Dell has announced a host of updated and refreshed laptops at CES 2022, but the compact new Alienware X14 stands out as that rare new thing: an entirely new laptop model.
Alienware launched the X series back in June 2021, with the Alienware X15 and X17 designed to serve as uncompromising gaming machines, dressed in the brand’s signature aesthetic and complete with patented Cryo-Tech cooling technology. Now that same approach has been taken with the range’s most compact entry to date.
As the model’s name implies, the X14 features a 14in Full HD 144Hz ComfortView Plus display, with a 7ms response time. Inside, you’ll find a 12th-gen Intel Core i7 processor and a choice of Nvidia RTX 3050, 3050 Ti, or 3060 GPUs.
According to Alienware, it’s also, “the world’s thinnest 14in gaming laptop.” At 14.5mm thick we can see what they mean, and it doesn’t hurt that even the heaviest configuration comes in comfortably below 2kg in weight.
When first unveiled, Alienware’s VP Vivian Lien stated that the team behind it were “very mindful of the use case where people do want to take it places,” and confirmed that longevity is one of the X14’s main focuses, promising that the machine represents “a new level of battery experience, that sets a new bar of Alienware.”
As such, the X14 sports an 80Wh battery and supports 130W USB-C charging.
Dell confirmed that the Alienware X14 will be available sometime in winter 2022, with US pricing starting from $1,799.
The X14 wasn’t Alienware’s only announcement at the show though. For starters, its big siblings are getting updates, with R2 versions of the premium X15 and X17 laptops on the way too.
Both machines feature “all-new Intel processors, as well as new Nvidia graphics cards,” with US pricing starting at $2,199 and $2,229, respectively. They’ll join the X14 in launching some time this winter.
The cheaper M15 and M17 also received a timely refresh (having last been updated at CES 2021). The M15 is being updated with the latest graphics cards and processors, with AMD models starting from $1,499 (slated to arrive in spring 2022) and Intel variants from $2,099 (arriving in winter 2022).
Meanwhile, a new Ryzen Edition of the Alienware M17 has also been revealed, which the company’s Eddy Goyanes says is “the most powerful 17in AMD Advantage laptop” yet. Featuring “the latest Ryzen processors, the latest Radeon graphics and all the new AMD smart technologies, including the first-ever smart access graphics application on a laptop.”
Like the AMD-powered M15 R7, the M17 R5 is scheduled to arrive in Spring 2022, costing from $1,599. Check out our review of the existing M15 R5 Ryzen Edition and the previous M17 R4 for an idea of what to expect from this upcoming entry in the M series.
Alongside the laptops, Alienware also unveiled a new 34in QD-OLED gaming monitor, set to launch in March, and the Tri-mode gaming headset and mouse, which are both able to switch between Bluetooth 5.2, a wireless USB dongle connection, or wired.
Parent brand Dell also unveiled the XPS 13 Plus, an update to its flagship consumer laptop with a revamped keyboard, haptic trackpad, and touch-sensitive function row.
Want to see what the Alienware X14 and its refreshed sibling are currently up against, check out our rundown of the best gaming laptops available right now. Those interested in the Tri-mode headset and mouse might also want to eye over our best gaming headsets and best gaming mice round-ups.
