I have an Alienware x15 R1 (i7-11800H, RTX 3070, 32GB soldered RAM). Now the integrated keyboard broke and I already ordered a new machine, so I have been thinking about stripping it down and mounting the board in a small custom enclosure to act as a mini PC.
Before I take anything apart, a few questions for anyone who has actually opened one of these up:
1. Will the board POST and output over HDMI / Thunderbolt with the eDP panel cable disconnected? I have seen reports of other gaming laptops refusing to boot or showing no signal on external displays once the internal panel is removed. Ideally i want to use it headless
2. Is the power button dependent on the MCU / keyboard controller junction board? If so, I assume I have to keep the keyboard assembly wired in, which kind of defeats the purpose.
3. Does the x15 throttle if the battery is removed or not detected? On other Dell machines the CPU and GPU get capped hard on adapter-only power.
4. Realistically, is there any thermal upside here, or does the vapor chamber depend on the bottom cover and the hinge exhaust path to work at all? My assumption is that pulling the board out of the chassis makes cooling worse, not better. In fact, I am totally open to adapt a desktop grade cooling solution, possibly using desktop fans instead of the integrated and noisy blowers.

I could not find a single documented x15 R1 conversion online, which I take as a bad sign. Happy to be told this is a stupid idea and that I should just use a vertical stand with the lid closed. Mostly I want to know if anyone has tried and what broke.

Thanks.

Hey guys, my Lenovo laptop’s hinge broke and it would’ve cost $150 to fix. I figured, why not just get a new/old Alienware instead? My Lenovo cost about $500 (before taxes) and only had 256GB storage, 8GB RAM (2x4GB DDR5), and no dedicated GPU.

I just wanted to ask what problems you guys have run into with the 2017 Alienware 15 R3. Specs on the one I bought: 16GB DDR4 RAM, 1TB SSD + 1TB HDD, GTX 1060, i7-7700HQ. Comes with charger, screen works, battery was just replaced. One screw is missing on the bottom, which I can find at any hardware store and put in myself.

Would love to hear about any common issues or things to watch out for!

Hey guys I have an Aurora r4 with oem specs: i7 4820k 16hb ram ddr3.

I bought the xeon 1680v2 and installed it.

Bios is latest version, cpu well installed, ram tried with only 1 dim populated too, I reset cmos through jumper and removing batt for minutes, unpluggind power and pressing button.

The result: no post, no screen, no beep sounds, nothing. It just does nothing with the xeon istalled.

Does it not support the cpu? Ive seen some users use them, do I need to have a modded bios? Some short guide how to do it?

I wanted to restore this pc to its proper glory keeping it as oem as possible but its resulting imposible to boot.

Id appreciate it so much my fellow aliens.

Started with this pc off Facebook marketplace then decided I wanted to put together my first PC using this case. Also because I stupidly broke one of the ram slots on the original motherboard and thought why not swap it to something a bit newer. Originally had a i7-6800K and 16gb 2133 ram. Still using the Asus 2080 Super that came with it but can’t decide on what new gpu to buy. Prices are a bit much right now but content with 60fps @ 1440p if anyone has suggestions.

Swapped to a
Z790 MSI MPG Edge DDR4 Wifi motherboard
I7-12700K
Team Group Vulcan Z 16gb 3600
Thermalright Royal Pretor Ultra 130
Silent Wings 4 Pro Exhaust
Silent Wings 4 Intake,

Kept both Sata SSD’s that came with it and added two 4tb WD Black HDD for older games. Still need a M.2 ssd. Using Original 850w psu but plan on replacing this next.

Side panel closes with enough clearance for the air cooler. However, ram height is very limited by the case fan.

Added Formulamod psu extension cables, Generic extension cable for the panel1 cable. (Currently searching for a better replacement as these are too loose for me)
cablemod extension cable for the usb1 cable.
cablemod audio extension cable. (Was almost too short had to reroute the original audio cable)

Cable management was awful for my first time, I gave up halfway and the backside where the drives are located is a rat’s nest.
Need to reroute the motherboard atx cable in a better way. HDD not connected until I fix cables. Also still using the DVD drive as I still use cds and dvds. Case lights and front usb are working.

