- Hybrid and Solid State Drive Options
- Highly Customizable
- Graphics Processors Are A Bit Dated
- Upgrades Quickly Drive Price Up
- Intel Core 2 Duo T7200 Dual Core Mobile Processor
- 2GB PC2-5300 DDR2 Memory
- 160GB 5400rpm SATA Hybrid Hard Drive with 256MB Flash Memory
- 8x DVD+/-RW Dual Layer Burner
- 15.4" WXGA (1280x800) Display
- AMD Radeon Mobility X1400 Dedicated Graphics With 128MB Memory
- v.92 56Kbps Modem, Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11a/b/g Wireless
- Three USB 2.0, FireWire, ExpressCard/54, 4-in-1 Card Reader
- 14.3" x 10.8" x 1.4" @ 6 lbs.
- Vista Home Premium
11/5/07 – Alienware has lots or little to offer when it comes to the Area-51 m5550. Why is this? Because users have a huge range of options when it comes to how they want their system configuration. This makes pricing from as little as $999 to well over several thousands dollars. This is both a huge boon for the notebook or a big problem.
In terms of performance, users can pick between several Intel Core 2 Duo T7000 models or the T5500 to save cash. The T7200 offers the best overall value among the options and provides some solid performance. This is especially true if 2GB of PC2-5300 DDR2 memory is included with it to let it run Vista smoothly. Options for 1GB or 4GB also exist.
Storage is where the Area-51 m5550 really shines though. A large number of options are available including the new hybrid and solid state drives. The solid state have limited capacity but very strong performance, while the hybrid provide a mix of performance. The 160GB hybrid is a solid overall value and mix. A DVD burner is definitely something that uses will want, but a CD-RW combo is available to save costs.
Graphics are a bit disappointing however. The system uses the older AMD Radeon Mobility X1400 that has limited 3D performance. The optional GeForce 7600 Go is better for 3D graphics, but it doesn't have the same graphics support as the newer 8600M models have to offer. The optional 1920x1200 display is also too difficult to read so you are better off with the standard 1280x800 screen.
The problem is that list level of flexibility in the configuration makes it compare. In some cases its a great value, but for most, the pricing makes it more expensive than newer models with similar or better specs.
