ☺️
Another great video, excellent comparison with a fantastic personality... if only your subscriber base grew and you had even more resources to make content. Keep going strong!
Nathan Burgess Thanks Nathan! That is very kind of you ☺️ Did you know we share the same surname?
+OWNORDISOWN Yea, I think I saw your full name on a previous video, such a small world.
This is one of the great head to head review i've see on the internet.. after watching this, i decided to go to my first choice.. MSI :)
Digital Elements Thanks mate! I think if you go for the new 7th generation i7 7820hk models you will be stoked. I'm testing it in the Asus G752vs and it overclocks to 4.4ghz.. Thanks for watching and the sub!
To find out which laptop is actually faster without the thermal throttling, play something like Minecraft on the lowest settings and see which one gets more FPS.
Zerix hmm good idea
BT -7274 the problem with this is that you will be cpu limited, you don't need a gtx 1080 for Minecraft. It's a good way to see if the CPU is up to snuff for sure.
Zerix You again.
Zerix Why not CS:GO or DOTA 2? An old iPad can even run Minecraft.
Zerix 😂😂😂 you get a $3000 gaming laptop and you'll just play minecraft LOOOL.
Hi, just watched your comparison video and liked it. thumbs up! just a thought, we all know the reason behind AW17R4 CPU thermal throttling issue and i do understand what you are comparing is pretty much out of the box experience. From what i see, your MSI unit has been "tuned" by xoticpc, so they've probably used a much better thermal paste for both the CPU and GPU which does help a lot with the thermal performance. Most of the alienware scores in your video were lost in thermal and cpu performance. But what if you apply the "fix" for AW which was detailed by "iunlock", or just simply a repaste and changing out the problematic thermal pad, i wonder if the tables would turn? thanks again for the awesome video!
Alex Kiu that's so true bet it would have been different then
Alex Kiu Thanks! Yes, you are exactly right. I'm sure the Xoticpc repaste did help and it would be good to know how they would fare should the AW17 R4 be repasted too. In theory they should be the similar , much in the same way as the QHD gaming was. I don't feel comfortable doing the repaste myself, if it was a cheaper machine perhaps I could give it a go but my wife would kill me if I ended up with two $3000 laptops... I still think this is useful because it only costs $35 for Xoticpc PC to do it and it would be nice if AW offered the same service. Thanks for watching!
Aztec Wolf of course, MSI won 5 points due to CPU related tests so assuming AW won all of them it would have been a a dead heat 7-7. I think that unlikely so I think MSI would still have won, albeit my not as large a margin..
I get the about the same temps on my GT73VR Titan Pro-202 from Amazon (MSI factory built). By default, the GT73VR's cooling solution is far superior compared to Alienware's 17 R4. I have been keeping up on Alienware's thinner replacement tape for the cpu power phases/thermal paste changes and it looks to be about a 15 degree difference. I also do own an Alienware 17 R4 (1070 version) and my CPU (old tape/paste) got up to 100C O_O
Anthony Sanchez Thanks for posting that info Anthony! I was expecting to get some heat because if the Xoticpc repaste but I can only show what I have. It's good to know that it didn't unfairly sway the results much. Appreciate it!
Thanks for your time man! really appreciate the effort and the time!
Subject 17 cheers mate! Appreciate the support 😃
I have commented throughout the comment section of the this video but I only wanted to post that this video and the information it provided to me personally has been invaluable!!! Thank you so very very much! And I think Dell should provide you with a free laptop and so should MSI. In fact, any laptop manufacturer should be mailing you samples. If they truly believe in their products! Finally, I would like to thank all the numerous individuals who commented on here. They also provided me with additional insights and information. It's great to see people who agree to disagree.
Greg Simpson Thanks for taking the time to post your very insightful comments 😃 without people participating it would get rather dull. I do hope that at some point I will get samples. I will keep plugging away. Appreciate the support!
I hope you do too! Your videos, as well as your followers, are totally awesome!!! 2017 will be your year! And richly deserved!!
Fantastic review. Thank you so much. i appreciate your effort !!!
Tam Jin Loh Thanks ! Appreciate you watching 😄
Thank you so much for this. Your video was a deciding factor for me to part ways-temporarily at least-with Alienware and order the MSI GT73VR 4k with GTX1080 and i7 7820 (planning to upgrade the RAM later myself from 16 to 32GB). I've had an Alienware for almost 4 years now. Loved it. But with all the cooling/screen problems in the new 17 r4, I decided against what is an absolutely beautiful design. Not too fond of MSI's design, but ultimately with 'big' laptops, all-around performance is what really matters. What's ironic is that I had my heart set for the new Alienware even before its release, and only took me 2 days of researching to reach the conclusion that it was not worth it. Never seriously considered MSI, but after further researching and watching videos, it seems to be the 'relative' best all rounder gaming laptop currently in the market...Keep up the amazing work mate!
sourcerer24 cheers mate! Yes, like you I had my heart set on the Alienware and unfortunately had to return my 15' due to the heat.. I do believe that they have got on top of the situation but I cannot fault the MSI GT73VR, I should have waited and got the i7 7820hk too perhaps.. Enjoy and thank you for watching!
Please check your inbox. Thanks
I have the MSI Titan 120hz 6820hk oc to 4.2ghz with the gtx 1080 OC'D as well and i STILL can run all of the best games on ultra quality at around 100-120 fps at 1080p. Such a beast of a laptop . I am so happy with how future proof the computer has been so far. I blow away most of my friends desktops that are 2-3 years old.
Very nice video, especially for you, a smaller CZcamsr! I've been a fan of MSI's GT series laptops, and this further reinforces it! I plan on buying either the updated version of either the GT72VR or GT73VR 2 years from now, depending on my budget (college). Subbed to you and hope you keep it up! ;)
HyperStryker Thanks for the sub! Appreciate the support mate ☺️
great video, not trying to be a dell fanboy here, but i think you should have mentioned in the battery life section how the alienware can have up to 6 hours of battery life depending on the type of panel you get. The TN panel doesn't support switching your graphics because it is G-SYNC i believe.
RaiseTheRufus Thanks. Yes, the 1080p panel one I had ran for 7 hours and I mentioned that in the review for that unit. I did a full review on this model the other week and I showed that you could squeeze out just over 4 hours at 15% brightness which is probably the same brightness as the MSI at 25%. Perhaps I should have done that to make it more comparable. Either way the result was the same..
Best reviewer out of all the other reviewers, you earned my subscribe. Also, you would be a perfect college professor.
Thanks my friend ! I would love to be a professor . Dr "Own", sounds great !
VERY well done...with expectations exceeded by the excellent time index!!! Thank you and Happy Holidays!
For anyone wondering, dell did a wonderful job correcting heat issues. I have both gtx 1080 models (one before paste correction, one after paste correction) both stock from dell, and never opened. Thermals have been great on the newer one! I overclocked the cpu on both to 4.1ghz. Temps on the newer model rarely hit 80, where the previous approaches 100. This was a huge relief, and im glad that the laptop is able to perform up to its potential. It sucks for those who had to repaste.
George Dubya hi George, that is great information! It's a shame do many people had to go through do much heart ache to reach this point but give Dell credit, they listened and corrected the issue. Both my laptops that had the heat issue they took back no problem. Thanks for sharing!
Yes Dell did a wonderful job handling the issue, and your videos were amazingly informative regarding the situation! I loved hearing the interviews with the technicians. Im surprised you don't have more subscribers! Your content is very professional, and well done! keep up the good work.
Also, I didn't know dell was allowing customers to swap out their computers, that's actually great news, I might get my first one fixed up.
Thanks for the compliment George ! I do have some good news, Dell has agreed to put me in their sample program even though I have way below their subscriber requirement. I think those interviews with iunlock helped. I really enjoy doing those, it is a great way to have audience participation and help provide useful information. I am always on the look out for potential interviewees if you know of anyone...Thanks for your support !
