Dan Ackerman,
Senior Editor
April 6, 2009
Fans of inexpensive gaming laptops have suffered a big blow. Our long-time favorite, Gateway's P-7811 FX, is out of production, and its replacement, the P-7801u (which we're currently testing in the CNET Labs) is not only more expensive--it's no longer available in retail stores such as Best Buy.
At least a few other interesting options have popped up, including the reasonably affordable Alienware M17, which has two ATI GPUs in a CrossFire configuration, and the Asus N10J, which is basically a standard Netbook with an Nvidia 9300 GPU crammed inside. Does it work? Well, kind of. At least enough for WoW addicts to get a quick fix while waiting at the airport.
Now, if we could just get game developers to start making more PC games, we'd be in business.
| Product name | ||
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,399.00 | $675.00 to $699.99 |
| CNET editors' rating |
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| Average user rating | ||
| Review date | November 06, 2008 | November 26, 2008 |
| The Bottom Line | Alienware is trying to have it both ways with the new M17, combining a relatively low starting price with some very pricey upgrades, including quad-core CPUs and ATI CrossFireX video cards. Our configuration wasn't very exciting, but turned in capable gaming scores. | It may look like your standard Netbook, but the Asus N10J is unique because underneath it features discrete, switchable graphics. You'll pay a bit more for the privilege, but the end result works for gaming on the go, as long as you don't mind dialing down your game settings. |
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| Features | ||
| Networking | - Bluetooth 2.0 - Ethernet - IEEE 802.11b - IEEE 802.11g - IEEE 802.11n | Network adapter - Ethernet - IEEE 802.11b - IEEE 802.11g - Fast Ethernet - Gigabit Ethernet - Bluetooth 2.1 EDR - IEEE 802.11n (draft) |
| Graphics Controller | NVidia GeForce Go 7950 GTX | NVIDIA GeForce 9300M GS / Intel GMA 950 - 256 MB |
| Notebook Camera | Info unavailable | Integrated - 1.3 Megapixel |
| Optical Storage | Info unavailable | None |
| RAM | DDR II SDRAM | 2 GB (installed) / 2 GB (max) - DDR2 SDRAM - 533 MHz - PC2-4200 |
| Processor | Intel Core 2 Duo | Intel Atom N270 / 1.6 GHz |
| Hard Drive | - 5400 | 160 GB - Serial ATA-150 - 5400 rpm |
| Display | Info unavailable | 10.2 in TFT active matrix 1024 x 600 ( WSVGA ) |
| Battery | Info unavailable | Lithium ion |
| Dimensions (WxDxH) | Info unavailable | 10.8 in x 7.6 in x 1.4 in |
| Weight | Info unavailable | 3.5 lbs |
| OS Provided | Info unavailable | Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium |
| Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications |
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