Alienware M16 R2 review: The new gaming laptop to beat

It’s refreshing to see a gaming laptop computer that isn’t wholeheartedly set on beating Apple relating to making the thinnest product attainable, and the Alienware M16 R2 is surprisingly thick compared to the vast majority of its opponents. That’s a large boon, maybe extra so than you would possibly suppose, because it provides the M16 R2 a critical benefit relating to its cooling. In reality it’s so potent, that its Intel Core Extremely 7 processor really outcompetes the Core Extremely 9 present in MSI’s Stealth 16 AI Studio A1V.

Alienware has made just a few design decisions that appear a little bit misplaced within the trendy period, however this that is in any other case probably the greatest gaming laptops on the market proper now. Alienware was maybe one of many first devoted PC gaming producers on the market, and is definitely a subsidiary model of Dell at this level, predominantly specializing in gaming.

The M16 R2 is completely designed round that ethos. From its inside {hardware} to the 240Hz display, RGB illumination, and M16 engraving on the again, it’s a laptop computer that’s totally constructed round gaming, and it delivers on that entrance admirably. I’ve been testing the M16 for the final couple of weeks, seeing simply how properly it performs in video games, and as a day-to-day workbook as properly, to see if this might properly be your subsequent gaming laptop computer.

Specs

Alienware’s M16 R2 is rather well outfitted for the worth and construct, and the mannequin we’ve examined comes with an Intel Core Extremely 7 155H CPU, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 GPU, and 32GB of DDR5 RAM, though there are a number of variations of specs accessible. The spec we’ve reviewed goes for $1,999 at MSRP, however you’ll be able to typically discover it discounted as little as $1,599.

The true show-stealer for the M16 R2 is the Intel Core Extremely 7 155H CPU at its coronary heart. It’s based mostly on the Meteor Lake structure that was first introduced in 2023, and in contrast to its desktop counterparts, the Extremely Core chips characteristic a modular processor design, permitting Intel to make use of a mess of various transistor sizes to get probably the most out of the chip, whereas protecting energy draw low.

This improves battery life whenever you want it, and permits the CPU to ramp up efficiency when underneath load as properly. On high of that, it additionally includes a devoted NPU or Neural Processing Unit, designed particularly to spice up AI efficiency.

What makes the Core Extremely 7 155H attention-grabbing, nonetheless, is that it really includes a just about equivalent spec to the Core Extremely 9 185H, albeit with barely completely different clock speeds and TDPs. You get six P-Cores for efficiency, eight power-efficient E-Cores, and two low-power environment friendly (LPE) cores as properly, all working at barely completely different frequencies.

Nonetheless, the distinction between the Extremely 7 and the 9 is fleeting, with only a 300 MHz distinction between the efficiency core clock speeds. All the things else – cache, graphics cores, and even tha max TDP – stays the identical. The Extremely 9 does help extra enterprise-grade safety features, however that’s not essential for gaming.

As for graphics, properly Alienware has popped an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070l. That is the cell variant, which options 8GB of VRAM and comes as normal with 4,608 CUDA cores, inserting it barely above a desktop RTX 4060 Ti by way of uncooked rasterization output, albeit with decrease clock-speeds because of a decrease TDP. That’s a incredible choose, significantly in the event you’re fascinated with ray tracing and all the advantages that Nvidia’s DLSS and body era tech can provide you, which we’ll discover later.

This machine might do with a contact extra storage, although. Getting only a 1TB SSD in a $2,000 laptop computer feels a little bit stingy, significantly given it’s a Samsung PM9A1 OEM PCIe 4.0 drive that may solely write at as much as 5,100MB/s. Ridiculously, specifying the machine with 2TB of storage bumps up the worth by $300 on the Dell configurator too. On the plus facet, you’ll be able to add extra storage your self in the event you like, and also you’re capable of change this SSD as properly.

Options

Inside {hardware} apart, one of many extra stellar components of the M16 R2 is its display. As normal, you get a 16-inch IPS show, with a 2,560 x 1,600 decision and a 240Hz refresh charge, mixed with a 3ms response time. It’s not OLED, no, however its coloration accuracy and coloration breadth is spectacular nonetheless.

Don’t get me incorrect, the colours are nonetheless punchy too, and the 240Hz refresh charge makes for buttery-smooth gaming and desktop motion. The 3ms gray-to-gray response time isn’t as fast as what you get from an OLED display, however the Alienware’s display continues to be effective for most individuals’s gaming wants.

It additionally helps G-Sync, so it could actually synchronize the refresh charge with the body charge output of the GPU, eliminating tearing and stuttering results. Throughout my time testing, ghosting was non-existent even at 240fps, and the Blur Busters MPRT take a look at positioned the panel at a phenomenally speedy 3.8ms response time. Not dangerous in any respect.

