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Dell to upgrade unshipped Alienware orders to Ivy Bridge CPUs for free
Are you among the Alienware buyers who plunked down cold, hard cash for a new M14X, M17X, or M18X preceding the launch of Ivy Bridge, but can't stomach the thought of being stuck with Intel's second gen CPUs? Good news, gaming friends, because if your laptop was ordered, but hasn't yet shipped, Dell's doing you a solid by upgrading the chip automatically for you. Best part is, the company will swap in "comparably-priced" new silicon for free, which leaves you to spend your money elsewhere to prep for your forthcoming Diablo III launch party.
Alienware refreshes M14x, M17x and M18x with new graphics, same old processors
Sure, they may look the same, but Alienware's decided to give what's going on inside its glowing gaming laptops a thorough refresh. Starting with graphics support, the 2012 update of the M14x, M17x and M18x will all be able to handle NVIDIA's 600 series graphics with GDRR5 memory, bolstered by support for the new PCI Express 3.0 -- which Alienware reckons will give double the bandwidth seen on version 2.0. Memory has been given a kick with 1600MHz dual channel memory now the base standard on all three customizable machines, starting at 6GB, up from 4GB in the older models. Capacity for the smaller M14x is locked down at 16GB of RAM, while the large M17x and M18x will be able to utilize up to 32GB. Additionally, these freshened-up models will pack Intel Core i7 processors -- but it's the Sandy Bridge kind. While an Ivy Bridge version is logically the next step, it looks like we'll have to wait for Intel to let its new hardware out to play before we see it in these gaming laptops. On the storage side, Alienware's keen to trumpet new support for mSATA technology, with the new storage medium capable of acting as either a boot drive to optimize Windows or as a caching drive for improved gaming performance -- we reckon the latter sounds like more fun. In fact, with the options of standard SSD, mSATA and more pedestrian storage drives, there's up to 23 different HDD options on the M18x alone. Customization-wise, the M14x also gets the new option of a built-in Blu-ray drive. Audio hasn't been ignored either, with Creative's new Sound Blaster Recon3Di High-Definition hardware folded into each of the laptops, with the same built-in speakers that got the Klipsch seal of approval last time around. Overall, it looks like there should be plenty to chew over in benchmark comparisons between the 2012 update and the models it replaces. Still, we can't shake the feeling that Alienware must be at least planning to upgrade its laptops elsewhere -- perhaps its worth waiting a little bit longer.
Alienware M14x review roundup: a lovely blend of poise and power
Know what happens when you split the difference between an M18x and an M11x? The M14x, of course! We managed a bit of hands-on time with Alienware's middleman back in April, and now the web at large has had a chance to spit their opinions on it. By and large, critics were overwhelmingly pleased with performance, and hardly anyone could find too many griping points. Hot Hardware dished out an Editor's Choice badge, noting that the 14-incher exhibited a near-perfect blend of portability and power -- it's not often that a machine capable of running today's latest 3D titles can also get four hours of battery life. Having Optimus onboard is certainly a boon, but just about everyone also suggested springing for an SSD to really round things out. Folks also seemed to love the apparent lack of bloatware, and while the $1,100+ price tag was certainly steep, the top-tier numbers it delivered definitely helped soften the blow. The long and short of it? Folks looking for a nice balance of mobility and raw horsepower need look no further, but you can humor yourself anyway by digging into the links below.
Alienware adds jitter-killing Killer Wireless-N technology to M18x, M17x, M14x and M11x
And this, friends, is how you make the leap into the mainstream. Bigfoot Networks has been toiling away in an effort to get its gaming-optimized networking guts into just about everything -- there's also a VisionTek GPU with Killer innards, and a trifecta of mainboard makers announced that they too would be joining the bustling integration party earlier in the year. Now, however, the outfit's really got something to hang its hat on: a handshake with Dell's Alienware unit. The Killer Wireless-N 1103 networking adapter will now be listed as an option for the Alienware M18x, M17x, M14x and M11x, promising data rates as high as 450Mbps as well as its Advanced Stream Detect to intelligently classify and prioritize network traffic. Mum's the word on how much the upgrade will be, but based on prior reviews, we'd say the premium will be well worth it for the hardcore among us.
Alienware M18x and M14x first hands-on!
Now that Alienware's latest gaming notebooks have broken free from their classified captivity, perhaps you'd like to know how their form factors stack up? Well, we just so happen to have gotten our grubby paws on the extraterrestrials, and they're looking mighty fine. We'll warn you though, that the chart-topping M18x is a beast in more ways than one -- it may not be a literal 600-pound gorilla, but after one heft of its 16-pound frame we started wondering if luggables were back in vogue. While the M18x's factory-overclocked 4GHz processor and HDMI-input sorely tempted us, we were rather more taken with the Alienware M14x's svelte frame, which should prove quite tempting for those who dig its more petite profile. While it doesn't have the anodized aluminum shell of its big brother the M18x, its red matte plastic exterior has a high-quality feel to it, though we spotted an unsightly seam along the right edge of the prototype unit. It's also unfortunately got a super-glossy screen, but the Klipsch speakers impressed -- much more than a simple gimmick, they're plenty powerful for a 14-inch notebook and sounded fairly crisp. We briefly played Call of Duty: Black Ops on the M14x, and found the keys to have plenty of travel and provided a satisfying click with each press as we wandered Cuban streets, and the touchpad was quite responsive as well (though we didn't have a chance to test its multitouch capabilities). It's heavier than other laptops with similar screen real-estate, but it's still an totally totable PC -- and the heft is a welcome tradeoff in exchange for the added horsepower under the hood as compared to its Jenny Craig competition. %Gallery-121630% Sean Hollister contributed to this report.
