As far as gaming laptop
go, Alienwares are the flashiest, coolest looking machines available in
the market at the moment. A futuristic design coupled with sleek, crisp
edges topped by bright, back-lit keyboard makes Alienware one of the
most recognizable gaming laptops brands due to its performance and high
customizability. And in the Alienware 13, the iconic traits live on.
We took one out for test-play sessions where not only we attempted
doing some work on it, we also tested its capabilities of playing games
while traveling or being away from the comfort of a proper chair and
table setup.
A current Alienware user myself with my main PC gaming machine being
the MX17 R4, using a smaller, lighter machine in the Alienware 13 is
definitely a step up. Gone are the days where I have to lug around over
4.5kgs of gear just to ensure I'll get a good dose of gaming while out
on assignments. Weighing just over 2kgs, the Alienware 13 isn't actually
light but as a gaming laptop, it's a darn impressive feat by Dell to
cram all that power into a relatively compact chassis.
Do not expect to blend into the crowd when using the Alienware 13 at
cafes or while waiting for your flight at the airport. The laptop stands
out just for being an Alienware; its build alone will bring out the
oohs and aahs from anyone who set their eyes on it thanks to its sleek
Lamborghini-Reventon-ish design. Despite its plastic outer shell, the
gunmetal-painted plastic feels solid to the touch without a hint of
cheaponess to it. Money. Well. Spent.
On the thickness side of things, while thinnest amongst its Alienware
brethren, the Alienware 13 is still chunky compared to most laptops
(gaming and non-gaming) in the 13-inch screen range. But don't let its
diminutive figure fool you. Under the hood lies serious gaming power -
i5-5200U Processor (Dual-Core,3MB Cache,up to 2.7GHz w/ Turbo Boost )
with NVIDIA's GTX 960M with 2GB GDDR5 graphics card- which ensures your
PC gaming sessions in the next couple of years or so remain solid and
playable close to max settings for most modern games.
Battery life however is still an issue. While we are able to eke out
roughly four to five hours of gaming from it, it is highly advisable to
never leave home without a charger. Battery drain when idle while isn't
significant enough to affect the laptop's usability when traveling, is
quite a pain for moments when you plan to fire up Football Manager 2015
during that 30 minute window you have.
Its smaller size does come with several setbacks; the laptop doesn't
come with as many ports as larger laptops do. To the right are two USB
3.0 ports and gigabit Ethernet. Another USB 3.0 port is available on the
left along with jacks for power, headphones and microphone. The HDMI,
Mini DisplayPort and a proprietary port to connect the graphics
amplifier are placed to the back of the laptop. Still, nothing that
cannot be fixed with a USB port hub or splitter.
Another gripe on Alienware 13 would the size and layout of the
keyboard. While the keys feel solid during games and are able to
withstand prolonged abuse, typing on it can be quite frustrating due to
the keys' close placements. However, this is more down to personal
preference.
Issues aside, the keyboards are indeed pretty with its customizable
backlight feature allowing users to fully customize how their keyboards
appear. There are four quadrants on the keyboard; each customizable with
independent backlight effects allowing maximum personalization. On top
of that, you get to choose what color the Alienware logo and start
button glow in for that added umph when it comes to stamping your
identity all over the laptop. Summary
The Alienware 13 is a great option for portable gaming laptop without
sacrificing performance. Sticking close to its Alienware lineage with
leek design and cool customization features, the Alienware 13 is no way
inferior to its larger brothers.
The Alienware 13 is available for purchase from all good computer
stores as well as Dell's official site. Full details are also available on Dell's website.
