Alienware x14 evaluation: The thinnest 14-inch gaming computer round

Worth When Reviewed

$1,999

Absolute best Costs Nowadays: Alienware x14

Need the thinnest 14-inch gaming computer cash should buy? The Alienware x14 is it. It by hook or by crook stuffs as much as an Intel Core i7-12700H and RTX 3060 right into a chassis that’s just a hair thicker than a Dell XPS 13 from 2020. I guess a bag of conserving is concerned. However does the magic lengthen to efficiency – or does Alienware run out of mana? 

Alienware x14 specifications and contours

The Alienware x14’s provides just a handful of configuration choices. You’ll select an Intel Core i5-12500H or i7-12700H processor and considered one of 3 Nvidia GPUs: the RTX 3050, 3050 Ti, and 3060. Garage runs as much as 4TB and RAM runs as much as 32GB.

• CPU: Intel Core i7-12700H
• Reminiscence: 32GB
• Graphics/GPU: Nvidia RTX 3060
• Show: 14-inch 1080p 144Hz IPS LCD
• Garage: 1TB SSD
• Webcam: 720p
• Connectivity: 2x USB-C USB4/Thunderbolt 4, 1x USB-C USB 3.2 Gen 1, 1x USB-A USB 3.2 Gen 1, 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x MicroSD card reader, 3.5mm audio jack
• Networking: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2
• Biometrics: IR digital camera, Home windows Hi suitable
• Battery capability: 80 watt-hours
• Dimensions: 12.65 inches x 10.34 x .57
• Weight: 4.06 kilos
• MSRP: $1,499 base, $1,999 as-tested

Pricing is aggressive. The bottom Alienware x14 is simply $1,499, which is way not up to Razer’s Blade 14 and very similar to Asus’ ROG Zephyrus G14. Our evaluation unit, configured as proven within the bullet checklist above, used to be $1,999. That’s no discount, nevertheless it’s a good worth for a compact gaming computer.

Design and construct high quality

IDG / Matthew Smith

The Alienware x14 is a stunner. It harnesses the logo’s distinctive Legend design language in a decent, slender design. Each inch of the device turns out sparsely thought to be. The x14 has not one of the atypical warts or unexpected angles that damage competing machines from Acer and Asus, but it additionally avoids having a look generic. It’s in all probability the most productive gaming computer design available on the market lately. 

The chassis is constructed no longer simply from plastic and aluminum but additionally chrome steel and a magnesium alloy. Magnesium is a subject material extra frequently utilized by Lenovo’s ThinkPad line to supply stress with minimum weight. It lends a singular “grippy” really feel that’s in contrast to an aluminum computer. It might probably really feel somewhat atypical – chalky, even – however has the good thing about making the computer simple to select up and lift.

I spotted flex within the show lid. That is one house that doesn’t somewhat fit the x14’s another way sumptuous really feel. On the other hand, construct high quality is another way very good with tight panel tolerances and no misaligned portions. The computer’s decrease part resists flex when treated from a nook or edge.

The Alienware x14 is very skinny. It measures a trifling .57 inches thick – only a few tenths of an inch thicker than Dell’s outgoing XPS 13. The x14 is noticeably slimmer than the Razer Blade 14 and Asus ROG Zephyrus G14. Weight is available in at about 4 kilos, which is definitely under moderate of a gaming computer. 

Keyboard and trackpad

IDG / Matthew Smith

Shaving a gaming computer as skinny as Alienware’s x14 leaves minimum vertical house within. This forces the computer to embody a key transfer with simply 1.2 millimeters of trip which, despite the fact that no longer unhealthy, is not up to maximum gaming laptops. The result’s a swift, quick key motion that bottoms with a company, clicky sensation. It’s stress-free to make use of however started to really feel tiring after hours the usage of the computer.

The x14’s keyboard is driven ahead through the audio system and funky vent situated between it and the show hinge. This leaves little house for the palmrest, which is way more shallow than same old. My same old typing place left the decrease part of my hands dangling uncomfortably at the computer’s edge. Typing can really feel cramped, particularly for house owners with huge arms. 

A customizable RGB keyboard backlight is integrated however best provides one zone, which limits your choices. The backlight is vibrant and maximum keys seem flippantly lit. There’s modest gentle leak across the edges of each and every key. 

Touchpad high quality is harmed through this design selection, too. It’s 4 inches vast however best two inches deep, leaving little house for swiping vertically around the touchpad and the usage of Home windows’ multi-touch gestures. The touchpad is responsive, no less than, and doesn’t check in accidental inputs.

