Alienware's notebooks are among the best gaming laptops available, but they can be pricey for most folks. This is especially true now, thanks to RAMageddon. Thankfully, the company isn’t ignoring the current reality and has just launched a more affordable gaming laptop for PC gamers. Meet the new Alienware 15 (2026) gaming laptop.

Starting at $1,299, this 15-inch laptop packs up to an AMD Ryzen 7 CPU and up to an Nvidia RTX 5060 GPU. Couple with 16GB of RAM and up to 1TB of SSD storage, and you have the basics for playing the best PC games at 1080p resolution and medium to high graphics. While the asking price is still above $1,000, it’s not terrible given current conditions.

I tested a pre-production model of the Alienware 15 gaming laptop and found it delivers a solid experience for those who don’t want to break the bank. Given its price, you’re not getting a premium display or chassis, but if you just want to play your PC games on something reliable, you won’t go wrong here.

Alienware 15 (2026) hands-on: Specs

Alienware 15 (2026) hands-on: Design

At first glance, the Alienware 15 certainly has the iconic look of the company’s laptops, with its all-black shell and Alienware logo on the lid. However, picking it up instantly makes it clear this isn’t just any Alienware product.

The polycarbonate resin lid and bottom have a plastic-like feel that’s a departure from the aluminum casings of higher-end Alienware laptops. While that’s jarring at first, the smooth, contoured lines and overall sleek design help offset that.

Unlike the Alienware 16 Area-51, the Alienware 15 has a full keyboard, which should make number pad users very happy. I don’t fall into that camp, so having the keys I actually mostly located on the left-hand side made it tricky to find my stride when typing. That said, the thick keys and their satisfying travel distance do make this a good laptop for writing.

The lion’s share of the ports is on the left-hand side. This includes two USB-A ports, an Ethernet port, a USB-C port, and an HDMI port. On the left are a lone USB-C port and a headphone jack. Port placement is generally fine if that’s the side you prefer to connect peripherals to, but it could be burdensome if you would have preferred them on the right side or on the back.

Alienware 15 (2026) hands-on: Display

The 15-inch display isn’t terrible, but after testing so many laptops with OLED panels, it’s certainly a step down in both picture quality and overall brightness.

Since this was a pre-production model, we didn’t run our usual suite of display benchmarks. To my eyes, however, the screen is noticeably dimmer and less vibrant than a more premium display.

That’s not to say things don’t appear clearly defined, because they certainly do. The 1200p resolution lets you see everything on the screen in fine detail. However, the muted colors and low brightness make everything look duller than you’d like.

Again, things don’t look terrible on the Alienware 15, but don’t expect a top-end viewing experience when playing games or watching videos.

Alienware 15 (2026) hands-on: Performance and battery life

I tested a pre-production model with entry-level specs. It includes an AMD Ryzen 5 processor, an Nvidia RTX 4050 mobile GPU, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of SSD storage. These aren’t the latest and greatest components, but they’re good enough for playing even demanding games at smooth frame rates.

At default graphical settings and native resolution, Cyberpunk 2077 ran at around 45 to 50 frames per second during my testing. Mind you, that’s without the frame-boosting DLSS upscaler enabled. With this feature turned on, the fps jumped to the low 60s, so it’s definitely worth it for a system like this.

Given its prowess as a gaming machine, the Alienware 15 had no problems handling my average workflow, which usually consists of dozens of open Chrome tabs and the occasional YouTube video running in the background. If you need to get work done, this laptop won’t let you down.

Lastly, let’s talk about battery life. We didn’t run our usual battery test on this machine, but during my testing, I was able to play for close to 90 minutes before the battery life warning appeared. That’s typical for a gaming laptop, so I wasn’t surprised. Naturally, you’ll want to keep this laptop connected while gaming so it keeps running and maintains optimal performance.

Alienware 15 (2026) hands-on: Outlook

Given how expensive gaming devices are nowadays, I applaud Alienware for keeping the average gamer in mind. Both the Alienware 15 gaming laptop and the $349 Alienware AW2726DM gaming monitor exemplify this philosophy.

While I wouldn’t call a $1,299 starting price cheap, it’s still affordable given the current state of things. I’ll have a full review for you once I get to test a final model, but for now, I like what Alienware is cooking up.

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It’s no secret that Dell makes good laptops, and the storied brand has done it once again with the Alienware 16X Aurora. A powerful gaming laptop with bags of performance under the hood, the 16X Aurora is an excellent mid-range option. With its 240Hz refresh rate, bright screen, wide color coverage and accuracy, there’s a lot to love about it. Gaming performance is nothing short of exceptional, and it's perfect for everyday work too.

Graphics are beautiful thanks to NVIDIA’s RTX 50 series too. The 16X Aurora also sports a premium, good-looking design with plenty of ports for hooking up several peripherals. But it’s worth noting that its battery life can be described as mediocre at best, and the top level configuration will cost you an arm and a leg.

Is this the best gaming laptop for you? Read my full Dell Alienware 16X Aurora review to find out.

Dell Alienware 16X Aurora review: Specs

Dell Alienware 16X Aurora review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A (slightly bulky) gaming laptop boasting outstanding performance in gaming and productivity
• Who is it for? Gamers who want a high-performing laptops
• How much does it cost? The Dell Alienware 16X Aurora starts at $2,499 / £2,199 and goes all the way up to $4,299 / £3,299
• What do we like? The premium design, excellent gaming and productivity performance, and great color coverage and accuracy
• What don’t we like? The mediocre battery life and premium price point

Dell Alienware 16X Aurora review: The ups

From its fantastic design and numerous ports, to its excellent gaming performance and wide color coverage, the Dell Alienware 16X Aurora is a superb machine.

Fantastic design and connectivity

Ever since I first heard about Alienware laptops back when I was 12, I’ve always loved the design — the alien logo is a treat. The Alienware 16X Aurora is, then, a rather good-looking laptop, wrapped in dark blue and purple-ish colors, officially called “Interstellar Indigo.” Its smooth aluminum chassis feels premium, and the matte finish lends the 16X Aurora a classy look.

The 16X Aurora packs a 16-inch (2560 x 1600) non-touch screen, so it measures 14.05 x 10.45 x 0.92 inches, making it a little bigger than the Dell XPS 16 ($1,749). While not exactly compact, it still fits into most regular-sized backpacks with ease — although its weight (5.66lbs) might put you off from traveling with it for long.

I’ve really enjoyed using the 16X Aurora’s keyboard and trackpad too. The keys on the keyboard have enough space between them that you don’t accidentally hit an unintended key, but they’re also close enough that you don’t have to spread your fingers too much to type. The keyboard features single-zone RGB lighting only, which I don’t personally mind — and you can change the colors and effects via Alienware’s Command Center software. The touchpad also feels highly responsive and pans smoothly. No complaints there.

Ports-wise, the 16X Aurora is packed, and features basically everything you’d need to hook up a plethora of peripherals to it. Alongside the laptop’s left edge, you’ll find a USB Type-A 3.2 Gen 1 port, an ethernet jack, as well as a 3.5mm jack for plugging in gaming headsets.

