The redesign does function better at 15 inches than 17 inches, and our review unit offers strong performance thanks to its 11th Generation Intel Core i7 CPU and Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 GPU. The x15 tops out at 5 pounds, while the x17 weighs 7.05 pounds. Although the x15 achieved some performance highs in AAA games, it had a lower frame-rate ceiling than some alternatives due to its 512GB of solid-state storage, which is somewhat meagre for the price. also you can check our article on Alienware x15 R2 review. The Alienware x15 is a capable gaming laptop with cutting-edge features, but Razer’s Blade 15 Advanced Edition is a lighter, nicer device with a longer battery life. Your gaming laptop will run hot if you want it to be thin. The physics of fitting a potent CPU and GPU into a 15.7mm-thick body dictates that. Heat is really the last unexplored area because we’ve managed to make gaming laptops that are sufficiently portable, semi-stylish, and powerful to rival even the newest game consoles.
Design
The Alienware x15 R2 sports a slim, 0.62-inch chassis and a modern appearance thanks to its all-white surface. Despite having a tidy, almost professional appearance, the lid’s medium-sized RGB alien head and bold, styled “15” serve as a reminder that this is a gaming rig. The exterior is reversed from white on the lid to all-black on the inside when you lift the spacecraft hatch-shaped top, with a soft-touch wrist rest and thin bezels surrounding the 15.6-inch display. Along with the honeycomb ventilation cutouts, the keyboard has per-key RGB lighting, and the top-right corner of the laptop has a second alien head that lights up and serves as a power button. Additionally, there are two tiny vents that run the length of the keyboard on each side. Despite having a compact profile, the Alienware x15 has a cooling system with four fans that operate at independently-controlled speeds to push air out of its side and back honeycomb vents. Additionally, Alienware makes use of a thermal interface material known as “Element 31,” which guarantees players will experience constant frame rates throughout prolonged gameplay. Although Alienware does not sell Element 31 separately, we would love to be able to compare it to the best thermal paste and other thermal interface materials in our testing. 14.16 x 10.97 x 0.62 inches and 5.18 pounds are the weight and dimensions of the Alienware x15 R2 respectively. The 5.29-pound, 16.1-inch Acer Predator Triton 500 SE has dimensions of 14.11 x 10.3 x 0.78 inches. The Lenovo Legion 5i Pro weighs 5.49 pounds and measures 14.17 x 10.4 x 1.05 inches, while the Razer Blade 15 is 13.98 x 9.25 x 0.67 inches and weighs 4.4 pounds. The majority of the ports are located on the laptop’s back near the vents and are encircled by a sizable RGB light ring. The only port on the laptop’s left side is the power jack, while the only port on the right is a 3.5 mm headphone jack. A microSD card slot, an HDMI 2.1 port, a Thunderbolt 4 port, a USB Type-C port with PowerDelivery, and a Thunderbolt 3 port are all located in the back. Whether or not it matters that almost all of the ports are on the back will largely depend on how you use your laptop, but having some ports on the side, where they are on many other gaming laptops, is undoubtedly convenient at times.
Keyboard and touchpad
The keyboard is identical to that of the x15 R1 model. Dell uses a 1.5 mm key travel, N-key rollover, and anti-ghosting Alienware X Series slimline keyboard. Due to the small chassis, there are no mechanical keys. The x15 R2’s keyboard offers good tactile feedback, which makes typing on it generally enjoyable. The full-size arrow keys, which are a welcome addition, are also carried over from the x15 R1. It is annoying to use the Function keys in the dark because the secondary symbols on them continue to be unlit. Compared to the competitors, the 10.5 cm by 6 cm touchpad feels a little bit smaller, yet it provides a comfortable gliding experience. There is support for Windows Precision gestures. There are times when clicking does require some effort, and it can also use some extra feedback. The color scheme of the touchpad on the x15 R2 matches the rest of the keyboard deck, unlike the x15 R1, but it is still a fingerprint and grime magnet.
