You honestly seemed to enjoy flipping that thing around. I know the feeling! This thing is so sturdy and well-made that it feels very satisfying picking it up, holding it and moving it around. It feels like the Ferrari of Window's laptops.
I just ordered this laptop with 32 gig of ram and 2T of memory SSD. Looking forward to finally having a gaming laptop that I can bring with me when I travel on my M/C or my Jeep . Thanks for your review. I will definitely check out your reviews on other Alienware gaming laptops. I'll be in the market for a X17 in the future. Keep up the great work.
Thanks for the review boss, really helped. Just bought an X14 (Max stats) for my daily laptop, Think it’s going to be great for software engineering thanks to the high power output of the cpu.
As always, great review David. the X14 is a tough one especially against an X15 R2... The G14 and Flow Z13 are also unique options. The Z13 in my opinion is more portable if you don't carry the eGPU. X14 also seems like an AW proof of concept and very unique with the design too
Another excellent review thanks! One thing nobody has mentioned though is the overall footprint of the x14. It has an extra 40mm of depth in comparison to the G14 or Blade 14 and for me that makes it somewhat awkward to travel with. I really hope they give an OLED panel option and address the gpu deficit in the second revision. Give up the slim form factor if this means the depth can be reduced.
I was so interested in this model but the GPU is a killer for me, only going up to a RTX 3060 is troubling of how long that will be relevant in just a few years. I bet the next model will have a better GPU. Great review this solidified my purchase for the Razer Blade 14 now rather spend the extra for a dedicated laptop then for all around purpose. Alienware is known for gaming, I think they should have made a higher end model for the 14in I prefer a smaller form factor for travel.
I own the x14 and I can tell you, the 3060 is not a pushover and it’ll hold up well for at least the 3-5 years. Keep in mind that DLSSand FSR ARE allowing GPU’s to maintain great FPS numbers in tougher titles. Heck, my daughters GTX 1650 laptop that we purchased years ago is still able to hit high frame rates in multiplayer games and can easily reach that sweet 60fps in modern titles with some lowered settings.
Agreed - the decision to go with Intel CPU has crippled the GPU selection. Should have provided an option to go with Ryzen CPU and a higher GPU, like 3070 ti.
@@oldmangamer01 for efficiency reasons, yes, AMD would have been the much better choice. Honestly the main power culprit is the USB C charging. It’s a limited standard. If Dell would have went with a standard charging solution, they could’ve pushed the 3060 another 10-20 watts and still have good cooling. That’s just nit picking though, there’s a lot of things Dell “could’ve done differently, but I’m pretty happy with my x14. It’s the first laptop in the last few years that I couldn’t find any immediate issues or things I disliked
Hey Dave, I did get the X14 for a week the past few weeks, but ended up going to the x15r2. Don't get me wrong, the X14 is a great little machine, but as a primary machine, I think the X15 is a better choice. Love the reviews!
@@MashITTech The QHD screen is the selling point, and the weight difference is quite negligible. The 3070ti just eats anything I throw at it. I did come from an m17r3 w/ an AGA w/ a 2080ti, which I upgraded that to a Razer Core X and just moved the 2080ti to that. That way I can game in clamshell mode and not worry about temps.
Good review, I have this laptop in the I7 3060 skew and I must say I'm very happy with it. Absolutely agree with the comment that when you put it in quite mode it is basically the same power as a ultra book but that's not a problem for me. I travel allot and having a device that is as portable and fast as this device for work and then being able to crank it up when I'm stuck in a hotel room to play a few games is perfect, but I do agree the audience for this is probably pretty limited, if I did not travel as much as I do, I would have gone for the X15 or even the X17.
I am getting this tomorrow, wish me luck....i am tight on budget, so only getting the base model, 12th gen i5 and RTX 3050...but i need a portable device at any cost and it has always been my wish from childhood days to own an alienware....fingers crossed that this one lasts for years for me... unfortunately due to abysmal taxes in my country, even the base model costs a buck shy of USD $2000
Great review as always. I used the Alienware m14x r2 for 7 years! I guess this is the successor :D haha.... In a way I am really conflicted... In some ways I really like the x14. Considering the price hike of r2 models and locking 32GB RAM with 3080ti for x15, the x14 does not seem a bad option. I can see myself buying this for the same reasons I bought the m14x. At that time I needed portability (traveling / moving locations), enough CPU power for work and something good for light-ish gaming. And I really wanted an Alienware haha but had limited budget. (At that time, I had a desktop computer too as a back up). Yet for some reason, if I wanted max portability currently I would prefer a 2-in-1 device (I got an Inspiron 2in1 after the m14x for 2 years)... With xCloud / PS Now + Nintendo Switch, I don't really need to worry about running the games on my device too... Really happy that I bought the x15 r1 last year haha.... For me at least as only using one device, it makes more sense. If they could add 4 fans to the x14 r2 (like on the x15/17) and the fans are not annoying, it will be great!
Edit after finishing video (I actually had to get the laptop out to get my thoughts down for this one...): After hearing you state that you had talked to AW engineering and them stating that they were targeting the productivity crowd with this one I wanted to rejoice, but I also think that theyre wildly out of touch with reality. I think that the AW Legend 2.0 design is absolutely NOT friendly to ANY productivity because of the antiquated hinge design. That hinge doesnt go 180* and I certainly do not think it would lend itself well with to having a 16:10 aspect ratio which I think productivity laptops require. As far as versus actual productivity laptops (ThinkPad, Latitiude) I think the biggest downsides are battery life (which, for 6 hours, I could live with the usb-c charging), port selection (offices still have a need usb-a) and aspect ratio. Now in your review, you had stated that this would be a great unit for devs, and I am not sure I agree. After playing games on a 15"ish screen, then plugging in a 27" QHD monitor, I would never want to miss the gaming detail on a small screen ever again. I think that this unit is a great all around laptop for a traveling student or business professional (the design is NOT office friendly though) who would want to come home, dock it and play on a desktop setup with it. I would really like to see some FPS testing in games with this unit on a 1440p external monitor. Sorry for the long reply, I want to love this thing and I want Alienware to make it better.
Agreed on the 16:10 option, I wish all laptops were using at least 16:10 with productivity laptops using the 4:3 like the surface range. So far all 12th gens I have tested have had terrible battery life! I am looking forward to getting some 6000 ryzen chips as at least last years ryzens had some good battery run times. I agree in the screen size but the advantage of a small laptop is you can take it from place to place and plug in a bigger screen. The 14” laptops are much easier for carting around
@@MashITTech yeah 16:10 is great, and honestly, even if I had to run *some* programs in 16:9 with black bars, I certainly would buy it with a quickness. I think a Ryzen 6000 series would be awesome to get a few more hours out of the battery as well. When I carry ANY of my laptops, it’s going to or from a work station unless I’m sitting on the couch with my ultralight doing college courses. I think the 14 is awesome, but I need to do some looking at the Blade 14 after reading some of this comment section.
Yeah the blade 14 is awesome, I reviewed the 2021 model after lots of requests and loved it. It was so portable, great screen and performance and with good battery life with a bit of tweaking. Have you looked at this years rog g14? They have moved that to 16:10 and it has good performance and battery
Can you show more game benchmarks with the x14? And does it throttle a lot let's say after an hour or 2 of straight gaming? Specifically I play Star Citizen almost exclusively and I know that SC is really CPU and Ram intensive would this be good for SC on the go?
I normally cover al the alienware models so would naturally have reviewed this model, especially as I love 14" gaming laptops but Dell being Dell have decided not to release this in the UK so I cannot get hold of it!
1. Design considerations : I'd have been fine if the X15 and X14 were as thick as the X17 if it meant not sacrificing noise and thermals. I mean, it's not like going this thin allows using a smaller bag, what with the protruding arse end on these. On a related note: no side ports but the side vents are tiny? Couldn't they have at least run some heatpipes from the VRM or the vapor chamber to more fins on the side vents, like on the 2022 G14? 2. CPU and GPU choices : I understand that the 12650h might be too neither here nor there for how Dell wants to position this laptop, ie, not much less money for you get one bank of eCores less ie doesn't work if you're targeting people who may use this as a workstation (unlike the Dash F15 2022, which is positioned more as an MS Office/Google Docs machine when away from wall power and not gaming). However if they're offering a 12500h (same thread count, two pCores less than 12650h) why no higher cache 12600h if this was also meant for gaming? Would two less pCores really bottleneck a 3060 with barely any thermal headroom at 75w? ----- Among the X-series I'm leaning towards the X15. Noisier than X17, but quieter than X14; still fits in at least one of my cam backpacks (and unlike the X17, I'm sure it fits in my messenger bags). That said, it's not #1...I'm leaning more towards the M15, which is thin enough and has some wiggle room to slip into the bag it'll fit in, but holding out for the AMD Advantage Edition (I think this is for after the M17?). However if any 5800h+6700m/6800m AMD Advantage machine goes on sale for far less than an M15 I might as well get that.
