Acer Chromebook 14 and Chromebook 11 (2016) now available for purchase from Google Store

Google has started selling the Acer Chromebook 14 as well as the 2016 edition of the Chromebook 11 through its official online store in the US and Canada. While the former carries a price tag of $300, the latter sets you back $180.


The Chromebook 14 is powered by a quad-core processor, and sports a 14-inch 1080p display. It comes with 4GB RAM and 32GB internal memory. The Chromebook 11 (2016), on the other hand, is powered by a dual-core processor, and sports an 11.6-inch 1366x768 pixel resolution display. RAM is 2GB, while internal memory is 16GB.

Transformer 3, Pro and Mini are the latest 2-in-1 PCs from ASUS

The new line-up of ASUS Transformer 3 2-in-1 PCs are in. The company made the Transformer 3 Pro, Transformer 3 and Transformer 3 Mini official today, each covering a certain price range.

Transformer 3 Pro

The Transformer 3 Pro is the most powerful of the three and features a 12.6" display with a 2880 x 1920 resolution and 275 ppi pixel density. Under the hood, there's an Intel Core i7 processor and up to 1TB PCIe SSD and 16GB of 2133MHz RAM, similarly to the ZenBook 3.

   
ASUS Transformer 3 Pro

At the back, there's a 13MP camera in addition to a fingerprint sensor. The body is 8.35mm thick and comes with a kickstand, which can be adjusted at any angle up to 170-degrees.

On the connectivity side, the Transformer 3 Pro features USB Type-C and Thunderbolt 3 ports, a USB 3.0 port and an HDMI connection. The Harmon Kardon speakers round up the premium package.

Transformer 3

The Transformer 3 shares the same display as the Transformer 3 Pro as well as the connectivity suite, sans the Thunderbolt 3 and HDMI ports.

Internally, it's a different story. The Transformer 3 has a 7th-gen Intel Core i5 CPU, up to 8GB of RAM (4GB is standard) and a 256GB of SATA3 m.2 SSD (512GB max).

   
ASUS Transformer 3

It's also thinner than the Pro and measures 6.9mm. The tablet weighs 695 grams and packs a 38.5Whr battery.

Transformer 3 Mini

Finally, the Transformer 3 Mini goes for an Atom X5 chip, which is less powerful, but churns out more battery life. This is also a result of the smaller 10.1-inch display (unspecified resolution at the time of writing).

The body is 530 grams without the keyboard. Snap it on and the Mini will weigh 790 grams. Like its bigger brothers, the keyboard is LED backlit and there's a fingerprint sensor at the back.

   
ASUS Transformer 3 Mini • Different keyboard and cover options

Sadly, some of the specs are missing for the Mini right now, but we'll update as soon as they become available.

Pricing for the ASUS Transformer 3 Pro starts at $999 while the Transformer 3 goes for $799. No word on availability just or the pricing of the Transformer 3 Mini yet.

Thinner, lighter MacBook Pro expected later this year

Apple's MacBook Pro is expected to get a major revamp later this year, according to 9to5Mac.

One of the changes is a thinner and lighter design. The current MacBook Pro design has been around since 2012 and is due for a refresh. The new design is said to draw inspiration from the new MacBook, and will also feature new metal injection molded hinges.

Another change is said to be the addition of an OLED panel, that will replace the row of function keys above the keyboard. These will display different functions, and should change according to application. A TouchID sensor is also expected, even though there were rumors of Apple using the sensor on the iPhone to unlock your Mac. Lastly, there will be a USB Type-C connector and the Thunderbolt will be upgraded to the newer Thunderbolt 3.

The changes are expected to arrive for both the 13-inch as well as the 15-inch MacBook Pro.

