Earlier this week, Alienware, which no doubt most of you will know is Dell Coupons gaming brand of laptops introduced two new models, the M17x and the M18x. These two new models have evolved to the next level, and Dell Coupons in partnership with NVIDIA has added the GTX 580M to the M17x and the dual option GTX580M to the M18x, increasing the horsepower of the most powerful laptop Alienware has to offer.

So what exactly does this mean for us gamers? The NVIDIA cards are the current fastest GPU’s in the world, and increase by up to 20$ per watt over older generation cards.

What does this mean for gamers? These latest generation NVIDIA cards are currently the world’s fastest laptop gaming GPU, and boast an increase of up to 20% per watt over the previous generation of notebook graphics cards. The GTX 580M also includes DirectX 11 support and NVIDIA PhysX technology, packing in the best gaming tech now available.

With the M18x offering the option of installing both cards many may start suggesting overkill, particularly from brothers and sisters of the non gaming world, but us gamers we know there can be no such thing.

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• Alienware Aurora R3 Desktop
• Alienware M14x Laptop
• Alienware M22x Laptop (NEW)

Simply click on the link below and scroll down the page to reveal this awesome free software offer, and if you haven’t played Assassin’s Creed, then prepare to be amazed! Remember, this great deal is only available for a limited time, so do hurry if you want to take advantage of this great deal, offer ends at midnight on Thursday 28th July 2011.

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3D chipsets mean that mobile devices including laptops, tablets and smartphones have the ability to become smaller, faster and cheaper.

Intel made the announcement during a press conference in San Francisco on Wednesday, and analysts are predicting that the innovation may well result in the company developing a huge lead over its rivals when it comes to manufacturing the fastest most powerful chipsets, an advantage that of late has slipped, but in the past has been critical to the company maintaining its position as the world’s largest computer chip manufacturer.

Intel’s Mark Bohr says the new technology is a “major technical breakthrough and historic innovation” in microprocessors. The innovation allows the company to stay true to Moore’s Law for many more years to come.

Moore’s law was first proposed by Gordon Moore the company’s current chairman emeritus in 1965, and simply states that the computing power of silicon chips will double every couple of years. However Moore’s law depends on technological innovation occurring continuously, and major breakthroughs of the kind just announced by Intel.

Intel first announced it was working on 3D chipset structures, a technology it dubs Tri-Gate, back in 2002.  The idea of a 3D chipset itself is not new, since all computer chips are made up of layers of materials, conductors and insulators overlaid on top of a silicon base.

The new chips will come as a boon to makers of gaming laptops such as Alienware Australia that will love the extra juice and power that the new chips will provide

The silicon chip’s fundamental unit, the transistor however is a structure that only allows electrons to move from side to side, two dimensionally. Tri-Gate technology enables electrons to move in an upward and downward flow as well, allowing Intel more points of control.

The new technology means better performance from much lower power consumption and at a much lower costs. Intel has not made a major breakthrough of this kind since it introduced the High-k metal gate transistors in 2007.

Intel rivals have yet to match that development, and though they may well be able to replicate the research, they would still need to spend the time, as well as the billions of dollars in research costs whilst treading the fine line of avoiding infringing upon Intel’s intellectual property.

Intel says the new Tri-Gate transistors will reduce power consumption by as much as 50 per cent whilst delivering an improvement in performance of as much as 37 per cent.

“Low voltage operation is extremely important. You can bring much better performance capabilities to mobile devices without running out the battery life. This is what Intel is all about.” Dadi Perlmutter senior Intel executive said.

Moore said in a statement, “For years we have seen limits to how small transistors can get. This change in the basic structure is a truly revolutionary approach and one that should allow Moore’s Law, and the historic pace of innovation, to continue.”

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This coupon code might seem a little strange, rest assured however that it is the passport to a fabulous discount and a happy, smiling face! Remember to check the terms and conditions below, and also to order before Midnight April 30th 2011 to enjoy this awesome discount from Alienware Computers.