I think the X15r2 is the ideal middle ground, portable but with ample power. I would pick it every time over the x14, that said I did love my time with the x14
@@MashITTech I actually feel like under normal circumstances the X14 would be what I'd be considering. Except "normal" is it's really just a mobile workstation* that Ican use for some LIGHT gaming,** so I'd probably want it with a 12500h and 3050 even if for those chips $1600 would seem expensive. Just that if I'm upgrading from my almost basic ultraportable, it's either an XPS or Envy for the touchscreen pre-Alder Lake, but then the X14 happened. I can certainly give up the touchscreen and being able to fit it into my smallest backpack (thanks to that arse end on these Alienwares) if it means I can emulate XBox 360/PS3. Problem is so far things are far from normal given graphics card prices plus an upcoming move, so I'm looking for a desktop replacement instead of an ultraportable that also doubles as a retro gaming rig (I'm not really into buying those dedicated retro consoles), with the real limitations being 1) hopefully not have to buy a new bag (even if I can't use some of what I have) and 2) not be noisy (too many laptop product ranges scale up everything but the cooler when they go from 15.6/16 to 17.3). One of these DQs the X17 (and even the M17, which kind of sucks since there's no confirmation of a 6800h+6700m on the M15 yet), the other almost DQs the X15 3060 (some reviews still say it's noisy but I can just reduce the power limit and fan speed for not much FPS loss). *Most CPU intensive: Excel/PPT or Affinity/photo back up with Spotify or YT in the background; nothing that will really make Cinebench scores matter, although I'm not gonna use an Atom sans P-Cores either because gaming. **Old RPGs and fighting games ported to Windows or at worst for the CPU, run an emulator. Which, on a hot day, are kind of annoying to run in a hot room with a desktop without airconditioning when I can sit in the living room with a fan right by the open doorway sucking in fresh air from outside. My 1005g1 HP smaller than a G14 stutters on one PS2 port - it's an RPG so it's not critical to actually beating the game, but still extremely annoying.
Welp, I missed my 13 R3 so much I sold my laptop and bought one of these. I blame you, as I've watched this video about 30 times. I just love tiny laptops so much! I bought the i7/3060/32gb one though. Got a 2tb nvme waiting for it.
I also wanted to point out, in the US if you are looking at this on the website it doesn't list the 16gb LPDDR5 5200 as Dual channel, it just says "integrated" like the 4800 version. I wonder if its a tactic to try and persuade people to the 32gb kit making them think the 16gb kit isn't dual channel. I got 32gb just to be future proof, but I still wonder...
I am upgrading from a Macbook Air 2017 Laptop with 8GB RAM and i5 intel. I was going for M2 Macbook Pro all out until right at the last minute I got confused by this laptop. 32GB RAM is impressive. I'll mostly use Canva and chrome and a bit of office suite. But its not smooth anymore on my 8GB RAM. and Macbook Pro is way too much expensive!. PLus this laptop has a dedicated graphics card. My question is will 32GB be enough for me ?? Because on this model you can't upgrade RAM after purchase. As long as it is fluid and smooth in my daily tasks I would definitely consider this over a Mac. I think this laptop has three major drawbacks, 1 ports at the back, 2 short keyboard space(not good for typing) 3 intel and fan hustle. It's Dell's covert jab at Macbook more so than on any other 'gaming' laptop.
I’m an engineer, I do a lot of analytical data processing and converting data to 3D models. I use a lot of excel, civil 3D, revit, maya, solidworks, etc and do creative editing with photoshop, after effects, etc. I’m looking for a portable laptop that can meet my needs. I have looked into razer blade 14, zenbook duo pro 14, zephyrus g14, Alienware x14, etc. comparing it to performance and value. From this perspective, I found Alienware x14 might be the closest 14 inch I can afford (around $2100USD) (14” display, 12 gen cpu, rtx 3060, 32gb ram, 1Tb ssd) for the laptop specs necessary for my needs. Will a 12 gen cpu, 75w rtx 3060 with 32gb ram be good enough for my line of work?
Speakers have gotta be the least marketable feature in a gaming laptop. Most people don't even add it to their cross shopping criteria and don't notice until we've already bought it
This is true, and maybe I am not the norm but because I want to use a gaming laptop for work and play speakers are important to me. obviously when gaming I will have a headset on, but when working I want good sound for videos and maybe even a bit of music if I am away from my decent speakers
I agree! Boy was I disappointed by my Razer blade speakers (and webcam while I'm at it). They were even worse than I was fearing from the reviews. But it still wasn't enough to consider another options with worse specs, build quality or form factor. That being said I really hope companies start putting more r&d into audio. I think it's one of those things Apple has the physical space (in the laptop) and budget to think about since their cooling doesn't need to be as robust
Fantastic review as always Dave. Great work 👍 Can't disagree with anything you said. I would have rather they would have opted for a thicker design if it improved fan noise.
Thanks mate. I do wish these companies would listen to their fan bases. I bet you 90% of users would also agree! I hate this obsession with thinness at all costs
@@MashITTech Yeah it's kind of strange as the device is so much larger than it needs to be in order to make it thin. Not to mention the fact all the ports are at the back.
Nice review. I just got my x14 today. After playing with it for a few hours or so i have found the following pros/cons on my device might not on yours.. 1. CPU temp goes up to 100c very very easily . Like very. 2. feel a little loose when tapping the mouse pad 3. audio from the speaker is better than expected 4. webcam is real trash 5. some light bleed on the screen corner's' 6. minor miss alignment when the laptop is close around the hinge Cheers.
Great review as always and this influenced my decision to buy a loaded x14 to see how I'd like the form-factor as it is a departure from my generally gigantic AEC BIM workstation laptops that I've used in the past. This is my personal machine that I use for freelance 3D (architecture) work and general personal use. I wanted something powerful, small, and light I'm overall pretty pleased with the system and have to admit, having this much punch in this small of a footprint is really insane but this benefit is offset by the power consumption. it is also damn beautiful and very well-built. I am still using my M15R1 from 2015 and always buy things that are "overbuilt" when able. I'm still playing with the new Alienware command center to find the sweet spot where casual use (browsing, excel, movies, etc) don't suck the life out of this little x14 battery. I'm open to input there if anyone has recommendations. I'll be doing power tests this week to see what works for me. It is frustrating that they released this with only "thermal" profiles but no additional "power" profiles and you can't run the system in Battery Saver while it's charging. I want to have a setting where I can turn the system down and keep it quiet when I don't need it and can turn it up when I do ;) I won't be doing much direct-production work on this machine's tiny display as ergonomically, it's not very good for it. I'll be pushing 2-QHD 27" Ultrasharps for 95% of my production. The bad: - power consumption - lack of ports - screen arrived bent (does not affect performance but will be getting this replaced) - fan coil whine is noticeable when the system is ramped up - gets warm when gaming (not too hot to touch but still hot) - thermal throttling even on a laptop cooling stand with 4 fans (ambient temp 70deg F) - small'ish touchpad (what do you expect, it's a 14" laptop) - secondary keys not backlit (still scratching my head on this one... ) - trackpad isn't illuminated - speakers not great and are distorted/crackle at full volume (will be talking to dell about this) - fans get loud when gaming - clamshell use makes this thing hotter (but not as bad as my terrible dell precisions) The good: (which outweigh the bad IMO) - it's small and compact - damn beautiful - "feels" great and solid in your hands. Very well crafted chassis. - materials selection and aesthetic is top-notch - powerful (given it's small size) - I like the keyboard - handles the limited games I play very well (Ghost Recon Wildlands and Breakpoint) - handles AEC workflows well but 32gb RAM limit can be an issue with large files - it's light - got it for $2k usd with coupons (i7-12700H & 3060, 32gb, 2tb) Overall, I'm leaning towards keeping this x14 (after they fix the bent screen and speakers) because I love the size to power ratio. It's not perfect and dell really missed some very simple features that is a little disappointing but overall, I think it will work very well for my use. I'll be pushing some more advanced workflows with Revit and 3DS max to see how it handles 8+ hours of hard use and will make a decision at that time. If it doesn't handle that work well, I may consider upgrading to the x15r2 Question: Will the x15r2 offer much more in terms of performance over the x14?
Have you tried throttlestop? It should allow you to change multipliers and there limit it’s turbo when you want to conserve battery or lower Dan noise. Also switch the screen to 60hz when on battery, that does help but these 12th gen CPU’s suck the battery in no time! I was hoping with the addition of e cores we would see better battery not worse
@@MashITTech Have not tried throttlestop nor adjusting the screen refresh rate yet! Good tips. I love the 12th gen performance but you're right, they are quite thirsty.
