Alienware M14x AM14X-6557STB 14-Inch Laptop (Stealth Black with Soft Touch Finish)

Alienware M14x AM14X-6557STB 14-Inch Laptop (Stealth Black with Soft Touch Finish)
by Alienware

Alienware M14x AM14X-6557STB 14-Inch Laptop (Stealth Black with Soft Touch Finish)

Alienware™ M14x: The most powerful 14" laptop in the universe.

Featuring NVIDIA® Optimus™ technology and weighing less than 7lbs, the Alienware M14x is capable of up to six hours of battery life.

Power through hard-core games and intense applications with the latest Intel® Core™ i processors. 

Like to game on the couch?  With optional WirelessHD, you can wirelessly blast 3D or Full HD content to any properly equipped display (3D viewing requires additional equipment, sold separately).

DESIGN

The Ultimate Gaming Experience
Gaming is all about experience — the experience of visiting new worlds, of helping friends and crushing enemies, of showing off your skills. Give that experience a boost with the M14x.
Mind-Blowing Graphics: You’ll feel like you’re part of the action with the optional HD+ display and cutting-edge graphics technology.
Stay on the Couch and Ditch the Wires with WirelessHD: With optional WirelessHD, you can wirelessly blast 3D or Full HD games to any properly equipped display (3D viewing requires additional equipment, sold separately). 


Audiophile Approved: Graphics are only half of an awesome gaming experience.  With Klipsch® speakers powered by Waves MaxxAudio®, the Alienware M14x sounds as good as it looks.

Mobile Domination

Own your opponents anywhere you please — bedroom, dorm room, coffee shop or friend’s house. The Alienware M14x helps you stay in the game everywhere you go.

Battle Longer, Battle Lighter: Starting at less than 7 lbs, the M14x is designed to easily go with you anywhere and game anytime. 

Intelligent Power: With NVIDIA® Optimus™ dynamic graphics technology, the M14x automatically adjusts power consumption.  End result — up to 6 hours of battery life on a single charge. 

Connect and Conquest: If you aren’t near a hotspot, you can still vanquish your enemies — anytime you want, virtually anywhere in the universe — with optional mobile broadband or WiMAX at up to 4G speeds.

Heroic Technology

Because failure isn’t an option, the Alienware M14x laptop delivers the cutting-edge technology you need to obliterate anyone or anything that stands in your way.

Revolutionary Graphics: With an optional HD+ (1600x900) white LED-backlit LCD display powered by cutting-edge NVIDIA® GeForce® graphics, you won't just see the headshot, you'll see the pink mist....

Out-of-this-World Processing Power: With optional Intel® Quad Core™ i7 CPUs featuring new Intel® "Huron River" architecture and Turbo Boost 2.0 technology, you’re equipped to beat any game on the market (and make it look easy).

Memory Master: With up to 8GB of 1600MHz DDR3 memory, you'll be able to simultaneously power through multiple applications without the performance decreases you've experienced on lesser machines.

Command and Customize

Control and personalize your system from the user-friendly Alienware Command Center.

AlienFX ™ Lighting Controls: Show your attitude! Choose from an array of color and transition effects, and assign them to distinct zones, including the keyboard, touchpad and more.

AlienFusion ™ Power Management: You decide when you need maximum performance or when to scale back power for less intensive applications.

AlienTouch ™ Touchpad Controls: Customize your touchpad’s sensitivity to prevent accidental contact and activate virtual scrolling to enable vertical and horizontal scrolling with just a touch.

Preloaded and Ready to Go: Steam®, the popular digital distribution gaming software, can be preinstalled on your Alienware M14x laptop. Opt to have Eve Online, the popular sci-fi MMO, preinstalled as well so you can stop wasting time and start playing!

Mark of the Conqueror: Laser cut and etched in metal for all time — your Alienware laptop comes with a custom engraved name plate. Mark your M14x with your name, clan, nickname or a threat of dismemberment to anyone that touches your system.