ASUS ROG GL551JW-DS74 Gaming Laptop

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ASUS ROG G751JT-DH72 Gaming Laptop

ASUS ROG G751JT-DH72 is a performance 17.3-inch gaming laptop with 4th generation 2.5GHz Intel Core i7-4710HQ processor (Turbo up to 3.5GHz) and 3GB NVIDIA GTX970M GDDR5 graphics. The RAM is 16GB and 1000GB hard drive with 7200 hard drive rotational speed. Also extra 256 GB Solid-State Drive available. Windows 8.1 pre-installed on this gaming laptop.Price: $1749 |

ASUS ROG GL551JW-WH71(WX) Gaming Laptop

ASUS ROG GL551JW-WH71(WX) is a 15.6-inch gaming laptop with Windows 10 and Intel i7-4720HQ 2.6GHz processor. The RAM and hard drive are 8GB and 1TB respectively. 2GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M GPU available on this gaming laptop.

ASUS K501UX-AH71 Gaming Laptop

ASUS K501UX-AH71 is a best ASUS gaming laptop under $800 with 8GB RAM, 256GB Solid-state drive and 2GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950M GPU. Windows 10 already installed on this laptop. Price: $799

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ASUS ROG G751JY-WH71(WX) is a 17.3-inch popular ASUS gaming laptop with 2.6GHz Intel Core i7-4720HQ processor and 4GB GeForce GTX 980M graphics. The RAM and hard drive are 16GB and 1TB + 128GB SSD respectively.

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ASUS ROG G752VL-DH71 is a 17.3-Inch best ASUS gaming laptop under 1500 Dollars with latest 6th Generation 2.6GHz Intel Core i7-6700HQ processor and 2GB NVIDIA GTX965M GDDR5 graphics. The RAM is 16GB and the hard drive is 1TB with 7200 rotational speed. Windows 10 already installed on this gaming laptop.

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ASUS ROG G752VT-DH72 is a 17.3-inch performance ASUS gaming laptop with powerful 6th generation 2.6GHz Intel Core i7-6700HQ (Turbo up to 3.6GHz) processor and 3GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M GPU. The RAM is 16GB and hard drive is 1TB with 7200 rotational speed + 128GB SSD. 

ASUS ROG G752VY-DH72 Gaming Laptop

ASUS ROG G752VY-DH72 is a 17.3-inch best Asus Gaming Laptop 2016 with latest 6th Generation 2.6GHz Intel Core i7-6700HQ (Turbo up to 3.6GHz) processor and 4GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M (G-SYNC) graphics. The RAM is 32GB and the hard drive is a 1TB (7200 RPM). Extra 256GB Solid-State Drive (PCIEG2) is there. ASUS ROG G752VY-DH72 comes with large 17.3-inch full HD IPS screen and Windows 10.

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ASUS ROG GL752VW-DH71 is a best selling ASUS gaming laptop with 16GB RAM and 1TB hard drive. The powerful 6th generation 2.6GHz Intel Core i7-6700HQ processor and 2GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M graphics available. The Windows 8.10 already installed on this laptop.

ASUS ROG GL552VW-DH71 Gaming Laptop

ASUS ROG GL552VW-DH71 is a 15.6-inch best ASUS gaming laptop under 1000 Dollars with 2GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M graphics and latest 6th-Generation 2.6GHz Intel Core i7-6700HQ processor (Turbo up to 3.5GHz). The hard drive is 1TB 7200 rotational speed. The RAM is 16GB. The Windows 10 pre-installed on this gaming laptop.

MacBook review

Update:Is the addition of a Rose Gold flavor and faster processors enough to keep MacBook sales numbers on the rise? Apparently, Apple will need morethan a flashy color swap and a 25% performance boost to keep its PC lineup afloat.

Did you buy the 12-inch MacBook? I did, but not because I wanted one.

No: the laptop I really wanted was a new MacBook Air, or even a redesigned 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro with a sleeker chassis. Of course, neither came. And like many other Air fans, I realised that another year was to pass by without Apple's best laptop getting an upgrade. So I bought the next best thing.

