M14X Advice

I am thinking of purchasing this one -- haven't made my mind up yet.

I'm actually not probably going to use it for gaming -- the GPU chip is almost certainly a needless luxury. But I want to have the ability should I ever want to do some gaming. (I will want to play ARMA 3, but this machine will not be up to that and I might have to spring for a box unit to play that game).

I will however use the machine for very complex economic models and simulations and also for photo or video editing.

Meanwhile though, I am interested in some feedback from people who have had their machine a while.

How long have you had it?

What is the build quality like?

What do you like about it?

What have you been disappointed in?

What would you do differently if you had to do it over?

 

I have had my m14x for about a week now.

The build quality (at least of my particular unit) is absolutely amazing. Out of the box, it had no scratches or defects. The rubber coating all around the laptop really gives it a grand look and feel. I ordered the black one, I have read in some places that the red one, although also covered in the same material doesn't feel as sheek. The keyboard is a joy to use because the keys are perfect lengths apart, easy for fast and comfortable typing. The screen and lid of the laptop is very sturdy and isn't loose. Overall, it is comparable to the build quality of a Macbook, and I would go as far as to say its better bc of its style and design. This is a very beautiful laptop with tasteful curves and grooves... a pleasure to behold

I like the fact that it packs sooo much power into the 14 inch frame. It is without a doubt, the most powerful 14 inch laptop on the planet. Before purchasing it, I have read reviews and comments about its thickness and weight and that was a small concern to me since it would be my main computer and would be transported a lot. However, when it arrived, I was surprised to see that it wasn't anywhere near as thick as I had expected it to be and much lighter than I thought. Anyone who says its not a portable machine is just out of their mind. It is very easily portable.,...Aside form this, I love the Alienfx. I love almost everything about this machine....the battery life is great as well (4-5 hrs on high performance settings and doing word processing and internet surfing)

There is very little I was disappointed in. Perhaps the screen is prone to accumulating finger prints and dust due to the glass that level the screen with the frame. (honestly all I can think of atm)

If I could redo my order, I would have gone with the lcd screen upgrade. Not that the stock one is bad but I could have used that upgrade, and I know for your needs, you should not buy this machine without the screen upgrades. I think i would have also bought the entended warranty if I had another chance, but the 1 year limited warranty is more than enough time to find any problems and get em fixed....

 

When I ordered I was afraid of some of the problems people were having but I got a really good unit with no issues. The build quality is excellent especially coming from a cheap plastic HP. It is a bit on the heavy side for a 14" laptop as it weighs more than my friends xps. It can play most of my games on high or max settings with a nice overclock and my GPU temp has never gone over 70c. Overall it is a very fast machine and I'm glad I got the m14x instead of the m17x because it would have been way to big to carry all over campus.

 

You can still get the warranty extended over the next 11 months...so dont worry...Also totally agree with soul...i got a great piece in great condition...not even a single scratch on it...Its been a amazing machine to get and am extremely happy i went ahead and got it...........right from the build quality to the speed to the gaming performance....bang for your buck

My recommendation would be to go with the stock processor ie 2630 ..8Gb ram.....and the 900p is a must IMHO...also the screen isnt half as bad as most people keep posting here...i think its great...and its the best 14" laptop i have ever owned Amazing

 

Bump -- (I am guessing that once people have their machine and are satisfied -- they don't check back in here much? So I won't get much reply on this?)

 

I have had my m14x for 2 months now. What i loved the most about it is that it took 28 hours after buying it on alienware's site till i received it. Amazing shipping, at least for me. The build quality is pretty good. Kind of a hit and miss, though chances of you getting a bad quality build are uncommon. Love how this thing games. Although you can get a better gaming laptop for the equivalent price, it games perfectly for the size. Love the alien fx, the keyboard feedback, the 900p display, and the overall look. I'm really disappointed in the heat, though i am use to it now. It heats up a lot during gaming, even when browsing the web it heats up more than it should. If i can do anything differently I'd get it in red. I didn't have the option for red because i ordered a 24 hour quick ship model. The black is nice, but I wanted the red since before it came out. Also, the soft touch finish is nice, but it scratches more easily than metal. Would have loved metal. But overall I'm pleased, a great buy.

 

Gotta realize that for every person who has problems on here there's probability 100-200 people without a single issue they just have no reason to post.

 

i f**kin love my m14x
got mine in red. had it for 2 months. had no probs except the dam heat. but when you see gaming on it especially for a 14inch laptop its incredible. had no problem running any current game.
look of it looks great and fx keyboard although pointless it looks smart. every person who has seen it says it looks kinda sexy lol

like i said i do game a lot on it. so you have to expect it to warm up for the size. i dont think ive had temps that others have reported. i have a cooler master for it which helps but doesnt eliminate the fan noise.

overall best purchase ive made this year

 

Thank you niko. I have heard the heat is pretty strong.

 

Oh, I realize that.

How about you? What do you like? What are you disappointed in? What would you do differently?

 

Great response!

Let me ask you -- how bad is the fan noise?