Engadget

Dell to upgrade unshipped Alienware orders to Ivy Bridge CPUs for free

Michael Gorman — Fri, 04 May 2012 07:29:00 EST

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.

Dell to upgrade unshipped Alienware orders to Ivy Bridge CPUs for free originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 May 2012 07:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alienware refreshes M14x, M17x and M18x with new graphics, same old processors

Mat Smith — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 04:00:00 EST

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.

Gallery: Alienware M18x, M17x, M14x gaming laptop refresh (2012)

Alienware refreshes M14x, M17x and M18x with new graphics, same old processors originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Apr 2012 04:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alienware adds jitter-killing Killer Wireless-N technology to M18x, M17x, M14x and M11x

Darren Murph — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 08:00:00 EST

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.

Continue reading Alienware adds jitter-killing Killer Wireless-N technology to M18x, M17x, M14x and M11x

Alienware adds jitter-killing Killer Wireless-N technology to M18x, M17x, M14x and M11x originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jul 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NVIDIA announces GeForce GTX 580M and 570M, availability in the Alienware M18x and MSI GT780R (updated: MSI says no)

Dana Wollman — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 09:00:00 EST

We know you're going to be shocked -- shocked! -- to hear this, but NVIDIA's gone and refreshed its high-end line of GeForce GTX cards. The GTX 580M takes the place of the GTX 485M, and NVIDIA's bragging that it's the "fastest notebook GPU ever," capable, we're told, of besting the Radeon HD 6970M's tesselation performance by a factor of six. The new GTX 570M, meanwhile, promises a 20 percent speed boost over the last-generation 470M. Both 40-nanometer cards support DirectX11, OpenCL, PhysX, CUDA, 3D Vision, Verde drivers, Optimus, SLI, and 3DTV Play. As for battery life, NVIDIA's saying that when coupled with its Optimus graphics switching technology, the 580M can last through five hours of Facebook, but last we checked, that's not why y'all are shelling out thousands for beastly gaming rigs. You can find the 580M in the Alienware M17X and M18X (pictured) starting today, though you might have to wait a week or so for them to ship. Meanwhile, ~~the 570M is shipping in the MSI GT780R as you read this, and~~ you'll also find the 580M in a pair of 3D-capable Clevo laptops: the P170HM3 and the SLI-equipped P270WN. Handy chart full 'o technical details after the break.

Update: An MSI rep has let us know that contrary to earlier reports, the GT780R is not currently available with the 570M graphics card. The company added that it will offer some unspecified laptop with the 570M sometime in the "near" future. It's unclear if that laptop will, in fact, be the GT780R.

Continue reading NVIDIA announces GeForce GTX 580M and 570M, availability in the Alienware M18x and MSI GT780R (updated: MSI says no)

NVIDIA announces GeForce GTX 580M and 570M, availability in the Alienware M18x and MSI GT780R (updated: MSI says no) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Jun 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Klipsch speakers coming to Alienware's 3D-enabled M17x gaming laptop

Darren Murph — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 09:00:00 EST

Altec Lansing does it, as does Harman Kardon. Oh, and lest we forget about Beats. We're talking about companies that have gone the extra mile (and paid a certain price) to get their speakers into the shells of laptops, and now the fine folks at Alienware are grabbing a top-tier name of their own: Klipsch. Despite being snapped up by Audiovox a few months ago, the outfit's powering ahead with an apparent plan for expansion. Today, Alienware's launching its first-ever Klipsch-equipped laptop, the 3D-enabled M17x. Not only will buyers find Intel's newest Sandy Bridge CPUs, a 1080p 3D panel, custom lighting controls and an HDMI input, but they'll also be gifted with a set of Klipsch drivers and MaxxAudio 3 software from Waves. Hard to say if the partnership will soon bleed over to even more of Alienware's machines, but all logical signs are pointing to "yes." As for this guy? It'll ship this month starting at $1,499.

