Alienware m16 R2 Overview

I can’t begin speaking about Alienware’s redesigned m16 gaming laptop computer, the R2, with out first telling you straight up why I like this laptop computer as a lot as I do. I don’t prefer it due to its efficiency, even when it’s pretty good for its mid-range value level. It’s not the 240 Hz show, which can also be nice-looking however not spectacular. It’s not even the keyboard, which I discover much better than most laptops of this type however not precisely best-in-class for on-the-go gaming. It’s the palm relaxation. The palm relaxation is my favourite a part of the Alienware m16 R2. It’s cozy with out being plush and matte with out feeling slippery. Merely put, even when every part else is simply above common, the consolation of the m16 R2 makes it simple to suggest above the competitors.

Alienware has lengthy been a looks-forward type of model. By that, I imply it has stood out because the king—no, wait, the mothership—of RGB lighting and over-the-top design. Recently, the corporate has put a shock emphasis on performance, equivalent to with its redesigned Aurora R16 desktop PC. The Alienware m16 R2 gaming laptop computer with its “Legend 3” design ethos has taken the older m16, slimmed down its obtuse bum (AKA the previous thermal shelf), and added extra hexagons wherever they’d match. The concept, it appears, is to show the corporate’s capital-” G” gaming laptop computer into one thing you wouldn’t make you are feeling self-conscious about taking with you on the go.

And you recognize what, why not? For those who’re spending a number of thousand {dollars} on a laptop computer, why shouldn’t it meet the minimal necessities of portability and presentability? I’m not an enormous fan of massive butts (on laptops, in any other case strut your stuff), however I do like fairly screens and sufficient energy below the hood for all each day duties, not simply gaming. The m16 R2 can certainly be your each day driver. It’s on the very fringe of being too massive, and its battery life remains to be not every part it could possibly be, however Alienware managed to squeak it excellent in order that I may see myself taking it in all places I am going.

I dig the redesign for probably the most half. Even when an unlimited “16” on the again panel and followers go so quick and loud the laptop computer looks as if it can take off VTOL type, it’s nonetheless comparatively delicate for a gaming machine. And in the event you’re nonetheless feeling slightly bit embarrassed by the flashing RGB LEDs below the keyboard, you may activate the brand new “Stealth Mode” to show the keys white and kick in “Quiet” efficiency settings to get slightly extra out of your battery life.

The Alienware m18 R2 nonetheless exists if you need one thing with an even bigger butt for doubtlessly higher thermals that would deal with as much as an RTX 4090. I can’t converse to efficiency between each machines, however for the needs of utilizing the system for something greater than gaming, the M2 gives a extra streamlined, well-worn design than its cousin with the rotund rear finish.

Alienware m16 R2 Design and Warmth

This Gaming PC is Moveable and Further Snug as Properly

The redesigned m16 gaming laptop computer does away with the thermal shelf that sat behind the laptop computer’s display. Now, with out that “thicc” posterior taking over house, the laptop computer does lastly match into my backpack’s laptop computer holders, although solely simply. The display also can flip again 90 levels if that’s one thing that issues to you. Regardless of being 15% smaller than earlier variations, it’s certainly not a small laptop computer. It weighs 5.62 kilos, so you may’t go frisbeeing it throughout the room with out sturdy forearms. Its thickest level close to its again is about .93 inches, which is only a few millimeters larger than a Razer Blade 16. The m16 R2 can also be just a bit bit longer and wider than Razer’s top-of-the-line 16-inch gaming machine.

As a lot as the big alien head brand on the again of the laptop computer provides it away, it’s undoubtedly nonetheless an Alienware system. I don’t just like the look of the huge “16” on the again panel. In my thoughts, it could look a lot better with out it. That materials on the again of the display additionally feels comparatively skinny and plastic-y. Nonetheless, your entire body is anodized aluminum meant to maintain your grubby fingerprints from dirtying up its metallic sheen.

On the literal flip aspect, I actually like what the Dell-owned model has performed with the realm across the keyboard and trackpad. It’s a really comfy materials that’s not too slippery. There’s a good quantity of room to relaxation your palms, and in contrast to so many laptops I’ve used lately, the trackpad isn’t too massive or too small. The hexagonal speaker grids up close to the display and the glowing Alienware brand remind you that you simply’re utilizing a gaming laptop computer, even in quiet mode. Nonetheless, I favor a bit of additional aptitude in comparison with the standard staid laptop computer designs. I’ve already talked about how a lot I just like the palm relaxation, however I must also observe that the within is sturdy with none bends the place you lay your fingers.

