Dell Alienware M11x R3 Compal LA-6961P Schematic Circuit Diagram
Dell Alienware M11x R3 Compal LA-6961P Schematic Circuit Diagram
Alienware M11x R3 Gaming Notebook Review:
It was just a matter of time until Alienware updated their 11.6-inch tiny powerhouse with Sandy-Bridge technology. The graphics card was also changed at this time, with the GT 335M being replaced with the GT 540M. This post will show you what the M11x R3's cooling system has to say about it.
Alienware, a game publisher best known for huge high-performance notebooks, is now releasing the M11x, a compact subnotebook that is now in its third generation. While the first version had a Core 2 Duo processor and the second had Intel's original Core I processor, the M11x R3 features the most up-to-date Sandy-Bridge processor. Of course, the CPU must be energy-efficient, as a 'regular' processor will probably overwork the cooling system.
For starters, two distinct Sandy-Bridge CPUs should be ready in time for the release date. The Core i5-2537M, which has a clock speed of 1.4 - 2.3 GHz and a 3 MByte L3 cache, is the entry-level model of these two. The other is the speedier Core i7-2617M, which has a 1.5-2.6 GHz clock speed and a 4 MByte L3 cache. The Core i7-2657M, a two-core processor with 4 MBytes of L3 cache and a clock speed of 1.6 - 2.7 GHz, powers our test device. At this time, it's unclear whether Alienware will sell the Core i7-2657M to retail consumers.
However, Alienware gives its clients a lot of options when it comes to hard drives, with capacities ranging from 250 GBytes to 750 GBytes, as well as a 256 GByte SSD. In contrast, the amount of RAM available ranges from 2 GBytes to 16 GBytes. In terms of color, customers would have to select between red and black. With the exception of the amount of video RAM - Nvidia's GeForce GT, 540M is a DirectX 11 compatible mid-range model - buyers will have no say in the graphics card selection.
Note: This model was not from the final series. There can be differences in temperatures, cooling fan characteristics, and software (drivers, BIOS, etc.). Most likely, a review update for the series gadget will be released in the future.
Case
There have been no modifications to the case since its predecessor. The Alienware M11x R3 is dressed in a futuristic - as if Alienware could be much more futuristic - style intended for gaming. Several (adaptable) lit parts enable not the only quick direction in the dark, but also a tidy appearance during the day. Whether closed or open, the red model we examined has a really lovely color shade: the subnotebook is definitely an eye-catcher. The rubbery soft-touch textures that cover the bottom of the casing, as well as the sides and the display lid, were very appealing to us.
In terms of build quality, the M11x R3 meets Alienware's usual high standards, with two minor flaws in our pre-series unit. On the one hand, because the right front corner of the subnotebook was somewhat elevated, it didn't totally stand on the tabletop. On the other hand, the palm resting region on the right side was not perfectly flush with the soft-touch surface, resulting in a fairly sharp edge. With the exception of the relatively cheap-looking plastic on the palm resting area, the materials produced a good impression, and the M11x R3 outperformed the competition in this regard for the most part.
This subnotebook earns bonus marks for its excellent stability; aside from the display, the casing is quite sturdy. For the most part, the M11x R3 is completely unfamiliar with the phrase "dirt," since the glossy display quickly acquires fingerprints. The (not quite silent) hinges also do a good job; when the display is opened, the base unit does not follow and shaking the base unit does not cause the display to wobble. The 11-inch subnotebook is easy to travel, weighing little over two pounds and measuring 286 x 233 x 33 mm.
Connectivity
The USB ports have been updated first and foremost in the spectrum of interfaces. Instead of the three USB 2.0 ports seen on earlier versions, the M11x R3 features only one USB 2.0 port (on the left), as well as two current USB 3.0 connectors (right).
Aside from that, the interfaces are virtually identical to the prior iteration. On the left side, towards the rear, there is a Kensington Lock, a DisplayPort, and an HDMI output, the latter two of which permit the use of external displays. A Gigabit LAN port (formerly Fast Ethernet LAN), a card reader, and a Firewire port are located on the front. Two audio outputs and one audio input are situated on the right side of the device.
Although the connection is sufficient for a subnotebook, there is no DVD drive, VGA output, ExpressCard slot, or eSATA connector when compared to a comprehensive gaming notebook. In the meantime, the interface layout is less than ideal. Those who have a lot of wires attached will quickly discover that using a mouse causes spatial issues on both the left and right sides since many of the connectors are just too far to the front. WLAN (a/b/g/n) and Bluetooth (version 3.0) are the wireless options accessible to consumers.
Performance
Alienware has chosen an energy-efficient Ultra Low Voltage (ULV) CPU (Ultra Low Voltage). Although the utility CPU-Z listed the processor like a Core i7-2630UM, this is no longer correct because Intel's naming strategy has changed, and the processor is now known as a Core i7-2657M. This is a dual-core CPU, much as the other M11x R3 CPUs.
The 1.6 GHz base clock speed isn't going to blow anyone's socks off, but overclocking to 2.7 GHz (over 1000 MHz) is impressive. In comparison to more powerful versions with four MBytes of L3 cache, which is even more than some of the higher clocked Core i3 and i5 CPUs, cache availability does not need to be limited. There's also Hyper-Threading technology on board, in addition to the Turbo-Boost technology that automatically overclocks. This is responsible for simulating two virtual cores, allowing the Core i7-2657M to handle four threads at the same time. The low power consumption of the 32 nm produced CPU, which is just half as much as the 'regular' dual-core Core i3 and i5 series, is also a huge plus.
CPU Performance
One of the concerns we explored with our CPU testing was whether the energy-saving ULV chip could keep up with one of the most popular regular Core i5 processors. The Core i7-2657M can compete when just one core is employed and Turbo-Boost is turned on to its maximum capabilities. In the Cinebench R10 64-bit single-core rendering test, the Core i5-2410M (Dell XPS 15) only has a 3% lead with 4517 to 4376 points. The multi-core rendering test, on the other hand, creates a gap to 9839 points vs 7715, a margin of 28%.
Also, the Core i7-2657relatively M's modest base clock speed appears to be a drawback in the current Cinebench R11.5 64-bit, with 2.58 points compared to 1.91, the Core i5-2410M is a significant 35 percent quicker. However, the performance to power consumption ratio is still fantastic and compared to previous M11x versions, there is no need to make too many compromises. The Core i5-2657M is a speedy processor that pairs well with the GeForce GT 540M.
GPU Performance
The 3DMark 11 (1024 x 720, Performance-Preset) and Unigine Heaven 2.1 (1280 x 1024, High, Tessellation normal) benchmarks can be used to see if the energy-efficient CPU has a substantial impact on graphics performance. The result: There are no notable differences when compared to comparable laptops equipped with the GeForce GT 540M. In 3DMark 11, for example, the M11x R3 comes close to matching the Schenker XMG A501's score of 983 points (Core i7-2630QM, 1015 points). The Schenker XMG A501 only processes slightly quicker in the Unigine Heaven 2.1 benchmark, despite the quad-core (13.3 fps compared to 13.0). With mid-range GPUs, the CPU appears to play a less crucial role.
