Alienware M14x, i7-2670QM

Specifications

 

Reviews for the Alienware M14x, i7-2670QM

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Series:

With all the hype for ultrabooks and tablets, many have forgotten the true meaning of performance/gaming laptops. At least there is one brand that still thinks of those gamers who depend on their laptop for gaming. Alienware is currently the only laptop brand that focuses only on gaming laptops and PCs.

The iteration remains the same as the previous ones. With the M11x gone, the M14x is supposed to be their most portable laptop but this year’s Ivy Bridge-wielding Alienware M14x has an unchanged exterior from the last batch. Nothing much was done in terms of weight and chunkiness too. It is still on the heavy side and has a chassis that resembles an industrial grade laptop.

We still love that aggressive design and sleek lines that warns people about its seriousness. The rubber finish feels nice to touch and gives the laptop a surface a firm grip. Keyboard and trackpad are both of a decent size and perfect for gaming. The light around the laptop is customisable including the section underneath the keyboard and surrounding the trackpad.

Obviously by being an Alienware, it won’t be short of any hardware. One of the advantages of getting an Alienware is the wide range of customizable hardware it offers. However, even the minimum specs will blow any other 14 inch laptops out of its way.

Another plus side is the screen quality. It’s no retina display but manages to impress our eyes with the crisp details and high resolution. However, the very glossy glass panel is a letdown. Using it outdoors is next to impossible but considering its weight, it isn’t really appropriate for carrying around anyways. We definitely can’t say that the M14x is a bargain or value buy. It is pricey but premium. 

NVIDIA GeForce GT 555M:

As the successor to the GeForce GT 445M, the GT 555M is available in many different versions based on different chips (GF106, GF116, GF108) with different graphics memory (128 Bit, 192 Bit, DDR3, GDDR5) and  varying core speeds.

Modern games should be playable with these graphics cards at low settings and resolutions. Casual gamers may be happy with these cards. » Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Graphics Cards and the corresponding Benchmark List.
Intel Core i7: The Intel Core i7 for laptops is based on the LG1156 Core i5/i7 CPU for desktops. The base clock speed of the CPUs is relatively low, but because of a huge Turbo mode, the cores can dynamically overclock to up to 3.2 GHz (920XM). Therefore, the CPU can be as fast as high clocked dual-core CPUs (using single threaded applications) but still offer the advantage of 4 cores. Because of the large TDP of 45 W / 55 W, the CPU is only intended for large laptops.  
2670QM: Fast Quad-core processor clocked at 2.2-3.1 GHz based on the Sandy Bridge architecture with an integrated graphics card and dual-channel DDR3 memory controller. » Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Processsors.
14":

Above all, this display size is used for subnotebooks, ultrabooks and convertibles. For all three types, this size is quite large. The biggest variety of subnotebooks is represented with this size.

Large display-sizes allow higher resolutions. So, details like letters are bigger. On the other hand, the power consumption is lower with small screen diagonals and the devices are smaller, more lightweight and cheaper.

» To find out how fine a display is, see our DPI List.
3 kg:

This weight is representative for typical laptops with a 14-16 inch display-diagonal.

Alienware: Alienware was founded in the USA in 1996. Alienware established its EMEA (Europe, the Middle East, and Africa) headquarters in Ireland, in 2002. Alienware has belonged to the Dell Group since 2006. The product range mainly focuses on gaming laptops and desktops. Trademark is a slightly futuristic design with an alien logo. In addition, Alienware offers workstations for private and business customers.

Alienware belongs to the mid-sized manufacturers of the notebook market. There are some reviews with average ratings overall.

» Further information can be found in our Notebook Purchase Guide.

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