Is this laptop also good for music production, vocal recording & Mixing/Mastering? Looking to upgrade from MSI I already have an Apollo interface & 1TB External HD
I think the obsession with laptop thinness is a huge determinant. I like the idea of a 14-inch laptop, I don't mind if it was a bit thicker if they could fit it better cooling and noise, but not the expense of weight. I think a 14-inch laptop makes great sense for a secondary machine to use on the go, but not as a primary since the screen would be too cramped. For such a laptop, I believe the 16 Gb configuration with an i5 and 3050 makes more sense as the relatively small power budget means that you won't be using the laptop to its full potential. But I think the GS65 has the same weight but bigger screen and better performance which makes it a better device in my opnion
Loving your channel! Would this x14 be better at editing 4k video in Davinci Resolve 17 with motion graphics and a lot of fusion elements than say an XPS 15 or Razer 14?
Thank you so much for this great video. It was very much helpful for me. I am gonna get one of these soon. Quick ques though - does dell allow to upgrade this model? For example - can i add/change extra RAM/SSD or changing graphics card in future if I wish to do so? Thank you again.
I had ordered the X14 full spec to go with my x17r1 3070 you helped me decide on. As you say for portable productivity with some gaming where the CPU and 32GB RAM appeal. However there was a 3 month wait on that model (also in the UK) and Box are selling the Blade 14 3080 for £1999 atm. Even with education discount the X14 was going to cost me £300 more (admittedly with 32GB and 2TB) but just felt the extra CUDA cores with the Blade 14 will help more for when I try to get into ML than the extra CPU and RAM in the x14 (plus the 1440p screen on blade with same colour accuracy). Having Thunderbolt and USB C charging on the X14 vs my blade is a big positive I’m missing though.
Wow that’s an amazin price and the blade 14 is a really solid device! I reviewed the 3070 version and loved it. It makes a better gaming device too with a 100w gpu, that’s the only x14 disadvantage with the usbc charging, it is limited to the gpu wattage as the charger is only 135w
I have purchased this model and I am coming from an Asus G15. The quality and snappy response is a dream; it also great with gaming, but I purchased it more as a do-it-all portable device since I have limited mobility. I can game in bed or the recliner just as easily. The 12th gen i7 paired with 32g of ram is very snappy and exactly what I was looking for. Is it for pure gamers? I would go for the 15 or 17 inch models for that. But for my intent and purposes it frankly fits the bill.
Not related to the X14 but, what's your opinion on upgrading to Windows 11? I still have my M17 R3 on the latest Windows 10. I mainly game on it most of the time.
I still prefer windows 10! I like the new icons and feel of windows 11 but it takes me longer to do anything as a lot of the shortcuts I used have gone.
I got a dell thunderbolt 4 dock for my x14 and its super convenient, one cable. Everything else is plugged into the dock Monitors, kb, mouse, audio... and stays on the desk. I just unplug one cable and go.
sorry for the delay, I have been away. I would recommend an x15/x17 with 3070ti realistically for the 34". I currently use a x17 with 3080 on my 38" and it has a slightly higher resolution than the 34" oled. Hopefully they will release this oled in the UK soon!
This laptop will be perfect for those tasks and it really is portable. I really love that they made it charge via USBC which helps with the portability rather than a bulky power pack
Thank you. I can't at the moment as I didn't keep my 3060 version due to ordering the 3080ti version! I am still waiting for that one to arrive, there seems to be some parts shortage
I the best to be honest. Plugging it in and out isn’t that easy and you need to route it around the side but it will often get caught under the screen hinge
It's really impressive how dell was able to cool 12700H in what's probably the thinnest gaming laptop on the market right now, but I don't think it was the smartest choice. The new g14 has better battery life and similar cpu performance. Also, the new 6800s should outperform the 75w 3060 in games. The Alienware, in my opinion, looks a lot better and does have better build quality though. The price is similar too so I'm not sure if this guy is worth it over the g14 right now.
Yeah, I am looking forward to getting hold of the new G14, loved last years model but hoping they have improved the build quality and apparently the screen is a lot faster now as last years did ghost a bit
@@MashITTech Yeah from what I’ve seen last years model was one of the best gaming laptops of the year. Also im a bit off topic here but do you plan on reviewing the new xps 15 or 17? It’s insane how dell put a 12900hk on an xps 15!
Awesome review. Planning to get one rather than a mbp 14, since I'm leaning towards more gaming. @David, do you think this one has the tcc offset like the x15 and x17 does? Or if not, can you adjust the bd prochot limit via throttlestop for the 12th gen? Also can you set the pl1 and pl2 in throttlestop as well just to limit the power and have it run like the razer blades and achieve better temps (and better battery as well) Oh and one last thing, can you set the max battery charge to 80% as in other dell laptops?
Hi there, ok in answer to your questions: 1. Yes there are TCC settings in BIOS and you can range fro 85-100c. I plan on doing an updated video on this soon as I get asked it a lot. 2. Throttlestop doesn't allow any undervaluing but you can lock TDP. 3. Yes there are still the battery options and I think the 80% is the always on mains option in BIOS 👍
I watched like 4-5 other review videos of the same laptop and they got about 78-84C on the CPU which I thought was pretty good, how did you manage to get 90-100C on the CPU?
Just got my brand new M17 r4. When i powered it first time, it showed a message 'your system has shutdown unexpectedly 3 times in a row. OC level has been reset to default as precaution' Not sure what this means. Did i get a refurbished unit?
Your machine certainly isnt happy. IS it crashing? if not it could just be a faulty windows build. Make sure you get the machine fully updated on both windows update and Alienware updater
Friends, please help me choose a laptop for motion design and games, my budget is $2000. I'm leaning towards the option to buy x14, but I know that there is also blade 14 which is more impress by design, I don't know which one to choose, tell me please? (the main thing is that there should be a high-quality assembly of the laptop without any deflection crackles)
in all honesty as much as I love the X14 I would say the blade. The GPU is a LOT better and as you want to game and do motion design it will need all the GPU power it can get. Blade is also solid as a rock like the x14
Did you ever notice a difference between Samsung vs Micron vram used in GPUs in these laptops? Apparently Micron vram is bad for miners but for gamers does it matter? I just got a M17 R4 RTX 3070. Gpu-Z shows micron
Compared to all other computers in the same size Alienware x14 is the best. I took a month to read and watch everything and to compare and I've just got mine. Almost 10 mouths after its released it is still the best out there.That's the only one with thuderbolt 4 and there is 2 ports! The only one with hdmi 2.1. The only 14" one that weight under 4 pounds and no need for a big power suply who often weight more than the laptop. It is less that 2/3 pound more compare to surface pro 9 with keybord and power suply and surface have no gaming card. Who care if cant change my memory? I have DDR5 5200mhz 32gb and no need for more to work or gaming. The M.2 ssd is the fastest gen 4 on the market and you can upgrade it but 2tb is enough for me and there is also a microSD slot and usb C and A ports for dock, usb keys or external drives. The rtx 3060 is far better then the 3050ti for rog flow z13 or x13 and the screen is larger. And on benchmark the difference between that and the 3070 in other laptop of the same size is negligible. Yes some have better card but without givin enough power to use it well. Playing at 1080p AAA games with maxout is not a problem at all. Intel i7 12 th gen is way better for me than amd, for thudebolot 4 of course but for way more. Speaking of that with thuderbolt 4 you can run a EGPU with external display with a very small difference compared to the same gpu in a destop. I can charge it on all ports. It's the best laptop ever made for travelling and the battery have a great autonomy if you dont play heavy aaa games. Wifi 6E blutooth 5.2. Also with PS Plus and Nvidia GeFOrce Now and Xbox Cloud Gaming who need a rtx 3090ti in his laptop? Welcome to 2022! Anyway i have massive tower for that. There is no other competitor with the same stuff pack in so small computer. That laptop deserved at less 9/10 and with almost the half on the price for a Razor! P,S,: Sorry for my english, Im a french Canadian!
There is setting for that and that wont affect performance noticabily. But the fan soubd iis always high on laptop without liquid cooling. It happen mainely when gaming. Im mostly gaming on television so the sound of the fan dont bother me. There is télévision in every airbnb or hotel. I also use headphone if i wAnt to play in a plane or bus
very interested in real world battery and portability, as its the main reason to get over an x15, I already have a Legion 7i 3080 so dont need the GFX power
As a sneak peek it is a little better than the X15 but not by much. I was expecting so much more with these 12th gen CPUs especially with the efficiency cores
It's a whooping hunk of junk. And technical support has no clue on how to fix their own computers. They kept trying to apply the wrong fixes to my computer. For example, they wanted me to take the battery out, blow the dust out, then restart. Taking the battery out of this computer is not at all like taking it out a Dell Latitude computer. I asked them if they were sure that they wanted me to disassemble my computer to get the battery out - they said no, they didn't want me to do that.
