Alienware m16 R2 review: This gaming notebook computer would possibly well per chance also furthermore be your each day driver

Label When Reviewed

$1,849.99

Easiest Costs These days: Alienware m16 R2

The Alienware m16 R2 isn’t precisely the end of PC I’d quiz from Alienware. This 16-hunch notebook computer delivers exceptional gaming performance, nonetheless it’s also targeted on being compact and offering lengthy battery lifestyles. It doesn’t even offer the very best likely-conclude GPUs as an upgrade option. It in actual fact caps out at an RTX 4070, and likewise you’ll dangle to rep one other notebook computer when you should have an RTX 4080 or RTX 4090.

The trademark resplendent alien head trademarks are mild here, nonetheless Alienware told me its goal target audience for this notebook computer became gamers who want a PC for greater than correct gaming — one which would possibly jog to faculty or to the verbalize of enterprise as effectively. Alienware delivered, nonetheless there’s correct one thing I need became diverse. Read on to learn more.

Attempting for more ideas? Take a look at out PCWorld’s roundup of the ultimate gaming laptops on hand upright now.

Alienware m16 R2: Specs

The Alienware m16 R2 is on hand in a lot of diverse hardware configurations. The machine we reviewed is priced at $1,849 and had an Intel Core Extremely 7 155 CPU, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 graphics, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD.

You might well perchance per chance per chance also furthermore rep a model with Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 graphics for $200 less. Alienware told us that you just’ll soon be in a situation to use models with Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 graphics and that these would possibly be even more cost effective.

Additionally, Alienware says this will offer models with the option of an Intel Core Extremely 9 185H processor, as a lot as 64 GB of RAM, and as a lot as eight TB of storage. On high of that, Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 would possibly be on hand as an option — the spoiled machine comes with Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 radios.

CPU: Intel Core Extremely 7 155H

Memory: 16GB DDR5 5600MHz

Graphics/GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070

Affirm: 2560×1600 IPS 240Hz (300 nits)

Storage: 1TB PCIe Gen 4 NVMe SSD

Webcam: 1080p webcam with HDR

Connectivity: 1x Thunderbolt 4 / USB-C 4 Gen 2 with 15W Energy Transport and DisplayPort 1.4, 1x USB-C / USB 3.2 Gen 2 with DisplayPort 1.4, 2x USB-A 3.2, 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x Ethernet, 1x headphone jack, 1x microSD card reader

Networking: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3

Biometrics: Windows Hello facial recognition

Battery capacity: 90 Watt-hour

Dimensions: 14.33 inches x 9.82 inches x 0.93 inches

Weight: 5.62 kilos

MSRP: $1,849 as tested ($1,649 spoiled)

Alienware m16 R2: Create and rep quality

Alienware became proud to squawk me that the m16 R2 is now 15 p.c more compact than the earlier m16 notebook computer as a outcome of the elimination of the “thermal shelf” on the support of the notebook computer.

The Alienware m16 R2’s cooling mild works effectively. The keyboard stayed a essentially cheap temperature in lengthy gaming sessions and a lot of the sizzling air gave the impact fancy it became being expelled from the support of the notebook computer comparatively than blowing straight out the upright vent and onto my mouse hand — a scenario with some gaming laptops.

The aesthetics feel swish: It’s very Alienware, nonetheless it’s also quite restrained. You’ve obtained a metal lid (anodized aluminum) with more of a gray color, that contains as a centered Alienware logo that glows while the notebook computer is on.

Within, a resplendent Alienware logo that functions as an affect button sits above the keyboard, within the center of some vents. The keyboard supports RGB backlighting, and the touchpad is surrounded by a nice LED light bar. The keyboard deck has a nice, rubbery-feeling “tender-contact” flooring — no longer laborious, frigid metal or low fee, creaky plastic.

