Hardware

Cracking Open the $1,800 Alienware M14x gaming notebook

By // October 26, 2011, 4:19 AM PST // billdetwiler

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  • Cracking Open the Alienware M14x

    The Alienware M14x isn't your average laptop. This $1,800 gaming notebook has a 2.4GHz Intel Core i7 processor, 4GB Dual Channel DDR3 1600MHz RAM, and 1.5GB NVIDIA GeForce GT 555M GPU.

    But, its stand-out-feature isn't any of this high-end hardware. What makes the 2011 M14x truly interesting is the integration of a wireless HDMI transmitter. When paired with the included receiver, the M14x offers a glimpse of the future--a world without video/audio cables, where devices (laptops, set-top boxes, game consoles, and the like) stream video/audio to any display.

    Follow along as I crack open the Alienware M14x.

    For a more in-depth review of the M14x's internal hardware, check out my article, "Alienware M14x Teardown: Wireless HDMI portends future without wires."

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: In the box

    The 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.)

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Box contents

    Included with the M14x are a power adapter, VIZIO XWH200 Universal Wireless HD Video and Audio Kit, cloth cover, software dics, and product documentation.

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Basic hardware specs

    Our 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/1600×900) with WLED backlight display, 8x SuperMulti DVD±R/RW Slot Load Optical Drive, and the Internal 60GHz WirelessHD Transmitter and VIZIO XWH200 Universal Wireless HD Video and Audio Kit.

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Dimensions and weight

    The Alienware M14x measures 1.49" (H) x 13.27" (W) x 10.17" (D). It weighs a hefty (by laptop standards) 6.45 pounds.

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption 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

    I used a standard Phillips screws driver to remove the screws on the M14x's bottom cover.

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Bottom cover screws

    Someone 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.

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption 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

    The 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.

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

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption 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

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

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption 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)

    The 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

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

    Although 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.

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption 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)

    Six 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

    The 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

    This Alienware M14x's motherboard has the following markings:

    PALBO LA-6801P
    Rev:1.0(A00)
    2011-01-24
    MADE IN CHINA
    VENDOR: HannStar

  • Cracking Open the Alienware M14x: Complete teardown

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

    For a more in-depth review of the M14x's internal hardware, check out my article, "Alienware M14x Teardown: Wireless HDMI portends future without wires."

Cracking Open the Alienware M14x

The Alienware M14x isn't your average laptop. This $1,800 gaming notebook has a 2.4GHz Intel Core i7 processor, 4GB Dual Channel DDR3 1600MHz RAM, and 1.5GB NVIDIA GeForce GT 555M GPU.

But, its stand-out-feature isn't any of this high-end hardware. What makes the 2011 M14x truly interesting is the integration of a wireless HDMI transmitter. When paired with the included receiver, the M14x offers a glimpse of the future--a world without video/audio cables, where devices (laptops, set-top boxes, game consoles, and the like) stream video/audio to any display.

Follow along as I crack open the Alienware M14x.

For a more in-depth review of the M14x's internal hardware, check out my article, "Alienware M14x Teardown: Wireless HDMI portends future without wires."

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
Caption by: Bill Detwiler

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By Bill Detwiler

Bill Detwiler is Editor in Chief of TechRepublic and the host of Cracking Open, CNET and TechRepublic's popular online show. Prior to joining TechRepublic in 2000, Bill was an IT manager, database administrator, and desktop support specialist in the ...