The Alienware x14 is Dell’s entry into the popular 14-inch gaming laptop space, first announced in January of this year. It’s meant to compete with outstanding entries such as the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 and Razer Blade 14, and now, it’s finally available for purchase.
This version of the venerable gaming laptop brand is focused on simplicity and thinness. The chassis is only 0.57 inches and weighs 3.96 pounds. That’s only a few ounces heavier than the Razer Blade 14, and it’s significantly thinner.
Dell is very proud of the Alienware x14’s “dual-torque element hinge,” which allows the laptop to save more internal space, thus making the device even thinner than Dell XPS 13 Plus.
Ports and connectivity are the standard fare you’d expect on a high-end gaming laptop. Most of the ports are found on the rear, since the sides are too thin to fit them. They include an HDMI 2.1 port, USB-A, a micro-SD card slot, and three USB-C ports (two of them being Thunderbolt 4). The good news is that all charging is done through the USB-C ports. Finally, there’s Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 for wireless connectivity.
But of course, this is a gaming laptop, and what’s on the inside is arguably more important than the outside for a lot of people. The CPU of choice is a 12th-gen Intel Core i7, although you can choose between the 12700H or the 12900H.
Graphically, the Alienware x14 starts at an Nvidia RTX 3050 and goes up to an RTX 3060 6GB. The RTX 3060 is also the only way to get the higher speed 5200MHz from 16GB or 32GB of RAM. Otherwise, you’ll have to settle for 16GB of 4800MHz RAM.
Thermals shouldn’t be an issue, as Dell has engineered a special “thermal interface material” made of gallium-silicone in addition to using a vapor chamber cooling system. The Smart Fan technology is able to control the fans individually depending on the sensors. You’ll also be able to select different power states from Full Speed, which gives you maximum power, down to Quiet mode, which prioritizes acoustics.
Nvidia’s G-Sync and Optimus technologies are also on board, making the Alienware x14 the first 14-inch gaming laptop to do so. That should make battery life better, even while avoiding screen tearing.
The Alienware x14 is out now and starts at $1,650. However, check out our hands-on review of the Alienware x14 to see our early impressions of the device.