The MacBook is all about compromise. With more pixels than the Air, its display allows me to be more productive on the move and slinging it into a backpack almost feels like cheating. While no powerhouse (editing 4K images on it is slightly painful), it handles basic tasks with ease.

One year later, Apple has refreshed the MacBook with Intel's sixth-generation Skylake processors while introducing faster storage, memory and graphics for the same price. The most interesting change is on the outside: a new Rose Gold finish that genuinely makes me consider owning a shiny pink laptop for the first time. Gender stereotypes be damned.

But despite its upgrades, the new MacBook is not the MacBook Air replacement that rumors once again predict will arrive this summer - it's the same unique, dazzling and challenging laptop as the one that launched one year ago. Only faster, and with longer-lasting battery life.

A new processor, coupled with faster internal storage, memory and graphics has brought tangible improvements to the MacBook's performance. You'll still have to somehow manage with a single USB-C port, bolting on adapters and connectors to equip your FrankenMac with vital extra limbs.

And if you didn't get on with its super-shallow keyboard, your fingers will remain as unconvinced as they were before - especially during long typing sessions. The MacBook brings more megahertz, and I'm not talking about clock speed.

Big money Mac

Some people expected Apple to discount its refreshed MacBook to sweeten the deal. It didn't. The entry-level model still costs £1,049 ($1,299 or AUS$1,999), around $50/$73/AUS$99 more than the 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro.

If the cost remains too high for you, then consider picking up last year's version from Apple's refurb store. While the 2016 refresh is technically the better machine, you wouldn't be able to tell the difference between the two when undertaking low-level tasks such as surfing the web or typing up documents in Pages.

At the time of writing, the entry-level version is on there for £749 (around $1,108 or AUS$1,457) alongside eight other models of varying specs and price.

Gabe Carey has also contributed to this review

Apple often shaves a millimetre or two from its laptops when they undergo refreshes, but the 12-inch MacBook leaves no room. At 11 x 7.8 x 0.5 inches (or 280 x 197 x 13.1mm - W x D x H), the MacBook has a smaller footprint than another skinny Core M-powered laptop, the Asus UX305, which spans 12.7 x 8.9 x 0.5 inches (324 x 226 x 321mm).

It also out-skinnies the MacBook Air's 12.5 x 8.9 x 0.6 inches (325 x 227 x 17mm). The 12-inch MacBook is the lighter of the two laptops, weighing just 2.03 pounds compared to the Air's 2.38 pounds. That's roughly the same as holding two iPad Pro 9.7s in the hand.

In comparison, Microsoft's Surface Pro 4 weighs 2.37 pounds with the keyboard cover attached. Other Windows machines are quickly catching up the design stakes - check out HP's Spectre 13 for evidence of that. While the MacBook remains a fine feat of engineering that hasn't lost its allure, strides being made by the competition means that you won't have to choose between slick design and practicality for much longer.

Spec sheet

Here is the configuration of the review model supplied to techradar:

• Processor: Intel Core m5-6Y54 Dual-Core CPU @ 1.2GHz Turbo Boost to 2.7GHz
• Operating system: OS X 10.11 El Capitan
• Memory: 8GB of 1867MHz LPDDR3
• Display: 12-inch LED-backlit IPS
• Graphics: Intel HD 515
• Storage: 512GB PCIe-based flash
• Camera: 480p FaceTime camera
• Networking: 1/10/1000 BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet (using a USB-to-Ethernet adapter)
• Connectivity: 802.11ac Wi-Fi; Bluetooth 4.0
• Audio: Stereo speakers; Dual microphones; headphone port (supporting for Apple iPhone headset with remote and microphones)
• Dimensions: 11 x 7.8 x 0.5 inches (or 280 x 197 x 13.1mm - W x D x H)
• Battery: Built-in 39.4-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery

The MacBook is offered in three configurations, starting with the entry-level model that comes with 256GB of flash storage. Apple has swapped out last year's fifth-generation Broadwell processors for Intel's newer Skylake variants, with the cheapest MacBook housing a lower powered Core m3 chip clocked at 1.1GHz (Turbo Boost to 2.2GHz).

Starting at £1,299 ($1,599 or AUS$2,249), the more expensive configuration doubles that model's storage and houses a Core m5 processor with a faster clock speed of 1.2GHz (Turbo Boost to 2.7GHz). Both are equipped with faster RAM compared to last year's MacBook (8GB of 1867MHz DDR3, up from 1600MHz), and Apple claims that the Intel HD Graphics 515 solution in this year's models is 25% faster.

For extra oomph, the MacBook can be configured with a faster 1.3GHz dual-core Core m7 processor with a maximum clock speed of 3.1GHz for another £120 (around $175 or AUS$230).

Aside from new configurations, Apple has made a more subtle change to this year's MacBook. In its teardown of the device, iFixit discovered that they usenew hinge screws featuring heads filled with a substance that disintegrateswhen a screwdriver is used on them. These could be used to indicate to Apple that you've tampered with the machine, which may have a knock-on effect when it comes to solving warranty-related issues, though this is yet to be confirmed.

Bundled software

Plus, Apple's Mac App Store has come on in leaps and bounds in recent years, proving an excellent resource with frequent recommendations on apps in multiple categories, such as Games, Productivity, Writing, Navigation and more. Here's every app you'll find upon booting up a New MacBook for the first time:

• iPhoto

• iMovie

• GarageBand

• Pages

• Numbers

• Keynote

• Maps

• iBooks

• Safari

• Mail

• Facetime

• Messages

• Calendar

• Contacts

• Time Machine

• Photo Booth

• Mac App Store

• iTunes

• Game Centre

• Preview

• Notes

• Reminders

Intel's Core M processor has, perhaps unfairly, earned itself a poor reputation since sliding under the bonnet of the Yoga 3 Pro back in 2015. The Yoga and other early machines that adopted Intel's fanless processor (ironically, the Yoga 3 Pro wasn't fanless) were sluggish and the performance hit wasn't considered worth it to get hold of their sleek new designs.

However, successive generations have seen Core M's performance increase to the point that you often wouldn't be able to tell whether a laptop houses a Core M or Core i-series processor, depending on what it is you're using it for.

Unfortunately for the 2015 MacBook, the Core M processors inside weren't powerful enough to provide a smooth experience under OS X 10.10 Yosemite. I found that disabling transparency effects and animations, while taking care not to open too many apps at once, was vital to prevent applications from temporarily freezing.

So how does the refreshed MacBook fare?

Benchmarks

Here's how the MacBook performed in our suite of benchmark tests:

• Xbench: Overall: 394.6; CPU: 267.14
• Cinebench R15 (CPU: Multi Core: 237cb; Open GL: 21.11 fps)
• Unigine Heaven 4.0: Medium Quality (1,680 x 1,050): Score: 397; FPS: 18
• Unigine Heaven 4.0 Ultra Quality (1,680 x 1,050): Score: 397; FPS: 15.7
• NovaBench: Score: 623; Graphics: 43
• Geekbench 3 (Single Core): 2,938; Multi Core: 5,900
• BlackMagic Disk Speed test: Read: 921MB/s; Write: 838MB/s
• Batman: Arkham City (1,440 x 900, Medium): Average: 14 fps
• Tomb Raider: Medium Quality, 1,400 x 900 (Average): 17.8 fps
• Streaming 1080p video over Wi-F (75% brightness): 7 hours and 10 minutes

For comparison, here is the performance of the entry-level MacBook, configured with a 1.1GHz Intel Core m3-6Y30 processor clocked at 0.90GHz (Turbo Boost to 1.1GHz), Intel HD Graphics 515 and 8GB of 1867MHz memory.

