The software will come ready to use and preloaded with Portal to sweeten the deal. I’m sure this move will expose Steam to some new gamers, but chances are that if you’re buying an Alienware, you already know about Steam. Maybe Steam will eventually work its way onto standard Dell Inspiron and Studio lines for real exposure.

• Fast
• Surprisingly light weight
• nicely designed and set up

Cons:

• Short battery life
• Large size
• Runs hot

Price as reviewed: $4,423

While BFG is new to selling complete computer systems, they aren’t new to high performance gaming. BFG has been producing performance PC hardware for many years, and just this year got into building their own systems. The Deimos was launched at the end of October, and is intended to compete with other gaming laptop lines, such as Alienware’s M17x.

Does it compete? In a word, yes. In some ways, the Deimos surpasses the M17x. For example, when I reviewed the M17x, I had some issues with the biometric security system. Using your laptop’s webcam as a security device is a clever concept — if only it worked consistently. On the Deimos, however, everything worked perfectly out of the box. Performance is comparable. Battery life is about the same. What’s gone is the obvious “I spent $4500 on this computer!” factor that you get with the little alien head on the lid.

Let’s get down to it. Here are the specs on the system I reviewed:

Monitor: 18.4 inch, 1920×1080 resolution
Processor: Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9300 2.53GHz
Memory: 2x 4GB PC3 8500 (1066 MHz) DDR3 (8GB total)
Graphics: 2x GeForce GTX 280M 1GB (SLI)
Optical Drive: Dual Layer Blu-Ray Disc Reader (BD-ROM, DVD/RW, CD-RW)
HDD 1: Seagate Momentus 500GB 7200 RPM SATA II
HDD 2: Seagate Momentus 500GB 7200 RPM SATA II
LAN: Realtek RTL-WLAN 802.11 b/g
Bluetooth: Internal Bluetooth v2.1
Sound: Realtek ALC883 8-Channel Azalia HD Audio
Video Camera: Bison built-in USB 2 MP Camera
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium – 64-bit Edition

Performance: As you can expect from this configuration, the machine is fast. I ran some benchmarks using Far Cry 2, which averaged a framerate of 54.26 at 1920×1080, Direct3D 10, and Overall Quality set to “Ultra High.” 3DMark Vantage reported 11,799, which is a very close comparison to the M17x at 11,904. Of course, if you’ve read my reviews before, you’ll know I’m not huge on reporting numbers; I prefer to talk about the feel of the system. And basically, the Deimos is a great computer. I’m very much into the gaming, and that’s what’s important to me when I’m using a system. The Deimos is fast, plays games really really well (42 FPS in Dalaran, settings maxed, for you World of Warcraft people) and is surprisingly light for the amount of hardware that’s jammed in there. The system has DVI and HDMI out, and a total of four USB ports (two on the left, two on the right). The back is reserved for cooling vents and the power cord. One thing to be aware of: don’t expect to be able to overclock this machine using the BIOS. The BIOS on this system is functional, yet bare bones. There are no options for overclocking at all.

Controls: The keyboard took some getting used to; the keys aren’t exactly a style that I’d normally prefer, coming from the netbook school rather then a standard keyboard. And the numeric keypad is a hot mess. It’s pretty much impossible to touch type using the number pad because everything is jammed together with the arrow keys and the standard keyboard. There’s more then enough room that they could have provided a little space between the two and made it a bit more user-friendly. There is also a series of “G-keys” down the left side. These are customizable macro keys are much like what is used on the Logitech G-Series keyboards. These too, work as intended, however they do take up quite a bit of real estate on the left side of the keyboard area.

The trackpad (centered, and highlighted with LED light) works as expected, with no major issues. The left and right button (there’s only one, and you click on either side) responds well, and doesn’t feel mushy or too stiff. There is a fingerprint reader centered in the button, which provides biometric login options.