There are no ports on the right edge; instead, the others are located on the rear. There’s another of the same USB-A port, two USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 ports (one of which supports Thunderbolt 4), the port for the power adapter, and an HDMI port.

A vivid display

I’ve used the Dell Alienware 16X Aurora extensively and for a number of tasks: gaming, testing gaming keyboards and mice, conducting lab testing on the best monitors, and everyday work-centric tasks too. And there’s plenty of performance here to enjoy.

The 16-inch screen, first of all, has a refresh rate of 240Hz, which ensures silky smooth performance in games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Forza Horizon 5. The 2.5K panel is plenty of resolution that makes games feel immersive, and there’s also an OLED configuration if that’s more your speed.

In addition to gaming, which I’ll get into in the next section, the 16X Aurora delivers bright, vivid colors across the board. I was stunned at how rich all the different shades and hues looked in the World Wildlife 4K YouTube video. Lush, green meadows appeared highly detailed, as did darker scenes filmed at night.

My lab testing confirmed what my eyes saw, as you can see in the table above. The 16X Aurora covers 98.3% of the sRGB spectrum and 99% of the wider DCI P3 color gamut. While both values are just a touch off 100%, the difference is barely noticeable, and you get an enjoyable viewing experience.

A Delta-E score of 0.6 is good too. It basically determines color accuracy, and the closer the score to zero, the better. 0.6, in this regard, is great, and I found the colors to be accurate in real-world use too.

The Razer Blade 16 ($2,999) and the Alienware x16 R2 ($2,099) boast better color accuracy making either a slightly better option than the 16X Aurora for those who do, say, color-intensive work, like photo and video editing. However, the 16X Aurora is much brighter than both with a measured brightness of 450.8 nits, so you shouldn’t have any issues seeing the screen in lit-up rooms. The MacBook Pro M5 ($1,599) upstages them all, though, with its 558 nits of brightness.

Performance aplenty

In addition to excellent color coverage and accuracy, the Dell Alienware 16X Aurora packs a powerful chip too. Depending on the configuration you go for, there are a few processing chips you can go for. My review unit came fitted with the Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX chip, 32GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD.

Regardless of the task I did, the 16X Aurora performed admirably. Having multiple applications and browsers with 20 tabs open wasn’t an issue for the 16X Aurora. I didn’t experience any noticeable lag or unresponsiveness. Though there were a few instances where the laptop sounded like it was going to take off — particularly while playing the CPU-intensive Cyberpunk 2077 — I didn’t find it too jarring.

On Geekbench 6, which tests overall CPU performance, the 16X Aurora pulled in an excellent multi-core score of 18,697, outclassing both the Razer Blade 16 (2024) and the Alienware x16 R2. The MacBook Pro M5 performs slightly better than the 16X Aurora in our HandBrake video editing test (transcoding a 4K video to 1080p), but only by a very small margin.

On the BlackMagic Disk Speed test which measures the write and read speed in MBps, the 16X Aurora performed stupendously, with 4,233 write and 5,045 read speeds. The MacBook Pro M5 outperforms the 16X Aurora here with its fast 6,068 write and 6,323 read speeds, but in everyday use, Dell’s offering is more than enough.

Great for gaming

The Dell Alienware 16X Aurora is a beast for gaming. The model I tested packs an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 graphics card, with the top level configuration featuring an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti card.

At a native resolution of 2560 x 1600, this laptop can run the best Steam games without breaking a sweat. Like I mentioned earlier, I’ve used the 16X Aurora extensively to test the best gaming monitors, and the laptop has always performed admirably.

I played Cyberpunk 2077, Forza Horizon 5 and F1 25 with the highest graphics settings enabled. In Cyberpunk 2077 with features like Ray-Traced Lighting set to Ultra, the benchmark results showed an average of 63fps. Meanwhile, in Forza Horizon 5, I hit 150fps in Extreme mode, while F1 25 ran at a silky smooth 109fps in Ultra High graphics mode. Counter-Strike 2 achieved a maximum FPS of 235, so close to the screen’s 240Hz refresh rate, and it ensured ultra smooth performance.

Benchmark results are great on paper and can tell you a lot about the laptop’s performance, but how do the games really run? Well, really well. The user experience is sublime, with stunning visuals, vivid colors, and non-existent lag or ghosting. When the driver in front of me hit the brakes in F1 25, I could see the sparks flying from underneath the tyres in great detail — just like you would while watching a race on TV. In Cyberpunk 2077, the neon lights appeared saturated enough that they made me feel immersed in the streets of Night City.

Dell Alienware 16X Aurora review: The downs

The Dell Alienware 16X Aurora is a highly competent laptop, but there are a couple of flaws, namely its high price point and mediocre battery life.

Can get very expensive

The rule of thumb when buying a laptop is that the more things you add to its internal hardware, the more expensive it becomes — and the Dell Alienware 16X Aurora can get very pricey, especially when you deck it up with the best graphic card available and fit the biggest SSD possible.

The standard configuration I tested, at the time of writing, costs $2,499 / £2,199. If you go for the top level configuration with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 card, a 4TB SSD, and an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX processor, you’re looking at an expenditure of $4,299 / £3,299. That’s a lot. I also say “at the time of writing” as prices may vary and fluctuate with the ongoing RAM crisis. It’s also worth noting that neither of these configurations feature an OLED panel.

For the OLED model, you’ll need to settle for 32GB RAM, 1TB storage and the Intel Core Ultra 9 290HZ process, and this model costs $2,919. It’s also not available in the U.K., at the time of writing.

Mediocre battery life

One of the first things I noticed during my early testing time with the Dell Alienware 16X Aurora was that its battery life seemed very short. I was having to constantly recharge the laptop while playing games. Having conducted a benchmark battery test, I can now confirm that the 16X Aurora’s battery life leaves a lot to be desired.

Due to lab testing limitations, I wasn’t able to conduct our specialized in-house battery testing, so I used UL Procyon’s battery benchmark test instead. I calibrated the 16X Aurora’s brightness to 150 nits and let the software play videos until the laptop ran out of charge, and that took three hours and one minute, which is awful.

This is poor but it isn’t exclusive to the 16X Aurora. As you can see in the table above, the Razer Blade 16 and the Alienware x16 R2 gaming laptops also have subpar battery lives, especially when compared to the behemoth MacBook Pro M5.

Chances are, your gaming laptop will be plugged in while you play anyway, and the 16X Aurora isn’t really a portable laptop either, so does the suboptimal battery matter that much? I don’t believe so.

Dell Alienware 16X Aurora review: Verdict

The Dell Alienware 16X Aurora is a very capable gaming laptop, and one of the best you can buy today. The laptop boasts a lovely, premium design, and it’s built well too. There are plenty of ports for connecting the laptop to a monitor or plugging your favorite peripherals into it.

Performance-wise, the 16X Aurora features a vivid display with great color coverage and accuracy, and its 240Hz refresh rate makes it ideal for gaming. It’s perfect for general productivity as well. While its battery life isn’t industry-leading, and the laptop can get very expensive depending on the configuration, neither drawback should stop you from picking up the 16X Aurora. It looks good and performs even better.

