New coupon for May 2012 (Ivy Bridge laptops)! The M18x is a no-compromise gaming monster. With optional CrossFireX and SLI configurations, factory overclocked Intel Core i7 Extreme Edition processors and a large 18-inch Full HD 1080p display it offers desktop gaming performance in a portable package. 

• Head over to Dell’s Alienware M18x page
• Configure, review and add to cart
• In the ‘Coupon Entry’ field, apply the following coupon code: BHW1L0MX0D?MCX

This is the first valid coupon on the brand new Alienware M18x R2, worth an additional $50 off plus free shipping. Using the above link and coupon will get you the base model for $1,949 instead of $1,999–the best offer so far on the M18x R2!

It can also be upgraded all the way up to a dual-GPU solution with dual Nvidia GTX 675M graphics cards in SLI.

There are countless alternatives to customize the Alienware M18x to your liking; besides the powerful GPU combinations and the 3rd-gen Core i7 CPU that goes to 4.1 GHz, it can also be equipped with the new mobile 1866 MHz RAM and dual or even triple-drive configurations with SSD storage in RAID 0.

The base configuration includes an 18.4-inch panel with 1920×1080 pixels, powered by an Nvidia GTX 660M graphics card from Nvidia’s latest 28nm Kepler lineup. Where the M18x really shines, however, is that you can configure it with dual graphics cards all the way up to dual GeForce GTX 675M GPUs. This is the most powerful mobile graphics solution available for regular laptops and it will propel the M18x R2 past most high-end desktops on the market. The other top-tier option is a single Nvidia GeForce GTX 675M.

If you want lots of RAM–32GB to be precise–that can also be arrange with 4x 8GB 1600 MHz DDR3 modules. You can get it with two types of RAM; either 1600MHz or the faster 1866MHz DDR3 that is also available with the M14x R2. With dual high-end SSDs in capacities up to 3x 512GB, the M18x R2 will most likely max out the SATA 3.0 (6GBps) interface. Selecting two identical drives lets you get them pre-configured in RAID 0, which nearly doubles performance. If you don’t feel like paying the premium for 100% flash-based storage, you can opt for much more cost-effective but fast hybrid storage in the form of an mSATA solid state cache drive, available in 32 GB or 64 GB capacities.

One of the other key features in the new Alienware lineup is of course the latest Ivy Bridge (3rd-generation Core) processors from Intel. The M18x R2 has options for any of the currently available quad-core mobile Core i7 CPUs, starting with the i7-3610QM (2.3 GHz, Turbo Boost up to 3.3 GHz), the i7-3720QM (2.6 GHz, Turbo Boost up to 3.6 GHz), i7-3820 (2.7 GHz, Turbo Boost 3.7 GHz), or last but not least the Core i7-3920XM (Extreme Edition) processor, which can be overclocked all the way up to 4.1 GHz.

All in all, the Alienware M18x, if fully equipped, is the most powerful laptop currently available that uses only mobile components. It’s a big one, but is nevertheless portable and delivers performance that exceeds quite a few high-end and expensive desktop computers.

Related posts:

1. Alienware M18x R2 Specs Revealed (Maybe) While not exactly on par with the Apple rumor industry,...
2. Is Dell Really Working on an Alienware M18x? There’s been rumors going around for weeks now that Dell...
3. A Sneak Peek at the Alienware M18x Specs Due to a mistake (?) by Dell staff, the rumored...