Dell Inc. acquired Alienware as a subsidiary in March 2006; however, Alienware was established about 10 years ago. Alienware had specialized in high performance desktops, laptops and workstations. Previously, most major manufacturers, including Dell had failed to see the potential of the high performance gaming market. As the demand for gaming laptops grew, Dell was drawn towards Alienware.
Alienware's name itself as well as the names of its company products are inspired by the successful TV series, The X-Files. Even the designs of its laptops have extra-terrestrial themes.
Alienware's absorption into Dell did not result to drastic changes to its products. Alienware actually got a lot of leverage now since it still has autonomy with regards to design and marketing while it benefits from Dell's supply chain, purchasing power, and production capabilities.
There's no doubting the fact that the Alienware M17x is a gamer's machine. The design is not ambiguous at all. LED lights are found everywhere on the M17x and we especially like the option that allows the user to customize the lighting combo.
Like most gaming laptops, the M17x is quite heavy. And it is made heavier due to the metal trimmings, the eccentric design, the chassis, and its internal parts. Even the lid is heavy. Portability is decreased since we doubt that people would enjoy carrying this much weight around.
We like its full-sized keyboard that's as responsive as any laptop we've tried. The M17x is able to do multimedia tasks extremely well. The figures say it all: 17-inch display with a 1920 x 1200 high-definition resolution. In addition, its speakers produce clear and loud sounds.
Alienware does claim that the M17x is the "the most powerful laptop in the universe." We're not sure about that but we'll go along and say that it ranks quite high on that list. The laptop is equipped with two Nvidia's GeForce GTX 280M graphics cards and a 2.53-GHz Intel Core 2 Extreme Quad QX9300 CPU. With these, no game would be too heavy to play.
Other features of the M17x include HDMI, VGA, Ethernet, four USB 2.0, eSATA, DisplayPort and FireWire ports, plus, a memory card reader, and an ExpressCard/54 slot.
SPECS AVAILABLE OPTIONS (From Dell's website)
CPU - Intel Core 2 Suo P8600 (3MB Cache, 1066MHz FSB) up to Intel Core 2 Extreme Quad QX9300 (12MB Cache, 1066MHz FSB)
RAM - 4GB, 6GB, 8GB DDR31
Screen Size - 17-inch WideXGA+ 1440 x 900 - (900p) LCD, 17-inch WideUXGA 1920 x 1200 - (1200p) LCD
Operating System - Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium (64-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate (64-bit)
Battery Life - About 3 hours
Graphics - Single 1GB GDDR3 NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260M, SLI Dual 1GB GDDR3 NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280M
Pros
It's difficult not to obsess about the Alienware M17x with its many top-of-the-line features and sheer power. We like its style and its sturdiness. Most people would definitely find the customization options useful, plus has outstanding graphics. Because it can be easily configured, it is more practical than others.
Cons
The weight of the Alienware M17x is a minor problem. Upgrading the device is costly as well as causing more inconvenience since it adds more weight. Its battery life leaves much to be desired.
Conclusion
We recommend the Alienware M17x to gamers, consumers, and businesspersons alike. It is just that good. If you don't mind the aching of your shoulder after lugging it around a few times or if it stays on the desk most of the time anyway, then this laptop should definitely be considered a major contender for most people's attention and money.
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