I’ve had a rocky history with Dell, the owner of Alienware. Having built my own gaming PCs for over 25 years, I’ve always been skeptical (to say the least) about Dell and Alienware prebuilts — their historically proprietary hardware makes them difficult, if not impossible, to customize.

I’ve also had a tricky time with a Dell monitor in recent times, which I had to send off for replacement no less than three times, with all subsequent replacements sent to me under warranty turning up damaged.

As you can no doubt understand, I’d vowed not to use another Dell-made monitor for a while. Then the Alienware AW2725D dropped on my desk (metaphorically) for testing, and I rather quickly realized my own words needed eating.

I’ve been testing this 280Hz QD-OLED 27-inch gaming monitor for around two months now, and it’s handled everything I’ve thrown at it: work, gaming, production, you name it. I think this is one of the best gaming monitors you can buy in the mid-range price bracket. Read my full Alienware AW2725D review to find out why.

Alienware AW2725D review: Cheat Sheet

• What is it? A mid-range 1440p QD-OLED gaming monitor
• Who is it for? Gamers (...duh), although it’ll suit some light production too
• What does it cost? $499 / £509
• What’s good? The beautiful QD-OLED panel, speedy performance, vibrant and accurate colors, and strong contrast
• What’s not? Not a lot, although I wish it had more ports and built-in speakers

Alienware AW2725D review: Specs

Alienware AW2725D review: The ups

From its beautiful 27-inch QD-OLED panel, through to its high 280Hz refresh rate, premium design and suitability for tasks beyond gaming, this is an excellent mid-range display.

Beautiful QD-OLED panel

The Alienware AW2725D features a 1440p QD-OLED panel, which is frankly gorgeous. You can also buy the 27-inch monitor in different sizes, from 25 inches up to 34 inches; and different resolutions, from 1080p to 4K. Naturally, this affects price, as well as refresh rate, with the 27-34-inch 4K models topping out at 240Hz instead of the 1440p’s 280Hz refresh rate.

Given my desk setup and the games I play, 1440p at 27-inches is the sweet spot for me. 27-inches is wide enough for a fairly immersive experience, while also avoiding me having to turn my head to see different ends of the display. That said, if you want a truly immersive experience, an ultra-wide display like the Lenovo Legion Pro 34WD-10 ($1,199) is where you’ll want to look.

I find 1440p is plenty of resolution for 27-inches, and the panel relays plenty of fine detail and looks extremely sharp. You can also buy the 27-inch model with a 4K panel, which is the Alienware AW2725Q ($899). As I mentioned above and will cover below, you lose some performance (and more of your cash) by stepping up to 4K, but the differences aren’t huge.

Rich color, strong contrast, decent brightness

Helping that panel look so lovely, of course, are the rich colors and deep contrast from the AW2725D’s QD-OLED pixels. This is an OLED display, meaning each pixel lights itself rather than needing a backlight, resulting in true blacks as each pixel can turn itself off completely — this results in more contrast than IPS or VA (both LCD) panels which use a backlight to illuminate their pixels.

The ‘QD’ slapped on the front stands for ‘Quantum Dot’ — these little dots are essentially tiny semiconductors that produce extremely vibrant colors and also enhance brightness. So, with a QD-OLED, you’re getting better brightness than a standard OLED, and even more vivid colors.

I tested this display by playing a variety of games, three of which were Cyberpunk 2077, Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 (KCD2) and Total War: Rome II. Cyberpunk's vivid, contrasty scenes looked awesome on the AW2725D, with super inky shadows contrasting against bright neon signage. I tended to leave this game in the monitor’s standard mode, which maintains bright highlights — otherwise (in RPG mode) the game felt a little too dark.

KCD2 and Total War: Rome II also looked fantastic, with their warm, saturated palettes done full justice by the monitor’s standard color mode. I switched out the monitor’s color mode to RPG for KCD2 though, which clips the highlights a little to aid in that warmer, historical and cinematic feel. I tried the display’s warm mode, but this felt a little too yellow.

Across the board, there’s tons of contrast on offer, while colors look fantastic and nicely saturated, while still feeling fairly natural in the standard display mode.

Now for brightness. In the table above, I’ve compared the AW2725D’s lab test results against other QD-OLED rivals. The AW2725D offers better peak brightness (measured using the central 10% of its display) than its 4K stablemate the AW2725Q. It also offers comparable peak brightness to both the MSI MPG 272URX ($1,099) and the Lenovo Legion Pro 34WD-10, despite being much cheaper than both. The MSI is a 4K panel, though.

OLED panel brightness rises or drops depending on how much of the screen is in use — this is for screen longevity. While we measure peak brightness at 10% screen usage (right in the center), we also measure at 100%, which gives you a real-world brightness figure. The AW2725D performs similarly to other QD-OLED rivals here, with very little in it. I had no issues using the monitor in bright sunlight, even with a window behind me, in large part thanks to the monitor’s anti-reflective coating.

Burn-in protection

It’s worth noting that the AW2725D also features burn-in protection. It’ll flag you a warning after using it for some time, before automatically turning itself off (by default) to protect the panel. It also features a panel health flag when you access the main menu — this uses a traffic light system to tell you quickly how things stand. If you’re on orange, you can perform a quick panel refresh and be back to green!

Stellar gaming performance

The Alienware AW2725D also has plenty of gaming features up its sleeve, as you’d expect from a gaming monitor. Most notably, its refresh rate tops out at 280Hz, which ensures ultra-smooth gameplay free from motion blur and input lag.

It also boasts a 0.03ms GTG response time. GTG means gray-to-gray and measures how quickly the pixels can change color. A 0.03ms response time is very good, helping to reduce motion blur and ghosting.

Smooth gameplay is, of course, beneficial in virtually all gaming, but these ultra-quick stats are most important in fast-paced titles like first person shooter (FPS) games. I played Counter Strike 2 and Isonzo, two FPS games, and suffered no noticeable input lag or ghosting. In Counter Strike 2, I was running at a consistent 270-280Hz on my hardware — buttery smooth.

The AW2725D also has some handy secondary gaming features. Within the display settings, you’ll find a black stabilizer, which allows you to boost the brightness in black areas of the screen, helping you see enemies hiding in dark areas, for example. There are three “Alienvision” modes. Two of them (Vision 1 and Vision 3) apply a central reticule to the display, with the Vision 1 mode also applying a darkened target box around the reticule. Vision 2 mode applies color peaking around contrast areas to help you detect shapes quickly. All of these will be useful for players wanting every available competitive edge possible.

Not a one-trick pony

The Alienware AW2725D isn’t only good for gaming — in fact, I can’t own or use a monitor that is so. As the cameras editor here at Tom’s Guide and a photographer in my spare time, I use my monitor for a lot of photo and video editing. The AW2725D proved itself highly capable, thanks to its high color accuracy.

