Test Setup
| Model | Alienware m17x | ASUS G71 | Eurocom Montebello | Killer Notebooks Odachi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | Core 2 Extreme X9000 | Core 2 Duo T9400 | Core 2 Extreme X9100 | Core 2 Quad Q9650 |
| Memory | 4 GB DDR2-800 | 4 GB DDR3-1333 | 2 GB DDR3-1333 | 4GB DDR2-800 |
| Chipset | PM965 | PM45 | PM45 | P965 |
| Graphics | 2 x GeForce 9800M GT | GeForce 9700M GT | GeForce 9800M GT | 2 x GeForce 8800M GTX |
| LCD | 17” (1920x1200) | 17” (1920x1200) | 15” (1680x1050) | 17” (1920x1200) |
| Chassis | Alienware | ASUS | Clevo | Clevo |
| Storage | 2 x Samsung 500GB SpinPoint H6 | 2 x WD 250GB Scorpio Blue | 1 x Hitachi 320GB Travelstar 7K320 | 3 x WD 160GB Scorpio Black |
| Networking | GbE + 4965AGN | GbE + WiFi Link 5100 | GbE + WiFi Link 5300 | GbE + 4965AGN |
| Battery | 6,600 mAh | 5,200 mAh | 4,400 mAh | 6,600 mAh |
| Camera | 2 MP | 2MP | 2MP | 2MP |
| Optical | 2x DL BR, DVD+/-R/RW Combo | DVD+/-R/RW Combo | DVD+/-R/RW Combo | DVD+/-R/RW Combo |
| Warranty | Up to 3-year 24/7 phone w/on-site service (extra $300) | 2-year hardware/1-year battery/30-day zero bright dot + free two-way overnight shipping | Up to 3-year return to depot with tech support ($245 extra) | 1-year global warranty/30-day dead pixel guarantee |
Benchmarks and Settings
| Benchmark | Details |
|---|---|
| Crysis | Version: 1.2.1 Video Mode: 1280x1024, 1680x1050, and 1920x1200 Overall Quality: High Demo: CPU-Benchmark2 + Tom’s Hardware Tool |
| Unreal Tournament 3 | Version: 1.2 Video Mode: 1280x1024, 1600x1200, 1920x1200 Sound and DirectX10; Window off Video Quality: Texture Details: 1, Level Details: 1, Demo: WAR-OnyxCoast-FPS Time: 12/60 |
| World in Conflict | Version: 1.0.0.9 Video Mode: 1280x1024, 1680x1050, and 1920x1200 Video Quality: low details Demo: Game-Benchmark |
| Supreme Commander Forged Alliance | Version: 1.5.3599 Video Mode: 1280x1024, 1680x1050, and 1920x1200 Video Quality: game default Demo: WallaceTX_006_006 Benchmark: Fraps 2.9.4 - Build 7037 Start time 00:48:20 (60 seconds) realtime play |
| Benchmark | Details |
|---|---|
| iTunes | Version: 7.7.0.43, Audio CD (Terminator II SE), 53 min, Default format AAC |
| Benchmark | Details |
|---|---|
| TMPEG 4.5 | Version: 4.5.1.254 Video: Terminator 2 SE DVD (720x576, 16:9) 5 Minutes Audio: Dolby Digital, 48000 Hz, 6-Channel, English Advanced Acoustic Engine MP3 Encoder (160 kbps, 44.1 KHz) |
| DivX 6.8.3 | Version: 6.8.3 - Main Menu - default - Codec Menu - Encoding mode: Insane Quality Enhanced multithreading Enabled using SSE4 Quarter-pixel search - Video Menu - Quantization: MPEG-2 |
| XviD 1.1.3 | Version: 1.1.3 - Other Options / Encoder Menu - Display encoding status = off |
| Mainconcept Reference 1.5.1 Reference H.264 Plugin Pro 1.5.1 | Version: 1.5.1 MPEG2 to MPEG2 (H.264) MainConcept H.264/AVC Codec 28 sec HDTV 1920x1080 (MPEG2) Audio: MPEG2 (44.1 kHz, 2 Channel, 16 Bit, 224 kbps) Codec: H.264 Mode: PAL (25 FPS) Profile: Tom’s Hardware Settings for Qct-Core |
| Benchmark | Details |
|---|---|
| Grisoft AVG Anti-Virus 8 | Version: 8.0.134 Virus base: 270.4.5/1533 Benchmark Scan: some compressed ZIP and RAR archives |
| Winrar 3.80 | Version 3.70 BETA 8 WinZIP Commandline Version 2.3 Compression = Best Dictionary = 4096 KB Benchmark: THG-Workload |
| WinZIP 11 | Version 11.2 Compression = Best Benchmark: THG-Workload |
| Maxon Cinema 4D Release 10 | Version: 10.008 Rendering from a scene (Water drop at a Rose) Resolution: 1280x1024 – 8-Bit (50 frames) |
