Archive notice: This article was originally published on November 4, 2008. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
Alienware’s Area-51 m15x and Area-51 m17x notebooks recently caused a stir and were regarded as performance leaders in their classes. Now Alienware, Dell’s leading gaming brand, is going a step further with the M17. The 17-inch notebook is available with the first mobile quad-core processor, the Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9300. ATI CrossFireX multi-GPU technology, in the form of two ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3870 GPUs with a total of 1 GB of dedicated graphics memory, also delivers striking graphics performance.
Alienware is introducing the M17 with the following configuration:
· The world’s first mobile quad-core processor—the M17 with Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9300 is 50 percent faster than previous generations of mobile processors¹.
· ATI CrossFireX multi-GPU technology with two ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3870 graphics cards for HD-intensive video content and the latest games, including DirectX 10.1 support and frame rates up to 80 percent higher than single-GPU solutions².
· 4 GB of DDR3 memory for transfer rates up to 50 percent faster, as well as greater bandwidth and improved quad-core capabilities.
· Two 500 GB hard drives in a RAID 0 array, providing 1 TB of total storage—enough for around 160 games, 250 full-length films or 250,000 songs³.
· A 17-inch display with a high-definition resolution of 1,920 × 1,200 pixels for sharp game graphics, Blu-ray content and HD video playback.
· An illuminated Alienware logo prominently displayed on the black, ribbed Skullcap-design lid. The matte-black Stealth Black finish not only looks good but also protects the system from fingerprints and scratches.
Innovative Design Meets Innovative Technologies
Alienware CommandCenter, which was also due to become available for German operating systems, gives users access to exclusive Alienware applications for an enhanced M17 experience.
Whether adjusting the notebook’s power options in AlienFusion, customizing touchpad functions in AlienTouch or configuring security settings in AlienSense facial-recognition software, users can adapt the M17 notebook to their individual needs and preferences.
Future editions can be downloaded directly into CommandCenter, keeping the Alienware notebook up to date.
“In the Alienware M17, ATI CrossFireX’s latest graphics technology works with the new mobile quad-core processor to deliver strong performance at a strong price,” said Christian Wolff, Alienware marketing manager for Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
“Together with the Intel Core 2 Extreme quad-core processor and the advanced technology of the Alienware M17 notebook, mobile users can be confident of accessing the performance required for graphics-intensive games anytime and anywhere,” said Doug Parker, Intel’s director of marketing for America’s Sales and Marketing Group.
“AMD and Alienware offer mobile gamers a revolutionary visual experience,” said Rick Bergman, senior vice president and general manager of AMD’s Graphics Products Group. “With two ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3870 graphics cards and ATI CrossFireX technology, hardcore gamers experience immersive gaming with dynamic environments and striking 3D effects.”
¹ Performance was measured in a benchmark using the 3DMark Vantage CPU test. Notebooks with the quad-core Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9300 processor were compared with notebooks based on the dual-core Intel Core 2 Extreme X9100 processor. Actual performance may vary. See
http://www.intel.com/cd/products/services/emea/deu/processors/core2xe/mobile/398862.htm
² One ATI Radeon HD 3870 graphics card.
³ Hard-drive capacity is based on average file sizes of 4 MB per song, 4 GB per film and 6 GB per game. This does not account for installed applications, operating systems or additional files stored on the drive.
