Showing posts with label alienware. Show all posts
Showing posts with label alienware. Show all posts

Friday, October 7, 2011

Alienware M17x-2857DSB 17-Inch Laptop (Black) Review

Alienware M17x-2857DSB 17-Inch Laptop (Black)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Well i was really leary about buying an alienware mostly because of the price and less expensive laptops you could get for a lesser price with the same or higher specs. Well here's the reason this is so worth it, and much better. First off all parts on the inside are intel genuine parts, Nvidia genuine parts and the whole laptop is build from the ground up with super top notch components. Lots of computers such as Acers, Gateway, HP, and even Sony use other companies to manufacture there motherboards graphic cards, screens etc etc. This thing is an absolute sherman tank, and just looks and feels down right indestructible. When i pulled it out of the box (which looked like is cost about 100$ itself i was like wow impressive). It was wrapped in a velvet black Alienware sleeve which was pretty unique, upon opening it i couldn't believe the weight(could be a con for some people), and then i realized this thing has METAL components, on the sides, bottom and the back of the screen. How often do you see that, never? So yes this thing is well worth the money. Now onto the specs. What it doesnt tell you(i'm writing about the Best Buy model) is that this unit is equipted with two yes two GPU's. One is the main Nvidia GTX 260, the other an Nvidia 9400, so basically the more powerful GPU feeds off the lesser one to give you extra graphical and gaming ability, and yes it shows, big time. The resolution may not be full 1080p(its 1440x900) but who really cares? Check on Xbox and Ps3 and you'll find there are very very few games that even run at full 1080p resolution, even upscaled the games look noting like on this thing. I've played Bioshock, Red Faction Guerilla, Resident Evil 5, and Crysis so far all without a hitch, even Crysis you can play at very high setting with a playable frame rate. The glossy screen really brings out the details and vibrant colors especially with antialiasing, even though its not the brightest in the world, its great. The slot loading DVD-RW is great, loads very quickly, and runs quietly. Don't be fooled by all the hype of the new I series intel chipsets, the i7 did not make that much of an impression on me, this thing has the Quad 2 Core running at 2.0 ghz, and the system rating for calculations per second are 6.9. The i7 in most of the other gaming machines is about 7.0 or 7.2, whoopi do, who really cares?? Also the overall look of this machine is just beautiful, the keys are atomatically set to blue, but you can change them to about any color you want using the Alienware Utility Console.
The battery can get up to 3 hours if you turn down the screen and don't really game TO heavy, so thats definitely a plus. I got fed up with Asus because of allll kinds of wireless issues, blue screens of death, disc read errors, squashed unresponsive keys, and just some overall major screwups with the machines themselves. So yes i payed the extra money figuring this would be better and it way surpassed my expectations, being that it blows the more modern but fading Asus G60 and G72 series laptops out of the water. The speakers in the front also glow the same color as the keys or a different variety if you want, which is really something. On another note i opened the box with the power adapter and its a flat box type shaped, not the usual box Xbox 360 type adapter you usually get with gaming machines. I will add another 2 gigs(to get 6) just to add it, but heck it doesnt even need it, this thing is still a multitasking beast. I think anything over 6 gigs is really uneeded sine most games require no more than 3 gigs anyways, and that would be a shock. So as i've praised this is the first REAL gaming laptop i've ever owned, all the rest were ok but nothing compared to this thing. When they say its made for heavy duty gaming and multitasking they weren't kidding. This beast will surely stand the test of time, and is also upgradable for any GPU out there, but i don't think i'll ever need anything more. If you have the cash don't waste your time with Asus, Cyperpower, or even Toshiba Qosmio, even it the specs are better this thing is specifically designed for heavy use. The sound quality is the loudest i've ever heard, and also has a subwoofer. The only one thing that is a slight small issue is when your playing games the fan is realllly loud, but i really could care less considering i know it will never overheat, umm thats what the fans and cooling system are for. I've had other laptops where the fan didn't even run, not good. So enough going on and on, if you have the cash or credit just get it, its not just for gamers its for anyone that ones a really awesome looking and performing laptop to last for many years. One last funny thing is you get an Alienware black hat, and a manual bound in leather that looks like a bible, and also an Alienware alienhead sticker for, well wherever you wanna stick it. HA.
Only two things, no blu ray, which i could care less since i have it on my PS3, and i wish in these units they would put a 16x or 18x DVD burner, instead of just 8x.

