Aurora R7, upgrade to i9-9900K?

The tech heads aren't surprised and knew of these Dell restrictions already.

@BOFUS Please don't take my response in the wrong way or as a personal attack, but that's a stupid analogy.

Our R7 machines use the same exact motherboard as the R8 machines; the only difference is a BIOS update that allows the use of the newer intel i9 processors.  The R7's hardware is more than capable of supporting new CPUs.  Dell on the other hand, would rather have you buy a brand new computer instead of doing the honorable thing by providing a simple BIOS update. 

Your Apple analogy on the other hand is poor one.  You can't upgrade a PowerPC board to an Intel board via software for obvious reasons.

Bottom line? Dell is  loyal owners and first adopters in the pursuit of profit.  Simple as that.

I'm rather ticked off that Apple abandoned my 2 G4 PowerMacs (Dual Gig, and Single 867MHz models).  How could they?

: D

Well, complacency never did anyone any good.  You guys should be ashamed of yourselves.

From uTube @Aurora R8 Unboxing @11m15s we see a 'new' motherboard, where R7 got IPCFL-SC, R8 gets IPCFL-SC/R (CovfefeLake / Refresh), therefore R8 experienced some form of mthrbrd revision

In the past, let us say when R4 SandyBridge eXtreme (X79 Chipset) (mthrbrd part# FPV4P) owners were given a Bios update as a courtesy with the then newer Ivy-E mthrbrd (7JNH0), both boards ran the same firmware version A07 or similar, ie the new board shipped with new firmware which was then published for past owners to upgrade with

What I see is that R8 has a Bios 1.0.0 while R7 has a 1.0.17

IMO, if there was to be a Bios update for R7 then the R8 would've launched with let us say 1.0.18, then in a few months R7 & R8 share a 1.0.19 for instance that lets R7 run 9900k 9700k 9600k

The 1.0.0 version suggests 'new mthrbrd's firmware only'

In a world where IPCFL-SC/R should've been a Z390 chipset I did not believe R7 would get a Bios update for the refresh, but because these boards are supposed to share the Z370 chipset I actually would not be surprised if in 2-3 months we see a 1.0.18 or similar for R7 to run new CPUs, but my experience tells me that even in the face of 'no excuses now' that they won't write & release the firmware. It is safe to say that even if they would release it, it wouldn't be now ('harming sales') it'd be later, like Jan/Feb/March. If no Bios update is released by March for R7's for this refresh then you have your answer

The fact that the database says the R8 is backwards compatible w/R7 CPUs suggests 'no excuse not to issue R7 Bios update for forwards compatibility', unless R7 mthrbrd failed their validation to run the 9900k (weak VRM's or similar which is likely), which would then suggest R8 boards are revised for a reason more obvious than just a silkscreen label change to SC/R, a board-level revision as opposed to a 'cosmetic' one

So we were told, the R5 did not get an 'R6' Bios update because the R5 failed validation as a system & could not run 7700k & still be warrantied (it's an embarrassing admission on their part) --> the same circumstance may or may not apply here

Bottom line: 'day zero' 1.0.0 R8 firmware does not bode well as a sign that we're dealing with 'like' mthrbrds (a good sign was if R8's shipped with 1.0.18 as an initial release) but that still does not rule out a future courtesy 1.0.18 for R7's. And it took 'a few months' after new product launch for past owners to get Bios update for newest CPU, so even if one is scheduled to drop it wouldn't be til 2019 most likely

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Having run the SrvcTag of the uTube unboxing desktop I linked to, that 9700k model got the same 30mil MH0HN liquid cooler (radiator) as R5-R7; we of course would like a wider cooler for 9900k of about 49mil, given that the reviewers community suggests the Corsair H80i (@49mil) struggles to keep it cool, therefore equipping with the same stock 30mil would be ... odd ... ... ... unless they throttle the CPU at the firmware level to compensate for the undersized radiator, which would be a red flag & no hope of the 5.0GHz (minimum) overclock everyone else is running in the desktop enthusiast space, where the 'factory overclock' listed as only up to 4.7 would be due to weak thermals / cooling due to old entry-level cooler

Just for the record, a i5-9600k CPU did not work in Alienware Aurora R7 with latest bios 1.0.17.

When I press the power button, the fan would spin momentarily and then shutoff. I was able to put the i5-8400 back in and everything was just fine. 

Also, was able to use the i5-9600k in a XPS 8930 which did get a bios update for the 9th gen CPU support. I wonder if dell will eventually add the 9th gen support to Aurora R7.

I would expect Dell to support the newer 9000 series if the board is compatible and it looks to be.. mostly because we all know intel. In a few years the socket will be obsolete forcing a total overhaul to next gen anyway which would mean no loss in revenue for Dell.  For many of us our tripped out R7s were priced at midrange Areas 51s.

I can't ever see myself buying a 9900K though if the prices remain as they are. That's to much of a premium for the two additional cores when you could easily just grab a Ryzen 2700X and one of the top 5 most expensive 470 boards for the same price. Trade off? Well.. you wouldn't be hitting 5Ghz, but your board would have more features and be higher quality.  Plus Amd is supposed to be releasing a 2800X in Feb to compete with the 9900K. Several rumors out there suggest it may be shipping with additional cores..

Well, I'm still hoping Dell issues a BIOS update down the road.  Even if it takes 6 months or a year.  I don't plan on buying a 9900k anytime soon since the 8700k in my R7 does what I need it to do.  However, once prices on the 9900k come down as newer processors are released, it would be nice to give the R7 at least a few more years of life before considering a new system build or purchase.

If they don't provide a BIOS compatibility update, then I guess I won't ever be purchasing a high-end Dell system ever again.  Simple as that.  If I wanted something that cost a lot of money that couldn't be upgraded, then I should have bought a Mac.

@Alienware-Eimy 

Can you please ask engineering if they're planning to release a BIOS update to allow R7 owners the ability to use 9th gen CPU's?

My own personal experience, just returned an R7 for this reason, amongst others. Bought it a week or so ago, along with aw768 keyboard and aw959 mouse. Mouse was never recognised in control centre and not customisable. Dell maintained there was not an issue and ignored the fact completely, even though my rig came with latest software installed. Finding this out was just another nail in the coffin, so to speak.

if dell cannot or will not support their legacy hardware after they’ve moved on to the next money-spinner, then they do not deserve our custom. This whole approach from Alienware to dell-alienware is one that eradicates the end user and enthusiast and is completely focused on profit and not loyal customers. 

ChrisM pretty much said it all in a single sentence....why support older machines when we can make more money by selling new.

Way to go dell. Brilliant strategy there. Oh, and you can tell Frank Azor to personally go shove his reports of record profits.

I’d be very surprised if dell released a bios that supported next gen cpu’s, for them, it’s not profitable, for us, it means the end of the road for upgrading. For me, I’m glad I bailed when I did and was within my return period. Whatever happened to alienware being upgradable, dell? Or do you only do that with the likes of the Area 51 with this new bios Frank Azor has just tweeted about?

that is a horrible answer. I bought a new $2200 R7 in NOV then 2 months later the 2080ti with the i9's came out. You answer to that is to buy a new pc if I want he most advanced up to date specs so that Dell doesn't lose out on $$$

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@amstel78 wrote:

@Alienware-Eimy 

Can you please ask engineering if they're planning to release a BIOS update to allow R7 owners the ability to use 9th gen CPU's?

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Dell is always strangely quiet when I bring up this question...

I guess profits really are more important than long-term owner loyalty.