Continue reading Klipsch speakers coming to Alienware's 3D-enabled M17x gaming laptop

Klipsch speakers coming to Alienware's 3D-enabled M17x gaming laptop originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 Mar 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell, Gigabyte and MSI pull products in wake of Sandy Bridge chipset flaw, HP faces delays (updated)

Vlad Savov — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 04:31:00 EST

Every time we write about Intel's flawed Sandy Bridge chipset and the need for it to be physically replaced, the financial costs go up. Intel initially projected a $300 million hit to revenues, but then it set aside $700 million to cover repairs and replacements, which together brings us to the current estimate of $1 billion lost in "missed sales and higher costs." Those missed sales will be coming directly from guys like MSI and Gigabyte, two of the major motherboard makers, who have stopped selling their Sandy Bridge-compatible models until Intel delivers untainted stock, and also Dell, who has nixed availability of its Alienware M17x R3 gaming laptop. CNET did spot that HP and Dell were still selling laptops with the offending chipset in them yesterday, but we imagine both will get their online stores straightened out in due course. For its part, HP says it's pushing back a business notebook announcement due to this news, much like NEC has had to do. Moral of the story? Don't let faulty chips out of the oven.

Update: Dell says the M17x R3 is just the tip of the iceberg here: "This affects four currently available Dell products, the XPS 8300, the Vostro 460, the Alienware M17x R.3 and the Alienware Aurora R.3, as well as several other planned products including XPS 17 with 3D. We're committed to addressing this with customers who have already purchased one of the four products and will provide further details on this as it becomes available."

[Thanks, geller]

Dell, Gigabyte and MSI pull products in wake of Sandy Bridge chipset flaw, HP faces delays (updated) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 02 Feb 2011 04:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell Alienware M17x and Aurora hands-on

Joanna Stern — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 20:28:00 EST

It's true, Dell unleashed two new Alienware systems this morning, and naturally we just had to check out the two epically powerful rigs in person. We spent the most time with the new 17-inch M17x, and while the chassis has been updated, it's still loaded with lots of LEDs, a trippy color-changing backlit keyboard, and chrome accents. The lid and edges have been given a more chiseled aesthetic, so we'd say it looks more muscular than ever. Obviously, the big story with the M17x is that it is now 3D capable. The full HD display is seriously beautiful, and while we didn't get to check out a Blu-ray 3D movie on the rig, we can only imagine how breathtaking the experience is going to be. We did, however, get to check out its new integrated 1080p streaming capability, which actually is based on an integrated ~~WHDI solution~~ SiBEAM WirelessHD. You'll need to pick up an extra box and hook it up to your TV, but in the demo we saw there was absolutely no lag between the clip of Final Fantasy on the laptop and on the TV. The unit we saw hanging around was packing a new Core i7 CPU and NVIDIA graphics, but it will apparently be available with AMD's latest graphics as well.

We also caught sometime with the new Aurora desktop, but like we said it wasn't much. The tower is still crazily-lit, but has been updated with the most powerful overclockable Intel Core i5 and i7 Sandy Bridge processors as well as new NVIDIA graphics that support 3D Vision. The Aurora should be available this month for a starting price of $1,799 and the M17x for $1,499 on January 10th. Hit the break for some more images and the source link for Engadget Spanish's short video.

Gallery: Dell Alienware M17x and Aurora hands-on

Dell Alienware M17x and Aurora hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 06 Jan 2011 20:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell refreshes Alienware M17x, Dell XPS 17 with 120Hz 3D HD screens, Sandy Bridge CPUs

Sean Hollister — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 18:14:00 EST

Got a hankering for some NVIDIA 3D Vision in a new laptop PC? Dell's making it happen with some component upgrades on its high-end Alienware M17x and XPS 17 laptops. It seems Round Rock came across a few shipments of a 17-inch, 1080p panel with a 120Hz refresh rate, perfect for interfacing with NVIDIA's shutter glasses, and is including it (along with a new NVIDIA GeForce GT 555M for the XPS 17) as premium options. They'll also both sport Intel's new Sandy Bridge processors. Dell's press release doesn't specify if a set of 3D glasses will come with the new laptops, nor how much the upgrade will cost, but a 3D-capable M17x will start at $1,499 starting January 10th, and a stereoscopic XPS 17 will run $1,449 on February 1st. You do the math.

