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Alienware M14x

Specifications

Alienware M14x
Alienware M14x (M14x Series)
Processor
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce GT 555M - 3 GB VRAM, Core: 590 MHz, Memory: 900 MHz, Shader clock speed: 1180 MHz, DDR3-VRAM, ForceWare 267.21
Memory
4 GB 
, 2x 2048 MB DDR3 SDRAM (1600 MHz), two slots
Display
14.10 inch 16:9, 1600 x 900 pixel, SEC544B, WLED, glossy: yes
Mainboard
Intel HM67
Storage
Samsung SSD 810 Series, 256 GB 
Soundcard
Realtek ALC665 @ Intel Cougar Point PCH - High Definition Audio Controller
Connections
1 USB 2.0, 2 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 VGA, 1 HDMI, 1 DisplayPort, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: 1 jack, 2 outputs, Card Reader: 9-in-1, SIM card slot
Networking
Atheros AR8151 PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet Controller (10/100/1000MBit/s), Intel WiFi Link 1000 BGN (b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/), Bluetooth 3.0
Optical drive
HL-DT-ST DVD+-RW GS30N
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 38 x 337 x 258 ( = 1.5 x 13.27 x 10.16 in)
Battery
63 Wh Lithium-Ion, 8 cell
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: 2.0 Megapixel
Additional features
Power adapter: 150 watts, Recovery-DVD, Resource-DVD, Resource-Media-DVD, Roxio Creator Starter, AlienRespawn, Command Center, 12-48 Months Warranty
Weight
2.86 kg ( = 100.88 oz / 6.31 pounds), Power Supply: 540 g ( = 19.05 oz / 1.19 pounds)
Price
1804 Euro

 

Pricecompare

Average Score: 78.47% - good
Average of 15 scores (from 23 reviews)
price: 60%, performance: 85%, features: 78%, display: 79% mobility: 73%, workmanship: 94%, ergonomy: 72%, emissions: 76%