I recently picked up an MSI GS73 VR (Stealth Pro) ..
These two are absolutely beastly in terms of size and performance in comparison ! Great video sir :)
Arman Talwar thanks Arman! Yes, they are indeed. How do you like the GS73VR?
I LOVE IT!!
The thin form factor, great build (all aluminium), 17' 120hz Matt display, gtx1060 and all that jazz, make it great for me personally. One thing worth mentioning is that there is no perceivable deck flex or screen flex.. Its there but only if you go hard looking for it. My biggest gripe with it is the sub par battery life (around 3 and a half hours of mixed wifi, browsing, youtube, word docs) and most importantly the speakers. The sound drivers need atleast 30 min to tweaking to make them sound half decent. Another gripe is the odd right sided placement of the charging port. Also it comes with some bloatware.
Performance wise i've had no issues. It heats up more that thicker notebooks on load, but if the ambient temp is 20-25 degrees C, then even under full load it doesnt cross 90 degrees, which is great!
I really like the mouse drivers that come with the notebook as they allow me to use it like a macbook touchapd in terms oof gestures and 2 finger right click.
the keyboard is great and the fan noise is very little during basic tasks.
I have no complaints what so ever. Would buy another updated one a few years down the line if they keep up this quality of work!
Now I just need to find a decent bag to carry this around in, as my older HP bag is more than 10 years old and is the only thing big enough to fit 17' notebooks :)
Arman Talwar I have sent it in the stores and it does look great. Shane about the speakers, I always find it strange how say the iPad or even a phone can pack quite loud speakers but a think laptop.. I ended up buying a backpack that fits an 18" laptop. Fits my GT73VR with ease 😊
Yes i totally agree!
Would it be possible for you to share a link or tell me the company you got your bag from?
Also, i hope your channel grows fast, All the best! Subbed :)
Hi Arman, thanks for the Sub ! Sure, here is the link on the bag. I might do a review on it, what do you think? www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01ECFQ9D0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Great video, you helped me so much in my struggle with choosing the laptop! ;)
HardCoreFlowers Glad I was able to help! Thanks for watching my video ☺️
i really appreciate this video. i have an alienware 17 r3 with a gtx 980m and CANNOT play overwatch on ultra due to CPU throttling Alienware really disappointed me with the overheating.
Cheers Andy! I agree, that is crazy. The thing is most people won't even know it is being throttled, as long as the game is smooth they wouldn't look and if they can't play on Ultra they will think that the GPU is not good enough and buy a new laptop when all along they would be able to without throttling..
I have the AW15 GTX 980m and they were shipping that with a 180W PSU and it was under performing, fortunately I have two 220W ones, lol. Thanks for watching !
hey loved the video, very informative . Can i ask are you from anywhere in the northeast of England? if so its really nice to see someone represent the region. best of luck with the channel
Peter McQuillen hey Peter, I am indeed 😆 Been in the US since 1999 but I listen to the BBC news to keep my ear in ☺️. From the Prudhoe area in Northumberland. Well spotted and thanks for watching my channel!
This is a really well made review. Definitely subscribing.
Thanks ! Glad you liked it. I put a bunch of effort in . Many more videos coming up too !
nice video again sir sure the MSI GT73VR is a beast and especially in cooling mine will arrive 3 days from now and i was wondring how much u think did the thermal paste reduced from the temps ? i got mine with no pastes on it
yasser alrawy Thanks! I viewer said he got his with stock paste and his Temps were the same as mine.. I think you will be good!
I think a re paste would greatly help the AW thermals.
Both machines are excellent but I would go for the AW 17 with the 1070 & 1080p screen for sole reason of optimus functionality which let's the AW also run for very long run times if the 1070 is not need for everyday tasks.
Umar Sharif yes I agree. The AW17 i7 6700hq and gtx 1070 was actually my favorite as performance per dollar goes. I only sent it back because I had these two monsters I had paid for.. 7 hours of battery life was perfect for me. If I was to buy one now it would probably be that one.
Thanks for the reply!
I am thinking of going for the AW17 with the i7 7820HK when its released, so what do you think the impact would be on battery life if you compare the 6820HK to the 6700HQ when used in conjunction with Optimus & the iGPU do you think it would be the same at stock settings or would the 6820HK drain more battery just because of the higher stock clocks?
Keep up the great work!
Umar Sharif thanks! Interesting question. My AW15 R3 with 99 wh battery and 1080p display lasted 6 hours 40 mins, that had the i7 6820hk. My AW17 R4 with same display, i7 6700hq and 99 wh battery lasted 7 hours despite having a larger screen. The difference must be because of the lower clocked i7 6700hq cpu. Give both the same size screen you could perhaps see 45 minutes difference?
Thank you very much for the information!
Really love the MSI GT73VR but absolutely cannot live without the Optimus functionality that's why the only option left is the AW17 R4 which is also excellent but I am still unsure of the CPU temps as the GPU temps are outstanding but CPU throttles resulting in terrible overall performance. The only solution is to re-paste the CPU heat sink & also wait for Alienware to solve the thermal pad issue also.
Thanks for all your help!
Umar Sharif you are welcome!
the video ive been waiting for!!! goodjob
franco mondala Thanks Franco!
thanks for the comparison, i loved the detail in the review. the only thing i think you missed is that they are gaming laptops, so a qhd screen Vs fhd is a massive difference. as is the graphics amplifier.
so a perfect technical review, but it may be worth giving more points on usage (in this case gaming) otherwise a macbook pro would beat the r17 in all but graphics but be useless for gaming in comparison.
i realise the MSI would still win, but things as important as the screen and the external graphics support would swing it for a gamer.
keep up the great work
Gareth Brown Thanks for your nice comments and suggestions. I'm actually doing a very detailed review on the amplifier. 4 video cards versus my desktop with the same cards. My Alienware is an AW15 R2 with an i7 4710hq. I can tell you now (only tested the gtx 1080 so far) that using a high end video card with the amplifier is pointless at 1080p. GTA V and Metro last light is nearly half the performance. Step up to 3440 x 1440 it is much better. I will test the 1080ti, 980ti and 970 soon. I really recommend that if you use an amplifier or even the Razer Core you output to a high resolution monitor.
Yes, I fully agree with you that a GTX 1080 laptop needs a QHD screen..
I have the Msi with 6820HK and Gtx 1070 and it works great. Only issue I had was some on-line games (Guild Wars 2) sometimes crashes(video card at stock goes up to 1911 Mhz and games crashes so I underclock the card by 100 and its ok..i don't know why the card goes so high) . Modern games work flawless. I have the 1080i TN panel and I have been running Doom at max with 120 FPS with stock. I OC the CPU to 4.1 and GPU 250/600 and got a 15950 in Firestrike. I think it's a great investment as I will just run it at stock and in the future when needed will OC a bit . Great Reviews
Ionel Vasile Thanks Ionel☺️ Yes, it's a solid machine. People give it a bad time because of the thickness and plastic bottom but I think both help in keeping it cool internally and on your lap.. Thanks for watching my video!
shit! I should have seen this 2 weeks ago when I ordered the Alienware 17 R4 DAMNIT! If only you had done this in the half of December! Thanks anyway, great review!
Erick G Thanks Erick! Hopefully yours will have the new Thermal paste so at least it will be closer I guess cpu related tasks. Appreciate you watching!
Excellent ! just finished watching the video. Looks like if you even repaste the AW the MSI will still crush it ! some many pros for the MSI ! I will be buying it now on January, thank you so much for this video ! :D
Simon Garcia Thanks! Yes, you hit the nail on the head. Thermal throttling affected 5 benchmarks. If AW had won all of those it would have been a 7-7 tie which would have been unlikely.. Enjoy your new purchase!
Aaaaayyy thanks for the vid I hope you get more support ;)
Fa76d thanks mate!
