What is the best Alienware laptop for gaming? Alienware has been a staple in the gaming laptop space since its first Area 51m was released all the way back in 2002. Made by Dell, Alienware gaming laptops are dedicated, high-end machines built proudly with power in mind. They're not cheap by any means, and likely never will be, but they are some of the best gaming laptops out there.
Our top choice right now is the x16 R2 is all about features, but you do pay extra for it.
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Alienware M16 R2
Best Alienware gaming laptop overall
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| Graphics | Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 |
| U | Intel Core Ultra 7 155H |
| RAM | 32GB (2 x 16GB) 5,600MHz DDR5 SODIMM |
| Storage | 1TB Samsung PM9A1 PCIe 4.0 M.2 SSD |
| Ports | 1 x Type-A USB 3.2 Gen 1 Port with PowerShare, 1 x Type-A USB 3.2 Gen 1, 1 x Type-C, 1 x Type-C Port (USB 3.2 Gen 2, DisplayPort 1.4 (dGPU)), 1 x HDMI 2.1 (dGPU) Output, 1 x Power/DC-in, 1 x RJ45 Ethernet, 1 x Global Headset Jack |
| Screen | 16.0″ 240Hz QHD+ (2560 x 1600) Display |
| Size | 36.4 x 24.9 x 2.4cm |
- Excellent gaming performance at 1080p
- Top-notch build quality
- Impressive 240Hz IPS screen
- It's not OLED
- Chassis is pretty massive
- Not good for 1600p
It's a testament to the quality of this laptop that it not only sits at the top of this list, but also at the top of our list of the best laptops overall. Our reviewer, Zak Storey, said "Alienware's M16 R2 is a well-built, fast gaming laptop for a surprisingly generous price" and scored it an impressive 9/10. That's a great summary, but let's go into more detail.
From its fantastic screen to its upgradeable parts, and its decent spec list, there are a lot of reasons to love the M16 R2. With the Core Ultra 155H U, it averaged out at 102fps even when playing Cyberpunk 2077 on the ultra ray-tracking preset. Cyberpunk is a processing-intensive game, so those results are pretty impressive. Unfortunately, it does struggle beyond 1080p, but considering all that it encomes, that's a small thing to be bothered by.
Outside of gaming, its 240Hz can provide a crystal clear 2560 x 1600 resolution. The picture quality on the screen is pretty much the best you can get without going for an OLED model. Of course, that's not much good to you if you want to play games at 1600p, but it still makes everything look pretty great during general day-to-day use.
Another feature we particularly appreciated about this laptop was its use of standard SODIMM slots for memory. Instead of soldering the parts to the motherboard like a lot of other gaming laptops do, it uses two M.2 SSD connectors. This leaves the doors wide open for customization, which is good news for anyone who likes a bit of tinkering (like we do). Even before you upgrade it, it comes with a great 32GB of RAM, so it's not like it desperately needs to be enhanced.
If you're deadset on an OLED model, then this won't be the laptop for you. However, if that's not essential for you, then it's very hard to find fault with the Alienware M16 R2.
Read our full Alienware M16 R2 review.
Alienware M18 R2
Best big Alienware gaming laptop
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| Graphics | Up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 |
| U | Up to Intel Core i9-14900HX (24 Cores 5.8Hhz turbo) |
| RAM | Up to 64GB LPDDR5 5,200Mhz |
| Storage | Up to 8TB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD |
| Ports | RJ-45 ethernet Global headset jack Type-A USB 3.2 Gen 1 Port Type A USB 3.2 Gen 1 Port w/ PowerShare Type C USB 3.2 Gen 1 Port Power/DC-in Port 2 x Thunderbolt 4 Type-A USB 3.2 Gen 1 Port HDMI 2.1 Output Port Mini-DisplayPort SD Card slot |
| Screen | 18-inch, QHD+ (2,560 x 1,600), 165Hz, G-Sync |
| Size | 16.15 x 12.59 x 0.99 inches (410 x 320 x 26.7mm) |
| Weight | 4.23kg (9.32lb) |
- Very powerful specs
- Immersive 18-inch display
- Full size keyboard with trackpad
- Predictably immobile
- Not the fastest screen
- Limited screen options
If you don't regularly move your gaming laptop and want as much screen real estate as possible then you would be hard-pressed to do better than the Alienware M18 R2, which is the best 18-inch Alienware laptop. Not only does it pack powerful specs but its size means you also get a full-size keyboard with a numpad.
Available with truly ludicrous specs such as a monstrous Nvidia RTX 4090 GPU, a 24-core Intel Core i9-14900HX U, 64GB of RAM, and two 4TB SSD in RAID 0 (where they're ed together into one ultra fast 8TB drive), this machine is an absolute powerhouse. Not that we'd recommend that configuration for the majority of buyers. Even if you need a very powerful machine, an RTX 4080, 32GB of RAM, and a single 4TB SSD is a more sensible and affordable offering.