• Xbench: Overall: 347.54; CPU: 228.25
• Cinebench R15 (CPU: Multi Core: 213cb; Open GL: 21.03 fps)
• Unigine Heaven 4.0: Medium Quality (1,680 x 1,050): Score: 292; FPS: 11.6
• Unigine Heaven 4.0 Ultra Quality (1,680 x 1,050): Score: 256; FPS: 10.2
• NovaBench: Score: 489; Graphics: 41
• Geekbench 3 (Single Core): 2,535; Multi Core: 5,025
• BlackMagic Disk Speed test: Read: 929.7MB/s; Write: 620.2MB/s
• Batman: Arkham City (1,440 x 900, Medium): Average: 13 fps
• Tomb Raider: Medium Quality, 1,400 x 900 (Average): 18.2 fps

The good news is that the spec bump has turned the MacBook into a machine that runs much efficiently under more stress. I tried both the entry-level and the mid-spec version, and found that both machines provided a smooth experience out of the box without any tweaking of OS X 's settings.

Running my usual load of office applications, which includes multiple Firefox browsers, GIMP image editor, Skype, Evernote, Filezilla, Wunderlist, Ulysses, Slack, Echofon, Reader and Spotify (they're all essential, alright?), the MacBook didn't so much as stutter. I still wouldn't be confident opening another few FireFox windows and loading 30 tabs into each of them, but that's more of a criticism of the browser than it is of the MacBook's performance.

The 2,304 x 1,440 pixel-resolution display remains one of the best I've seen on a notebook, and is the best on a MacBook. It brings incredibly rich colors and excellent 170-degree viewing angles.

There's another advantage: you can scale it up to get more desktop space and go far beyond Apple's default scaled resolutions. By adding a custom resolution, I managed to soar all the way up to 1,920 x 1,080 in High-DPI mode using SwitchResX, which allowed me to see the same amount of spreadsheet rows and columns as a 27-inch monitor. Sure the text was tiny, but I could still make out the numbers and edit the spreadsheet without any trouble.

I might not be doing it all the time, but compared to my old setup, which was an 11-inch MacBook Air connected to a portable USB DisplayLink monitor, I now have enough desktop real-estate to switch to see more on the screen at the same time. That's been possible on high-resolution Windows and Apple machines for some time, but having all that desktop space is even more impressive on a 12.1-inch machine as thin as a pencil.

Alienware 17 R3 (2016) Review

For 2016, Alienware is upgrading its winning formula for gaming laptops, bringing Intel's new 6th-gen Core i7 CPU and Nvidia's 980M graphics to its leading 17-inch gaming laptop. You still get Alienware's signature spaceship-inspired case, tons of customizable lights and a comfy keyboard. Toss in a 17.3-inch screen that sets a new bar for gaming machines, and you've got a pretty potent package for $2,750. Other notebooks have more powerful desktop-level GPUs built in, but when you connect the Alienware 17 to the optional graphics amp ($980 with Nvidia 980Ti GPU), its gaming performance goes to a whole other level while future-proofing your purchase.

Specs

CPU	2.7-GHz Intel Core i7-6820HK
Operating System	Windows 10
RAM	16GB
RAM Upgradable to
Hard Drive Size	16GB

Design - The Spaceship Returns

While other gaming systems compete with increasingly shouty designs that are too-often draped in red and black, the Alienware 17's case has remained mostly unchanged over the past three years. The chassis' sleek, spaceship-inspired paneling will still stand out in a crowd, especially when all the lights are set ablaze, like on a Star Destroyer hunting down some pesky rebels. However, with the 2016 model indistinguishable from its 2015 and 2013 predecessors, it's about time for Alienware to do a complete revamp.

Inside, a smooth black deck provides a nice contrast to the space-gray exterior panels and the additional lights mounted under the keyboard and behind the Alienware logo beneath the display. As usual, everything feels solidly put together, a necessity considering the 17's 8.33 pound heft.

