Alienware M18x R2 Gaming Laptop: Dual GPUs Attack
Introduction & Specifications
Large and in charge, the 2012 model M18x retains the same spacious 18.4-inch LCD panel from last year. The display features a Full HD 1080p (1920x1080) screen resolution, which is nothing to write home about compared to the Retina Display Apple's been putting in its latest MacBook Pro systems, but underneath the hood it's an entirely different ballgame. Now sporting Ivy Bridge hardware, the system Alienware sent us came equipped with an Intel Core i7 3820QM processor clocked at 2.7GHz (up to 3.7GHz via Turbo) and two Kepler-based NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680M graphics cards in SLI. It's a potent one-two combo made all the more powerful by a pair of Samsung PM830 256GB SATA 6Gbps solid state drives (SSDs) in RAID 0 and 16GB of fast DDR3-1600 memory.
Is it worth the coin? Whether you're genuinely interested in learning the answer to that question or simply want to lust over an audacious luxury in the land of mobile, keep clicking, we have plenty to show you.
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Processor | Intel Core i7 3820QM processor (2.7GHz to 3.7GHz, 8MB cache) |
Operating System | Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit |
Chipset | Intel HM77 Express Chipset |
Graphics | 2 x NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680M (SLI) |
Memory | 16GB DDR3 1600 MHz DRAM |
Display | 18.4" (1920x1080) WLED WideFHD |
Storage | 512GB SSD RAID 0 (2 x 256GB SATA 6Gbps SSD) |
Optical | Slot-loading dual-layer Blu-ray reader |
Networking | Killer Wireless-N 1103a/g/n 3x3 MIMO 10/100/1000 Ethernet LAN Bluetooth 4.0 |
Interface | 4 x USB 3.0 ports 1 x eSATA 3Gbps + USB 2.0 combo port (with PowerShare Technology) 1 x Mini-Display port 1 x HDMI 1.4 output 1 x HDMI 1.3 input 1 x VGA port 9-in-1 memory card reader 2 x audio out 1 x combo S/PDIF optical output / Analog headphone out 1 x Line-in microphone 1 x Security lock port 1 x RJ-45 GbE port |
Battery | Li-Ion (96WHr) 12-cell |
Power Adapter | Alienware M18x 330W A/C adapter |
Dimensions | 2.09 inches (H) by 17.17 inches (W) by 12.70 inches (D) inches |
Weight | 11.93 pounds |
Manufacturer Warranty | 1-year in-home |
Pricing: | $4,379 (as configured) |
One thing we should note is that Alienware is no longer offering the Intel Core i7 3820QM processor. Since receiving this system, that option has been bumped up to a Core i7 3840QM, also a quad-core part with 8MB of cache but clocked 100MHz faster at 2.8GHz to 3.8GHz (Turbo).