The good: This year’s version of the Alienware M11x has greatly improved graphics performance and battery life and solid construction of the portable USB 3.0 ports, and stunning 5.1 surround sound speakers Klipsch are also advantages.
The bad: The M11x still has a large chassis also lack an optical drive is not a dealbreaker, but it can be frustrating when installing games.
The bottom line: Do not be fooled by its appearance unchanged: the 2011 Alienware M11x makes great leaps forward in performance, graphics and battery life while maintaining a reasonable price. Anyone looking for a portable gaming laptop ready to have a hard time resisting the temptation to choose one of these up.
Last year, we were very optimistic about the Alienware M11x. The 11.6-inch ultraportable laptop that offers a unique blend of compact size and performance, especially in terms of graphics, a reasonable price. At that time, was unsurpassed in its category.
Now 2011 has brought us an update on the M11x, M11x Alienware called R3. It will be very difficult to realize the external differences, because there are none: the impact is on the inside. New second generation Intel Core i7 i5 and ULV, Nvidia GeForce GT 540, USB 3.0 ports and optional WiMax are all updates of the penalty. Our setup for $ 1,099 last year also exceeds the $ 1,299 unit price revision, while improving the performance of the CPU and GPU and the battery life.
If you consider yourself one years M11x, then this year’s version is a must buy. Our only complaint is the lack of design changes in thickness and weight of the M11x is – ultraportable 11-inch are more abundant now (see dm1z HP 11-inch MacBook Air), and are thinner than ever. However, in its size class, the Alienware M11x remains unparalleled. Those looking for an ultraportable laptop ready to play in the range of $ 1,000 need look no further: this M11x does the job.
While the Alienware M11x is relatively thick for an ultraportable, especially considering that it lacks an optical drive, the compactness of the Alienware M11x as a gaming machine is hard to beat. It looks much cleaner and more agile than the larger Alienware products, such as the M14x. M11x outer casing feels smooth, soft matte finish. While minimalist design the pedigree presented in black Alienware Alien head logo on the lid again, another’s trademark skull above the keyboard, and a face of the race cars as a striker, with the grill and LED ” lighthouses. ”
All-around clean lines of the M11x is easy to fall into a bag, but its relative thickness is noticeable in a landscape of laptops getting thinner. To some extent, heavy-bottomed square aspect of the M11x resembles a portable DVD player from the old school. The small size and thickness of the chassis may be necessary to improve soon, with thinner laptops like the MacBook Air and dm1z HP in the market, the M11x 4.5 kilos is already starting to feel less portable than it did last year. Alienware M11x The design gets a pass this year, but you will lose weight if you want to highlight once again in 2012.
The smooth opening in a plastic hinge protruding from a back flush otherwise, inside is all black M11x, Alienware very familiar with a backlit keyboard and multi-colored LED edge to edge a bright 11.6-inch display . The feeling strong chassis and keyboard are slightly compressed much better than average, as is convenient platform, large touch. As well as in the Alienware laptop, keyboard colorful, grille and lights company logo can be customized in any of a rainbow of colors, or even set a strobe light, if you prefer. These effects are established through a suite of Alienware.
11.6-inch M11x, 1366 x 768 pixel screen resolution looks good behind the plate edge to edge of brilliant, but all that glass results in a small screen in a little shine, too. With its screen size, the M11x seems made to be connected to an external monitor, but the 11.6-inch screen is actually surprisingly decent for games. A dive support from above average built-in 5.1 surround sound output Klipsch speakers, an amazing variety of sizes of the M11x is. Play sound comes out clear, strong and good enough to improve the gaming experience on their own. At maximum volume, the M11x almost can range from a room. While the M11x association Klipsch is new from 2011, which M11x audio loved last year, so it is difficult to see any improvement.
The M11x still lacks an optical drive – which is actually an obvious choice for this laptop to be so small, but we could not help noticing significantly M11x stretching free port on the right side that looks almost the same size like .. . thus, an optical drive. Let us leave to draw their own conclusions. While the ability to install games on a disc without having to connect a USB cable connected to an external optical drive player would be nice, modern with steam (preinstalled on the laptop) or other downloaded software will probably never touch most of the time records anyway. Still, it’s a missing feature is a little harder to forgive this year taking into account the size of the M11x is. If I were thinner and lighter, not even ask this question.
