Alienware M14x and M18x official; M11x refreshed

Dell has officially announced the Alienware M14x and Alienware M18x, as well as reworked the smallest gaming notebook it offers, the Alienware M11x. The new 14-inch M14x and 18.4-inch M18x each come with quadcore Intel Core i7 processors – overclocked from the factory in the case of the bigger machine – while the M11x shifts to Intel's 2011 Core i5 and Core i7 chips at 1.4GHz and 1.6GHz respectively.

The Alienware M14X has GeForce GT 555M graphics with either 1.5GB or 3GB of dedicated memory, together with using NVIDIA Optimus intelligent GPU switching. That allows the notebook to reach up to six hours runtime on a single charge. The display runs at 1366 x 768 or, optionally, 1600 x 900; other options include WiMAX. Ports include USB 3.0 and HDMI 1.4i, while pricing starts at $1,199.

Meanwhile the updated M11x now has up to 10 hours battery life thanks to the new processors and Optimus graphics, while still finding room inside the compact chassis for optional LTE, WiMAX or 3G connectivity. It's priced from $999. As for the Alienware M18x, that will drop in May from $1,999.

Update: UK pricing will be from £899 for the M11x and from $1,099 for the M14x.