| The Area-51 m15x is the newest high-performance gaming notebook from Alienware. It packs components typically found only in the largest of desktop replacements into a slim 15.4-inch form factor and still manages to be a practical machine on the road. Let's take a closer look.
Build and Design
I have never seen another notebook like the m15x, it is truly something else. The m15x is an entirely new design for Alienware; it is both striking and ultra-modern. The m15x is covered in gobs of glossy plastic - the entire unit is shiny and reflective. The majority of the surface is metallic silver, while only the area surrounding the lid bucks the trend with deep glossy black trim.
The m15x has a solid feel to it but it is not the most solid notebook I have tested. There is some flex in the palmrests and around the keyboard area but fortunately it is minimal. The base of the unit is rigid and has a strong internal frame. One part of the notebook that could be more solid is the display. The hinges should be stiffer because the display wobbles too much for my liking. Also, pushing on the back of the display yields ripples in the picture.
By far the most stand-out visual feature of the m15x is the AlienFX System Lighting. The following are different lighting zones:
- Alien Head (on the back of the display)
- Power Button
- Light Pipe (around the edge of the display)
- Alienware Name (below the display)
- Quick Touch Controls
- Touchpad
- Keyboard
Each zone is individual and can be changed to a rainbow of different colors. Alternatively, AlienFX can be turned off. There is no way to adjust the brightness of the lights. I find the lighting system to be most impressive on the m15x, both in the way it looks and how well it has been implemented. The Alienware Command Center is an excellent piece of software and is easy to navigate. Below is a screenshot of the software:
Overall, the m15x is a sturdy machine but not durable and could use some extra strength in some areas. Without a doubt, the m15x is a head turner and everywhere I took this notebook I received a lot of compliments and stares. The build quality of the m15x is top notch and Alienware clearly put a lot of thought and effort into creating the user experience.
Screen
Alienware offers the m15x with a WXGA+ (1440x900 pixels) "ClearView" glossy display as standard and a matte WUXGA (1920x1200 pixels) as an upgrade; our test unit is equipped with the latter. The WUXGA screen has pleasing picture quality for games, movies, and general usage. I watched a Blu-ray movie on it and was impressed at the detail in the picture. The backlighting is generally even; there is slight leakage at the bottom but it is not noticeable when looking at anything but a pure black screen. Viewing angles are impressive - side-to-side is near perfect as the picture does not distort, and from above the picture is more than acceptable. From below there is some darkening and distortion but it is much better than average for an LCD. The clarity of the display is good though a matte display typically does not match a glossy display in this area. Contrast levels are balanced and not overly saturated; again, not quite as good as a glossy display, but unlike the glossy displays that are on the majority of notebooks, matte displays have no reflections and are much easier to clean.
By far the most impressive aspect of this display is the resolution. WUXGA is the highest available resolution on notebooks at the moment. The amount of screen real estate that this resolution offers is amazing and can greatly help productivity. The high resolution can also give gamers the edge in games where long-distance viewing is important. It is capable of displaying full 1080p HD quality, and as I noted, Blu-ray movies look great. I have not tested the WXGA+ display and thus cannot judge it, but I recommend opting for the WUXGA display based on resolution alone. |