The rep quality is robust. You in all likelihood shouldn’t be selecting up this notebook computer from the nook and holding it frequently — it’s a tiny bit of heavy for that — nonetheless I did just a few times, and it became exceptional without any odd flexing. The hinge feels correct to open and shut, and it opens to 180 levels when you should lie the notebook computer flat. There’s nothing nasty to file here — the rep quality is essentially as correct as I would possibly well per chance hope to undercover agent.

Alienware told me that they wish the m16 R2 to be a notebook computer that can perchance per chance also furthermore be with ease worn outdoor of gaming environments fancy espresso stores and meeting rooms, too. The notebook computer has a “Stealth Mode” that quiets the fans and turns off the resplendent Alienware logo on the support. You might well perchance per chance per chance also tone down the gamer stunning when wanted.

Surely, this is mild an Alienware notebook computer — even when you flip off that resplendent alien head logo, it’ll mild be sitting there on the support of your notebook computer. That’s no longer necessarily nasty, nonetheless any individual who presents this machine a second stumble on will know that it isn’t correct a conventional industry notebook computer.

Even the charger is ultimate: Our review model came with a limited end facet GaN charger, extra boosting the notebook computer’s portability.

The notebook computer has just a few worthwhile utilities, fancy the Alienware State Heart for configuring the LED colors and accessing diverse settings fancy those, nonetheless the integrated functions are very streamlined. It isn’t stuffed with junk instrument, and that’s always correct to undercover agent.

Alienware m16 R2: Keyboard and trackpad

The keyboard feels colossal to sort on, too. There’s a lot of shuttle, and whether I had my fingers glued to the WASD keys for gallop in a game or I became in actual fact typing, I became more than pleased with the keyboard.

While you happen to’re a mechanical keyboard fan and that’s a have to-dangle characteristic for you, endure in thoughts that this isn’t a mechanical keyboard. But you might well perchance per chance even dangle a colossal typing ride with any end of keyboard, and this is a correct keyboard.

The touchpad is terribly good to make exercise of, too. (This exhibit day, we PC users are ugly for correct touchpads.) It’s responsive and feels correct to hotfoot your finger over. It’s plenty massive, and I attain fancy the stumble on of the LED light bar. I’ve had a tiny bit of better ride with glass touchpads — the rubbery-feeling coating here isn’t reasonably beautiful exceptional as good as some of those glass touchpads I’ve worn — nonetheless this is correct. For gaming, you’ll doubtlessly be the exercise of a mouse or a gamepad, anyway.

Alienware m16 R2: Affirm and audio system

Here is a essentially cheap exhibit for the cost point. You’re getting a 16-hunch QHD+ (2560×1600 resolution) exhibit with a instant 240Hz refresh fee. It supports NVIDIA G-Sync, AMD FreeSync, and Dolby Imaginative and prescient HDR.

That’s all magnificent colossal on paper, and it looks to be like correct. But this is an IPS panel, no longer an OLED panel. That’s no longer a shock — this is draw more within the “cheap” vary to this point as gaming laptops jog. But more gaming laptops are coming with OLED shows, so it’s rate noting. Some folk have to uncover a notebook computer with an OLED exhibit as an different, and that’s comprehensible — nonetheless you’ll doubtlessly use more money for a notebook computer with that characteristic.

In my view, I exercise a notebook computer with an IPS exhibit each and on each day basis and I’m fully stunning with it. Mild, there’s no denying some of those OLEDs I’ve been taking a study currently are incredibly gorgeous. (But they’re also more pricey!) In summary: Here is a beautifully correct exhibit, nonetheless it is an IPS exhibit.

The predominant scenario I essentially dangle is the brightness of the m16 R2’s exhibit — it’s magnificent murky. Alienware says it has 300 nits of brightness, and I needed to crank it up high for PCWorld’s connected earlier battery test. I gamed at 100 p.c brightness in a wretched room at night, and even at 100 p.c brightness, it didn’t feel overly intellectual — I didn’t dangle to flip it down.

