Netbook Reviews

Alienware are well known for making high powered computers aimed at gamers. So when we first heard that they were working on a netbook type device it gained our attention, along with that of many around the Internet.

The Alienware M11x is an 11.6-inch thin and light laptop which crosses into the netbook realm, but it is of course a very different machine than a standard netbook, offering gaming on the go.

While you can pre-order the M11x now for $799, it won’t ship till March 2nd.

The guys from Hardware Heaven seem to be the first guys to get their lucky hands on the M11x and seem to be very impressed with it. They even go as far as saying it’s one of the best products they have ever tested.

The Alienware M11x features a similar design to the other large Alienware models currently available, it was said to feel very robust and sturdy. It is a little on the heavy side though, weighing 4.5 lbs, which is quite a bit more than the 2.7 – 3lbs netbook / thin and light average.

The backlit keyboard and touchpad were said to both be comfortable and easy to use, along with being quiet. The 11.6-inch 1366 x 768 pixel (720p HD) LCD was said to be bright along with the internal speakers offering a good volume.

Alienware M11x

This mini laptop is clearly aimed at gamers rather than the average ultra portable user, and gaming is where this 11.6-inch machine excels. It features two graphics cores, which can are user selectable by simply pressing Fn + F6, without needing to reboot. The standard Intel graphics are good enough for every day use and surfing etc, but when you feel like gaming you can fire up the NVIDIA GeForce GT 335M graphics.

The M11x can of course also handle 720p and 1080p HD videos without any problems.

It was tested with some of the latest games (Modern Warfare 2, Dirt 2, Left 4 Dead 2) and performed well, pumping out over 30fps at it’s native resolution.

Although the Alienware M11x features a large 6-cell 63Whr battery (which is stated to last 8.5 hours), with all the power under it’s hood it’s not unexpected that it won’t hold out as long as a number of new netbooks. But in their review under general usage it lasted 5 hours 46 mins, dropping to 3 hours 48 mins during HD playback and down to just over 2 hours in gaming.

The BIOS also allows you to overclock the laptop by 20%. Finally the M11x was said to run cool and quiet!

The Alienware M11x is currently available for pre-order for $799!

Via Netbook Choice