Key Specs
1.3GHz Intel Core 2 Duo SU7300
4GB RAM
500GB hard drive
None
11.6 inches (1,366x768 native resolution)
Nvidia GeForce GT 335M (1GB) and integrated Intel GMA 4500MHD
4.4 pounds
1.3x11.3x9.2 inches
Windows 7 Ultimate (64-bit)
Why would gamers, who typically lug 15- or 17-inch notebooks to LAN parties, even consider an 11.6-inch portable for play? Answer: For the same reason everyone else buys light laptops. In the olden days (that is, circa 2009), laptops with high-end graphics needed lots of space for cooling, and small screens meant low resolution. An 11-inch notebook was typically a slow-performing netbook, meant for little more than word processing and surfing the Web. So leave it to Alienware to think outside the box and deliver an ultraportable that delivers game-worthy graphics performance, road-ready battery life, and the attitude of a full-blown gaming rig. The unique M11x represents a couple of firsts for Alienware: Its base price of $799 is the lowest of any computer in the Alienware line, ever, and it’s the smallest machine, too.
Our test unit, configured with a Core 2 Duo processor, a 500GB hard drive, and 4GB of memory, came in at a reasonable $1,099. But what really makes this notebook different is its versatility; it mixes an ultra-low-voltage CPU, known for its power-saving and low-heat characteristics, with an Nvidia GeForce GT 335M, a performance-class mobile graphics chipset. It also has an integrated graphics controller for when you don’t require that much 3D power. To be clear: This is not your typical Alienware notebook, as it just doesn’t have the horsepower of its high-end brothers, the M17x and M15x. Still, it has strong enough chops to satisfy all but the most demanding gamers, and it will provide hours of unplugged frag time. And despite its size, it offers many of the cool accouterments you’ve come to expect from Alienware.
With its beveled, race car–style front end, illuminated grills, silver finish, and the familiar backlit alien head adorning its lid, there’s no mistaking the M11x’s family resemblance. It's basically a smaller version of the Alienware M15x. (Like its bigger sibling, it's available in a Cosmic Black finish, as well.) Measuring 1.3 inches thick and weighing 4.4 pounds, the M11x is undeniably chunky for an ultraportable. The slightly larger Lenovo ThinkPad Edge 13 weighs 3.8 pounds, while the 13-inch Toshiba Satellite T135D-S1324 comes in at 3.9 pounds. However, the M11x has a very solid feel. The display is supported by two heavy-duty hinges that provide just the right amount of resistance when opening and closing the lid, and the battery is contained completely inside the chassis. (You can remove it by undoing eight screws on the bottom of the chassis and taking off the bottom panel.)
The 11.6-inch screen has a resolution of 1,366x768, which means it can display HD content at 720p. The panel is framed by a piano-black bezel with a backlit Alienware badge on the bottom, and it's protected by a glossy edge-to-edge covering that provides very good contrast and sharp colors. The trade-off is a fair amount of reflectivity, which can be distracting. The shiny bezel is aesthetically pleasing but not very practical; a matte bezel would help cut down on the glare factor. That said, our 720p test clip, The Magic of Flight, looked wonderful on the little screen, and viewing angles were very wide for such a tiny panel.
The roomy keyboard is firm and comfortable, and it's illuminated by the same customizable AlienFX lighting system that also lights up the power switch, the front grills, the logo badge, and the status lights above the keyboard. Unlike the Alienware M15x, which offers four distinct color zones on the keyboard, the M11x is limited to a single zone, but you can choose from 20 colors. The slightly recessed touch pad is textured and provides smooth cursor control, and the mouse buttons are quiet and responsive. There are no sliders or touch-sensitive controls at the top of keyboard, but you will find a power switch in the shape of (what else?) an alien head. The front-firing speakers are surprisingly loud given the M11x’s diminutive stature, and they don’t distort when cranked all the way up.
Considering its girth, the M11x’s lack of an optical drive is puzzling. After all, the engineers at Toshiba managed to fit a DVD drive into the thinner and lighter Portégé R600, so it is certainly doable, and for gamers, it’s practically a must. We thought Alienware might have made this decision in the name of cooling such a graphics-intensive yet small machine, but the company instead cited cost, size, and weight as the determining factors. To us, that means it was possible, but the company doesn’t think people will value it—an opinion we don’t share, especially for gamers. Still, you do get a nice assortment of ports (DisplayPort, HDMI, and VGA video outputs, plus three USB ports), which means you can easily hook up this laptop to a larger screen, a full-size keyboard, and a mouse at home for a better gaming experience. You also get a FireWire port and an Ethernet port, and the inclusion of dual headphone jacks is a nice touch. The chassis lacks an ExpressCard slot, but it does have a three-format flash-card reader and a SIM-card slot.
Alienware did everyone a favor and bypassed the bloatware on the M11x. The system's 500GB hard drive came with Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit) installed and was thankfully devoid of much else. (Alienware wisely withholds from cluttering its PCs with excess apps and trial software.) In addition to the AlienFX applet, you get another proprietary control utility, the Alienware Command Center. It contains AlienFusion, which lets you adjust power settings to save on battery life or increase performance; AlienTouch, which lets you customize your touch pad's sensitivity; and AlienSense face-recognition software, which works with the embedded 1.3-megapixel Webcam. You also get CyberLink’s YouCam software, which makes it easy to set up video chats and personalize them with cute special effects. In addition to those basics, fans of solid-state drives (SSDs) can have the M11x outfitted with a 250GB SSD as a $420 option. And finally, the M11x comes with a one-year warranty that includes 24/7 telephone support and basic in-house service within one to two business days. You can upgrade to a three-year plan for $199 more.
For all that you get on the hard drive, the M11x is a bit of a lightweight on the CPU. The system is powered by Intel’s Core 2 Duo SU7300, an ultra-low-voltage processor with a stock speed of 1.3GHz. Here, it was overclocked to 1.73GHz at the factory. You can enable or disable the overclocking by entering the BIOS utility and switching it on or off, but it’s nice having a bit more oomph, considering the CPU’s low-end specs.
On our PCMark Vantage test, which measures overall system performance by running simulated productivity applications, the M11x’s score of 3,608 was more than 1,000 points above the average for an ultraportable and slightly higher than the average mainstream notebook, as well. Granted, it couldn’t keep pace with Sony’s VAIO Z Series ultraportable, but that laptop uses a Core i5 chip and is much more expensive. Closer to the M11x in price is the Lenovo ThinkPad Edge 13, which the M11x bested by 831 points, and the Eurocom T3 Contessa, which trailed the M11x by more than 2,000 points.