Iirc Alienware laptops only have 2 or 3 selectable fan speeds, instead of a continuous ramp like most other systems. At least that's how it was for my Alienware 13 back in the day
Lovely thing. Bit noisy but the ideal interesting desktop sidekick. Way more personality than my RB14. However. That keyboard. I'm a right shift user and it's unusable, just like the old razer blade stealths. What a shame, can't see me getting used to it
I loved the m11x, and the 13 r3 as well. Was super excited for this but I hate they did away with the rgb, and especially the power button. I know it's petty, but I don't like it.
I agree with you! I did express my disappointment to the Alienware VP and explained that is the unique feature that makes the Alienware stand out from other laptops. Who cares if it allowed them to make it 0.5mm thinner! I would rather have it 2-5mm thicker and have better sounding fans and cooling
You know I was really disappointed with the X series so far. I bought one a few weeks ago and had to send it back, even with performance mode on it idled around 50c and it would throttle under medium load. Aside from that, something in the bios about the AlienFX was loaded wrong, no matter what I did every time I toggled performance mode it would reset ALL my lighting scheme back to complete RGB. And when I re-booted the PC anytime, it would go back to that RGB. I tried everything but ended up sending it back. I replaced my old 13R3 with a M15 R5 earlier this year and I'm very happy with it. Ryzen 9, 3070. People like to hate on it, but I repasted it and used copper shims and better thermal pads and the temps are amazing. Love the cherry keyboard and QHD as well. I do love your videos though man, really appreciate all your input and it's nice to see some love for the Alienware's.
Yeah the m15r5 is a decent machine. My only gripe was the thermals on the Ryzen which you obviously sorted! I used Ryzen controller to keep it in check as I didn't have time to repaste it
@@MashITTech I atctually used your video initially and it was good, but once they unlocked the TCC offset in bios it was just much easier to set there. I actually get mid 30's idle, and 70-85 full blast in elden ring on ultra right now! i got the 5900hx/3070 and after some copper shims and new paste & pads she runs like a champ.
@@MashITTech wow insane, the x17 speakers are horrible, I had to disable all of the windows enhancements when I had mine. So far I have been loving my x15 R1, have an x15 R2 here and its.... not good enough for the almost $4K it costs.
It is hard to justify the price but for me the much better idle sound of the r2 was a big deal for me as I hate idle fan noise and the fact we get much better TGP helps too. The 4k is a bitter pill to swallow though, fortunately in the UK they have just reduced the prices
@@MashITTech it's interesting because I get better idle fan noise on the x15 R1 than the R2. I have the i7 + 3070 specs on the R1 and i7 + 3080 Ti in the R2.
Oh wow really? Mine was silent (3060 though) on idle, only time the fans spun up is if I set it to nvidia mode in nvidia control panel. My x1 was constantly revving up and down and was really annoying
@@MashITTech hahaha Razer is the only brand that makes Alienware looks affordable On a side note, I saw you commenting that you’ve told the Alienware VP about the X14 being too thin. But does Alienware actually implement the feedback from its users? Since basic features like lit up secondary function keys and better webcams are still not available in the second generation laptops, I’m wondering whether our opinions matter
I would say no not usually, I always leave my feedback to no avail but I actually received a call from alienware engineering and the engineering VP to say that they had been following my channel, was quite a surprise so I did express my thoughts on AWCC, the backlit keyboards and the x14 design. You never know they may listen
@@MashITTech they’re making a smart move tuning in to your channel, which has the most comprehensive Alienware reviews! And yes the AWCC definitely needs an overhaul, could take some inspiration from Razer Synapse
I wouldn’t have such a hard time deciding to get this if it had a P series chip. It would still be very performant while delivering more power to the GPU and obtaining a bit more battery life. Oh well… time to open my wallet and beg Dell to take all my money
14" Laptop is my favorite. Why? Cause it feels Compact while still has big display. And is easy to carry anywhere. Want Bigger Display, just use Monitor or TV
You honestly seemed to enjoy flipping that thing around. I know the feeling! This thing is so sturdy and well-made that it feels very satisfying picking it up, holding it and moving it around. It feels like the Ferrari of Window's laptops.
I just ordered this laptop with 32 gig of ram and 2T of memory SSD. Looking forward to finally having a gaming laptop that I can bring with me when I travel on my M/C or my Jeep . Thanks for your review. I will definitely check out your reviews on other Alienware gaming laptops. I'll be in the market for a X17 in the future. Keep up the great work.
Thanks a lot mate :)
Thanks for the review boss, really helped. Just bought an X14 (Max stats) for my daily laptop, Think it’s going to be great for software engineering thanks to the high power output of the cpu.
Hope you enjoy it! Let me know how you get on with it 👍
How is it now
@@kyfa4966 yes pls I need to know as well
@@ammarahmed7706 i bought it already, with 3050Ti one
@@kyfa4966 and how is that working like what are you finding out is kinda annoying
Wasn't expecting this today. Thank you!
Hope you enjoyed it! 😁
As always, great review David. the X14 is a tough one especially against an X15 R2... The G14 and Flow Z13 are also unique options. The Z13 in my opinion is more portable if you don't carry the eGPU. X14 also seems like an AW proof of concept and very unique with the design too
thanks mate, yes the Z13 looks really interesting. I will try and get one when they are available in the uk
Z13 was great for few days but not at all practical. X14 is just great all-around compared to all others .
Finally! Been looking forward to this! Many thanks.
Another excellent review thanks! One thing nobody has mentioned though is the overall footprint of the x14. It has an extra 40mm of depth in comparison to the G14 or Blade 14 and for me that makes it somewhat awkward to travel with. I really hope they give an OLED panel option and address the gpu deficit in the second revision. Give up the slim form factor if this means the depth can be reduced.
I was so interested in this model but the GPU is a killer for me, only going up to a RTX 3060 is troubling of how long that will be relevant in just a few years. I bet the next model will have a better GPU. Great review this solidified my purchase for the Razer Blade 14 now rather spend the extra for a dedicated laptop then for all around purpose. Alienware is known for gaming, I think they should have made a higher end model for the 14in I prefer a smaller form factor for travel.
I own the x14 and I can tell you, the 3060 is not a pushover and it’ll hold up well for at least the 3-5 years. Keep in mind that DLSSand FSR ARE allowing GPU’s to maintain great FPS numbers in tougher titles.
Heck, my daughters GTX 1650 laptop that we purchased years ago is still able to hit high frame rates in multiplayer games and can easily reach that sweet 60fps in modern titles with some lowered settings.
Agreed - the decision to go with Intel CPU has crippled the GPU selection. Should have provided an option to go with Ryzen CPU and a higher GPU, like 3070 ti.
@@oldmangamer01 for efficiency reasons, yes, AMD would have been the much better choice.
Honestly the main power culprit is the USB C charging. It’s a limited standard. If Dell would have went with a standard charging solution, they could’ve pushed the 3060 another 10-20 watts and still have good cooling.
That’s just nit picking though, there’s a lot of things Dell “could’ve done differently, but I’m pretty happy with my x14. It’s the first laptop in the last few years that I couldn’t find any immediate issues or things I disliked
Hey Dave, I did get the X14 for a week the past few weeks, but ended up going to the x15r2. Don't get me wrong, the X14 is a great little machine, but as a primary machine, I think the X15 is a better choice. Love the reviews!
I totally agree with you. The x15 isn’t much more expensive or that much bigger but gives much better performance. I would do the same
@@MashITTech The QHD screen is the selling point, and the weight difference is quite negligible. The 3070ti just eats anything I throw at it. I did come from an m17r3 w/ an AGA w/ a 2080ti, which I upgraded that to a Razer Core X and just moved the 2080ti to that. That way I can game in clamshell mode and not worry about temps.
@@MashITTech $400 more for exact same components for an extra inch is not that cheap.
Only god knows how long I've been waiting for your X14 review lol. Can't wait for the premiere
Haha sorry, had half my family Sick which really put me behind! Back on track now though, m15r7 coming next
I liked how you zoomed in and out at 1:36
Those mad editing skills at work :)
haha thanks mate :)
Great review but I’m somewhat deflated having expected more from it
Keep up the great work
Thank you mate 👍
Good review, I have this laptop in the I7 3060 skew and I must say I'm very happy with it. Absolutely agree with the comment that when you put it in quite mode it is basically the same power as a ultra book but that's not a problem for me. I travel allot and having a device that is as portable and fast as this device for work and then being able to crank it up when I'm stuck in a hotel room to play a few games is perfect, but I do agree the audience for this is probably pretty limited, if I did not travel as much as I do, I would have gone for the X15 or even the X17.
Its not that much smaller than an X15 which is already really thin
Would you recommend the X14 over the M15 R7?
