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Pros

  • Clean design
  • The customizable gamer-specific software

Cons

  • The price
  • Speakers, while good, could be better

At A Glance

Of course, a tricked out gaming machine like the M17x will cost you a lot of money and perform well. But few look as good.

Manufacturer’s Description

Dell Alienware M17x Gaming Laptop Computer Lunar Silver Anodized Aluminum 8GB Dual Channel DDR3 at 1333MHz Intel Core2 Extreme Quad QX9300 2.53GHz (12MB Cache, 1066MHz FSB) 17-inch WideXGA+ 1440x900 (900p) 500GB 7,200RPM w/ Free Fall Protection Slot-Load Dual Layer DVD Burner (DVD+-RW, CD-RW) Dual NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260M, 2GB SLI Enabled

The Specs

Pricing
Part Number DKDOQD33
Processor
Processor type Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9300
Processor speed 2530.0 MHz
Cache size 12.0 KB
Bus speed 1066.0 MHz
Memory
Memory size 4000.0 MB
Memory type DDR3
Memory speed 1333.0 MHz
Memory max 8.0 GB
Display
Display size 17.0 inches
Display type Glossy LCD
Aspect ratio 16:10
Resolution 1920 x 1200 pixels
Graphics
Graphics Type Discrete
Primary Graphics Chipset Dual nVidia GeForce GTX 280M
Storage
Drives included 2.0
Drive size 320.0 GB
Express card 1
Other storage
  • Express Card Slot
  • Memory Stick
  • SD Card
  • xD-Picture Card
Battery
Battery Type Lithium ion
Vendor Rated Battery life 2.5 hours
Standard Number of Batteries 1
Number of Included Batteries 1
Dimensions
Width 16.0 inches
Depth 12.5 inches
Height 2.1 inches
Weight with Accessories 14.8 pounds
Weight 11.68 pounds
Optical Drive
Included Drives DVD+-RW DL
Sound
Speakers Stereo
Storage Media
SD card Yes
Memory stick Memory Stick
XD picture card 1
Included Software
Included Software
  • Nero Essential 9
  • CyberLink PowerDVD 8
Operating System Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate (64 bit)
Other Features
Docking Station Port No
Devices AC Adapter
Input devices
  • Keyboard
  • Touchpad
Ports and Connections
Ethernet Type 10/100/1000 Mbps
Available Interfaces
  • Bluetooth
  • DisplayPort
  • Ethernet - RJ45
  • FireWire 400/IEEE 1394 - 4 pin
  • FireWire Port
  • HDMI
  • Serial ATA - 7 pin
  • USB - Universal Serial Bus 2.0
  • USB - Universal Serial Bus Port (x4)
  • Video - 15 pin High-Density D-shell (VGA)
Wireless connection 802.11 n
Bluetooth Yes
Slots
  • Express Card Slot
  • Memory Stick
  • SD Card
  • xD-Picture Card

Performance

Overall Performance
WorldBench 6 Score 100
WorldBench 6 Rating Good
Battery
Battery Life 3:04:03 AM  (hh:mm)
Office Productivity
Web Browsing 321  seconds (lower is better)
Office Suite Use 345  seconds (lower is better)
File Compression 214  seconds (lower is better)
Content Creation
Image Editing 386  seconds (lower is better)
GPU Graphics Rendering 397  seconds (lower is better)
CPU Graphics Rendering 351  seconds (lower is better)
Video Encoding 218  seconds (lower is better)
DVD Burning 615  seconds (lower is better)
Video Editing 218  seconds (lower is better)
Gaming
Unreal Tournament 3, Medium, 800 by 600 130.11  Frames per second (higher is better)
Unreal Tournament 3, Medium, 1024 by 768 124.49  Frames per second (higher is better)
Unreal Tournament 3, Medium, 1680 by 1050 128.23  Frames per second (higher is better)
Unreal Tournament 3, Highest, 800 by 600 86.67  Frames per second (higher is better)
Unreal Tournament 3, Highest, 1024 by 768 84.42  Frames per second (higher is better)
Unreal Tournament 3, Highest, 1680 by 1050 83.61  Frames per second (higher is better)
Enemy Territory: Quake Wars, High, 1680 by 1050 65.2  Frames per second (higher is better)
Enemy Territory: Quake Wars, High, 1024 by 768 69.4  Frames per second (higher is better)
Enemy Territory: Quake Wars, High, 800 by 600 69.63  Frames per second (higher is better)
Enemy Territory: Quake Wars, Normal, 1680 by 1050 69.87  Frames per second (higher is better)
Enemy Territory: Quake Wars, Normal, 1024 by 768 70.2  Frames per second (higher is better)
Enemy Territory: Quake Wars, Normal, 800 by 600 70.47  Frames per second (higher is better)
Performance
World Bench 5 Multitasking 360
Number of Included Batteries 1