Alienware x15 R2 review: Display
There are three choices for the 15.6-inch 16:9 display. The resolutions available are 1080p 165Hz, 1440p 240Hz, or 1080p 360Hz. We really enjoy the 1440p 240Hz model that Dell supplied us. We believe that 1440p is the ideal resolution for a 15.6-inch display. Although the pixels at this size have a 1080p resolution, there are two reasons why you might still get an FHD image. One is that it is in the most affordable model with a refresh rate of 165Hz. The other is that it is a 360Hz refresh rate model. It’s understandable why many serious gamers might want to trade off resolution for frame rate. Personally, we like monitors that are visually appealing and provide the performance needed for gaming. That’s what I’m observing from this device’s screen, and it’s something we’ve discovered to be unusual in gaming laptops. Usually, gaming laptops give up everything in the name of performance and responsiveness, but even if you’re not a gamer at all, this is a really good display. According to my tests, it supports 97% P3, 92% Adobe RGB, 90% NTSC, and 100% sRGB. Even for a laptop that isn’t used for gaming, those are extremely impressive results. This means that, at least in terms of the display, this is a great PC for creators who might be doing photo or video editing. The maximum brightness was 417.9, which is respectable, but the maximum contrast ratio was only 860:1, which is unquestionably inadequate. The webcam is still 720p, and the screen has thin bezels on three sides. It will be a problem if you want to conduct a lot of streaming or even if you use this laptop for video conversations. You won’t likely have different laptops for work and gaming, after all. Simply said, it always seems sad to see 720p webcams in laptops. However, it does have a fantastic IR camera for facial recognition. It’s encouraging to see biometric authentication because it often seems to be absent from gaming laptops.
Audio
Although the Alienware x15 R2’s speakers have excellent volume, their emphasis on vocalists obscures other musical aspects. When we played Drake’s “Texts Go Green,” the vocals were considerably more prominent than normal, and the synths and percussion took a backseat. The remaining instrumentation lacked depth and variety. The vocals and kicks of Josh Gabriel and Winter Kills’ “Deep Down” were audible when we played it, but the song’s subtle ambient elements were less discernible. However, concentrating on voices is useful when viewing movies. The emphasis on speaking and the loud noise made Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness seem theatrical to me. The speakers also grew louder as the action did. However, on occasion, audio became distorted or cracked, as when America Chavez shouted a warning about a fake Shuma-Gorath attack on Doctor Strange early in the movie. For music and movie presets, Dolby Access provides balanced, warm, and detailed options that, respectively, even out, deepen the bass, and raise the treble. However, the app also provides dynamic and voice options that, when activated, make each individual effect sound worse. Additionally, no additional audio-enhancing software has been installed besides the Realtek Audio Console.
Graphic and gaming
The Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU in our Alienware x15 R2 unit has 16 GB of GDDR6 VRAM and 140 W of total graphics power (TGP). The Dynamic Boost wattage for this GPU is not provided by Dell. The MSI Raider GE66 (150 W) and the MSI Titan GT77 both perform similarly in terms of overall 3DMark performance to the RTX 3080 Ti in the x15 R2 (175 W). The somewhat lower score is a result of the thinner chassis requiring a lower wattage. Due to its low 110 W rating, the RTX 3080 Ti in the Razer Blade 15 Advanced performs poorly. We observe a considerable decline in 3DMark Time Spy results when using battery power. also you will learn our article on Alienware x15 R2 review. The overall score is down 58%, while the graphics performance is down a staggering 60%. When the device is disconnected from the mains, the screen refresh rate automatically decreases from 360 Hz to 60 Hz. The Alienware x15 R2 performs similarly to comparable RTX 3080 Ti-powered laptops in terms of gaming performance, which is to be anticipated given the available hardware. In games like F1 2021, The Witcher 3, and Cyberpunk 2077, the Asus ROG Strix Scar 15 leads with its 150 W RTX 3070 Ti Laptop GPU on very low quality settings, but the x15 R2 catches up once the graphics settings are turned up.