Appearance: Aesthetically, it’s a little bright. Where it’s nowhere near as gaudy as an Alienware system, it does have a touch sensitive strip across the top, and all the icons are lit from beneath with LEDs.The touch activated icons turn on the webcam, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth hardware. You can also control the volume, or activate your web browser or media player. The LEDs in the case (shining out the front and back) and the lid can change color, however the process is less than intuitive. The case is also extremely shiny, and regrettably shows fingerprints incredibly well. BFG is aware of this, even to the point of including a large microfiber cloth for wiping it down. Overall, compared to the Alienware, the Deimos is almost tasteful.

It is interesting to note that the Deimos is a re-branded Sager notebook. Further research showed that were you to go online and order a system with the same configuration, you’d save yourself $100. Despite this fact, I’d still purchase this computer from BFG, due to their excellent record on customer service. From a value standpoint, compared to the Alienware M17x, I’d still choose the BFG Deimos. For around the same price (the M17x, configured the same costs $4,399, $24 less), the Alienware laptop has a smaller screen, weighs twice as much, and a profile that screams “steal me!”. That’s not to say the Deimos is the ideal commuter laptop — it is quite large. But it lacks the ostentatious nature of the M17x.

Final thoughts: I wholeheartedly recommend the BFG Deimos. It’s a fine machine, and doesn’t try to be more then that. I’ve found it to be more then sufficient as a desktop replacement, both for work and play. Yes, the price is high, but if you are buying a performance laptop, you have the budget for it and you probably don’t really care about how much it costs; you want the best. I will admit that I’m not a huge fan of the keyboard, but it was a simple thing to plug an external keyboard in when I was sitting at my desk. The keyboard was just fine for casual use, but perhaps it’s not for the business user.

BFG is new to the laptop world, and it kind of shows. The box was very basic, without all the pointless extras that some manufacturers include. I’m fine with that, I don’t particularly feel a need to have a BFG hat or mouse pad. I’m here for the gaming performance.

The machine looks good. And it’s not ridiculously heavy like certain other gaming laptops. It’s still huge, but not in an overwhelming way. More importantly, everything works. Sure, there’s isn’t any gimmicky “facial recognition,” but that hardly ever works right anyway. First impression is a solid machine with enough bling to keep me happy. I have to admit, I’m a sucker for blue LEDs.

So I’ve fired up my Steam account, I’m downloading some machine-melting games, and looking forward to putting this thing through its paces. As always, I’ll ask: any particular questions about the machine? Anything you’d like me to take a look at in particular in the full review? Also, if you like the look so far, keep in mind you can get 10% off the price if you pre-order by this Friday.

The Deimos does look promising. BFG has three levels of hardware available, the “Performance”, the “Advanced”, and the “Elite”. The Elite is the top of the range, with an Intel Core 2 Extreme 2.53GHz, and 8GB of RAM with a GeForce 280M. The Advanced has a Core 2 Quad 2GHz CPU and 8GB of RAM and a GeForce 280M, and the Performance uses a Core 2 Duo 2.53GHz CPUT and just 4GB of RAM and a GeForce 260M. All three models have an 18.4-inch screen, which is slightly larger then the competition’s.

This brings us to price. BFG lists the starting price of the Performance at $2299, the Advanced at $3699, and the Elite at $4499. And the price goes up from there based on your custom build. They are announcing the Deimos today, however it won’t actually ship until October 30th. BFG is offering a 10% discount on pre-orders until the end of the month, but it still seems like quite a bit for a gaming notebook machine considering the competition.

That’s right, Dell sent out a press release today, and made sure they told us that their new PC was “Future Proof”. I’m not entirely sure what that means, but I’m hoping that it means when the aliens come, the Vostro 430 will use the power of it’s newly released Intel i5 Core processor to transform into some kind of super-weapon, combining the computing power of the cloud with pure energy to defeat them. Because we all know what side Alienware will be on.

In all seriousness, the new Dell Vostro 430 is one of the first machines we’ve seen to use Intel’s new Core i5 CPU. And yes, I realize that “Future Proof” means that you can upgrade it when new hardware comes out.

