One of the limitations of having a laptop designed for gaming is that they are hardly upgradable. Even though you might be able to swap the hard drive or the RAM to add more, what else is there to upgrade? You will not be able to upgrade your graphics card, I’ll tell you that.
Alienware has found a way to make this possible, however, with what they call the Alienware Graphics Amplifier. This is basically a box with a PCI Express port and its own power supply that will supply your Alienware laptop with the power of a graphics card found on desktops. This device retails at $299.
Here is our Alienware Graphics Amplifier Review.
Alienware Graphics Amplifier: Design
The Alienware Graphics Amplifier is unlike anything we’ve even seen before when it comes to PC accessories. The Graphics Amplifier from Alienware isn’t exactly eye candy, to say the least. It’s basically a gray and black case that has vents along its rear and sides. There are also vents on the front, along with a logo that lights up. We were surprised to find out that this Alienware logo is not the power switch, however. Even though the Graphics Amplifier isn’t exactly the looker in the bunch, it certainly does match Alienware’s design.
Weighing 7.7 pounds and measuring 6.8×7.3×16.1 inches, the Alienware Graphics Amplifier can’t really be called portable. Furthermore, the device weighs 7.7 pounds without a graphics card inside it. But there is a point to its bulkiness as almost any card fits inside it.
Alienware Graphics Amplifier: Setup
The setup of the Alienware Graphics Amplifier is a lot easier than you would imagine. If you ever had the chance to assemble a PC, setting up this device will be a walk in the park. All you have to do is put in a graphics card of your choice, connect the power supply (which is also included in the package), plug the device into your Alienware laptop and that’s it. You’re good to go.
The Graphics Amplifier also features USB 3.0 connectors in addition to whatever other connectors you have on your graphics card. This also makes the device a great hub for extra connectivity and also means it can support more than one monitors, should you wish to take advantage of this option.
For the moment, however, only Alienware laptops feature the special port you need to connect the device to. Alienware did not confirm if the port will be made available on other gaming laptops as well. Therefore, if you prefer other gaming laptops, don’t get your hopes up just yet and save your money for another time.
Alienware Graphics Amplifier: Performance Boost
It is a known fact that graphics cards intended for desktop are a lot more powerful than their mobile brothers. For example, the GeForce GTX 980M only provides around 75 percent of all that its big brother is capable of. So, expect to get full advantage of your desktop graphics card on your gaming laptop. As long as you buy the desktop graphics card as well, mind you.
Conclusion
The device produced by Alienware fills a gap in the mobile gaming industry. It addresses a problem that for long has tormented the gaming laptops.
The Alienware Graphics Amplifier is indeed a great device but is a little bit steep as it retails at $299.
Wrapping up…
PROS
– The Alienware Graphics Amplifier gives you the option of adding a graphics card intended for desktop on your laptop
– Great USB 3.0 hub
– Comes with a power supply
– The device is capable of fitting almost any graphics card on the market
CONS
– Very bulky
– Expensive, considering you also have to buy the graphics card
– Only works on Alienware laptops
The Verdict
Even though the sheer bulkiness of the device might not interest most hardcore gamers, the price is a little steep and the compatibility with only Alienware laptops are down sides, to say the least.
If you already own a newer generation of an Alienware laptop, however, you might come to the conclusion that this is just the device you were waiting for.
Images source: digitaltrends.com