I was all about buying new Alienware 17 R4 but after this test I've decided to change my mind (although Alienware has this sick design that i just can't resist) and bought MSI GT73VR 7RF. It should be delivered next week ;D
Thanks OWNORDISOWN for a great Smackdown that helped me in making decision between those two beasts.
Adam Grdeń Thanks Adam! Yes, I think until Dell puts the i7 7820hk in there it's best to hold off due to the throttling.. Enjoy your GT73VR, it's an awesome machine!
Adam Grdeń the msi is xotic pc tuned while the alienware is untouched, not a fair comparison. Then again, the msi is much thicker so the msi will be somewhat cooler
Akas Ahmed I would like to point out that I have had viewers who bought the stock version report similar temperatures as mine so the difference is not as large as you think..
well under heavy stress (titanfall 2 gameplay) it's quite cool but daaaamn loud :/ but overall I'm quite satisfied with it as for now.
Adam Grdeń hi bro just a question can you switch your battery to integrated graphic and dose it last long??
cheers :)
Hey there, sir Steven! Great review on the two hellish beasts here! Ordered the AW17 R4 just a couple of days ago, hope some major issues such as screen stripes and thermals will be down to minimal... However, I have noticed a lot more OFFICIAL reviews on the new Razer Blade Pro, compared to the reviews of this AW17 with GTX 1080. What would be your opinion on the new Blade Pro, given that you haven't reviewed it? Thanks again!
Illya Berezovskyy hi Illya! Thanks for watching ☺️ my subscriber Exklim has been working on the Razer and he said it throttles also, but I think the GPu also throttles. He was writing a new vbios for it. I am sure he will answer any questions you might have on it ☺️
I agree with this. I have an AW17 R4 with repasted i7 7700 and GTX 1070oc. They were repasted with kryonaut and it still hits almost 100°c! It's crappy. I paid 2200$ for this damn thing. Never been so disappointed in my life.
That sucks, sorry to hear about that ! What is it like when you have the fans going full blast, does that bring it down? If I recall you can use HWinfo64 to control the fan speed rather than having to go into the BIOS each time.
OWNorDisown at 7000rpm(max) it seems to sit at 76-85°C. The GPU stays a bit cooler at 75°c. I wonder if the CPU is bad? Shouldn't be that hot after a repaste. And it's a 7700 which isn't known for being to hot.
OWNorDisown nevermind. After 3 more hours of pubg it eventually went up to 96°c. I don't get it because the idle temps for both CPU and gpu are in the high 50s low 60s. A 30-40°c difference is just plain ridiculous.
Krystian Painter yes I agree, something isnt right. My AW 13 with same CPU doesnt get that hot. I assume it has past its return period.i guess your only options are a) try another repaste, per6with gelid GC extreme. That's nice and thick and may help cover bigger gaps or b) send it in for repair c) undervolt, have you tried that? Perhaps a 120mv undervolt will help you.
OWNorDisown I haven't tried anything yet because I started a thing on Reddit when I first bought the laptop to see how well mods and upgrades are handles across Alienware generations. I found that the much thicker cooler with better fans from the 1080 model fits the exact placement as the tiny 1070 varient. So my plan was to actually change the cooler to the big heavy one with a new repaste. If that doesn't help then I'll try undervolting. For all I know it could also just be the temps of my area affecting it. I live in New York and we've been having 80-90°F weather so it may just be that. But I'd still like to try the swap as it's only 60$ US. I do plan on swapping it's motherboard for a 1080 and the panel for a 1440p one anyway in a year or two when prices lower. Thanks for your help though! I will let you know how the cooler swap goes when I get it finished. I'll do some before and after results.
Yes, for a 9-10 lb with tobii eyes tracking desktop replacement, use internal gpu to increase battery life is super important. If I was a high school student with special perfer for black and red, and need a crazy look "laptop" with 4h battery life for school, yes, I will choose Msi.
This channel you made was an amazing idea, keep it up
MYDADSTHEMAYOR Thank you, that made my day! Thanks for watching 😆
Great comparision exept u didnt compare the soundcards, with nahimic2 on msi and the soundcard is amazingly good, I bought my gt73vr 1070gtx and it such a great machine im so impressed, i specially enjoy the steelseries keyboard. Im very happy I bought the msi, happy new year m8
And i want to add that Alienware had alot of problems with the cpu heating as the thermal paste hasent been put on as a failure in fabric on models untiil december, they also have wrongly mounted screens on most models and people complain about light bleeding, wich dell now has fixed, but it took time before they admited it.
Eddie Ince Hi Eddie! Yes, I do prefer the audio on the MSI, as I did on the 15" smackdown. I agree it's not just about volume. It's a hard one to replucate on a video though. Thanks for watching. Happy New Year!
Great review! Subbed
Thanks ! Appreciate your support :)
I have the gt73vr Titan I have no complaints whatsoever about it the cooling cooler booster fans are incredible two very heavy solid Beast of a laptop I will never go back my personal opinion
I agree totally with you. I have pushed mine very hard for weeks now and it hasn't missed a beat..
This was a very well made video. I have also used both and found amazing cooling on the MSI. It is amazing how much work they put into cooling. I have much love for AW, but thermal systems are not there yet for 1080 GPUs in compact chassis (though they are getting there very fast).
Ancile yes indeed. I really wanted to keep the Alienware but once I tried the MSI GT73VR I found that looks are only skin deep. I love the extra USB ports and SD card reader, how much easier it is to reach all the internals as well as the out of the box cooling. Perhaps next generation Alienware will have it nailed down..
nice review thumbs up. any advice on the best 15 inch gaming laptop.
Terex Dae Alforque Thanks! I think out of the ones I have looked at the Alienware 15 takes some beating, particularly since Alienware have now fixed the heat issue. The only downside for me was only two USB ports and no SD card reader. Great battery life and speakers. The Aorus X5 v6 looks cool but has loud fans and just ok speakers. It can be configured with a 120hz panel which is great. I do like the MSI GT62VR 6RE, I got mine for $1400.it has everything covered and is lightweight for its thickness. Thanks for watching my video!
Excellent review!
Michael Baker Thanks Michael!
It looks like MSI keeps spanking all the competition all the way around so I bit the bullet and with a budget of $1500 I picked up the MSI VR Ready GT72VR Dominator-032 17.3" G-SYNC Hardcore Gaming Laptop GTX 1060 i7-6700HQ 32GB 512GB M.2 SATA + 1TB Windows 10 for $1385 off Amazon. In all the research I did, I think it'll be the best buy for my money.
Michael Baker that is a good deal Michael! Good choice ☺️
Yea, looked like msrp was $2600 and I was comparing against frys electronics, overstock, ebay and amazon looking at side by side comparison charts on specs for the most power for the money and I think I squeezed as much as I could out for the budget. The funny part is I'm hooked on my xbox for COD but not a pc gamer. I'm actually a programmer and run an online business so I'm on the desktop so much I'm always overclocking, overheating the laptop and crunching numbers so I figured a gamers pc the way it's built to keep cool might help. Anyway, I loved the way you documented the side by side comparison for all to see because I was a bit confused as to whether go alienware or msi and your report really helped put my mind at ease. Thanks!
Glad I helped you out. That is my ultimate aim so that makes me happy :)
OwnOrDisown - Suggestion. Place the Alienware on a cooler with passive cooling only (no fan needed). I guarantee you that the Alienware will run 20 degrees cooler :)
Varun Vesuvala I did try lifting the backend up using a book and that didn't do anything, I was surprised. Perhaps I didn't leave it long enough. Good suggestion though!