From the press release:

ROUND ROCK, Texas–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Dell today announced the extension of its Vostro line with the Vostro 430 mini tower desktop, designed to serve the distinctive needs of small and medium business. Combining the latest processor technology, discrete graphics and optimized for Microsoft’s new Windows 7 operating system, the Vostro 430 is for growing businesses that want professional performance and productivity for their the existing and future needs. The Vostro 430 is available globally from today at prices starting from US$ 699.

The Vostro 430 comes with pre-installed video conferencing software, to help businesses optimize their communications and collaborations costs. The desktop also supports dual display and multi-touch technology and is optimized for Microsoft’s new Windows 7 operating system1, making touch usage features such as pinch to zoom and tap-and-drag scrolling possible, which enhance productivity and encourage remote collaboration via video conference (an optional touch screen monitor and webcam is required).

The Vostro 430 also comes equipped with the latest Intel® CoreTM i5 or optional Intel® CoreTM i7 processors, and discrete graphics options from NVIDIA® and ATI™ making it an ideal tool for growing businesses seeking a powerful and reliable business desktop. In fact, customers can save time with Intel® Core™ i5-750 by completing intense Excel calculations up to 5 times as fast than their old system with Intel® Pentium® D 960!2 In addition, the Vostro 430 provides businesses ample room for future growth and can accommodate up to 16GB* of DDR3 SDRAM and up to 1TB* of internal storage.

“In the last six months, Dell has underscored its commitment to small and medium business by launching Vostro laptops and desktops that offer the features, services, reliability, and resources to meet their distinctive needs,” said Sam Burd global vice president, Dell Small and Medium Business. “The Vostro 430 is another great example of how we are providing small and medium businesses with a compelling reason to refresh their technology; with a desktop that meets their needs today, and leaves plenty of room to grow.”

The Vostro 430 is the latest addition to Dell’s comprehensive Vostro portfolio, which is designed to address the top technology issues facing small-business customers including easy-to-use and maintain computer systems, data storage, and quality service and support, all at a price small businesses can afford. For additional information on the Vostro 430, visit www.dell.com/vostro.

Backed by dedicated and specially trained small-business sales and support experts, Dell Vostro desktops come with a 30-day worry-free return policy, and are available with Dell CompleteCare Accidental Damage Service and Dell ProSupport services that give customers the ability to customize and tailor services to fit their technical expertise and business needs.

Vostro 430: Expandability, Productivity and Connectivity

* Expandability options with the ability to add memory, PCI/PCIe cards and HDD, future-proofing IT investment;
* Increased internal storage capacity with one terabyte hard drives offering up to 2 terabytes of internal storage;
* Dual-display capability, and more expandability and flexibility with 10 external USB ports and four total PCI/PCIe expansion slots for more network, sound or graphics cards.
* Optional Blu-Ray DiskTM drives for data storage and video playback;
* PS/2 and serial ports to enable use of older devices; and
* Dell 19-in-1 Media Card Reader (Optional)
* IEEE 1394a (Optional)

Right now a slim notebook Blu-ray drive cost manufacturers about $100 while a notebook DVD drive costs $20. Look at Dell. A Blu-ray drive costs $125 to add the option to an Inspiron 14, which causes the price to jump from $749 to $879. Not even its Alienware line has a Blu-ray drive standard. It costs $150 to add one to those models.

Obviously times are tough and notebook makers need to keep prices low and squeeze out some profit at the same time. A lot of mid-tier notebooks have an optional Blu-ray drive but until the OEM part drop in price, or manufacturers sales numbers dramatically improve, it will not become standard equipment.

