Works just fine.

Pictures first.



Two pics only, I prefer video unboxing than photo unboxing.

Any other questions, guys?

The outer shell is shiny, but the palm rest is rubbery. Grips just nice, and despite the thing being petite and small, it has this surprising heft and weight to it. Imagine a small object, that you would normally think as being light, but this one feels dense. Really built solid.

I'm blown away. Wasn't expectring much from the laptop, but it's taking everything I'mn throwing at it in strides. Uploading to Youtube, editing via Movie Maker, 3 Chrome tabs. I'd say this fits into AWESOME!

No link yet on the unboxing, still uploading. 100MB ++

Yup, lights up. color customizable via the Alienware Command Center.

Yes it is. Now running overclocked at 1.73Ghz. Smooth as silk!

EDIt: Weird. CPU-Z is reporting it running as 1.6Ghz, but Windows System Info is reporting it as 1.73Ghz. Which is which?

This post has been edited by stringfellow: Feb 23 2010, 07:54 PM

The SD card slot is the type that doesn't allow the card to go all the way in, it seems. The card will be protruding out. I nearly jam it in but stopped myself before I do any damage.

My mistake. The alienhead lights up, but not color customisable. Checking through the Command Center, no such option is available for the head. It's permanent white.

More pics!

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Added on February 23, 2010, 8:24 pm

The Unboxing! Video is still processing so check back later once it has finished processing. Thanks for watching.

This post has been edited by stringfellow: Feb 23 2010, 08:24 PM

Sorry if anybody vomit or puked. I did the unboxing video recording Cloverfield-style.

Uninstalled McAfee, installing Kaspersky now. It'll be a while before I get to the games.

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Added on February 23, 2010, 9:06 pmAny form of review will have to wait once I get everything in order. Install AV, get the updated drivers, then only run games. Once those are done, then only review will come. At the moment, everything looks very promising.

This post has been edited by stringfellow: Feb 23 2010, 09:06 PM

The keyboard has very nice travel distance. No flex so far.

Thanks. No need envy lah, Everybody's turn will come.

I could have sworn that Fn F2 works, I tried it earlier and it worked, Now it doesn't! Dunno what I did, I updated Win7 with a couple of critical updates.

February 5th 2011. Mark that date.

There are no options to set colors on the alienhead. Mine stays white.

Order placed on 3rd, confirmed payment on 5th.

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Added on February 24, 2010, 11:05 amLeft the Alienware running to download 3DMark06 overnight, and ran it just now. Score? 6283, with 3DMark06 detecting the processor running at 1.73GHz. Awesome!

Also installed FRAPS and installed all the games purchase yesterday, I'll have screenshots ready later. In short, they are all playable at High settings, with FPS hovering around 25-27fps at 1366 x 768. Mass Effect 2 ran MAXXED OUT at 45-60fps, Bioshock 2 ran MAXXED OUT at 25-32fps, Modern Warfare 2 at 45-50fps, L4D2 ran MAXXED OUT at 47-55fps. These are set to run at native resolution of 1366x768.

Screenshots later to come. I'm contemplating whether to go to work or not. Feel a fever coming.

This post has been edited by stringfellow: Feb 24 2010, 11:10 AM

Sorry. How did the extra 6 got in there. Corrected.

Damn! Sore throat and warm forehead. How?

Yes I did. Running at 1.73GHz as detected by 3dMark06.

I think the reason whose fpses are that way is because we have not traversed into the higher resolution territory. Step into 1680 x 1050, and watch those fpses drop.

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Added on February 24, 2010, 11:23 amDamnit, I know I should have disabled comments on my M11X unboxing Youtube video. The comment section is now full of attackers and defenders of the poor thing, with one guy asking why I'm unboxing in a mall!

This post has been edited by stringfellow: Feb 24 2010, 11:27 AM

I should probably do the FRAPS tests on those games later with a video benchmarking, and upload to Youtube.

One-hand unboxing is only possible when the item unboxed is light. The M11X qualifies for this. The edge-to-edge keyboard also reminds me of the Apple Powerbook, another powerhouse of its time.

Thank you. I was trying so hard not to get my face captured in that video, thanks to the reflective screen. I was wearing my Alienware shirt though.



This post has been edited by stringfellow: Feb 24 2010, 12:05 PM

To whoever's concerned,

I ran my M11X overclocked last night from 10pm till I turned it off today at 4pm. No issues whatsoever.

Today begins the real test of portability and ease of use for the M11X. It's already been a huge relief for my hands dragging the luggage around, since the weight carried has been reduced from M15X to the 11X. Next up will be checking the feasibility of No-DVD-patch and its side effects. Turning on the M11X at 39,000ft tonight will be a significant achievement for me since the M11X draws little power from the aircraft power seat compared to the M15X which refuse to power on at all when I tried last time. At long last, true gaming on the go, without much skimping on the power.

This post has been edited by stringfellow: Feb 24 2010, 06:53 PM

Just got back last night, with a Hedgren bag bought from Adelaide. Also bought the Sennheiser PC350, super excellent headphones with immaculate sound details!

