The Next Big Thing in Gaming Tech – Alienware 14

When it comes to gaming, we all know where Alienware stands, and why Alienware laptops and notebooks are so revered by gamers from all around the world. And the new Alienware 14 is out, and here is a review to help you get introduced to the beast in a better and closer way.

The build:

The first and foremost thing that you will notice when you unpack the Alienware 14 is the sturdy build. The notebook has been built with way better materials than before, and thanks to the heavy magnesium alloy chassis, you can feel very empowered when you hold the Alienware 14 in your hand. The metal overhaul has been made to extend to the support brackets for the keyboard, and to the LCD assembly and screen hinges too. There is a soft rubber coating that runs the length of the face of the machine, and due to this, you cannot make out the metal overhaul running underneath it.

Lighting

There are a total of ten lighting zones that you can customise to come up with patterns and designs of your own in the Alienware 14 laptops. There are a whopping nineteen colours, so you can well imagine that look wise, these laptops are on top of the list. The angled edges of the laptop are decorated with LED lights. This has been basically done because the matte finish dulls the edges, and the lights have been placed in a way so as to not make the laptops appear dull. These LED lights are everywhere- under the keyboard, various places on the lid, the sides and even the front of the chassis, etc. One of the most notable changes from the previous versions of these laptops is that in this model, the Alienware 14, the light stretches along the entire surface of the track pad.

Connectivity:

The Alienware 14 laptop comes with two USB 3.0 SUperSpeed ports on the left side, a HDMI as we as a Mini Display Port. There are audio ports, both lines-in and line-out, for your headphones and microphones. On the right side is a slot-loading optical drive, an Ethernet jack, a multi-format memory card reader, and there might be a couple of more USB ports, but that varies from model to model.

The Keypad:

The keypad in the Alienware 14 is a welcome change from the ones that you would normally find on the older models of Alienware laptops. The keypad looks quite like the older ThinkPad keypads, and needless to say, the keys are all soft-touch, so they are extremely smooth for both typing out documents and for gaming as well. The 17 inch model comes with a number pad, but this is absent in the smaller models.

The Trackpad:

The track pad this time around is well-lit, to begin with, and it is large enough to offer smooth operation and at the same time, not too large so as to get in the way. It is the perfect size. The best part about the track pad is that, the texture of the track pad is different from that of the rest of the machine surface, so you can easily locate the track pad without having to look down. The track pad has an excellent multi-touch interface, but all gestures and scrolling options are disabled by default. This is a little bit of a letdown, as this new track pad is probably the best that we have seen in recent times.

The graphics and memory vary from model to model, but it can be safely said that, be it for gaming or video editing purposes, or just for regular use, the Alienware 14 is one of the best in its class. And you can easily go for one today!