The Aurora m9700 (from £1198) is the first 17-inch (19-inch model also available) dual graphics card laptop from Alienware, giving you up to a 100 per cent increase in graphics performance over single graphics card systems. Want even more? How does 1GB of graphics memory sound? That’s enough power to pump out games at the highest resolutions without butchering your frame rate, and mobile enough to pick up and move closer to your next victim. And at just 3.90kg (398x299x470mm), it won’t break your back if you intend to use it frequently on the move.

As Alienware’s most powerful desktop replacements to date, the new ultra-powerful mobile system (customised either in Conspiracy Blue, Cyborg Green or Saucer Silver) comes loaded with dual nVidia GeForce Go 7900 GS GPUs. And it’s among the first mobile system to feature True MIMO wireless technology from Airgo Networks for faster, more reliable 802.11b/g Wi-Fi performance over greater distances. Airgo True MIMO technology is ideal for bandwidth intensive applications such as gaming, VoIP or video streaming in large homes, apartments and small businesses and also offers the benefits of backward compatibility with existing 802.11b/g networks and routers.

The Aurora m9700 is not all about gaming though, and it’s just as capable for multimedia duties. The cutting-edge mobile desktop provides up to 320GB of storage thanks to dual 7200rpm SATA hard drives in RAID configurations and includes AMD’s Turion 64 (800MHz FSB 1MB L2 Cache) processors to enable simultaneous 32-bit and 64-bit computing and enhanced wireless compatibility.

The Turion platform uses the older PC3200 DDR memory rather than newer DDR2. This isn’t too much of a problem since the memory controller is built into the chip to provide faster memory access. Alienware offers the choice of between 512MB up to 2GB of memory for the system. 512MB is really not sufficient for gaming so you’ll want either the 1GB or 2GB configurations for smoother gameplay.

With four USB ports for your gaming mouse, flight stick and any other gaming hardware necessities and a 4-in-1 media card reader that supports most popular media cards, you’ll run out of things to plug in before you run out of slots. Rounding off the main specifications is a front-loading tray-based optical drive (8x DVD/24x CD-RW or 8x Dual-Layer DVD±RW/24x CD-RW).

Some missions require you to work alone, however. With the m9700’s surround sound support, your ears are your wingman. Plug in your 5.1 speakers or surround sound headphones to get 360 degrees of booming immersive gaming sound and never be snuck up on again. And in the age of information you can never know too much. Plug in two additional displays with the m9700’s DVI-D and VGA outputs and you can pull up your favourite cheats page on one display and check the news on your guild Web site on another, all while strafing though enemy fire in full-screen mode.

With all its media capabilities, the m9700 also has S-Video In and Out so you can now easily capture video and send it to friends and family. Fantastic! Because it is impossible to pull your eyes away from the stunning 17-inch (choice of 1440x900 or 1920x1200 pixels) widescreen display, Alienware has installed a TV tuner (coaxial port at back of system) so you will not miss your favourite programmes. Other connectivity options include Bluetooth, Gigabit Ethernet (RJ-45), 56K V.92 modem (RJ-11), sidemounted headphone and microphone jacks, four Hi-speed USB 2.0 ports, Express Card Slot (54mm), 4-pin FireWire, and 4-in-1 Memory Card Reader (SD/MS/MSPRO/MMC).

We especially loved the attention to detail: touch-sensitive hotkeys at the top of the keyboard to access to your favourite programs, built-in 1.3-Megapixel Web camera, dedicated volume control dial, super-sexy touchpad and mouse button (although the latter is noisy when clicked), outlandish lid design with illuminating Alienware logo and rubberised panels, inlaid numeric keypad, and glossy chassis finish. Our review unit came pre-installed with Windows Media Center OS and Media Center remote, which lets you access and control your music, videos, photos, and TV from across the room.

Despite all of its high-end hardware, the Aurora m9700 runs cool and quiet, even when running intensive applications, such as a 3D game. The system features a large, 12-cell Lithium-ion battery. Given the laptop’s size it will spend most of its time tethered to a wall outlet, but you can expect around 90 minutes power outlet autonomy.

Alienware's new system unleashes a new level of graphics performance for mobile gamers, video production companies and university engineering departments seeking top-of-the-line performance, crystal-clear display, and an excellent range of connectivity options. It’s a tad pricey and doesn’t support Intel’s new Core 2 Duo processors, but it is a premium product for top-end users looking for something special.

[9] - Editors’ Choice

[Best Laptop Pricing UK]
[Best Laptop Pricing US]

BIOS, Sep 13, 06 | Print | Send | Comments (0) | Posted In Laptop