My ideal bag would be something that keeps the bulk of the laptop being carried to the absolute minimum.If I can get this, I would!



However, it would mean carrying the absolute minimum in terms of accessories that I can carry, so that is not good enough for me. With the Hedgren, it maintains the small size of the M11X, while being able to fit all the accessories I would carry around with me.

Will be walking around KL today with the Hedgren, so it would its first test on how suitable this is.

The M11X now is sleeved with a Targus sleeve that is fits up to 12 inch laptop. the problem with finding a fitting sleeve is that the M11X is also taller than your average widescreen laptop, thanks to that Alienware lightup logo on the screen. Could only get this to properly fit it in. The whole sleeve then fits into the laptop compartment in the Hedgren, together with the charger cables, Razer Goliathus mat, Razer Mamba (cables + cradle), Xbox 360 wired controller (for Grid), the Sensonic slot-loading external USB-powered DVD burner, and I would have to decide on either then Sennheiser PC350 or the Logitech G35 headphones. All this fits into the Hedgren bag that is designed to fit in 13 inch laptops. My preference is a bag that does not TOTALLY CONSUME my entire back, I'd rather have that nice and small look, than carrying an overtly aggresive bag, or God-forbid, a bag that looks like it's carrying supplies for climbing Mt.Everest! The whole point of getting the M11X is its size, so carrying it in a laptop bag that is designed for a 15- or 17- inch laptops is overkill, and defeats its purpose of being light and small.

Did all the installation and game patches while I was in Adelaide, and if you're from Australia, you know that the internet connection there are data-capped, so I'm pressed for that, than using the line for posting screenshots or surfing. Now back in Malaysia, speed is slower, but at least it's not capped.

Now installing the "laptop-gaming-killing" game, Crysis. For the rest of the games, I've managed, for the short time I've tested them, to get acceptable framerates at High settings. I now have Civilization IV Complete, Crysis Warhead, Bioshock 2, COD4 MW, COD4 MW2, COD:WAW, C&C3 Tiberium Wars, C&C3 Kane's Wrath, C&C Red Alert 3, Far Cry 2, GRID, Left 4 Dead 2, and Mass Effect 2. Of all of them, only GRID and Bioshock 2 requires their game DVDs in the drive, the rest are patched with their No-DVD patch. I'll try and expedite the benchmarks, but knowing myself, I'd rather get it perfectly running first before running any benchmark.

Also running Kaspersky on the M11X, keeping it with the tradition with my previous M15X. Very lightweight and unobtrusive.

Between the Sennheiser PC350 and the Logitech G35, I like the audio soundscape of the PC350 better. The PC350 does require a good soundcard to drive and power the analog audio coming into the headphone, and even at 100% volume, it still sound wee-bit tinny to my liking. The G35 however, sound robust, aggresive and full-bodied, thanks to the digital-to-digital audio data transfer using the USB connection. Sure, the 7.1 Virtual Dolby Digital will not perfectly fool you into thinking you have a surround setup strapped to your head, but it does emphasize and pinpoint the nuances and details of the game, helping you get immersed in the game. This is especially apparent in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare 2, where the action is going all around you. During the stage of the assault early in the game where you're riding support behind the machinegun through the streets of Afghanistan, requiring you to swivel 360 degrees, the surround soundscape is working overtime here and the G35 does an admirable job replicating that. So I had to choose between pristine detail(Sennheiser PC350) and aggresive power(Logitech G35).

I think I'll leave the PC350 to the M15X and stick the G35 for the M11X. More to come!

This post has been edited by stringfellow: Feb 28 2010, 07:25 AM

I guess folks here aren't accustomed to the concept of travelling light. Whether all these comments are in jest or in all seriousness, the point here is, someone dared to suggest it. BuiltNY dared to build one. Which is why the New Yorkers are the ones creating trends, and the rest just follow.

I for one am not against trying this out, but like I said, I need the accessories. If I can live with just the laptop and the power adapter/cables, I'd buy this in a heartbeat. When everyone else is sporting same old look with their backpacks same as everyone else, I'd be making waves with this. Sure, weird looks at first, but once people get past the look and think objectively about really travelling light, this is the perfect carrying alternative.

That said, I still need a bag big enough to carry the stuff I need, but as small as I can get away with. Overcompensating with a bigger bag just negates the advantage of travelling light.

EDIT: The point of traveling light is moot if you're commuting with a car, you can carry your big ass laptops anywhere if that's the case. But for those with the intention of carrying your laptops everywhere around you, everywhere you go, weight becomes an important issue. Dimension of your laptop comes second, which is why you see manufacturers moving into either smaller screen laptops or thinner ones. The main issue is still the weight and feasibility of carrying the around, hence the bag requirement.

This post has been edited by stringfellow: Feb 28 2010, 04:17 PM

Okay. Added Street Fighter IV and NFS: Shift onto my repertoire of games installed. A short play sessions shows the M11X capable of 1388 x 768 at High on both of them. Had fun even playing SFIV online on Live too!

The rest of the games detailed performance to come later.