My first gaming laptop computer, which I purchased in 2011, was an Alienware M11x R2, and I changed it with an Alienware 14. Each had been nice machines, and I’ve fond reminiscences of enjoying some unbelievable video games on them. Alienware laptops have at all times been nice, however they’ve nearly at all times been cumbersome, large, and alien-like. Nevertheless, a few years in the past, Dell determined to vary issues up and make sleeker and fewer alien-like Alienware laptops. The Alienware m16 R2 is a gaming laptop computer with nothing a lot alien about it by way of design.
It is nonetheless an excellent gaming laptop computer with sufficient oomph to play all AAA titles. It comes with as much as Intel Core Extremely 9 chipset and helps AI options. However has the load discount and design change value the laptop computer its efficiency worth? Can or not it’s used as a day by day driver? You may need to learn until the top to search out out.
The Alienware m16 R2 is priced at round Rs. 1,55,000 in India for the bottom possibility with an Intel Core Extremely 7 CPU and Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 GPU. Our evaluation unit was the top-end variant with the Intel Core Extremely 9 chipset and Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 GPU, priced at Rs. 1,96,990.
Alienware m16 R2 Design: Conserving it easy
- Dimensions – 363.9 mm(width) x 249.4mm (depth) x 23.5mm (top)
- Weight – 2.61 kg
- Colors – Darkish Metallic Moon
The brand new Alienware m16 R2 is a complete departure from the R1. The thermal shelf is gone proper off the bat, or slightly, the again. The steel lid has a matte end, and the quantity 16 is carved onto the nook, however not in a pleasant approach. It is large and in your face. I may’ve simply been proud of the Alien head brand. The underside is created from aluminium and pretty minimal however has hexagonally formed consumption grilles. The exhaust vents are on the again and the edges. There are a number of hexagonal design parts all around the laptop computer, and you may additionally discover them once you open the lid and look above the keyboard. There’s an Alien head-shaped energy button above the keyboard as properly.
There are many ports on the laptop computer
The realm across the keyboard and the touchpad encompasses a smooth end, making it very comfy to put your palms on. It does like fingerprints, although. As for ports, the precise aspect has two USB Sort-A ports and a microSD card reader. You may discover an RJ45 Ethernet port and a headphone jack on the precise, whereas the again homes two USB Sort-C ports, an HDMI 2.1 port, and a DC port.
Whereas Dell has shed some weight and dimensions, the Alienware m16 R2 remains to be heavy at 2.61 kg, but it surely matches a lot better inside backpacks. It is properly constructed, the hinges appear sturdy and may open at 180 levels, and there is hardly any flex.
Alienware m16 R2 Show: Excellent with room for enchancment
- Measurement – 16-inch IPS panel
- Decision – QHD+ (2560×1600)
- Refresh fee – 240Hz
You get a pleasant 16-inch anti-glare IPS show on the laptop computer. The panel gives a 240Hz refresh fee, a 3ms response time, and a QHD+ decision. It additionally helps Nvidia G-Sync and Dolby Imaginative and prescient HDR. Watching motion pictures and enjoying video games on the show is very nice, however I want it had been brighter. The panel gives 300 nits of brightness, which is decrease than different laptops within the worth vary. The show has slim bezels on both aspect, however you get a pleasant thick chin and a barely thinner high bezel that homes the online digital camera.
Total, it is a good show that’s nice for taking part in video games, because of the 240Hz refresh. You possibly can decrease the refresh fee to 60Hz to avoid wasting on battery, however when you go 240Hz, it is onerous to return.
Alienware m16 R2 Keyboard, Touchpad, audio system, and webcam
- Keyboard – Backlit keyboard with per-key RGB
- Touchpad – Multi-touch with RGB
- Audio system – Twin 2W drivers
- Internet digital camera – 1080p with IR sensor
The Alienware m16 R2 has a pleasant keyboard that helps per-key RGB customisation and gives 1.8mm key journey. Typing on the keyboard feels good, however that is additionally because of the rubber-like coating. The backlight can get very shiny at evening, and I would principally hold it at half brightness when utilizing it.
Beneath the keyboard is a decent-sized touchpad that encompasses a easy end and RGB edge lighting. I would have preferred it if the touchpad was just a little bit bigger, but it surely does the job very properly. It helps multi-touch gestures as properly and has a pleasant click on to it.
Typing on the keyboard is a nice expertise, and the backlight is robust with this one
The audio system on the laptop computer aren’t something to brag about. There are two downward-facing audio system with grilles on both aspect. They’re loud sufficient, and the general output is crispy however with hardly any bass. It is a gaming laptop computer, and it is best to simply join a pleasant pair of headphones and revel in your video games.
Above the show is a 1080p internet digital camera and an IR sensor with Home windows Howdy help. The video and picture high quality from the digital camera is respectable in daylight circumstances, however you may see some noise when there’s not sufficient gentle.