Reviews for the Alienware M14x

85% Review Alienware M14x Notebook | Notebookcheck
Premiere. The M14x is Alienwares first 14 inch gaming laptop. A quad-core CPU and GeForce GT 555M make the notebook unique, as this kind of hardware is usually only found in larger models, such as the Schenker XMG A501 or the Dell XPS 17. The M14x - another revolutionary model?
Alienware M14x Review: Giving Portable Gaming Another Go
Source: PC Perspective English Archive.org version
There’s also a cohesiveness of design that you simply don’t find from other gaming laptops. Geeks are quick to pile on Alienware, accusing them as being overpriced Dells. It’s true they are often a bit more expensive than laptops with similar hardware from other companies, but those laptops simply aren’t as well designed. Adequate? Sure. As nice as Alienware? You’ve got to be kidding. Only ASUS is close. I can see why the M15x was replaced with this laptop. That outgoing model was simply too large to carry on a daily basis, which meant there was little practical destinction between it and the M17x. The story is now different. The Alienware M14x offers a combination of affordability, portability and power that's not available elsewhere.
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 02/29/2012
70% Alienware M14x R3
Source: PC Mag English Archive.org version
The Alienware M14x R3 is the middle child of the Alienware family. Its weight makes it better suited to a life as a desktop replacement, but if you're looking to go that route you might as well splurge for the Editors' Choice Alienware M17x (Sandy Bridge) ($2,254 direct, 4.5 stars), which provides better heat dissipation and has a bigger screen. Meanwhile, if you're looking to game on the road, you're better off leaning toward the Editors' Choice Alienware M11xr3. But if you can do without the expensive extras, like Killer Wireless-N Wi-Fi and Wireless HD, the Asus N55SF-A1 (which costs $753 less) and Editors' Choice Apple MacBook Pro (which costs $203 less) might be better options for a pure-performance gaming machine.
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 11/26/2011
Rating: Total score: 70%
60% Alienware M14x Review: The Best or Worst Portable Gaming Laptop?
Source: Notebookreview.com English Archive.org version
The Alienware M14x is indeed "the most powerful 14-inch laptop in the universe" but that doesn't mean much when you can get a much better 15-inch or 17-inch gaming laptop for the same price (and roughly the same weight).
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 11/09/2011
Rating: Total score: 60% price: 30% performance: 70% features: 80% mobility: 80% ergonomy: 70%
Alienware M14x Gaming Notebook Review
Source: Hardware Canucks English Archive.org version
Before Alienware waded onto the scene, many believed gaming notebooks needed to be big, overweight bricks that were anything but portable. To this day most high performance notebooks come with oversized screens and laughable battery life so at face value Alienware’s small form factor gambit was ambitious to say the least.
Single Review, online available, Very Long, Date: 10/17/2011
65% Dell Alienware M14x notebook Review
Source: Tech2.in.com English Archive.org version
The M14x that we received will set you back a whopping Rs.1,19,000, which is nearly the same as the Asus G74SX. You may argue that the high price is for the small form factor and portability, but the fact is that it’s just too heavy to be truly portable, you certainly won’t be lugging this around. If this was priced closer to 60K (wishful thinking, I know!), we would recommend this in a heartbeat. But at its current standing, it just makes more sense to get the Asus G74SX. There’s no denying the fact that Dell has built a really good notebook, the finish and features are really hard to find with the competition. However, the high price and the fact that there’s no USB 3.0 support and the noisy fan is what stops it from being truly a great gaming notebook.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 10/14/2011
Rating: Total score: 65%
70% Gaming warrior with Achilles’ heel? Alienware M14x review
Source: APC Mag English Archive.org version
It’s solid, it’s powerful, but the M14x stumbles when it comes to the graphics card which in our view makes or breaks a gaming notebook. We appreciate that the price tag is going to be high given the build quality and SSD, but ultimately there are alternative gaming notebooks that cost the same or less with vastly better graphics cards.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 10/07/2011
Rating: Total score: 70%
80% Alienware M14X review
Source: Techradar English Archive.org version
Thankfully, it's hard to notice if you turn the sound up, as the built-in speakers are surprisingly powerful. The back of the laptop gets warm around the air vents, but not to a worrying degree. The smaller 14-inch screen is still fine for gaming, thanks to its sharp 1600 x 900 resolution. It's bright enough to work on comfortably for extended periods without straining your eyes, which is great news for anyone who likes all-night gaming sessions.
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 09/13/2011
Rating: Total score: 80%
Alienware M14x gaming notebook review – Aliens are getting smaller!
Source: Gaming Rig English Archive.org version
Considering the small size of the Alienware M14x, it was really impressive to see it perform so well in all the benchmarks. Performance in games was above average and considering that the whole package weighs less than 6 pounds, is even more impressive. However, because of the cooling issue and the fact that upgrades add up quickly on that final bill, I feel that there are some good alternatives to it.
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 09/01/2011
80% Alienware M14x and M18x laptop review
Source: T3 English Archive.org version
If you have cash to burn and need a high-performance gaming portable, these new Alienwares won't disappoint. We prefer the M14x as it offers greater portability and value for money.
Comparison, online available, Very Short, Date: 08/23/2011
Rating: Total score: 80%
80% Alienware M14x review
Source: Trusted Reviews English Archive.org version
There's no denying that Alienware's 14.1in laptop is a beautiful piece of tech. It looks great, with its sleek 'stealth-bomber' lines, red or black matte finish and individually controllable light zones. It feels just as good, with solid build, soft-touch plastics and a superb keyboard and touchpad. There's also plenty of connectivity, decent battery life and all the specifications you could wish for. However, it's let down by arguably its key component; its graphics card. It's plenty fast enough to play all games but just not when looking their best, and for a gaming oriented machine that's crucial. Combined with its noisiness under load and premium price this prevents the M14x from receiving our coveted recommendation despite its many strengths.
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 08/12/2011
Rating: Total score: 80% price: 60% performance: 80% features: 80% mobility: 80% ergonomy: 90%
Alienware M14x: the Sound and the Fury
Source: AnandTech English Archive.org version
When I say the Alienware M14x is too much by half, I'm not talking about the pricetag. Truth be told the price is actually remarkably reasonable given the excellent build quality, bling, and extra features. I'm talking about the configuration and cooling design, and these are things that significantly limit what you can do with the M14x.
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 07/19/2011
100% Alienware M14x Laptop Review
Source: Hardwareheaven English Archive.org version
Looking first to build quality the M14x continues the trend set by the M11x-M18x with a solid body and high quality, branded internal components. The slightly rubberised finish is exceptional and there is minimal flex to the keyboard which has good backlighting. From a design perspective the M14x is full of positives.
Single Review, online available, Very Long, Date: 07/18/2011
Rating: Total score: 100% price: 90% performance: 90% workmanship: 100%
Alienware M14x Gaming Laptop Review
Source: Hot Hardware English Archive.org version
As we noted early on, gamer-class notebooks seem to get a lot of attention around here and elsewhere. And for good reason, top-shelf notebooks like Alienware's M14x are a pleasure to use for a number of obvious reasons. With the M14x you get absolutely impeccable build quality and great looks that will even turn heads of non-gamers or enthusiasts.
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 07/13/2011
Alienware M14x
Source: Best Gaming Laptop English Archive.org version
We can only agree that the Alienware M14x is the most powerful 14-inch gaming laptop in the world, although this comes at the cost of it being a pound heavier than the average 14-inch machine. The quad-core Sandy Bridge Intel CPU, which shows up as eight cores in the operating system thanks to Intel’s Hyperthreading feature, makes everything extremely snappy and responsive, although ours is the slowest alternative.
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 06/01/2011
80% Alienware M14x Review
Source: Laptop Mag English Archive.org version
With the M14x, Alienware has once again assembled a battalion's worth of hardware inside a stylish chassis. While you can get the same specs in a larger 17-inch notebook such as the Dell XPS 17, it's pretty fantastic that you can enjoy quad-core power and very high frame rates on the go. At $2,198, the M14x isn't cheap by any means, but it's a nice compromise for those who want a gaming rig more powerful than the M11x but more portable than the M17x. We don't like that the deck gets as hot as it does when gaming--despite the overactive fan--but strong graphics plus WirelessHD make the M14x a very impressive machine.
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 04/19/2011
Rating: Total score: 80%
80% Alienware M14x
Source: CNet English Archive.org version
Typically, the difference between a 14-inch laptop and a 15-inch one is very slight, although we generally prefer the smaller of these two options for the sake of portability. It's tough to find mobile PC gaming in a package that's neither too big nor too small. The Alienware M14x comes very close, with plenty of component options and a size that's hefty, but not backbreaking.
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 04/19/2011
Rating: Total score: 80% performance: 80% mobility: 70%