Updated: We got to check out the XPS 17 3D after the presser. Those looking for 3D in the XPS chassis won't be dissapointed -- Alice in Wonderland looked pretty great in three dee. We also got to check out the M17x -- hands-on with that one here.

Gallery: Dell XPS 17 3D hands-on

Continue reading Dell refreshes Alienware M17x, Dell XPS 17 with 120Hz 3D HD screens, Sandy Bridge CPUs

Dell refreshes Alienware M17x, Dell XPS 17 with 120Hz 3D HD screens, Sandy Bridge CPUs originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 06 Jan 2011 18:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alienware M17x laptop said to be suffering from power-related GPU issues

Donald Melanson — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 05:41:00 EST

Well, it looks like at least some Alienware M17x laptop owners just can't catch a break. While the previous so-called DPC latency issue has apparently finally been resolved, a number of users are now reporting another issue that's only become apparent after the earlier problem was fixed. As it turns out, the symptoms are similar to the stuttering caused by the DPC latency issue (hence the confusion), but the new problems are being blamed on power issues -- namely, that the GPU is drawing more power than the laptop can provide. Worse still is that it seems like those with the highest-end configuration are the most likely to experience the problem, as they're effectively maxing out an already maxed-out system. For its part, Dell has apparently fixed the issue in the most recent revision of the laptop, but users on the Notebook Review forums are reporting that the company hasn't exactly been eager to dish out replacements for everyone affected (which seems to be the only surefire "fix" available).

[Thanks, Adam]

Alienware M17x laptop said to be suffering from power-related GPU issues originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 05:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Unreleased Alienware M17x spotted running next-gen Intel Sandy Bridge chip

Paul Miller — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 17:33:00 EST

Intel's full unveil of the next-gen Sandy Bridge processor line isn't due until January, but the products are already starting to leak out. The M17x is our second 17-incher (HP's dv7 being the first), and this time we've got in-the-wild shots and benchmarks to chew on. In 3DMark06 a 2GHz Core i7-2630QM machine running Intel's integrated graphics scored 15,940, while a 2.2GHz i7-2720QM with AMD Radeon HD 6900M graphics nailed a 20,155 mark, and a 2.3GHz i7-2820QM chip paired with a GeForce GTX 460M GPU did 16,957. Of course, these numbers are supremely preliminary, but it sounds like Intel's integrated graphics are (finally) starting to pull their weight, just like Intel keeps promising. Otherwise, the M17x looks to be mostly unchanged, which is probably good news for gamers, bad news for anyone hoping Alienware would pursue some new sort of "understated" design language in 2011.

[Thanks, vikingrinn]

Unreleased Alienware M17x spotted running next-gen Intel Sandy Bridge chip originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Dec 2010 17:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alienware M17x now shipping with dual 1GB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5870 GPUs

Darren Murph — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 12:22:00 EST

Tossing a pair of GPUs into a single, beastly laptop ain't nothing new -- in fact, Alienware's own M17x has been offered in such a way since last year -- but having said machine arrive at your doorstep with a pair of ATI's world-beating Mobility Radeon HD 5870s has been downright impossible until now. The earliest of adopters are now reporting (with ear-to-ear grins, to boot) that their dual 1GB HD 5870-equipped M17x machines are finally shipping, and we suspect it'll only be a matter of time before those CrossFire assisted benchmarks surface to make our existing lappies look patently pathetic. So, hit that inbox once more and tell us if you've seen a shipping notification of your own -- and if you've already got your unit in hand, why not expound with a few opinions on how things are running?

[Thanks, Max]

Alienware M17x now shipping with dual 1GB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5870 GPUs originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 26 Apr 2010 12:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell issues Alienware M17x stuttering audio fix, will it stick?

Tim Stevens — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 00:15:00 EST

About a week after we ran an update on the Alienware M17x stuttering audio problem, Dell's community manager John B. has written in to let us know that the company has posted a fix. It entails using a particular BIOS revision, dropping to the Windows native mass storage driver, and installing the latest Alienware wireless card driver, all of which are available for download at the source link below. In Dell's testing this has removed the latency spikes that have caused the rather undesirable audio st-st-stuttering issues, but many commenters over at Direct2Dell aren't so sure, indicating that this targeted fix is actually a miss and that things are no better. If you're affected, give this fix a shot and let us know whether you have success. If not, perhaps the registry tweak we posted before will do the trick.

