Alienware Sentia m3400

Alienware's Sentia m3400 makes a very stylish general purpose notebook computer system for those that do not require a dedicated graphics processor.

3/28/06 – Alienware's Sentia notebook line is very different from the majority of their computers. The system is designed to be a more general purpose PC. As a result, the system does not use a dedicated graphics processor for things such as 3D gaming that Alienware is quite well known for. This doesn't detract from the systems purpose.

The Sentia m3400 is based around the Intel Pentium M 750 processor that provides it with a good mix of performance and battery life. The processor is matched up with 1GB of PC2-4200 DDR memory that lets it run through today's applications without any slowdowns. Battery life was decent at 1 hour 59 minutes during my DVD playback rundown test.

Storage is very strong for the Sentia m3400. The 80GB 5400 rpm hard drive provides good overall performance and relatively large storage space. An 8X DVD+/-RW dual layer burner allows users to playback or record music, movie and data CDs or DVDs. A 3-in-1 card reader is also included on the front bezel of the unit.

The wide screen LCD panel on the m3400 Sentia is very bright and excellent for watching DVDs or working. It goes use a high gloss cover the panel though which in direct sunlight can produce a large amount of glare that can be distracting. As previously mentioned, the dedicated graphics are quite limited for 3D graphics.

Overall the Alienware Sentia m3400 performed well in general computing tasks and tests. This would make a good general purpose notebook with a stylish flare.