Alienware's M11x: A Highly Portable Gaming Powerhouse

Gaming performance no longer has to be sacrificed for portability. New this year from Dell comes the Alienware M11x, an ultra mobile gaming powerhouse. With CES 2010 "Best of" awards from both IGN and CNET under its belt, the M11x subnotebook is sure to please both the mobile power user, and the traveling gaming enthusiast.

The M11x is available as a built to order notebook, although preconfigured base models can be purchased through the Dell online shopping website. Standard stock technical specifications include: 11.6-inch WideHD 1366x768 (720p) WLED display with HDMI output, 1GB NVIDIA GeForce GT 335M GPU, 2 GB of dual channel DDR3 memory running at 800 MHz (expandable to 4 or 8 GB), internal high-definition surround sound audio (5.1), a/b/g/n 2x2 MIMO Wireless, Integrated 10/100 Network Interface Card, and a 1.3MP Web Cam. Customizable technical options include: the choice between SATA II hard drives running at 5,400 ROM or 7,200 RPM, or a solid state drive, and an optional Bluetooth module with 2.1+ enhanced data rate.

Common to any variation of the notebook is the inclusion of an Intel processor. Although the current CPU options are not as cutting edge as the newer "i" series of CPUs from Intel, they still pack quite a significant punch over the typical consumer subnotebook. The two CPUs available when customizing an M11x build on the Dell website are the Intel Pentium SU4100 1.3GHz (2MB Cache) (overclockable to 1.73GHz), or the more modern Intel Core 2 Duo SU7300 1.3GHz (3MB Cache) (overclockable to 1.73GHz).

Described as "the most powerful 11" gaming laptop in the universe," with reported 3DMark06 scores coming in at over 6100, and battery life expected to last 8 hours, the M11x is a portable gamers must have. Capable of playing today's latest power demanding games, no other subnotebook comes close in performance.

Any product negatives? The form factor is nice and light (under 4.5 lbs), although a bit clunky and compared to some of the slimmer, more attractive, and sleeker looking notebooks on the market. The notebook also does not have a built in DVD drive, which for most users may not be a significant issue. Many users will agree; when purchasing a notebook with optional available accessories, whether to have them built-in (at risk of a heavier laptop) or lug them around separately (with risk of forgetting or losing them) is always a topic that is up for debate.

Sources/Resources:

Alienware M11x at Dell.