The exhibit isn’t nasty, nonetheless it’s no longer the ultimate you might well perchance per chance also use — which is no longer surprising at this cheap note point! Exact be responsive to that.

The audio system appear plenty loud, and likewise you might well perchance per chance also rep some gaming shunned the fans drowning out the audio too exceptional. They’re no longer going to evaluate with a correct pair of headphones or exterior audio system, although.

Alienware m16 R2: Webcam, microphone, biometrics

The Alienware m16 R2 involves a 1080p webcam with HDR, dual-array microphones, and an IR camera for Windows Hello toughen — biometric logins with your face.

The 1080p webcam looks to be like stunning. For a gaming notebook computer, it’s greater than stunning. I’ve viewed gaming laptops with exceptional worse webcams — I’ve even viewed gaming laptops and not using a webcams at all! And, on legend of this has an Intel Meteor Lake chip with a neural processing unit (NPU), you rep rep entry to to Windows Studio Outcomes. That equipment of effects delivers recommendations that can perchance invent it stumble on fancy you’re always making look contact with the camera, let’s instruct.

The constructed-in microphone is certainly usable. I’ve been in online conferences where mavens worn exceptional worse microphones. I wouldn’t instruct the microphone is improbable: I sure to whisk in an exterior USB microphone for my gaming session and my co-op associate thought the audio quality became exceptional improved. But when you’re reading this, I’m toddle you already quiz that you just’ll dangle to whisk in a headset — or separate headphones and a microphone — for the ultimate audio ride.

Here is an impressive connected earlier Windows Hello webcam that worked correct stunning in my ride, too. It’s correct to dangle biometric login toughen.

Alienware m16 R2: Connectivity

On the support of the Alienware m16 R2, there’s the precise energy port, and an HDMI 2.1 port. There are also two USB-C ports with diverse trademarks: One is a Thunderbolt 4 port (USB 4 Gen 2, 15W Energy Transport, and DisplayPort 1.4), and the diverse is a USB 3.2 Gen 2 port with DisplayPort 1.4.

The HDMI port and that USB 3.2 Gen 2 port are linked straight to the discrete GPU (the Nvidia GeForce GPU) and no longer the constructed-in GPU. While you happen to’re going to be gaming on an exterior exhibit, you might well perchance per chance also join it to both of those ports, skipping the constructed-in GPU for improved performance.

On the upright facet of the notebook computer, you’ll stumble on two mature USB-A ports (USB 3.2 Gen 1) and a microSD card slot. On the left facet of the notebook computer, you’ve obtained an RJ-45 for wired Ethernet networking and a headset jack.

Total, the connectivity ideas are reasonably intensive. There’s a correct likelihood you might well perchance per chance also jog and not using a dongle or a port-packed notebook computer dock.

The notebook computer supports Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3, so it’s obtained the odd sleek wireless radios you’ll be searching for. Here is Intel Killer Wi-Fi hardware — namely, Intel Killer AX1675 hardware. Intel talks up its Killer Wi-Fi technology, claiming it has “extremely effective gaming network technology to diminish walk, latency, and packet loss.” I’m unsure Killer Wi-Fi is a have to-dangle characteristic, nonetheless it’s here.

Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 hardware is on hand as an non-obligatory upgrade, nonetheless it’s no longer on hand within the spoiled model of the notebook computer. Wi-Fi 7 isn’t very in trend yet — you merely about certainly don’t dangle a Wi-Fi 7 router yet — so this isn’t a massive deal.

Alienware m16 R2: Performance

Now let’s rep all of the draw down to brass tacks. Obvious, Alienware m16 R2 has correct rep quality, a trim invent, and a aggressive different of ports. But after I’m taking a study a gaming notebook computer, I’m always inquisitive about the cost to performance ratio.