At 16.93 x 11.49 x 1.35 inches and 8.3 pounds, the Alienware 17 is actually thinner than many other premium gaming notebooks, including the OriginPC Eon17-SLX (16.8 x 12 x 1.8 and 10.05 pounds), MSI GT72 Dominator Pro (16.9 x 11.6 x 1.9 inches and 8.4 pounds) and the Acer Predator 17 (15.39 x 11.79 x 1.52 inches and 7.5 pounds), although the Acer is nearly a full pound lighter.

Display - Sparkling in 4K

Alienware knows what it's doing when it comes to displays, because the 17.3-inch UHD screen on the 17 is better than pretty much anything else in its class. It's sharp, bright and super-colorful and makes marveling at little things like the detail on a gun in Fallout 4 or a swirl of snow and ice in Rise of the Tomb Raider a real treat.

With a brightness of 318.6 nits, the Alienware 17 beat out the screens from Origin's Eon17-SLX (275 nits), MSI's GT72 Dominator Pro Dragon Edition (288 nits) and Acer's Predator 17 (307 nits).

The 17 also topped its competition in color range, with an sRGB range of 173.5 percent. The Origin Eon17-SLX (114 percent), the MSI GT72 Dominator Pro (114 percent) and the Acer Predator 17 (116 percent) were bunched up in a pack behind the Alienware.

Alienware's answer to systems like the Origin PC Eon17-SLX and the MSI GT72 Dominator Dragon Edition, which feature desktop-level Nvidia 980 GPUs, is its $300 Graphics Amplifier.

Gaming and Graphics - Very Good, But Not the Best

Results were closer for color accuracy, though, with the Alienware notching a Delta-E of 0.83.  That's better than the Eon17-SLX (0.9) and Predator 17 (1.4), but not the GT72 Dominator Pro (0.7). (Scores closer to zero are better.)

There's no getting around it. Even with 8GB of vRAM, the Alienware 17's Nvidia 980M GPU simply isn't as powerful as the non-mobile desktop GPUs featured in gaming notebooks from Origin and MSI. But the Alienware is a whole lot cheaper, and still offers solid performance at 1920 x 1080. However, for those hoping to take advantage of the Alienware 17's 4K display, you'll have to turn settings down to low.

On 3DMark's Fire Strike Ultra graphics test, the Alienware 17 scored 2,270. Acer's 980M-equipped Predator 17 was slightly ahead at 2,312, but Origin's Eon17-SLX (3,350), which features a true 980 GPU, was on another level. MSI's GT72 Dominator Dragon Edition (2,411) was also faster than the Alienware, but not to the same degree as Origin's notebook.

When we played Metro: Last Light at 1920 x 1080 and ultra settings, the Alienware 17 mustered 37.17 fps, which dropped to an unplayable 11.92 fps at 3840 x 2160. By comparison, Origin's Eon17-SLX reached a much higher 57 fps on ultra at full HD. MSI's GT72 Dominator (49 fps) was also better than the Alienware, but not quite as high as the Eon. As expected, Acer's Predator 17 (38 fps) posted a frame rate that was almost exactly the same as the Alienware.

But this isn't the end of 17's graphics story, because if you really want to push laptop gaming to the max, Alienware has a trick up its sleeve that can unlock a whole new tier of gaming performance.

Alienware's Graphics Amp - Desktop-Grade Power

Alienware's answer to systems like the Origin PC Eon17-SLX and the MSI GT72 Dominator Dragon Edition, which feature desktop-level Nvidia 980 GPUs, is its $300 Graphics Amplifier. Instead of cramming a super-power-hungry graphics card into the laptop's case, Alienware gives you a box that you can put almost any desktop GPU into, and connect to the laptop via a special port on the back. You don't get quite the same level of graphics performance the few times you take the system on the road, but when you're at home and connected to the amp, your frame rates will be higher.

