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.