PDA

View Full Version : Alienware M11X Hands-On: Fast Ride In a Short Machine [Laptops]



retroremakes
January 7th, 2010, 19:05
http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/4/2010/01/500x_dell68.jpgAccording to Dell, the M11X is the most powerful laptop under 15 inches. And, playing CoD at 30fps, with 720P resolution (on what's essentially a netbook), I fell in love with the little machine.
Let me make this clear: The M11X is unabashedly Alienware. I mean, its LEDs behind the keyboard and thermal grates sort of give that away. I'm not crazy about the plastic case, and I wish the 1366x768 screen were covered in glass instead of plastic. As someone who appreciates minimal design, it's pretty much the antithesis of my taste.
Yet, I still liked the M11X.
While it manages to still weigh in at a hefty 4 or so pounds (your brain doesn't anticipate the weight), it's just an incredible amount of power for an 11.6-inch laptop.
Inside, you'll find an energy-sipping Core2Duo alongside a 1GB Nvidia 335M graphics card—which is fairly insane for the size. But playing Star Trek Online and Call of Duty, I didn't doubt the power. You can't run CoD with anti-aliasing on, but otherwise, the experience is sharp, smooth and surprisingly palatable on the tiny display—keep in mind, I was testing it running off a battery.

The trackpad and keyboard both feel pretty good, too. The trackpad has just enough texture, and the keyboard isn't too cramped with nicely curved keys. The battery is non-removable, but the 8-cell lithium ion polymer lasts 6 1/2 hours casually or 2 hours of full-out gaming. Plus there's a battery meter on the case's underside.
Also of note, you'll find ports galore. 3 USBs, an HDMI, DisplayPort, mini FireWire, VGA and even a SIM slot. Jesus.
But the best news, the news that got me legitimately excited, is that it will be out within a month, specs maxed, for $1000 or under. For that price, you could have an i7 at home, and a little laptop for the road/LAN parties. And why oh why would you ever buy one of those "premium" netbooks again?


http://ads.pheedo.com/img.phdo?p=1 (http://ads.pheedo.com/click.phdo?p=1) http://a.rfihub.com/eus.gif?eui=2226 http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/PCM65aGipc8Fg7Jm6IcSKOw0jV0/0/di</img> (http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/PCM65aGipc8Fg7Jm6IcSKOw0jV0/0/da)
http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/PCM65aGipc8Fg7Jm6IcSKOw0jV0/1/di</img> (http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/PCM65aGipc8Fg7Jm6IcSKOw0jV0/1/da)
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/gizmodo/full?d=H0mrP-F8Qgo</img> (http://feeds.gawker.com/~ff/gizmodo/full?a=LThL8KLghjI:RpsB9A5hA80:H0mrP-F8Qgo) http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/gizmodo/full?d=yIl2AUoC8zA</img> (http://feeds.gawker.com/~ff/gizmodo/full?a=LThL8KLghjI:RpsB9A5hA80:yIl2AUoC8zA) http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/gizmodo/full?i=LThL8KLghjI:RpsB9A5hA80:D7DqB2pKExk</img> (http://feeds.gawker.com/~ff/gizmodo/full?a=LThL8KLghjI:RpsB9A5hA80:D7DqB2pKExk) http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/gizmodo/full?i=LThL8KLghjI:RpsB9A5hA80:V_sGLiPBpWU</img> (http://feeds.gawker.com/~ff/gizmodo/full?a=LThL8KLghjI:RpsB9A5hA80:V_sGLiPBpWU)
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~4/LThL8KLghjI

More... (http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/LThL8KLghjI/alienware-m11x-hands+on-fast-ride-in-a-short-machine)