Otherwise, the big potential point of contention with this laptop is its limited screen options. Its 18-inch QHD+ – that's 2,560 x 1,600 pixels – can only go up to 165Hz and is IPS LCD rather than OLED. When we're used to seeing laptops with 240Hz+ OLED s with 2,880 x 1,880 resolutions, the one here feels a little left behind, even though it's actually still very good quality.
Alienware X16 R2
Best Alienware laptop
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| Graphics | Up to Nvidia RTX 4090 12GB GDDR6 175W |
| U | Up to Intel Core Ultra 9 185H |
| RAM | Up to 32GB LPDDR5 6000Mhz |
| Storage | Up to 8TB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD in RAID 0 |
| Ports | 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port Thunderbolt 4 Headphone/mic combo HDMI 2.1 port Mini Displayport microSD card slot |
| Screen | 16-inch, QHD+ (2,560 x 1,600) 240Hz, OLED |
| Size | 14.36 x 11.41 x 0.73 inches (36.47 x 28.98 x 1.86 cm) |
| Weight | 2.72kg (6lbs) |
- Amazing build and design
- All the RGB lighting
- Powerful specs
- Stunning 240Hz OLED screen
- Intel Core Ultra 100H Us aren't the fastest
- RGB a bit of a gimmick
- Expensive
Alienware's X lineup is all about slim, design and the X16 R2 is the perfect exemplar of that. Its amazing aluminum chassis is just 18.6mm (0.73-inch) thick and weighs just 2.72kg (6lbs), despite package in loads of features. It also incorporates loads of RGB areas, including the Alienware logo, the glass trackpad, and a 100-LED strip of light on the laptop's back edge.
It all combines to create a really striking look that isn't exactly subtle but still maintains a clean quality that doesn't feel overly garish or cheesy.
Of course, power is plentiful here too, even if you can't quite spec this machine up as high as the M18 R2. You can still pack in an RTX 4090, 32GB of RAM and the same 2x4TB RAID 0 SSD configuration for pointlessly blazing fast storage.
Crucially, really upping the ante over the M18 is the addition of an OLED display. The 16-inch has a 2,560 x 1,600 resolution and can run at up to 240Hz producing a stunning image. What's more, this laptop has a six-speaker audio system for great sound. It truly is a special laptop.
How to choose an Alienware gaming laptop
Alienware gaming laptops offer a massive amount of power, performance, cutting-edge tech, and visually stunning designs – they're some of the best gaming laptop options around. We've rounded up some of the best buys on the market today, from the 18-inch Alienware M18 R2 to the compact Alienware X14 R2. Most machines can be customized to your liking, which allows you to tailor your purchase to your budget and needs like a gaming laptop boutique.
When shopping for an Alienware laptop, it's best to avoid the very top-end specs if your budget is tight. Older Alienware laptops offer better value; the non-R2 versions of these laptops can often be had for a discount in various stores, though you won't find them listed on Alienware's on webstore anymore.
Of course, if you have deeper pockets then Alienware's latest and greatest generation of gaming laptops are sure to please. The M16 R2 and M16 R2 both feature up to RTX 4090s paired with high-refresh 16:10 displays, while the Alienware X16 R2 offers a , slimmer build with loads of RGB lighting.
FAQs
What's the newest Alienware laptop?
There are many new Alienware laptops and these are the M16 R2, M18 R2, X14 R2, and X16 R2. These all feature Nvidia's latest RTX 4000 series of cards and sport tall 16:10 aspect ratio displays which is becoming the norm in the mid to upper range gaming laptop market.
There is now also the Alienware M18 R2 range that runs on AMD hardware, such as its most powerful laptop GPU, the Radeon RX 7900M.
Is Alienware a good gaming laptop brand?
Alienware has been in the gaming laptop space since its inception, and the brand (owned by Dell) is well-trusted among gamers. Alienware also manufactures plenty of peripherals, such as mice and monitors, so if you like the aesthetic you can match up your devices for a cohesive look.
It is a testament that the Alienware brand has excelled for so long without falling into the gaming community's bad books. In a cut-throat industry, longevity is one of the biggest identifiers signs of strength and reliability.
Are Alienware laptops worth the cost?
A question as old as the brand itself, Alienware has often faced critique over its pricing, but you'll rarely find anyone who investing in an Alienware laptop saying it wasn't worth the outlay.
This is largely because with a brand, you expect performance on par with a desktop PC with similar specs, only it's portable. The typical lifespan of a gaming laptop like an Alienware is also longer, meaning that initial outlay can be spread across up to five years rather than the typical two or three.
Is Alienware better than Razer?
Alienware and Razer laptops both offer different things. Alienware tends to offer bulkier, flashier designs with more room for cooling, while Razer focuses more on portability. The thicker Alienware laptops will generally outperform their Razer counterparts but Razer's machines tend to be more portable.
The Alienware X16 R2 and X14 R2 strive to be more portable but still aren't as easy to take with you, and the Razer Blade 16 or 14 and have similar performance.
For more gaming laptop options, why not check out the best gaming PC options, if you're thinking you could be tempted away from a portable PC.