Alienware m16 R2 Software program: Clear and helpful
- OS – Home windows 11 House
- Alienware instruments – Command Middle, AlienFX, Fusion
By way of software program, the laptop computer runs Home windows 11 House out of the field and gives Microsoft Workplace House and Pupil 2021. There is no further little bit of software program that you do not want. As for Alienware software program, there are a few them. For controlling the RGB lights on the laptop computer, altering energy modes, and all different forms of customisation, you have got the Alienware Command Middle.
The Command Middle contains options similar to AlienFX for lighting management and Fusion for switching between totally different energy modes. There’s additionally a Recreation Library that gives auto-tuned sport profiles. The Alienware m16 R2 additionally has a Stealth mode, which turns off all lighting and tries to be an everyday laptop computer.
The Alienware Command Middle permits you to do every kind of issues to the laptop computer
Microsoft’s Workplace instruments additionally help AI capabilities, however I did not discover the Cocreator possibility in Paint. You additionally get entry to the Copilot chatbot, which works fairly properly, because of the Intel Core Extremely 9 SoC onboard.
Alienware m16 R2 Efficiency: Loads of oomph
- Processor – As much as Intel Core Extremely 9 185H
- RAM – As much as 32GB DDR5
- Storage – 1TB M.2
- GPU – As much as Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 with 8GB DDR6 VRAM
Our evaluation unit was geared up with the Intel Core Extremely 9 185H CPU paired with 32GB RAM and Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 GPU with 8GB VRAM. This mix works properly for every kind of duties, together with video enhancing and gaming. Nevertheless, because the Intel Core Extremely additionally encompasses a devoted NPU, you’ll be able to run AI duties on the laptop computer. Whereas this is not branded as a Copilot PC and does not have a devoted Copilot key, it does have the firepower. As talked about earlier, the Copilot chatbot works fairly properly and creates photographs rapidly. I additionally ran an AI benchmark on the laptop computer, delivering spectacular outcomes.
| Benchmark | Alienware m16 R2 |
|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 Single | 2184 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 11576 |
| Geekbench 6 GPU | 110320 |
| CrossMark Total | 1682 |
| PCMark 10 | 7523 |
| Geekbench AI Quantized (GPU) | 14141 |
| Geekbench AI Quantized (CPU) | 3218 |
| 3DMark Metal Nomad | 2803 |
| 3DMark Time Spy | 12483 |
As you’ll be able to see from the artificial benchmarks above, the Alienware m16 R2 with its Intel Core Extremely 9 185H processor performs properly on the AI entrance. That is not all, although, because the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 GPU additionally helps the laptop computer deal with just about any AAA sport. I performed Hogwarts Legacy, Forza Horizon 5, NFS Warmth, and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order on the laptop computer with the best settings obtainable. All video games carried out properly and delivered a mean of 90 FPS and above.
The Intel Core Extremely 9 185H is superb for productiveness and AI capabilities
With the brand new design, Alienware additionally needed to reconfigure its cooling system. The system acquired scorching throughout gaming, and I felt the warmth across the arrow keys. Throughout a 45-minute gaming session, the world across the laptop computer additionally acquired fairly heat. I may proceed gaming with out being uncomfortable, although, as a lot of the scorching air is kicked out from behind.
In the meantime, the connectivity on the laptop computer can be fairly good. It will get Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4, each of which labored properly throughout my time with the laptop computer.
Alienware m16 R2 Battery: As anticipated
- Capability – 90Wh
- Charger – 240W adapter
Battery life is not a powerful go well with of the Alienware m16 R2. In the event you sport on battery energy, count on it to final about 1 hour with demanding titles and barely longer on some much less demanding video games. Operating the laptop computer in stealth mode acquired me about 4 hours of utilization, which is fairly good, however I would not suggest leaving residence with out the charger. You may get extra if you happen to simply use the laptop computer to look at movies, however any productive work – it’s going to die in about 4 hours.
There’s a number of hexagon-shaped grilles on the laptop computer
The laptop computer has a 90Wh battery, and also you get a 240W charging adapter within the field. Charging takes about 1 hour 30 minutes, however you get fast charging help the place a 30-minute cost can ship as much as 60 p.c battery life.
Alienware m16 R2 Verdict
The Alienware m16 R2 will not be what it was, however if you happen to’re in search of a machine that may do greater than gaming, then this can be a sensible choice. All the things on the laptop computer is nice for a laptop computer at this worth. It is acquired a pleasant design, it is constructed properly, you get good efficiency from each the CPU and GPU, the show is quick, and the battery life when not gaming is fairly good. In the event you’re additionally in search of a gaming laptop computer that may mix properly amongst different lower-tier laptops so you do not really feel bizarre in espresso outlets, the Alienware m16 R2 is a good selection.
As for competitors and options, you’ll be able to check out the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 (Review), the Asus ROG Zephyrus M16, or the HP Victus 16, all of which provide barely higher efficiency however can even value extra and are not as lowkey because the Alienware.