Alienware x15 R2 review: Performance
The Alienware x15 R2 comes with a tone of features that improve gaming performance, including Ray Tracing, Nvidia Dynamic Learning Super Sampling (DLSS), and more. Additionally, there is the Alienware Command Center, which offers a number of options for overclocking or power saving, including Performance Mode, Balanced Mode, Battery Saver Mode, Quiet Mode, and Full Speed Mode. Benchmark results show that the x15 R2 outperforms the majority of other gaming laptops in almost all categories, including Geekbench, Cinebench, the 3DMark tests, and the PCMark tests. In contrast to gaming laptops with comparable specifications, this does not appear to result in higher framerates for the games themselves, such as Cyberpunk 2077 and Dirt 5. On most graphically demanding games, we discovered that playing on medium or high settings, but not maximized settings, maintained at least a steady 60 frames per second (FPS), and this is without the use of DLSS as a helper. But some tests, like Cyberpunk 2077, had problems switching between DLSS and ray tracing, which could only be resolved by restarting the game. Other than that hitch, this device can handle any PC games you throw at it and spits them back out. Even during extended gaming sessions lasting hours, none of the titles, including Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered and Hitman 3, had any visual or performance concerns. The 15.6-inch FHD 1920×1080 display with G-Sync makes any visuals pop in color, and the sound quality is also very good, with both music and sound effects being sharp and clear. Depending on the specifications, the keyboard’s reaction time ranges from 1 millisecond to a maximum of 3 milliseconds. It has 1.5mm key travel, N-key rollover, anti-ghosting technology, and convenient media keys on the right side. Although a numlock pad would have been great, it was a wise choice to install stereo speakers on either side of the keyboard.
Battery life
The 6 Cell 87 Whr Lithium-Ion battery that powers the Alienware x15 R2 has a respectable capacity for a 15-inch gaming laptop. However, in our lightweight battery test, which looped a 4K Hollywood movie continuously until our review unit ran out of power, it only lasted five hours and forty minutes. Because of this, the x15 R2’s battery performance falls below average in our performance group and is more comparable to that of the Razer Blade 17 than the MSI GE76 Raider, which has a longer battery life. The lesson? When playing games without a power source, you can expect a battery life of about 3 hours, which is not particularly impressive. you can check our article on Alienware x15 R2 review.
Alienware x15 R2 review: Heat
We assess skin temperature during our Metro Exodus stress test to see how warm the system becomes to the touch. The Alienware reached a temperature of 41.5 degrees Celsius (106.7 degrees Fahrenheit) at the centre of the keyboard, between the G and H buttons, while the touchpad was colder at 30.4 degrees Celsius (86.72 degrees Fahrenheit). A toasty temperature of about 46.7 degrees Celsius (116.06 degrees Fahrenheit) was reached at the bottom, where the hottest point was, and we could definitely feel it while playing Control.
configuration options
Starting at $2,910 / £2,800 in the US and UK, and at AU$5,203 in Australia, the Alienware x15 R2 is now offered in the US, UK, and Australia. With an Intel Core i7, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060, 16 GB of LPDDR5 memory, and 512 GB of storage, the cheapest x15 R2 starts at $2,000 (£1,850/AU$2,960). The price of our test model is $2,910 (£2,800/AU$5,203), and the most expensive upgrades and features can increase the cost to $4,315 (£5,070/AU$8,000). This laptop is widely accessible and is available in many places, including the UK and Australia, just like almost any other Dell laptop. While the hefty price tag on this powerful laptop is completely justified, the ongoing cost-of-living crisis makes it difficult to recommend the x15 R2 based solely on price. This is one of the better options available on the market, though, if you do have money to burn on a pricey gaming laptop.
Conclusion
Performance, visual quality, and personality all receive perfect scores on the Alienware x15 R2. It has a quick Intel i7-12700H processor and Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti GPU, a gorgeous QHD display, and a design that promises to never get stale. This makes it a good choice for those looking for a powerful and highly versatile gaming laptop that goes all out to impress. The laptop excels on all counts, has a stylish design, a gorgeous screen, and incredibly powerful internals that will easily handle taxing AAA games for the foreseeable future. All things considered, the Alienware X15 R2, despite being pricey, is a fantastic gaming laptop and won’t let down power users or die-hard gamers in the least.