Speaking of ports that are missing, the most impressive feature of this small laptop is compatible with HDMI and DisplayPort, VGA, although it is not. For players, DisplayPort is certainly more useful than the VGA. Our configuration includes WiMax, which costs an extra $ 50 on Dell’s website also Gobi mobile broadband with GPS is available in flavors of Verizon or AT & T for $ 125, and therefore have a contract monthly data with a service provider.
Under the hood, the Alienware M11x R3 again has changed a bit since last year. New second generation of Core i5-2537M or 2617M Intel Core i7-are available, the latter has a cost of $ 200. The speed of the 4GB DDR3 RAM also includes has been raised to 1333 MHz, and can be increased up to 16 GB (a whopping $ 1,000 extra). Hard drive capacity starts at 320, and can be increased up to 750 GB ($ 100 extra) or you can go with a 256 GB solid state drive (SSD) $ 600. All hard drives are 7200rpm SSD.
The Core i5-2537M is a low-voltage processor that was last in the 13-inch Samsung Series 9 laptop. Performance has been improved considerably since last year ULV Core i7 Alienware M11x: still not a laptop across the line, but like the Samsung 9 series, you can perform important everyday tasks without a significant commitment.
The Good: At less than $ 800, Acer Aspire TimelineX 3830TG-6431 is one of the most affordable thin notebook we’ve seen. A few commitments and stunning graphics packages Nvidia in a very compact and portable.
The bad: The lack of an optical drive is frustrating, as other similar sized laptops like Sony Vaio S Toshiba Portege R835 includes a.
The bottom line: The Acer Aspire aggressive price TimelineX 3830TG-6431 is the combination of graphics for games, smart and a fast processor in a body of 13-inch offers a big hit for a good price, you can always live without a DVD drive .
A few years ago, the TimelineX Acer was one of the first of what was then called “thin and light” laptops, 13 inchers with thinner, lighter frames, long battery life and a more portable design that a standard notebook.
TimelineX series still exists, and the latest Acer has the latest Intel Core second-generation i-series Nvidia graphics processor and impressive. However, the picture has been expanded to include many thin laptops: the Sony Vaio and Toshiba Portege S, and the extremely thin Apple MacBook Air and Samsung Series 9. The $ 779 TimelineX 3830TG-6431 is thin, but not as thin as a MacBook Air. Not that the light of its size, or – the Sony Vaio and Toshiba Portege S are lighter and include DVD optical drives. The TimelineX not, although it seems large enough to accommodate one.
Battery life is good, but we have not yet seen the best of the Toshiba Portege R835 and the MacBook Air. What the TimelineX 3830TG-6431 is competitively priced which is at the bottom of fines of 13 inchers, and a set of features, optical drive aside, is superior to many of its competitors.
Does it matter what you design or the features you can get for the price? If the latter, the $ 779-6431 TimelineX 3830TG worth your consideration. Not the sexiest laptop around thin, but it is certainly one of the fastest and is one of the smallest laptops with this level of graphics power I’ve ever seen.
We have seen a number of laptops over the years TimelineX, while a new version of Acer is no different on the outside of the TimelineX saw a year ago, has some new design wrinkles. The blue aluminum exterior, with a matte finish on the back, has a clean look at an angle that narrows at the back reminiscent of the large cylindrical hinge older Sony Vaio laptop. The metal finish tends to pick up stains, but is strong, and the Acer logo sitting in the middle is a low profile. The big round hinge straddling a battery center, which occupies the space so that the bottom of the TimelineX flat.
Inside, the look is two tone. A remnant Blue Metallic plastic palm is under a black plastic tray with silver keyboard up island style key-packed edge to edge. The efficient use of interior space TimelineX gives a clean look.
While a cut 1 inch thick, this TimelineX is on the dense, at 4.1 kilos, is heavier than both the Sony Vaio S similar size and Toshiba Portege. Moreover, still lighter than most of the main 13-inch laptops. Basically, this is a laptop you will feel more comfortable keeping down the arm into his hand.