Here are the specs on the version that they sent us for review:

Processor: Intel Core 2 Extreme Quad QX9300 2.53 GHz (that’s the 12mb cache version)
OS: Vista Home Premium 64-bit
Video Card: Dual Nvidia GeForce GTX 280M, 2GB running SLI
LCD: 17-inch WideUXGA 1920×1200 (at 1200p)
Memory: 4GB dual channel DDR3
Hard drive: 1TB total (2x 500GB 7,200 RPM Raid 0)
Optical drive: Slot-load dual layer Blu-ray combo with DVD writer

As you can see, it’s a very strong machine. Yes, you pay for this level of performance, but if you want something that will give you the hardware-level edge over your competition, this is the machine to do it. But the hardware is only half the story. This machine has the looks to impress as well. Alienware built the case out of anodized black aluminum, which makes it feel like one hell of a sturdy unit. They also added some new touch controls across the top of the keyboard, in addition to the typical indicator lights. The touch strip allows you to eject the optical media, turn the volume up and down, turn off the wifi, and activate or deactivate the “Command Center” (more on that later) and the discrete graphics mode. This is rather handy, and except for some obvious exceptions, standard on most laptops nowadays.

The battery life on most gaming laptops is pretty bad. Alienware has managed to avoid this issue for the most part by adding a discrete video card to the motherboard. What this means is that when you unplug the power from the machine, it automatically disables the dual Nvidia cards and switches you to the onboard video. This results in a significant hit to performance, but it also adds about an hour and a half to two hours worth of battery time. The bad thing is, if this happens on accident while you’re in-game, your framerate will drop to almost a standstill. You also have to be cautious not to accidentally hit the button on the touch strip that does the same thing. I spoke with Alienware, and they said that currently, there isn’t any way to disable that particular button.

The overall appearance on the M17x is outstanding. The aluminum case looks very nice, and gives the laptop an almost automotive feel. It does add to the weight, but honestly, this isn’t intended to be a portable laptop that you carry around everywhere. Alienware also went all out with the lighting. They’ve put LEDs under the keyboard, behind the speaker grill, and underneath the touch strip above the keyboard. The really fun part is that you can change the color of the LED’s from in the Command Center, and there are different zones which allow you to vary the color of the lights from one side of the keyboard to the other. Personally, I turned all the LEDs red while I played some L4D in the dark, which gave the whole experience a particularly creepy air.

The Good: Alienware’s M17x laptop is an extremely powerful gaming machine. It’ll run your favorite games with no hesitation, and then ask for more. The Nvidia chipset performs brilliantly, and makes even the newest games (I tried Batman: Arkham Asylum) an absolute dream to play. The full size keyboard also makes it a great laptop for schoolwork, or whatever else you might decide to use it for.

The Bad: There are a couple of things I wasn’t fond of. That touch button that disables the Nvidia cards is really a pain. The weight is also an issue. The thing weighs 13 pounds with the power adapter. But we already knew that it’s not a computer for road warriors. It’s also extremely expensive. The system we were sent to review has an MSRP of $3898. Is it worth it? Yes. And honestly, if you are looking at Alienware, you’re not expecting it to be cheap anyway. Also, it comes with Vista. If you wait a bit, though, 7 will probably be the default.

Bottom line: If money is no object, and you want a semi-portable machine that will provide you with destktop-level gaming performance, buy the M17x.

Update: Disaster! While taking pictures this morning for the review, the system quit booting. After multiple attempts, the recovery CD finally did work, but it was quite the hassle. I blame Vista, and think that waiting for Windows 7 (or installing Ubuntu, which would fly on this thing) would be the way to go.

Hot Hardware gave it a spin and it came in with some extremely impressive benchmarks. Most impressive was a record breaking 75.6 FPS on Crysis. Remember, this is the game that many people felt was written for hardware from the future, not the CPU’s and GPU’s that were available at the time. Well, the future has arrived.

Of course with Alienware, there’s always that other shoe that drops. You know, the price? Well, the Aurora ALX comes in at a wallet-plundering $4074, as tested. Ouch.

