The VT4500 is a great piece of kit. It's especially useful since it supports USB 3.0, USB-C and Thunderbolt™ 3 systems for uplink, so even when you sell the 17 R5, you'll be able to keep using it with any other system you get. As of now, it's the most versatile and highest quality dock I've found, and it has worked well with just about every laptop tested. It can also power a device with up to 60 watts, so that's a plus (not that it will power a 17 R5... but still.)
At one point, we did consider going the graphics amplifier route, but at such a high price, with such little connectivity, relatively speaking, it was eliminated as an option.
It works well as a USB hub as long as it is directly connected to the laptop and you turn off "USB Super Charging" from the monitor menu.
After all of this, I feel USB Super Charging is the culprit to blame for all these problems with docks and hubs, but from what I can tell, that cannot be turned off in any of those devices.
Really Dell?? I thought USB stood for UNIVERSAL serial bus. Why, then, do Alienware laptops not work with any USB hubs, including Dell's own monitors? This is unacceptable.
Universal Serial Bus (USB) is an industry standard that establishes specifications for cables and connectors and protocols for connection, communication and power supply (interfacing) between computers, peripherals and other computers.[3] Released in 1996, the USB standard is currently maintained by the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF). There have been four generations of USB specifications: USB 1.x, USB 2.0, USB 3.x and USB4.[4]
I am trying to help set up a dual monitor docking station for my daughter's Alienware 17r5 also, and am really struggling to find a compatible solution that I can feel confident in using. There is not a lot of information available, and often conflicting information, regarding what docking stations will/should work with her laptop.
@Mecka Mais So, are you saying that the VT5000 is the only docking station that you were able to get to work with the system? The lack of reviews/ratings of this model makes me a bit apprehensive. Did you try any of the other VT models [4000/4500/4800]? And do you mind if I ask what were some of the other docks that were not compatible, just so I can avoid those?
Since you are in IT, can I ask if you can offer any information/advice on the Alienware Graphics Amp? Can it be run WITHOUT a graphics card [an additional expensive upgrade] and just as a docking station to run dual monitors [UHD/4K] and peripherals? I have found conflicting reports, and I just don't have the technical expertise to decide if that is a viable and effective option. Any input you could give would be very appreciated. Thanks.
You need a graphics card to run the graphics amp because it’s made to Turn Off the internal discrete GPU and provide more power to the cpu since it’s like a external graphics dock.
I can give you a cheap GPU that can handle dual monitors?
The issue is not dual graphics - most docks seem to handle that just fine. The issue is USB connectivity.
As stated in my last reply, the VT4500 or VT5000 work with this laptop, although my pick is the VT4500 due to the sheer flexibility and connectivity it provides.
I have the same problem here and I'm somehow glad to see I am not the only one.
The Alienware 17 R5 is marketed as a gaming laptop so I really cannot imagine how one can manage with only 4 USB ports when 3 of them are already taken by mouse, keyboard and headset. It is a major design flaw. I am trying since weeks to figure out a setup where I can easily switch between my home laptop and my work laptop while using the same external monitor and USB devices, but that's just not possible.
Whenever a device is connected to the Alienware via a hub, the mouse pointer get stuck every 5 seconds; the keyboard hangs during typing and finally returns a series of identical letters (e.g. typing "Dell" would result in "De", a 2 seconds pause and then "Dellllllllllllllllllllllll"); devices are randomly connected and disconnected with the Device Manager constantly refreshing; there is a faint tapping sound coming from the headset; any RGB keyboard randomly flashes on and off out of nowhere. Over time I've also noticed that my USB external drives have become corrupted, most likely to the connecting/disconnecting issues happening during data transfer. Big no-no.
I completely agree with @Mecka Mais : on a system with so few USB ports the user is forced to use a USB hub. Answers such as "well, this is only supposed to work with the one hub that we develop" are simply unacceptable for a product with such a price tag. I steer clear of Apple products because of that very "closed ecosystem" philosophy, I thought Dell was supposed to be an open system.
First world problems or not, in the end I spent around 3000$ for a system that I cannot reliably work with (not to mention the time and money wasted on troubleshooting).
I was very happy with my purchase, but I've come to regret buying an Alienware and will likely avoid purchasing Dell products for the foreseeable future.
Mecka Mais
1 Rookie
•
6 Posts
0
March 30th, 2021 22:00
Hi JoBuzz,
Sorry for the delayed reply.
The VT4500 is a great piece of kit. It's especially useful since it supports USB 3.0, USB-C and Thunderbolt™ 3 systems for uplink, so even when you sell the 17 R5, you'll be able to keep using it with any other system you get. As of now, it's the most versatile and highest quality dock I've found, and it has worked well with just about every laptop tested. It can also power a device with up to 60 watts, so that's a plus (not that it will power a 17 R5... but still.)
