I’ve been in dire need of a new laptop for some time now. I’ve actually drooled over several netbooks because they fit my requirements when it comes to size and weight. Their downside is they’re extremely underpowered. They can barely handle YouTube, and forget Hulu or Netflix or even YouTube HD videos. Games? Only if you consider 3-10fps to be playable. Gaming isn’t an extremely high priority but I’d like something that could handle the odd MMO or RTS to break the monotony for those times when I have a lot of time in hotels and an unsociable crew. In fact, most netbooks use the 1.6Ghz Atom CPU, which is the same speed as my 7 year-old Inspiron 600m I’m using. I can watch a YouTube video if I don’t have much else going on. Why spend $300+ to essentially buy a lighter version of my laptop?
Enter Alienware’s M11x laptop. With an 11′ screen, it has the size I’m after — something that can easily squeeze into my Purdy Neat Stuff rollaboard. It’s also 4.5 pounds, which is unfortunately heavier than similar-sized netbooks and only .8 lbs lighter than this crappy 600m I’m using. The power supply + cables for the 600m feels like it’s roughly another pound, and while 6.3lbs doesn’t sound like much, when you’re adding it to an already-heavy bag and lugging it around for days at a time, believe me it’s noticeable compared to the times I don’t bring it along. One of my AGE friends, @HeartbreakRidge, recently picked up an M11x, loves it, and says the power supply is pretty small and light.
Near as I can tell, the M11x can reasonably (in the vicinity of 30fps) run some of the games I’m playing at the moment, such as Dawn of War 2, Company of Heroes, Runes of Magic. Not sure about LOTRO and I highly doubt Age of Conan would run tolerably on the lowest settings.
That’s kinda the catch. Due to their high price (my opinion) I don’t upgrade laptops very often and try to squeeze every ounce of usability before my patience finally wears thin. So while it’s all good and fine that it will play a 3 year-old RTS like Company of Heroes, or a free MMO like Runes of Magic, I’m leery of jumping on board the M11x and it’s Dual Core setup when I feel Alienware should have (or likely has in development) built this small lightweight laptop with an i3- or better CPU setup instead; something that is a little more scalable and modern and should hold up better over the next 5+ years before I will probably feel like spending the money to replace it.
I’ve learned my lesson the hard way repeatedly when it comes to technology: Just buy it and don’t look back, because the second it appeared on store shelves it was already obsolete. But other parts aren’t as expensive as say, buying new laptops every year or two. I only use it when I’m working, but I want to feel like I got my money’s worth out of it when it’s all said and done.
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I don’t think this laptop is a good offer. I would rather play not at all than play on a albeit high res 11″ screen. As you know, I do everything including gaming on my 17″ monster sized laptop.
I would recommend you the same. If you are alone in your hotel room, a heavy large-screen portable desktop-replacement laptop might work better for you than a mini-sized pseudo-gaming laptop.
Sorry to all owners of this abortion, but the concept behind it does not convince me at all.
I recommend avoiding alienware just because you are paying for “cool” factor or “style” points with it. If you really want to get your moneys worth go for a nice new toshiba or gateway. If you must spend money spend it on a Sony laptop, you’ll get a better cost/value tradeoff. If you live near a “fry’s electronics” go for that, otherwise check on their sites instead of a third party dealer, although http://www.newegg.com has some great deals some times. I have a monster toshiba from a few years ago with a great screen and still good performance. My sister-in-law has a smaller newer toshiba that screams and does modern MMO’s and directx10 with no sweat at high settings. And it cost less than mine. Look around, you’ll be surprised what you find.
I normally wouldn’t consider an Alienware just because they jack the price up for their “cool” (I guess? I never thought so) cases, etc. But no one else that I’ve heard of has a lightweight gaming-capable laptop out there.
This old 600m has a 14.1″ 4:3 screen and it just fits in my rollaboard. 15″ and especially some monstrous 17″ is out of the question, and that’s not even getting into the whole weight problem associated with those beasts.
So I’m looking for the lightest-weight, gaming-capable (ie. dedicated graphics) laptop with no bigger than a 13″ widescreen. The M11x is currently the only player on that particular block.
Alienware has some of the worst tech support on the planet. Yes, it is true that they are owned by Dell, but they are not Dell at the same time.
Co worker sent his in under warranty to fix and issue with the screen… a nice white stripe on the right side just appeared one day. He sent it in, took them a few weeks to fix it. He got it back and it had a different monitor issue. Why? Because when they reattached the new monitor to the laptop, they screwed the screws holding the panel into one of the cables attached to the cable causing a pixel issue with the panel and since they didn’t check their work, it had to be sent back right after it was repaired.
I too have had issues with Alienware and they haven’t been positive. Now, Dell is awesome. I’ve had to call their tech support and when they sent the wrong drives for two office laptops, we got the replacements by noon the next day. But again, Alienware isn’t Dell.
I won’t get into the whole 11″ monitor is too small, because that is all personal preference. People play games on the PSP, DS and iphone without having any problem with the size. But I’d do some research into the tech support and look at their over all report card before buying a laptop, since it will be moved, bumped and banged around while being transported, especially on a Plane, man those Pilots tend to hit all the bad turbulence.
Scott,
Sounds like your a pilot. I am too. I have the m11x and I love it.
Prior to getting this laptop, I was lugging around a 17″ Gateway gaming laptop because I am, well, a “gamer”.
At my airline, we aren’t required to lug around a “brain” bag but even still, four days of cloths and that Gateway was starting to get a bit old.
The m11x is perfect for me. I play WOW, Left for Dead and occasionally other games. The m11x plays them all quite well. Gaming on an 11.6″ screen leaves a little to be desired but in a pinch, it is better than nothing. But here is the thing that I really dig about this machine: the HDMI output. A lot of the hotels have made the switch to LCD TV’s in the rooms and they all have HDMI inputs. For less than $10, you can mail order an HDMI cable and voila, now I am not gaming on an 11.6 inch screen.
Regards,
Mike