Alienware announced yesterday they will “shake the gaming world to its foundation” at the Tokyo Game Show 2009. Well, the show started today, I went there and played Resident Evil 5 (and a bunch of other titles, for example Streetfighter 4) on Alienware hardware. I’m not sure if the gaming world is really that different when compared to yesterday, but all the games did look damn impressive on the Alienware notebooks and desktop computers.

Here’s a short video I took at the show today (Alienware desktop PC running Resident Evil 5):

Alienware said that it was going to “shake the gaming world to its foundation” this week at the Tokyo Game Show. I don’t know if these new rigs really do all that, but they are impressive enough.

The new M15x notebook packs an impressive amount of computing power with the new Clarksfield mobile Core i7 running at 2.0GHz and a 1GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260m hands the graphics. Plus there is an astounding 8GB of DDR3 RAM, a 500GB hard drive, and the rest of the standard equipment including a Blu-ray drive, three USB 2.0 ports, Firewire, and gigabit Ethernet.

So far, I don’t think there have been any benchmarks conducted, but with specs like that, the M15x probably won’t have any issues being the fastest 15-inch notebook on the planet. Dell has the configure page up now for the notebook and prices start at $1,499 but I made one without any accessories or extra warranty that tallied up to $4,698. Anyone wanna buy it for me?

Even the microATX Aurora and liquid-cooled Aurora ALX got an update and can now be configured with up to 12GB of DD3 RAM, Core i7 CPUs, dual graphics cards. All this power starts at only $1,299.

The new Area-51 and Area-51 ALX desktops are just as impressive sporting liquid-cooled Core i7 CPUs and enough options to satisfy any trust fund baby including up to 12GB of 1,333MHz DDR memory, quad-GPUs, twin Blu-ray drives and dual gigabit Ethernet ports. The cases have been redesigned and now feature all sorts of nifty features as internal lighting, six cable-less hdd trays, and of course, look like nothing else on the market. Prices start out at $1,999 but can probably rocket-up once all the extras, including the new TactX gaming accessories, get added on.

[via Engadget]

Well, that’s no fun. We just posted the Alienware teaser this morning that states the company was going to introduce new kits at the Tokyo Game Show and the systems have already leaked.

According to an Engadget tipster, Alienware has a new Area-51 m15x and four Aurora / Area-51 ALX systems at the show. All we know besides what they are is that the m15x is suppose to be the fast 15-incher ever. We can probably assume something similar about the desktops too although we don’t have any specs to confirm it yet. Do these releases “shake the gaming world to its foundation?” We’ll tell you once we get our hands on them tomorrow.

Alienware’s last big release was the AllPowerful M17x notebook – which Dave is currently testing- so I’m sort-of leaning towards a super desktop. I know, desktops are so 2008, but the company does have a new LCD that just wants to get bundled to a new tower and the M17x is still fresh. At least we don’t have long to wait as the Tokyo Game Show starts on Thursday.

[Facebook via Engadget]

The unannounced HP Envy 13 and 15 popped up today on a couple of foreign sites just as Rahul Sood, Voodoo founder, Twittered about something new coming. Let’s just assume that the HP Envy 13 and 15 is what he’s talking about. They seem like solid performing notebooks, but what’s the Envy naming doing there?

HP’s high performance line, Voodoo, also uses the Envy product name for its mobile computers but this notebook isn’t branded a Voodoo product. So what the hell is going on here? Has HP changed its product focus and showing the Voodoo brand the door? Or is the HP Envy 13 the first product in a line that will take cues from Voodoo products? It could be both.

There is still a certain degree of esteem with owning a computer from a boutique manufacture like Voodoo or Alienware. It’s somewhat like driving a BMW 5 Series verses a Pontiac G8 because while the G8 might technically be a better performer at a lower price, the BMW is put together so much better.

But both Voodoo and Alienware are owned by HP and Dell respectively. It’s tough times in the consumer electronic world and we’ve already seen the Alienware brand become more mainstream with the recent announcement of an Alienware-branded keyboard, mouse, headset, and LCD. What’s happening is that Dell is trying to milk the highly-regarded brand. The same thing might be happening in a different way with Voodoo and HP.

