My first gaming laptop computer, which I purchased in 2011, was an Alienware M11x R2, and I changed it with an Alienware 14. Each have been nice machines, and I’ve fond reminiscences of taking part in some unbelievable video games on them. Alienware laptops have all the time been nice, however they’ve virtually all the time been cumbersome, huge, 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 a superb 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 burden discount and design change price the laptop computer its efficiency worth? Can it’s used as a day by day driver? You will should learn until the top to seek out out.
The Alienware m16 R2 is priced at round Rs. 1,55,000 in India for the bottom choice with an Intel Core Extremely 7 CPU and Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 GPU. Our overview 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: Holding it easy
- Dimensions – 363.9 mm(width) x 249.4mm (depth) x 23.5mm (peak)
- 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 moderately, the again. The metallic lid has a matte end, and the quantity 16 is carved onto the nook, however not in a pleasant method. It is huge and in your face. I might’ve simply been pleased with the Alien head emblem. The underside is made out of aluminium and pretty minimal however has hexagonally formed consumption grilles. The exhaust vents are on the again and the perimeters. There are loads of hexagonal design components all around the laptop computer, and you may additionally discover them while you open the lid and look above the keyboard. There’s an Alien head-shaped energy button above the keyboard as nicely.
There are many ports on the laptop computer
The world across the keyboard and the touchpad incorporates a mushy end, making it very snug to put your fingers on. It does like fingerprints, although. As for ports, the correct aspect has two USB Kind-A ports and a microSD card reader. You will discover an RJ45 Ethernet port and a headphone jack on the correct, whereas the again homes two USB Kind-C ports, an HDMI 2.1 port, and a DC port.
Whereas Dell has shed some weight and dimensions, the Alienware m16 R2 continues to be heavy at 2.61 kg, however it suits significantly better inside backpacks. It is nicely 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
- Dimension – 16-inch IPS panel
- Decision – QHD+ (2560×1600)
- Refresh price – 240Hz
You get a pleasant 16-inch anti-glare IPS show on the laptop computer. The panel affords a 240Hz refresh price, a 3ms response time, and a QHD+ decision. It additionally helps Nvidia G-Sync and Dolby Imaginative and prescient HDR. Watching films and taking part in video games on the show is very nice, however I want it have been brighter. The panel affords 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 prime bezel that homes the net digital camera.
General, it is a good show that’s nice for enjoying video games, due to the 240Hz refresh. You may decrease the refresh price to 60Hz to save lots of on battery, however when you go 240Hz, it is arduous 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 affords 1.8mm key journey. Typing on the keyboard feels good, however that is additionally due to the rubber-like coating. The backlight can get very vibrant at evening, and I might principally hold it at half brightness when utilizing it.
Under the keyboard is a decent-sized touchpad that incorporates a clean end and RGB edge lighting. I might have preferred it if the touchpad was a bit of bit bigger, however it does the job very nicely. It helps multi-touch gestures as nicely and has a pleasant click on to it.
Typing on the keyboard is a nice expertise, and the backlight is powerful 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 Hey 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 mild.
Alienware m16 R2 Software program: Clear and helpful
- OS – Home windows 11 Dwelling
- Alienware instruments – Command Middle, AlienFX, Fusion
By way of software program, the laptop computer runs Home windows 11 Dwelling out of the field and affords Microsoft Workplace Dwelling 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 varieties of customisation, you’ve gotten the Alienware Command Middle.
The Command Middle consists of options reminiscent of AlienFX for lighting management and Fusion for switching between totally different energy modes. There’s additionally a Sport Library that provides 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 helps you to do every kind of issues to the laptop computer
Microsoft’s Workplace instruments additionally help AI features, however I did not discover the Cocreator choice in Paint. You additionally get entry to the Copilot chatbot, which works fairly nicely, due to 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 overview unit was outfitted with the Intel Core Extremely 9 185H CPU paired with 32GB RAM and Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 GPU with 8GB VRAM. This mix works nicely for every kind of duties, together with video enhancing and gaming. Nevertheless, for the reason that Intel Core Extremely additionally incorporates a devoted NPU, you may 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 nicely and creates pictures shortly. 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 General | 1682 |
| PCMark 10 | 7523 |
| Geekbench AI Quantized (GPU) | 14141 |
| Geekbench AI Quantized (CPU) | 3218 |
| 3DMark Metal Nomad | 2803 |
| 3DMark Time Spy | 12483 |
As you may see from the artificial benchmarks above, the Alienware m16 R2 with its Intel Core Extremely 9 185H processor performs nicely 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 very best settings obtainable. All video games carried out nicely and delivered a mean of 90 FPS and above.
The Intel Core Extremely 9 185H is great for productiveness and AI features
With the brand new design, Alienware additionally needed to reconfigure its cooling system. The system bought 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 bought fairly heat. I might proceed gaming with out being uncomfortable, although, as many of the scorching air is kicked out from behind.
In the meantime, the connectivity on the laptop computer can also be fairly good. It will get Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4, each of which labored nicely throughout my time with the laptop computer.
Alienware m16 R2 Battery: As anticipated
- Capability – 90Wh
- Charger – 240W adapter
Battery life is not a robust swimsuit of the Alienware m16 R2. Should 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. Working the laptop computer in stealth mode bought me about 4 hours of utilization, which is fairly good, however I would not advocate leaving dwelling with out the charger. You will get extra when you simply use the laptop computer to look at movies, however any productive work – it’s going to die in about 4 hours.
There’s loads 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 % battery life.
Alienware m16 R2 Verdict
The Alienware m16 R2 shouldn’t be what it was, however when you’re in search of a machine that may do greater than gaming, then it is a sensible choice. All the things on the laptop computer is nice for a laptop computer at this worth. It is bought a pleasant design, it is constructed nicely, you get good efficiency from each the CPU and GPU, the show is quick, and the battery life when not gaming is fairly good. Should you’re additionally in search of a gaming laptop computer that may mix nicely amongst different lower-tier laptops so you do not really feel bizarre in espresso retailers, the Alienware m16 R2 is a superb selection.
As for competitors and alternate options, you may check out the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 (Assessment), the Asus ROG Zephyrus M16, or the HP Victus 16, all of which supply barely higher efficiency however may price extra and are not as lowkey because the Alienware.