Show, audio

IDG / Matthew Smith

Each Alienware x14 has the similar show: a 1080p, 144Hz, non-touch IPS LCD display. It helps Nvidia G-Sync in addition to Complex Optimus, so it will possibly transfer to the Intel built-in graphics to preserve energy when the Nvidia GPU’s grunt isn’t required.

A traditional 1080p IPS LCD doesn’t sound thrilling in 2022, however the x14’s show is as excellent because the era will get. It has extraordinarily correct colour, a large colour gamut, a vibrant of as much as 420 nits, and an anti-glare coat.  The show is so excellent it will possibly simply be used for picture or video enhancing, making the x14 an inexpensive selection for content material creators wanting a extremely moveable cell workstation. 

Cramming 1080p right into a 14-inch method a pixel density of about 158 pixels consistent with inch. That’s only a few pixels wanting a 4K 27-inch track. Video games glance crisp with very good element in textures and sharp polygon edges. The one downside is the show’s loss of distinction, which snaps intensity from darkish scenes. On the other hand, the x14 does carry out higher than maximum LCD monitors. 

Audio high quality isn’t as spectacular. The audio system supply a transparent presentation that infrequently turns into muddy, however there’s a major loss of bass. Motion scenes and bass-heavy song can sound hole and far-off. 

Webcam, microphone, biometrics

The Alienware x14 has a fundamental 720p webcam. It produces a comfortable, uninteresting symbol that has severe bother dealing with low-light or mixed-lighting scenarios. Even though wonderful for infrequent video calls, you’ll want an exterior webcam to appear your perfect.

Audio recording is treated through a dual-array microphone. It choices up appropriate audio high quality, despite the fact that recording will at all times sound extra far-off and difficult to understand than with a stand-alone microphone. Low-volume background noise is generally eradicated, however sharp or loud noise gets thru.. 

An IR digital camera is integrated and allows Home windows Hi facial reputation login. This can be a nice additional that’s infrequently discovered on gaming laptops. It’s the fastest and arguably maximum protected possibility for biometric login.

Connectivity

IDG / Matthew Smith

Even though slender, the Alienware x14 provides very good bodily connectivity. It comprises two USB-C ports that make stronger Thunderbolt 4, USB4, DisplayPort, and as much as 15 watts of Energy Supply. One further USB-C port helps USB 3.2 Gen 2, DisplayPort, and as much as 15 watts of Energy Supply. 

Video output is treated over both the USB-C ports or a unmarried HDMI 2.1 output. It’s excellent to look HDMI 2.1 is integrated, since this is helping take advantage of a HDMI 2.1 track or HDTV.

Further choices come with a unmarried USB-A three.2 Gen 1 port and a MicroSD card reader. The restricted selection of USB-A ports is usually a sore level, since many PC gaming peripherals use USB-A. I had to make use of a USB-C hub to glue my flight stick for Microsoft Flight Simulator.

An Ethernet port isn’t integrated, both, despite the fact that a bodily Ethernet connection is conceivable thru a USB-C adapter or USB-C hub. 

The loss of Ethernet is in part excused through the x14’s very good Wi-Fi. It helps Wi-Fi 6E which, at quick levels, can succeed in connection speeds above Gigabit Ethernet. You’ll want a high-end Wi-Fi 6E router to take advantage of this option, then again. Bluetooth 5.2 could also be to be had. 

Efficiency

The bottom Alienware x14 ships with an Intel Core i5-12500H processor and Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU, however my evaluation pattern used to be upgraded to a Core i7-12700H processor with RTX 3060 GPU. This improve provides a reasonably modest $500 to the cost. My pattern used to be additionally supplied with a 1TB forged state force and 32GB of RAM.

IDG / Matthew Smith

My efficiency assessments started with PCMark 10, an artificial check that relies closely on processor efficiency however is extra balanced between single-core and multi-core efficiency than any other assessments. 

The Alienware x14 does smartly right here, hitting a ranking of 6,981. That is at the back of the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 with the most recent AMD Ryzen 6900HS processor, however forward of the Razer Blade 14 with outgoing Ryzen 9 5900HX. The x14 simply beats the bigger, more economical Acer Nitro 5 with Core i5-12500H.

IDG / Matthew Smith

The Intel Core i7-12700H leaps forward in Cinebench R20, squeaking out a slight win over the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 and simply beating the older Razer Blade 14. This can be a very sturdy outcome general, and signifies the Alienware x14 is definitely supplied to maintain not easy productiveness packages. 