Great review; thanks. I consider yourself and Lesa, at Mobile Tech Review, the two most knowledgeable and credible reviewers on CZcams. It’s only my opinion of course, but I watch allot of reviews before I buy anything and it’s easy to sort out “showmanship” reviewers from balanced, critical reviewers such as yourself. -Good job. I work as an engineer (CAD) and statistician (large number sets) and recently went to the market to find the fastest laptop available for work. Being a gamer, I know gaming systems are the real through-and-though powerhouses and picked up an Asus G752 OC thinking it was the best bang for the money. Being a long-time Asus customer I have always been happy with their products. . .. Wow, nothing but problems, returned the Asus unit and got a second G752 OC; same story. I won’t go into details about the Asus G752’s issues but it was a really bad experience. That left me with two choices, MSI or Alienware, essentially the two units you reviewed and the reason for this way too long comment. . .. I settled on the MSI and have had it for about two weeks now and have found it to be amazing; powerful, cool running, and how shall I say, -everything just works (unlike the Asus.) The high-temps you demonstrated in your reviews of recent Alienware products should be considered carefully by any perspective buyer; you can’t cheat physics and sooner or later the high temps will take their toll. Good job to the MSI engineers for designing in oversized fans at the cost of cosmetics (i.e. the MSI’s thicker base.) Under [full] load the MSI’s FPS performance is excellent while maintaining those amazing low temps at CPU and GPU. Another beautifully engineered product by MSI, congrats to your engineering team. -And yes, I carry it to work in my backpack every day.
-rk
Borderlands Roadkill Thank you for the compliment! I have watched Lisa's Mobiletechreview channel for a long time myself and I too rate her very well. She has the added benefit if being a photographer which I haven’t got into yet but then again 6 months ago I wasn't into video work, lol, so who knows.. I used to do reviews for Bjorn3d 6 years ago but had to give it up due to a new family and job. I'm still learning and I guess one of the hardest things for me is to maintain interest and not get repetitive. That's why I like my "Have your Say" segment, it's an ideal time to have informal discussions with subscribers and a chance for people to chime in with their thoughts and experiences. I have had a number of people ask me about your Asus and I heard mixed reviews. I think you made a great choice on the MSI. I am working on a video where I pit my two MSI's GT73VR and GT62VR against my desktop with an i7 4790k at 4.7ghz and GTX 980ti overclocked. Can a 1 year old high end Pc hold its own? Thanks for watching and thanks again for the compliment 😆
Why, what's wrong with the Alienware?
I watched your reviews and info discussions on them (the Alienware 17 and 15) and the high temps and so-so performance (and blue screens) told me everything I needed to know; simply that they sacrificed reasonable cooling for the thinner case. . I've owned Alienware laptops (and desktops) in the past and they are a decent product. But, this time around based on the information you provided in your reviews about the Alienware (and MSI GT73 TItzan Pro) I decided to put my $$ on the MSI. The right choice in retrospect thanks to your fair, highly-technical and professional reviews.
BTY; the MSI GT73 model I got has the RAID-4 M.2 configuration (write speed of +3k MB/s) , 64 Gb RAM, the 1080 GPU and the I7 6820 CPU and, under full gaming load, it still runs completely cool...,, The Alienware, I'm guessing no so much.....
Good job! Thanks. -Looking forward to your next review!
-rk
Borderlands Roadkill Thanks! You have one great computer there! I think the new Alienware's are cooler, based on feedback I'm getting, and the step to Kaby Lake on the regular i7's will give a good performance boost with no increase in temperature (if the desktop reviews I have read translated to the mobile ones..) they should be a decent buy now but in my book there are still shortcomings. The MSI GT73VR Titan Pro ticks all the boxes for me and I will be uploading a video soon having pitted against my desktop and the GT62VR. It is a true desktop replacement in my books. I'm editing my 4th "Have your Say" video now. We talk about the Razer Blade Pro, The AW17 and a portable gaming device my subscriber is building. That should be uploaded this evening. Thanks for your support my friend!
Just watched it; wow,,,, that portable gaming rig is amazing, and the subscriber that built it is clearly very very knowledgeable . . . I'm in the right crowd here , -staying tuned for more!
-rk.
Even the alienware 17 with gtx 1070 reaches 99 degrees and even 100. It feels like there is no thermal paste on it even tho it just arrived and should have had the issues fixed
amr sayed yes, your Temps were crazy. 70 min at idle..
I tried to play Witcher 3, my package temperature went up to 100 degrees. not just 1 core hitting 100, the whole package. WOW...
amr sayed indeed, Wow! Send that baby back I think..
great review, but I have to say that MSI cooling system is way better than AW... and the reason of that are the number of heat pipes it has for the GPU and the CPU. The difference is just GIGANTIC
Can u please send me the link to purchase this same exact msi 120hz laptop or the 4k version of msi?
Poppy Blasted hi, I got mine from Xoticpc but many retailers sell them. Here is a link to Newegg m.newegg.com/ProductList?keyword=Msi+GT73VR+gtx+1080
OWNorDISOWN thanks sir your chAnnel is nice i aPpreciate your help.. Any other link for the 4k version with the same specs?
Poppy Blasted thanks for watching my videos! You can configure the system as you like it with Xoticpc www.xoticpc.com/msi-gt73vr-titan-427.html
Poppy Blasted thanks for the sub!
OWNorDISOWN no problem man lol im watching your acer predator unboxing now !
To think, I have the Titan Pro-003 model arriving today after returning my AW 17 R4 due to a separating bezel and wonky ten-key flex. Good decision, though I can't wait for AW to get itself straightened out. :)
Lee Entwistle You and me both.. I am keen to see how their Kaby Lake refresh will pan out. Enjoy your new laptop ☺️
Steve this was the VLOG that convinced we to buy the MSI GT73 VR Titan over the Alienware 17 R3. I also am going to buy from Xotic PC.
Very good review. Are you thinking of reviewing the Asus G701VI anytime soon? Thanks.
Murtaza Nazham Thanks Murtaza! I would love to review that. It was a toss up between that and the MSI. I couldn't afford to buy all 3..Hopefully I can get a sample ☺️
Thanks. Look forward to it.
Hello,i love your videos very much,so contunue doing them)And i've got a question:do you think i should buy lenovo y910 with 1080m or another notebook with 1070?Thanks btw.
Никита buy this at 1080p this would be great phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/sys/5929531511.html
Hi , Sorry for the late reply ! Thanks for watching my videos :) I guess the first question is how much you will be wanting to use your computer in different locations. You can move the Y910 from room to room but you will always need a desk to put it on but taking it away on holiday. From what I have read, upgrading the Y910 is limited, I think it only has one ssd slot ? I would be inclined to go the notebook route and use an external monitor if need be but both are good. These all in one PC's have come along way haven't they ?
agreed
Not sure I may misunderstand what you mean by switching to the integrated flu. The alien ware has a function button to flip between dedicated and integrated that I find useful. Your talking about something else I'm guessing? Either way good comparison love your channel.
Spills51 thanks! Unfortunately the F7 fn combo does not work on the QHD 120hz gsync panel. It is a shame. If it did then it would have won the battery life test.. Big shame😢
i got my alienware 15 r3 for 2 days ago. I 7820hk gtx 1070 . When playing battlefield 1 and wow. I reach 92c on cpu (not oc). clearly Dell has not fix the issue. called support and asked the If I could send to a computer store for repaste. But was not allowed cuz of the warenty. They refuse to send someone to repaste it cuz "its normal temperature" according to Dell under 100c is normal. I decided to send it back and found ur review on msi gt73vr . gona buy that instead. Great jobb on review mate. + subb
Cheers mate ! So looks like their i7 7820's are still hot. That sucks. People say the i7 7700 HQ's are OK, but for power users options are limited.. I went through two i7 6820hk models the AW15 and Aw17 and both were crazy hot. Such a shame.
Yea its pretty sad, I been using 3 alienware in 10 years, this one was really bad. Doesnt seems like they have any plans to fix this, they just reffering to "under 100c is normal".
Thank you so much for showing me Msi Gt73vr, to bad its more plastic but i care more of the performance and health of the laptop. 2 more days to get my gt73vr 7RE with 1080 gtx xD. Hope its good. Keep up the good work :)
Duc Nguyen Thanks mate. Were you able to send the AW17 R4 back? Hope so..