At one point, we did consider going the graphics amplifier route, but at such a high price, with such little connectivity, relatively speaking, it was eliminated as an option.
I have also since tested the Samsung Super-Ultra-Wide (49") PN: LC49RG90SSNXZA
49” Super Ultra-Wide Dual QHD 32:9 Gaming monitor | c49rg9 | Samsung CA
It works well as a USB hub as long as it is directly connected to the laptop and you turn off "USB Super Charging" from the monitor menu.
After all of this, I feel USB Super Charging is the culprit to blame for all these problems with docks and hubs, but from what I can tell, that cannot be turned off in any of those devices.
Good luck!
Mecka Mais
1 Rookie
•
6 Posts
0
June 12th, 2020 10:00
Response from Dell:
Really Dell?? I thought USB stood for UNIVERSAL serial bus. Why, then, do Alienware laptops not work with any USB hubs, including Dell's own monitors? This is unacceptable.
-----------------------------
As per Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB
Universal Serial Bus (USB) is an industry standard that establishes specifications for cables and connectors and protocols for connection, communication and power supply (interfacing) between computers, peripherals and other computers.[3] Released in 1996, the USB standard is currently maintained by the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF). There have been four generations of USB specifications: USB 1.x, USB 2.0, USB 3.x and USB4.[4]
JoBuzz
1 Message
0
July 16th, 2020 08:00
I am trying to help set up a dual monitor docking station for my daughter's Alienware 17r5 also, and am really struggling to find a compatible solution that I can feel confident in using. There is not a lot of information available, and often conflicting information, regarding what docking stations will/should work with her laptop.
@Mecka Mais So, are you saying that the VT5000 is the only docking station that you were able to get to work with the system? The lack of reviews/ratings of this model makes me a bit apprehensive. Did you try any of the other VT models [4000/4500/4800]? And do you mind if I ask what were some of the other docks that were not compatible, just so I can avoid those?
Since you are in IT, can I ask if you can offer any information/advice on the Alienware Graphics Amp? Can it be run WITHOUT a graphics card [an additional expensive upgrade] and just as a docking station to run dual monitors [UHD/4K] and peripherals? I have found conflicting reports, and I just don't have the technical expertise to decide if that is a viable and effective option. Any input you could give would be very appreciated. Thanks.
A51-06
5 Practitioner
•
3.1K Posts
0
July 16th, 2020 09:00
You need a graphics card to run the graphics amp because it’s made to Turn Off the internal discrete GPU and provide more power to the cpu since it’s like a external graphics dock.
I can give you a cheap GPU that can handle dual monitors?
https://www.amazon.com/EVGA-GeForce-Gaming-Single-06G-P4-1160-KR/dp/B0812NYPPF/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=GTX+1660&qid=1594915764&sr=8-1
Use this inside the graphics amp and you’ll get the dual monitor support you want.
Mecka Mais
1 Rookie
•
6 Posts
0
March 30th, 2021 22:00
Hi,
The issue is not dual graphics - most docks seem to handle that just fine. The issue is USB connectivity.
As stated in my last reply, the VT4500 or VT5000 work with this laptop, although my pick is the VT4500 due to the sheer flexibility and connectivity it provides.
Cheers,
Sean
vi3x
1 Message
0
May 15th, 2023 03:00
I have the same problem here and I'm somehow glad to see I am not the only one.
The Alienware 17 R5 is marketed as a gaming laptop so I really cannot imagine how one can manage with only 4 USB ports when 3 of them are already taken by mouse, keyboard and headset. It is a major design flaw. I am trying since weeks to figure out a setup where I can easily switch between my home laptop and my work laptop while using the same external monitor and USB devices, but that's just not possible.
Whenever a device is connected to the Alienware via a hub, the mouse pointer get stuck every 5 seconds; the keyboard hangs during typing and finally returns a series of identical letters (e.g. typing "Dell" would result in "De", a 2 seconds pause and then "Dellllllllllllllllllllllll"); devices are randomly connected and disconnected with the Device Manager constantly refreshing; there is a faint tapping sound coming from the headset; any RGB keyboard randomly flashes on and off out of nowhere. Over time I've also noticed that my USB external drives have become corrupted, most likely to the connecting/disconnecting issues happening during data transfer. Big no-no.
I completely agree with @Mecka Mais : on a system with so few USB ports the user is forced to use a USB hub. Answers such as "well, this is only supposed to work with the one hub that we develop" are simply unacceptable for a product with such a price tag. I steer clear of Apple products because of that very "closed ecosystem" philosophy, I thought Dell was supposed to be an open system.
First world problems or not, in the end I spent around 3000$ for a system that I cannot reliably work with (not to mention the time and money wasted on troubleshooting).
I was very happy with my purchase, but I've come to regret buying an Alienware and will likely avoid purchasing Dell products for the foreseeable future.