Alienware’s additionally packed an armada of connections into this rig. On the rear, there are two USB-C ports, supporting DisplayPort output, plus an HDMI output. On the proper, you’ll discover two further USB 3.2 Sort-A ports, and there’s even a full-sized 2.5Gbps Ethernet connection on the left as properly. If you happen to don’t have a wired community, the M16 additionally packs in Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 help, providing you with some critical wi-fi choices.

The trackpad and keyboard are additionally pretty stable. There’s not an enormous quantity to jot down dwelling about right here. Alienware’s key switches present a refined and {smooth} typing expertise, and so they’re not too mushy or spongey. You additionally get per-key RGB lighting and N-key rollover tech as properly, though there are not any mechanical choices.

One helpful addition, nonetheless, is the inclusion of devoted media keys set off to the proper of the enter button. This frees up a few of the operate keys, permitting Alienware to chuck in keybindings for a wide range of fan controls, efficiency modes, and DIY macro keys, that are additionally simple to configure in Alienware’s Command Middle software program.

Dell’s really additionally included a reasonably stable guarantee with the M16 R2. You get 12 months of off-site distant help, adopted by on-site restore if one thing does go incorrect. Mainly, if it’s lined by the restricted guarantee, and Dell/Alienware can’t restore your system remotely, a technician can be despatched out to you to restore your M16. It’s like automobile breakdown cowl, however on your laptop computer.

Design

From a bodily standpoint, the M16 R2 is a little bit of a beast, being rather a lot thicker than your common gaming laptop computer as of late. It additionally weighs 2.61kg, which isn’t enormously heavy in comparison with some laptops, however the Asus ROG Zephryus G16 weighs simply 2kg and feels considerably lighter whenever you’re carrying it in a bag.

There are not any sharp edges both, simply {smooth} well-rounded accents all through. It’s a plastic chassis, however the soft-touch rubber end is extremely satisfying on the fingertips. The monitor bezel can be slim, and total construct high quality feels sturdy with minimal flex.

There’s an outstanding quantity of honeycomb air flow littered concerning the place too, and all the important thing ports are in best areas. Energy and show outs are positioned on the rear, and all of the USB ports are positioned on both facet. The Ethernet port even has its personal slim-line cowl, a characteristic I’d like to see on costlier choices.

It’s not totally flawless, although. The overabundance of RGB does lighting really feel considerably dated, the sunshine bar across the trackpad detracts from the general look, and the illuminated Alienware brand makes it appear dated to me, though that is all down to non-public style.

Upgradability can be top-tier. Flip over the M16 and also you’ll see a variety of Phillips-head screws, permitting you to disassemble the undercarriage. Take that off, and you may simply entry the SODIMM DDR5 reminiscence slots, and the M.2 PCIe 4.0 slots as properly – the M16 R2 helps two SSDs whole, with one put in as normal.

Then we get on to the fan noise. Now, this machine is considerably loud. If you happen to’re gaming on inventory settings, you’re going to need to seize probably the greatest headsets you will get, that’s for certain. Nonetheless, the flipside is that this machine is an absolute unit relating to protecting your CPU and GPU chilled.

In reality, it does so properly on this regard, that it’s laborious to criticize it on this level. Alienware has not too long ago redeveloped its inside cooling within the M16, giving it a 15% smaller footprint total, whereas retaining its effectivity, and that basically does present by means of within the benchmarks.

Benchmarks

So, how spectacular is that cooling? Nicely merely put, in comparison with the MSI Stealth 16 AI Studio A1V, which options the theoretically higher-clocked Core Extremely 9 processor, the M16 R2 runs rings round it. In Cinebench alone, though each laptops have shut scores within the single-core take a look at, within the multi-core state of affairs, the M16 scored 981 in comparison with the Stealth’s 785.

That’s a 25% efficiency improve from what ought to be a slower CPU. 3DMark’s CPU Profile benchmark reported comparable outcomes as properly, with the M16 touchdown a median rating of seven,972, versus the Stealth’s 6,329, once more touchdown round 26% extra efficiency.

In relation to gaming, nonetheless, the waters develop into considerably murkier than first predicted. I ran two units of benchmarks for our gaming exams. One set was run at 1080p, and the opposite was run on the laptop computer’s native decision. This supplies a straightforward method to examine laptops no matter decision, and to see how that exact {hardware} combo performs on the display’s native decision.

Operating at 1080p, the RTX 4070 performs reasonably, relying on the title. Whole Conflict: Warhammer 3 landed a median of round 93fps, whereas F1 23, hit a median of 43fps, and Cyberpunk 2077 averaged a disappointing body charge of simply 29fps. Nonetheless, the latter was examined on the Extremely ray tracing preset with out DLSS. If you happen to allow DLSS and Nvidia’s body era tech, the typical body charge goes all the way in which as much as 102fps.