Update: Seems this is an improvement for many, but not a 100% fix. Mark wrote in to point us to the discussion happening over at the NotebookReview.com forums which, combined with your comments below, makes it seem like we're perhaps not done here just yet.

Update 2: Another update from John B. at Dell, indicating that Alienware representatives have started hopping into their UFOs and visiting the homes of affected laptop users, Whitley Strieber-style. No formal update to this (apparently less than comprehensive) fix has been released yet, but information retrieved directly from the users should lead to some final resolution. We hope.

Update 3: GIRs91MJ commented to let us know of a beta fix posted by Dell that supposedly goes a long way toward fixing the problem. You know what they say about beta drivers (unclean!) but if you're desperate for a fix, give it a go.

Dell issues Alienware M17x stuttering audio fix, will it stick? originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 21 Feb 2010 00:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Still no fix in sight for Alienware M17x stuttering audio issue, maybe you can help

Tim Stevens — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 11:23:00 EST

Back in November we reported on another in what's becoming a long line of issues with Dell's and Alienware's laptops, with M17x owners suffering from "skipping, stuttering audio" -- rather unbecoming in a high-end gaming rig. Dell was quickly on the case and initially indicated that a BIOS update last month contained a fix, only to learn that it didn't resolve all things for all people. There's still no proper resolution in sight, but Dell's Community Manager John Blain has told us that "getting the community more closely involved with this is going to be key." If you have an affected M17x John is asking that you stop on over to the Direct2Dell blog and shoot him a message with your machine's vitals. He's pledging to aggregate everything together and "expedite a resolution for those affected." Godspeed, mobile gamers.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Update: Tipster Adam wrote in with a fix that worked for him -- check out his advice in full after the break.

Continue reading Still no fix in sight for Alienware M17x stuttering audio issue, maybe you can help

Still no fix in sight for Alienware M17x stuttering audio issue, maybe you can help originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 12 Feb 2010 11:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alienware's Core i7-equipped M15x and M17x now available to order

Darren Murph — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 12:47:00 EST

Alienware didn't drop too many details about how it was revising its M15x and M17x gaming lappies back at CES, but now both of those are finally ready to be ordered by the drooling masses. The "little" guy is available with a Core i3, Core i5 or Core i7 processor, your choice of a 512MB NVIDIA GeForce GT 240M or 1GB GeForce GTX 260M, a 1,600 x 900 or 1,920 x 1080 15.6-inch WLED panel, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, 250GB HDD (or a 128GB / 256GB SSD for those with the coinage) and plenty of lights to go around. The big brother can be ordered with a Core i7-920XM processor, dual 1GB GeForce GTX 280M GPUs (or a pair of Radeon Mobility HD 4870s), optional Blu-ray drive and pretty much anything else you can imagine. Follow the links below if you're eager to be first in line -- the M15x gets going at $1,199 (and should ship early next month), while the M17x starts at $1,799 with a Core i7.

[Thanks, Joshua]

Alienware's Core i7-equipped M15x and M17x now available to order originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 29 Jan 2010 12:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alienware M17x and M15x gaming laptops get revamped, OptX AW2310 LCD gets introduced

Darren Murph — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 13:23:00 EST

Dell's spitting out all sorts of new gear today, and if the miniaturized M11x just ain't your cup of tea, maybe the beasts known as the M15x and M17x will fit the bill. Both of Alienware's flagship gaming laptops have received a well deserved refresh today, with the 17-incher (starts at $1,799) getting a Mobile Core i7 CPU and twin GPUs; the little brother has also been tweaked somewhat, and it starts at a reasonable-for-Alienware price of $1,399. In related news, the $499 23-inch OptX AW2310 LCD has been announced for the 3D gamer set, offering up a 1080p resolution and support for NVIDIA's 3D Vision Kit.

