Alienware's m3400 ultraportable
By Ryan Block 
posted Dec 30th 2005 3:00PM
posted Dec 30th 2005 3:00PM
Looks like Alienware couldn't be bothered to launch at CES and announced their latest Sentia today, the m3400 14-inch widescreen laptop. This is one of those straddles-the-ultraportable-line laptops that's a solid 4.5 pounds, a number still more than portable enough than to get you by on naught but the most greuling business trips. With it you'll get that whole Centrino thing, a 1280 x 768 screen, a built-in 1.3 megapixel digital camera, gigabit Ethernet, 1394, four USB 2.0 ports, S/PDIF out, a 4-in-1 memory card reader, and a VGA port (you guys know Apple's had DVI on their laptops like for forever, right Alienware?). Prices start as low as $900, but if after all the gift giving you did this holiday season you're not feeling too parsimonious to yourself, Alienware would be more than happy to let you drop up to a good $3,000 on one.
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why do they have to make it so ugly?
No point in mocking Alienware laptops for lacking any given feature... they are all just rebranded Clevos anyway.
What is with the crappy resolution? They should at least go to 1280x800.
I'm not sure I'd prefer to have a DVI out instead of VGA out on a laptop, since all the projectors I've so far encountered at conferences and what-not have VGA but not DVI. Yeah, I know I can get an adapter, but then that's just one more thing I gotta tote around. VGA is fine, especially since I'm typically hooking up to an XGA display. Now for an HTPC, DVI all the way, natch.
Meh it looks more like a immation of the sony vaio t series, but with a bigger lcd. Still like the 2" thick gaming ones more.
It might start at $899, but that money won't even get you wireless card, a decent sound card, nor more than 256 ram. Bah! An 12 inch iBook would be a better gaming lappy than this...that is, if there were decent games made to run on OS X.
Aliens are so 1990's... nice specs though
Didn't Alienware used to mean something? This $900 p.o.s. doesn't even have a (real)video card as an option... lame! Not to mention their site redesign a'la DELL.
Didn't Alienware used to mean something? This $900 p.o.s. doesn't even have a (real)video card as an option... lame! Not to mention their site redesign a'la DELL.
i agree to #1, i think they should redo the design...
the fragbook has a better look them this.
Call me crazy, but I seem to recall that a few months ago Apple got a patent for putting a camera right into the top of the iMac and a laptops as well. Don't be suprised of Apple pulls a lawsuit on this one.
i hope it happens...i didn't know that about the patent
Camera patent? Ive had my Sager/clevo for over a year now and i have a camera on the lid. At least my 15" screen is 1920x1200! All the same hardware as this alienware and under $1800 at pctorque.com
This is not an ultraportable, it is a Thin and Light at best. Ultraportables today weigh less than 3lbs and are less than an inch thick. This is the kind of thing that might get you laughed at a business meeting (or even on a flight). Just get an IBM X41 and call it a day.
LOL, just because you saw it on an apple doesn't mean they invented it. the sony picturebook from years ago had a camera over the screen. i guess i'll just call you crazy.
If you do remember creative came up with the gui for the ipod before apple did. Apple likes to copy alot of people, so dont think they come up with stuff first.
business trips?
why would any pro ruin his/her look by carrying around a laptop as ugly as that
Ive seen soo many comments about the case being ugly and all, and what i have to say to that is who the f*ck cares bout looks. I can have awsome hardware in a crap ass case, or like some ive seen that have pathetic hardware and this case that worth almost the entire system its self.
This is not awesome hardware moron. IBM makes awesome hardware when it comes to laptops. There's nothing special about this plastic junk unless ugliness is special.
It does not look that great they should redesign it.
Where can I get that wallpaper?
These 14in widescreen notebooks are awesome. I just switched from a 17in Sager to a Gateway with the same LCD panel. It's like the perfect laptop form-factor. Plenty of real estate (I define that as being enough to wordprocess two 8.5x11 pages at once) but small enough not to draw a ton of power.
