Alienware is aiding in the digital download movement with the M11x gaming laptop, a system one observer at E3 2010 referred to as “a netbook on steroids.”

Alienware has finally released a gateway (pun partially intended) gaming laptop for those who want a high-end gaming system but typically cannot afford one.

Just before E3 2010, Alienware sent me the M11x gaming laptop to test and use while covering the expo.

Our M11x unboxing photo gallery shows the main components of the laptop out of the box…

Alienware has been known for offering high end gaming PCs with awesome looks and performance. At CES 2010 the company unveiled its latest incursion into the portable gaming market, the M11x.

Small and lightweight notebooks have been increasing in popularity lately due to portability and low price. These notebooks often sacrifice power for size but that’s not the case with the M11x. It comes with an Intel Core 2 Duo processor and an Nvidia GeForce GT 335M GPU. These would take a toll on a notebooks battery life but the M11x also comes equipped with Intel’s integrated graphics so that users can change on the fly for less graphics intensive applications. Battery life is said to be around 3 hours when gaming and it goes up to 6 hours for regular use.

The M11x is only 11-inches and it comes with a 720p HD display with a resolution of 1336 x 768. It is only 4 pounds and also has the trademark Alienware looks, with an awesome backlit keyboard.

Lenovo and NVidia are currently working on a new netbook and, from the description, there will be a lot to offer in this laptop for the gaming population.

Using the NVidia Ion graphics technology, Lenovo’s IdeaPad S12 is said to have enough graphics power for full 1080i HD playback and Blu-ray support as well as having a graphics processor powerful enough to be able to offer full HD performance for many of the newer games out there. This doesn’t mean that you’ll be able to support them without a problem since some of the specs are low. Then again, for a starting price of $449 you get what you pay for in terms of power.

Have you tried to play a computer game, while your brother is trying to download some music and the system is running the weekly virus update? It’s not an easy task. In fact, it’s usually a very frustrating task.

Symantec knows just how you feel, which is why the company is releasing Norton AntiVirus 2009 Gaming Edition. It will be designed specifically for gaming, which we all know takes up the most memory on the system. It keeps malware at bay while also making sure nothing is interrupted or lost during your MMO game play…

Besides gawking at the original BatCopter while at the Ohio State Fair (July 29 through August 9, 2008), I also ran through the Dell/Intel “Extreme Gaming Tour” booth. According to the schedule on the official Extreme Gaming Tour site, the booth has since traveled across country and will be at the Penny Arcade Expo in Seattle, WA, this weekend (August 29-31, 2008).

The “booth” is actually a fancy RV with a tent extended from the side with a bunch of Intel-powered Dells set up (check out the far shot in the Photo Gallery). There were about a dozen gaming rigs set up under the tent to…

Although most Alienware products are financially out-of-bounds for many gamers, there are still a few that are not. Take for instance the new Alienware Area-51 m15x gaming notebook which will not plunge too deep in your pockets with prices starting from $1,499 – a clear $1250 less than Alienware’s Area-51 m17x gaming notebook. The relatively cheaper price doesn’t imply compromised performance or quality…

Product: Toshiba Satellite X205-S9349Price: $1,899.99Rating: 8.5/10Pros: Surprisingly impressive sound system, a great screen and it plays games well despite Vista. Comes with internal hardware extras – extra USB ports, HD DVD drive, DVD burner and 1.3 megapixel webcam – you’d eventually add to your home PC anyway.Cons: Some front ports hard to see, the system runs pretty warm and the cover easily smudges. Keys are a bit too low and pop out too easily.Overall: A good purchase for a hard-core gamer in need of a portable system. Plan to spend time wiping off promotion apps. The sound system will certainly impress your friends.

Click through for the whole review…