Yes. In sweden we have good policy on shopping deals :) i have 14 days to try the laptop and decide, but after 2 days the choice was clear.
Btw I did undervolt the laptop and manage to hang around 83c. but for some strange reason without any crash it reset it self sometimes after a reboot. I use Intel extrem utility.
great comparison, thank you. really Technical thats how I like it :)
Paweł Maciej Maj Glad you liked it!
How would you rate the build quality? The Alienware feels superb and well made, how is the MSI? With the heat issues fixed I'd like to see updated benchmarks.
The Alienware is more solid but the MSI is fine. The bottom rattles if you tap it because of the larger air gap but the large mesh intake feels like perforated metal to me.. The plastic fins of the rear air vents are thick. I'm sure with the new Kaby Lake CPU's Alienware will perform just as well as the MSI so any deciding factor will be based on other aspects important to you. I know it is easy to knock the MSI's build but its smaller sibling fell off my table, 3ft and it suffered no ill effects. Sometimes I think these things need a bit of give in them to absorb the odd bash.. I do have an i7 7820hk Asus coming in to compare against my i7 6820hk..
I need your advice on which one to get, I'm looking at MSI: Gtx 1080 / 7820hk / 16 gigs of ram for $2699 or Alienware r4 17 inch 1440p / same cpu gpu / 32g of ram. I'm not concerned about the ram but I don't know which one to get due to your review before the temp fix so I don't know which one benchmarks better. As far as performance and proper keyboard comfort (spacing etc) which one do you think would be best? Oh they both have 120hz gsync. Let me know, thanks. Great video btw.
Yam Jam Thanks! Are you sure the Alienware now ships with the i7 7820hk? I only see that available with the GTX 1070 GPu and not the gtx 1080.. According to their website it still comes with the i7 6820hk. I did send them an email last night asking when it will be upgraded to Kaby Lake but as of yet I have had no reply.
On that basis I would definitely go with the 7th generation MSI GT73VR. That cpu is much faster and I don't think you will have any cooling issues on the MSI. I recently uploaded a video on the Asus G752vs with that CPU and you can see how much faster it is than the i7 6820hk..
If the Alienware can be configured with the with the i7 7820hk then it all comes down to what is most important you. I do wish the GT73VR had a QHD display but it still fine and had better Colors than the Alienware QHD. The main deciding factor may be ports and ease of overclocking and fan control. If it is going to be more of a desktop replacement then I prefer more ports. I use all 5 USB ports and SD card reader. I also find it useful to use the software in the MSI to overclock and the button to activate/deactivate the cooler boost fan. All the Alienware controls are in the BIOS.
The Alienware is the better looking laptop and will turn more heads for sure but note it has a larger footprint (to fit in your back pack) and is heavier..
OWNorDISOWN wow thanks for the quick reply! Your input means a lot and it was a very hard decision but I'll definitely go with the msi, here is the Alienware link for the 7820hk / 1080 config it's $3449 almost $700 more so probably not worth it anyways !
www.dell.com/en-us/shop/productdetails/alienware-17-laptop/dkcwkblg7s?s=dhs&oc=dkcwkblg7s&dgc=ST&cid=308991&lid=5841087&acd=1230980731501410&ven1=sm3Eg8vZD&ven2=,&ven3=264303736636691786
Again, great videos keep up the good work!
Solid review sir.
Thanks ! Appreciate you watching :)
Great video! Only thing I would change is repasting the Alienware, either personally (it's relatively easy if you're good with hardware) or through dell or a service. I would also ask Dell for a repair or one of the new "repaired" models. Do you get your laptops free for reviews, because if not simply repasting should be enough (not worth spending another £3000+ for the new coolers alone).
Jagged Gaming Thanks! I agree repasting it would help indeed. If I was going to keep it instead of the MSI I might consider it. Everyone, so far, has refused to give me samples. I'm hoping this will change next year with all your support ☺️ I have spent $12,100 on laptops out if which I am keeping $4300 worth of them. Unfortunately I cannot afford to buy any more and keep them so will contact push for samples and/or get my wife to buy them and return them... Cheers!
Jagged Gaming Thanks! I agree repasting it would help indeed. If I was going to keep it instead of the MSI I might consider it. Everyone, so far, has refused to give me samples. I'm hoping this will change next year with all your support ☺️ I have spent $12,100 on laptops out if which I am keeping $4300 worth of them. Unfortunately I cannot afford to buy any more and keep them so will contact push for samples and/or get my wife to buy them and return them... Cheers!
OWNORDISOWN Great! I hope you're able to get review samples this year since I consider your reviews top notch. Good luck with everything!
hey ownordisown....Great job. But I think u should do this comparison again. Dell recently replaced my 17 R4 with the new one. and the cooling system is so much improved!!!!. it is stable at 4.1 ghz. In cinebench I got a score of 831. max temp recorded was 80c. now Alienware is kicking ass!!!!😀😀
Sayanta Seth lol, that is great! I would love to do it again. Perhaps even against the new 7th generation MSI GT73VR. Alas, there are only so many laptops I can buy.. Alienware said they would be sending me samples but they are now not returning emails or voice-mails. I would love to revisit it. Thanks for sharing your findings ☺️
The built quality was not reviewed. I made my decision and still bought the alienware as it fits my daily use better. With a slightly faster WiFi, a better resolution and in my opinion a much sturdier and stronger built design. Also the look is better to me 😊. As for the heat management, I really don't mind it as it is an easy fix.
Jonathan Pharand I did review each separately of course and I mention the build quality. The Alienware is a fine machine and they have the best support by far.
OWNorDISOWN the msi's trackpad sucks, and when you press down on the keyboard it bends.
Its laggy one web browsers
Hello could you please reply to me?:) i have been wondering.. which keys configurarion on msi,switches to the dedicated graphics card from integrated ?
Sandra M hi Sandra, sorry, I didn't see your original question. It is the button directly below the power button.
Alienware ironed out the thermal issues on their laptops made after December 2016. Also, I didn't hear you mention the Alienware graphics amplifier which allows you to connect any external gpu and turning your laptop into a full desktop rig with one plug. Huge reason to purchase the AW over the MSI imo. next years gpus will handle 4k @120fps and you won't wanna miss out on such an upgrade. Selling the whole laptop when the new gpus FINALLY do arrive is kind of a pain really. Anyways, thanks for the vid!
Mike Thank Mike. I am working on a video where I test a gtx 970, 980ti, 1080 and 1080ti in the graphics amplifier against my desktop i7 4790k at 4.7ghz with same GPUs. I can tell you now that many games see a huge drop in performance at 1080p (with the gtx 1080 which is what I have tested thus far) so the only benefit is at QHD or higher. For older laptops such as the 15R2 which I have this means it must be connected to an external monitor. Not a huge deal as it's not a portable solution anyway. Much better value than the Razer Core though. I should have mentioned, I thought I did when going over the ports but can't remember. The feedback I have so far on their i7 7820hk models is that they still run hot. I just bought one myself so I will check.. Thanks for watching!
Mfw I have the alienware and my brother has MSI. 🔥🔥
lucky you hahaha
Has yours burnt out yet while your brothers has powered on? 😏
I see you havent made a layout on your CZcams channel page. Would be cool if you made playlists of certain categories of you videos ;) just an idea!
zardoss Hi there, I have actually made playlists.. It took me the longest time to figure out how to show my intro video to someone who hasn't seen my channel before as it's not very intuitive.. I just brought my channel up without logging in and it shows my intro and at the top it has a Playlist heading. Clicking on that shows my videos in each category. Do you see the same thing? I hope so..
The SLI 1070 configuration of this laptop is truly a beast
ABT Newegg have one for $2300. I am soo tempted!
One day you won't have to pay for them.
