Alienware readies upgradeable notebook

Nvidia and ATI have been launching their own initiatives to make it possible to upgrade a notebook's graphics over the course of its lifetime, as many game enthusiasts do with desktop PCs. But Alienware has taken the matter into its own hands and designed a proprietary graphics module that will work with the current and future chips from Nvidia and ATI. The module comes with its own heat sink and is designed to be easy to install, so owners of the system can upgrade it themselves without having to send it back to the manufacturer.

Alienware says it's committed to establishing the module and keeping the design consistent so that it will work for future chip generations, but it will depend on specs and technical requirements decided on by Nvidia and ATI. Alienware expects that the modules will carry a price that's "very similar to the latest desktop video cards on the market," so it should be possible to significantly upgrade one of the company's high-end notebooks for under $500.

The new Area-51m will be come configured with a number of options, including the latest ATI and Nvidia 128MB graphics chips and a 16.1- or 15.4-inch LCD. The notebook is scheduled to start shipping in a few weeks.