Continue reading Alienware M17x and M15x gaming laptops get revamped, OptX AW2310 LCD gets introduced

Alienware M17x and M15x gaming laptops get revamped, OptX AW2310 LCD gets introduced originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Jan 2010 13:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alienware M17x owners complaining of 'skipping, stuttering audio,' with no fix in sight (updated: fix in sight!)

Joseph L. Flatley — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:11:00 EST

Sorry, dudes and dudettes: It seems that a number of you who've purchased Alienware M17x rigs are running into some serious latency issues, particularly skipping and stuttering audio. According to a reader named augur, he has pinged the company, from whom he has received "no positive response or resolution." In addition, we've come across a number of detailed complaints from users all over the Interwebs, including postings on the Notebook Review and Dell Community forums. So what's the deal, Dell? Are you on this, or what? And dear readers, have you been running into problems with your Alienware?

[Thanks, augur]

Update: Dell and Alienware pinged us to say that they are aware of the issue and making strides to issue a fix. Huzzah!

Filed under: Laptops

Alienware M17x owners complaining of 'skipping, stuttering audio,' with no fix in sight (updated: fix in sight!) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alienware M17x with dual-GPU review roundup

Ross Miller — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 20:16:00 EST

There's no question that Alienware's M17x with dual-GPU system is one the most powerful -- if not the most powerful -- laptop out there right now, but at 15.4 pounds and a sub-two hour battery life, the definition of "laptop" is being stretched a bit here. A handful of reviews have hit the interwebs, and the none too startling consensus is you'll be paying for the best here, especially with configuration options that can slot up to $5,000 -- CNET Australia suggests looking at the ASUS W90 if you want a better bang for your buck. The capacitive buttons above the keyboard aren't too responsive, there's no multitouch, and Hot Hardware noticed some flex in the center of the keyboard, but on the flip side, you'll be running full HD video and the most taxing games with little to no strain -- and if you like your keyboard to look like a light show, there's eight different sections to customize with different-colored LEDs. Guide your mouse to the links below for more in-depth discussion.

Read - Hot Hardware Read - CNET Australia
Read - Co-Optimus
Read - PCPro

Filed under: Laptops

Alienware M17x with dual-GPU review roundup originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 Aug 2009 20:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alienware M17x gaming laptop gets "special edition" Nebula Red color option

Donald Melanson — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 19:53:00 EST

Not satisfied with a gaming laptop that can be maxed out with a top-end Core 2 Extreme Quad processor and dual NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280M graphics? Then how about a red gaming laptop that can be maxed out with a top-end Core 2 Extreme Quad processor and dual NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280M graphics? That, as you might have deduced, is the latest option available on the "all powerful" Alienware M17x laptop, which takes the red accents already found on the laptop and runs with 'em (check the gallery below for a closer look). Of course, "special editions" rarely come free, and this new Nebula Red color option is no exception, with it setting you back an extra $99 on top of the laptop's $1,799 base price.

Gallery: Alienware M17x gaming laptop gets "special edition" Nebula Red color option

Filed under: Gaming, Laptops

Alienware M17x gaming laptop gets "special edition" Nebula Red color option originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 16 Jul 2009 19:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alienware M17x unboxed... by Mr. Bicep

Nilay Patel — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 19:40:00 EST

We noted that Alienware's "All Powerful" M17x gaming laptop was a hefty beast when we got our hands on it last month, so who better to unbox this 11.5-pound monster than Bruce Pechman, also known as Mr. Bicep? Apparently Bruce scored one of the first models off the line after betting the Alienware reps at E3 that he could do 17 straight one-arm lifts of the demo machine over his head, and his maxed-out rig packs a quad-core Core 2 Extreme, dual GeForce 260M graphics cards and a slot-loading Blu-ray burner -- all of which arrived in this gigantic 32-pound box. Yeah, it's a little ridiculous -- but you know you want it.