Voodoo has always been known for killer looking, high performance systems and that didn’t change once HP bought the company. In fact, its rigs only got better. The Voodoo Envy 133 is one of the best looking notebooks I have ever seen and is wildly different than anything else in the HP lineup. It has sharp lines, no fluff, and is very clean.

But while the new model maintains the naming scheme, the look has been very HP-ified for the new notebook even though you can still kind of see the Voodoo influence. The HP Envy 13 now has a rounded-off and a more mainstream look. I wouldn’t be surprised if this notebook will eventually be available in a wide range of colors. The HP Envy 13 might have taken notes off the Voodoo Envy 133, but it doesn’t have the same sex appeal at all.  HP hasn’t even announced the specs on the new Envy 13 but it doesn’t matter. Even if the notebook runs a quad-core in the tiny package, it will still will not be the same as an HP product.

But then again, perhaps the HP Envy 13 is just another notebook and has nothing to do with the Voodoo brand. Maybe the product designers just liked the Voodoo Envy 133 enough that they carried over the name. Even though HP hasn’t announced anything about the new notebook, chances are that this model will sport everything that the Voodoo Envy 133 had months ago, but at a much lower price when it eventually launches.

Hopefully the HP Envy 13 isn’t a sign that the Voodoo brand is being absorbed by HP entirely. The Voodoo brand used to be something special. Hopefully HP knows that.

Gamers have it made nowadays. In the old days, they would have to deal with computer peripherals that were meant for an office environment and not tailored to meet their gaming needs. But that’s changed. Now even Alienware has a line of gaming accessories. Previously, Alienware showed off the OptX LCD monitor and TactX Headset, but apparently there is a TactX keyboard and TactX mouse coming soon. Look out Razer, Steelseries, Logitech, and Microsoft, Alienware is here.

The details are a little light on both right now as the product pages aren’t live yet, but both are shaping up nicely. The TactX Keyboard has 6 customizable macro keys and a WASD gaming cluster with anti-ghosting technology. Plus, the whole damn thing lights up and can be configured for two lighting zones.

The Tact Mouse comes with a radical design that is sure to leave some skeptical. Like me. That’s a monster ass for sure. But at least the specs are solid: 5000 DPI laser with on-the-fly sensitivity adjustments, 5 user profiles, 9 buttons, and back lighting. We only wish we could pass along the pricing and availability, but they’re not available yet.

Maingear has thrown everything possible into its latest gaming notebook. This massive machine boosts an 18.4-inch screen, three 3.5-inch SATA or SSD drives, and all the ports that you would expect on a $2,999 rig. But that’s not why it’s impressive. Oh no, this bad boy is packing some serious power.

Under the hood of the EX-L 18 is am Intel Core 2 Extreme quad CPU coupled with either single or dual Nvidia GeForce GTX 280M GPUs. Plus it can support up to 8GB of DDR3-1333 RAM. Now, I don’t know if it’s the most powerful notebook on the planet like the presser claims as it has the same specs as the new Alienware M17x, but it is certainly good enough for a pickup game TF2.