Bounce as much as that 2,560 x 1,600 decision, nonetheless, and the state of affairs will get murkier. Whole Conflict is actually playable with a median body charge of 56fps, however, Cyberpunk 2077 isn’t playable, even with some assist from DLSS. That isn’t the top of the world, although, as this 16-inch display nonetheless will get you a good pixel density at 1080p, and video games look effective at this decision.

Battery

The M16 additionally places in a reasonably spectacular efficiency relating to battery life. In PCMark 10’s trendy workplace take a look at, it landed an outstanding 387 minutes from 100% down to three% battery life. That’s over six hours of sensible real-world use earlier than a flat battery. It beat each the MSI Stealth, and the AMD Ryzen 7-powered Lenovo Legion Slim 5 as properly.

Nonetheless, it didn’t final wherever close to as lengthy in our gaming battery take a look at, coming in the place it lasted simply 51 minutes earlier than shutdown. We don’t typically see way more than an hour in a laptop computer gaming battery take a look at, so this can be a typical consequence, nevertheless it exhibits that you just’re not going to get a lot gaming energy on the go.

The MSI Stealth did have the sting right here, touchdown a rating of 122 minutes, though this will very properly be all the way down to the CPU itself thermally throttling and lowering its whole energy draw in consequence. By comparability, the AMD Ryzen 7 7840 HS and RTX 4060 discovered within the Lenovo Legion Slim 5 lasted 53 minutes.

Worth

With a beginning value of $1,549, and $1,999 for the spec reviewed, the Alienware M16 R2 provides a good spec for the cash, however nothing out of the unusual. For a similar MSRP, you should purchase an Asus Zephyrus G16 with an OLED display and Core Extremely 9 CPU, for instance, though it solely has 16GB of soldered RAM which you could’t improve.

That’s an enormous deal, although. Once you’re paying a big amount of cash upfront, you’ll want to know that your machine will final just a few years, and with the ability to improve the reminiscence and storage is an enormous tick within the Alienware M16 R2’s field.

Nonetheless, the Alienware M16 R2 is usually discounted, with this 32GB machine with an RTX 4070 and Core 7 Extremely CPU going for $1,599 for a interval whereas I used to be writing this evaluation, for instance. At this value, it’s a incredible deal, providing a well-built and well-balanced laptop computer, with first rate {hardware} and an superior collection of ports.

Options

Razer Blade 16 (2024)

In case you have cash to spend, and also you need a actually luxurious 16-inch gaming laptop computer, then the Razer Blade 16 (2024) is incredible. Its slimline, anodized aluminum chassis is fantastically made, and the 240Hz OLED display is simply beautiful.

The Core i9 14900HX CPU can be immensely highly effective in each video games and content material creation software program. It’s a must to pay a hefty sum of cash for it, although (The $3,000 choice nonetheless solely has 16GB of RAM), and its cooling system makes plenty of noise when it will get going.

Learn our full Razer Blade 16 (2024) evaluation.

Asus ROG Zephyrus G16

Asus’ newest ROG Zephyrus G16 is a stunning gaming laptop computer, with a superior OLED display to the Alienware M16 R2, and a good spec as well. It’s additionally surprisingly gentle, weighing in at just below 2kg, and it’s keenly priced for the standard of its show.

Nonetheless, its use of soldered RAM is an enormous mark towards it, with the $1,999 configuration coming with simply 16GB that may’t be upgraded. If you happen to purchase this machine, we advocate getting a spec with 32GB, as you gained’t be capable to change it later.

Learn our full Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 evaluation.

Verdict

The Alienware M16 R2 is a incredible gaming laptop computer. It’s versatile and properly constructed, and it provides a well-balanced spec for the cash. Importantly, whereas the cooling system is noisy, it actually works, with this machine providing stable 1080p gaming efficiency from its RTX 4070 GPU and Core 7 Extremely CPU. Not like Asus’ newest ROG Zephyrus fashions, it’s also possible to improve the RAM, and it’s nice to have 32GB in a mannequin at this value too.

It’s not flawless, in fact. It might make a good bit of noise throughout video games, the keyboard isn’t spectacular, and a few of the design components are a bit dated. The RTX 4070 GPU additionally struggles to play video games on the display’s native 2,560 x 1,600 decision, though it copes effective at 1,920 x 1,080, and also you don’t get an OLED panel both.

Alienware has nailed the necessities right here, although, and for an inexpensive value, significantly in the event you benefit from one of many common offers for this machine on each Greatest Purchase and Dell’s personal web site. If you happen to’re in search of a 16-inch gaming laptop computer, the Alienware M16 R2 provides an important steadiness of specs, efficiency, construct high quality, and worth for cash.