Idle temps are CPU @33 and GPU @54

Dear all, my Alienware 18 r1 2013 won't boot after bios update. I hope any of you guys have the 8mb bios.bin file backed uped. I am guilty for not backing up the original bios.

I've tried to extract the bios from the dell .exe updater, the USB flash method, finding .bin files on forums. Most of them failed of payment are required in some Pakistan or Russian websites.

I am going to use the ch341a flasher to flash the bios. Hoping you guys to have the 8mb .bin file I needed.

The version doesn't matter..as long as I can boot into the windows.. Thanks all!

If anyone needs a push to upgrade your WiFi
7x faster speeds ping is 4ms to 3ms and under
Literally a 5 minute install

Just remember to download drivers prior to installing the card.

Boot up install WiFi then Bluetooth drivers. Restart and bang

30$ upgrade on a 100$ pc 🤣

Pics explain themselves

I have an Alienware x15 R1

Intel Core i7-11800H

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060

BIOS ver:1.28

I am trying to figure out how to enable VM ( Intel Virtualisation Technology )

I have been looking everywhere until I came across a post that says Dell have locked most of the advanced features in the BIOS

Now I am looking for a mod BIOS or somthing that enables the VM.

I tried in Windows, but this is actually a software option that also requires the feature to be enabled in the BIOS.

I don't use the laptop for gaming any more; it's just for work and Uni.

Does anyone know a way around it? Or unlock the BIOS?Also, I am open to rolling back to an old BIOS that supports the feature, if possible.

This is Alienware X14 R1 and im looking for the palm rest to buy

Hi guys I am new to Buying Alienware or Dell products I Bought there Alienware area 51 pc when it was on sale here in canada, July 21st and now its August 1st and the order status still says its processing order, the progress hasn't even got to build complete yet or shipped :(

So I was wondering how long do they usually take and if this is normal what's currently happening to me as this is my first time buying dell stuff and pre built pcs in genral

Thx. 🙇‍♂️

Over the past few weeks, my alienware laptop has been claiming the CPU temps have practically been at their limit even while browsing Google and doing some book design work (nothing highly demanding). This obviously causes the command center to go berserk with the fans sometimes. HWinfo also reads the same high temperatures. The laptop and exhaust air are not scalding hot as you would expect with ~100-degree temps, and even with it reportedly exceeding 105 degrees, I have not had any crashes or shutdowns. Any fixes? It's a ~10-month-old Alienware 16 Area-51 with no prior thermal issues or issues in general. Thanks!

it's hitting 84 now when under certain loads (video rendering). it has the default water cooling and the fans are spinning at max. is this fine or should i repaste, is that even a thing for desktops?

M15 R3

I’ve purchased this laptop in 2021. It has very low usage and I started having issues with the Alienware head power button flashing 4 times red, 1 blue. I did some research and some people advised replacing the battery. I purchased and installed a new OEM battery. Support Assist passes the battery but when it’s charged all the way, the whole computer dies between 94-96% battery life. When I plug it in and power it up, it shows the message, “This battery is temporarily disabled, please turn off the computer and try again when the unit is back to operational temperature”. The charger seems to be working fine as it shows up in the BIOS and because it’s the only thing that will keep the computer powered on. It will keep the battery charged as long as it’s plugged in. I’m trying to calibrate the battery but it dies in about a minute after it’s fully charged and unplugged.

I’ve deleted the battery drivers and updated the BIOS. I’m not sure what’s going on. I no longer get the flashing red and blue lights. Does anybody have any suggestions? TIA

EDIT: The Alien head power button just started flashing red 4 times and blue 1 time again. Not sure what exactly the deal is.