#9
If any lawsuit going around is that Sony is going to sue Apple for stealing the idea of putting a camera on the laptop. More than half a decade ago, Sony introduced the Sony Picturebook, which has a swivel camera built-in. This was my very first laptop, and it was probably the best of it's kind.
The whole Alienware gill look ruins it for me. Lets get a little bit creative with the cover for god sake. Even Dell's XPS laptop looks better and that sure as hell isn't saying much. (Do I really want something that I would put on the side of a camper on my laptop?) For those who are crapping on a good looking notebook. Are looks all that matters? No. But its a factor. For me I'd say 70%/30%. Specs are 70% design is 30%. If I'm going to spend an ass load on a laptop I want it to at least make me feel like I'm driving around in a Porsche not some old ass Citroen. Heres hoping that Apple releases something good in a couple of weeks that pushes laptop designs forward.
PS- The whole Apple getting a patent for a video camera in a laptop screen thing? It will get blown out of the water by prior art. There is NO way in hell this will stand up.
It's a crappy thin and light with a terrible graphic card: "New Intel Extreme Integrated Graphics". So I have no idea why someone would think it has great specs. Plus Intel's next generation chips are just around the corner.
This notebook is an over-priced Trans Am from 1980 with an automatic transmission.
The best priced laptops are Compaqs, i got all the below specs in my new notebook for 850 bucks!!!
- Compaq Presario R4000
- Microsoft(R) Windows(R) XP Home Edition with SP2
- AMD Athlon(TM) 64 3500+ (2.2GHz/512KB L2 Cache)
- 15.4" WXGA Widescreen (1280x800)
- 128MB ATI RADEON(R) XPRESS 200M w/Hypermemory(TM)(dedicated)
- 512MB DDR SDRAM (2x256MB)
- 60 GB 4200 RPM Hard Drive
- DVD/CD-RW Combo Drive
- FREE Upgrade to 54g(TM) 802.11b/g WLAN w/125HSM!!
- 12 Cell Lithium Ion Battery
- Microsoft(R) Works/Money
WOW, its a beauty, its not ugly and the resolution is fine, its laptop goddamit!
nice, nice
Humbug! The graphics chip is lame:
New Intel Extreme Integrated Graphics
Don't get this if your expecting to do more than basic gaming.
check out ASUS's laptops, good specs, nice prices.
Lets see how much everyone can whine. Must be something good about it, or they wouldn't be in business.
I'm pretty sure Apple's patent was for a specific way to implement the camera into the top of the laptop, anyway. It seemed more complicated than just sticking it right there in the top.
#15: Apple patented a "revolving" type camera that could be basically hidden in the top bevel of the laptop. Please don't spout nonsense that Apple claims to invent everything.
Shame that it looks nasty, but mind you I don't think AW have ever put out a product I'd call stylish.
I agree. The resolution sucks on this monitor. I mean if you look at the Dell's there UXGA res on there machine is amazing. - Mario Renda
Uh, IBM doesn't make Stinkpads anymore. THey sold off that line of business to the Far East.
Disclaimer: I used to be a software salesperson for IBM who travelled a lot. Loved my Stinkpad. They're virtually indestructible, but not necessarily pushing the leading edge of features or capabilities. For that, try the Dell Inspiron line (specifically the XPS).
IBM makes hardware?
Try Lenovo. They've made all their laptops for a few years now.
I picked up a 14" TrueBright Toshiba with very similar specs as to post #26 (M chip at 1.5 being the largest difference and 128MB shared video memory and 512x1 RAM) for $450 (after rebates and such), added another 512MB RAM for $40 and I was off.
I think Alienware systems, both portable and especially desktops, are extremely overpriced. Buy a bad-a$$ed case, board and chip you want, load it up with memory and a good sound and video card and you are well under $1k which you can spend on buying a nice display. Remember kids, high price doesn't mean the best. A great example of that is the ATI Radeon X800 XL. Get them on sale now for like $250 and no more than $275 (check pricewatch and can usually get them around $225) and it comes very close to some $450 cards.
Anyway, enjoy :)