Greatest Alienware laptops for gaming 2025

It’s a testomony to the standard of this laptop computer that it not solely sits on the high of this checklist, but additionally on the high of our checklist of the perfect laptops general. Our reviewer, Zak Storey, stated “Alienware’s M16 R2 is a well-built, quick gaming laptop computer for a surprisingly beneficiant value” and scored it a formidable 9/10. That’s an ideal abstract, however let’s go into extra element.

From its unbelievable display to its upgradeable elements, and its first rate spec checklist, there are a variety of causes to like the M16 R2. With the Core Extremely 155H CPU, it averaged out at 102fps even when enjoying Cyberpunk 2077 on the extremely ray-tracking preset. Cyberpunk is a processing-intensive recreation, so these outcomes are fairly spectacular.  Sadly, it does battle past 1080p, however contemplating all that it encompasses, that’s a small factor to be bothered by.

Exterior of gaming, its 240Hz panel can present a crystal clear 2560 x 1600 decision. The image high quality on the display is just about the perfect you may get with out going for an OLED mannequin. After all, that’s not a lot good to you if you wish to play video games at 1600p, but it surely nonetheless makes every part look fairly nice throughout normal day-to-day use.

One other characteristic we notably appreciated about this laptop computer was its use of ordinary SODIMM slots for reminiscence. As an alternative of soldering the elements to the motherboard like a variety of different gaming laptops do, it makes use of two M.2 SSD connectors. This leaves the doorways huge open for personalization, which is nice information for anybody who likes a little bit of tinkering (like we do). Even earlier than you improve it, it comes with an ideal 32GB of RAM, so it’s not prefer it desperately must be enhanced.

Should you’re deadset on an OLED mannequin, then this gained’t be the laptop computer for you. Nonetheless, if that’s not important for you, then it’s very arduous to seek out fault with the Alienware M16 R2.

Learn our full Alienware M16 R2 evaluation.

Should you don’t repeatedly transfer your gaming laptop computer and need as a lot display actual property as attainable you then could be hard-pressed to do higher than the Alienware M18 R2, which is the perfect 18-inch Alienware laptop computer. Not solely does it pack highly effective specs however its dimension means you additionally get a full-size keyboard with a numpad.

Obtainable with actually ludicrous specs comparable to a monstrous Nvidia RTX 4090 GPU, a 24-core Intel Core i9-14900HX CPU, 64GB of RAM, and two 4TB SSD in RAID 0 (the place they’re joined collectively into one extremely quick 8TB drive), this machine is an absolute powerhouse. Not that we’d advocate that configuration for almost all of patrons. Even if you happen to want a really highly effective machine, an RTX 4080, 32GB of RAM, and a single 4TB SSD is a extra wise and reasonably priced providing.

In any other case, the large potential level of rivalry with this laptop computer is its restricted display choices. Its 18-inch QHD+ panel – that’s 2,560 x 1,600 pixels – can solely go as much as 165Hz and is IPS LCD reasonably than OLED. After we’re used to seeing laptops with 240Hz+ OLED panels with 2,880 x 1,880 resolutions, the one right here feels a little bit left behind, although it’s truly nonetheless excellent high quality.

Alienware’s X lineup is all about slim, premium design and the X16 R2 is the right exemplar of that. Its wonderful aluminum chassis is simply 18.6mm (0.73-inch) thick and weighs simply 2.72kg (6lbs), regardless of bundle in a great deal of options. It additionally incorporates a great deal of RGB areas, together with the Alienware brand, the glass trackpad, and a 100-LED strip of sunshine on the laptop computer’s again edge.

All of it combines to create a extremely putting look that isn’t precisely refined however nonetheless maintains a clear high quality that doesn’t really feel overly garish or tacky.

After all, energy is plentiful right here too, even if you happen to can’t fairly spec this machine up as excessive because the M18 R2. You possibly can nonetheless pack in an RTX 4090, 32GB of RAM and the identical 2x4TB RAID 0 SSD configuration for pointlessly blazing quick storage.

Crucially, actually upping the ante over the M18 is the addition of an OLED show. The 16-inch panel has a 2,560 x 1,600 decision and may run at as much as 240Hz producing a surprising picture. What’s extra, this laptop computer has a six-speaker audio system for excellent sound. It actually is a particular laptop computer.