Alienware M17x R.3 3D 17.3-inch Gaming Laptop Review
Alienware’s first venture into 3D gaming comes in the form of the M17x Revision 3 and is about a powerful as it gets when it comes to laptops, particularly if it is as pimped out as the review unit. Less expensive configurations are available, however at those price points you only get a mediocre set of components housed in an attractive looking shell.
The Alienware M17x R3 is powered by a NVIDIA GTX 460M GPU and Intel Core i7-2630QM that runs at 2.0GHz and can Turbo up to 2.8GHz. This 2nd Generation Sandy Bridge CPU features 6MB of cache.
- Intel Core i7-2630QM 2.0GHz (2.8GHz Turbo Mode) with 6MB of Cache
- 4GB DDR3 1333MHz Memory
- 17.3-inch 1920×1080 120Hz WLED Display with NVIDIA 3D Vision Bundle
- NVIDIA GTX 460M 1.5GB GDDR5 Graphics Card
- 320GB 7200RPM Hard Drive
- 802.11 g/n Wireless
- Dual Layer DVD Burner
- Two USB 3.0/2.0 Combo, One eSATA/USB, One HDMI 1.4, One Mini-Display, One VGA Port
- 9-in-1 Media Card Reader
- Windows 7 Home Premium 64-Bit
- 16.14″ x 11.96″ x 1.77″
- 9.4 Pounds (Starting Weight)
Very few people including hardcore gamers would ever use the kind of horse power that combination is capable of delivering, however for pure wow factor it is hard to beat, boasting a beautiful black slab aesthetic, Blu-ray drive and illuminated keyboard and if your gaming laptop is just as much about making a statement as playing games, few do it as well as the M17x r3.
With a matte black all-over finish that makes the laptop look like an imposing slab of high-frame-rate granite the M17x is most certainly aesthetically pleasing. The backlit outlined touchpad is made of the same material and looks very cool but can be difficult to use because it is hard to know when your finger slides off the edge without physically checking.
The M17x r3 contains a row of touch sensitive buttons etched right into the chassis and conveniently place just above the keyboard, which can be used for turning on the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth antennas and for launching the lighting control app that Alienware is famous for. The look is certainly very cool, however you do have to hold your finger on the buttons for a few seconds in order to generate a response.
The M17x comes with a backlit keyboard, a touchpad border, and the Alienware logo, and touch control buttons are also backlit.
The Alienware M17x r3 comes with a 17,3-inch wide screen Full HD display which offers a native resolution of 1920×1080. It is possible to get a lower resolution display, but if you feel the need to save cash on a machine, then this model is perhaps not the one for you.
Hard drive space is also a bit scarce at 320GB, although it is a fast 7200RPM model. However, you can purchase two 320GB drives in RAID 0 configuration for $150 more. Another option you may want to consider is upgrading to a Blu-ray drive, since the display features HD resolution.
The combination of Intel and Nividia chips makes the M17x R3 nearly unbeatable when it comes to benchmark testing easily outperforming other high end multimedia laptops. While it may be difficult to notice the difference when it comes to casual internet use or office applications, it does become apparent when it comes to gaming, and it must be said that the performance is impressive.
With all that power it would be reasonable if you expect that battery life would not be the strong suit of the M17x and our testing proved that assumption to be correct, with the laptop running for just 1 hour and 27 minutes on a video playback battery drain test, which is average for a high end desktop replacement and the reason behind why these laptops are plugged in most of the time.
All in all the M17x R3 delivers on the promise of being a top of the range high end desktop replacement, and if you have the cash, then it is something you should definitely consider
>> Click here to order Alienware with Dell Australia
Alienware Aurora ALX Desktop – Review
The Alienware Aurora ALX desktop is making waves in the gaming segment of the markets, with the mid tower desktop featuring a second generation higher end Intel Core i7-2600 CPU with 8MB of cache as part of the basic configuration.
- Intel Core i7-2600 Processor with 8MB Cache
- 8GB Dual Channel 1333MHz DDR3
- Dual NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 1GB GDDR5 Graphics Cards
- 1TB SATA 3Gb/s 7200RPM Hard Drive
- 24x CD/DVD Burner
- 875W Power Supply
- Alienware Multimedia Keyboard
- Alienware Optical Mouse
- Windows 7 Home Premium 64-Bit
- Mid-Tower Case
If you are considering buying this machine, it would be better to upgrade to 2600K processor, and regardless of the processor the Aurora ALX also features CPU liquid cooling regardless of the processor your select.
The Alienware Aurora ALX boasts the new Sandy Bridge chips, and offers 8GB of dual channel 1333MHz DDR3 memory.
The basic configuration of the Alienware Aurora ALX is roughly $1,900, which is slightly more expensive than most midrange gaming PC’s, its main drawback is the memory in the basic configuration, which can be upgraded for extra cash and upgrading the slower memory to 16GB of 1333MHz RAM is $150 which is well worth considering.
Graphics on the Aurora ALX is hard to beat, boasting dual NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 1GB GDDR5 video cards. Enthusiasts can go a step further and upgrade this to two AMD Radeon HD 6950 2GB cards, to create the ultimate gaming machine which offers above average frame rates in the latest games even at high settings.
Whether you upgrade from the original GTX 460 video cards to the CrossFireX 6950 graphics the latest games run easily, and for those wanting 3D capability, the Aurora R3 can be paired with an optional NVIDIA 3D Vision Kit with the GTX 460 graphics cards and a compatible monitor to play games in stereoscopic 3D.
The Aurora ALX provides ample storage space thanks to a 1TB 7200RPM hard drive. Options for solid state hybrid drives, as well as full-blown SSD models or RAID configurations, are available.
The overall design of the Alienware Aurora ALX is nice, offering customizable lighting, and 160,000 different lighting combinations and the chassis also enables easy upgrades.
The Aurora ALX is a powerful and fast gaming desktop with a good design and the option of transforming it into a powerhouse through customization. Some of the upgrades however can be a tad bit expensive and however the basic configuration is well equipped for a decent price.While the speed of memory is a minor pitfall, the speedy Sandy Bridge processor and dual graphics cards do wonders for performance.
>> Click here to order Alienware with Dell Australia
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