IDG / Matthew Smith

Handbrake turns in any other forged outcome for the Alienware x14 and flexes the muscle groups of Intel’s new Core i7-12700H processor with six efficiency cores and 8 environment friendly cores. The x14’s skinny design turns out no impediment for efficiency in multi-threaded workloads. 

IDG / Matthew Smith

Our first graphics check, 3DMark Time Undercover agent, produces a much less favorable outcome for Alienware. The x14’s ultimate ranking of seven,615 isn’t unhealthy however does come at the back of the Acer Nitro 5, a bigger however more economical computer with the RTX 3060 GPU. It’s additionally at the back of Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 and Razer Blade 14, either one of which we examined with extra tough GPU choices no longer to be had to th Alienware. 

IDG / Matthew Smith

Our first real-world gaming computer, Upward thrust of the Tomb Raider, reached a median of 103 frames consistent with 2d at 1080p solution with element at Very Prime. This can be a excellent outcome, squeezing out a small victory over the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 and Razer Blade 14. It’s conceivable this represents a processor bottleneck that assists in keeping the Asus and Razer programs from benefiting from their awesome GPUs. 

IDG / Matthew Smith

We finish on Metro Exodus Enhanced Version, a particularly not easy benchmark even with Ray Tracing set to its lowest “commonplace” preset. The Alienware x14 does organize to hit a median above 30 frames consistent with 2d, however unearths itself at the back of the extra tough Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 and Razer Blade 14.

At the entire, the Alienware x14 delivers excellent efficiency for a computer of its measurement. It’s most often at the back of the fastest small laptops, however that is mitigated through the x14’s truthful pricing. You’d be onerous pressed to look higher effects from a 14-inch computer offered at $2,000. The x14 additionally does smartly in processor assessments, which would possibly attraction to content material creators who want a speedy however compact computer.

Battery lifestyles

A big 80 watt-hour battery is filled within the Alienware x14’s small body. This is helping the computer deal with its not easy {hardware}, however battery lifestyles stays not up to long in taxing scenarios. 

IDG / Matthew Smith

Our usual battery lifestyles check, which loops a 4K video of Tears of Metal with the show set to a brightness of 200 nits, ate throughout the battery in 3 hours and 46 mins. That is higher than many video games laptops with equivalent {hardware} however nonetheless no longer exceptional general.

On the other hand, real-world effects can range considerably relying on how the computer is used. A not easy three-D recreation can simply drain the battery in below two hours, however surfing the internet would possibly lengthen battery lifestyles to 5 – 6 hours. The inclusion of Nvidia Complex Optimus, which will transfer off the discrete GPU when it’s no longer wanted, is helping lengthen battery lifestyles in light-load scenarios. 

Fan noise and thermals

Cramming tough {hardware} right into a slender gaming computer is rarely simple. Decreasing measurement method much less house to unfold out a thermal load and not more airflow. Alienware combats this with vapor-chamber cooling and a gallium-silicone thermal interface, nevertheless it’s no longer sufficient.

The Alienware x14’s fan is a continuing spouse at its default settings and, at excessive load, turns into a whirlwind of noise and warmth. This isn’t the loudest fan ever however its high-pitched persona is hard to forget about. 

Alienware’s bundled instrument has a number of thermal modes together with a Quiet atmosphere. It does cut back fan noise. With Quiet on, the fan is frequently onerous to listen to at idle. Difficult a lot result in numerous fan noise, nevertheless it’s tolerable. On the other hand, Quiet mode takes a piece out of efficiency. The RTX 3060 plays extra like an RTX 3050 when Quiet mode is on. CPU efficiency is even worse off, lower kind of in part in comparison to Balanced mode.

That is appropriate when enjoying older video games, however gamers having a look to revel in Metro Exodus with ray-tracing (or any not easy recreation) will wish to submit with noise. 

Conclusion

The Alienware’s x14 is the arena’s thinnest 14-inch gaming computer. This can be a blessing and a curse. Even though moveable and graceful, the x14 can’t brush apart the basic physics downside of a computer this small. It’s loud, runs scorching, and plays no higher than the cheap gaming computer with a 15-inch show and RTX 3060 GPU.

Nonetheless, the x14 is an admirable performer given its measurement and specs. On paper the x14 will have to be blown away through choices with extra tough GPUs, just like the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 and Razer Blade 14, however real-world effects position the Alienware with regards to its festival. The x14 could also be correctly priced, with the bottom type undercutting the Razer Blade 14 through $500.

All of it comes right down to this: do you want a skinny 14-inch gaming computer? If that is so, the Alienware x14 is a brilliant selection, but when no longer, opt for a 15-inch type.