MAINGEAR Unveilsthe World’s Most Powerful Gaming Notebook
eX-L 18 laptop delivers unprecedented performance with Dual NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280M GPUs with NVIDIA SLI technology, GPU Computing with NVIDIA CUDA, 1080p HD resolution support and an Intel Core 2 Extreme CPU
Union, New Jersey – July 23, 2009 – MAINGEAR Computers, award-winning builders of high performance custom computers for PC gamers and enthusiasts, is proud to announce the world’s most powerful desktop replacement notebook, the eX-L 18. Featuring dual NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280M graphics processing units (GPUs) with NVIDIA SLI technology, the eX-L 18 brings your games and multimedia to life with brilliant 3D graphics and movies in 1080p HD resolution. With powerful Intel Core 2 mobile processors, eX-L 18 delivers breakthrough multi-core performance and dual-channel DDR3 memory.
“MainGear has equipped the eX-L 18 with the world’s fastest notebook graphics solution,” said Rene Hass, General Manager of the notebook business unit at NVIDIA. “With NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280M GPUs, MainGear’s customers will experience breathtaking in gaming physics from titles such as Terminator Salvation or Darkest of Days and are ready for GPU computing applications such as Badaboom, vReveal and Arcsoft SimHD.”
NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 280M GPUs are the fastest GeForce notebook GPUs ever. Built-in support for NVIDIA® PhysX^TM technology enables a new world of ultra realistic gaming effects from lifelike explosions to natural water. Stay on top of your game with the highest performance using the latest notebook drivers direct from NVIDIA.com. When you’re not gaming, NVIDIA® CUDA^TM technology offers breakthrough performance in compute-intensive tasks like video transcoding and photo editing, delivering up to 10x faster performance compared to traditional CPUs. Watch high-definition videos come alive with sharp images and vibrant colors supported by NVIDIA® PureVideo® HD technology, which enables extended battery life so you never miss a scene.
The eX-L 18 is chock full of expansion potential, with up to 3 2.5″ SATA or SSD drives configurable in RAID formations. eSATA, HDMI, USB 2.0, and FireWire ensure that you can use the eX-L 18 just
like you would a desktop and without compromise. Additional features include a 3 Megapixel video camera provides high definition video

First off the mic is retractable so it’s not sticking out when you’re playing solo. Also, the cord is only three feet long, but it also ships with a 7 foot extension just in case. Expect to pay $79 for the headset and it’s shipping right now from Dell.

The 21.5-inch monitor comes packing a 1080p screen with a 2ms response time. Plus, it sports an 80,000:1 contrast ratio and a brightness of 300 cd/ms.

To be honest though, we really don’t see how this monitor is worth a $100 more than the SX2210. That monitor has nearly the same specs – only 50,000:1 contrast ratio – but it also has a webcam and an analog video input. But maybe you’re willing to spend $300 on this monitor just for the Alienware brand. That’s fine. Apple owners understand the feeling.

The differences are subtle: the Ostendo one is significantly narrower (32.5cm vs 50cm), which suggests a less-extreme curvature. Let’s hope there’s a less subtle difference in price. I’d love to get my hands on one of these, though — or maybe two.

Wow, it seems that someone over at PCWorld.com couldn’t keep their mouth shut and announced the Alienware M17x a bit early. No matter, the most important thing is that you see what this baby has under the hood. It’s damn impressive and certainly allpowerful.

Most important, the new M17x notebook comes with a pair of 1GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280M GPUs. Impressive, yes. And also battery vampires. If the machine isn’t gaming, it could always fall back on the GeForce 9400M G1 GPU that’s also installed for better battery life.

A Core 2 Extreme quad-core CPU is at the core and can use up to 8GB of RAM 1333MHz DD3 to do its bidding. Plus, it can be config’d with either a RAID 0 or RAID 1 cluster over a 1TB drive or a 512MB SSD. Your choice. The rest is standard fare for a $1,799 + notebook including a Blu-ray drive, WiFi, 1920×1200 LCD, Displayport and HDMI out.

We’ve seen the big boy in person and it’s impressive. We just can’t wait to load some games on a review unit and take her for a spin.

Get ready to meet your maker. Alienware’s Allpowerful (that’s the codename) will decimate everything in its path and leave nothing but trembling subjects in the wake. This monstrosity is more than a desktop replacement. It’s so big, it could be the desk. Trust us, we’ve seen and played with the beast. Alienware isn’t ready to release it yet, but this riddle provides some clues of what’s too come. We can’t give any hints though so you’re on your own to decipher it.

The sum of the first four primes
denotes a state of two parts
known as the gentleman’s muscle car of 1967
when pure, it will carry a yield strength of 7-11 mpa
is always empty in zero sum games

NotebookReview via Engadget