Foreign Reviews

Alienware M14x (i7-2630QM)
Source: Notebookjournal German DE→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 08/18/2011
Rating: performance: 90% features: 70% display: 70% mobility: 50% workmanship: 90% ergonomy: 30%
90% Tragbare Schätzchen
Source: PC Games Hardware - 9/11 German
Comparison, , Length Unknown, Date: 08/01/2011
Rating: Total score: 90%
92% Propper Gaming-Zwerg
Source: PC Praxis - 9/11 German
Single Review, , Length Unknown, Date: 08/01/2011
Rating: Total score: 92%
85% Test Alienware M14x Notebook
Source: Notebookcheck German DE→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 05/23/2011
Rating: Total score: 85% performance: 92% display: 84% mobility: 80% workmanship: 92% ergonomy: 86% emissions: 76%
Alienware M14x
Source: HardwareLuxx German DE→EN Archive.org version
positive: performance, runtime, bright display with high resolution; negative: loud fan
Single Review, online available, Very Long, Date: 05/14/2011
60% Dell Alienware M14x
Source: 01Net French FR→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 07/05/2011
Rating: Total score: 60%
最平衡游戏本 14英寸外星人新生军M14X评测
Source: PC Online.com.cn zh-CN→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 05/09/2011

Comment

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.  


2630QM: Fast Quad-core processor 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.


14.10":

14 inch display size represents a middle ground between the small subnotebook formats and the screens of the standard 15 inch laptops.

The reason for the popularity of mid-sized displays is that this size is reasonably easy on the eyes, provides good resolutions with usable detail sizes, yet does not consume too much power and the devices can still be reasonably compact. 

In the past, 14-inch devices were very rare, but now they are the standard for laptops after the 15-inchers. 

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


2.86 kg:

With this weight, a laptop is rather heavier than average. Devices in this range shine more with screen size and performance than with mobility.


