Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: In the box

ntThe Alienware M14x is available in a variety of case and hardware configurations. The base model starts at $1,099 (US). Our test model cost just under $1,800. (Note: Alienware is a subsidiary of Dell.)
nt
ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Box contents

ntIncluded with the M14x are a power adapter, VIZIO XWH200 Universal Wireless HD Video and Audio Kit, cloth cover, software dics, and product documentation.
nt
ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Basic hardware specs

ntOur the Alienware M14x test model had an Intel Core i7 2760QM 2.4GHz processor, 1.5GB DDR3 NVIDIA GeForce GT 555M video chip, 4GB Dual Channel DDR3 at 1600MHz RAM, 500GB 7200RPM SATA HDD, Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6205 WLAN card, 14.0 inch HD (900p/1600u00d7900) with WLED backlight display, 8x SuperMulti DVDu00b1R/RW Slot Load Optical Drive, and the Internal 60GHz WirelessHD Transmitter and VIZIO XWH200 Universal Wireless HD Video and Audio Kit.
nt
ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Dimensions and weight

ntThe Alienware M14x measures 1.49″ (H) x 13.27″ (W) x 10.17″ (D). It weighs a hefty (by laptop standards) 6.45 pounds.
nt
ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Left side ports

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Right side ports and optical drive slot

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Bottom

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Removing the bottom cover screws

ntI used a standard Phillips screws driver to remove the screws on the M14x’s bottom cover.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Bottom cover screws

ntSomeone had worked on this M14x before I. One of the corners on the bottom cover was chipped and one of the spring-loaded screws was missing its spring.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Sliding off the bottom cover

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Removing the bottom cover

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Inside an $1899 laptop

ntThe Alienware M14x has a massive frame to which most of the internal components are mounted. Once you remove the laptop’s bottom cover, you can easily access the battery, hard drive, optical drive, wireless cards, and RAM.

n

ntBut, removing the motherboard, cooling unit, and display requires quite a bit more work.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Removing the battery screws

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Removing the battery

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Samsung SDI 14.8V, 63Wh Li-ion battery

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Removing the optical drive screws

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Detaching the optical drive ribbon cable

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Removing the optical drive

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Hitachi-LG Data Storage 8x Super Multi DVD Rewriter (Model: GS30N)

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Removing the RAM chip cover screws

ntThe Alienware M14x’s two RAM slots are covered with a black cover. I removed it before removing the chips.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Removing the RAM chip cover

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Removing the RAM chips

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Hynix 2GB Dual Channel DDR3 RAM modules (HMT325S6BFR8C-PB)

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Removing the hard drive screws

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Removing the hard drive

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: 500GB Samsung HM500JJ 7200 RPM SATA hard drive

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Removing the Intel 62205ANHMW WLAN card screws

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Removing the Intel 62205ANHMW WLAN card

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6205 WLAN card (Model: 62205ANHMW)

ntThe Alienware M14x uses this Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6205 WLAN card as one of its two wireless HDMI options. Using this card in conjunction with 

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Removing the Internal 60GHz WirelessHD Transmitter card screws

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Removing the Internal 60GHz WirelessHD Transmitter card

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Internal 60GHz WirelessHD Transmitter card - Front

ntAs I noted earlier, this Alienware M14x’s standout feature is the machine’s integrated wireless HD transmitter.

n

ntAlthough the Intel WLAN card can also transmit video and audio to and external device via Intel’s Wireless Display technology, this PCB is the M14x’s dedicated 60GHz WirelessHD transmitter, which is designed to work with the included VIZIO XWH200 Universal Wireless HD Video and Audio Kit.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Internal 60GHz WirelessHD Transmitter card - Back

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: SiBEAM (Silicon Image) SB9220 Network Processor

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Atmel SAM7S ARM7TDMI Flash MCU

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Winbond 25Q16BVIG Serial Flash Memory

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Removing the wireless antenna wires

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Removing the remaining chassis screws

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Removing the keyboard bezel

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Removing the keyboard screws

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Removing the keyboard

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Detaching the keyboard ribbon cables

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Keyboard removed

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Keyboard - Top

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Keyboard - Bottom

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Removing the top case cover screws

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Popping loose the top case cover

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Removing the top case cover

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Top case cover - External

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Top case cover - Internal

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Left speaker - Top

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Left speaker - Bottom

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Touchpad

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Front LED PCBs

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Top case cover removed

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Removing the lid hinge screws

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Disconnecting the display and webcam cables

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: 14.0 inch HD (900p/1600×900) with WLED backlight display

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Lid removed

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Removing the front speaker

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Front speaker

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Removing the system battery

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Removing the Broadcom BCM92070MD Bluetooth module

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Broadcom BCM92070MD Bluetooth module

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Removing the wireless card connector PCB

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Wireless card connector PCB

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Removing the motherboard screws

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Removing the motherboard

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Chassis

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Motherboard with cooling assembly and shields

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Removing the cooling fan screws

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Detaching the cooling fan tape

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Forcecon DFS531205HC0T DC280009OF0 cooling fan

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Removing the cooling assembly screws

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Removing the cooling assembly

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: CPU and GPU cooling assembly

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Motherboard - Top

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Motherboard - Bottom

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Intel Core i7 2760QM 2.4GHz processor (E79867 01 S63)

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: NVIDIA GeForce GT 555M video chip (40N3X7 1040A1 N12E-GE-B-A1)

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Hynix H5TQ2G63BFR 2Gb DDR3 SDRAM (X6 for 1.5GB)

ntSix Hynix H5TQ2G63BFR 2Gb DDR3 SDRAM chips are soldered to the Alienware M14x’s motherboard. According to my research, these chips likely provide the 1.5GB of memory for the NVIDIA GT 555M graphics card.

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Parade PS121 HDMI/DVI Repeater

ntThe Alienware M14x has two Parade PS121 HDMI/DVI Repeater chips soldered to its motherboard.

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Intersil ISL95831 3+1 Voltage Regulator for IMVP-7/VR12 CPUs

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Intersil ISL6264 Two-Phase Core Controller for AMD Mobile Turion CPU

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Intel BD82HM67 Platform Controller Hub (E76639 01 PK5)

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: ENE Technology KB930QF A1 (clock generator?)

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Realtek RTS5209 card reader

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: NEC USB 3.0 controller (D720200AF1)

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Silicon Laboratories C8051F347 High-speed 8051 MCU

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Realtek ALC665 5.1-Channel High Definition Audio Codec

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Eon Silicon Solution cFeon F8075HCP (BIOS?)

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Intersil ISL6251 Low Cost Multi-Chemistry Battery Charger Controller

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Motherboard markings

ntThis Alienware M14x’s motherboard has the following markings:

n

ntPALBO LA-6801P
ntRev:1.0(A00)
nt2011-01-24
ntMADE IN CHINA
ntVENDOR: HannStar

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Complete teardown

ntThe Alienware M14x is well-built, and easy to disassemble.

n

ntFor a more in-depth review of the M14x’s internal hardware, check out my article, “Alienware M14x Teardown: Wireless HDMI portends future without wires.”