Dell’s Alienware line of gaming laptops has always been a divisive topic; it’s difficult to dispute that they’ve got some powerful components under the hood, but the sci-fi aesthetic isn’t to everyone’s taste and you’re certainly resigning yourself to paying a steep premium if you buy one. I like to call this the ‘Alienware Tax’—and with Dell’s new Alienware x14, that’s actually a tax I’d be happy to pay. The larger, heavier 17-inch models are a bit harder to love, but this compact powerhouse immediately feels like a laptop for the discerning gamer.