As you can see in our lab test results in the table below, the AW2725D demonstrated a Delta-E figure of 0.14. This essentially measures color variance. We use calibrated color spectrometer devices to measure how much the color on screen varies from the color sent to the monitor by the computer. The lower the better and 0.14 is a fairly strong score, showing low variance and meaning the colors you see on screen are true. It isn’t as outright impressive as the 4K variant, the Alienware AW2725Q, but it’s still better than the BenQ PD3226G ($1,099) I tested in late 2025 — and that’s a monitor designed purely for design work.

More impressive is the AW2725D’s coverage of the two most common color gamuts: sRGB and DCI-P3. The monitor covered 190% of the sRGB gamut, which is the most common color space used online. Of course, more than 100% is unnecessary, but it demonstrates that this monitor has a very wide tonal range. Any color that’s in the sRGB gamut can be relayed by this display. The same is true for the DCI-P3 gamut, which is commonly used for cinematic video editing, and which the AW2725D more than covered at 135%. A splendid show.

This means the AW2725D will be a solid choice for gamers who also dabble in a spot of creative work, such as photo editing or making videos for online sharing. If you are printing images or you’re a professional video editor, naturally you’ll want a monitor with a wider array of color modes, such as Adobe RGB (for printed photography) and Rec. 2020 (used in the production of video for television). The AW2725D only has sRGB and DCI-P3 modes, but then again, it is primarily a gaming monitor.

Reasonable price

While it isn’t exactly a budget monitor, the Alienware AW2725D is priced fairly for the performance it offers. One of the gripes we had about the 4K AW2725Q variant was its steep $899 asking price. I’m glad to see the 1440p variant isn’t priced quite as highly.

Like I said, at $499 / £509, it isn’t cheap — but I think this is a reasonable asking price for the beautiful panel with its rich colors and vibrant contrast, not to mention the rapid gaming specs and high color accuracy. The AW2725D is also built very well, looking high quality and finished in a textured, matte plastic that gives a premium feel, again helping justify its price.

Alienware AW2725D review: The downs

I really can’t think of much wrong with the Alienware AW2725D. It’d be nice to have a few more I/O ports and some built-in speakers, I guess, but that’s kinda splitting hairs.

Limited onboard I/O and no speakers

As I alluded to directly above, I’m aware this is splitting hairs, but I’d have liked to see a few more onboard I/O ports on the Alienware AW2725D. I’m used to my BenQ PD3226G monitor which, with its plethora of I/O and Thunderbolt 4 connectivity, serves as a USB-C hub.

The AW2725D, by contrast, features 1x USB-A and 1x USB-C downstream ports, the latter of which is rated for 15W of power delivery. That’s fine for charging a couple of devices, but it proves a little limiting when you want to hook up multiple devices for complex workflows. Again, this isn’t a huge issue, and stems partly from me being a spoilt professional tech reviewer who is accustomed to his monitors doubling up as USB hubs.

It’s also worth noting that there’s no headphone jack, nor any internal speakers built into the monitor. Again, I don’t think this is a huge deal as you’ll be hooking this thing up to, y’know, a computer, where you can plug in a headset. Still, it would’ve been nice to see built-in speakers for people who don’t have any external speakers — I know from first-hand experience that when you’re building your PC paycheck-by-paycheck, built-in monitor speakers are a welcome temporary solution.

Alienware AW2725D review: Verdict

The Alienware AW2725D is one of those products where I’ve had to scratch my head for negatives. And realistically, there just aren’t that many. The AW2725D is a lovely monitor, in large part thanks to its beautiful QD-OLED panel, rich colors, inky blacks and strong contrast. Its color accuracy and gamut coverage are excellent, while brightness is on par for a QD-OLED, if not a little better than I’d expect. There is a plethora of gaming features and some handy creative ones too, and on top of all that, the monitor is reasonably priced given the performance.

Sure, I’d have preferred some more ports, and the lack of built-in speakers will be annoying to anyone without an external set; and while it’s fairly priced, it isn’t cheap. But heck, given those are the worst things I can say about it, the AW2725D is doing pretty well. I’m happy to say that the Dell-shaped demons from my past have been well and truly exorcised.

Update: See our top 9 gadgets of CES 2026 from day 3!

We've wrapped day two at the Consumer Electronics Show 2026. And, after day one dazzled us with some truly spectacular new TVs, it's now all about the laptops. We saw new machines from MSI and Acer alongside the very nice-looking XPS 14 from Dell.

But it wasn't just laptops stealing our attention in Las Vegas. For the first time ever, Lego held a CES keynote. The reason? The iconic toy brand wanted to show off its first "smart brick" — a standard Lego brick with a tiny computer packed inside that can work with NFC-enabled smart tags. Cool!

Of course, it wouldn't be CES without some head-turning weird tech that may — or may not — actually make it on sale in 2026. Like the Ascentiz H1 Pro exoskeleton that our senior fitness writer Dan used to assist him in walking around the vast exhibition halls.

Make sure you check out our ongoing CES 2026 live blog for the very latest from the show, and here's our day 1 round-up of the 10 best new gadgets we saw.

Dell XPS 14

After abandoning the XPS line, Dell has admitted its mistake and brought these premium laptops back in a big way. The XPS 14 and 16 were both on show in Las Vegas and our Global Editor in Chief Mark Spoonauer spent some quality time with the CNC-machined aluminum XPS 14 that's just 14.6mm thin — in between the MacBook Air M4 (11.3mm) and MacBook Pro M5 (15.5mm).

There's a mesmerizing 2.8K OLED display with a variable refresh rate going all the way down to 1Hz to conserve battery life. The XPS 14 is powered by the latest Intel Core Ultra Series 3 processors and built-in Arc graphics, so you should expect smooth performance. There's a range of CPU options, including a Core Ultra 5, Core Ultra 7, X7 and X9. And the RAM options go from 16GB to 32GB and a max of 64GB.

The only catch is that, with the price of RAM skyrocketing due to AI-driven demand, the price is going to be tough to hear. According to Dell, prices start at $2,049.

Intel Panther Lake

Intel's keynote took place during our second day of CES and the brand stepped up to show off its new Intel Core Ultra Series 3 laptop chips. Codenamed Panther Lake, they were first revealed back in October, but CES has given us our first look at them in action.

The big change is that Panther Lake is built on the new Intel 18A node and employs a "System of Chips" design featuring up to 16 cores and fabricated out of smaller "tiles," which can be moved and swapped to fine-tune performance and efficiency.

In addition, the GPU built into these new Core Ultra 3 chips introduces a new, more efficient Xᵉ3 graphics architecture and scales up to 12 Xᵉ cores and 12 Ray Tracing Units, delivering better performance and featuring an increased 16 MB L2 Cache in the high-end configuration.

There's also better multi-thread performance and a number of other tricks that my colleague Alex Wawro has detailed right here.

Strutt ev1 personal mobility vehicle

Let's get fun for a second. My colleague Mike Prospero took this "personal mobility vehicle" for a spin around the show floor and called it a cross between Professor X's wheelchair and a Tesla. I'll share the bad news up front: You can pre-order it for $5,299, but its regular price will run you $7,499. Ouch.

