Alienware M11x beats rivals on size

Gaming laptops are a conundrum for many: with costs and sizes that are higher and larger than most mainstream users are willing to accept, they exist in a specialised upper echelon of the computer universe, a niche usually avoided by most.

An affordable, small laptop that also plays games well is a rarity, and most people looking for a travel-friendly notebook simply leave off such hopes in exchange for a few more bucks in their pocket, and buy a gaming console or desktop gaming PC instead.

At this year’s CES, we were surprised and excited to see an Alienware laptop that not only cost less than $1,000, but was compact enough to slide into a messenger bag. Dubbed by many as a “gaming Netbook,” the M11x is actually a hybrid 11.6-inch ultraportable that has an ultralow-voltage Intel Core 2 Duo processor married with a Nvidia graphics card that can be switched on or off to save battery life.

The end result is a dense but very portable laptop that has the ability to play any mainstream game. For a student or a PC gamer looking for a truly portable system, the M11x could be a perfect product.

Arguably, at a starting cost of $799, the M11x could be justified as the cost of a game console plus the cost of a Netbook/small laptop, while providing the benefits of both (but upgrading the configurable system can quickly drive up the price past the $1K mark).

It should be noted, however, that the gaming capabilities of the M11x are good, but not great. It’s a far cry from the blazing speed of its full-fledged and more expensive big brother, the Alienware M15x, and the main processor’s general ability to multitask is considerably slower than even the lowest-end versions of Intel’s affordable new Core i3/i5 laptop processors.

That’s not to say there isn’t something impressive about a gaming-capable laptop as small as the Alienware M11x, but we want to at least let you know that compromises were made to get to the price tag offered. There’s nothing on the market right now that’s quite like it in terms of its size/graphics/price combination. Though it’s a hybrid that might not be for everyone, it has moments where it shines.

The compactness, especially in terms of width and depth, struck us upon removing the M11x from its box. The Alienware M11x is still a relatively thick ultraportable, especially considering that it lacks an optical drive, but its look is a lot cleaner and more streamlined than the M15x. Our silvery-gray unit (the M11x also comes in black) really only gives away its Alienware pedigree via a subtle black alien head logo on the back lid and its trademark angled-front profile with somewhat silly LED “headlights.”

To some degree, the squared-off bottom-heavy look of the M11x resembles an old-school portable DVD player. Its all-around smooth and clean lines make it an easy laptop to slide into a bag.

Opening up smoothly on a plastic hinge that protrudes from an otherwise flush backside, the M11x interior is all black with a very familiar Alienware LED-backlit multicolor keyboard and an edge-to-edge glossy 11.6-inch screen. The sturdy-feeling chassis and slightly compressed but otherwise Alienware-quality keyboard are much better than average, as is the comfortable, large touch pad.

Much like other Alienware laptops, the bold coloured keyboard, grille, and Alienware logo lights can be customised in any of a rainbow of colours, or even set to strobe if you prefer. These effects are set using a set of Alienware apps.
-CNET