Alienware M14X

Alienware M14X Laptop Review

Alienware M14X Alienware M14XThe Alienware M14X is Alienware’s latest entry into the ultraportable market. The last couple of years have seen other variations, such as the M11X and M15X (with 11” and 15” screens respectively), but neither of these quite met the combined demands of gaming and portability. With the M14X, Alienware hopes to fix this.

Key Specs For The Alienware M14X

  • RRP: $1299.99
  • Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium
  • Size: 13.4” x 9.7” x 1.2”
  • Weight: 6.5 lbs.
  • Display size: 14”
  • Storage: 750GB HDD
  • Processor: Intel Core i7 2.0GHz
  • RAM: 8GB DDR3
  • Battery life: 3.5 hours

Alienware M14X: The Pros

Gaming: Ultraportable devices may be most commonly used by business people, but there are of course those who want to use their device primarily for leisure purposes. Most ultraportable laptops are not able to run current generation video games, which the Alienware M14X can. It’s 2.0 GHz dual core Intel i7 processor and 8 GB DDR3 RAM combine with the 1.5 GB DDR 3 NVIDIA GeForce GT 555M graphics processor to provide high-end gaming performance capable of running the latest games on the market.

Customizable: One important feature for most gaming enthusiasts is customizability. Ultraportable laptops don’t generally allow for much in the way of customizable options. In fact, most don’t have any customizable hardware options at all, which can be a problem for gamers who have particular requirements which need to be met. The Alienware M14X is fully customizable, including the processor, RAM, graphics card, hard drive and more to suit your specific needs.

DVD Rom: Unlike almost all other ultraportable laptops, the Alienware M14X comes with a built-in DVD-Rom drive. There are few users who won’t find this to be a major plus, as it allows for watching films on DVD, listening to music on CD, and of course playing games.

Storage: Most ultraportable devices are limited when it comes to storage space. This can be a problem, even for light users, as music and photos quickly fill up disk space. If you’re hoping to use your laptop for gaming, then storage space becomes even more essential, which is why the Alienware M14X comes with a 750 GB HDD. Whilst not offering the speed of an SSD, the extra storage more than makes up for this if you’re hoping to enjoy games, films, and music on your device.

Alienware M14X: The Cons

Size: Ultraportable laptops are, almost by definition, small. Users who want to work and play on the move need something that fits nicely into a bag and doesn’t become too much of a burden. Unfortunately, the Alienware M14X is not as small as other devices in the ultraportable market. The increased power needed to make this machine suitable for playing games makes for a bulkier hardware setup that simply can’t be reduced in size. This also adds weight to the machine, bringing it up to 6.5 lbs., which is nearly twice as much as most other ultraportable laptops. As a result, the Alienware M14X is less portable than its competitors.

Price: The ultraportable laptop range isn’t known for its cheap prices. However, the Alienware M14X can become really expensive at higher-end configurations, putting it near the top of the category’s price range. If you’re looking to keep to a budget, the Alienware M14X probably isn’t the right device.

Design: In most cases, design is a prominent part of the ultraportable laptop range. Not only are the prices of these products fairly high, which means users expect something which looks as good as it performs, but the ultraportable user often requires something better reflecting a get-up-and-go lifestyle. The Alienware M14X is bulky, and in need of a design overhaul to compete with other devices on these terms.

Heat: The Alienware M14X is powerful, packing a high speed processor, 8 GB DDR3 RAM, a high-end graphics processor, large HDD and large screen into a small space. As a result, the machine produces a lot of heat, which can be annoying if you want to use it on your lap.

Fan Noise: Power comes with other drawbacks, one of which is the need to keep the machine from overheating. Because the Alienware M14X generates so much heat, it needs some serious fan power to keep it cool enough to operate. This means that it tends to produce quite a lot of fan noise, which may be a disappointment for those used to the silent running of other ultraportable laptops.

Battery Life: Perhaps the biggest shortcoming of the Alienware M14X as compared to other ultraportable laptops is its battery life. At just 3.5 hours, the device won’t keep you going on long journeys. This makes it a lot less portable than its rivals, some of which have as much as 8 hours of battery life.

Is The Alienware M14X Worth Buying?

If gaming power is your chief concern, then the Alienware M14X is probably the laptop for you. Its massive power is unrivaled by any other ultraportable, and its disk space and DVD-Rom also help to separate it from the competition. However, as portability goes, this device falls short of its competitors, being one of the bulkiest and weightiest devices out there. Not only that, but its short battery means that you can’t use it for very long. However, it’s worth remembering that this is a machine for gaming, and 3.5 hours of battery life when playing current generation games isn’t bad.