But here's what you get for your money, the Strutt's four motors power it at speeds of up to 7 mph (11.3 km/h), and it can carry a maximum payload of 350 lbs (160 kg). It'll glide up hills as steep as 13-degrees, and ride over curbs up to 2 inches in height. Finally, the 18.5Ah/592Wh removable battery is good for about 20 miles of range.

The cherry on top is that it's voice-controlled with built-in navigation. So you can sit there and just tell it where you want to go. If you want to know more, read Mike's hands-on with the Strutt ev1 here.

Hisense UR8 RGB Mini-LED TV

Day one of CES 2026 was dominated by LG and Samsung's new TV smarts but Hisense has also arrived at the party. This Chinese brand has constantly impressed us with its value for money and this year we got a good look at how it's embracing Mini-LED technology.

Hisense has upgraded its RGB Mini-LED architecture to include a fourth primary color. The addition of cyan — or sky blue, as Hisense calls it — is said to improve the color fidelity, and there are several models to choose from this year.

The Hisense UR9 and the Hisense UR8 are the brand’s first attempt to scale the tech down to smaller screen sizes. It was previously limited to a 116-inch display in the Hisense 116UX but these new sets will be available in sizes ranging from 55 to 100 inches.

Lego Smart Brick

This was a bit of a left-field reveal at CES, but we are totally here for it. The European toy brand Lego revealed its first-ever "smart brick" at a dedicated keynote that included a demo of how it'll work.

The company has fitted a tiny computer into a standard 2x4 Lego brick that's capable of detecting NFC-enabled tags inside new Lego tiles and minifigures. When the block detects one of these (or another smart brick) it will react dynamically.

Lego says it will make sets come to life with features like sound effects, lighting or movement.

Ascentiz H1 Pro exoskeleton

Exoskeletons aren't as strange a sight these days as you might expect. We saw one at last year's CES and they're back again for 2026. This year, senior fitness writer Dan Bracaglia strapped on the Ascentiz H1 Pro and called it the most comfortable exoskeleton he's tested.

Like other exoskeletons, the Ascentiz relies on AI to analyze a user’s stride, ensuring natural movement assistance. While Dan says it wasn't as powerful as exoskeletons from Hypershell and Arc'teryx, the range of movement was more comfortable.

Weighing just 4.4 pounds (sans battery), the H1 Pro is surprisingly unburdensome to wear. It also folds down into a neat little package that can easily be stored in a gym bag. So whether you're hiking around a massive trade show or want some help at the squat rack, this looks like a winner.

Ascentiz has a few different models in development, and you can find more information over at its fully-backed active Kickstarter campaign.

MSI Pro Max QD-OLED monitor

MSI always shows up in full force at CES with new laptops, graphics cards and gaming PCs, but this year, my colleague Anthony Spadafora said he was interested in the company's new Pro Max 271UPXW12G monitor.

This all-white QD-OLED display isn’t just another gaming or business monitor. Instead, it’s designed to work perfectly with your Mac; it features M-Color Mode for seamless color synchronization and even allows you to adjust brightness and volume directly from your MacBook shortcut keys.

So, if you're looking for an alternative to the $1,599 Apple Studio Display, this could well be it. Especially as Anthony thinks this could arrive with a sub $1,000 price point. You can read all his thoughts on it right here.

Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo

Asus has stepped up to CES 2026 with the world’s first dual-screen 16-inch gaming laptop. It's an OLED waterfall that seems like overkill in all the right ways.

Computing Editor Jason England took a look at the two 16-inch 3K OLED displays and proclaimed them: "drop-dead gorgeous, running at a buttery smooth 120Hz and sporting HDR support."

Both displays are attached onto a hinge that can bend back a full 320-degrees too and since this is a Zephyrus machine, the specs list is crazy good. There's an Intel Core Ultra Series 3 CPU, up to RTX 5090 laptop GPU, 64GB LPDDR5X RAM and a 2TB SSD — pumping 135W through that GPU. You also get plenty of I/O including Thunderbolt 4, and Wi-Fi 7 connectivity to boot.

You can check out more of Jason's thoughts on this beast of a laptop right here.

Alienware 16 Area-51 (2026)

I told you that day two of CES was going to be all about the laptops. My colleague Tony Polanco is a life-long gamer, so it's only right that he got to check out the new machines from Dell's gaming sub-brand, Alienware.

Later this year, we can expect an Alienware ultra-slim gaming laptop, coming in at just 0.66 inches (17mm) thin, which is cool. But Tony got to grips with the sturdy Alienware 16 Area-51 on the show floor.

It continues everything about last year's laptop that made it a favorite and levels up in one crucial area: the display. There's now a 240Hz OLED panel with lower latency as well as improved cooling. Tony thinks it has a good chance of being one of the best gaming laptops you can buy this year.

Unfortunately, we don’t yet have a concrete release date, but expect it sometime in the first quarter of this year. Alienware says it will share pricing closer to launch.

Nvidia's AI car tech

Nvidia is one of the biggest names in tech at the moment and the company hosted its own keynote at CES on day two. Unfortunately, we didn't get any new GeForce RTX graphics cards as the company was instead focusing on AI and robotics.

Aside from CEO Jensen Huang messing about with some Star Wars droids on stage, the most interesting development was the announcement of Nvidia Alpamay. This is a new open-source AI model for self-driving cars. Instead of being trained on data and driving reactively, this model is able to use reasoning at lightning-quick times to be proactive.

Nvidia showed it in action with a driving demo across San Francisco and it could just be the future of self-driving cars. Huang confirmed the model will be included with the 2025 Mercedes Benz CLA — already rated the world's safest car by the automotive bodies.

This new self-driving motor vehicle is heading to manufacturing and launching in the U.S. in Q1! Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines.

 Eli Health Hormometer

Alongside laptops and AI, wellness tech is a big draw at CES and this at-home hormone test shows why. For just $8, you'll be able to test your cortisol levels and, from February, your testosterone and progesterone levels too. Before we go any further, it doesn't replace your doctor but it should give you some extra insight into things like your sleep and energy levels.

Once you've installed the Eli Health app on your phone, you take the saliva collection cartridge out of the sealed package and put it in your mouth for 60 seconds.

From there, you pull on a tab so that the results can start “developing,” similar to a Covid test. You’ll need to wait 20 minutes for this part but once it's done you use the app and your phone’s camera to snap a photo of the saliva stick, at which point the AI will analyze your results and give you a cortisol score.

The tests are $8 a piece, but you can get 8 tests for $99 or a 3-month supply for $225. Find out what my colleague Mark Spoonauer thought when he tried it for himself on the show floor.

Segway Navimow (2026)

It might be the middle of winter right now, but in just a few short months you're going to be looking for ways to keep your lawn looking fresh. And Segway has turned up to CES 2026 with the answer. The company revealed eight new robot lawn mowers covering five different series in the Navimow lineup.

These range in price from $999 to $2,999 for models suitable for home use. The most notable is the Navimow H2 Series, which has an impressive obstacle avoidance system that can detect objects as small as 1 centimeter.

