What a difference a few inches makes. While the Alienware 17 desktop replacement gaming laptop is not all that much smaller than the 18-inch Alienware 18version we recently reviewed, it feels like a much different beast. If the 18-inch model was a massive tank that rolled onto my desk like a conquering army, the 17-inch version feels more like a standard big-screen laptop. Not exactly portable, but of a size and weight you've seen before.
While it's less immediately impressive as a conversation piece, the smaller (of course, that's a relative term here) chassis is more ergonomic and easier to use while gaming, web-surfing, or even on those rare occasions when it has to go in a backpack or under your arm for transit.
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The trade-offs include a smaller screen, although with the same 1,920x1,080 resolution, a single video card versus the power-hungry SLI setup in the Alienware 18, and fewer hard drive options -- if you want to mimic the 512GB SSD plus 750GB HDD in the Alienware 18, you'll have to swap away the optical drive bay.
When it comes to 17-inch gaming laptops, you have more choices than in the 18-inch size. Besides Alienware, Origin PC, Maingear, Toshiba, Asus, and others all make similarly configured 17-inch laptops, and most start at around $1,500 for decent, but not eye-popping, specs. Our Alienware 17 adds a higher-end Core i7 processor, the top-of-the-line Nvidia GeForce 780M, a Blu-ray player, and a 256GB SSD/750GB HDD storage combo, for a total of $2,699. A hearty investment, to be sure, but nothing close to the $4,000-plus Alienware 18.
If you don't want to spend as much as our more-expensive Alienware 18 costs, the 17-inch version is a bit more more portable, while still turning in excellent game performance. Your primary alternatives are to build or buy a non-portable gaming desktop, or get a similar 17-inch system from a boutique PC maker. In the latter case, the trade-off is between the excellent design and chassis construction of the Alienware and the boutique-level hands-on customer service and overclocking you can get from a smaller PC gaming specialist.
| Alienware 17 | Toshiba Qosmio X75-A9278 | Origin Eon 17-SLX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $2,699 | $1,799 | $4,449 |
| Display size/resolution | 17-inch, 1,920 x 1,080 screen | 17.3-inch 1,920 x 1,080 screen | 17-inch, 1,920 x 1,080 screen |
| PC CPU | 2.7GHz Intel Core i7 4800MQ | 2.4GHz Intel Core i7 4700MQ | 3GHz Intel Core i7 4930MX |
| PC Memory | 16GB 1,600MHZ DDR3 SDRAM | 16GB 1,600MHZ DDR3 SDRAM | 16GB 1,600MHZ DDR3 SDRAM |
| Graphics | 4GB Nvidia GeForce GTX 780M | 3GB Nvidia GeForce GTX 770 | (2) 4GB Nvidia GeForce GTX 780M |
| Storage | 256GB SSD + 750GB HD | 256GB SSD + 1TB 7,200rpm hard drive | (2) 120GB SSD + 750GB |
| Optical drive | BD-ROM | Blu-ray\DVD writer | None |
| Networking | Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11ac wireless, Bluetooth 4.0 | Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11b/g/n wireless, Bluetooth 4.0 | Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11ac wireless, Bluetooth 4.0 |
| Operating system | Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit) | Windows 8 (64-bit) | Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit) |
