Thunderbolt TB16 and Alienware 17r3 15r2 etc

We haven't gotten any reports and as you said, we can't assure that those docking stations will work properly with Alienware systems due to the high power consumption of these systems. They might work fine but not 100% of the time, depending on the system usage.

Let's see if anyone has already tried it.

I've just bought the WD15 for my Alienware 13 R2, and I can not update firmware on Dell Dock (WD15) as recommended by Dell. And I'm disappointed about that.

Has anybody encountered with this problem?

Please, advise.

@Dan: I have an Alienware 15 R3 and a TB16 dock that behaves as yours. It refuses to install firmware update and update thunderbolt drivers. I attempted this because the computer recognizes that there is a thunderbolt dock, but the dock behaves like the old TB15 (network and usb dissapears often).

I've got the r3 with 970m so possibly be OK for power draw. TBH I could live with having to use the laptop power, providing the dock functionality is otherwise OK - and stable.

Hoping somebody here has the dock for use with some other Dell product - I know some businesses use these to simplify connections - and can try with an Alienware laptop.

Fingers crossed...

@E_Admin: Thanks for reply. Your data is useful, as I thought my similar periodic network fallout has to do with the LAN hub.

Please, let me know if you have any progress with the dock firmware update.

@Dan: I have an Alienware 15 R3 and a TB16 dock that behaves as yours. It refuses to install firmware update and update thunderbolt drivers. I attempted this because the computer recognizes that there is a thunderbolt dock, but the dock behaves like the old TB15 (network and usb dissapears often).

@ E Admin - Just to clarify - Dan I think was referring to the WD15 dock, not the TB15 or TB16.

Are you saying you have an TB16 (the subject of my OP, and it still doesn't work correctly?

@hindesite: You're right. I'm using WD15 as the Port Extension for my Alienware 13 R2 when I’m at home. To be precise, there are the USB-keyboard and mouse, USB wireless headphones and RJ45 LAN. All these working via the dock. I have external monitor connected to the laptop directly, as the dock connection makes distortion on the monitor screen.

It's still better than plugging all wires into computer directly, but the sporadic LAN fallout is a bit annoying. I had expected that the WD15 firmware update would fix my problem. But the original WD15 firmware update has not even start on my Dell Alienware 13 R2.

So, it’s working, but I’m not fully satisfied with it.

@hindesite: You're right. I'm using WD15 as the Port Extension for my Alienware 13 R2 when I’m at home. To be precise, there are the USB-keyboard and mouse, USB wireless headphones and RJ45 LAN. All these working via the dock. I have external monitor connected to the laptop directly, as the dock connection makes distortion on the monitor screen.   It's still better than plugging all wires into computer directly, but the sporadic LAN fallout is a bit annoying. I had expected that the WD15 firmware update would fix my problem. But the original WD15 firmware update has not even start on my Dell Alienware 13 R2.   So, it’s working, but I’m not fully satisfied with it.

These Dell docks (both TD and WD) sound like a disaster; and reports of other 3rd party ones are often no better. So much promise, and such poor results.

Hoping @E Admin will confirm what exact dock he is referring to, 'cos I'm still confused :-)

@Dan & hind: Sorry, I only got a TB16 connected, no WD.

Thanks, that's really poor from Dell, because their first TB15 was an unmitigated disaster, and they should have sorted the replacement.

Is the TB16 capable of supplying enough power to the 15r3?

My intent was to get my external two QHD 144Hz (G-Sync) Monitor on my AW 17 R4 to work but unfortunately the TB does only pass through the Intel HD 630 Graphic, not the GTX 1070. You can do whatever you want, reinstall in right oder the driver or what else, there is no chance because the discrete GPU has only two external ports: HDMI and mDP, thats all. The USB-C Port in the back passes only the Intel GPU to the TB16.

Either the designer was not able to think of the iGPU concept or this is technically not possible because you need only an iGPU when you need save energy but when you dock your Alienware you have already unlimited elektricity so you can use your descrete GPU. I really dont understand why this is not described anywhere. They are hiding the limitation and let you imagine whatever you can combine with this ports. On the other hand, the professional notebooks owner like Precision or Latitute doesnt face issues like this - right? Very interesting.

So I guess for decent graphics, we have the Amplifier, or not much at all. Better than nothing, and I look at TB as being useful for a lot of other stuff - particularly docking and storage, rather than power and graphics.

Agree about allowing people to make uninformed assumptions about the combinations of ports supported, with Alienware, the spec ticks all the boxes, but the reality is very different.