There's also the Navimow i2 AWD series that uses a three-wheel drive system to climb up steeper slopes, along with the Navimo i215 LiDAR that generates detailed maps with its next-generation solid-state LiDAR. If you need to know more, we've got a full breakdown of the new robot mowers and their specs right here.

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Alienware's goal for CES 2026 is to "push the boundaries of what’s possible in PC gaming." And it's certainly looking to do so with its entry-to-mid-level gaming laptop that now packs an OLED display.

As announced at the world's biggest tech event today (January 5), the Alienware 16X Aurora will come equipped with an OLED display, being one of the first (along with its mighty Alienware 16 Area-51 sibling) to feature a 16-inch premium anti-glare OLED panel.

Not only will this panel reduce gloss by 32%, which keeps glare and reflections to a minimum, but you can also expect a wicked-fast 0.2ms response time for fast-paced gameplay, 620 nits peak HDR brightness and HDR True Black 500 support.

Otherwise, this is the same laptop that stole the show in many sales events, boasting Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 and RTX 5070 GPUs for the latest in gaming performance (DLSS 4 included). What's more, we can expect more Intel Core Ultra 200HX CPU options, although current models are also available with Core Ultra 7 255HX and Core Ultra 9 275HX on Dell's store.

When I tested the Alienware 16X Aurora, I was impressed by the performance it offered (especially at a discount) and its sizeable 16-inch WQXGA (2560 x 1600) IPS display with a 240Hz refresh rate. With the all-new anti-glare OLED panel it's getting, it moves the needle into becoming a proper mid-range machine.

Deeper blacks, brighter colors and getting rid of reflections boost visuals to make those stunning single-player titles shine. We'll have to see it in action, as we have yet to see if this laptop will still deliver its high 240Hz refresh rate with OLED now onboard. But it's a welcome upgrade nevertheless.

For a taste of the performance you can expect in this laptop, check out the benchmarks I tested below (equipped with an Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX CPU, an RTX 5060 GPU, 32GB of DDR5 RAM and a 1TB SSD).

The Alienware 16X Aurora with OLED will be available in the first three months of 2026, with pricing yet to be announced. I was already impressed with this laptop last year, and the anti-glare OLED upgrade is sure to see this machine push more affordable gaming even further (we'll see about that price first).

For more of the latest announcements from Las Vegas, we've got it all in our CES 2026 live blog.

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Alienware has plenty to show off at CES 2026, including all-new gaming laptops boasting OLED displays and more. Now, it's just introduced one of its slimmest machine to date — and it comes close to a MacBook Air.

Later this year, we can now expect an Alienware ultra-slim gaming laptop, coming in at just 0.66 inches (17mm) thin, while aiming to deliver the performance we expect from Alienware's lineup of laptops. Compared to the sturdy Alienware 16 Area-51 at 1.12 inches, the new model is set to be 50% smaller. I've seen it up close, and it's just the laptop gamers and creators after a portable machine will want (me included).

The ultra-slim gaming laptop is set to arrive in both 14- and 16-inch sizes, all while keeping the design aesthetic of its premium Area-51 counterparts, including a light-up RGB touchpad. Alienware notes that the compact design means ths model won't reach the heights of its flagship laptops, but it will still offer high-performance CPUs. (Think Intel Core Ultra 300, and Nvidia discrete GPUs (RTX 50-series is surely in the cards.)

"We set out to build a laptop that delivers features that appeal to gamers first and foremost, but also excels for people who need a powerful device for creative projects, productivity and everything in between," Alienware states.

Compared to Apple's MacBook Air M4, which comes in at 0.44 inches, the all-new ultra-slim is still slightly thicker. However, you can expect the Alienware model to be around the same size as the portable Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 at 0.6 inches — and that's one of the best gaming laptops you can grab for portability.

As for how it looks? It's not like your usual Alienware Aurora or Area-51 models. Expect a sleek, minimalist design with a subtle Alienware logo right on the back. It's a laptop that fits into an office setting or at a coffee shop, as well as on any gaming desk.

The official release date, pricing and specs are still up in the air, but the ultra-slim will make its debut later on in 2026 at the earliest.

A more affordable option

Along with the ultra-slim model, Alienware also announced an entry-level gaming laptop that it will add to its lineup this year.

It's slim pickings for details for now, as we have yet to know the official price of this model and its specs, but expect a step down from the Alienware 16 Aurora laptops at a more affordable price point. So, think an RTX 5050 and possibly an RTX 5060.

At the very least, Alienware promises "strong gaming performance at our most accessible price point yet." That will be a big win considering RAM price hikes.

It may be a while before we see these laptops on the market, but in the meantime, check out what else is in store in our CES 2026 live blog.

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It's been a monumental year for laptops. First, Nvidia kicked off the year by releasing its next-gen GeForce RTX 50-series mobile GPUs, then we got an all-new range of Intel Core Ultra series 2 CPUs and just recently, AMD launched FSR Redstone for AI-powered resolution scaling, ray tracing and frame generation.

What does that all translate to? Many of the fastest and most powerful gaming laptops that the Tom's Guide team and I have tested. It's been eye-opening watching numbers skyrocket in the suite of benchmarks and real-world tests we've been putting the latest systems of 2025 through, so trust me when I say we're at the peak of gaming on laptops right now.

But just how far has the bar been raised in PC gaming on portable systems? Well, it comes down to three gaming laptops we've tested this year: the Razer Blade 18 (2025), Alienware 18 Area-51 (2025) and MSI Titan 18 HX.

As tested, these are among the most powerful mobile machines on the market, but that doesn't necessarily mean these are the best gaming laptops for everyone. It isn't just about performance, after all, as other key factors such as their display, design, battery life and, most importantly right now, price play a vital role in our testing.

Right now, though, this is all about raw power, and 2025 has seen some monstrous systems to play the demanding, AAA titles with settings cranked up to max and power through productivity apps for video editing, 3D modeling and more.

For today's cutting-edge performance in a laptop, these are the finest examples of the most powerful laptops we've tested. So, let's get into the numbers.

Specs

For context, here's a look at the top-grade components under the hood of each of the laptops. Each follows a familiar pattern: Intel Core Ultra 9 processors, top-of-the-line RTX 5090 GPUs, 64GB of DDR5 RAM and massive 18-inch displays. With the power they hold, you bet these don't come cheap — they're all over $5,000.

These are the specs we tested them with, but of course, you can configure them to keep the price down.

I've also added our top pick from 2024, the Alienware M18 R2, which rocks the same type of premium specs but just from the previous generation. That includes an Intel Core i9 14900HX CPU, RTX 4090 GPU, 32GB of RAM and a 2TB SSD. This is to show the gap between today's gaming laptops and some of the best high-end performance from the previous year.

Gaming performance

As you can imagine, all of these laptops come packed with the latest specs, including Intel Core Ultra 9 CPUs and RTX 5090 GPUs. So, no matter the machine, expect high frame rates at maximum settings across the board.

That said, you'll find a couple that eke out more performance to deliver even stronger results. In our lab tests, we perform benchmarks in a number of popular PC titles, including Cyberpunk 2077, Black Myth: Wukong and Assassin's Creed Shadows. These are heavy hitters on systems, and give us a good idea of the power a gaming laptop can dish out.