Filed under: Laptops

Alienware M17x unboxed... by Mr. Bicep originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 14 Jun 2009 19:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alienware's 'All Powerful' M17x gaming rig with dual GTX 280M graphics ready to frag your savings

Thomas Ricker — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 02:26:00 EST

Just because you're timid and demure doesn't mean your laptop has to be. Alienware's M17x "All Powerful" gaming rig with option for twin GTX 280 GPUs is now up for grabs on Dell's retail site. While the base configuration starts at $1,799, we went ahead and priced it fully loaded just for kicks. As such, our rig is stuffed with a 2.53GHz Core 2 Extreme Quad QX9300 ("the most powerful mobile processor in the world" according to Dell), Vista Ultimate, dual GTX 280M running in SLI, the 1920x1200 WideUXGA LCD panel, 8GB of 1333MHz DDR3 memory, and a pair of 256GB SSDs for 500GB of RAID 0 storage, slot-loading Blu-ray combo drive, and ExpressCard ATSC tuner with remote. The damage? $5,587. Who says gaming doesn't kill?

Update: NVIDIA has confirmed that this monster exists.

Filed under: Gaming

Alienware's 'All Powerful' M17x gaming rig with dual GTX 280M graphics ready to frag your savings originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Jun 2009 02:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alienware M17x gaming laptop hands-on: it isn't quite "all powerful," but it'll do in a pinch

Paul Miller — Sat, 30 May 2009 14:39:00 EST

We're still not sure where Alienware gets off calling this thing "all powerful" -- where do you go from there? -- but we certainly like what's under the hood. This 17-inch M17x desktop replacement, which is due for E3 next week, has started cropping up early and we've gotten a quick look at one in the flesh. It weighs in at 11.5 pounds, and packed to the gills it can handle dual GeForce NVIDIA GTX 280M GPUs, an Intel Core 2 Extreme Quad-core processor some fancy overclocking options, and up to 8GB of 1333MHz DDR3 RAM. There's also the lovable GeForce 9400M integrated graphics with HybridPower switching for when you want to turn things down a notch and write a nice, long letter to your mother while milking the overtaxed nine-cell battery for all it's worth. Outside the raw horsepower, Alienware's revamped its design, with a hefty aluminum chassis, user-configurable lighting accents and a great many radar-evading accoutrements -- oh, and facial recognition for login and timed auto-logout. The display is configurable up to 1920 x 1200, and the laptop can pump out a good many pixels to an external monitor as well -- we saw it powering Dell's almost-ready 2880 x 900 curved display running Crysis with no problem. Other options include Blu-ray, up to 512GB of SSD storage in the dual drive bays, and perhaps best of all: a $1,799 starting price, which includes a GeForce GTX 260M GPU to get your feet wet.

We got to play with the laptop a bit at a recent event, and were seriously impressed with the look and feel of the thing -- somewhat of a rarity in the over-plasticized gaming space. As we mentioned, Crysis ran fine, and while the hardcore gamer-on-the-go with endless supplies of cash might be a bit of a rare breed these days, at least they haven't been forgotten... though they are in store for some serious back problems in later life.

Gallery: Alienware's new M17x gaming laptop monstrosity

Filed under: Gaming, Laptops

Alienware M17x gaming laptop hands-on: it isn't quite "all powerful," but it'll do in a pinch originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 30 May 2009 14:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alienware's M17X gaming laptop with twin GTX 280M GPUs truly is all powerful

Thomas Ricker — Fri, 29 May 2009 05:28:00 EST

The announcement wasn't scheduled for a few more days -- four according to the teaser site -- but it looks like Alienware's All Powerful gaming laptop has been set free anyway. So, does it live up to the clues? Pretty much... how does a pair of 1GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280M GPUs strike you? No Core i7 listed, instead we're looking at a Core 2 Extreme quad-core CPU at the top end with up to 8GB of 1333MHz DDR3 memory, and 1TB of 7200-rpm disk or a 512GB SSD if you prefer. RAID 1 or RAID 0? Sure. Rounding things out is a nine-cell battery of unstated performance, FireWire, 4x USB, eSATA, ExpressCard, 802.11n WiFi, 8-in-1 media card reader, dual-layer Blu-ray, a 1920 x 1200 pixel edge-to-edge LCD, DisplayPort and HDMI-outs all wrapped up in a massive chassis weighing 11.68-pounds with a 15.98 x 12.65 x 2.11-inch footprint. It's also packing a GeForce 9400M G1 GPU with HybridPower technology that allows you to scale the graphics back to conserve battery power. Prices start at $1,799 for a lot less than we mentioned above.

