Keyboard

Alienware did an excellent job designing the M14x's input devices. The soft typing experience provided by the keyboard is quite relaxing. The big keys, which measure 17 by 17 mm, provide excellent pressure points and stroke distances. Even the typing noise is acceptable, however, the "Enter" key produces a squeaky noise whenever it is hit. The layout is excellent, and users will quickly become used to it.

The Fn key combinations allow the user to adjust the laptop's brightness and volume. In addition, the user may turn on or off the M14x's WLAN, Bluetooth, and touchpad. Multimedia control is included in the Fn combinations enabling simple playing of music and videos. The only item lacking is a number block, which was not possible to include owing to space constraints.

Touchpad

Instead of the knobby surface present on prior versions, Alienware has decided to make the touchpad's surface comfortable smooth. As a result, the touchpad may provide excellent gliding support. The touchpad has excellent accuracy, and all input was received and implemented with care. The touchpad's measurements are likewise acceptable: 81 x 44 mm. For the most part, this should suffice.

The horizontal and vertical scrolling bars may be set on and off in the Command Center (Alien Touch). The two mouse keys might be made more responsive since they seem soft while in use. It would be preferable to have a more accurate clicking approach.

Display

The native resolution of the 14.1-inch 16:9 format WLED display is 1366 x 768 or 1600 x 900 pixels. Instead, buyers should go for the HD+ version (1600 x 900 pixels in our test model), as the 1366 x 768 resolution is too tiny to work comfortably in, and the GeForce GT 555M can display recent games effectively even at higher resolutions.

Overall, the display's values are good. The fitted SEC544B panel impresses with its brilliant display (average of 266.6 cd/m2), which brings games and movies to life. Black regions are not yellowish, as they sometimes are in other notebooks, thanks to the good black value (0.56 cd/m2).

The contrast is also good, with a ratio of 504:1. The image appeared to be subjectively rich and powerful. The color space test, on the other hand, revealed a significant problem. The AdobeRGB and sRGB color spaces are not covered by the display. Normal users will be able to overlook this flaw, but professional photographers and video editors will need to choose another laptop.

Despite the display's great brightness, it is not advised for usage outside. When exposed to direct sunlight, the reflecting display surface can produce very bright reflections, putting the eyes under a lot of strain. Indoors, similar problems will not arise, but the user will need to choose an appropriate sport to minimize distracting reflections as much as possible.

The steadiness of the viewing angle is above average. Even when the display is moved around a lot, the picture does not vary much horizontally. When the display is moved vertically, the displayed picture becomes distorted at the bottom of the screen. Overall, the display provides good visual quality, far superior to that seen in a standard laptop. This display allows the user to enjoy his media collection without any issues.

Processor Performance

The installed CPU's power demonstrates Alienware's commitment to high program performance. The model does not support dual-core processors; instead, consumers must pick an efficient quad-core processor from Intel's newest Sandy-Bridge generation. Our test model used an Intel Core i7-2630QM processor, which is a low-cost model from the most recent generation.

While the processor's default clock speed of 2.0 GHz is inadequate, it may be overclocked to 2.9 GHz (Turbo-Boost technology). The CPU also has the same amount of L3 cache memory (6 MB) as the Core i7-2720QM, which is more costly (Core i7-2820QM: 8 MB). Hyperthreading technology is another significant element. The CPU can handle up to eight threads at once thanks to the emulation of four virtual cores.

Intel's integrated graphics unit is deserving of praise. Notebook makers can employ power-saving GPU switching because of the poor HD Graphics 3000. The processor itself is rather power-hungry, using up to 45 watts. All of the Sandy Bridge CPUs are made on the current 32 nm technology.

CPU Performance

The Core i7-2630QM has excellent performance. As soon as an application that can employ more than two cores is executed, the Core i3- and Core i5 series are left in the dust. In the Cinebench R10 benchmark's Multi-Core Rendering test, the hugely popular Core i5-2410M (Dell XPS 15) has no chance. With a 68 percent better score, the Core i7-2630QM took first place (16545 to 9839 points). Despite the fact that the performance gap decreased little in the Cinebench R11.5 benchmark, the quad-core i7 remained definitely in the first position. The Core i5-2410M (2.58 points) was unable to match the i7s' 4.15 point performance.

Performance GPU

We compared the GeForce GT 555M's 3D performance against that of AMD's counterpart, the Radeon HD 6770M. (HP dv7-6030ew). Nvidia's GPU came in the second position in 3DMark Vantage. With a score of 5286 to 4997 points, the Radeon HD 6770M took the lead by 6%. The GPU score in the most recent 3DMark 11 revealed an improvement in the AMD GPU's advantage from 1346 to 1159 points (+16%).

Gaming Performance

To pass our gaming performance test, the M14x has to perform well in four popular games. In this test, the GeForce GT 555M had to battle against one of its fiercest competitors, the Radeon HD 6750M, for the sake of comparison. We utilized two MacBook Pro models to test all of the games because we couldn't test them all on one machine (both are equipped with Radeon HD 6750M). We were able to limit the difference in CPU effect to a minimal because both notebooks feature the same processor, the Core i7-2720QM.

Speakers

The M14x's sound quality sets the bar for other manufacturers. Alienware employs a 2.1 audio system, which includes two speakers above the keyboard and a subwoofer beneath the laptop. In the notebook class, such amazing sound is uncommon.

The audio is well-balanced, powerful, and authentic. With a high maximum volume level, the speakers do well, and the laptop may even be used for presentations in large venues. The MaxxAudio technology provides a wide range of possibilities for audiophiles (see screenshot). Users who don't want to spend hours fine-tuning their sound output can utilize the pre-defined scenarios (Films, Music, Language, and Gaming).

Battery Life

The M14x's mobility is pretty unique. Under the hood of the M14x is a Samsung 8-cell (63 Wh) battery, which may give long run periods thanks to the Optimus technology. Using the Reader's test from the Battery Eater benchmark, we assessed how long the 14-inch laptop could go without being connected to a power socket. The final time of 7 hours and 17 minutes (with the lowest display brightness and all energy-saving features enabled) is outstanding.

Using the WLAN module for wireless surfing is also not difficult. For around 4.5 hours, Microsoft's Internet Explorer operated at full brightness with energy-saving features set to medium. Users may also view incredibly long films (such as the Ultimate Cut of Watchmen) on the move since the laptop lasted 4 hours during the DVD playback test. When a dedicated graphics card is used, however, the run time drops to roughly one hour (65 minutes in the Classic test from the Battery Eater benchmark - maximum brightness and energy-saving options all deactivated).

In light of the M14x's performance, the energy consumption is reasonable. When idle, the notebook uses just 14 to 22.8 W as long as the integrated graphics chip is turned on (HD Graphics 3000). The laptop's power consumption quickly rises from 96.6 to 124.5 watts while under high use. Under severe stress, the 15-inch Schenker XMG A501, which has a Core i5-2410M CPU and a GeForce GT 555M graphics card, used less power than the M14x.

Free Download Dell Alienware M14x Compal LA-6801P Schematic Circuit Diagram