ABT thanks mate. I hope so too. Alienware did send me a 13 R3 and I bricked it updating the BIOS to 1.09. I was so annoyed, hopefully they can send me another. It was really nice machine. I appreciate your support!
Good Luck bro
Finally!! Someone who actually knows what a comparison is. Great Video.
Can anyone confirm if the heating issues have been solved or not? I am planning on getting the AW17 R4 (7700HQ processor).
Aasim Ghias Thanks Aasim! Yes, I am confident your i7 7700hq model will be just fine 😀
Thanks. :)
Lately I've been so interested in the Alienware 17 R4, but those temps got me on the fence!
Wolf Storm people have been telling me that it is now available with the i7 7820hk but I don't see it on their website. A buddy of mine had one from their warehouse last week so they must be imminent. If I can I will try and get one to test and see if they have improved..
OWNorDISOWN awesome! hopefully you do get one to check out, last thing I want is to go ahead and buy this only to be hitting 99c on average,lol
Wolf Storm lol, I agree, that would suck!
Great Video! thank you!
Im just curious the only reason why i would still get an Alienware is due to the resolution. DOes this MSI model have a 4k option? Thanks again!
Brandon Hiemstra hi Brandon! Thanks, glad you liked it 😃. Yes, you can get a 4k version of the MSI. It's an IPS 60hz panel I believe. Supposed to have very good good colors. Thanks for watching my video!
Thats great news! thanks again. Are there any retailers in the UK that would have it or that your recommend? I cant seem to find any. Amazons model has the 4k but only with dual 1070s and Id prefer a single 1080
Brandon Hiemstra I actually live in the USA now and it's definitely available here. I thought Scan might have it but like you say they only have the 1070 SLI. I wonder if one of the USA guys would ship it internationally.. Perhaps call MSI and see what resellers may have it?
Brandon Hiemstra I just checked ebay and they list it m.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_nkw=Msi+GT73VR+gtx+1080+4k&isNewKw=1&isRefine=true&mfs=GOCLK&acimp=0&_trksid=p2056088.m2428.l1313.TR0.TRC0.Xmsi+gt73vr+gtx+1080+4k&sqp=msi+gt73vr+gtx+1080+4k
Super helpful! appreciate it. 200 dollars shipping is a bit steep but think will be worth it for 4k screen
The CPU temps on Alienware are really bad. Did you repaste it before this test?
rafalddd No, this was out of the box I'm afraid. I didn't want to risk breaking it and being stuck with two $3000 laptops..
Not to be crazy, but shouldn't a Alienware 17 r4 with a kaby lake 7820hk & 1080 work better? And I heard they have alot of issues with cheap thermal paste on the alienware laptops. (In some cases, slanted heatsinks that don't uniformly press on the CPU/GPU.)
Was just wondering what the delivery times were like for you. Assuming you're from UK... Also is there a big difference between the i7-6820hk and the soon to be released i7-7820hk... Ordered an alienware r4 17 with i7-6820hk on 24th december and still waiting for its arrival. If there's a massive difference I'm gonna be bit sad as I timed this badly xD
zardoss I actually live in the USA, it took about 2 to 3 weeks to get mine.. The turbo boost of the i7 7820hk is 3.9 ghz v the 3.6 on the i7 6820hk so if you don't overclock you'll see a nice 8% boost. I read a review on the desktop variants and they overclocked to 4.9 ghz whilst the i7 6700k I think typically went to about 4.6? So I would like to think that Kaby Lake will be easier to get to say 4.4 Ghz. That would be nice. Either way the i7 6820hk is good, I have mine at 4.1Ghz and it's plenty fast enough 😆
Ah, okay. Thanks :)
I'm unsure, but aren't CPU's performance going to start leveling off soon? Meaning that they can only be improved so much... Also, what use would anyone really have for anything better than a high spec laptop such as the ones you're reviewing in say a few years time? The specs in a few years time can't really be improved that much can they? Even if they can, what would be the point.
zardoss it seems that they have, on the cpu side, been eeking out 8 to 10% improvements each year and the GPu side has been going up much faster. It will reach a point where the cpu cannot keep up.. At that point we will all need to be gaming at 4k so as not to have a cpu bottleneck, lol. I'm working on a video on how my one year old high end desktop fared against these new Pascal notebooks-namely the i7 6700hq /gtx 1070 and the i7 6820hk / gtx 1080. My desktop is an i7 4790k at 4.7ghz and GTX 980ti overclocked. How do you think it will fare compared to the notebooks?
OWNORDISOWN 4k would look nice but I'm unsure it's worth the money in laptops... perhaps after 15" screens but smaller than that, I dont think any differences can be seen unless you squint your eyes lol.
I'd say your Desktop PC will beat it...
OWNORDISOWN 4k would look nice but I'm unsure it's worth the money in laptops... perhaps after 15" screens but smaller than that, I dont think any differences can be seen unless you squint your eyes lol.
I'd say your Desktop PC will beat it... Mainly due to CPU.
I like the AW best, after repasting the GPU, and CPU, temps are great. Unfortunately, The GTX 1080 inside it has a limited BIOS. I believe the TDP is set to 150 watt.
Alienware is waiting approval from Nvidia for the full force 180+ TDP watt GTX 1080 BIOS. once this happens it will even better!
Problem is, users with the R4 are already complaining about heat, it's amazing that a few simple repasted chips solve this problem.
I'm in the market for this laptop, I'm hoping to overclock the GPU extensively. Build quality alone kinda wins it out for the R4, if Dell releases BIOS update for the gtx1080 with 180+ TDP. You can actually push 4K reasonably well around 45-60fps maxed out in "Most" titles.
Travis Santelmann according to Exklim they have version two out to give the full wattage. I'll check with him and see if he has any Thermal information..
Hi friend, awesome video. a question: here in Spain i only have the 4k display available for Msi laptop: i saw theres other full hd with 120 refresh and 5ms... witch one is better?
kiosh thanks mate. I guess it depends on your use case. If it is mainly gaming then a gtx 1080 will still find it tough at max settings and games get more demanding as time goes on. Then there is scaling issues in some programs. The 1080p display 120hz is great for gaming. Super smooth. If you doing a lot of video and photo editing then the 4k would be good. It's supposed to have great color accuracy. I would have liked to have seen a QHD option... Thanks for watching my video!
finally ordered the UHD model. 60hz must be enough at 4k ^^
www.amazon.es/dp/B01NCWGK3S/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=7QWDHHZ0QPXR&coliid=I1MKJ9MIOV3CKR&psc=1
ultra thanks for your review, it really changed my mind about alienware 17
kiosh Glad my video helped you out. I really like my GT73VR and I am sure you will too😁
I would like to know what you think of both machines now that it is 8 months later. How is the durability? I am deciding between a few machines and 2 of them are in this video. I have read a few complaints about the MSI completely breaking down after a few months. Any information will help. Thank you.
Ominous Quash well, I sent the Alienware back since the GT73VR had features (and at the time, performance) that suited me better. I did review the Kaby Lake i7 7820hk / gtx 1080 model and even though it ran hot it performed great. A repaste would solve its heat issues.
Some people have reported game stuttering the Alienware 17 R4 gtx 1080 and I did a video on that. I would say I had 5 or 6 with the issue and it is caused by poor contact with the Thermal pads.
The GT73VR remained my favorite gtx 1080 laptop until I review the Sager NP9873 /9876. With a desktop i7 7700k cpu in it that is completely replaceable it blew everything out of the water. I have it clocked at 4.7ghz but I plan on delidding and repasting so I can try for 5ghz.
I was also quite impressed with Acer Predator 17x with an i7 7700hq /gtx 1080 and Microcenter also sells the same configuration for the GT73VR. Prices are $2000-$2300.
I recently reviewed the Max-Q gtx 1080 Asus Zephyrus and I was surprised by how well it did.