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Alienware M17x: Bold, Aggressive and Rebellious Take control of your gaming with the Alienware M17X multimedia laptop (model m17x-2857DSB), which features an all-new, thermally optimized case design with aggressive lines and an in-your-face attitude. It features a stunning, high-definition 17-inch display with edge-to-edge glass, which provides a sharper picture and richer colors so images pop off the screen whether playing immersive 3D games, watching HD movies, or editing your photo collection.
It's powered by an Intel Core 2 Quad processor--with four processing cores and Centrino 2 technology--which boosts speed, reduces power requirements, and saves on battery life. The 2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Quad Q9000 includes a quick 1066 MHz front-side bus and 6 MB of L2 cache, providing an optimized, multithreaded architecture for improved multimedia and multitasking performance.

Additionally, it offers ultra-fast DDR3 system memory and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260M graphics with 1 GB of video memory. Taken together, this combination of high-performance technologies allows you to rip through the latest 3D games at lightning-fast frame-rates.

Considering the amount of performance the M17x pumps out, a case that can manage thermals efficiently and has plenty of strength to help protect everything inside is essential. The M17x features an anodized aluminum case design with aggressive lines and an in-your-face attitude.



Pre-installed with the Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium operating system (64-bit version), you'll be able to easily create a home network and share all of your favorite photos, videos, and music. Windows 7 is the easiest, fastest, and most engaging version of Windows yet. Better ways to find and manage files, like Jump Lists and improved taskbar previews, help you speed through everyday tasks. Windows 7 is designed for faster and more reliable performance, so your PC just works the way you want it to.



Key Features The Alienware M17X with anodized aluminum case design, aggressive lines, and an in your face attitude..

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Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Dell Alienware M11X - Core i5 8GB DDR3 5.1 Surround Sound Stealth Black - gaming laptop Review

Dell Alienware M11X - Core i5 8GB DDR3 5.1 Surround Sound Stealth Black - gaming laptop
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Awesome laptop with amazing performance for it size. It will play the latest games from medium (COD MW2) to high/ultra settings (SC2).
This thing also never overheats. Its pretty big for a netbook but def worth it!
Thanks to nVidia Optimus technology, the battery life on this thing is fantastic (3+ hours playing online,5+ hours regular web surfing,watching videos...). The 8GB of Ram and the option to overclock the processor make this on-the-go gaming laptop a good future proof system.
Overall I'm very pleased with this system.I recommend it to anyone (especially if you can find it for under a grand)looking to do some gaming on the go and want to have the coolest looking laptop around.
Cons: I've heard about some hinges issues but Dell is working on it and will replace them even if the laptop is out of warranty. Make sure you open the lid with both hands to put less strains on the hinges.

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Wednesday, August 24, 2011

StarTech.com DP2HDMI DisplayPort to HDMI Video Adapter Converter Review

StarTech.com DP2HDMI DisplayPort to HDMI Video Adapter Converter
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I got this cable for my Alienware M15x laptop. I was surprised it'd didn't come with an HDMI and was not familiar with displayport. I got this cable so I could watch my movie files while on vacation. The adapter works great and is very well made. The part that plugs into the data port has a positive locking system which is nice. The quality is also very good and it feels substantial and well put together.
Additional info. For me (as mentioned in the comments below), in order to send the audio through the HDMI cable, you will need to get into the "sound and Audio devices" of the control panel and change the sound playback Default Device to the displayport cable. If you don't the sound will come out the laptop speakers or whatever speakers you have hooked up to the laptop.
Just a quick update. I've been using this cable on and off for a while and it still works just fine. More and more hotels have nice TV's with HDMI in plugs so I can play my movies from my laptop which is nice.
I just wanted to mention that although the photo of the adapter may look like a USB at first glance IT'S NOT, it IS a DisplayPort male end you are seeing. This is a DisplayPort to HDMI adapter, just like the title says. I see too many people giving this item bad reviews because they made the mistake of ordering it thinking it is a USB to HDMI. It isn't. The title and description is correct. I'm not saying I've never ordered the wrong thing by mistake but I can't say I'd blame Amazon for my mistake.
Peaty