Using a baseline resolution of 1920 x 1080 and turning off Nvidia's DLSS 4 to get raw performance benchmarks over AI-enhanced frame generation, here are the results.

Take note, the games here are at max settings, so they're being pushed to the limit at 1080p resolution. Coming out on top, the Razer Blade 18 and Alienware 18 Area-51 are nearly neck-and-neck, depending on the title, while the MSI Titan 18 HX falls a tad behind, despite still bringing powerful results.

In pretty much all games, though, you can expect each laptop to be near or surpass 60 FPS, which is an incredibly mighty benchmark to achieve. That's especially true when comparing it to the Alienware m18 R2, which just manages 60 FPS but can reach the heights of the 70+ FPS the rest of this year's laptops deliver in Cyberpunk 2077.

Now, when turning on DLSS 4, expect frame rates to jump to well over 200 FPS, and that even includes when using the incredibly demanding path tracing in games like Cyberpunk 2077. Of course, frame rates will drop the higher the resolution is, but you can still expect ridiculously high numbers at 1440p, 1600p and 4K resolution (if the laptop allows it).

I mean, there's a reason why the Razer Blade 18 with its dual-resolution 18-inch display hits 240Hz at 4K. Either way, no matter what game you throw at these beasts, they'll run remarkably smoothly.

General performance

It isn't just the RTX 5090 GPUs pulling the weight, as these laptops also come with premium specs like the latest Intel Core Ultra 9 HX series CPUs, an incredible 64GB of DDR5 RAM and up to a whopping 6TB for storage. The standard is high, and the numbers reflect this.

The Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX processor in the MSI Titan 18 HX is Team Blue's fastest mobile chip, but the Core Ultra 9 275HX is still one of the top dogs. Interestingly, according to Geekbench 6 benchmarks, the 285HX slightly falls behind the 275HX silicon. Still, MSI's fittingly named Titan gaming laptop has an edge.

From the multicore performance to our Handbrake test, which measures how long a laptop takes to transcode a specific 4K video file to 1080p resolution, the MSI Titan 18 HX offers some of the highest numbers we've seen. CPUs have clearly seen a boost in performance over the past generation, as you can see with the Intel Core i9-14900HX chip in the Alienware m18 R2, leading to faster multitasking and handling demanding apps.

All that said, the Razer Blade 18 takes the crown as being the laptop with the most potential to handle AI tasks. Despite each machine holding the same mobile graphics card, the Geekbench AI GPU benchmark that measures AI performance shows the RTX 5090 in the Blade 18 wins.

These are no doubt powerful results, but you know what laptop offers similar benchmarks? MacBooks. Specifically, the MacBook Pro M5 and MacBook Pro M4 Pro. These aren't made for gaming (although they can), but thanks to Apple's mighty M-series silicon, these chips are already catching up or surpassing the results on these gaming laptops. Take a look at our MacBook Pro M5 benchmarks, and you'll find the M5 offers a Geekbench single-core score of 4288 and a multicore result of 17926, while the M4 Pro delivers 3910 and 22822, respectively.

Regardless, this also shows just how far gaming laptops have come, and we'll soon see even higher results in 2026 once we get our hands on Intel Panther Lake and Snapdragon X2 Elite CPUs in laptops.

Editor's pick

For the ultimate gaming experience (and productivity performance) a laptop can offer right now, each of these laptops we tested in 2025 will do the trick. They offer more than enough performance for power users, and thanks to their premium internals, it's safe to say these machines will keep up with the latest tech for years to come.

But if I had to choose one out of them all, it would have to be the Razer Blade 18 (2025). Yes, it's big and chunky, but its gaming performance is through the roof even compared to its competition, it boasts a dual-resolution 18-inch display with 4K at 240Hz and 1200p at 440Hz, it's uniquely upgradeable for RAM and storage (not that you'll need it at its highest configuration) and it's actually quite compact considering its size-class.

Now, this is all for top-end performance, and you'll be paying an absolute premium for it. At 5,199, this gaming laptop will be putting a massive dent in anyone's wallet. This one is for the power users who require the highest power in a desktop replacement-like laptop, and not everyone needs that kind of performance to play the latest PC games at high frame rates.

That's why we rate other laptops like the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) and Lenovo Legion 5i among the best laptops to get, as they're far more affordable while still bringing high-end performance. At the very least, you can get the Razer Blade 18 for a whole lot less if you opt for more affordable specs.

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I tested many of the best gaming laptops in 2025. These machines were equipped with the latest CPUs and GPUs, providing them with sufficient power to run the best PC games. Such machines include the sleek Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 and enormous Alienware 18 Area-51. Choosing a favorite was difficult, but there was one that’s still on my mind.

That gaming laptop is the Alienware 16 Area-51. As I said in my Alienware 16 Area-51 review, this laptop makes a bold statement thanks to its (inter)stellar design, powerful RTX 50-series performance and vibrant 16-inch display. Though it’s expensive and heavy to carry, it delivers an out-of-this-world gaming experience.

Read on to find out why the Alienware 16 Area-51 is my favorite gaming laptop of 2025 and why I think you should consider checking it out if you’re looking for a premium gaming experience.

Otherworldly design

Alienware resurrected the “Area-51” moniker for its gaming laptops, which is appropriate given this notebook’s otherworldly design. The Liquid Teal finish and curved edges provide a distinct look that’s unlike other gaming laptops. The chassis’ color shifts under different lighting conditions, and the RGB lighting on the back mimics the motions of the aurora borealis. It all makes for a machine that commands attention.

The unit I reviewed was configured with a Cherry MX ultra-low-profile mechanical keyboard that is a dream to type on. I’m a mechanical keyboard enthusiast (to say the least), so I enjoy the clicky keys and short travel distance. I wish the touchpad was a tad larger, but it works well enough and is very smooth and responsive.

My only complaint is that the Alienware 16 Area-51 is big and heavy at 14.37 x 11.41 x 1.12 inches and 7.92 pounds. Since the laptop is so bulky, you might want to mostly use it at home. This could be a potential deal-breaker, depending on whether you’re looking for a desktop replacement or a portable PC.

Strong gaming performance

The Alienware 16 Area-51 I reviewed packed an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX CPU, an RTX 5080 GPU and 32GB of RAM. Thanks to those components, I enjoyed a superlative gaming experience.

I got Doom: The Dark Ages to run at 108-120 frames per second with DLSS 4 disabled on Ultra Nightmare graphical settings. With the frame-boosting DLSS, the game ran at 240 fps, which matches the display’s refresh rate. The graphically demanding Cyberpunk 2077 ran at 70fps with DLSS off and a blistering 240 fps with DLSS on.

The Alienware 16 Area-51 also performed well in our lab tests, where we run games through their respective built-in benchmarking tools with graphics and resolution cranked to the max. You likely won't be running every game at ultra settings, so you'll certainly get better results than what you see above, even with DLSS off.

