Alienware Sentia m3450 Review

Alienware Sentia m3450 is a light and thin notebook coming from the Miami-based Alienware, now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dell Computer Corporation. With over a decade of experience in the field, Alienware gained its reputation offering latest technology available on the market shaped as desktop and laptop computers specialized for video/audio editing and gaming, in most cases.

The model we have here today, Alienware Sentia m3450, has a 14.1 inch widescreen display and weighs less than 6 pounds, making it an ideal “carry around” computer, but this doesn’t mean that you won’t get enough performance to fulfill most of your needs. The Core 2 Duo processor under the hood does its job the right way, and while the technology used inside this laptop is not out of ordinary, its design is flawless.

Of course, it’s all a matter of taste, since some people may not like Alienware’s approach to designing computer cases, but the Sentia m3450 can prove a trustworthy companion for students and people not concerned about the fact that their laptop doesn’t have a sober business look.

The best way to see what you can get for your budget is to visit Alienware’s website and create a custom configuration to suit an average user’s needs. The price that I got is 1,109$, and here’s my configuration…

Main technical specifications:

OS: Genuine Windows® Vista Home Basic (XP Professional, Media Center 2005 and other Vista versions also available!)
Processor: Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor T5500 1.66GHz 2MB Cache 667MHz FSB
Hard Drive: 100GB Serial ATA 1.5Gb/s 7,200 RPM w/ NCQ & 8MB Cache
Screen: 14″ WideXGA 1280 x 768 LCD with Webcam - Xeno Grey
Graphics: Intel® GMA 950 Extreme Graphics
RAM: 1GB Dual Channel DDR2 SO-DIMM at 667MHz - 2 x 512MB
Hard Drive: 100GB (5,400rpm)
Optical Drive: 8x Dual Layer CD-RW/DVD±RW w/ Nero Software
Wireless: Internal Intel® PRO Wireless 3945 a/b/g Mini-Card
Weight: 5.5 pounds Dimensions: 0.75″ (H) x 13.06 ” (W) x 9.5″ (D)
Ports/Slots: 3 hi-speed USB 2.0, Integrated 10/1000Mb Gigabit Ethernet & 56K V.92 Modem, 4-in-1 Memory Card Reader, IEEE 1394a port, Express Card slot

The Good:

• unique, stylish design
• no junk software loaded from the factory
• fast 7200rpm hard drive
• built-in webcam and microphone
• small and really easy to carry around
• good operating system choices

The Bad:

• slow integrated graphics and no alternative
• low battery life
• when used at full load, heats up and may have stability problems

Conclusion:

As always, there are cheaper competitors to Alienware Sentia m3450, but to be honest, I was shocked to see that I can buy a decent laptop bearing such a name for only a little over 1,000$. Beyond the name, features like the built-in cam and microphone, enhanced wireless capabilities and the Intel® 7.1 High-Definition Audio sound card make the Sentia a choice worth thinking about. I know, nothing is perfect, but if you can overlook its drawbacks, the Alienware Sentia m3450 can be the right choice.