Terms and Conditions

1. Eligible for consumers on affiliate sites and Tech Target site visitors

2. This Discount Coupon is only valid until April 30th 2011.

3. These discount coupons can only be applied across all Alienware Systems subject to price band tier as listed in the coupon.

4. Coupons are not to be used in conjunction with any other offer.
5. Limit of 1 Alienware system per customer.
6. To redeem this offer visit the Home/Home Office store at www.dell.com.au and insert the coupon code quoted in the coupon offer at the ‘Review Your Order’ stage OR call Dell on 1800-812-393.
7. If you buy online Coupon Discounts can only be redeemed when the order is confirmed at CHECK-OUT in the Dell Australia Home/Home Office ONLINE store.

8. Coupons cannot be redeemed after an order has been submitted and confirmed. Dell is not liable for coupons that are lost or stolen.

9. This Coupon offer cannot be combined with any other sale, promotion or coupon.

10. A Coupon cannot be exchanged, refunded, replaced or redeemed for cash or payment of accounts.

11. Dell reserves the right to cancel Coupon promotions at any time.

12. These terms and conditions are subject to change at any time without prior written notice from Dell.

13. All purchases are subject to DELL STANDARD TERMS & CONDITIONS OF SALE available on request or at www.dell.com.au

Major League Gaming will partner with Alienware Computers, the Dell owned high performance PC gaming brand, which will be the official desktop for Major League Gaming and the 2011 MLG Pro Circuit.

The MLG Pro Circuit competition kicks off on April 1st in Dallas, and competitors will now vie for the title using arguably the most powerful desktops on the market, giving spectators the chance to experience Alienware machines at gaming stations throughout the venue.

Additionally Alienware desktops will be featured at all six live competitions during this years Pro Circuit season, MLG and Alienware will also produce exclusive tournament matches to be broadcast on MLG.tv. Details will be released in the coming weeks.

“With our growing community of dedicated PC gamers, we recognized how important it was to provide the ultimate hardware for use in competitive play and worked with Alienware to bring in the best machines available,” said Sundance DiGiovanni, CEO of MLG. “We are excited to have Alienware as part of the 2011 Pro Circuit and look forward to showcasing hours of gameplay action on their machines at our events, online and beyond.”

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The Alienware M17x R3 is powered by a NVIDIA GTX 460M GPU and Intel Core i7-2630QM that runs at 2.0GHz and can Turbo up to 2.8GHz. This 2^nd Generation Sandy Bridge CPU features 6MB of cache.

• Intel Core i7-2630QM 2.0GHz (2.8GHz Turbo Mode) with 6MB of Cache
• 4GB DDR3 1333MHz Memory
• 17.3-inch 1920×1080 120Hz WLED Display with NVIDIA 3D Vision Bundle
• NVIDIA GTX 460M 1.5GB GDDR5 Graphics Card
• 320GB 7200RPM Hard Drive
• 802.11 g/n Wireless
• Dual Layer DVD Burner
• Two USB 3.0/2.0 Combo, One eSATA/USB, One HDMI 1.4, One Mini-Display, One VGA Port
• 9-in-1 Media Card Reader
• Windows 7 Home Premium 64-Bit
• 16.14″ x 11.96″ x 1.77″
• 9.4 Pounds (Starting Weight)

Very few people including hardcore gamers would ever use the kind of horse power that combination is capable of delivering, however for pure wow factor it is hard to beat, boasting a beautiful black slab aesthetic, Blu-ray drive and illuminated keyboard and if your gaming laptop is just as much about making a statement as playing games, few do it as well as the M17x r3.

With a matte black all-over finish that makes the laptop look like an imposing slab of high-frame-rate granite the M17x is most certainly aesthetically pleasing. The backlit outlined touchpad is made of the same material and looks very cool but can be difficult to use because it is hard to know when your finger slides off the edge without physically checking.