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Sunday, August 7, 2011

Microtel Computer? AMTI9025 Gaming Computer with 3.2GHz AMD Phenom II x4 955 Quad-Core processor, 4GB DDR3/1333, 1TB SATAII, 24X DVD-RW, NVIDIA GeForce HD N450 GTS 1GB GDDR5 Video Card, Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium Full Version CD - 64 bit. MONITOR NOT INCLUDED. Review

Microtel Computer? AMTI9025 Gaming Computer with 3.2GHz AMD Phenom II x4 955 Quad-Core processor, 4GB DDR3/1333, 1TB SATAII, 24X DVD-RW, NVIDIA GeForce HD N450 GTS 1GB GDDR5 Video Card, Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium Full Version CD - 64 bit. MONITOR NOT INCLUDED.
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
First of all, the machine showed up on time which was nice. It was well packed with a sturdy box and the foam inside cradled the machine well. With such a fragile and expensive item, Microtel has their shipping down and it arrived safe and sound.
The reason I am giving this machine four stars instead of five is that the item was not totally true to it's description. When purchasing a machine for gaming, it is very important to know all of the specifications since it will eventually need to be upgraded.
The motherboard is a micro ATX (I believe BIOSTAR TA785G3) which fits nicely into the case, but with the two unit sized video card, there is only one PCI slot of the two PCI slots available for use. There is only one PCI express slot open, so don't plan on using crossfire or SLI. I had to decide weather my soundblaster sound card or my wireless card was more important, and the wireless card won since I need to be connected to the internet. The on-board sound is pretty good, so not a huge problem that I couldn't add the Soundblaster. The Phenom II x4 3.2 GHz CPU is a great processor. Intel makes great processors too, but I think they're overpriced. AMD's top of the line processor is only $300 and Intel's is $999. Do the math.
The case itself is pretty and the blue light is fun to look at, but there really isn't much space on the inside of the machine. This was to be expected, but when putting another hard drive in the machine, I had to disconnect all of the SATA and power cables and the video card to put the new hard drive in. It was a battle just getting in a second hard drive.
The power supply is 500W which is nice, but it was not included in the description of the machine. 500W is pretty good, but if you want to upgrade to an Nvidia GTX 560 or higher graphics card, you will most likely have to upgrade the power supply. Not a big deal since it already comes with an MSI (brand) Nvidia GTS 450 card, but I will definitely want to upgrade eventually.
The 4GB of RAM is decent, but will eventually need to be upgraded as well. It is very difficult to find a machine in the 700-900 dollar range with 8GB+ of RAM, so this was to be expected. RAM is really cheap now, so I am going to put 8GB more in so that I will have 12 GB. Also not mentioned is that this machine can support up to 16GB of RAM which is sweet. Most machines in this price range are only expandable up to 8GB of RAM.
The machine is pretty quiet until you are playing games. There are a total of five fans- one on the PSU, one on the CPU, one on the side of the case, one on the video card, and one on the front of the case at the bottom. This should provide adequate cooling unless you are pushing the machine to the max (or overclocked) under high temperature conditions in an area that is already warm. Make sure to leave enough space around the case to allow it to cool. The fans definitely get loud when playing graphics-intense games, but most gaming computers do this unless they have specific sound dampening materials inside the case.
The CD/DVD ROM is SATA, which wasn't mentioned but is a nice feature. SATA is much faster than IDE and has a much smaller cable to mess around with in the case. I have some old IDE CD/DVD ROM drives in my previous machine that I plan on putting in this new machine, but it will be a tight fit.
And for the important part- this machine RIPS while playing games. Starcraft II at Ultra settings and 1920x1080 resolution has no lag at all. Battlefiled Bad Company 2 on High settings and 1920x1080 resolution only hangs a bit during large explosions or lots of blowing snow and particles. I haven't tried the "Advanced Settings" on Battlefield Bad Company 2 yet, but I think the issues with lag are more caused by this game's graphics engine rather than the machine itself. The same goes for Crysis on ultra settings and 1920x1080 resolution. This machine was made/designed more than three years after the release of this game and the framerate is STILL slow on cinematics during the game. I believe this is due to Crysis' graphics engine rather than the machine. When Crysis originally came out in 2007, I remember someone who reviewed it saying that you needed a computer only NASA or Pixar could put together to play this game on ultra settings at max resolution. I think that still applies today unless you have a $3,000 gaming rig. After using an Intel CoreDuo 2.4 GHz Gateway with an Nvidia GT 9800 with 4GB of RAM, this is a HUGE step up.
I have received one BSOD (blue screen of death) while word processing and browsing the web. It's ironic that I received this during very benign tasks rather than playing a game, but what are you going to do? It hasn't happened again, but I have only had the machine for less than a week. I am guessing it is probably due to the RAM. If it continues to be a problem, I will contact Microtel to receive a replacement.
I estimated the price of the separate components using newegg.com, and I wouldn't have been able to build the machine cheaper myself. The components came to around $600 (overestimate), and Windows 7 Home Premium (new copy, not upgrade) is $199.99.
All in all I am very pleased. Once again the four stars review is because I haven't had much time to play with it and they could have provided a more thorough explanation of what you're actually getting. The fans are a little loud, but not distracting. There isn't much space to work with inside the case, but this was to be expected. The biggest issue is only having one PCI slot that is usable and there is only one PCI express slot available. I will try to write a follow up review after I have had the machine for a while and put some highly anticipated games from this year on it (Dead Space 2, Diablo III (hopefully will come out this year!) WOW Cataclysm, and Dungeon Seige 3).
If you need a great gaming machine and don't have a lot of money to spend, this is a great choice. If you do have more money (and time) to spend, building your own machine might be worth it (but don't forget that Windows is $199.99). Nice work Microtel.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Microtel Computer? AMTI9025 Gaming Computer with 3.2GHz AMD Phenom II x4 955 Quad-Core processor, 4GB DDR3/1333, 1TB SATAII, 24X DVD-RW, NVIDIA GeForce HD N450 GTS 1GB GDDR5 Video Card, Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium Full Version CD - 64 bit. MONITOR NOT INCLUDED.