As a footnote to the details above, PCWorld also says that Alienware will use next week's E3 show to update us on its 42.8-inch curved monitor we went hands-on with back in January of 2008.

[Thanks, Steve]

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Alienware's M17X gaming laptop with twin GTX 280M GPUs truly is all powerful originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 29 May 2009 05:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How would you change Alienware's Area-51 m15x / m17x laptops?

Darren Murph — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 18:30:00 EST

Not to crack open a can of worms or anything, but we're honestly curious to see what the legions of Area-51 m15x / m17x owners would change about their machines. When launched, both rigs were fawned over for their top-notch specifications, but the m15x hasn't seen the warmest of receptions from its owners. As you well know, the 17-inch sibling just now started landing on doorsteps everywhere, and we're genuinely hoping that it doesn't present those same cracking issues as found on the aforesaid m15x. Beyond defects, we also want to hear what you'd change about a flawless m15x / m17x. Whittle down the weight? Change up the style? Swap out a few components? Go on and let 'er rip in comments below.

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How would you change Alienware's Area-51 m15x / m17x laptops? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Jun 2008 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alienware m17x laptop touching down nationwide

Darren Murph — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 23:44:00 EST

If your neighbor ordered one of these monstrosities, you probably felt the ground shake when the freight carrier dropped this bad boy off at his / her doorstep. If you were stuck in the cubicle during that whole ordeal, however, here's a gentler news flash: Alienware's brawny m17x gaming laptop is shipping right now. Initial reports from early adopters include phrases like "So huge!" and "Brobdingnagian!," which is pretty much right in line with what we were expecting to hear.

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Alienware m17x laptop touching down nationwide originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Jun 2008 23:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alienware's Area-51 m17x gaming laptop now on sale

Darren Murph — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 19:39:00 EST

For most, Alienware's AlienNetwork debut was somewhat of a letdown. Nevertheless, at least one good thing did come out of the whole event, and that's the availability of the m17x gaming monster. This 17-inch beast of a laptop finally has its own dedicated page, and yes, you can get your order in starting today. Packed within, you'll find your choice of Intel Core 2 Duo processor, twin GPUs for that sweet SLI action, a WUXGA (1,920 x 1,200) display, up to 4GB of DDR2 RAM, oodles of hard drive space, a dual-layer DVD writer (or optional Blu-ray burner), enough ports for you and your cousin and a 12-cell battery that'll likely last an hour on a good day. Sadly, this Crysis destroyer starts at $2,949 (and breaks the $5k mark with ease), and it looks as if units won't start arriving until late May at best.

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Alienware's Area-51 m17x gaming laptop now on sale originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 Apr 2008 19:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hands-on with Alienware's Area-51 m15x and m17x laptops

Paul Miller — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 14:51:00 EST

These two were no secret, but Alienware hosted a press event this morning to finally confirm its Area-51 m15x and m17x laptops. While Alienware design is still a bit of a love it or hate it affair, it's clear that some thought has gone into these two, and there's finally an option to get replace the standard Alienware ribbing on the lid for smooth one. The m17x is obviously the primary powerhouse here, configurable with dual NVIDIA GeForce 8800M GTX graphics cards, a Blu-ray burner, Core 2 Extreme processor, dual hard drives and a 1080p 17-inch LCD. Special Alienware touches include LEDs galore -- the keyboard, sides and lid all can be lit up in your choice of color, selected by software. Alienware is also tossing in a hot-swappable drive bay for swapping in a third hard drive or extra optical drive. The m15x is of course is doing its darnedest to pack this kind of gaming power into a 15-inch form factor, but the surprising thing is that it nearly does. The laptop runs a single 8800M GTX card, includes a hot swap bay to boost storage or add an extra battery, and includes all those lighting doohickies of its big brother. We're pretty impressed with the size and form factors, and while we can't quite get into Alienware's design taste, it's certainly a step in the right direction.