Alienware: Alienware was founded in the USA in 1996. The European headquarters is located in Ireland. Alienware has been part of the Dell Group since 2006. The product range mainly focuses on gaming laptops and desktops, which are developed and manufactured by Dell. The trademark is a slightly futuristic design with an Alien as the logo. Additionally, workstations for private and business customers are sold.

As with every brand, there are also some points of criticism with Alienware. Some customers have complained about the high prices of the products, while others have criticized the quality of customer services. There have also been some reports of problems with the reliability and durability of some Alienware products. However, many customers have also had positive experiences with the brand and appreciate the powerful gaming computers.


78.47%: This rating is not earth-shattering. This rating must actually be seen as average, since there are about as many devices with worse ratings as better ones. A purchase recommendation can only be seen with a lot of goodwill, unless it is about websites that generally rate strictly.


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

 

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Similar devices from a different Manufacturer

Asus N55S
GeForce GT 555M

Devices from a different Manufacturer and/or with a different CPU

Alienware M14x, i7-2670QM
GeForce GT 555M, Core i7 2670QM
Asus N45S
GeForce GT 555M, Core i5 2410M
Asus N45SF
GeForce GT 555M, Core i5 2410M

Devices with the same GPU

MSI GE620DX-T-34
GeForce GT 555M, Core i5 2410M, 15.60", 2.4 kg
Asus N55SF-S2276V
GeForce GT 555M, Core i5 2430M, 15.60", 2.8 kg
Lenovo IdeaPad Y570-M62GZUK
GeForce GT 555M, Core i7 2670QM, 15.60", 2.7 kg
LG A530
GeForce GT 555M, Core i7 2630QM, 15.60", 2 kg
Asus N55SF-S302
GeForce GT 555M, Core i5 2430M, 15.60", 2.7 kg
Lenovo IdeaPad Y570-08626JU
GeForce GT 555M, Core i7 2670QM, 15.60", 2.7 kg
Lenovo IdeaPad Y570-086268U
GeForce GT 555M, Core i5 2430M, 15.60", 2.7 kg
Ibuypower Battalion 101 W170HR
GeForce GT 555M, Core i7 2670QM, 17.30", 3.1 kg
Asus N55SF-S2086VSF
GeForce GT 555M, Core i5 2410M, 15.60", 2.7 kg
Asus N55SF-SX160
GeForce GT 555M, Core i7 2630QM, 15.60", 2.7 kg
MSI GE620DX-i548W7H
GeForce GT 555M, Core i5 2430M, 15.60", 2.4 kg
Asus N55SF-S1232V
GeForce GT 555M, Core i7 2670QM, 15.60", 2.7 kg
Novatech Nspire 2760
GeForce GT 555M, Core i7 2760QM, 15.60", 2.8 kg
Asus N55SF-1060V
GeForce GT 555M, Core i7 2630QM, 15.60", 2.7 kg
Medion Akoya P6812-MD98761
GeForce GT 555M, Core i5 2430M, 15.60", 2.8 kg
Medion Akoya P6812 MD98760
GeForce GT 555M, Core i3 2330M, 15.60", 2.624 kg
Asus N55SF-A1
GeForce GT 555M, Core i7 2630QM, 15.60", 2.8 kg
Asus N55SF-S1124V
GeForce GT 555M, Core i7 2630QM, 15.60", 2.7 kg
Medion Erazer X6815-MD97862
GeForce GT 555M, Core i5 2410M, 15.60", 2.7 kg
Acer Aspire Ethos 5951G-9694
GeForce GT 555M, Core i7 2630QM, 15.60", 3.3 kg
Asus N55SF-S1050V
GeForce GT 555M, Core i7 2630QM, 15.60", 2.7 kg
Lenovo IdeaPad Y570S-SSD
GeForce GT 555M, Core i7 2630QM, 15.60", 2.7 kg
Asus N55SF-S1093V
GeForce GT 555M, Core i7 2630QM, 15.60", 2.7 kg
Acer Aspire Ethos 5951G-2631675Wnkk
GeForce GT 555M, Core i7 2630QM, 15.60", 3.3 kg
Acer Aspire Ethos 5951G-268G75BNkk
GeForce GT 555M, Core i7 2630QM, 15.60", 3.3 kg
Current Prices
Stefan Hinum, 2011-04-27 (Update: 2012-05-26)