Spy
Prominent Member
I saw both the Alienware and the Clevo based Schenker at yesterday's Gadget Show.
The Clevo looks and feels much better than I expected. It seemed as good as any main stream laptop from the major manufacturers.
They are both roughly the same thickness and size (couldn't compare side by side but that is the impression I got).
The quality of the materials generally feels better on the Alienware. The 'soft touch' screen lid has a real quality feel about it. The keyboard on the Alienware is way, way better than the cheap feel of the Clevo's Chiclet keyboard and also has a proper UK sized Return key which the P170EM Clevo did not. The touchpad on the AW is also better.
I couldn't try out the built-in speakers or really compare the sound from headphones.
In terms of performance though, they both seem as good as each other, as you would expect if they are using the same internal components. In addition, I preferred the matte screen of the Clevo to the shiny screen of the AW.
In summary, I would say that the P170EM Clevo is a great competitor to the AW. It should perform just as well and looks like it will last. I think the difference is in the aesthetics/design and is where people need to decide what they want in terms of design from a £1,200+ laptop. A little like the MacBook Pro, in addition to paying for the name, you are also paying for design in order to get something that feels 'special' and justify the price.
An example of the design/ergonomic difference I noticed with the Clevo was the placement of the what looked like the microphone, right next to the touchpad which seems to be a silly position.
At the end of the day, I think most people would be happy with either one as they will both deliver the performance with good quality components. For me, I may be a little vain and would pay a little more for the design and quality feel of the of the AW. If the price difference is high, the Clevo wins hands down.
The Clevo looks and feels much better than I expected. It seemed as good as any main stream laptop from the major manufacturers.
They are both roughly the same thickness and size (couldn't compare side by side but that is the impression I got).
The quality of the materials generally feels better on the Alienware. The 'soft touch' screen lid has a real quality feel about it. The keyboard on the Alienware is way, way better than the cheap feel of the Clevo's Chiclet keyboard and also has a proper UK sized Return key which the P170EM Clevo did not. The touchpad on the AW is also better.
I couldn't try out the built-in speakers or really compare the sound from headphones.
In terms of performance though, they both seem as good as each other, as you would expect if they are using the same internal components. In addition, I preferred the matte screen of the Clevo to the shiny screen of the AW.
In summary, I would say that the P170EM Clevo is a great competitor to the AW. It should perform just as well and looks like it will last. I think the difference is in the aesthetics/design and is where people need to decide what they want in terms of design from a £1,200+ laptop. A little like the MacBook Pro, in addition to paying for the name, you are also paying for design in order to get something that feels 'special' and justify the price.
An example of the design/ergonomic difference I noticed with the Clevo was the placement of the what looked like the microphone, right next to the touchpad which seems to be a silly position.
At the end of the day, I think most people would be happy with either one as they will both deliver the performance with good quality components. For me, I may be a little vain and would pay a little more for the design and quality feel of the of the AW. If the price difference is high, the Clevo wins hands down.