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Thursday, August 4, 2011

Alienware AM11X-2894CSB 11.6-Inch Laptop (Cosmic Black) Review

Alienware AM11X-2894CSB 11.6-Inch Laptop (Cosmic Black)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I have been looking at this item for quite a while and finally pulled the trigger. My concerns with the speed of the processor on the Core 2 rather than i5 and i7 and the high price were my only reason not to buy. After reading about the battery hit taken on this with the faster processors and the price dropping about $100 so that the price difference with the i7 become quite large, I decided to go with the Core 2 and I am glad I did.
First off, the screen is glossy and only of average brightness but the viewing angles and the ability to turn the contrast all the way up and still see a good picture a plus. Second, there is no bluetooth but there are so many tiny dongles these days it isn't a huge issue for your mouse or headphones - just use of one the three usb ports. Third, the reason to buy this is for gaming and I am happy to say I was able to load all my games on the spacious 320gb hard drive with room to spare and they are all playable anywhere from medium to ultra settings. I play almost exclusively real-time strategy titles such as StarCraft II and the Command and Conquer titles. They all run really good.
The build quality is phenomenal on this thing. It is fun to just look at and admire. Being able to change the lighting in five zones and in various ways makes night computing perfect. The small keyboard is a little tougher to type on than a chic-lit style on a netbook but the razor sharp backlighting makes it work out fine after a little practice. Touch typing works great. The wrist area does not show fingerprints, the mouse has a great texture and really soft press buttons but I use an external mouse.
My first unit did not work the second day. It went black screen on me and Amazon shipped me a replacement the very next day that has been perfect. I also went into the bios on the second one and enabled turbo mode and it works - no blue screens.
I spent all day loading up my gaming titles and look forward to playing on the go and around the house a lot more now. I was also pleased that 1080p YouTube worked flawlessly and my programs seem snappy. So far, so good, enjoying it. The kids love it too and like to change the keyboard to pink for the girls and incredible hulk green for the boys.
A fun toy, I hope to enjoy for a long time, and recommend.


Click Here to see more reviews about: Alienware AM11X-2894CSB 11.6-Inch Laptop (Cosmic Black)

With the Alienware M11x gaming laptop, you can play anything, anywhere. WHile weighing in at less than 4.51 pounds, the M11x packs enough power to handle the latest games, redefining the gaming capabilities of sub-15-inch laptops.

All Powerful. All Portable.

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