I am getting this tomorrow, wish me luck....i am tight on budget, so only getting the base model, 12th gen i5 and RTX 3050...but i need a portable device at any cost and it has always been my wish from childhood days to own an alienware....fingers crossed that this one lasts for years for me... unfortunately due to abysmal taxes in my country, even the base model costs a buck shy of USD $2000
Let me know how you get on with it! I haven’t tried the base model yet
The usual great review. Well done! Thanks also about the tip of the 4k monitor on x17 R2 ... 👍👍👍
Thank you mate. And ordered a 4K too, purely for the channel, honestly 😂
@@MashITTech sure...😂
I think the selling point of X line up compared to alternatives is it's beauty. I hope X lineup with Ryzen 6000
No because the m17 r5 is having all amd on it, so x series won't make sense, but maybe they make a m14 or what ever that could come with ryzen
Great review as always. I used the Alienware m14x r2 for 7 years! I guess this is the successor :D haha.... In a way I am really conflicted... In some ways I really like the x14.
Considering the price hike of r2 models and locking 32GB RAM with 3080ti for x15, the x14 does not seem a bad option.
I can see myself buying this for the same reasons I bought the m14x. At that time I needed portability (traveling / moving locations), enough CPU power for work and something good for light-ish gaming. And I really wanted an Alienware haha but had limited budget. (At that time, I had a desktop computer too as a back up).
Yet for some reason, if I wanted max portability currently I would prefer a 2-in-1 device (I got an Inspiron 2in1 after the m14x for 2 years)... With xCloud / PS Now + Nintendo Switch, I don't really need to worry about running the games on my device too...
Really happy that I bought the x15 r1 last year haha.... For me at least as only using one device, it makes more sense.
If they could add 4 fans to the x14 r2 (like on the x15/17) and the fans are not annoying, it will be great!
Edit after finishing video (I actually had to get the laptop out to get my thoughts down for this one...): After hearing you state that you had talked to AW engineering and them stating that they were targeting the productivity crowd with this one I wanted to rejoice, but I also think that theyre wildly out of touch with reality. I think that the AW Legend 2.0 design is absolutely NOT friendly to ANY productivity because of the antiquated hinge design. That hinge doesnt go 180* and I certainly do not think it would lend itself well with to having a 16:10 aspect ratio which I think productivity laptops require. As far as versus actual productivity laptops (ThinkPad, Latitiude) I think the biggest downsides are battery life (which, for 6 hours, I could live with the usb-c charging), port selection (offices still have a need usb-a) and aspect ratio. Now in your review, you had stated that this would be a great unit for devs, and I am not sure I agree. After playing games on a 15"ish screen, then plugging in a 27" QHD monitor, I would never want to miss the gaming detail on a small screen ever again. I think that this unit is a great all around laptop for a traveling student or business professional (the design is NOT office friendly though) who would want to come home, dock it and play on a desktop setup with it. I would really like to see some FPS testing in games with this unit on a 1440p external monitor. Sorry for the long reply, I want to love this thing and I want Alienware to make it better.
Agreed on the 16:10 option, I wish all laptops were using at least 16:10 with productivity laptops using the 4:3 like the surface range. So far all 12th gens I have tested have had terrible battery life! I am looking forward to getting some 6000 ryzen chips as at least last years ryzens had some good battery run times. I agree in the screen size but the advantage of a small laptop is you can take it from place to place and plug in a bigger screen. The 14” laptops are much easier for carting around
@@MashITTech yeah 16:10 is great, and honestly, even if I had to run *some* programs in 16:9 with black bars, I certainly would buy it with a quickness. I think a Ryzen 6000 series would be awesome to get a few more hours out of the battery as well. When I carry ANY of my laptops, it’s going to or from a work station unless I’m sitting on the couch with my ultralight doing college courses. I think the 14 is awesome, but I need to do some looking at the Blade 14 after reading some of this comment section.
Yeah the blade 14 is awesome, I reviewed the 2021 model after lots of requests and loved it. It was so portable, great screen and performance and with good battery life with a bit of tweaking. Have you looked at this years rog g14? They have moved that to 16:10 and it has good performance and battery
Can you show more game benchmarks with the x14? And does it throttle a lot let's say after an hour or 2 of straight gaming? Specifically I play Star Citizen almost exclusively and I know that SC is really CPU and Ram intensive would this be good for SC on the go?
Would you recommend the R2 update? I haven't heard a word about it from any channels and it seems to me that it has flown completely under the radar.
I normally cover al the alienware models so would naturally have reviewed this model, especially as I love 14" gaming laptops but Dell being Dell have decided not to release this in the UK so I cannot get hold of it!
1. Design considerations : I'd have been fine if the X15 and X14 were as thick as the X17 if it meant not sacrificing noise and thermals. I mean, it's not like going this thin allows using a smaller bag, what with the protruding arse end on these. On a related note: no side ports but the side vents are tiny? Couldn't they have at least run some heatpipes from the VRM or the vapor chamber to more fins on the side vents, like on the 2022 G14?
2. CPU and GPU choices : I understand that the 12650h might be too neither here nor there for how Dell wants to position this laptop, ie, not much less money for you get one bank of eCores less ie doesn't work if you're targeting people who may use this as a workstation (unlike the Dash F15 2022, which is positioned more as an MS Office/Google Docs machine when away from wall power and not gaming). However if they're offering a 12500h (same thread count, two pCores less than 12650h) why no higher cache 12600h if this was also meant for gaming? Would two less pCores really bottleneck a 3060 with barely any thermal headroom at 75w?
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Among the X-series I'm leaning towards the X15. Noisier than X17, but quieter than X14; still fits in at least one of my cam backpacks (and unlike the X17, I'm sure it fits in my messenger bags). That said, it's not #1...I'm leaning more towards the M15, which is thin enough and has some wiggle room to slip into the bag it'll fit in, but holding out for the AMD Advantage Edition (I think this is for after the M17?). However if any 5800h+6700m/6800m AMD Advantage machine goes on sale for far less than an M15 I might as well get that.
I think the X15r2 is the ideal middle ground, portable but with ample power. I would pick it every time over the x14, that said I did love my time with the x14
@@MashITTech I actually feel like under normal circumstances the X14 would be what I'd be considering. Except "normal" is it's really just a mobile workstation* that Ican use for some LIGHT gaming,** so I'd probably want it with a 12500h and 3050 even if for those chips $1600 would seem expensive. Just that if I'm upgrading from my almost basic ultraportable, it's either an XPS or Envy for the touchscreen pre-Alder Lake, but then the X14 happened. I can certainly give up the touchscreen and being able to fit it into my smallest backpack (thanks to that arse end on these Alienwares) if it means I can emulate XBox 360/PS3.
Problem is so far things are far from normal given graphics card prices plus an upcoming move, so I'm looking for a desktop replacement instead of an ultraportable that also doubles as a retro gaming rig (I'm not really into buying those dedicated retro consoles), with the real limitations being 1) hopefully not have to buy a new bag (even if I can't use some of what I have) and 2) not be noisy (too many laptop product ranges scale up everything but the cooler when they go from 15.6/16 to 17.3). One of these DQs the X17 (and even the M17, which kind of sucks since there's no confirmation of a 6800h+6700m on the M15 yet), the other almost DQs the X15 3060 (some reviews still say it's noisy but I can just reduce the power limit and fan speed for not much FPS loss).
*Most CPU intensive: Excel/PPT or Affinity/photo back up with Spotify or YT in the background; nothing that will really make Cinebench scores matter, although I'm not gonna use an Atom sans P-Cores either because gaming.
**Old RPGs and fighting games ported to Windows or at worst for the CPU, run an emulator. Which, on a hot day, are kind of annoying to run in a hot room with a desktop without airconditioning when I can sit in the living room with a fan right by the open doorway sucking in fresh air from outside. My 1005g1 HP smaller than a G14 stutters on one PS2 port - it's an RPG so it's not critical to actually beating the game, but still extremely annoying.
thanks for the vid.. imgetting mines in a week... i got it with the i7 12700H, a 3060 and 32GB of ram
oh wow, congrats. Hope you enjoy it. If you get any questions I am always here or on reddit 👍
Wich one should i buy x14 i7 3060 or x15 r1 i7 3070 or x15 r1 i9 3080? Btw x15 r2 is too expensive for me…thank for your expert David🙏
Welp, I missed my 13 R3 so much I sold my laptop and bought one of these.
I blame you, as I've watched this video about 30 times.
I just love tiny laptops so much! I bought the i7/3060/32gb one though.
Got a 2tb nvme waiting for it.
