On June 10
just before E3 this year I was lucky enough to be invited to an event that shows off the latest and greatest from Alienware and to get hands on time with these new powerhouse laptops. The laptop really is the only choice for the gamer on the go, so the need for power is always key.
Alienware with the latest generation of 14, 17, and 18 inch models hope to have the most powerful tools for gaming. After testing them out with this year’s newest games it is clear to see these are the elite laptops gamers will want to drop the money down. They are not for the weak of heart, but if you have the money and can deal with the weight there are few computers that can match the power.
The lineup start with the 14 inch laptop ($1199.99). From the testing I got to do on the floor it seemed powerful, running Tomb Raider with no drops in frame rate and at native resolution (1920X1080) and looked stunning on the IPS screen. The touch pad felt fantastic in my brief time with it. Movement was fast and fluid. The new design on the laptop was apparent, reminiscent of past generations although with more vents and cooling. It was clear the laptop had engineering to ensure it stayed at a cool temperature. The new lighting that was covering the laptop was a beautiful touch, feeling like a device out of Tron; the lights would react as events in the game changed. It must be noted that only a selection of games are compatible with these lights at present although Alienware assures me more will be added as time goes on.
The 14 was a fantastic and powerful machine, although it may be hard to imagine traveling with the unit. Even at 14 inches the laptop was heavy, packed with enough tech to ensure any gaming experience would be enjoyable. It is easy to see how these are not for people that love the Ultrabook style of laptops. These are devices made for power and performance. It would happily replace many peoples gaming rigs and I know it would be one I would consider.
The bigger brothers of 14 have similar basic abilities but pack far more power. The 17 (1499.99) is boasting a single 780M from Nvidia, Compared to the 765M in the 14. This gives more than enough power to not only tackle the latest games at native resolution, but also allows you to hook it up to a large TV for a console-like experience. The 17 inch display was beautiful allowing all games to be played as they were intended. One added bonus on the 17 model was that it allowed for console input, allowing it to be used as a monitor for on the go or if there is not enough space for a bigger TV. This did not sound like a feature I would personally find useful but it was a nice touch by Alienware to make the laptop diverse and to use the fantastic screen for more than just PC gaming.
The biggest brother of the lineup, the 18, is truly the enthusiast laptop. On the show floor, beyond the size little different was seen visibly between the 17 and 18. Games ran smoothly on both machines and it seemed to show no signs of slowdown on anything I threw at it. Although under the hood it is clear to see why this is the top of the line for gamers. The duel 780M will give gamers more power than most will need and the i7-4930MX Overclocked up to 4.3GHz will ensure that nothing will bring it to its knees, at least not for the foreseeable future. As with all good things, this laptop comes with a price tag to match the power, starting at 2099.99, it is hard to justify unless you are an avid gamer. Although if you have the money to spend it makes a fantastic machine that few can compete with on specs.
Alienware are stepping into this year with laptops that can easily play all the latest games, and if you are a player that loves to experience games at their best, they are hard to beat. If you can look past the weight and the price tags these are the laptops to own this year. We will have full reviews of the laptops in the coming weeks, keep on CGM for more E3 coverage and all the regular content you know and love.