The M17x r3 contains a row of touch sensitive buttons etched right into the chassis and conveniently place just above the keyboard, which can be used for turning on the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth antennas and for launching the lighting control app that Alienware is famous for. The look is certainly very cool, however you do have to hold your finger on the buttons for a few seconds in order to generate a response.

The M17x comes with a backlit keyboard, a touchpad border, and the Alienware logo, and touch control buttons are also backlit.

The Alienware M17x r3 comes with a 17,3-inch wide screen Full HD display which offers a native resolution of 1920×1080. It is possible to get a lower resolution display, but if you feel the need to save cash on a machine, then this model is perhaps not the one for you.

Hard drive space is also a bit scarce at 320GB, although it is a fast 7200RPM model. However, you can purchase two 320GB drives in RAID 0 configuration for $150 more. Another option you may want to consider is upgrading to a Blu-ray drive, since the display features HD resolution.

The combination of Intel and Nividia chips makes the M17x R3 nearly unbeatable when it comes to benchmark testing easily outperforming other high end multimedia laptops. While it may be difficult to notice the difference when it comes to casual internet use or office applications, it does become apparent when it comes to gaming, and it must be said that the performance is impressive.

With all that power it would be reasonable if you expect that battery life would not be the strong suit of the M17x and our testing proved that assumption to be correct, with the laptop running for just 1 hour and 27 minutes on a video playback battery drain test, which is average for a high end desktop replacement and the reason behind why these laptops are plugged in most of the time.

All in all the M17x R3 delivers on the promise of being a top of the range high end desktop replacement, and if you have the cash, then it is something you should definitely consider

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• Intel Core i7-2600 Processor with 8MB Cache
• 8GB Dual Channel 1333MHz DDR3
• Dual NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 1GB GDDR5 Graphics Cards
• 1TB SATA 3Gb/s 7200RPM Hard Drive
• 24x CD/DVD Burner
• 875W Power Supply
• Alienware Multimedia Keyboard
• Alienware Optical Mouse
• Windows 7 Home Premium 64-Bit
• Mid-Tower Case

If you are considering buying this machine, it would be better to upgrade to 2600K processor, and regardless of the processor the Aurora ALX also features CPU liquid cooling regardless of the processor your select.

The Alienware Aurora ALX boasts the new Sandy Bridge chips, and offers 8GB of  dual channel 1333MHz DDR3 memory.

The basic configuration of the Alienware Aurora ALX is roughly $1,900, which is slightly more expensive than most midrange gaming PC’s, its main drawback is the memory in the basic configuration, which can be upgraded for extra cash and upgrading the slower memory to 16GB of 1333MHz RAM is $150 which is well worth considering.

Graphics on the Aurora ALX is hard to beat, boasting dual NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 1GB GDDR5 video cards. Enthusiasts can go a step further and upgrade this to two AMD Radeon HD 6950 2GB cards, to create the ultimate gaming machine which offers above average frame rates in the latest games even at high settings.

Whether you upgrade from the original GTX 460 video cards to the CrossFireX 6950 graphics the latest games run easily, and for those wanting 3D capability, the Aurora R3 can be paired with an optional NVIDIA 3D Vision Kit with the GTX 460 graphics cards and a compatible monitor to play games in stereoscopic 3D.

The Aurora ALX provides ample storage space thanks to a 1TB 7200RPM hard drive. Options for solid state hybrid drives, as well as full-blown SSD models or RAID configurations, are available.

The overall design of the Alienware Aurora ALX is nice, offering customizable lighting, and 160,000 different lighting combinations and the chassis also enables easy upgrades.

The Aurora ALX is a powerful and fast gaming desktop with a good design and the option of transforming it into a powerhouse through customization. Some of the upgrades however can be a tad bit expensive and however the basic configuration is well equipped for a decent price.While the speed of memory is a minor pitfall, the speedy Sandy Bridge processor and dual graphics cards do wonders for performance.

