Alienware

Good news for people shopping for a small, powerful gaming laptop: the tiny hybrid Alienware M11x has gotten a whole lot better overnight. New Core i5, i7, and Nvidia Optimus upgrades look like they could bring the M11x closer to par with the more fully fledged Alienware M15x laptop.

When we reviewed the M11x earlier this year, we found its combination of low-voltage Core 2 Duo processor, Netbook-like size, and switchable gaming-ready graphics to be pretty compelling for its price. New Core i5 and i7 processors should only sweeten the deal, providing that the battery life remains good. The addition … Read more

New Core i3, i5, and i7 ultralow-voltage processors have officially been announced by Intel. Consuming less power than standard-voltage Core i3, i5, and i7 processors, they're also slightly less powerful. We saw a similar move last year with Core 2 Duo ULV chips such as the SU7300, which wasn't as fast as a standard Core 2 Duo, but helped smaller laptops attain a higher battery life. We saw that processor in laptops ranging from the Alienware M11x to the 13-inch Lenovo ThinkPad Edge.

Though the spin on the news so far has emphasized "ultrathin" laptops, it'… Read more

Submitted for your consideration: the Dell Alienware M11x. We reviewed this new fusion "gaming Netbook" 11.6-inch ultraportable with gaming-level graphics, and found that, compared with other "high-end" laptops of the past, this laptop managed to achieve two qualities lacking in most other gamer-targeted notebooks: a price around $1,000, and a design that's actually portable.

The question is, is that enough? We've observed what seems to be a trend both among users and gamemakers of a decline in PC-gaming popularity. We've commented on it before. The argument can go both ways: in … Read more

If there's a company almost universally associated with low-cost, high-volume, middle-of-the-road 15-inch laptops, it's Dell. In fact, the company, which might best be described as "the guys who make your mom's laptop," has struggled for years to break into the design chic space occupied by Apple and Sony.

That's why it's somewhat surprising that Dell's two recent high-end gambles, the 11-inch Alienware M11x"gaming Netbook" and the wafer-thin 13-inch Adamo XPS, both hit a lot of the right notes, even if they are unlikely to be big-volume products.

Previously, we'… Read more

On this week's show, we dive into the top-secret Best Buy handbook for the Apple iPad launch; take a closer look at Alienware's 11-inch M11x gaming laptop; and see if David Mamet's rules for TV drama apply to video games such as Just Cause 2 and God of War III.

Speaking of everyone's favorite video game of the moment, we're giving away a copy of God of War III this week, so watch/listen for info on how to enter. Here's a hint, it involves our Facebook Fan Page.

Related links: >> Best Buy retail stores get iPads &… Read more

Remember the Alienware M11x? Back at CES 2010 it won the Best of CES: Gaming award, simply because we were pretty impressed by its compact combination of nearly Netbook size and mainstream gaming-readiness. Months later, we finally have our hands on the final version.

The compactness, especially in terms of width and depth, still struck us upon removing the M11x from its box. It is, however, pretty thick, especially considering that it lacks an optical drive. While this thickness-to-size ratio keeps its Alienware look intact, it's chunkier than most other ultraportables.

A sturdy-feeling frame and slightly compressed but otherwise Alienware-quality keyboard are much better than average, as is the comfortable, large touch pad. The M11x's 11.6-inch, 1,366x768 screen looked good behind its edge-to-edge glossy veneer, but there was quite a bit of glare and colors weren't as bright or rich as we expected under bright lights. The audio, however, is astounding for the M11x's size--built-in 5.1 speakers are crisp, loud, and good enough to enhance the gaming experience on their own.

The U7300 Core 2 ULV processor on the M11x is a processor we've seen on thin-and-lights and ultraportables. It offers a close-to-Core-2-Duo experience, but in the wake of faster Core i3 and i5 processors, it's a little less impressive. Nvidia hybrid graphics switch easily between integrated graphics and a powerful Nvidia GeForce GT 335M graphics card with 1GB of memory, allowing the M11x to either be battery-conservative or a gaming workhorse. This system lacks the on-the-fly Optimus graphics switching technology recently announced by Nvidia, which would have been perfect on the M11x. Still, even without it, graphics switching is pretty painless. … Read more

We kick off today's episode of CNET's The 404 Podcast with a fun story about the Nestle Crunch Hotline number. The company's latest viral campaign offers a series of hidden menus within the prerecorded call center that lets callers choose between English, Spanish, and Pig Latin language options. You can also choose to hear prerecorded knock-knock jokes, "funner game options," and the weirdest feature of all, which lets you listen to the sound of bubble wrap. We attempt to call the number during the show, but the line is so popular that we keep getting busy signals, so call 1-800-295-0051 if you have time to waste after listening to our show.

Jeff also brings us an amazing deal from Dell for the new Alienware M11x. It won our Best of CES 2010 award and, judging by its size, it's comparable to a gaming Netbook. You get an 11.6-inch display and a 1.3GHz Pentium SU4100 processor inside as well as a battery with 2 hours of gaming play and 6.5 hours of standby time. Best of all, the gaming rig comes in at a base price of $799. No, we're not working on the Alienware payroll, but with portable gaming systems dropping in price, the appeal of PC gaming is bigger than ever and we thought our listeners would appreciate this deal. Check it out!

Lots more stories in the rundown today, including a $7,000 talking sex robot, a T-shirt that all predators will enjoy, the new Sonic the Hedgehog 4 trailer, and more!

LAS VEGAS--A lot of the gaming news we anticipated last month came to fruition at this year's CES in Las Vegas. While we didn't get a definitive release date for Project Natal, Microsoft did announce the motion sensing technology would be available this holiday season. How much it will cost is still a mystery and there was no sign of Natal at Microsoft's CES booth.

However, we did get some information about Xbox Live Game Room, a new online application that will allow gamers to virtually experience all the goodness of a classic arcade. Free to try … Read more

Update: The Alienware M11x has been nominated for the Best of CES awards in the Gaming category.

LAS VEGAS--Alienware laptops are powerful, but they're not exactly known for being ultraportable or affordable. At Dell's press conference this morning, however, a chief focus was put on their new M11x laptop, which seems to be attacking both ends head-on. In a form approaching Netbook size, the 11.6-inch laptop comes packed with switchable graphics, including an Nvidia GT335M GPU as its main powerhouse, and will sell this spring for less than $1,000.

According to Dell representatives, the M11x will … Read more