» » Alienware x15 R2 Review: A Lean and Hot Gaming Laptop A stylish gaming laptop that's surprisingly thin, and with a good selection of display options.

Alienware x15 R2 Review: A Lean and Hot Gaming Laptop A stylish gaming laptop that's surprisingly thin, and with a good selection of display options.

Alienware x15 R2 Review: A Lean and Hot Gaming Laptop A stylish gaming laptop that's surprisingly thin, and with a good selection of display options.

If you need your gaming laptop computer to be skinny, it is going to run sizzling. That is simply the physics of packing a strong CPU and GPU right into a 15.7mm-thick physique. And since we have managed to make gaming laptops fairly small, semistylish and highly effective sufficient to disgrace even the newest sport consoles, warmth is actually the final frontier that nobody has cracked. 

On the small and trendy entrance, I can safely say the Alienware x15 R2 is among the extra engaging gaming laptops I’ve ever examined, and exhibits simply how far we have come from the enormous cement blocks of yesteryear. My partner, who has labored in video games and video games media for a lot of the previous 20 years, mentioned it was one of many solely gaming laptops that wasn’t aesthetically offensive to her, so belief me, that is excessive reward. 

8.2

Alienware x15 R2

$2,559 at Dell

Like

  • Wonderful efficiency in a slim bundle
  • Mod design that appears good… for a gaming laptop computer
  • Devoted quantity buttons

Do not Like

  • Can get extremely popular
  • Customized software program is clunky
  • Small touchpad

Like virtually all Alienware and Dell computer systems, the x15 R2 (the second main revision of the present 15-inch x15 line) presents a wide selection of configuration choices, beginning at $1,999 and going up from there. This evaluation pattern was $2,559, and highlighted by a 2.3GHz Intel Core i7-12700H CPU, Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 Ti graphics card and a couple of,560×1,440 show with an honest 240Hz refresh fee. It additionally consists of 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. 

You may drop the GPU to an Nvidia 3060 (though in a $2,000 laptop computer, why you’d do that’s past me), or enhance it to a 3080 Ti. Likewise, the show can drop to FHD (1,920×1,080) at 165Hz or soar to a quick 360Hz panel, though nonetheless locked in at FHD decision. All issues thought-about, that is in all probability near the best configuration. 

Design and options

The matte-white outer chassis stands out as retro-futurism — I considered the clear traces of 2001: A House Odyssey — and the inset hinge each appeared good and made the laptop computer really feel very steady when propped up on a desk. There is a massive “15” stenciled on the again, as a result of possibly you’d overlook how massive your laptop computer display screen was? In addition to the long-lasting backlit alien head brand, which I as soon as discovered to be a cheesy instance of dorm-room-chic, however frankly, at this level it is acquired some nostalgic allure. 

However my absolute favourite function had nothing to do with the lid design and even efficiency — it is purely UX. Alongside the best aspect of the keyboard space is a row of media management keys, together with devoted buttons for elevating and reducing the amount and muting each the audio system and mic. 

I cannot emphasize sufficient simply how essential this sort of comfort is to my enjoyment of a gaming laptop computer. Urgent FN+F2 (or typically F5, and so forth.) to decrease the amount in a sport looks like an insane method to take care of sound. Just a few different laptops even have devoted audio keys or typically quantity wheels, however it’s nonetheless uncommon. You do not get a separate quantity pad, which may present up in some 15-inch laptops. It is no nice loss for my workflow, however it’s one thing to remember. 

The precise keyboard is okay for a shallow gaming laptop computer keyboard, with 1.5mm journey and respectable island-style spacing between the keys. The touchpad is small and frill-free. Avid gamers can be utilizing a mouse or sport controller extra typically, however whenever you need to use this as a non-gaming laptop computer, which might be more often than not, the touchpad is a letdown. 

Efficiency and battery life 

Efficiency was proper in the midst of the pack when in comparison with comparable high-end laptops with Nvidia 3070 and 3080-class GPUs. The efficiency enhance from one thing just like the Acer Predator Triton 500 SE, which we reviewed with an Intel Core i9 CPU and the Nvidia 3080 Ti GPU, exhibits what an additional $500 to $600 will get you, and you may configure the x15 R2 equally. Primarily based on the efficiency we noticed, I nonetheless say the Core i7/3070 Ti combo is the general finest bang for the buck.

Battery life was respectable for a gaming laptop computer, working for five:12 in our video-streaming take a look at, which admittedly is not significantly difficult. Different 15-inch premium gaming laptops scored in the identical 4- to 5-hour ballpark. Satirically, Dell’s newest slim 13-inch laptop computer, the XPS 13 Plus, had a lot shorter battery life. 

My largest total problem with the system was how sizzling it acquired. Operating video games for some time, then pulling out the previous temperature gun, the realm simply above the keyboard hit 130 levels F. With the large rear vents (with its related rear ports) and followers, you could possibly in all probability preserve your espresso cup subsequent to the system to maintain it heat. It is not a specific-to-Dell drawback, however by squeezing a gaming laptop computer all the way down to this skinny a profile, it is inevitably going to be a extra noticeable problem. 

My different gripe is the considerably impenetrable Alienware Command Heart software program for controlling system features, together with the varied lighting zones, fan pace and different system particulars. It is clunky, opaque and makes arranging customized lighting far more tough than it must be. It feels just like the Dell UX staff by no means acquired close to this one. I am not the one individual that feels this fashion. 

Regardless of these points, and a basic sense that gaming laptop computer innovation has hit a little bit of a plateau up to now few years, the slim Alienware x15 R2 has earned a spot on my quick record of premium gaming laptops to strongly think about for those who’re desirous about making a multiyear funding. 

author-Orbit Brain
Orbit Brain
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