Alienware unveils the Area-51 m17x performance gaming notebook

Posted by T3 Online on Mon 21 Jul 2008

Bet your Eee PC can't do this!

With low-cost, ultra portable 'netbooks' sweeping the globe, we're glad to see that one computer manufacturer has no time for under-powered, lightweight devices. Alienware has just released the latest, top of the line addition to its outstanding line-up of gaming notebooks - the Area 51 m17x.

The new daddy of gaming laptops packs an Intel Core 2 Extreme processor, with up to 2.8GHz speeds available, plus an NVIDIA GeForce 8800M GTX in Dual SLI configuration - currently the world's fastest mobile GPU - and up to 4GB of DDR2 RAM. The screen is a 17" LCD Wide Screen WUXGA, boasting 1920 x 1200 resolution.

Containing all this raw gaming power inside a laptop does comes at a cost though. The Area-51 m17x stretches the realistic definition of 'portable' and weighs in at a chiropractor-friendly 5.2kg. You're certainly not going to want to lug this thing to work with you, but it'll still be easier to ferry over to a friend's house for some CoD4 LAN partying than a full-blown desktop and monitor.

Storage-wise, the m17x offers up to 1TB of hard disc space, good for around 250 full length movies or more songs than you could listen to in a year. The standard model lacks a Blu-ray drive, but you can add one for £176, and there is a TV tuner and HDMI output keeping the rest of your entertainment options open.

Other features include high-speed Draft-N wireless networking, a smart-bay drive for swapping in an extra 500GB of storage space, and the standard, highly customisable Alienware Command Center software.

Prices start from £1,378, but you can splurge to more than £3,000 if you really want your friends to quail beneath the power of this portable gaming monstrosity.

Alienware