I also wanted to point out, in the US if you are looking at this on the website it doesn't list the 16gb LPDDR5 5200 as Dual channel, it just says "integrated" like the 4800 version. I wonder if its a tactic to try and persuade people to the 32gb kit making them think the 16gb kit isn't dual channel. I got 32gb just to be future proof, but I still wonder...
haha sorry for forcing you to buy it 😂
I am upgrading from a Macbook Air 2017 Laptop with 8GB RAM and i5 intel. I was going for M2 Macbook Pro all out until right at the last minute I got confused by this laptop. 32GB RAM is impressive. I'll mostly use Canva and chrome and a bit of office suite. But its not smooth anymore on my 8GB RAM. and Macbook Pro is way too much expensive!. PLus this laptop has a dedicated graphics card. My question is will 32GB be enough for me ?? Because on this model you can't upgrade RAM after purchase. As long as it is fluid and smooth in my daily tasks I would definitely consider this over a Mac. I think this laptop has three major drawbacks, 1 ports at the back, 2 short keyboard space(not good for typing) 3 intel and fan hustle. It's Dell's covert jab at Macbook more so than on any other 'gaming' laptop.
Will it be good for programming/software engineering related work?
It’s actually perfect for that providing you are ok with a 14” screen. It’s amazing for mobility
@@MashITTech The 14 inch screen doesn’t bother me. Thank you for the response. 🙂
I’m an engineer, I do a lot of analytical data processing and converting data to 3D models. I use a lot of excel, civil 3D, revit, maya, solidworks, etc and do creative editing with photoshop, after effects, etc. I’m looking for a portable laptop that can meet my needs. I have looked into razer blade 14, zenbook duo pro 14, zephyrus g14, Alienware x14, etc. comparing it to performance and value. From this perspective, I found Alienware x14 might be the closest 14 inch I can afford (around $2100USD) (14” display, 12 gen cpu, rtx 3060, 32gb ram, 1Tb ssd) for the laptop specs necessary for my needs. Will a 12 gen cpu, 75w rtx 3060 with 32gb ram be good enough for my line of work?
Good point about a lack of space between cursor and shift key. That should be separated a bit, also between right arrow and that mute (?) key.
Speakers have gotta be the least marketable feature in a gaming laptop. Most people don't even add it to their cross shopping criteria and don't notice until we've already bought it
This is true, and maybe I am not the norm but because I want to use a gaming laptop for work and play speakers are important to me. obviously when gaming I will have a headset on, but when working I want good sound for videos and maybe even a bit of music if I am away from my decent speakers
I agree! Boy was I disappointed by my Razer blade speakers (and webcam while I'm at it). They were even worse than I was fearing from the reviews. But it still wasn't enough to consider another options with worse specs, build quality or form factor. That being said I really hope companies start putting more r&d into audio. I think it's one of those things Apple has the physical space (in the laptop) and budget to think about since their cooling doesn't need to be as robust
Fantastic review as always Dave. Great work 👍
Can't disagree with anything you said. I would have rather they would have opted for a thicker design if it improved fan noise.
Thanks mate. I do wish these companies would listen to their fan bases. I bet you 90% of users would also agree! I hate this obsession with thinness at all costs
@@MashITTech Yeah it's kind of strange as the device is so much larger than it needs to be in order to make it thin. Not to mention the fact all the ports are at the back.
Nice review. I just got my x14 today. After playing with it for a few hours or so i have found the following pros/cons on my device might not on yours..
1. CPU temp goes up to 100c very very easily . Like very.
2. feel a little loose when tapping the mouse pad
3. audio from the speaker is better than expected
4. webcam is real trash
5. some light bleed on the screen corner's'
6. minor miss alignment when the laptop is close around the hinge
Cheers.
Great review. Will you be reviewing the m15 R7 at some point?
The m15r7 is on my test bench at the moment, review should be in a few days 👍
Great review as always and this influenced my decision to buy a loaded x14 to see how I'd like the form-factor as it is a departure from my generally gigantic AEC BIM workstation laptops that I've used in the past. This is my personal machine that I use for freelance 3D (architecture) work and general personal use. I wanted something powerful, small, and light I'm overall pretty pleased with the system and have to admit, having this much punch in this small of a footprint is really insane but this benefit is offset by the power consumption. it is also damn beautiful and very well-built. I am still using my M15R1 from 2015 and always buy things that are "overbuilt" when able. I'm still playing with the new Alienware command center to find the sweet spot where casual use (browsing, excel, movies, etc) don't suck the life out of this little x14 battery. I'm open to input there if anyone has recommendations. I'll be doing power tests this week to see what works for me. It is frustrating that they released this with only "thermal" profiles but no additional "power" profiles and you can't run the system in Battery Saver while it's charging. I want to have a setting where I can turn the system down and keep it quiet when I don't need it and can turn it up when I do ;)
I won't be doing much direct-production work on this machine's tiny display as ergonomically, it's not very good for it. I'll be pushing 2-QHD 27" Ultrasharps for 95% of my production.
The bad:
- power consumption
- lack of ports
- screen arrived bent (does not affect performance but will be getting this replaced)
- fan coil whine is noticeable when the system is ramped up
- gets warm when gaming (not too hot to touch but still hot)
- thermal throttling even on a laptop cooling stand with 4 fans (ambient temp 70deg F)
- small'ish touchpad (what do you expect, it's a 14" laptop)
- secondary keys not backlit (still scratching my head on this one... )
- trackpad isn't illuminated
- speakers not great and are distorted/crackle at full volume (will be talking to dell about this)
- fans get loud when gaming
- clamshell use makes this thing hotter (but not as bad as my terrible dell precisions)
The good: (which outweigh the bad IMO)
- it's small and compact
- damn beautiful
- "feels" great and solid in your hands. Very well crafted chassis.
- materials selection and aesthetic is top-notch
- powerful (given it's small size)
- I like the keyboard
- handles the limited games I play very well (Ghost Recon Wildlands and Breakpoint)
- handles AEC workflows well but 32gb RAM limit can be an issue with large files
- it's light
- got it for $2k usd with coupons (i7-12700H & 3060, 32gb, 2tb)
Overall, I'm leaning towards keeping this x14 (after they fix the bent screen and speakers) because I love the size to power ratio. It's not perfect and dell really missed some very simple features that is a little disappointing but overall, I think it will work very well for my use. I'll be pushing some more advanced workflows with Revit and 3DS max to see how it handles 8+ hours of hard use and will make a decision at that time. If it doesn't handle that work well, I may consider upgrading to the x15r2
Question: Will the x15r2 offer much more in terms of performance over the x14?
Have you tried throttlestop? It should allow you to change multipliers and there limit it’s turbo when you want to conserve battery or lower Dan noise. Also switch the screen to 60hz when on battery, that does help but these 12th gen CPU’s suck the battery in no time! I was hoping with the addition of e cores we would see better battery not worse
@@MashITTech Have not tried throttlestop nor adjusting the screen refresh rate yet! Good tips. I love the 12th gen performance but you're right, they are quite thirsty.
Would the alienware x15 R1 be better then the x14? In terms of performance and cooling?
Cpu wise the x14 wins hands down, gpu wise the 3060 is the same but you can get an x15 r1 with 3070 or 3080 which will be more powerful for gaming
Hi Dave, was wondering if the Alienware x17 r2 power supply works fine with the x17 R1?
Yes it sure does, it’s completely backward compatible
Would you consider doing a tutorial on how to clean alienware laptops? (especially cleaning dust out of fans/cooling vents)
How many days until the Alienware M15 r7 arrives still waiting????
It arrived 2 days ago, it’s on my test bench as we speak. Hope to get the review out in a few days 👍
Is this laptop also good for music production, vocal recording & Mixing/Mastering? Looking to upgrade from MSI
I already have an Apollo interface & 1TB External HD
I think the obsession with laptop thinness is a huge determinant. I like the idea of a 14-inch laptop, I don't mind if it was a bit thicker if they could fit it better cooling and noise, but not the expense of weight. I think a 14-inch laptop makes great sense for a secondary machine to use on the go, but not as a primary since the screen would be too cramped.
For such a laptop, I believe the 16 Gb configuration with an i5 and 3050 makes more sense as the relatively small power budget means that you won't be using the laptop to its full potential.
But I think the GS65 has the same weight but bigger screen and better performance which makes it a better device in my opnion
I totally agree with you!
Loving your channel! Would this x14 be better at editing 4k video in Davinci Resolve 17 with motion graphics and a lot of fusion elements than say an XPS 15 or Razer 14?
yes, I will detail this in my deep dive coming soon
Great review. Im really looking forward to the M17 R5. It seems like it will be a beast
yes me too, cant wait to get my hands on it
Thank you so much for this great video. It was very much helpful for me. I am gonna get one of these soon. Quick ques though - does dell allow to upgrade this model? For example - can i add/change extra RAM/SSD or changing graphics card in future if I wish to do so? Thank you again.