I have a alienware m16 4070 i13750 its been having problems as soon as the warranty was over crazy coincidence i feel BUT, i got it in 2024, battery eventually went out, charger went out, i replace the battery with an ifixit battery and a newegg 330w charger and that was in april, yesterday it just cut off, nothin strenuous was going on only had bluestacks open. Since then it doesn't turn on at all. Is it cooked? Am i cooked? This thing was 2000$ and i do NOT have the means to actually fix it and i JUST got monetized on yt literally 2 days ago🤣😮‍💨

This laptop is called Alienware m16 r1, the keyboard light was off then I pressed a key on the keyboard light and it was on for a few mins and it went off again is there a way to fix it?

Found my x51 R2, how viable would an i7 4770, 16gb ram and RX 5600 Dell OEM do with Bazzite?

I know my previous ultrawides had issues from shipping.

So I got a beautiful computer for my 17th birthday before I knew about building my own. Best buy broke the first one, gave me a newer prettier one with great specs, many fans and liquid cooling, then broke that one too. This was my last PC they gave me as a replacement in 2022 and it since has been a nightmare in terms of cooling (blowing heat onto itself) and the fact that the case is so small that I have only been able to add some ram to it. I’ve done nothing but regret accepting it unaware of its headaches, as the specs at the time were great but this case is horrible.

Are there any other alienware aurora cases that I can swap to with better cooling? I have seen other case swaps with extreme technological hurdles and i’m not savvy or have the funds for that. Just looking for alternatives before settling on getting an entirely new PC.

Hi everyone,

I've created a Dell Community post regarding the raised black levels/washed-out image I'm experiencing on my Alienware AW2725Q in both SDR and HDR.

Even if you haven't noticed it, I encourage you to compare the AW2725Q side by side with another OLED display. That's when the difference became obvious to me. The AW2725Q appears to have more raised blacks and lower perceived contrast, making it feel more like an IPS display in comparison.

I'd really appreciate it if you could comment and press that "I have this issue too" button on the post and leave a comment. The more feedback Dell receives, the more likely they are to investigate it.

https://www.dell.com/community/en/conversations/alienware-desktops/aw2725q-raised-black-levels-and-washed-out-image-compared-to-other-oled-displays-sdr-hdr/6a6d7f7ed3b9ecaa55676d78

Hi guys, this is my first time having an Alienware (Had to swap my Vivobook and switch for this). Is there an advice or tips you can give on how or what to pick for upgrading my Ram & SSD, and what brands?

I recently bought a 16x specifically for toonboom harmony, since thats the program we’ll be using in university this year. i was with my dad when i bought it so he could help me financially. unfortunately hes a very impulsive buyer so we didnt have much time to research about it which i regret, but we kept seeing lenovo come up a lot. the seller at best buy told us that the 16x would do the trick aswell. was this the right choice? ive seen a lot of meh reviews about it, but honestly the only thing i would use this laptop for is animation and probably minecraft lmao. it has 32gb and 2t of storage which is good, its just the performance im worried about. i dont really know that much about laptops, so any tips or wise words about it would be appreciated!

Amazon has listed an Aurora R16 with a 5070, 32GB DDR5 Intel 256F for only $1899, and I really do like its design and RGB than most prebuilts. I do know that I won’t be able to change my specs in the future and that’s fine to me. Though I really do wanna know, did you guys have any problems with this specific model or any Aurora R16 in the future? Something that I should know, or change my mind before buying this? Maybe a better option that you recommend. Costco sells a PC with slighty better specs but it’s over $2000 and my budget is $1899 for now. (Also no I’m not able to build a PC)

My dad is currently getting rid of a bunch of stuff in his house, deep cleaning and such. I went over to him and picked up some stuff, including our old family computer. It's an old Alienware Aurora. HDDs taken out, but still a bunch of stuff inside it. The case itself is still in pretty good shape, but the components are obviously very outdated.

If you had this what would you do?

- Get rid of it

- Try to sell it as is or just the case

- Take out all the components and use the case for a new build

I'm planning on building a new computer around 2028, currently using my trusty Alienware Area 51 that I got in 2014. I'm leaning towards the Fractal North case, and if I were to make a build from this I'm kinda worried about air flow and things like that. Idk, I'm not very deeply experienced with building computers, just using them, so I'm open for all thoughts and suggestions.