The trackpad and keyboard are additionally up there, and they’re the very best I’ve used on a gaming laptop computer. The keys have 1.8 mm of journey, however extra importantly, they’ve a stable presence and a satisfying sufficient click on that gained’t make mechanical keyboard followers blush, however they’re extra paying homage to a full desktop setup. Alienware additionally hasn’t slouched on its trackpad, which feels glassy and pure with out that feeling like your finger is skating on ice. The one model I’d say did higher lately is Asus with its ROG Zephyrus G14, however solely simply.

Alienware needed to redesign its warmth dissipation with the R2 redesign utterly. The corporate claims its cooling is on par with the older design and the thermal shelf. Nonetheless, regardless of some sensible engineering, there’s inevitably going to be a tradeoff in airflow, cooling, and—to some extent—efficiency and not using a devoted cooling unit. The system inhales air from beneath and blows it out the rear and sides of the laptop computer, and there might be loads of scorching air swimming round your desk when the laptop computer is below stress.

After a several-hour gaming session, I discovered that my fingers had been beginning to get heat, although solely on the very fringe of uncomfortably so. The world round my desk was feeling additional scorching as properly. Beneath load, I registered the rear vent as going to 120 levels Fahrenheit whereas the aspect vents had been 111. The world the place you’d lay your fingers on the keyboard sat round 100, although the warmth will get pushed away from the place you usually relaxation your fingers.

I additionally observed that the warmth had the potential of impacting recreation efficiency. Beneath load in a recreation like Warhammer 40K: Darktide, I noticed a little bit of throttling when attempting to push ray tracing settings. A mean of 90 FPS would dip to 60 or decrease FPS below this excessive stress. It’s one thing to recollect when attempting to push the RTX 4070 to its limits.

The vents additionally pushed the ports nearer to the far fringe of the laptop computer, and I discovered I used to be a bit disillusioned by what was there and the place they had been positioned. There’s the ability port within the again plus two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C. On the perimeters are two USB Kind-A, a micro-SD card slot, a headphone jack, and an ethernet port. I actually want I didn’t have to succeed in across the laptop computer to entry USB-C, and if I wished to make use of the m16 R2 as my fundamental system for picture or video duties, I would like to have a full SD card slot as a substitute. It’s higher than the x16 R2 by way of port placement for each day use, however it’s removed from good.

Alienware m16 R2 Show and Webcam

Whereas 240 Hz is Good, It’s Not the Brightest Display Round

Alienware has opted for a display that meets the minimal expectations of avid gamers who wish to play at a excessive degree, even when they’re not the very best, brightest display on the market. The 16-inch IPS LCD show sits on the QHD+, 2560 by 1600 decision. The largest declare to fame right here is the help for 240 Hz refresh charges for all these video games that demand probably the most precision at excessive ranges of play. The show has a 3 ms GtG response time and Nvidia G-Sync help.

This additionally isn’t the brightest display on the market. Alienware says it has a peak brightness of 300 nits. The brightness sat round 315 nits in our checks, so Alienware may need barely lowballed. Nonetheless, we must always observe it’s actually not the brightest display on the market. There’s additionally an anti-glare coating that retains the display from catching any wayward gentle, however it is advisable to up the brightness to really feel such as you’re getting probably the most out of the in-game visuals, particularly when there’s no ambient outdoors gentle. I saved the brightness as excessive as doable, which additionally doesn’t do nice issues for battery life.

As a result of with out the 240 Hz refresh price, the display feels moderately primary for a tool that begins at $1,499 at its lowest finish and all the best way previous $2,500 with all of the bells and whistles. It actually can’t beat mini-LED or OLED, so whilst you is likely to be pushing in-game visuals with the stable efficiency of the m16 R2, you gained’t get the very best distinction as you’d with extra superior display varieties.

Simply know in the event you plan to make use of this machine as your fundamental PC, the webcam isn’t the very best on the market. Regardless of the excessive decision, it’s a 1920×1080 digital camera that doesn’t do your face a lot justice on a video name. It doesn’t do nice below even reasonably low-light circumstances, and my picture was fairly grainy below your common workplace fluorescents.

