Alienware Area-51 m17x

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Reviews for the Alienware Area-51 m17x

80% Alienware Area-51 m17x
Source: Laptop Mag Archive.org version
It’s the fastest, meanest-looking gaming notebook ever—if you can afford it. The Alienware M17x system delivers stunning performance for today’s hottest titles, and it has enough muscle to handle the next generation of games. It’s the most powerful system we’ve had in our labs, and it cuts through hits like Call of Duty: World at War with frame rates to spare. But so can other systems like the MSI GT725 or the Gateway P-7807u FX, and those systems are less than half the price of the M17x. However, if you care as much about premium design and personalization as you do about what’s under the hood, this gaming rig is second to none. 
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 08/05/2009
Rating: Total score: 80%

Alienware Area-51 m17x Review
Source: Notebookreview.com Archive.org version
The Alienware Area-51 m17x is a remarkable gaming notebook and a clear step forward for Alienware in terms of design and performance. It is packed to the gills with top-shelf equipment, most notably a pair of Nvidia 9800M-GT video cards. This is one of not even a handful of machines that can comfortably max out Crysis. It has the typical downsides associated with a portable desktop – loud cooling system, dismal battery life, and hefty weight, but it does everything else well. The $3,849 starting price is steep and out of reach for most, though the baseline configuration has the components that make the system worth buying. In this reviewer’s opinion, more could have been thrown in for the money, and for such an expensive system, not having a more comprehensive warranty is disappointing.
Leistung ausgezeichnet, Verarbeitung gut, Display ausgezeichnet, Preis sehr schlecht, Emissionen schlecht, Mobilität sehr schlecht
User Review, online available, Medium, Date: 10/22/2008
Rating: price: 30% performance: 95% display: 95% mobility: 30% workmanship: 80% emissions: 40%

82% Alienware Area-51 m17x
Source: CNet Archive.org version
We'll just come right out and say the Alienware m17x is about as powerful as a laptop gets, at least if it's as tricked-out as our $6,000-plus review unit was. If you're looking to drop some major change on a show-off gaming laptop, it's hard to do better than the Alienware Area-51 m17x, a mean-looking, high-performance black slab.
(von 10): 8.2, Leistung 9, Ausstattung 8, Preis mangelhaft
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 09/15/2008
Rating: Total score: 82% price: 50% performance: 90% features: 80%

80% Alienware Area-51 m17x
Source: Laptop Mag Archive.org version
Gamers with deep pockets will love the Alienware Area-51 m17x. It’s the fastest gaming rig on the market, and competitors won’t likely surpass it anytime soon. It’s super sexy, and its customization features will make you the envy of fellow gamers at LAN parties. However, for $5,598, it shouldn’t crash under the stress of a game, even if it may be Vista’s fault.
4 von 5, Leistung sehr gut, Display gut, Mobilität schlecht
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 08/19/2008
Rating: Total score: 80% performance: 90% display: 80% mobility: 40%

77% Alienware Area-51 m17x Laptop
Source: Computer Shopper Archive.org version
If you were hoping for an exciting new refresh to Alienware's Area-51 line of performance gaming laptops, the m17x may disappoint you. Alienware passed on Intel's new Centrino 2 platform and instead packed in a pair of rebranded 9800M GTs, which are 8800GTXs in all but name. Alienware's mammoth Area-51 m17x gaming laptop doesn't employ the latest and greatest CPU or GPU—yet manages to still deliver top performance.
7.7 von 10, Leistung mäßig, Preis schlecht, Mobilität sehr schlecht
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 08/15/2008
Rating: Total score: 77% price: 40% performance: 60% mobility: 30%

60% Alienware Area-51 m17x Gaming Desktop Replacement Laptop
Source: Comp Reviews Archive.org version
Alienware's Area-51 m17x is a very hefty machine that is really designed with the sole purpose of being a high performance gaming system. It has a vareity of features and options that make it well suited as a portable media platform, but the high cost of the system makes the system a bit harder to justify.
3 von 5, Leistung gut, Preis schlecht, Mobilität mangelhaft
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 07/10/2008
Rating: Total score: 60% price: 40% performance: 80% mobility: 50%

Foreign Reviews

88% Test Alienware Area-51 m17x Notebook
Source: Notebookcheck DE→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 09/02/2008
Rating: Total score: 88% performance: 85% display: 90% mobility: 47% workmanship: 86% ergonomy: 85% emissions: 72%

Comment

NVIDIA GeForce 8800M GTX SLI:

Two Nvidia GeForce 8800M GTX cards are combined in SLI for faster graphics performance in laptops. Most DirectX 10 games should be able to run fluently on high detail settings.

Modern games should be playable with these graphics cards at low settings and resolutions. Casual gamers may be happy with these cards.

» Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Graphics Cards and the corresponding Benchmark List.

Intel Core 2 Duo: This is the Core Duo and Core Solo successor with a longer pipeline and 5-20% more speed without more power consumption. As an addition to the Core Duo design there exists a fourth decoder, an amplified SSE-unit and an additional arithmetical logical unit (ALU).

The Core 2 Duo for laptops is identical to the desktop Core 2 Duo processors but the notebook-processors work with lower voltages (0.95 to 1188 Volt) and a lower Frontside bus clock (1066 vs 667 MHz). The performance of equally clocked notebooks is 20-25% lower than Desktop PCs because of the lower Frontside bus clock and the slower hard disks.

T9500: Upper middle class laptop CPU for Santa Rosa based laptops (FSB 800). The T9550 offers only a slightly higher core clock, but features a 1066 FSB.» Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Processsors.

17.10": This display size is a standard format for desktop replacements (DTR). The DTR laptops are heavier to carry, need more power, but texts are easy to read and high resolutions are no problem. DTR are mainly intended for stationary desk use, where weight and energy hunger don't matter. In return, you enjoy the advantages of high resolutions (more details, better legibility).» To find out how fine a display is, see our DPI List.

4.96 kg:

A laptop in this weight range is a heavyweight that you rarely carry around. This is meant for desktops and the devices tend to score with a large display and high performance and replace desktop devices.

Alienware: Alienware was founded in the USA in 1996. The European headquarters is located in Ireland. Alienware has been part of the Dell Group since 2006. The product range mainly focuses on gaming laptops and desktops, which are developed and manufactured by Dell. The trademark is a slightly futuristic design with an Alien as the logo. Additionally, workstations for private and business customers are sold.

As with every brand, there are also some points of criticism with Alienware. Some customers have complained about the high prices of the products, while others have criticized the quality of customer services. There have also been some reports of problems with the reliability and durability of some Alienware products. However, many customers have also had positive experiences with the brand and appreciate the powerful gaming computers.

79.29%: This rating is not earth-shattering. This rating must actually be seen as average, since there are about as many devices with worse ratings as better ones. A purchase recommendation can only be seen with a lot of goodwill, unless it is about websites that generally rate strictly.

» Further information can be found in our Notebook Purchase Guide.

Devices with Same Screen Size and/or Weight