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While local manufacturers such as XMG and PCSPECIALIST use reference Clevo chassis for their gaming machines, Alienware use custom designs which are created by their own engineers. This means they are much more exciting to look at and can offer a higher level of build quality.
The lid of the notebook is finished in aluminium, giving it an attractive finish. While the base of the notebook feels very durable indeed, it is constructed mainly from plastic. Like the Alienware 18, the design seems to have taken inspiration from a stealth fighter, giving it a very striking visage.
Despite there only being 1.1″ difference between the screen sizes of the Alienware 17 and 18, the 17 feels significantly more compact. It's still massive as far as laptops go, but it is a slightly more portable option. We certainly wouldn't recommend it for those who plan to do a lot of traveling however.
Alienware have decorated the palm rest of the machine in soft-touch black paint which looks and feels lovely. It should prove practical too as this type of finish usually stands the test of time better than gloss plastic.
There is plenty of room to spare around the keyboard despite it being a full size model. The keyboard also features LED backlighting which can be set to almost any colour you like using the pre-installed software utility.
Alienware have chosen to use an almost identical touchpad to the one on the Alienware 18 which is recessed slightly into the palmrest to prevent accidental touches. Perhaps the most interesting feature of the touchpad is the LED lighting which illuminates it completely whenever you touch it. The surface texture is perfectly judged and provides some tactility while allowing unrestricted movement of your fingers across the pad.
Many laptops these days have speakers located on the underside, meaning that their sound can be muffled. Alienware have chosen to locate their high quality Klipsch speakers right on the front of the laptop to combat this. These speakers are very impressive and produce a very loud and clear sound.
There is a fairly thick bezel surrounding the screen which features a high definition webcam for video calling.
The screen has a matte coating which is less prone to reflection than a glossy finish. It boasts a 1920 x 1080 resolution which is perfect for watching high-definition content online or via the inbuilt Blu-Ray drive. The screen offers impressive brightness levels, however the viewing angles aren't the best we have seen on a high-end laptop.
ASUS do some great gaminmg machines too, and they cost a lot less than Alienware, but at least Alienware put a lot of effort into the looks as well, which is important.
Great machine, I own one, been using it now for gaming for a month. runs a bit hot on my knee, so I use it more on a desk.
The problem with Alienware laptops, of which I have had many, is the hinges wear out so soon. If anything needs replacing it is absurd at costs.