Alienware 17 Laptop for DK2?

Badass computer. Just tone down the graphics if it can't hang with high settings. That laptop is bound to at handle the DK2 with most games. I have a laptop that has a 7600m radeon with an I7 not even as good as that, and I expect it will at least offer a VR experience on the go from a backpack... with low settings. I also use low poly count in my creations for that reason. What content you play will be the big factor here. You could certainly play anything that is meant for mobile market in VR, but the closer you approach AAA title textures, and poly counts, you will start to lag as you crank up the eye candy.

The 780M is more comparable to the non-mobile 780, rather than the TI. That has a score of about 8000.

Anyway, it's a badass laptop. You should be fine.

Awesome, thanks for the input folks! Cannot wait to try it on the DK2! Order went in on the 19th @ 12:20pm - 4 hours after pre-orders were available... so hopefully im on the first shipment :D

I have identical specs to your Alienware 17" in my MSI GT70 20D laptop. The 780M is an incredible component but I have run into issues with Nvidia's Optimus technology switching to my Intel GPU especially in UE4 which I had to workaround (Thanks to Epics top class support for that one). I've had mine for over a year now and the raw power of this 'Gamer' laptop still surprises me. I get a solid 90 - 100fps in the realistic rendering demo in UE4 (Albeit on a single screen) which I don't think is half bad...on a laptop. Was hard graft convincing the wife t let me buy it though, she soon changed her mind after I showed her the HP workstation laptop prices! :D

Thanks for the further info sir RibbleBibble. I was actually concerned about the Nvidia Optimus tech interfering with optimally using the DK2. I've been reading that Optimus only outputs at 60hz, and that's certainly a problem when people have been saying that no matter if the Integrated Intel card is disabled, the pass-thru still limits the output to 60hz. Apparently 75hz is needed to employ Low Persistance, and that's certainly going to be a problem if Optimus is bottlenecking.

I've been having no problems outputting to an external monitor (being used as a primary screen while playing most games) using the Mini DisplayPort, and I'm hoping it continues to not have much of an issue when I get my hands on DK2 - - I'm thinking of picking up this BlueRigger Mini DisplayPort to HDMI adaptor.

Seeing as the DK2 receives HDMI, I'll have to use that adaptor to source from the DisplayPorts' 120hz refresh rate - - (really hoping that the DP doesn't pass through Optimus, as it seems that the HDMI out on the Alienware does.. please correct me as I'm not sure actually!!)

Anyhow, I'm just hoping the CV1 natively accepts DisplayPort as it's a bit more future-friendly! - -

Hi yes, sorry for the late reply.

I've too have been reading (and worrying about the same issue, as many others have been with these high-end laptops). I fear that all the outputs on these laptops, including a miniDP/DP output through the Intel IGP which is potentially locked to 60hz, is that correct? Not all adaptors actually output at 60hz either. The ones that output higher tend to be still expensive, but surely they are still bottlenecked my passing through the IGP at 60hz. The Alienware laptop you mention sounds like Optimus can be disbaled in the BIOS, but I don't know how many other manufacturers have done the same.

So Optimus technology has potentially downgraded the DK2 to something more akin to the DK1, which is certainly concerning. I am hoping to at least use the laptop to develop with albeit at 60hz /full persistence and then look into acquiring a desktop machine at some other point in the future to use it for 75hz /low persistence. Which is less than ideal!

Ahhhh....This sounds promising though xerospynx!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MyLg57gpMc&feature=youtu.be

Has to be a miniDP to dual-link DVI adapter though.

I bought the Alienware 17 for doing DK2 Demos and it seems that the optimus is preventing them from playing (they simply crash). The one I purchased has the GTX 870M, an i7 CPU, and 16GB of Ram. It is totally decked out. I have also been using an MSI gaming laptop (MSI 15634 Laptop 16GB Memory) that has the GTX 770M and I never had an issue with it when using the DK2. It's too bad they don't consider VR when designing these high end laptops, we would be good customers for them. Not sure if I want to go through all the trouble to get it running at this point (for the Alienware 17) if that even works... Will just send it back to them. Too bad...it's a sexy beast of a machine. If anyone has a recommend Laptop I'd love to hear it, as well as any additional thoughts on the AW 17 and if it can be made to work with my DK2 in more of a turnkey fashion. Thanks.

I recently brought an Alienware 17 laptop this past july for the purposes of developing and demoing the dk2.

Essentially running 16gb and an 880m video card.

I tested it out at the sydney VR meetup where i was demoing darkfield-vr for the developer.
I was surprised to find out that my AW17 could turn off optimus mode through shortcut keys and restarting.

So restarted and only using the 880m, setting the rift to direct mode.
Had some problems with head tracking in the official setup.

But when using the direct mode with darkfield-vr, everything was working properly, head tracking, and a constant 75fps ingame. This was done by simply conencting the dk2 into the hdmi port.

Havent had any other chance to use the dk2, but cybers posts on the australian shipping is promising for my order.

Hope this information helps you out.

It sounds like we have the same laptop then. It was interesting because I tried the keyboard shortcut to turn off Optimus and it did not seem to have any effect. Also I tried to find in the BIOS where to turn it off, and had no luck. The keyboard shortcut for boot up is Fn+F5 I believe. I would love to hear more about it. You caught me in mid-return.

If it works I'd like to keep the machine. Any more insight you can lend would be much appreciated. Also sounds like you did not need to get a dual Link DVI, you were successful simply with the HDMI out.

Thanks for giving me hope, I look forward to hearing more. Silver lining, Dell will give me a $100 credit if I choose to keep it. Guess they don't like returns much.

Thanks,
Jefff