Alienware got an itchy trigger finger and fired off its new Alienware M11x a week before the Electronic Entertainment Expo starts. The pint-sized gaming laptop received a number of upgrades that make it an even better frame rate generator. Fully upgraded, the 11-inch, 4.5-pound beast comes with an Intel Core i7 640UM CPU, the Nvidia GeForce GT 335M with Optimus technology, and 8GB of DDR3 RAM. Prices start at $799 with an Intel Core 2 CPU and work their way up from $949 if you outfit the laptop with a Core i5 or Core i7 CPU.

　　The previous generation M11x came with hybrid graphics, but it was released just as Nvidia debuted its Optimus technology--an automatic hybrid graphics switching solution. Hybrid graphics makes use of both the Intel Graphics Media Accelerator and the Nvidia GeForce GT 335M to provide the best of both worlds--gaming performance and long battery life. Before Optimus, hybrid graphics solutions required the user to manually change a setting to switch video cards.

　　Alienware claims that battery life should be over seven hours under typical usage. Gaming and more taxing uses will, of course, cut those hours down.

　　Aside from an internal refresh, the M11x's exterior also got a makeover. The laptop will come in stealth black or lunar shadow color options, and the case will have a slightly rubberized feel.

　　Other M11x features include dual-headphone jacks, a gamer-styled keyboard, and a laser engraved nameplate.

　　Alienware should have immediate availability of the new M11x.