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The Dell XPS 17 3D features a 1080p screen capable of displaying 3D content (when used with 3D glasses).

Though the 3D capability is very cool, the video card is perhaps a little too weak for a gaming laptop, however that is more than compensated for by the price point which starts off below US$1,100. The fast 2nd Generation Intel Core i5 processor is also pretty sweet, and if you do not mind the weight and bulk the Dell XPS 17 3D is a nice machine for the price.

Although Dell does have a range of gaming laptops in Alienware which it acquired a few years ago, the company still produces its own branded laptops that are more than capable of handling gaming.

The newly added 3D 120Hz display option is a welcome choice and features a more affordable starting price of $1,099 compared to the Alienware M17x R.3 3D model which is nearly US$2,000.

The display on the Dell XPS 17 3D is full high definition 1080p resolution. The laptop also comes with a 2.0 MP HD webcam which is skype certified providing excellent value, especially when you consider the fact that the option for 3D gaming is available.

Unfortunately, Dell doesn’t include a pair of NVIDIA glasses in the starting price. A pair of NVIDIA 3D Vision glasses required to view 3D content will cost at least US$149.
The 2nd Generation Intel Core i5-2410M processor is a midrange chip that runs at a speed of 2.3GHz which can bolt up to 2.9GHz, which is more than adequate given the price of the laptop and is capable of handling a variety of tasks beyond gaming. For those who prefer a faster processor, the Core i7 can be upgraded too at the time of purchase.

The 4GB of memory in the base configuration is acceptable, and the dual channel memory is sufficient for mainstream users, however if you upgrade the system to 8GB the laptop running several programs at one time is a much smoother process.

The 500GB 7200RPM hard drive has enough space for most users. To upgrade to a 256GB SSD will cost at least US$600, so until solid state drive prices fall, the 7200RPM drive is fast enough for gamers on a budget.

Buyers may also think about upgrading the 6-cell battery to a 9-cell model however this desktop replacement cannot run on battery power for long whilst gaming.
The inclusion of JBL speakers is a nice feature providing decent audio quality. Unfortunately Blu-ray drives are not standard with this machine. With an outstanding display, the option to upgrade to a Blu-ray drive from the standard 8x CD/DVD burner is admittedly compelling. Blu-ray movies look particularly fantastic on the 1080p display.

At over 2-inches in spots the system itself is rather thick and very heavy as well especially compared to competitor products made by rival manufacturers.

Overall, the Dell XPS 17 3D is an excellent value and the upgrade prices are reasonable. Unfortunately, 3D gaming is still quite limited and the video card is not particularly powerful. However, as stated many times now, the display is top-notch.

• Intel 2nd Generation Core i5-2410M Dual-Core Processor (2.3GHz with Turbo Boost up to 2.9GHz)
• 17.3-Inch Full HD 1080p 3D Display
• 4GB Dual Channel DDR3 Memory
• NVIDIA GeForce GT 550M 1GB Graphics Card
• 500GB 7200RPM Hard Drive
• 6-Cell Battery
• Windows Home Premium 64-Bit

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Dell also launched a new Alienware Aurora desktop which has been updated with an Intel Core i5 and i7

We also caught sometime with the new Aurora desktop, but like we said it wasn’t much. The tower is still crazily-lit, but has been updated with the most powerful overclockable Intel Core i5 and i7 Sandy Bridge processors as well as new NVIDIA graphics that support 3D Vision.

The Aurora should be available in the US this month for a starting price of US$1,799 and the M17x for $1,499 on January 10th.

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Simply add the coupon code -

MZM4PZJJ54FF41

at the online checkout to save 10% on -

• Alienware Headsets
• Monitors
• Bags
• Mice
• Keyboards

This offer is limited to 1 system per customer and cannot be used in conjunction with any other offers. So if you’re serious about your gaming and love your Alienware gear, then why not take advantage of this great discount code. Only available online with Alienware Australia.

> > Click here to order with Alienware Australia