TECH SPECS
Processor
Intel® Core™ i5 2410M 2.3GHz (2.9GHz w/Turbo Boost, 3MB Cache)
Intel® Core™ i7 2630QM 2.0GHz (2.9GHz w/Turbo Boost, 6MB Cache)
Intel® Core™ i7 2720QM 2.2GHz (3.3GHz w/Turbo Boost, 6MB Cache)
Intel® Core™ i7 2820QM 2.3GHz (3.4GHz w/Turbo Boost, 8MB Cache)
Operating System
Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium, 64bit, English
Genuine Windows® 7 Ultimate, 64bit, English
Memory 
4GB Dual Channel DDR3 at 1333MHz
6GB DDR3 at 1333MHz
8GB Dual Channel DDR3 at 1333MHz
4GB Dual Channel DDR3 at 1600MHz
6GB DDR3 at 1600MHz
8GB Dual Channel DDR3 at 1600MHz
Video Card
1.5GB DDR3 NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 555M using NVIDIA Optimus™ technology
3.0GB DDR3 NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 555M using NVIDIA Optimus™ technology
Display
14.0 inch display (1600x900)
14.0 inch display (1366x768)
Hard Drive
Up to 750GB9 SATA hard drive (7200RPM)
Up to 256GB9 Solid State Drive SATA hard drive
Optical Drive
8x SuperMulti DVD±R/RW Slot Load Optical Drive 
Power
High Capacity 8-cell Lithium Ion (63whr)
Camera
2.0 Megapixel HD Video and Picture Camera with dual digital microphones
Wireless
Networking and Wi-Fi Options
All Intel® Wi-Fi options include Intel® Wireless Display (Wi-Di) technology support.
Integrated 10/100/1000Mbps Gigabit Ethernet NIC (Standard)
Intel® Wireless-N WiFi Link 1000 a/g/n 1x2 (Standard)
Intel® Advanced-N WiFi Link 6205 a/g/n 2x2 MIMO Technology (Optional)
Intel® Advanced-N WiFi Link 6250 a/g/n 2x2 MIMO Technology with WiMax (Optional)
High-Performance Wireless Display Technology
60GHz WirelessHD Wireless Display - HDMI fidelity over wireless (Optional)
Bluetooth Option
Internal Bluetooth® 3.0
Ports, Slots & Chassis
External Chassis Connections
(1x) RJ-45 Gigabit Ethernet
(2x) SuperSpeed USB 3.0 Ports
(1x) Hi-Speed USB 2.0 Port with PowerShare Technology
(1x) Mini-Display Port
(1x) HDMI 1.4 Audio and Video Output
(1x) VGA Port
(1x) 9-in-1 Media Card Reader
(2x) Audio Out 1/8" Ports
(1x) Audio In / Microphone 1/8" Port (retaskable for 5.1 audio)
(1x) Security Lock port 
System Dimensions
Height: 37.8 mm (1.49 inches)
Depth: 258.34 mm (10.17 inches)
Width: 337.00 mm (13.27 inches)
Starting at Weight11 with 8-cell battery: - 2.92 kg (6.45lbs) 
Color Options
Stealth Black with Soft Touch Finish
Nebula Red with Soft Touch Finish
Keyboard
4-Zone, multi-color RGB, 82 key keyboard with AlienFX lighting controls
Customized Features
Laser-Engraved Nameplate

Alienware m17x10-1847DSB 17‐Inch Gaming Laptop

After being a SONY VAIO user for a few years I was very anxious to put the Alienware laptop to the test. Although I am not much of a gamer these days I DO multi-task to a ridiculous degree. I often have 3 browsers open with dozens of tabs as well as running web authoring software, Photo shop and other utilities. At the time of ordering my laptop from Amazon I also ordered a 4 GB RAM stick to even out the odd 6 GB included with the M17. 8 GB appears to be sufficient to my needs. My first impression was overwhelming. There is no denying this laptop was built to impress. Every one that gazes on this laptop has had nothing less than Awe to express. One friend said it reminded him of a stealth fighter. All the lighting and matte black case is really attractive. I love the slot loading opti drive, even though just like the SONY it is on the right side, totally bumping in to my trackball every time I eject a disc. But better than SONY it does provide plenty of USB ports, 5 over the 2 supplied by SONY. Most import there are ports on both sides. The SONY had 2 right next to the disk drive again being totally in the way of any mouse or trackball.....??


Now for actual use: I have been using it for a few weeks now. First off like another review indicates there was (ZERO) software, free or trial that had to be uninstalled like EVERY other laptop I have ever dealt with. That was VERY nice. I did not know at time of purchase that this unit had (2) hard drives running in a Raid O. Interesting. The access to the drives and Memory is very easy from the bottom unlike a lot of other laptops. It appears the multiple cooling fans are easy to get to and clean when required.

Even with the dual Raid O hard drive THIS laptop appears to boot up a bit slower than the VAIO. I think this has something to do with the Alienware face recognition and other ALienware related esthetics. I am sure this can be all uninstalled or deactivated. Not a huge deal at the moment but I thought I should mention it. Face recognition is very annoying until it gets to know you. Still may be quicker to just type in your password. A very unique feature any way you look at it.(no pun intended) There has been no issues installing any of my drivers to external devices I use.

This will be my short list of complaints:
- The SONY has a better screen. no doubt. Plus a blueray player.
- Matte Black looks really cool as long as you keep it clean. It seems to attract dust like a magnet and it shows bad.
- The actual height of the keyboard is about an inch higher than what I am used to so I had to readjust my office chair to type comfortably.
- After the newness of the pretty lights begins to become normal one might wonder if they may be an issue in the future. Also the machine has more of a kids look (not sure it would fit in to an office environment). I do miss the thin elegance of the SONY. This is a VERY heavy laptop. Even though I never take my big laptop with me anywhere (I have a netbook for that) this laptop is VERY bulky and appears to weigh twice that of the SONY.
- I think if SONY would have offered some of the features found on the M17 I would be still using the SONY at 2/3s the price.

Bottom line: If you can afford this expensive laptop. Give it a try. Buying from Amazon I had it on my door step the day after ordering it.....NICE!!! Amazon return policy: THE BEST!!! I don't think I would have tried this laptop if Amazon did not offer it.

I hope this helps potential M17 customers make a decision.