The TimelineX power cable plugs into the back of the left side through a standard L-shaped plug. No optical drive door to the road, as there is no optical drive. Other ports – USB, headphone, HDMI – cluster around the edges toward the front of the two side panels.
We would like to like the Acer keyboard is raised, but the keys of soft plastic and was a cut below the keyboard like we used in Sony and Apple laptops. A column on the right of the page up / down keys and cramps as access to the Enter and Shift keys. Even stranger, the Enter key directly adjacent to the backslash key above it. Writing is not a disaster by any means, but we are very stringent for the keyboard good.
One “P” button above the keyboard launches Acer’s power management settings. Volume and screen brightness are relegated to the arrow direction: ‘will also have to press the Fn key at the same time, which is unnecessarily difficult.
The touch pad below is narrow and tight, leaving plenty of space above and below that may have extended fourth finger. Two discrete buttons below are small but functional. Between the keyboard and touch screen, the Acer is not going to impress much with its ergonomics, but both work. Those who prefer basic touch pads will be satisfied, at least, since there is no technology without buttons ClickPad here.
13-inch, bright TimelineX 3830TG-6431 is perfectly fine: its 1,366 x 768 pixels resolution is standard-issue, with half of the road brightness and clarity. Could not see the screen at extreme viewing angles, but again they have exceeded expectations for this type of laptops. Streaming video and games looked good, and the documents were sharp and easily legible.
Help screen stereo speaker bar located above the keyboard. The label “Dolby Home Theater: professionally tuned”, the speakers are in volume and quality of what you get in other thin 13-inchers. Watch movies and play both benefit.
Including HD Webcam has a maximum resolution of 1,280 x1, 024 pixels, and looks almost as good as HD cameras we’ve seen over the past 2011 other laptops. Colors looked warm, and automatically adjusts exposure levels decently.
The Good: Amazing JBL speakers subwoofer, especially in high prices, large touch screen and backlit keyboard, the Optimus NVIDIA graphics, a variety of expansion possibilities for the HDMI 1.4 and USB 3.0 standard.
The bad: The design looks dull, disappointing battery does not have a VGA port.
The bottom line: a new Dell XPS line of notebooks, including the XPS 15 offers more money than most, combining excellent sound and rock solid features for less than $ 1000
Dell is relaunching its high-end notebook line with the holiday season, revised XPS line of systems. These are the media focus on Alienware’s response focused on the games, and now that well-defined line of research has been murdered, the main alternative to the current Inspiron infinitely configurable.
Surprisingly, although the design of large, awkward, the XPS data, “a large and stellar speakers combine deliver one of the cheapest high-end laptops around.
A pleasant surprise is not features, but the cost. XPS 15 revised design was the baseline $ 849, but the data are very strong overall package: I5 Core processor, 500GB HDD, 4GB RAM, Nvidia GeForce GT420M, backlit keyboard, and the stunning JBL talks about the matrix, which gave up the HP Envy line run for their money Sonic.
The Dell XPS is available in 14 -, 15 -, and 17-inch models, all of which have a high-end JBL speaker panels, updated ports, including USB 3.0 and HDMI 1.4, and the Nvidia GeForce 400-series graphics Optimus.
Although its appearance does not scream expensive, and its size and location of the weight of demand for the desktop, the XPS 15 affordable power for any buyer looking for a good half the book, and games finished. If you are looking for a MacBook Pro or HP Envy, be sure to give a serious look at the XPS 15 also.
Size and shape of the Dell XPS 15 is best described as stocky and big, with a flat, wide profile, silver, plastic feel, but is actually metal. A thick, slightly tapering, broad, flat, polished aluminum at the top, at first glance, as if they belonged to the budget of the laptop.
Forward hinge mirrors other recent Dell XPS laptops like the Inspiron Mini R 10 and sliding the screen a little later in connection with the keyboard, but to give a piece back significantly. XPS uses the posterior lip of a handful of rear-facing ports, such as HDMI, DisplayPort, Mini, Ethernet, power connector, and one of its two USB 3.0 ports. Almost acts like a spring, which this XPS desktop feel very friendly to keep the cables out of the way, but the opportunities to get a bit difficult to use skirts.