Alienware M18x, M14x and M11x R3 finally official, world can now move on
Last week, we received a top-secret communique from Dell's Alienware division, bidding us attend a San Francisco event -- where, we were told, we'd be privy to some highly classified announcements. Of course, this being Dell and not the CIA, we already knew more or less what we'd see: Alienware's latest batch of powerhouse gaming machine. Today, the aliens have landed with two new notebook computers -- the Alienware M18x and M14x -- and a hefty spec bump for the littlest alien in the form of the M11x R3. Each brings Intel's new Sandy Bridge processors and NVIDIA Optimus switchable graphics to the fore, as well as some oh-so-slightly tweaked frames, and the M14x and M18x bring WirelessHD tech to sling images to your screen. The M11x and M14x are available now on Dell's site starting at $999 and $1,199, respectively. For your cash, you'll get 8 hours of battery life in the M11x and 6 hours in its chunkier sibling. Scheduled to land in May, the M18x weighs a scale-tipping 16 pounds, and adds an HDMI input (because PC gamers own consoles, too), and the factory overclocked 4Ghz processor and five programmable keys with up to fifteen different macros for your customizing delight. We're off to get some hands-on time with Dell's new little green (and blue and red) extra terrestrials, so stay tuned... PR after the break. %Gallery-121611%%Gallery-121607%
Alienware M14x laptop now available to order... in Malaysia (update: M11x too)
Well, it looks like those eager to get their hands on Dell's much-leaked Alienware M14x laptop now finally have at least one option, although it might not be the most convenient one. The gaming laptop has just turned up on Dell Malaysia's website, where it's now already available to order starting at RM 4,799, or roughly $1,600. Of course, this is an Alienware laptop, so there's also quite a few higher-end options available for some extra cash, including up to a Core i7 2820QM processor, 8GB of RAM, NVIDIA GeForce GT 555M graphics with 3GB of DDR3 memory (and Optimus technology), and your choice of either a 1,366 x 768 or 1,600 x 900 resolution on the 14-inch display. As for a broader release, Pocket-lint is reporting that both the M14x and M18x will be officially announced (if not released) on April 19th which, last we checked, is tomorrow. [Thanks, koinmove] Update: Looks like the US (or global, perhaps) release for the M14x is indeed on. Or, Alienware's coincidentally teasing something else entirely at the exact same time. Thanks, Jason. Update 2: Ah, and now we have the little M11x R3 showing up on Dell's Australia and New Zealand sites. Thanks everyone. Update 3: As expected, the UK's also getting the M14x and the new M11x. Thanks, Thomas.
Alienware M14x manuals leak out, confirm the gaming notebook once and for all
Just yesterday Dell's leaky website poured out details about the upcoming Alienware M11x R3 gaming notebook, and it didn't take long for its larger brother to follow suit -- today, we've got the full user and factory service manuals for Alienware's M14x, confirming a number of juicy rumors. Unfortunately, there's no mention of a Full HD 1080p LCD screen for the 14-inch visitor from another planet, but there will apparently be both 1366 x 768 and 1600 x 900 options on tap, both driven by NVIDIA's GeForce GT555M switchable Optimus graphics with up to 3GB of dedicated memory. Of course, you'll also find Intel's latest Core i5 and i7 Sandy Bridge CPUs and up to 8GB of RAM, Gigabit Ethernet, SATA 6Gbps and optional 3G / 4G connectivity, optional WirelessHD, a two megapixel webcam, and even a 8-cell, 63Whr battery to make portable gaming vaguely possible. Hit up our source link to see how Dell put this machine together -- and how you can tear it apart -- while we wait for the company to finally make the smokin' hot notebook official, and let us know how just badly our wallets will feel after it rips their innards out.
Alienware's M14x revealed: classic middle-child overachiever, none of the simmering sibling resentment
First, Alienware's M17x got a bit of spit and polish with a new Sandy Bridge CPU and a 3D display, then the M11x got Intel's speedy new silicon too. Now, the middle alien child appears to have gotten a similar makeover. Christened the M14x, rumor has it that Alienware's newest portable rig packs an Intel Core i7-2820QM 2.3 GHz CPU, up to a 750GB 7200RPM HDD, 256GB SATA2 or SATA3 SDD, a robust NVIDIA GT555M GPU, LTE or WiMAX connectivity, and your choice of 14-inch screens: either a 1366 x 768 display or a Full HD 1920 x 1080 LCD. Following its big brother's lead, the M14x also rolls with a pair of Klipsch speakers for hi-fi fragging. No word on when this mothership lands, but with those specs, we wouldn't mind making first contact -- would you?
