The Alienware M11x R3 is undoubtedly one of the best ultraportable gaming notebooks.It has been a big seller for Alienware, and rightly so because it combines class leading performance in a thin and light, custom chassis design. If you want a compact, 11-inch laptop that can still play virtually any game on the market there is no other choice than the Alienware M11x R3.
Alienware AM11X-2894CSB 11.6-Inch Laptop (Cosmic Black)
Alienware M11x R3 Specs:
Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)
1.4GHz Intel Core i5-2537M
4GB RAM
500GB hard drive
11.6 inches (1,366x768 native resolution)
Integrated Intel HD Graphics 3000 and Nvidia GeForce GT 540M (1GB), switched via Optimus
4.4 pounds Weight
1.3x11.3x9.2 inches
Alienware M11x R3 Review
The lid is supported by a heavy-duty hinge mechanism that gives the M11x R3 a solid feel. But the 4.4-pound chassis is heavier than most ultraportables. Build quality is quite good thanks to a magnesium alloy construction combined with matte black plastics and the previously mentioned "soft touch finish" which helps make the notebook scratch resistant. Due to the weight of just about two kilograms, and a size of 286 x 233 x 33 mm, the 11 inch subnotebook can be transported easily.
The M11x's glossy 11.6-inch 1366 x 768 display provides bright colors and sharp images, but mediocre viewing angles cause images to wash out at even 45 degrees. A resolution of 1366 x 768 is exactly right for this display size, although a relatively large amount of scrolling will be required in practice, and the handling of several windows can become a bit tedious. It's bright and clear, and works well for both games and video.
The Alienware M11x's colorfully backlit keyboard offers strong tactile feedback with no flex and good key placement. The keyboard itself has soft and responsive keys that feel good to hit, but the downside is that they are a little too small. The layout of the keyboard is quite cramp as the keys are all placed very close to each other. Frequent typists and fast writers won't necessarily ever become completely happy since frequent office tasks call for a keyboard with bigger or free standing keys (chiclet design). The touchpad is a good size (80x43mm) considering the small dimensions of the unit. Apart from the multi-touch control with various gestures (scrolling, zooming & turning), the touchpad also supports a horizontal and vertical scroll area.
For an 11.6-inch notebook, the Alienware M11x R3 has its fair share of interesting ports. The laptop includes two USB 3.0 ports, one USB 2.0 port, FireWire, Gigabit Ethernet, a 3-in-1 media card slot, all of the standard audio jacks, and the previously mentioned HDMI and DisplayPort connections.
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