As expected, Dell has infused its 11-inch gaming notebook with Intel's latest processors. The new base model starts at $949 - a $150 increase from the six-month-old Core 2 Duo-based machine, which is also still available. The extra cash nets you 1.06GHz Core i5-520UM, and for another $150 ($1,099 for the total system) you can add a 1.2GHz Core i7-640UM. Additionally, to offset the extra muscle, Core i5 and i7-equipped models ship with Nvidia's Optimus automated graphics switching technology.
Standard specifications include an 11.6-inch 1366x768 display, Nvidia GeForce GT 335M discrete graphics with a gig of VRAM, 2GB to 8GB of DDR3 800MHz RAM, 160GB to 500GB of mechanical storage or a 256GB solid-state drive, wired and wireless network connectivity, a 1.3-megapixel webcam, and a 5.1-channel sound system. The M11x ships with a one-year warranty as well as a factory installed copies of Valve's game distribution client, the game Portal, and Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit.