Alienware Aurora m7700

At ten pounds, the Aurora m7700, Alienware’s AMD version of the dual-core Area-51 m7700, might not save your spine while you trek to LAN parties, but the high performance will make your laptop the focal point of any gaming session, regardless of your skill. Media hounds with cash to burn will find ample options and performance as well. Make that lots of cash to burn; our test configuration will run you $4,258.

The electric blue case (with a glowing Alienware logo on the cover) immediately separates the Aurora from the laptop pack. Our tested configuration was loaded with a dual-core Athlon 64 FX-60, although the full range of Athlon 64 processors are available. Up to 2GB of RAM supports the CPU, and an Nvidia GeForce Go 7800 GTX graphics processor with 256MB of DDR memory ably handles graphics. A 7,200-rpm 80GB hard drive rounds out the package.

The clean design is littered with ports: a 7-in-1 card reader, two FireWire ports, four USB 2.0 ports, and S-Video out all live on the left. Above the slightly squashed keyboard is a set of quick launch buttons. Hard-wired audio/DVD controls and an LCD readout decorate the front edge, while the back is configured with networking, DVI, composite video out, and an S-Video input.

The machine’s visual centerpiece is a highly capable 17-inch 16:9 LCD with a native 1440 x 900-pixel resolution and the option for a built-in camera. An overly glossy coating reflects too much light in bright environments, but for gaming or media use in appropriately dim lighting, the panel’s performance is indistinguishable from a desktop model.

A design flaw lurks just below the screen: a trio of incredibly bright LEDs that will distract all but the most focused gamer. Alienware said it might look into a dimming option; until then, a piece of blue masking tape did the job for us.

The dual-core processor and Nvidia GPU combo deliver stellar performance, provided you’re not running on battery. Plugged in, the Aurora screamed through 3DMark03 (set at 1024 x 768 pixels) with a score of 15,000, the second highest score to date in the LAPTOP labs (after the WidowPC Sting 517m). Unplugging sliced that score down to 2,339. Plugged in, we enjoyed a blistering 60 fps in Quake 4 and F.E.A.R. with maxed details. Overall, the battery manages no more than 95 minutes in average productivity conditions, and only an hour while gaming. Users will definitely want a power outlet nearby.

Like most gaming notebooks, the Aurora is designed to be upgraded to a certain degree; RAM and CPU swaps are possible, a boon to those who like to overclock, although Alienware warns that swapping the CPU will void the warranty. The Aurora has four bottom-mounted fans and a side exhaust panel, but so much heat is generated that tweaking clock speeds is a very bad idea. In addition, the model can be configured to ship with dual DVD writers and dual hard drives, set up for either maximum storage (240GB) or RAID redundancy at up to 120GB.

Alienware offers great performance, unmatched style, and the best customer service of any gaming notebook manufacturer, but the Dell XPS M170 still edges the m7700 out due to its lighter weight (8.6 pounds) and a price tag that comes in nearly $1,000 cheaper than this extraterrestrial wonder.

The Aurora m7700 is an exceptional desktop replacement, but don’t mistake it for a perfect portable gaming solution. The machine’s high heat level and noticeable fan noise make it unsuitable for actual laptop use. Serious gamers and media creators with consistent sources of power and strong backs, however, will find few more powerful options.