core-i7 posts

Dell's Alienware unit has gotten lots of great reviews, including one here at Big Download, for their M11x laptop. Today Alienware has revealed two big upgrades to the M11x that are being included as options. First, the M11x now has options to put in an Intel Core i5 or i7 processor in addition to the previous Core 2 Duo processor. Putting in either the i5 or i7 processor will naturally raise the starting price of the notebook although we have been told that the i5 processor still keeps the m11x at below $1,000.

The other major update is Nvidia Optimus, the new technology that will allow people who use the M11x laptop to switch between the integrated graphics and the laptop's Nvidia GT 335M graphics chip automatically if they are playing, say, Left 4 Dead 2. Previously switching between the two was done manually by hitting the F6 button.

We launched our latest contest giveaway on Wednesday and it's already one of our most popular ever with well over 200 submissions. When you have a prize like three Intel Core i7 920 processors to give out to three of our readers, it's easy to see why. PC gamers are constantly trying to upgrade and having one of these puppies in your PC will give you access to multi-threading that's being used in upcoming games.

So if you want a chance to get one of the faster PCs chips, you have to head to our contest page in order to enter. Please read our official rules before you do so because we sometimes have to tell a possible winner that he or she can't win because they live outside the US and Canada. The deadline to enter is 11:59 pm ET on Monday.