Alienware 14 review: is this gaming laptop worth its price?

Alienware is a brand beloved by many gamers. Built especially for gaming, and tarted up in futuristic designs, these heavy (and heavy-duty) laptops’ prices tend to be as hefty as they are. But does a gamer in Asia really need an Alienware laptop?

We recently got to try out the Alienware 14, a beast of a 14” laptop. Here’s what we thought.

Form

The Alienware 14 is an interesting laptop. It’s done up in your usual funky Alienware silhouette—blocky with hard angles, yet managing to appear futuristic and sleek at the same time. The inbuilt Alienware Command Center software lets you control the backlight that runs through the laptop’s chassis and keyboard, as well as the Alienware logo in the centre of its cover.

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The Alienware 14 is 4cm thick, 33.5cm wide, and 25cm long. It weighs 2.7kg and comes with a card reader that supports a variety of formats, three USB ports, one ethernet port, one HDMI port, one mini-display port, a security lock port, as well as microphone, audio, and audio combo jacks. It’s also got a full 14” screen set in a 15.5 inch chassis, done up in aluminium and a matte rubber coating.

The Alienware 14 is cooled via vents on its back and underside.

What works

The Alienware 14 definitely looks and feels futuristic, and its weight makes you feel like it’s ready for some serious heavy-duty gaming. Its matte screen makes for nearly 180 degree viewing, which is nice for your spectating friends or family. Its battery pack is slim and surprisingly light for something that packs such a punch, and comes with a ring around the power input that lights up if it is ready to charge.