| Adobe Photoshop CS 3 | Version: 10.0x20070321 Filtering of a 69 MB TIF-Photo Benchmark: Tomshardware-Benchmark V1.0.0.4 Programmed by Tomshardware using Delphi 2007 Filters: Crosshatch Glass Sumi-e Accented Edges Angled Strokes Sprayed Strokes |
| Benchmark | Details |
|---|---|
| 3DMark Vantage | Version: 1.02 Options: Performance Graphics Test 1 Graphics Test 2 CPU Test 1 CPU Test 2 |
| PCMark Vantage | Version: 1.00 PCMark Benchmark Memory Benchmark Windows Media Player 10.00.00.3646 |
| SiSoftware Sandra XII SP2 | Version 2008.5.14.24 CPU Test = CPU Arithmetic / MultiMedia Memory Test = Bandwidth Benchmark |
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Please use Propper size pictures as i am not zooming every one (takes 3-4 secs to load each one when doing that)
even when i use the Print option thay are still in 200 x 120 pixels when it should be 450 x 271 pixels for both print and per page viewing
rest of the review is good
Okay, I have no idea about the battery life of ANY of the contenders - no mention of them in the text and that one vital image of the battery chart is missing from Toms. Good going guys!

Not that you can claim credit for any of the graphs on this article - all the rest are borked as well. They do show up - as tiny thumbnails. Nice one. Real classy.
Now back to the actual article subject, aka Rant#2. Hasn't it occured to the OEMs that we have a major niche going unfulfilled here? I can think of several nomadic user bases (how about students for starters anyone?) who want gaming laptops but who are unwilling to part with €5000 for something that has the same performance as a €500 desktop. Even with Centrino 2 bringing the RAM and motherboard back up to scratch the near-inability to run games such as SupCom and Crysis shows that the gap between standard and mobile CPUs and GPUs is now reaching crisis point.
You'd think that with such a large potential user base some of the big facs or OEMs would be innovating, but they ain't. AMD seem to have given up on mid-high-range lappies entirely, which give nVidia and Intel carte blanche to sit there doing very little (note to Nintel fanboys - this is what would happen to desktops if your hated AMD died for you - €5000 desktops to not-run Crysis). And yet OEMs continue to specify WUXGA screens that the tiny GPUs cannot hope to power, and all that HD clarity will go out the door if you drop down the res - LCDs suffer badly when running resolutions that aren't native or a root of 2 of the native (and the root-2 res for WUXGA is 950*600 - nonstandard and way too small for use!). Why aren't OEMs using high-quality (and potentially cheaper) 1650*1080 or even 1440*900 screens instead?
As for processors... if Intel really gave a damn they should have implemented mobile quads that electrically isolate half the cores when away from AC, halving TDP. Even without this some OEMs should have put in BIOS tools that overclock and underclock CPU/GPUs depending on power status (battery, AC...). Nope. Asus did try, bless 'em, but their lappy isn't even a high-end gaming machine! Desktop-replacers take note. Alienware should be taking notes - they could really do with those features, especially as their machine is supposed to be a gaming lappy - unlike Killer, who isn't afraid to admit their "laptop" is really a small desktop light enough to be carried
At least AW got the ventiltion right... everyone else still has easily-blocked fan ports on the bottom. Why hasn't Clevo tried to put some side intakes on their larger units yet?
guess thay do not bother to read these posts any way
them pictures are to small mite be ok if my desktop was at 640x480, mite even be viewable on my PDA (if it was not for the best of media stuff)