Alienware 13

Alienware 13

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.