Due to the nature of this tiny 14" laptop most parts are soldered to the motherboard. The only parts you can upgrade is the SSD :(
Can you do a x14 vs x15 comparison? Still wondering if the x14 fan noise gets annoying during average use
Yeah agreed x15 vs x14 would be interesting, especially the relative sizes and sounds etc
Ok guys, leave it with me. I have a lot of videos I need to get through then will try and make this one happen
@@MashITTech waiting for this comparison
I had ordered the X14 full spec to go with my x17r1 3070 you helped me decide on. As you say for portable productivity with some gaming where the CPU and 32GB RAM appeal. However there was a 3 month wait on that model (also in the UK) and Box are selling the Blade 14 3080 for £1999 atm. Even with education discount the X14 was going to cost me £300 more (admittedly with 32GB and 2TB) but just felt the extra CUDA cores with the Blade 14 will help more for when I try to get into ML than the extra CPU and RAM in the x14 (plus the 1440p screen on blade with same colour accuracy). Having Thunderbolt and USB C charging on the X14 vs my blade is a big positive I’m missing though.
Wow that’s an amazin price and the blade 14 is a really solid device! I reviewed the 3070 version and loved it. It makes a better gaming device too with a 100w gpu, that’s the only x14 disadvantage with the usbc charging, it is limited to the gpu wattage as the charger is only 135w
I have purchased this model and I am coming from an Asus G15. The quality and snappy response is a dream; it also great with gaming, but I purchased it more as a do-it-all portable device since I have limited mobility. I can game in bed or the recliner just as easily. The 12th gen i7 paired with 32g of ram is very snappy and exactly what I was looking for.
Is it for pure gamers? I would go for the 15 or 17 inch models for that. But for my intent and purposes it frankly fits the bill.
How is ur battery lide mate? Thx and hf
@@milanoapfel1836 Battery life isn't horrible but could be better, but it is expected with a gaming laptop.
@@mr.techjedi1507 isnt horrible is enough. I need like 3 h of ms office and web the rest would be olugged in. Thx a lot
Not related to the X14 but, what's your opinion on upgrading to Windows 11? I still have my M17 R3 on the latest Windows 10. I mainly game on it most of the time.
I still prefer windows 10! I like the new icons and feel of windows 11 but it takes me longer to do anything as a lot of the shortcuts I used have gone.
I got a dell thunderbolt 4 dock for my x14 and its super convenient, one cable. Everything else is plugged into the dock Monitors, kb, mouse, audio... and stays on the desk. I just unplug one cable and go.
Does rtx3050ti model also have 'hello face' recognition?
That small right-side shift key has ruined me on more small laptops than I can count - good review - might have to wait for the R2 of this thing.
Hi, how do you display GPU power consumption (Wattage) using MSI Afterburner? I got it for the CPU but how do I display the same for the GPU?
Any insight on running these x series laptops on their new 34in oled monitor or will desktops always be the best option?
sorry for the delay, I have been away. I would recommend an x15/x17 with 3070ti realistically for the 34". I currently use a x17 with 3080 on my 38" and it has a slightly higher resolution than the 34" oled. Hopefully they will release this oled in the UK soon!
Just ordered one today, I’ll be doing CAD and lots of 3D printing slicing. I also travel for work
This laptop will be perfect for those tasks and it really is portable. I really love that they made it charge via USBC which helps with the portability rather than a bulky power pack
Great review! Will you compare this against the X15 R2?
Thank you. I can't at the moment as I didn't keep my 3060 version due to ordering the 3080ti version! I am still waiting for that one to arrive, there seems to be some parts shortage
Waiting for M15 R7 review 😎
It is on my testing bench as we speak :)
Thanks 😊
Great review Dave! How is the cable management situation when the 3.5mm jack is on the back?
I the best to be honest. Plugging it in and out isn’t that easy and you need to route it around the side but it will often get caught under the screen hinge
@@MashITTech Thank you so much for the honest opinion! This is exactly what we need more in the tech reviewing community!
Excellent review good sir.
It's really impressive how dell was able to cool 12700H in what's probably the thinnest gaming laptop on the market right now, but I don't think it was the smartest choice. The new g14 has better battery life and similar cpu performance. Also, the new 6800s should outperform the 75w 3060 in games. The Alienware, in my opinion, looks a lot better and does have better build quality though. The price is similar too so I'm not sure if this guy is worth it over the g14 right now.
Yeah, I am looking forward to getting hold of the new G14, loved last years model but hoping they have improved the build quality and apparently the screen is a lot faster now as last years did ghost a bit
@@MashITTech Yeah from what I’ve seen last years model was one of the best gaming laptops of the year. Also im a bit off topic here but do you plan on reviewing the new xps 15 or 17? It’s insane how dell put a 12900hk on an xps 15!
Excited to see the x17 4k review! Can you get the 3070ti version?
That’s exactly what I have ordered
great review thankyou
can u do an overall comparison with r1 and r2 for each 15/17 ?
Already started filming this for the x17r1 vs r2, will try and get it finished soon
Awesome review. Planning to get one rather than a mbp 14, since I'm leaning towards more gaming.
@David, do you think this one has the tcc offset like the x15 and x17 does? Or if not, can you adjust the bd prochot limit via throttlestop for the 12th gen? Also can you set the pl1 and pl2 in throttlestop as well just to limit the power and have it run like the razer blades and achieve better temps (and better battery as well)
Oh and one last thing, can you set the max battery charge to 80% as in other dell laptops?
Hi there, ok in answer to your questions:
1. Yes there are TCC settings in BIOS and you can range fro 85-100c. I plan on doing an updated video on this soon as I get asked it a lot.
2. Throttlestop doesn't allow any undervaluing but you can lock TDP.
3. Yes there are still the battery options and I think the 80% is the always on mains option in BIOS 👍
@@MashITTech Awesome, thank you so much for the replies!
Finally the video is here 🥳🥳
I watched like 4-5 other review videos of the same laptop and they got about 78-84C on the CPU which I thought was pretty good, how did you manage to get 90-100C on the CPU?
Dell paste lottery I guess! It’s very hit or miss
Just got my brand new M17 r4. When i powered it first time, it showed a message 'your system has shutdown unexpectedly 3 times in a row. OC level has been reset to default as precaution'
Not sure what this means. Did i get a refurbished unit?
Your machine certainly isnt happy. IS it crashing? if not it could just be a faulty windows build. Make sure you get the machine fully updated on both windows update and Alienware updater
Is the alienware m15 r7 worth it?
Sir I would be thankful if you compare OLED screens with 4k UHD+ screens noticing the burn-in.
Great review! X14 is also a good option compared with blade 14. So what is your daily carry laptop?😆
This is a clean and beautiful little machine
yes it really is
Could you use a beefcake usb c power adapter to power an x17 at full power? Just curious.
No sorry it seems to cap out at 100w 😢
What is the TGP for the 3060 x14? I know you said 75w but is that max?
75w is the max :( sorry
@@MashITTech i want to love this thing so much but I can't
I would wait for r2, this one feels like it needs a little more tweaking just like the x15r1 to r2
@@MashITTech I think you nailed that on the head.
Would the i5 chip affects its performance on gaming?
I haven't tested the new i5 chip yet. I will try and get one in
@@MashITTech looks like you can't configure the i5 with a 3060 on the Alienware website. Bummer!
i did get one, but i saved 600 :) its pretty great better than the xps 13 i was going to get more power, and 32gb and 2 tb :)
Friends, please help me choose a laptop for motion design and games, my budget is $2000. I'm leaning towards the option to buy x14, but I know that there is also blade 14 which is more impress by design, I don't know which one to choose, tell me please?
(the main thing is that there should be a high-quality assembly of the laptop without any deflection crackles)
in all honesty as much as I love the X14 I would say the blade. The GPU is a LOT better and as you want to game and do motion design it will need all the GPU power it can get. Blade is also solid as a rock like the x14
@@MashITTech thank you man 🙏
Did you ever notice a difference between Samsung vs Micron vram used in GPUs in these laptops? Apparently Micron vram is bad for miners but for gamers does it matter? I just got a M17 R4 RTX 3070. Gpu-Z shows micron
Compared to all other computers in the same size Alienware x14 is the best. I took a month to read and watch everything and to compare and I've just got mine. Almost 10 mouths after its released it is still the best out there.That's the only one with thuderbolt 4 and there is 2 ports! The only one with hdmi 2.1. The only 14" one that weight under 4 pounds and no need for a big power suply who often weight more than the laptop. It is less that 2/3 pound more compare to surface pro 9 with keybord and power suply and surface have no gaming card. Who care if cant change my memory? I have DDR5 5200mhz 32gb and no need for more to work or gaming. The M.2 ssd is the fastest gen 4 on the market and you can upgrade it but 2tb is enough for me and there is also a microSD slot and usb C and A ports for dock, usb keys or external drives. The rtx 3060 is far better then the 3050ti for rog flow z13 or x13 and the screen is larger. And on benchmark the difference between that and the 3070 in other laptop of the same size is negligible. Yes some have better card but without givin enough power to use it well. Playing at 1080p AAA games with maxout is not a problem at all. Intel i7 12 th gen is way better for me than amd, for thudebolot 4 of course but for way more. Speaking of that with thuderbolt 4 you can run a EGPU with external display with a very small difference compared to the same gpu in a destop. I can charge it on all ports. It's the best laptop ever made for travelling and the battery have a great autonomy if you dont play heavy aaa games. Wifi 6E blutooth 5.2. Also with PS Plus and Nvidia GeFOrce Now and Xbox Cloud Gaming who need a rtx 3090ti in his laptop? Welcome to 2022! Anyway i have massive tower for that. There is no other competitor with the same stuff pack in so small computer. That laptop deserved at less 9/10 and with almost the half on the price for a Razor!
