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Alienware occupies an interesting position in the PC integration space, especially in relation to video producers. As their uber-geek name suggests, they got into this business as a gaming-oriented company, poised to blow the mainstream likes of Dell out of the water with their hot-rod gaming PCs, equipped with the sort of graphics acceleration firepower that could make the latest fast-paced, graphics-intensive games run like nobody's business. Appropriately enough, the system they sent for review came with a litany of benchmarks for games like Doom 3, Unreal Tournament 2003, 3D Mark 2005, and the like.
So where does the pro videographer fit in this gaming-centric space? Long before Alienware shipped out what may be the ultimate gamer-targetted system, the Star Wars line they introduced this spring, the company figured out that the same sort of turbocharging components they were using to attract the gaming market were essential equipment for video producers as well, at least those who were looking to equip their editing bays with all-purpose Windows PCs that matched their needs more expertly than the usual run of assembly-line systems from the mass-market PC integration set.
These aren't turnkey video systems, of course, but Alienware does send out PCs fully loaded with leading NLEs like Adobe Premiere Pro or Sony Vegas 6, or other popular pro applications like discreet 3ds max 7. They've also answered the other emergent trend (and often shaky proposition) of supplying notebook systems designed specifically for processor-intensive tasks like video editing and media postproduction. With their latest line of "Mobile Desktop" systems, such as the MJ12m-7700 submitted for review, they've assembled some absolutely powerhouse PCs that are expertly positioned for use in any Windows-based videographer's editing bay-especially if it's a roving one.
DESKTOP REPLACEMENT
Alienware describes the MJ12m-7700 as a mobile desktop, and it's an apt description. Not only does the MJ12 pack all the performance you'd expect in a desktop, but it also does so without the pretense to lightweight mobility of many notebooks. Of course it's big for a laptop, with a 17'' ClearView LCD, but I've certainly handled lighter 17''...