Yes, this is an unfair comparison to begin with. The M14x is a 14-inch laptop and a relatively convenient gadget compared to what gets around in the gaming laptop market. It weighs two pounds less than the G53 series from ASUS and is just plain smaller. So why compare?

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Here's the short answer as to why a comparison is relevant: Alienware recently retired its 15-inch model the M15x in favor of the M14x, so lots of prospective gaming laptop buyers who don't want or need a bulky desktop replacement (17 inches or larger) might just end up weighing the pros and cons of these two, or just about any two gaming notebooks 15.6 inches or smaller. In this game the Alienware M14x has to play with the big boys, even though it populates its very own niche in the 14-inch market for gaming laptops (more or less).

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M14x Pros and Cons

Alienware laptops are clearly intended to appeal to gamers with their multi-colored light show for a keyboard and high-end hardware under the hood. The fact that the M14x can be equipped with speedy Intel Core i7 quad-core processors in addition to a mandatory mid-range GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) is both a blessing and a curse. It is certainly heavier than most if not all 14-inch laptops on the market, but makes up for it in unmatched performance in its class and is still smaller and lighter than its 15.6-inch counterpart.

Another problem arises when you put high-performance, and consequently hot, components in a relatively small chassis. The Alienware M14x has been known to become very loud when gaming, which might put a damper on the fun unless you are always using headphones. However, a recent BIOS update from Dell mitigated this problem by adding several steps to the temperature-controlled fan. In other words it goes into overdrive less often, but the M14x still makes some noise when gaming.

Due to the aforementioned size restriction, the Nvidia GeForce GT 555M graphics card found in the M14x is also a notch below the G53's GTX 560M; although the difference isn't huge, it certainly has an effect on frame rates in the latest titles. On the plus side, the Alienware has a lower display resolution - 1366 x 768 or 1600 x 900 - that helps even out the difference when you play your games on the panel's native resolution, which is preferable.

The G53SX has a Full HD 1980 x 1080 panel that requires more graphics card horsepower to look as good as possible. The end result (if we don't count external monitors or TVs) is roughly equivalent frame rates at these laptops' native resolutions, respectively.

G53SX Pros and Cons

Needless to say, the G53SX and its almost identical predecessor the G53SW have the unfair advantage of a roomier chassis, which is a huge plus when you're working with performance-heavy hardware in restricted spaces. The very large, dual-fan cooling solution doesn't have to work very hard to keep the laptop reasonably cool, so it is relatively quiet on average.

Now if you are indeed looking for something more portable than a desktop replacement with gaming capability, size and weight are areas where the G53SX is not match for the M14x. Even for a 15.6-inch laptop, the G53SX is large and heavy.

We have already discussed the pros and cons of the different screen resolutions compared to graphics card performance, but at the end of the day there is no question that the GTX 560M is a faster GPU than the GT 555M - regardless of the amount of dedicated video memory (VRAM). In a far-off future (which in computer terms is about five years), when there's a question of whether a game will work or not, the GTX 560M will have the edge. It also has an easier time handling external, high-resolution monitors and HDTVs on those occasions when you want to play on a big screen.

Summary

If you are looking for a smaller-than-average gaming laptop with plenty of performance that can tackle all current 3D games, then there's no question that the Alienware M14x is your best option out of these two.

If, on the other hand, you are looking something that will outperform almost any other 15.6-inch laptop - and you don't mind the extra weight - then the G53SX is for you.

ASUS G53SX Vs Alienware M14x - Pros and Cons

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