Alienware M17x - Intel Core i7

Overview

TechSpot Metascore

Based on 11 expert reviews

Excellent:

7
Good:

2
Average:

1
Bad:

1

Pros:

Topoftheline performance, Optional 3Dcapable display, Numerous upgrade opportunities.
Best looking gaming laptop, Solidly-made chassis, Outstanding game-play and gaming scores, 1080p screen resolution, Great keyboard, Impressive lighting effects, Soft mouse buttons, HDMI-In is a rare laptop find.
Blazing performance, Fast SSD, Excellent battery life, Built-in WirelessHD, Innovative lighting effects, HDMI input

Cons:

Runs hot, Very short battery life, Only 4 GB of RAM on base model
Screen has the characteristics of a mirror, Battery life is below average

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Last revision on February 23, 2012

Reviewers Liked

Topoftheline performance, Optional 3Dcapable display, Numerous upgrade opportunities
Best looking gaming laptop, Solidly-made chassis, Outstanding game-play and gaming scores, 1080p screen resolution, Great keyboard, Impressive lighting effects, Soft mouse buttons, HDMI-In is a rare laptop find
Blazing performance, Fast SSD, Excellent battery life, Built-in WirelessHD, Innovative lighting effects, HDMI input
Great performance for games; good set of built-in speakers; menacing design
The large screen, amazing audio and overall good performance are huge benefits

Reviewers Didn't Like

Runs hot, Very short battery life, Only 4 GB of RAM on base model
Screen has the characteristics of a mirror, Battery life is below average
Bottom gets hot when gaming, Audio could be better
Bulky and heavy; poor battery performance; expensive
Low battery life and a high price tag may drive some away

Expert reviews and ratings

Having said that much, where does that leave Dell's M17x R3 gaming notebook? Well, the good news is that as far as OEM gaming notebooks go, the M17x R3 is probably one of the best you can get in this region, if not the best. Considering how the M17x...

By VR-Zone on July 24, 2011

With outstanding gaming scores and the most wicked design, the Alienware M17X (Sandy Bridge) is the best gaming laptop, period....

By PC Mag on June 27, 2011

We like the Alienware M17x. If you're looking for a gaming laptop, then few choices are better than this. It's amazingly well made, powerful, well-specced and comfortable. It's just not that portable. Best offers for the Alienware M17xDell...

By 5FWD on April 28, 2011

100

Record-breaking performance, superslick design, wireless HD streaming, and five hours of battery life. Yup, this gaming notebook is pretty much...

By LaptopMag on February 21, 2011

On the whole, the M17X is a great notebook to have if you want something that's purely built for entertainment - whether it's for watching movies or games. It is a pretty beefy machine with the muscles to handle the latest games and it has great...

By TechCentral on October 08, 2010

Our configuration of the revamped Alienware M17x is expensive, but it's not bad value for money, considering the awesome components that lurk within. The Intel Core i7 CPU seems to really make a difference in terms of performance, and...

By CNET UK on June 10, 2010

If you want a gaming computer with a brand name and an overall high end gaming laptop, this is a great...

By TopTenREVIEWS on June 01, 2010

Alienware M17xWe had a hard time rating the M17x impartially. On the one side, the great weight, the especially under load very loud noise level and the numerous smaller and bigger flaws and errors, such as crashes in battery mode or single graphic...

By NotebookCheck on March 09, 2010

Reviewers say the latest revision of the Alienware M17x, which has been updated for 2011 with Intel's second-generation processors, is one of the most powerful laptops you can buy. The 17.3-inch gaming laptop posts incredible speeds and excellent...

By ConsumerSearch on August 01, 2011

We've had our hands on quite a few gaming notebooks here, but most of the time they're Clevo-based machines. These aren't necessarily bad notebooks; they're fast, typically have good screens, and they get the job done. Yet they also have...

By AnandTech on June 20, 2011

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