Alienware Area-51 m7700

Fastest gaming performance to-date; fair pricing compared with other high-end PC vendors; useful customizable case lighting.

No 64-bit Vista option limits performance and memory support; distinctive case design not for everyone.

Alienware delivers most of what we expect in a high-end gaming PC, but without 64-bit Vista support, the Area-51 ALX's overall performance is limited. It's the fastest thing going for PC gaming, but at this price we expect the complete package.

Massive resolution display; twin SLI video cards offer unparalleled 3D performance for a laptop; DVI and surround sound outputs; matte finish on case repels fingerprints.

No HDMI; requires Windows XP for optimum performance; reasonable starting price disappears quickly with upgrades; battery life weak, even for a desktop replacement.

Alienware's flagship gaming laptop, the Area-51 m9750, has plenty of appeal for high-end gamers, but the alien head aesthetic seems dated, and newer components are right around the corner.

Optional Blu-ray drive; roomy keyboard; included separate number pad; DVI output; excellent screen.

Expensive overclocking option not worth it; unimpressive scores on gaming tests.

The Alienware Area-51 m5790 Special Edition is a big, expensive, powerful system, but its merely average performance falls a bit short of its "special" moniker.

Fast, single 3D card configuration that will power you through any game on the market; case lighting customization software finally done and works as intended.

About $2,000 more than PCs with similar hardware, but with few benefits in performance or features; 700-watt power supply not enough for SLI with the GeForce 8800 GTX 3D card it ships with.

We'd like this latest quad core-equipped Area-51 7500 if it were about $1,000 cheaper. It's as fast as it should be, but other vendors have similarly configured PCs that can do just as much for significantly less. Alienware's trademark care in assembly...

Attractive design; great application performance, thanks to top-of-the-line Core 2 Duo mobile chip and Nvidia graphics; bright display; touch pad on/off button.

Lousy battery life; mediocre gaming performance; slightly compact keyboard; screen is very reflective.

The Core 2 Duo-based Alienware Area-51 m5550 can perform as well as larger, more expensive gaming systems, but its short battery life means you won't be very mobile.

Intel Core 2 Extreme is the fastest chip out there; new chassis is shorter than past alien-head cases; innovative and customizable lighting; untethered side panel.

New case is still huge.

It's not the fastest PC (it's second), nor is it the most competitively priced, but Alienware's Area-51 7500 does have the most innovative case. With a wholly customizable lighting scheme in its new chassis, Alienware makes case lights functional, a...