Dell Alienware x14 (14-inch, 2022)

Thin, sturdy and good-looking exterior ; Great 1080p gaming power ; Huge processing ability ; Impressive screen, keyboard and connectivity

Rivals faster in games ; Tiny touchpad ; Mediocre speakers ; No display upgrades

The Alienware x14 is the world’s slimmest gaming laptop, and it impresses elsewhere with good gaming performance, a fantastic processor and a great design, screen and keyboard. That said, more gaming grunt is available from other 14-inch machines, and...

Gorgeous design ; Extremely lightweight ; Very thin ; Solid performance

Expensive ; Short battery life ; Subpar webcam

Extremely thin and light ; Stylish ; Comfortable keyboard ; 85W RTX 3060 in a light chassis

Odd form factor limits bag options ; Limited to RTX 3060

Great mainstream gaming speed ; Excellent 1080p display ; Impressive ports and connectivity ; Robust, good-looking and slim exterior

Mediocre battery life ; Noticeable fan noise ; Tiny trackpad

Rock-solid mainstream performance inside a slim, attractive and sturdy chassis – although you’ll get more power and longevity elsewhere.

Very thin ; Stunning design ; Good quality display

Poor battery life ; No per-key RGB lighting ; Very limited upgrade options

Squeezing big-boy gaming performance into a compact laptop is always going to be a matter of managing compromises and, viewed from that perspective, the Alienware x14 does most things right.

Thinnest 14-inch gaming laptop Fantastic battery life Solid performance USB-C charging Comfortable keyboard

Tiny trackpad Only one USB-A port Middling screen

“The Alienware x14 R2 is an iterative update, but it still might be the best 14-inch gaming laptop you can buy.”

Incredibly thin Lots of ports in back Solid performance Excellent build quality Comfortable keyboard

Limited to RTX 3060 Wrist rests are too small Thick, plastic bezels

“The Alienware x14 takes the concept of a compact laptop further than ever before.”

Impressively fast Core i7 “Alder Lake” processor ; RTX 3060 unit delivers a consistent 60fps-plus gaming experience ; Compact design ; Long-lasting battery ; Wide range of connectivity, including three USB-C ports

Expensive ; 14-inch screen size may be too small for some hardcore gamers

The brand-new Alienware x14 joins the upper echelon of 14-inch gaming laptops, delivering a sound gaming experience and fast overall performance in a super-portable design.

The X-series chassis design is stunning ; Good performance for its thickness ; Plenty of ports

Costly ; Cramped keyboard layout ; Less performance that other similarly priced laptops

Alienware’s X14 is a smaller, 14-inch version of the company’s more powerful X15 and X17 gaming laptops. While the X14 matches the look and is speedy in its own right, a high price and other issues hold it back.