Gallery: Hands-on with Alienware's Area-51 m15x and m17x laptops

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Hands-on with Alienware's Area-51 m15x and m17x laptops originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 19 Nov 2007 14:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alienware gets official with Area-51 m15x, m17x laptops

Donald Melanson — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 11:34:00 EST

While they don't exactly come as much of a surprise after a couple of leaks and that little website slip-up, Alienware has finally gotten official with is new Area-51 m15x and m17x laptops, which each pack more power than you'll likely need in your choice of two eye-catching designs. The m15x, as you can no doubt surmise, is a 15.4-inch model, which gives you enough room for dual hard drives, along with your choice of Core 2 Duo Extreme processors, NVIDIA GeForce 8800M GTX graphics, 667MHz DDR2 memory, and plenty of other high-end specs to match. The m17x appears to be identical in most respects, but its 17-inch display also affords just enough room for a third hard drive which, as we had heard earlier, can include SSD if you so choose. Still no word on a release date, but Alienware will gladly inform you of that little detail if you're willing to hand over your email address.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

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Alienware gets official with Area-51 m15x, m17x laptops originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 19 Nov 2007 11:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alienware's Area-51 m15x and m17x specs laid bare

Nilay Patel — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 15:52:00 EST

Man, that Google cache is really something -- Alienware apparently set the upcoming Area-51 m17x's BTO page live for a short time a couple days ago and then took it down, but the Big G's hive has kept it perfectly preserved for your eager eyes. Looks like those rumors about NVIDIA 8800M graphics were true -- and an extra grand will actually get you two of the 512MB cards running in SLI. The processor list is similarly hot, topping out with a 2.8GHz Core 2 Extreme for another $800, and Alienware isn't even trying to keep the pricetag subtle with a $1000 64GB SSD option. All maxed out, you're looking at an easy $5500 with Vista Ultimate -- and we can't believe we're saying this, but that actually seems somewhat reasonable. Better start dancing for change right away, though, because these bad boys should hit on Monday.

[Thanks, Brad]

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Alienware's Area-51 m15x and m17x specs laid bare originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 16 Nov 2007 15:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alienware's Area-51 m15x and m17x with Nvidia 8800M GTX on Monday?

Thomas Ricker — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 03:18:00 EST

Ready for it? Rumor has it that Monday, Alienware will be busting out their Area-51 m15x and m17x laptops. We're fully expecting the 15- and 17-inch laptops to arrive loaded with 512MB of Nvidia's supreme, GeForce Go 8800M GTX mobile graphics. After all, those leaked specs were pulled straight from Alienware's own site. Teaser shots above -- all the Skullcap and Ripley hype come Monday.

[Thanks, John CB]

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Alienware's Area-51 m15x and m17x with Nvidia 8800M GTX on Monday? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 16 Nov 2007 03:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alienware M15x / M17x laptops revealed with NVIDIA 8800M GTX

Darren Murph — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 20:27:00 EST

It's no secret that Alienware laptops have long loved to pack some serious NVIDIA-based heat, and judging by screenshots (another shown after the jump) of a reported slip up earlier today, those scouting a new extraterrestrial rig might want to hold out just a tick longer. It looks as if the firm will soon be unveiling (officially, that is) the 15-inch M15x and 17-inch M17x gaming laptops, both of which will seemingly be available with the 512MB NVIDIA GeForce Go 8800M GTX graphics processor. As for the 8M-series GPU, it'll boast full DirectX 10 support, the Lumenex Engine, second-generation PureVideo HD technology, a 500MHz core clock, 1,250MHz shader clock and an 800MHz memory clock. Regarding the actual lappies, all we know is that the smaller of the two will be available with a 1,440 x 900 resolution display, 2.2GHz Core 2 Duo processor, 1GB of RAM, a 120GB HDD, dual-layer DVD writer and Vista Home Premium. We'll be keeping an ear to the ground for something official, but don't worry, it ought not be long now.

[Thanks, Andrew]

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Alienware M15x / M17x laptops revealed with NVIDIA 8800M GTX originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Nov 2007 20:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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