The Alienware m16 R2 we reviewed packed one in every of Intel’s new Meteor Lake chips — the Intel Core Extremely 7 155H. It’s more targeted on energy effectivity than performance than the earlier Raptor Lake hardware. It’s also obtained an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 — no longer the very best likely-conclude GeForce chip for a notebook computer, nonetheless no longer the bottom one both. But we can discuss on-paper specs all day — how effectively does it in actual fact develop in our connected earlier benchmarks?

Prior to we even stumble on at benchmark outcomes, all of us know from the specs that we’re taking a study a more mid-vary, portable gaming notebook computer. This doesn’t dangle the very best likely-conclude CPU or the beefiest GPU. It’s on the compact facet, so it doesn’t dangle the craziest cooling setup. That’s stunning: Laptops with more low performance would possibly well per chance also very effectively be severely more pricey and severely greater, with more weight and worse battery lifestyles.

Our first test, PCMark 10 is designed to measure the system’s total performance — no longer correct gaming performance. It’s an all-spherical benchmark, nonetheless it’s exceptional more targeted on the CPU than the GPU.

The outcomes were about what we’d quiz to undercover agent. The Intel Core Extremely 7 155H CPU helps the system pull earlier than a notebook computer with a Intel Core i5 processor from the Raptor Lake technology. Unsurprisingly, laptops with the increased-conclude Intel Core i9 Raptor Lake chips raise increased performance numbers.

Subsequent, we flee Cinebench R20, a heavily multithreaded benchmark that looks to be like at CPU performance. Cinebench R20 is a short benchmark, so cooling isn’t exceptional of a facet.

Yet one more time, CPU performance pulled earlier than the frequent earlier-technology chips. The Alienware m16 R2’s CPU couldn’t raise the performance of the high-conclude gaming laptops with Intel Core i9-14900HX chips, nonetheless.

That’s no shock, both: The Core Extremely 7 155H chip in this notebook computer is a 16-core chip, while the Core i9-14900HX is a 24-core chip. In a multi-threaded CPU benchmark fancy this one, more cores indicate more performance. And a heavily optimized multithreaded benchmark doesn’t squawk you the draw the notebook computer will develop in true games.

We also encode a video file with Handbrake. This benchmark is also a heavily multithreaded CPU benchmark, nonetheless it takes for exceptional longer to flee. It requires the notebook computer’s cooling does some serious work. If a notebook computer’s cooling system isn’t as a lot as snuff and the CPU performance goes down over time below heavy CPU loads, this benchmark unearths that.

Yet one more time, the Alienware delivered a exceptional outcome, on the support of simplest the high-conclude Core i9 chips with extra cores.

Now let’s rep to the graphics benchmarks. The Alienware m16 R2 delivers exceptional performance in 3DMark Time Behold, a graphical benchmark that’s very GPU targeted. Here, it’s in spitting distance of the Razer Blade 16, each and every of which dangle Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 GPUs. This illustrates how the GPU is draw more important than the CPU in most games.

The m16 R2 is crushed by the MSI Raider GE78 — that system has a high-conclude, energy-hungry, pricey RTX 4090 GPU. But that MSI machine is a $5400 notebook computer that weighs almost eight kilos! The Alienware model we’re benchmarking here is no longer as a lot as $2,000 and weighs about 5 and a half of kilos.

Now, let’s rep to a pair game benchmarks. We flee the benchmark in Shadow of the Tomb Raider. It’s an older title, nonetheless an very ultimate technique to evaluate performance all the draw via diverse PCs. The Alienware m16 R2 averages 144 frames per second within the benchmark, upright essentially based totally on diverse RTX 4070-powered laptops.

It’s simplest four frames per second slower than that Razer Blade 16 that became pulling earlier than it within the CPU benchmarks, yet again exhibiting correct how important the GPU alone is to many games. And that Razer Blade begins at $3,000.

As always, that MSI with the RTX 4090 takes the crown. At 203 frames per second, it’s 41 p.c quicker than this Alienware notebook computer. But it certainly’s also honest about thrice the cost.