Hull thickness is much room for maneuver site, giving the impression that this is not solidly built than the other high-end laptops such as the MacBook Pro and the HP Envy. However, this is a laptop that gets a lot better when you start using it. Break a generous width of the palm and the keyboard cover is treated with more polished metal with keyboards semiraised in the middle of the two speaker grilles.
Writing is a very nice, although it could have a room key speakers were located elsewhere. We also liked that the keyboard is backlit, which is not always taken care of laptops under $ 1000. Even better, the volume control and other control keys are reversed, that is, a simple push is all it takes to raise and lower the volume. Not a big fan of the column keys page up / down the mountain right to the keyboard, transferred the enter / shift keys to internal strains, which are not immediately intuitive touch.
A few back-lit touch controls are in the top right of the keyboard, the left key, slightly off-center. SETUP button to launch a pop-up controls to cover a useful set a Bluetooth status of the battery is so useful, we wish more laptops have a shortcut key. Another button can be customized to launch the program immediately, and the third takes us to adjust the system MaxxAudio wave passes through the JBL speakers.
Dell Dock display, such as the dock icon for Mac OS X, provides a good time for the band access to commonly used programs, adding Windows 7 well. Is neither new nor unique, but was seen again the XPS 15
Multi-touch pad is great about the size of the MacBook Pro, and monitors better than most touchpads we’ve seen. Simple plastic button below to do their job quietly but surely. Nice to see the touch screen, which makes their work without too overstylized for your own good.
Now back to the speakers for a moment, Dell has made claims that the JBL high / Wave Audio system XPS the best brands, including HP Envy 14 Beats Edition. This is controversial, but the array 5.1-speaker/subwoofer is one of the best I have heard of a laptop. Music and play movies on a cool, pop, punch, and separation, and the game seems to impact on the surround simulation. Great sound adds to the value of this laptop to anyone who wants to be a true home entertainment products, especially entry-level price.
15.6-inch 16:9 LED backlit glossy display is a native resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels, which is slightly below the expectations of high-end laptops in this price range. Colors were bright and true, and movies and games looked good, but the extra $ 130, users can choose between 1920 .080 x1-pixel full HD instead. For us, it seems worth the upgrade, although the temptation to increase following the Blu-ray $ 100, pushing the price up to $ 1,079. However, taking into account the requirements, it would be a fair price for all-inclusive.
Touted HD camera to record video in resolutions up to 1600 x1, 200 pixels or 1280 pixels X720 HD H.264 format. Although the framerates are agitated normal configuration, the HD recording mode produces a soft cuttings, very watchable. The webcam also supports HD streaming SkypeHD, a nice perk. Noise-canceling microphone provides added value package of instant messaging, instant messaging capabilities to run well above average in the laptop.
In spite of the XPS 15 is missing some features, such as an ExpressCard or the Intel Wireless screen, which is full of doors for the future which may be more important. Two USB 3.0 ports to leave the door open for high-speed peripheral devices, data transfer, even if they do not currently use it a lot, and is HDMI 1.4 allows Nvidia 3DTV Play, which allows the playback of 3D games and content on 3D Blu-ray high-definition TV via HMDI cable. You need to have a Blu-ray Dell XPS, and even 3D TV take advantage of this feature, and we suspect that many people, but it is a nice touch, which is available at no extra charge.
Regulations have been a lot of the Dell website, such as the Dell laptops. Our XPS 15 is a basic configuration that includes a processor and NVIDIA GeForce GPUs i5 420 with Optimus, a solid technical definition now. CPU selection of quad-core Core i7 840QM ($ 500 extra), and the graphics are more than one Nvidia GeForce 435M with 2 GB of memory ($ 100). RAM is expandable to 8 GB ($ 180 extra), and up to 640 GB of hard drive an extra $ 50, or 256 GB SSD is $ 550. It’s nice to see the entry-level base $ 849 configuration 15 represent the XPS laptop, which offers almost any conditions, unless a smaller screen resolution and the lack of a Blu-ray. Compared to the baseline $ 999 HP Envy, 14, who comes Core i3, this is a better deal.