Testing the Alienware M11x
Testing the Alienware M11x
Alright, typically we'll dive into a deep benchmark session. With an UltraPortable however that would not be fair. Comparing say, the processor to the latest Core i5 or i7 processor would put this netbook to absolute shame. It is a completely different platform. So what we'll do is just walk you through the more important factors of the product, starting with the keyboard.
- Alienware M11x
- Processor Core i5 520UM
- Memory 4GB @ 800 MHz CAS6 - CR 1T
- 2nd GPU GeForce GT 335M 1024MB dedicated memory
450 MHz GPU / 1080 MHz Shaders / 1580 MHz gDDR3 128-bit (effecive data rate) - Windows 7 64-bit
- GeForce Forceware 189.69
Keyboard: The keyboard works out well for gaming, but it does feel a little small, obviously with an UltraPortable in mind that does make sense. The keys themselves are nice and soft to type on, but due to the Alienware design with the somewhat screaming keys you do tend to mistype a letter here and there if you are on a mission to quickly type say, an email. This is a gaming netbook, and for that requirement it functions really well though.
When we look at the trackpad we feel it's okay, but more often than normal I'd desire a mouse. It's good, responsive, but you miss that little extra. The trackpad buttons are okay, we tend to believe that you'll game with a mouse anyway. Here's a nice thought for Dell / Alienware, why not include a kickass gaming mouse?
Display: Here's where we have some comments to make. First off, this is an UltraPortable, meaning a small screen. For the 11" you have available you'll work in a 1366x768 resolution, which is reasonable. The color reproduction and response times seem to be fine, What did set me down was the incredibly high gloss finish coating of the LCD. Seriously, everything reflects in it. So if you sit in a room with a couple of lights, these lights will be reflected on the screen, making you move around the LCD to compensate. This can become bothersome.
Sound: Included in this netbook are decent speakers. We have nothing to moan or complain about with them. For typical usage the audio volume level is good, and for such small speakers the sound is actually quite clear. As always, lacking due to design are nice bass levels. But the sturdy build quality of the M11x does make it sound better than your average product alright. So overall we think this is good.
