UPDATED 2/16/2012: M14x with Core i5 CPU for $1,049 or Core i7 for $1,149 + free shipping and $100 gift card! (Fully configurable).

• Visit Dell to configure
• Use the following coupon code: BHW1L0MX0D?MCX

The latest offer includes a $50 off coupon as well as a $100 Alienware gift card. Expires 02/22/2012.

There are no restrictions on how you can configure the M14x for the purpose of this deal (within the boundaries of the maximum specs for the laptop, of course). The GPU is always an Nvidia GeForce GT 555M with either 1.5 GB or 3 GB of video RAM, and the processor choices range from a 2nd-gen Intel Core i5 (dual core) to a quad-core i7-2860QM; 4 GB of RAM is included with an option for up to 16 GB. The hard drive now starts at a 750 GB 7200 rpm model, which is upgradable to a 1 TB hard drive or 256 GB SSD.

We recently had an M14x over for review and were very impressed with the machine. It remains the most powerful 14-inch gaming laptop on the planet.

Alienware’s 14-inch M14x is a member of the Alienware family designed for users who neither want a desktop replacement or an ultraportable. The processor options for the M14x are all from the latest 2nd-gen Intel Core series, starting at a dual-core Core i5, but configurable up to a quad-core Core i7 CPUs. The new and improved Turbo Boost feature overclocks the processor automatically to achieve optimal performance; the 2670QM which runs at 2.2GHz (3.1GHz with Turbo Boost), the 2760QM running at 2.4 GHz (3.5 GHz with Turbo Boost), and the 2860QM which is clocked at 2.5 GHz and goes up to 3.6 GHz with Turbo Boost. The CPUs are also equipped with Hyperthreading that lets them handle two threads per processor core (4 cores shows up as 8 cores in the operating system).

It can now be equipped with up to 16 GB of 1600MHz DDR3, 750 GB or 1,000 GB 7200rpm hard drives or a 256GB Samsung SSD. The most important component for gamers is the Nvidia GeForce GT555M GPU, which is available with either 1.5GB or 3GB of DDR3 video RAM. The GT 555M has 144 CUDA cores (compared to the GT 550M, which only has 96) and is probably the fastest card you can find in a 14-inch laptop. Again compared to the GT 550M, the 555M has a 192-bit memory bus whereas the slower card has a 128-bit one. It’s worth pointing out that we have tried our luck overclocking this GPU and it responds very well to rather large increases in clocks (this is at your own risk of course). Read the article here.

The display options are either a 1366×768 panel or one with the higher 1600×900 resolution. Regardless of which you choose, the GT555M GPU will let you run all of the latest games at the laptop’s native resolution. Both option also come with a 2 megapixel webcam built into the bezel. A couple of other nice additions for the latest Alienware laptops is that they come with two USB 3.0 ports and HDMI 1.4 out for external 3D capability. There’s also a slot-loading optical drive included.

A WirelessHD transmitter is an optional add-on that lets you send a Full HD signal straight to your HDTV with more or less the same performance as you would get with a cable. You can opt for just the transmitter or one bundled with the universal VIZIO XWH200 audio/video receiver. Just like all of the other Alienware laptops, the M14x also comes with the full-custom AlienFX backlighting system that will light up your system in a variety of different colors of your choosing, as well as a personalized laser etched nameplate. You can even get it with Steam and Portal, World of Warcraft or Eve Online preinstalled for your convenience.

A quick overview of the M14x:

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