The Alienware M18x may be a humongous beast with a huge price tag, but those who prefer a more portable gaming machine or are on a tighter budget should consider the M14x instead.
At first glance, the M14x looks like a shrunken version of the M18x. The design is very similar, from the curved lip of the chassis to the glowing headlights. You'll either love it or hate it, and we definitely love it.
The reduced body size means the keyboard has been cropped, but the bevelled keys are still perfectly sized for playing your favourite games. The numeric keypad has been ditched, as have the media controls that sat over the M18x's keyboard.
However, this board is firmer than the M18x's and is just as great for typing out essays as it is for blasting your way through an action game. We also like the subtle blue glow that lights the keys at night.
Despite being a lot slimmer than the M18x, this laptop still packs in plenty of power. One of Intel's latest and most powerful Core i7 processors scored one of our best benchmark results, while the dedicated Nvidia graphics card will keep you gaming for the foreseeable future. Even the latest shooters played smoothly and looked incredible.
If money is tight, you can downgrade to a Core i5 processor, which should still handle the latest games with ease. However, if you have money to burn, then you can upgrade the specs to get even longer life from your laptop.
Unfortunately, the slot-loading DVD drive can't be upgraded to a Blu-ray.
Staying power
If you need a gaming laptop to keep you entertained on the move, the M14x is a great option. At 3kg it isn't exactly light, but it won't break your back either.
We were especially impressed by the battery, which survived for almost three hours on a single charge when we decided to watch a movie. Playing games does drain the battery more quickly, and the M14x's internal fans spin loudly during intensive gaming sessions.
Thankfully, it's hard to notice if you turn the sound up, as the built-in speakers are surprisingly powerful. The back of the laptop gets warm around the air vents, but not to a worrying degree.
The smaller 14-inch screen is still fine for gaming, thanks to its sharp 1600 x 900 resolution. It's bright enough to work on comfortably for extended periods without straining your eyes, which is great news for anyone who likes all-night gaming sessions.
TechRadar Labs
Battery Eater '05: 165 minutes
Cinebench: 17090
3DMark 2006: 12259
While 500GB of hard drive space is a lot for the average laptop, gaming machines tend to fill up fast when you install all of your favourite titles. You'll have to choose carefully to avoid running out of space.
We fell in love with the M14x's compact and portable chassis, which still finds room for some impressive technology. Based on price and portability alone, we'd pick this slim gamer over its big brother.
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