P,S,: Sorry for my english, Im a french Canadian!
Your English is better than my French :) Glad you are enjoying it! The one thing that bothered me was the fan noise, how are you finding it?
There is setting for that and that wont affect performance noticabily. But the fan soubd iis always high on laptop without liquid cooling. It happen mainely when gaming. Im mostly gaming on television so the sound of the fan dont bother me. There is télévision in every airbnb or hotel. I also use headphone if i wAnt to play in a plane or bus
I liked the cursor keys, its a pro for me.
does this x14 have the same high pitched fans as the x15?
yes it does. The fans where the biggest negative of this model as literally anything gets the fans spinning up
@@MashITTech such a bummer
very interested in real world battery and portability, as its the main reason to get over an x15, I already have a Legion 7i 3080 so dont need the GFX power
As a sneak peek it is a little better than the X15 but not by much. I was expecting so much more with these 12th gen CPUs especially with the efficiency cores
@@MashITTech Are the X14 fans louder gaming than the Blade 14?
I can't wait for the review of the 17 inch AMD version
Yeah, I check every day for them to release it!
It's a whooping hunk of junk. And technical support has no clue on how to fix their own computers. They kept trying to apply the wrong fixes to my computer. For example, they wanted me to take the battery out, blow the dust out, then restart. Taking the battery out of this computer is not at all like taking it out a Dell Latitude computer. I asked them if they were sure that they wanted me to disassemble my computer to get the battery out - they said no, they didn't want me to do that.
Iirc Alienware laptops only have 2 or 3 selectable fan speeds, instead of a continuous ramp like most other systems. At least that's how it was for my Alienware 13 back in the day
yes, it still seems similar with this model
m15 r7 review please!
It is on my testing bench as we speak :)
Thank you! Great review as always.
Thanks mate, glad you enjoyed it
can you compare it’s performance with MacBook Pro 14 😎
what do you want compared? its difficult other than benchmarks and maybe video editing. Other apps fly on both machines
Hmm perhaps firefox compile time?, blender scene render time. Programmer and game developer stuff
Lovely thing. Bit noisy but the ideal interesting desktop sidekick. Way more personality than my RB14. However. That keyboard. I'm a right shift user and it's unusable, just like the old razer blade stealths. What a shame, can't see me getting used to it
I loved the m11x, and the 13 r3 as well. Was super excited for this but I hate they did away with the rgb, and especially the power button. I know it's petty, but I don't like it.
I agree with you! I did express my disappointment to the Alienware VP and explained that is the unique feature that makes the Alienware stand out from other laptops. Who cares if it allowed them to make it 0.5mm thinner! I would rather have it 2-5mm thicker and have better sounding fans and cooling
You know I was really disappointed with the X series so far. I bought one a few weeks ago and had to send it back, even with performance mode on it idled around 50c and it would throttle under medium load. Aside from that, something in the bios about the AlienFX was loaded wrong, no matter what I did every time I toggled performance mode it would reset ALL my lighting scheme back to complete RGB. And when I re-booted the PC anytime, it would go back to that RGB. I tried everything but ended up sending it back. I replaced my old 13R3 with a M15 R5 earlier this year and I'm very happy with it. Ryzen 9, 3070. People like to hate on it, but I repasted it and used copper shims and better thermal pads and the temps are amazing. Love the cherry keyboard and QHD as well.
I do love your videos though man, really appreciate all your input and it's nice to see some love for the Alienware's.
Yeah the m15r5 is a decent machine. My only gripe was the thermals on the Ryzen which you obviously sorted! I used Ryzen controller to keep it in check as I didn't have time to repaste it
@@MashITTech I atctually used your video initially and it was good, but once they unlocked the TCC offset in bios it was just much easier to set there. I actually get mid 30's idle, and 70-85 full blast in elden ring on ultra right now! i got the 5900hx/3070 and after some copper shims and new paste & pads she runs like a champ.
I am wondering does Alienware have bluetooth for hearing aids ?
It has Bluetooth. I have no idea what standard is needed for hearing aids? If you can elaborate I may be able to help 👍
@@MashITTech i think it just normal Bluetooth, I have them hooked up to M1 Ipad atm. Thank you for the fast reply
Ah in that case you will be covered as the Wi-Fi card has the latest Bluetooth standard
I'm not a huge fan of the EU keyboard layout, and it's crazy that this x14 has better speakers than both x17s lol
haha I would actually put them on par with the x17 but the x15 is better
@@MashITTech wow insane, the x17 speakers are horrible, I had to disable all of the windows enhancements when I had mine. So far I have been loving my x15 R1, have an x15 R2 here and its.... not good enough for the almost $4K it costs.
It is hard to justify the price but for me the much better idle sound of the r2 was a big deal for me as I hate idle fan noise and the fact we get much better TGP helps too. The 4k is a bitter pill to swallow though, fortunately in the UK they have just reduced the prices
@@MashITTech it's interesting because I get better idle fan noise on the x15 R1 than the R2. I have the i7 + 3070 specs on the R1 and i7 + 3080 Ti in the R2.
Oh wow really? Mine was silent (3060 though) on idle, only time the fans spun up is if I set it to nvidia mode in nvidia control panel. My x1 was constantly revving up and down and was really annoying
Hey Dave, great review as always! Any chance you'll be reviewing the 2022 Razer Blade 14?
I do plan too! Just need to sell a kidney first 😂
@@MashITTech hahaha Razer is the only brand that makes Alienware looks affordable
On a side note, I saw you commenting that you’ve told the Alienware VP about the X14 being too thin. But does Alienware actually implement the feedback from its users?
Since basic features like lit up secondary function keys and better webcams are still not available in the second generation laptops, I’m wondering whether our opinions matter
I would say no not usually, I always leave my feedback to no avail but I actually received a call from alienware engineering and the engineering VP to say that they had been following my channel, was quite a surprise so I did express my thoughts on AWCC, the backlit keyboards and the x14 design. You never know they may listen
@@MashITTech they’re making a smart move tuning in to your channel, which has the most comprehensive Alienware reviews!
And yes the AWCC definitely needs an overhaul, could take some inspiration from Razer Synapse
Haha yeah it came as a real surprise as over the last year I have reached out to them a number of times only to be ignored 😂
Interesting, the US store only shows the i7
oh, we get loads of options is the uk
It is crazy for this device
Mash it x15 r2 is better for gaming or x17 r2
agreed. I. enjoyed using it but would take an x15r2 over this model every time
Dell has released a 4K 120 panel option for the x17 😣
Yep, I put an announcement out a couple of days ago! Isn’t it always the way.
I wouldn’t have such a hard time deciding to get this if it had a P series chip. It would still be very performant while delivering more power to the GPU and obtaining a bit more battery life. Oh well… time to open my wallet and beg Dell to take all my money
Just ordered this. Anyone know how it runs Adobe priemer ?
I don’t use premier but davinci resolve was great on it therefore I am sure it will be good in premier too. Does run a little loud though
@@MashITTech appreciate the answer !
14" Laptop is my favorite. Why? Cause it feels Compact while still has big display. And is easy to carry anywhere.
Want Bigger Display, just use Monitor or TV
Does it have ethernet?
It has a usbc to Ethernet dongle in the box but nothing on the laptop
Seeing this new Alienware X14, it looks Cute like Baby 😅😂😂
lol the webcam quality looks like late 1990s early 2000s quality.
haha so true. its not like loads of people are working from home these days 😂
@@MashITTech lmao, I am actually not sure if it's even worth it to include the webcam, you don't really need it for windows hello.
If the damn thing had a Tron ring I'd be sold! lol
Why must Dell keep taking away the pretty lights????
I have no idea, these are the features that set it apart from other gaming laptops
@@MashITTech agreed, love your channel man!
Not enough ports 🥲
I need at least 3 USB-A and Ethernet