At closing, we offer out up with the benchmark in Metro Exodus, a more irritating game where we flee the benchmark at 1080p resolution on the Coarse detail setting. The Alienware m16 R2 became yet again upright essentially based totally on the diverse RTX 4070 laptops at 50 frames per second, exhibiting exceptional-improved performance over an RTX 4050-powered notebook computer. That MSI delivered 80 p.c more frames per second here — nonetheless yet again, it did so at honest about thrice the cost.

Here is a exceptional Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070-powered notebook computer. The cooling is doing its job very effectively, and the GPU doesn’t appear to be held support. Obviously, this notebook computer can’t withhold with a no-expense-spared, heavier, and more energy-hungry RTX 4090-powered system, nonetheless we knew that going in.

The CPU performs effectively, and it’s simplest beaten in multi-threaded CPU performance by more energy-hungry chips that dangle extra cores. But those extra cores don’t necessarily translate to important performance gains in most games.

Alienware m16 R2: Battery lifestyles

Gaming laptops on the complete don’t dangle colossal battery lifestyles. The tip scenario is normally maximum performance while plugged in. But this Alienware aspires to be no longer correct a gaming notebook computer, nonetheless also a “each day driver.” It’s also helped by Intel’s new, more energy-ambiance friendly Meteor Lake chips here.

The Alienware m16 R2 packs a 90-Watt-hour battery. That’s top-of-the-line likely you’ll derive — the U.S. Transportation Security Administration requires batteries be 100 Watt hours or less when you should utilize them on an airplane.

To test the battery lifestyles, we play a 4K reproduction of Tears of Steel on repeat within the Motion photos & TV app on Windows 11 with airplane mode enabled and keyboard backlighting disabled till the notebook computer suspends itself. Here is a ultimate-case scenario for the notebook computer — local video playback is terribly ambiance friendly, and battery lifestyles within the true world would possibly be less as you open browser tabs and exercise functions.

We always space the conceal to 250 nits of brightness for this, and with the murky exhibit, that supposed essentially cranking up the notebook computer’s brightness.

The Alienware m16 R2 delivered very impressive outcomes, taking part within the video for 435 minutes on moderate — that’s seven hours and fifteen minutes. It’s very dependable and for a gaming notebook computer, it’s magnificent impressive.

Here, the Alienware m16 R2 crushed those energy-hungry Core i9 laptops. These laptops aren’t better at all the pieces — they’re better at uncooked energy, nonetheless they simplest lasted about four hours and eighteen minutes — and that’s in an ultimate scenario.

The Alienware delivers on its promise here, offering longer battery lifestyles that maximum-performance-at-all-bills gaming laptops don’t match.

Alienware m16 R2: Conclusion

The Alienware m16 R2 is a colossal notebook computer. It delivers exceptional graphics performance as a outcome of its Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 alongside with first fee CPU performance. And it delivers all that while offering lengthy battery lifestyles away from an outlet — lengthy battery lifestyles for a gaming notebook computer, anyway. Then yet again, the exhibit is a correct IPS exhibit, nonetheless it’s on the murky facet, and I can stumble on that being a scenario for some folk.

This Alienware machine is a colossal note for its specs, its retail note beats identical programs fancy the Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 and the HP Victus 16 (2023). While you happen to search out an RTX 4070 notebook computer with a wonderful more cost effective retail note, it would possibly well most likely perchance per chance invent some sacrifices. As an illustration, it would possibly well most likely perchance dangle a lower-resolution conceal with a lower refresh fee. While you happen to’re searching for a notebook computer in this note vary and likewise you should have a machine that can perchance attain greater than correct be tethered to a desk and play games, it’s a colossal fit. I correct need its exhibit is on the complete a tiny bit brighter – nonetheless that’s no longer a deal-breaker pondering all the pieces else this notebook computer will get upright.