Alienware Aurora Power Supply Unit

You are VERY welcome sir. I wish I was able to get charged with a $200 restocking fee. They refused to give me a refund. Although many people are happy with their computer you have experienced first hand the ridiculous tech support and in my opinion made the right decision. The fact that they charged you so much to get your money back shows the type of company they are. I understand they took time putting together your computer but with the amount they sell someone already ordered that same build. Basically they profited off your time. Another post was just made about someone having to pay $500 for a new motherboard. Ridiculous. Im glad you were lucky enough to escape in time LOL. I wish you the best of luck in finding a better dealer to buy a computer or building your own.

" You and AMD are operating under a misconception. The Dell video card is not the same as the retail video card. So AMDs Ati Radeon HD5770 may require 450w but ours does not. We ask the manufacturer to make a Dell OEM (original equipment manufacturer) video card based on our specifications. This means the GPU and Vram are tweaked by our custom Vbios.

I'm surprised Chris wrote that. He was clearly trying to defend Dell's decision to marry it with a 350w PS.

There are no ATI/AMD "retail" 5xxx desktop cards. ATI stopped making their own cards about the time AMD bought them. Most (from various companies) are basic "Reference Design" cards. These Dell desktop cards are likely made by MSI or FoxConn. No, they aren't OverClocked, but no one said they were.

Yes, it uses the Dell VideoBIOS ... so what. The Dell drivers are not tweaked and are exactly the same as what AMD.com provides (again, because they are reference design hardware).

Yes, OEM cards are a little different, but no one ever said they were made by XFX, Sapphire, eVGA, etc. ... anyway, it's the GPU on-board that really matters.

I think the Aurora would have served you fine, but it's your money. If you get a chance, drop back by and let us know what you got instead.

Thank you for the additional input.  It wasn't just the OEM 5770s that bothered me, but they were kind of the last straw.  The other big thing was how much of a pain it would be to upgrade much of anything, given the proprietary PSU cable and starting out with subpar stock parts.  Or it would be doable, but lose many features that you've already paid additional for in the process.  While it's not like I feel the Aurora would have been terrible out of the box, it just wasn't what I really need at the moment, and I unfortunately realized that too late.

I can post my current build if anyone's interested, though I wasn't sure if that was allowed within the confines of this forum.  I'll post it, and if that's not okay, feel free to take it down.

CPU -  Intel Core i5-2500K Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz (3.7GHz Turbo Boost) 4 x 256KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor BX80623I52500K

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115072

Mobo - ASUS P8P67 PRO LGA 1155 Intel P67 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131682

NZXT Phantom PHAN-001WT White Steel / Plastic ATX Full Tower Computer Case

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811146067

Pretty open to all suggestions on the case, I really have no idea what I'm looking for.

GPU - XFX HD-697A-CNFC Radeon HD 6970 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card with Eyefinity

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150517&cm_re=6970-_-14-150-517-_-Product

...or NVIDIA equivalent, like the GTX570.

CORSAIR CMPSU-850TX 850W ATX12V 2.2 / EPS12V 2.91 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready Active PFC Power Supply

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139009

Heatsink - No idea.

RAM - CORSAIR XMS3 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model CMX4GX3M2A1600C9 (Putting in 6 GB)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145260

HDD - Western Digital Caviar Black WD7502AAEX 750GB 7200 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136794&cm_re=western_digital_caviar_black-_-22-136-794-_-Product

That's my potential build, though I'll still do a lot more research before I bite the bullet.  It comes out to around $1250 altogether.  Have any suggestions, feel free to throw 'em out.

Case is nice.

PS will likely not power a second 6970 later ... consider a Corsair 1200w PS.

i5 ? Consider i7-2600K

Wait ... even number of slots and it says dual-channel ... you can tell Sandy Bridge is definitely only targeted at mainsteam. Ok, I've now mostly lost all interest in SB. Good thing SB-E (Z68/LGA-2011) will be here eventually.

Case is nice.   PS will likely not power a second 6970 later ... consider a Corsair 1200w PS.   i5 ? Consider i7-2600K   Wait ... even number of slots and it says dual-channel ... you can tell Sandy Bridge is definitely only targeted at mainsteam. Ok, I've now lost all interest in SB. Good thing SB-E (Z68/LGA-2011) will be here eventually.

The i5 Sandybridge 2500K was stronger than the i7 950 I originally had set up, and is about $100 difference in price, which is why I knocked it back a model. Far as the power supply goes, pushing the budget as is since I'm out $300 on the restocking fee, so I figured the 6970 benchmarks I read would be solid with a single card.  If I really need to down the road, thought I would sell the PSU and upgrade, but again, should be fine with a single 6970 at the moment.  How much are you losing by going to dual channel rather than triple channel memory?

That stinks about the restocking fee. I think if you would have waited to get the system and then returned it under the 30day return policy you wouldnt' have paid anything.

Maybe try to get them to give you the system anyway and then after you get it return it? Tell them you changed your mind again or something. For $300 its worth a shot.

Cons to that set up is the board is only x8 x8 not x16 x16. That is fine for one card but will hurt SLI/Crossfire. Sandybridge is dual channel but I think it will OC realy well. If you can wait for the new socket I would do that. Downside is it may not be untill the 4th qtr of this year.

You could also still get the Alienware and keep it just dont get that 5770 card. That card is underclocked,old and not worth buying.  Get it with the 6870 or something. The system is a really sound and I'm sure you will enjoy it.

There are no ATI/AMD "retail" 5xxx desktop cards. ATI stopped making their own cards about the time AMD bought them. Most (from various companies) are basic "Reference Design" cards. These Dell desktop cards are likely made by MSI or FoxConn. No, they aren't OverClocked, but no one said they were.