Alienware m16 R2 Efficiency and Connectivity

Simply About What You Have to Play Most Video games at Their Finest

My model of the m16 R2 got here with Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 and an Intel Core Extremely 7 155H. At 16 GB of RAM and the minimal 1 TB SSD, my system was priced at round $1,850, and when all was stated and performed, I actually couldn’t complain in regards to the efficiency. No, you don’t have the choice to go as much as a full RTX 4090, however my model of the m16 managed some fairly honest frames on most video games, if solely as a result of serving to hand of Nvidia’s DLSS.

We’ve benchmarked the Intel Core Extremely 7 155H loads of occasions in simply the primary few months of this yr, so it’s not shocking to say that the chip can maintain its personal below each single- and multi-core settings on instruments like Geekbench and Cinebench. Nonetheless, it gained’t fairly high up in opposition to the $1,700 Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 with an Intel Core i7-14700HX.

That being stated, in graphics benchmarks like 3D Mark, each handle to come back to parity because of the identical GPU with 8 GB of GDDR6 reminiscence. In our Blender benchmark, the place we drive the system to render a scene relying on the CPU or GPU, the Alienware was a couple of naked seconds slower than the Predator Helios Neo. Contemplating that the Acer mannequin is greater than an inch longer than the m16 as a result of system’s thermal shelf, the Alienware nonetheless manages to carry its personal.

On titles like Cyberpunk 2077, the place the graphics are excessive with some ray tracing and DLSS operating, you may stand up to round 70 FPS. With out DLSS, you’ll battle to satisfy playable body charges in all the best settings. With a recreation like Horizon: Forbidden West, you may simply get to, on common, 90 FPS with all of the settings turned as much as their highest.

In a recreation like Warhammer 40K: Darktide, you’ll simply get near 80 FPS throughout gameplay, although it can dip in some areas when utilizing ray tracing. That’s all with DLSS on by default. With out it, count on it to drop to simply 30 FPS if you attempt to preserve the identical settings. The swap shall be much less dramatic in a recreation like Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, which can stick round 80 FPS throughout gameplay and solely see minor drawbacks with out DLSS turned on.

You need to count on to play your favourite video games on excessive settings with few caveats. We must also point out that the system comes with WiFi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 for honest connectivity. It additionally comes with a wired ethernet port for individuals who want as a lot low latency as doable.

Alienware m16 R2 Battery Life

Good for a Gaming PC, However Not an All-Day Battery

The Alienware m16 R2 is packing a whopping 90 Whr battery, which does sound vital contemplating its scaled-back measurement. Even with a couple of new additions like Stealth Mode, this machine remains to be a gaming laptop computer, so even if you would possibly want for a full-day battery life, you must know that even if you’re operating on decrease energy settings, you’ll nonetheless have to cost earlier than you make it a full eight hours.

You possibly can allow Stealth Mode with a fast press of the F2 key, which is additional helpful for individuals who have to look much less gamer-y; it gained’t prevent an unlimited quantity of battery life. In Stealth Mode, I went from 100 to about 54% after about three hours. That continued till I used to be within the purple at about hour six. It’s worse if you’re not attempting to save lots of energy. I went about two hours earlier than I noticed it drop right down to about 60% after two hours. This was with the display brightness turned up, so reducing which may prevent some additional juice.

That’s not unhealthy by any means for a gaming laptop computer, however if you wish to contemplate it your each day driver simply know you’ll sacrifice a full-day battery life you could possibly get with smaller productivity-focused PCs just like the Dell XPS 14.

One of many Finest Feeling Gaming Laptops, Although Don’t Anticipate the Moon

Alienware’s 16-inch laptop computer redesign has performed what the corporate got down to do: reconfiguring its gaming machine into one thing moveable whereas nonetheless sustaining honest warmth dissipation and efficiency avid gamers count on. It’s not overly heavy, and it’s not overly massive. It does the job and nonetheless maintains a couple of of the aesthetic traits typical of Alienware.

That might usually be sufficient to present the thumbs-up suggestion, although solely by way of ensuring you store round for similarly-priced laptops. What Alienware does higher than anyone else is make a machine that’s truly good to make use of. Funky fan hexes and glowing alien logos be damned; I want each laptop computer had a keyboard and palm relaxation just like the m16 R2 has. Reviewers have the issue that they may transfer on to the following system as quickly as they’re performed with the one they’re at the moment utilizing, however I can think about myself on the slimmed-down Alienware for much longer than that. In some ways, that’s the very best suggestion I could make.

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