Dell Alienware 17X Review, Specifications and Price details India US UK

It's the pretty rare notebook that makes us giddy with excitement, but the Alienware M17x does just that. When we last reviewed this gaming rig, we praised its power, keyboard, and display, among other things, but lamented its high price and poor battery life. The latest M17x doesn't just improve on its predecessor, it has all the makings of a dream laptop. Featuring an Intel quad-core Sandy Bridge CPU, AMD switchable graphics, and a Samsung SSD, this monster offers more than double the performance of anything that came before. On top of that, the M17x has a built-in WirelessHD transmitter, so if it's 17-inch 1080p display isn't big enough, you can beam Blu-ray movies, games, and anything else you want wirelessly across the room to a big-screen TV. Yes, this newest M17x costs $3,300, but that's $1,300 less than its predecessor. What's not to like? Seriously.

For the past two years, Alienware notebooks have had a distinctive grille on the front of its systems that is reminiscent of a Camaro. That look continues with the latest M17x, but the lid is slightly different. While the Alienware logo--an alien's head--is still prominent, the lid is now covered in a soft-touch finish, and no longer has a ridge running down its middle. Also gone are the Nebula Red and Lunar Silver color options. We prefer this new treatment; not only is it nicer to hold, but it resists fingerprints.

While it's doubtful that many will notice, the new M17x is also slightly thinner than before. Whereas the last-gen M17x measured 16 x 12.6 x 2.1 inches, the current M17x is 16 x 11.9 x 1.8 inches. Part of the reason is that the M17x only has space for one discrete graphics card, whereas the older version could accommodate two.

The M17x has also gone on a diet: The previous M17x weighed 11.6 pounds; the latest is 9.6 pounds. While that's still massive as far as notebooks go--even desktop replacements--it's an improvement. It falls right in between the ASUS G73Jw-A1 (8.8 pounds) and the Toshiba Qosmio X505 (10.6 pounds), which is a larger 18-inch system.

The media control buttons have undergone a slight change; no longer are they touch-sensitive. Instead, the backlit controls are physical buttons. They're still just as responsive, though.

One of the coolest things about Alienware systems is the backlighting. You can change the keyboard, the logos, the front grille--even the ring around the touchpad--to a number of different colors, depending on your mood or what you're doing. It's just awesome. The AlienFX utility to change the controls is fun to use; you can easily spend a lot of time tinkering with the color schemes.

Key Features and Specs:

• Processor: Up to Intel Core 2 Extreme Quadcore with 12MB Cache
• Graphics: Up to Dual 1GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280M - SLI Technology
• Memory: Up to 8GB DDR3 1333MHz
• Hard Drive: Single or Dual Drives (RAID 0) up to 1TB 7200RPM
• Optical Drive: Slot-loading Dual layer Blu-ray/DVD Combo

Dimensions & Weight:

• Width: 15.98"
• Depth: 12.65"
• Height: 2.02" -2.11" (Front -Back)
• Weight: 11.68lbs (starting weight)

Specifications of Dell Alienware 17X 2nd Gen Ci7/ 8GB/ 750GB/ 2GB Graphic/ 3D screen Laptop (Black)

PROCESSOR
Processor	2nd Generation Core i7
Variant	2620M
Chipset	Intel HM65 Express
Brand	Intel
Clock Speed	2.7 Ghz
Cache	4 MB

MEMORY
Expandable Memory	Up to 8 GB
Memory Slots	2 (Unused Slots 0)
System Memory	8 GB DDR3

STORAGE
Hardware Interface	SATA
RPM	7200 rpm
HDD Capacity	750 GB

OPTICAL DISK DRIVE
Optical Drive	Blu-Ray Combo Drive

PLATFORM
Architecture	64 bit
Operating System	Windows 7 Home Premium

DISPLAY
Screen Size	17 Inch
Resolution	1920 x 1080 Pixel
Screen Type	Full HD WLED

GRAPHICS
Dedicated Graphics Memory Capacity	2 GB
Graphic Processor	NVIDIA GeForce 580M

INPUT
Web Camera	1.3 megapixel
Pointer Device	TouchPad
Keyboard	AlienFXTM Illuminated Keyboard Exclusive Design

AUDIO
Speakers	Internal High-Definition 5.1 Surround Sound Audio

COMMUNICATION
Ethernet	Integrated Gigabit Ethernet - 1000 Mbps
Wireless LAN	802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth	v2.1 EDR

POWER
Battery Backup	Up to 3 hours
Battery Cell	9-cell

PORTS/SLOTS
USB Port	3 x USB 2.0
Mic In	Yes
RJ45 LAN	Yes
HDMI Port	Yes
VGA Port	Yes
Multi Card Slot	8-in-1 Media Card Reader

SECURITY
Face Recognition	Yes

MACHINE DIMENSIONS
Weight	4.08 kg
Dimension	377.9 x 308.5 x 48.7 mm
Color	Black

WARRANTY

                                                          1 year domestic Complete Cover and Free Transit Insurance.