AMD said it was not possible to run a 5770 on that small of a PSU. The fact is Dell does not have a magical button that makes this possible. They have to lower voltages/ downclock the card. So they should not say its a 5770. It should be called a 5770e or something. Companies have done this before but made it known to the buyer that the card was slightly different by changing its name. Such as 9800GT changed to 9800GS because of a factory downclock. Dell seems to think they can just sell it as a regular 5770 which it is but at the same time its not at all. The altered 5770s may not be going on auroras though. We just dont know whats going on.

That stinks about the restocking fee. I think if you would have waited to get the system and then returned it under the 30day return policy you wouldnt' have paid anything. Maybe try to get them to give you the system anyway and then after you get it return it? Tell them you changed your mind again or something. For $300 its worth a shot.       Cons to that set up is the board is only x8 x8 not x16 x16. That is fine for one card but will hurt SLI/Crossfire. Sandybridge is dual channel but I think it will OC realy well. If you can wait for the new socket I would do that. Downside is it may not be untill the 4th qtr of this year.       You could also still get the Alienware and keep it just dont get that 5770 card. That card is underclocked,old and not worth buying.  Get it with the 6870 or something. The system is a really sound and I'm sure you will enjoy it.

Unfortunately, that was the first thing I asked.  The order has not yet been cancelled, as the Dell rep said they can't do it until it arrives.  The 30 day return policy states a 15% restocking fee regardless of anything else.  Once it gets here, I have to sign for it, then call customer support, cancel it, get a box in 10 days to ship it back in (that they ship out), then ship it back to them, THEN get my money back in 30-45 days. /facepalm

How much of a hit would I be taking by going x8 x8?  I saw one poster who's board was improperly set to x16 x8, and it really hurt his FPS.  Would I be able to find a mobo that supports both Sandybridge and x16 x16?  Oh, and I guess my previous question too, as how bad the hit would be by taking dual over triple channel memory.

Cons to that set up is the board is only x8 x8 not x16 x16. That is fine for one card but will hurt SLI/Crossfire. Sandybridge is dual channel but I think it will OC realy well. If you can wait for the new socket I would do that. Downside is it may not be untill the 4th qtr of this year.

To clear that up a bit. That board will run a single card just fine at x16 which is what you are doing. It does not support two cards at x16 only x8.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128465&cm_re=1155-_-13-128-465-_-Product

That should run at x16 x16 but its pricey.

Cons to that set up is the board is only x8 x8 not x16 x16. That is fine for one card but will hurt SLI/Crossfire. Sandybridge is dual channel but I think it will OC realy well. If you can wait for the new socket I would do that. Downside is it may not be untill the 4th qtr of this year.

To clear that up a bit. That board will run a single card just fine at x16 which is what you are doing. It does not support two cards at x16 only x8.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128465&cm_re=1155-_-13-128-465-_-Product

That should run at x16 x16 but its pricey.

What about this one? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131687&cm_re=1155_x16-_-13-131-687-_-Product

Seems to be nearly the same, save that the $320 mobo has 4 PCI slots instead of 2 (both at x16 x16), but I'm not planning on using anything other than the onboard sound/no wifi, so...thoughts?

What about this one? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131687&cm_re=1155_x16-_-13-131-687-_-Product       Seems to be nearly the same, save that the $320 mobo has 4 PCI slots instead of 2 (both at x16 x16), but I'm not planning on using anything other than the onboard sound/no wifi, so...thoughts?

That one runs one at x16  x4 if you use two cards from what I can tell.

What about this one? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131687&cm_re=1155_x16-_-13-131-687-_-Product       Seems to be nearly the same, save that the $320 mobo has 4 PCI slots instead of 2 (both at x16 x16), but I'm not planning on using anything other than the onboard sound/no wifi, so...thoughts?

That one runs one at x16  x4 if you use two cards from what I can tell.

Oh, so that's what this line means. "1 x PCIe 2.0 x16 (black, at x4 mode, compatible with PCI Express x1 and x4 devices)"  That explains a lot of the differences in price.  Been looking around and it seems like I'd only take about a 2-5% graphical hit by running x8 x8, though I don't know how that would translate to dual 6970s.  Have to research that a little more.  Thanks again for everyone's time and interest.

How much are you losing by going to dual channel rather than triple channel memory?

Think of it as 2 lanes on the highway, instead of 3. Might not matter as much with an i5 because you have half as many threads going (as compared to an i7).

http://www.ninjalane.com/articles/general_information/dualvtriple/page3.aspx

According to the Intel Block Diagram, SB only supports dual-channel. I suppose it makes sense ... since SB is a replacement for 8xx/1156, not 9xx/1366 enthusiasts platform. I'm talking i7 on the performance desktop. For notebooks (and yes, I suppose mainstream desktops on a budget), SB is a welcome addition.

UPDATE:

Just got off the phone will dell customer support, and it appears I'll be able to get my full purchase price back.  I'm not sure how it happened, or whether it's a loophole, and at this point, I don't really care.  Talked to someone at customer service who told me I might be able to get the full price back, and transferred me to their order line.  I talked to a very polite, knowledgable gentleman who took my information, and then informed me that my Alienware had already shipped.  However, because I tried to cancel it today, and he has that on record, once the package arrives and I ship it back, they will refund me the full purchase price.  That includes the money on the Dell Preferred account, as well as the overflow that went on my Visa, with no restocking or shipping charges applied.  Got a case number and his name, so I can call back and request to speak to him (hopefully he'll be working that day!).

So, some glimmer of hope to those stuck with one attempting to return it.  I know that phone call made my day.