Gamers took notice last month when Nvidia announced that it has taken the Ada Lovelace architecture on the go, providing gaming laptops with a significant performance boost—akin to what the architecture has done for gaming PCs—made possible by GeForce RTX 40 series GPUs. What’s more, laptop vendors were waiting in the wings, among them, Alienware, which is rolling out four new gaming laptops. These include the Alienware m18 and m16, and the Alienware x16 and x14—all boasting significant performance and design enhancements.
Last year, Alienware unveiled the x14, a 14-inch screen model, at CES—a marked departure from the 15- and 17-inch laptop versions of the past. The company is continuing to embrace the even-numbered larger sizes with new 18- and 16-inch models of the M series, and a 16-inch model of the X series. According to the company, it has been able to increase the displays without major changes to the footprint of the devices, thanks to the company’s Alienware Cryo-tech thermal solution. In fact, the m18—Alienware’s most powerful laptop to date—has the same peak thickness as the m17, albeit with a 16:10 aspect ratio that is 14% larger than that of the m17, while the m16’s panel likewise has a 16:10 aspect ratio and is 11% larger than that of the m15.
In addition to having larger display area, the new Alienware M series laptops feature Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision for immersive sound and visuals, a high-res FDH webcam, a revamped Alienware Command Center 6.0 for improved navigation, a new bottom foot design for improved airflow, and thermal improvements including use of Element 31 thermal interface material on the CPU and GPU for better heat dissipation.
The Alienware M series is built with performance top of mind and features the latest options in CPUs and GPUs. For the Alienware m18 and m16, this includes 13th-gen Intel Core HX processors or the latest AMD Ryzen 7045 series mobile processors, paired with Nvidia GeForce RTX 40 series laptop graphics or AMD Radeon 7600M XT graphics.
The 18-inch Alienware m18 and 16-inch m16, both with an Nvidia 4080, will be available in the US beginning February 9; pricing for the m18 will start at $2,899, while pricing for the m16 will start at $2,599. More configurations for both models will be available after that date, with the m18 entry model pricing starting at $2,099 and the m16 entry model pricing starting at $1,899. AMD options will become available in Q2, with pricing to be revealed closer to the release date.
While the new M series are built for power, the X series is geared to those who value performance in a machine that also reflects their lifestyle, with its sleek and sassy design. The new X series has a 16:10 display and improved six-speaker audio, in addition to Dolby Vision and Atmos. The x16 boasts 100 microLEDs (touting 50 individual lighting zones) on the rear stadium and is the first Alienware laptop enhanced with the new AlienFX Scanner, Loop, and Rainbow lighting mods and a dynamic and customizable lighting experience, enabling users to find the right vibe that fits their individuality.
The X series also includes robust graphics and processor technology. For the x16, this means Nvidia GeForce RTX 40 series graphics (up to the RTX 4090 laptop GPUs) and 13th-gen Intel Core i7 13620H, i7 13700H, or i9 13900HK processors. The Cryo-tech thermal design with Element 31 and other advancements in this area are built into the x16 and are optional add-ons to the x14. The x14, introduced at CES last year, has been refreshed to x14 R2 and is still touted as the world’s thinnest 14-inch laptop. It, too, offers more visual real estate and comes with a choice of 13th-gen Core i5 13420H (8 cores) or i7 13620H (10 cores), along with Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050, 4050, or 4060 graphics.
The Alienware x16 with Nvidia 4080 configurations will be available in the US starting February 14; pricing will begin at $3,099. More configurations will follow, with the entry model’s pricing to begin at $2,199. As with the M series, AMD options will become available in Q2, with pricing announced closer to release.
Dell is also rolling out updated gaming laptops with the G16 and G15, which will have the latest 13th-gen Intel Core processors and next-generation Nvidia RTX graphics. Both sport a stylish new design featuring a more youthful and fun aesthetic and available in eye-catching colorways. The G16 will also have a bigger 16:10 display in a form factor similar to a 15-inch laptop. Both support graphic-intensive games, powered by the latest Intel, AMD, and Nvidia technology. And now, the G series will have Alienware-inspired Vapor Chamber Cooling and Element 31 thermal interface.
Both the Dell G15 and G16 will be available this spring. Pricing for the G15 will start at $849, and the G16 will start at $1,499.
Version 6 of the Alienware Command Center will be available on all the new Alienware and Dell G series laptops shipping in 2023 and beyond, starting with the x16, m16, and m18.
In other news, Alienware is also preparing to roll out a new 500 Hz gaming monitor, the AW2524H, with a 24.5-inch diagonal viewing size. According to the company, it delivers the fastest refresh rate available. The Fast IPS panel enables a response rate of 0.5 ms and features sRGB 99% color coverage. The monitor will be available in China starting February 9, with availability (and pricing) in North America to be announced soon.