Personally I like an overclockable CPU and big speakers so it's the NP9876/9873 all the way for me.
Thank you very much. That information was a huge help.
i bought the aw 17 r 4 with high spec's, 3400 euro's but asked for a refund. it was stuttering but no heat issues on mine, the built quality is beter on the AW in that aspect. got the MSI now..just feels im better of, more refined typing on the MSI better handling allround really. a non ''gamer'' won't notice the diffrence.
Iv just jumped ship from MSI to Alienware entirely due to MSI's shocking customer service. The complete insult that the MXM upgrade program resulted in and the repeated RMA's I have put up with due to poor build quality. Fingers crossed I fair better with Alienware :s I guess only time will tell. It's good to know that Alienware have already addressed the temp/throttling issue for the latest builds, will be interesting to see how they deal with disgruntled customers that have the earlier high temp ones.
Trap Fargo sorry to hear about your site with MSI. I know Alienware has had their issues and other people have reported many cancelled orders due to lack of parts etc but I know Frank Azor is very active on their Facebook page and they listened to iunlock and his work on the paste and heatsink so that is positive. It would be a sad day if a company became too big to listen to its customers. Thanks for watching my video!
OWNORDISOWN loving your content! Keep up the great work. Yeah MSI have defo lost some customers over the whole MXM cards issue. I'm just glad the retailer I purchased with offered me a refund when my Second RMA couldn't be fixed. When you pay £2700 for a laptop you defo don't expect things like dodgy hinges that break the screen surrounds. Ah well hopefully I just got unlucky with the build quality aspect of it all.
Trap Fargo thanks mate. One thing I liked about my MSI model was the mxm video card. Must admit I'm not privy on the issues that they have had, what have the problems been? It's a shame that they can't seem to build things to last. My AW 15 from last year ended up with only one working speaker..
Did you do a comparison of an MSi 1070 with a 120hz 1080p panel vs an alienware 15 with the same? That might be a good one.
Fuckinequality I did one between the Alienware 15R3 i7 6820hk and the MSI GT62VR with the i7 6700hq. Both had the gtx 1070..
The Alienware 17 R4 uses terrible silicone grease and the copper cooling tube doesn't perfectly attach the CPU. That is the reason why the Alienware's CPU got extreme temperature.
Simply repaste the cooling tube using high quality silicone grease will fix this problem.
Cheers
聆澜 yes indeed, I did some interviews with iunlock and he showed dramatic improvements in cooling. I send mine back and kept the GT73VR.. Thanks for watching!
Nice choice. Apparently GT73VR seems better than AW 17 R4.
For me, I checked the price of GT73VR on Amazon, which is about $3100, while the Alienware cost me less than $2500 (both not include tax), thus I gave up to AW.
Thanks for replying.
Wish I'd seen this before I bought the Alienware... Do you think the difference is enough to warrant trying to exchange it for the MSI?
Matthew Dobel if you get one that doesn't throttle performance will be similar across the board so that just leaves things like switchable graphics (depends what panel you get), ports etc. It is the nicer looking laptop. I would see what it's like when you get it. I certainly wouldn't stand for getting a machine that under performs considering how much they cost..
OMG THE LIP SYNC
Just snatched the MSI on sale for $2,500 on Amazon. Super exited to receive it.
NoFunAllowedTV I bet! You'll love it, it's a beast of a laptop. The audio will blow you away.
I appreciate you for this video SIR ! thank you so much its been 1 month i have been thinking which one to buy for my studies and gaming also finally i know now .. I SUBSCRIBE YOU :)
P.S sorry for my english i am not a native speaker
Orkan A-dov You are welcome. Glad it has helped you. Thanks for the sub!
I need your advice i am now confused :DD which one of those would you suggest me to buy ? i would really appreciate if you can just write your idea about this .. the only difference is ram on msi is 16 gb but do i actually need 32gb ? asus has more powerful ram than msi and costs 200 dollars cheaper .
ASUS ROG G701VI OC Edition, Unlocked Intel Core i7-7820HK 17.3" 120Hz G-SYNC VR Gaming Laptop, GTX 1080, 7th-Gen Core i7, 32GB RAM, 2 x256GB SSD , Backlit KB $2,799.99
MSI GT73VR TITAN Pro 4K-479 17.3" 4K Display Extreme Gaming Laptop Core i7-7820HK GTX 1080 16GB 256GB NVMe SSD + 1TB VR Ready $2,999.00
Orkan A-dov of course, you can get the 120hz FHD display on the MSI cheaper than the 4k which will bring the price in parity with the Asus PLUS you have SO much more storage options. 3 ssd plus a 2.5" hard drive. The speakers are much better on the MSI too. The Asus dies get hot but does maintain high frequencies so it is fast. I do believe MSI has the better cooling. As for RAM 32 GB is overkill. I have 32 GB and don't get anywhere near to using it all...
If it were me I would get the GT73VR, you are also able to switch to integrated graphics to have better battery life.. For me it's a no brainer..
Thank you soooo muuch !
I'm surprised to see how the older Alienware laptops had dedicated heatsinks for the CPU and the GPU - not even a single shared heatpipe. Probably something's wrong with their management, prioritising profits over consumer experience. Hope they learn their lessons soon :)
Most probably. I have a really old one to look at with a 280m GPU.
I just want to say I had the MSI gt73 with the gtx1080 and took it back... after 45 days the right speaker started to buzz... drove me nuts... so I returned it to Best Buy and bought an aw 17" r4 with a GTX 1070... only had it two days so far... I am likening it so far... seems to be built better than the MSI...
Brian Berkes I saw you posted about having the Alienware, thought perhaps Santa had got you another one for free 😃. Sucks about the speaker. I know I had to instate latest Nahamic drivers to stop buzzing caused by the anniversary update. Don't know what it is with speakers. My AW15 gtx 980m from last year only has one speaker working. Lucky if it made it a year. Yes, I really liked that AW17 R4 gtx 1070 I had. Would have kept it if I didn't have about 4 laptops lying about to review.. Enjoy it!
Thank you... I was wondering what software I can view the Temps of the cpu and gpu in?
Brian Berkes HWmonitor is good as you can click on (view I think) and refresh the max/min without having to restart the app. Another one is Hwinfo64
OK thanks... Ill check them out...
Just reinstall the sound driver, that happened to me and I fixed it.
You are comparing a defective Alienware to an non defective MSI with a repaste. You need to request a new one from Dell and compare. Not a fair test. I have the 1080 Alienware 17 R4 and stock on standard fan settings I haven't broke 85c.
Clifton Rouse indeed, I would like to get a new one. Hopefully they will send me a sample... If I get one I will definitely revisit this☺️
Clifton Rouse 85???? That's whack, I run an Acer laptop, and under full load it won't go over 70
Always Sunny you running a 1080 graphics card?
I got a 15 R3 in November, which had around 15 degree temp difference between CPU cores. When i called dell about a fix, they told me it was perfectly fine since the device wasn't crashing. So, if dell doesn't admit that the devices that where sent out where defective, why not test them as such? I guess the possibility of a manual repaste to fix dells fuckup could have been mentioned in the vid.
bluemarque I actually did two two videod discussing this issue. The first was detailing the tear down and causes - Thermal tape thickness and paste. The second was a follow up after we talked to the Dell engineers.
at 4:05 you say that it is a 1080p panel on the MSI, but then at 16:40, you are showing a benchamark that is comparing the MSI to Alienware at 2560x1440 resolution. Is it safe to presume you have that labeled wrong and you are comparing the Alienware at 2560x1440 (4 megapixels per frame) to the MSI at 1920x1080 (2 megapixels per frame)? Or did you change out the MSI to a QHD LED panel before running the benchmarks? If you are comparing the Alienware at 1440p to the MSI at 1080p, the Alienware is rendering twice as many pixels, which easily explains the temperature difference and the shorter battery life.