MORE: Best Dell and Alienware Laptops

In 3DMark Fire Strike Ultra, our Graphics Amp equipped with an Nvidia 980Ti GPU (priced at $980 for both) propelled the Alienware 17 to a score of 3,865. That's 15 percent higher than what we saw from Origin's Eon17-SLX (3,350) and a whopping 60 percent better than MSI's GT72 Dominator Dragon Edition (2,411).

This graphics prowess also carried over to Metro: Last Light, where the Alienware 17 with amp pushed out 62 fps at 1920 x 1080 on ultra. The Eon17-SLX (57 fps) was close behind, but importantly, did not quite hit 60 fps, while the GT72 Dragon was even further back at 49 fps.

It's not what you'd call a huge difference. But when you're trying to push pixels as hard as possible, every bit counts. The best thing about springing for an amp is that you'll be able to upgrade your graphics when a new crop of GPUs hit the market.

The argument for a graphics amp is so convincing that other companies, including Acer, Asus and MSI, have plans for their own amps, but right now, Alienware's the only company offering this tech.

Overall Performance - Do You Even Have to Ask?

It goes without saying that with our review config of the Alienware 17 featuring an Intel Core i7-6820HK CPU, 16GB of RAM, 512GB SSD and 1TB HDD, everyday stuff like surfing the Web and sorting spreadsheets was a walk in the park.

3DMark Fire Strike

Tests notebook graphics performance.

Alienware 17

MSI GT72 Dominator Pro (2015)

Origin Eon 17 SLX

Category Average (as of 04/30/16)

8190

8328

12011

7988.09

• 3DMark Fire Strike
 
• Battery Life
 
• Color Accuracy
 
• Display Brightness (Nits)
 
• Gamut
 
• Graphics Performance (3DMark)
 
• Hard Drive Speed
 
• Metro Last Light (high, 1080p)
 
• Overall Performance (Geekbench 3)
 
• Rainbow Six Siege (1920x1080, high)
 
• Spreadsheet Performance

On Geekbench 3, which tests overall system performance, the Alienware 17 scored 13,906. While that's not quite as good as the sky-high mark from the Origin Eon17-SLX (18,779), MSI's GT72 Dominator Pro Dragon Edition was about the same at 13,896, with Acer's Predator 17 just a tad behind at 13,524.

When it came to storage speed, our Alienware 17's 512GB SSD posted a transfer rate of 508.96 MBps. The Acer Predator 17's SSD (508.96 MBps) speed was exactly the same, although the MSI GT72 Dragon and Origin Eon17-SLX both pulled out an even more impressive 848 MBps.

Keyboard and Touchpad - Solid

With a deep 2.6 millimeters of travel (1.6mm is more typical) and an actuation weight of 65 grams, the Alienware 17 provides a really comfy gaming and typing experience. That said, I'd like to see Alienware switch over to a chiclet-style design, because every time I use one of its systems, it takes me longer than normal to readjust to the keyboard. (It would also let the lights embedded underneath shine a bit brighter, too.)

That side effect showed up when I ran through 10fastfingers.com's typing test, where I hit 74 words per minute with five typos, which is both slightly slower and less accurate than my typical 75-80 wpm range with one or two mistakes.

The roomy, 3.8 x 2.8-inch touchpad is a pleasure to use, and a real attention-grabber every time it lights up with big bold colors when touched. It features a smooth, almost soft-touch surface and regardless of whether I was doing two-finger gestures or simple taps, it responded quickly to every request. I also like that the mouse buttons below feature separate keys for left and right click, although the sponginess I got when pressing down made me wish for something that felt a little more crisp.

Audio - It Could Be Crisper

One of the few aspects where the Alienware 17 falls short is with its audio. I never got its Klipsch speakers to sound as crisp and a clear as I wanted to, which left things like footsteps in Rise of the Tomb Raider sounding a little muffled. Also, when I listened to Deadmau5's "The Veldt," the bass lacked detail and didn't have anywhere near the same level of impact I heard from the MSI GT72 Dominator Pro or Origin's Eon17-SLX, which was particularly impressive.

