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Dell has launched the new Alienware X15 R2 and X17 R2 gaming laptops. The super slimline rigs replace last year's newcomers on the shelves, with base models kicking off pricing at $2,199 for the 15.6-incher and $2,299 for the 17.3-inch version.
The Alienware X15 R2 and X17 R2 refresh the line rather than innovating on it, but still pack some impressive updates. The new rigs from the brand behind some of the best gaming laptops on the market feature 12th generation Intel Core processors (i7-12700H or i9-12900H) in 14-core configurations, while also developing key elements of the X-range experience. Alienware Cryo-tech cooling keeps those powerful chips in check, with an "Alienware exclusive Element 31 thermal interface material" and you're now getting 100 micro-LEDs over the rear hinge panel (compared to the original X15's 90).
Of course, there's more to a premium gaming laptop than RGB and cool fans... or so we're told. The Alienware X15 R2 and X17 R2 will offer Nvidia's 30-Series RTX GPUs starting from the RTX 3060 model but also expanding into RTX 3070 Ti and RTX 3080 Ti territories. You're still getting up to 4TB RAID dual-drive SSD storage, up to 32GB RAM, and FHD displays at 165Hz or 360Hz (QHD runs at 240Hz and UHD is available on the X17 R2 at 120Hz). The refresh also includes a new Alienware X-Series keyboard as well, promising 1.5mm travel, per-key RGB, n-key rollover, and anti-ghosting.
| Row 0 - Cell 0 | Alienware X15 R2 | Alienware X17 R2 |
| Display | FHD @ 165Hz / 360Hz, QHD @ 240Hz | FHD @ 165Hz / 360Hz, UHD @ 120Hz |
| Brightness | FHD @ 300-nits, QHD @ 400-nits | FHD @ 300-nits, UHD @ 500-nits |
| CPU | i7-12700H (14-core/20-thread, up to 4.7GHz Max Turbo), i9-12900H (14-core/20-thread, 5.0GHz Max Turbo) | i7-12700H (14-core/20-thread, up to 4.7GHz Max Turbo), i9-12900H (14-core/20-thread, 5.0GHz Max Turbo) |
| GPU | RTX 3060, RTX 3070, RTX 3070Ti, RTX 3080, RTX 3080Ti | RTX 3060, RTX 3070, RTX 3070Ti, RTX 3080, RTX 3080Ti |
| RAM | 16GB, 32GB | 16GB, 32GB |
| Storage | 256GB-2TB PCle NVMe M.2 SSD (single), 512GB-4TB RAID 0 (dual) | 256GB-2TB PCle NVMe M.2 SSD (single), 512GB-4TB RAID 0 (dual) |
| Ports | USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, Thunderbolt, MicroSD, HDMI 2.1, 3.5mm | USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, Thunderbolt, MicroSD, HDMI 2.1, 3.5mm |
Those are some serious configurations, which means these aren't the featherlight backpack-friendly rigs that many brands are aiming for these days. Thermal controls alone will likely add some serious heft in here - especially in the 17.3-inch model.
The Alienware X15 R2 and X17 R2 are available from today, January 25, at Dell US and Dell UK. The new Alienware M15 R7 will be vying for the top spot on our best Alienware laptop guide from February 1.
If you're after something a little cheaper, you'll find plenty of gaming laptop deals in our guide to the latest cheap Alienware laptops. Or, check out the best Razer laptops to scope out the competition.
