What you need to know
- Alienware m15 and m17 gaming laptops get a makeover.
- GPUs range from NVIDIA GTX to RTX 2080 Max-Q.
- Up to Core i9 Intel 9th gen CPUs.
- 8 and 6-phase graphics voltage regulation for higher sustained performance.
For fans of Dell's Alienware brand the m15 and larger m17 are getting major refreshes for 2019. The new design language drops the angular aesthetics of the past and instead matches the new Area-51m, including new colors Lunar Light and Dark Side of the Moon and a magnesium alloy chassis.
The m15, in particular, is flatter, thinner, and just overall, more mature looking than its predecessor. A new keyboard design with ample 1.7mm of travel – up from 1.4mm and per-key RGB LED AlienFX lighting is a nice bonus too. There's also a glass Microsoft Precision Touchpad making this laptop ideal for productivity as well as gaming.
| Category | Dell Alienware m15 (R2) |
|---|---|
| Operating System | Windows 10 |
| Display | 15.6-inch 1920 x 1080) 60Hz 15.6-inch 1920 x 1080 240Hz 7ms with Tobii Eyetracking 15.6-inch OLED 3840 x 2160 60Hz 1ms HDR with Tobii Eyetracking |
| Processor | 9th Generation Intel Core i5-9300H (4.1GHz) 9th Generation Intel Core i7-9750H (4.5GHz) 9th Generation Intel Core i9-9880H (4.8Ghz) 9th Generation Intel Core i9-9980HK (5.0Ghz) |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 4GB GDDR5 NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti 6GB GDDR6 NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 6GB GDDR6 NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 8GB GDDR6 Max-Q NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 8GB GDDR6 Max-Q |
| Memory | 8GB (1x8GB) DDR4 2666MHz 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4 2666MH |
| Storage | 256GB PCIe M.2 SSD 512GB PCIe M.2 SSD 512GB Intel Optane M.2 SSD 1TB PCIe M.2 SSD 2TB PCIe M.2 SSD 512GB RAID0 (2x 256GB PCIe M.2 SSDs) 1TB RAID0 (2x 512GB PCIe M.2 SSDs) 512GB Intel Optane M2 SSD + 512GB PCIe M.2 SSD 2TB RAID0 (2x 1TB PCIe M.2 SSDs) 4TB RAID0 (2x 2TB PCIe M.2 SSDs) |
| Webcam | 1080p with dual array mics |
| LAN | Killer Networking E2600 Killer Networking E3000 (2.5Gbps) |
| Wireless | Intel Dual Band Wireless AC 8265 with MU-MIMO Bluetooth 4.2 |
| Ports | Alienware Graphics Amplifier DC input 1x Thunderbolt 3 with DisplayPort LAN 2x USB 3.1 Gen 1 1x USB 3.1 Gen 1 1x HDMI 2.0b 1x MiniDP 1.4 1x 3.5mm |
| Audio | 2.0 speakers |
| Battery | 76Whr |
| Dimensions | 0.72 - 0.81 x 14.19 x 10.9 inches (18 - 21 x 361 x 276 mm) |
| Weight | 2.16kg (4.75lbs) |
Unsurprisingly Alienware is dropping in new 9th generation Intel Core processors including support for the 8-core Core i9-9980HK. Options for graphics range from the more budget-friendly NVIDIA GTX series up to the RTX 2080 with Max-Q design. Indeed, the RTX 2070 and 2080 configurations also have 8 and 6-phase graphics voltage regulation for higher sustained performance. New Cryo-Tech Cooling 3.0 technology brings increased airflow and thermal efficiency to keep things from getting too hot.
Displays come in a variety of options as well like full HD with 60 or 240 Hz options and even a 15.6 4K OLED and optional Tobii Eyetracking technology.
The m15 also maxes out at just 4.75lbs or 2.2kg, which is not bad considering the rather sizeable 76WHr battery.
Overall, the new m15 and m17 gaming laptops are a more mature, cleaner and more minimalist gaming laptop from Alienware that do not sacrifice performance.
Look for both new Alienware laptops to go on sale for June 11th with pricing starting at $1,499.
Alienware's new m15 and m17 are now sleeker, faster
The Alienware m15 and m17 gaming laptops get a new look that matches the Area-51m, bringing a more sophisticated, minimalist look with fewer angles. Latest 9th gen Intel processors and graphics options ranging from budget-friendly GTX to the latest RTX 2080 Max-Q will keep everyone happy when fragging on the go.