Heat - Hot spots Abound

The Alienware 17 also has a hard time keeping its heat under control. After playing Rise of the Tomb Raider for just 15 minutes, several spots on the notebook registered over 110 degrees, which is way above our typical comfort threshold. This included the space between the G and H keys (111), 120 degrees on the alien head power button, and a blistering 124 degrees next to the back right vent. The only place that wasn't really hot was the touchpad, which measured 82.5 degrees. I wasn't overly bothered by the temperature of the keyboard, but I would highly advise against doing serious gaming on your lap due to the toasty bottom vent.

Ports and Webcam - Now with Thunderbolt 3 USB C

Alienware makes good use of the 17's ample chassis by featuring three USB 3.0 ports, HDMI 2.0, SD card reader, Ethernet, discrete headphone and mic jacks, and new for 2016, a USB-C port with Thunderbolt 3. That means you can send video to multiple 4K displays using a single port, or transfer data to and from an external storage device at up to 40 Gbps.

The 2-megapixel camera up top comes with dual mics for pretty clear voice chat when you're left without a headset, and takes a pretty decent picture as well -- as long you're not sitting in the dark like a reclusive Vault dweller. In a picture taken in our testing lab, the Alienware's webcam captured a pretty impressive photo featuring accurate colors, good focus and significantly less noise than you get from other cameras.

Battery Life - Good for a Gaming Rig

Even for a big and heavy gaming laptop, the R3 offers strong battery life. It lasted 6 hours and 7 minutes on our battery test, which consists of continuous Web surfing over Wi-Fi at 100 nits of brightness. Acer's Predator 17 lasted slightly longer with a time of 6:54, but Origin PC's Eon17-SLX and MSI's GT72 Dragon Edition were both left in the dust at 2:54 and 2:58, respectively. The desktop replacement average is a full hour and a half shorter at 4:30.

MORE: Laptops with the Longest Battery Life

Configurations - Sky's the Limit

The Alienware 17 R3 starts at pretty reasonable $1,500 for an Intel Core i7-6700HQ CPU,  8GB of RAM, 1TB HDD and an Nvidia GeForce 970M GPU with 3GB of vRAM. But if you want to push it to the max like our $2,750 review unit, you can load up a 17 with an Intel Core i7-6820HK CPU, 16GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD, 1TB HDD and an Nvidia 980M GPU with 8GB of vRAM. Then there's the optional graphics amp, which costs $300 for just the box, as well as the $200 to $1,200 you'll need to spend on a desktop-level GPU.

Software and Warranty

The Alienware 17 comes with an unfettered install of Windows 10 Home. Then, the company adds on some essential utilities such as its Alienware Command Center, which lets you configure the laptop's lights, plus keyboard macros, power settings and more. There's also Killer Networking Manager to help you prioritize your data traffic, and Nvidia's GeForce Experience to enhance your games.

The 17 also comes with one year of premium support as standard, which offers onsite repair, 24/7 tech support and automated system checkups. This warranty can be extended up to four years for a total of $330.

Bottom Line

The Alienware 17 is in an interesting position. What once would have been considered a beastly rig, now looks somewhat small next to a new generation of titanic gaming notebooks with desktop-grad graphics. But that doesn't mean the Alienware can't keep up with the Joneses, because its UHD screen is one of the best displays in its class, its battery life is marathonlike next to some of its competition, and the graphics amp offers an even bigger punch (and way better longevity) than laptops with desktop Nvidia 980 GPUs.

When it comes to gaming on the road without its amp, the $2,750 Alienware 17 simply can't match the pure performance you get on either the $3,382 Origin Eon17-SLX or the $3,099MSI GT72 Dominator Pro Dragon Edition. That keeps the Alienware 17 from being our absolute favorite gaming laptop, but with its vivid screen, solid build and innovative graphics amp accessory, it's still among the best.