There is a much easier way to out the MSI at 2560x1440 than changing out the panel. I hooked it up to my monitor to level the playing field. I suggest you watch the review on both laptops individually and also the follow review on the Alienware when they switched it to Kaby Lake. It still ran hot but maintained a higher clocked rate.
I also suggest you watch the interview I did with iunlock and that will give you a good of what was going on with the Skylake model.
which one is your favourite Boss? MSI or ALIENWARE? please give me your answer as I am going to take one of them soon. which one would you recommend me?
Thanks you help me alot
ZAID ALJANABI you are welcome 😀
FYI. Brightness on the R4 can be changed by FN key... >_>
which one will i buy acer predator 17x gtx 1080 or alien ware r4 17 gtx 1080 or msi titan
Great Vid as always :)
Does anyone know if MSI will release a 15" laptop with a (120hz G-SYNC Display)
I and many others would buy it in an heartbeat.
When you have been gaming on a 120hz+ display, dropping to 60hz even with G-SYNC is worrying.
Alienware and Aorus with all of the heat and build problems is a no go.
Come on MSI
Hi ! Sorry for the late reply. For some reason I thought I had come back to you. I must be getting old :( I hope they do release a 120Hz 15" laptop, it make such a difference ..I am sure they will , perhaps next generation?
Good review, however I think it's not too fair lol msi has been re-pasted while AW isn't and also has cpu paste issue.. If it was re-pasted then I think it would be cooler and perform better overall.
And also on upgradiblity I would say AW is better due to the graphics amplifier.
But still great review 👍
Rock GamingTV thanks. True, it would be closer for sure but MSI won 5 points on CPU tests and it is unlikely that the AW would have won all of those 5 tests. If it did it would be a tie at 7-7. That is why I added other things to win points and unfortunately AW lost most of those..
+MrGhost370 As much as I wanted to love the Alienware, (and I still do!), I think all the items you mentioned have swayed me to purchase the MSI. Those details are more important to me than just repasting to reduce the heat on the the Alienware. So two huge thumbs up for this video! I feel confident in my decision now. But if someone prefers the Alienware, I say they will be happy too. 😉
Again, totally agree! Although I've had negative experiences with Dell, Alienware was purchased in 2006 by them. But kept their hands off. This has changed. Also, when I point out to people on Amazon that the Alienware 17 R3 has been discontinued, they say I don't know my facts. I have been digging for accurate and true information nonstop for 3 to 4 months. And I do like Alienware but feel Dell has assimilated them in a negative fashion. That's just an opinion and not necessarily fact. But 2 days ago, when I picked the "new" Alienware 17 to customize (the heading makes no reference to R3 or R4 but new = R4) there were 3 options to pick on thermal paste. I've never seen an option in regards to thermal paste before on gaming laptops. This is Dell's premier gaming laptop now so why ask that question? Or option? I now question whether they addressed the known issues in regards to heat or are using that in a way to protect themselves. I didn't know about the heat problems until I saw this video yesterday and almost purchased one on sale a few weeks ago from Best Buy because it was $400 cheaper than Dell's one day sale on a Monday following Black Friday. If you read the history of their product line, like on Wikipedia, their is just a tremendous amount of discontinued items. I personally feel they jumped into the NVIDIA 10 series graphic card designs a little late. And didn't carry over some of the positives they had in their R3, in some regards. I do like the newer Alienware but feel they went in the wrong direction that "thinner is better". I kept getting pulled back to MSI for the overclocking support and their dedicated heat pipes. It was a well thought out design as never before had laptops had graphic cards almost identical to desk tops, with SLI's being the exception. And as cell phones evolve, many prior laptop owners are using their cells for everything, except true gamers and photo editors, so the market is super tough! I honestly sometimes get a little confused with MSI because they have such a wide range and variety of products to cater to almost any consumer's needs and price point. Your spot on with Clevo as I've only been researching them the last few months but they have most definitely picked up the mantra that use to belong to Alienware. Excellent analogy that you provided! I've also noted huge sales on the Alienware R3's and read the comments by individuals that are upgrading the hardware components, which is being encouraged by the laptop manufacturers. That, in itself, is a totally new direction; that in the past was discouraged by eliminating the warranty. The knowledgeable consumer is going to be the real winner here. I wanted the Alienware! They could have easily stayed in the game just by keeping the form factor, improving the heat removing hardware, improved audio, added more ports, etc. But I think they decided to put all their eggs into the amp and other accessories that can be added on to the existing laptop. That's a huge marketing error because, as you said, I might as well build my own desktop. Unfortunately, I think it will be a small niche market. And they just opened the floodgates for Clevo.....
i Hope you figured that, Any laptop above the 500GTX series systems from Nvidia ALL have switchable graphics (can switch to intergrated graphics.) As long as they DO NOT have G-sync screens. If they do, then they do not have the switchable graphics options. MSI just has it more as a Macrobutton, vs Alienware having to go Nvidia's program settings and set it to run for such programs.
KillerRaptorr it's a macro on alienware as well. No settings needed. FN + I/D GFX button.
The MSI laptop is HUGE 😑 No wonder why it has better temps, duh!
didn't expect this. wow. maybe reconsider MSI....
Nice.
So what the fk is going on with alienware? They simply do not have any 1080 options that are affordable anymore.
Fuckinequality Yeh, the price seems to have gone up buy a grand. Should have sold mine on Ebay rather than sending it back, lol.
You know there is inlets and outlets on the sides. Why you put both laptops right next to eachother when doing temperature tests boggles me.
Its quite simple. I needed to have them next to each other to have them in the same frame on the camera. All the temperature stats were taken from their individual testing, not from them being next to each other. The section at 12:25 where I show the fan noise and temps the other laptop was not running. Also, and you may not know this, there is no air movement out the right hand vent on the Alienware. Its just for show. All that air gets pushed out the back.
i just wanted to add to this discussion as i bought an m17r4 with a gtx 1080 in April 2017 (before i saw this video) and it still had thermal problems.
no overclockable UK evening temperatures and 10 mins of mass effect make the CPU overheat and start to throttle. i so wanted to love it, everything else is fantastic.....
but a gaming laptop you can't game on has to go back.
now i have to credit dell for having amazing customer service (compared to the useless service i had from MSI).
if you get one, make sure it takes 3-4 weeks. anything quicker and its an older one off the shelf (mine took just 5 days from China). if possible ring them up and specify you want a newer one.
without this video i wouldn't have realised the issue within the 14 day return window, and may have been stuck with a 🍋 (lemon). buyer beware, get HWinfo, run a game for an hour and see or the CPU got throttled.
if it did, get on to them straight away
Gareth Brown Glad I helped you catch it in time! I hope to help people become more aware of potential issues and make good purchasing decisions. The vast majority of people probably don't notice until it becomes a problem..
Very true, if you don't have a similar laptop to compare it would seem normal, until it melts - then how do you prove it wasn't misuse. Cheers OWNorDISOWN
I just bought the gt73 VR Titan with the 7820hk, wonder how it will compare with Aw 17 r4 with the same processor? They say it's overclocked to 4.4 ghz. I also went with the gtx 1080, and copper heat sinks, overclocked gpu, and the best thermal paste.
Trent Lyman If the Alienware stays cool I would expect them to perform similar. I just reviewed the Asus G752 with that cpu and it reached high 90s when overclocked. It too reached 4.4Hhz easily. I expect 4.5 must be possible if cooled right.
OWNORDISOWN nice! I will be following your video to OC mine when it arrives!
this review is being done against an alienware with serious defects from the manufacturing plant. All of which have since been corrected.
-Hexero - I can only work with what I have.. There were 5 benchmarks where the result was affected by throttling. Even if the Alienware won all those it would have only been a tie.. It still had short comings such as the inability to switch to integrated graphics and lack of USB / SD card reader. It would have been closer for sure and I am hoping that at some point they will send me a sample with a repasted one and I will retest.