As configured, the Alienware 16 Area-51 I reviewed could run games at buttery smooth frame rates with graphical settings cranked to max and with DLSS 4 enabled. That’s a testament to this rig’s power. However, if you get a configuration with an RTX 5070 Ti or lower, DLSS 4 will be crucial for getting higher frame rates.

Vivid 16-inch display

Games look as great as they run, thanks to the Alienware 16 Area-51’s 16-inch display. While there’s no OLED option, the sharp 1600p resolution, aforementioned 240Hz refresh rate, and overall vibrant image quality help draw you into whatever game you’re playing.

As you can see from our display benchmark results above, the Alienware 16 Area-51 doesn’t have oversaturated color reproduction (sRGB and DCI-P3). Color accuracy (Delta-E) is slightly better than on competing laptops like the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i and HP Omen Max 16. The latter two produce bolder colors, but Alienware’s colors are more naturalistic.

I should note that the 3ms response time isn’t as low as on other gaming laptops or gaming monitors I’ve tested. However, unless you’re a professional gamer, you’re probably not going to notice any input lag. I certainly didn’t!

Bottom line

2025 was a very good year for gaming laptops, thanks to the introduction of Nvidia’s 50-series GPUs and Intel’s second-generation Core Ultra CPUs. With CES 2026 happening soon, I’m eager to see the laptops we have in store for next year. Will any of them match or beat the Alienware 16 Area-51? I guess we’ll have to wait and see!

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Desktop PCs are getting expensive — you can thank the RAM pricing crisis for that. But there are cost efficiencies you can make here and there to get a monster tower for cheaper. The answer? Go boring and ditch the RGB tax.

I’ve been testing the RTX 5080 version of the Dell Tower Plus, which my colleague Alex reviewed and gave 4 stars. One look at Dell’s website (U.K — no points for guessing where I'm from based on my last name), and you’ll find it at £2,500. To get a gamer-centric equivalent, the Alienware Aurora R16 with the same spec comes in at well over £3,000.

And the situation is similar in the U.S. too. The RTX 5060 Ti-armed version of the Dell Tower Plus costs $1,769 to the $2,099 of the Aurora

So in a world where we’re all looking for ways to cut costs and get the maximum bang for our buck, I’m here to defend the dullness. While it’s not as clear cut when you get into the details (cooling being one particular example), it’s proving more cost-effective to get a more basic tower specced out the wazoo over a gaming beast. Let me explain.

Bland is the brand

The Dell Tower Plus is super unassuming — I mean look at it. As Alex said in his review, it is “a breath of forgettable fresh air,” and I agree. The aesthetic is basic and utilitarian in nature, and that’s A-OK with me.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I am a sucker for good RGB and well-presented components through a tempered glass side (you’ll see as much in Terry the Tom’s Guide test bench). But given the chances your tower will go underneath your desk, all that pizazz would just be wasted on illuminating the floor.

Instead, this low-key look just kind of fades into the background of your desk nicely, while also keeping its considerable power a secret. Honestly, I’m here for it.

Near-parity for less

And speaking of that “considerable power” I took a look inside to see an Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, 32GB of DDR5 RAM, 1TB of storage and an RTX 5080 GPU. All of it is popped onto a proprietary motherboard, which for those more confident, you could get into and tinker. But it’s meant to be for Dell only to touch under its warranty. This is the cost of affordability.

But the end result is seriously impressive performance that matches up to its gaming ilk while staying quiet (more on that in a second).

Another thing to point out is the cooling solution here. While the Alienware Aurora R16 does have an all-in-one cooler and a couple 120mm fans to keep everything tip top, the Dell Tower Plus has a far simpler cooling solution with a fan at the back and large CPU cooler.

When I took the side off and looked at the way it manages thermals, I was shocked by how quiet it had been the entire time. Not only that, but CPU and GPU temperatures never exceeded the maximum (160-degrees Fahrenheit) that we saw in testing the Alienware Aurora R16.

As Alex said, this is “a wolf in corporate sheep’s clothing,” and Dell’s really thought about everything here.

Where does the extra money go?

When it comes to gaming pre-builts, the premium often comes in the flash of it all. The price of all those key components are all relatively fixed — you’re investing in three key things here:

• A fancy case: That unique, flashy case is usually designed and tooled to be eye-catching for gamers. If you don’t need that edginess, you can save some money.
• The brand name: A brand like Alienware or Asus ROG carries a premium cost with it, so opting for Dell here may have chopped some change off the total price too.
• Advanced (and often unnecessary) features: Outside of that premium lighting, you’ve got a more advanced cooling solution, too. But given temperatures weren’t that different at all, skipping it is another cost-saving measure you can make.

That’s not to say this is all pointless. If you want the flashiness, go right ahead. I won’t deny gaming PCs look cool! But it’s a corner you can cut without sacrificing power but reducing the price you pay.

Should you play it safe (and boring)?

So this is my case for choosing an office box over a spaceship — a boring desktop tower over the gaming PC. RG-be damned, because you could take that $200 saving, get yourself a 4K monitor like the Gigabyte M27UP and make the most of that RTX 5080.

Are there downsides? Sure — the same issues you’d get with any pre-built. Lack of modular customizability and the use of proprietary parts being chief among them.

But as is becoming clear at the moment, it’s now cheaper to go pre-built over building yourself at the moment (thanks RAMageddon). And dodging the RGB-laden options is another way to save yourself some cash while still getting the same sustained performance.

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Full disclosure: I love video games, and more often than not, story-driven RPGs are like therapy for me. You'll find me glued to the TV, playing my favorites on my PS5 Slim in my downtime on the weekend, or in the evenings after work. I'm also very lucky that as a lifelong gamer, I get to test the best gaming headsets and the best controllers (yes, for my job).

But with the plethora of first- and third-party options in the market today, it can be overwhelming finding the right set of cans or gamepad for yourself — and for gifting purposes. I'm sure you have a gamer in your life, and perhaps you're struggling to get them a gaming-related gift for the holidays.

That's where I come in. I asked myself, "What would I want for Christmas?" So, to make the decision easier for you, I've rounded up the best things you can buy a PS5, Xbox or Nintendo Switch gamer for Christmas 2025. All the products on this list have been tested and reviewed by yours truly, so you can rest assured that you'll be getting bang for your buck if you go with my recommendations.

For PS5 gamers

Sony's current range of consoles — PS5, PS5 Slim and PS5 Pro — is formidable and each system is powerful in its own right. According to my PlayStation Wrap-Up, I've played PS5 games for nearly 500 hours this year, and many of those have been spent testing the products below. Here are my top three picks for PS5 gamers in your life.

For Nintendo Switch gamers

I'm a big gamer while my partner isn't, but you know what she loves? Playing couch co-op games on the Nintendo Switch and the Nintendo Switch 2. The new Switch 2 is a fantastic hybrid console, and there are awesome third-party headsets and controllers available for it. Here are my top three picks for the Switch gamer in your life.

For Xbox gamers

While I personally haven't owned an Xbox since 2013, many of the gaming headsets and controllers I've tested are compatible with Microsoft's consoles. Whether you're looking for a pro controller or a budget headset for an Xbox gamer in your life, I've got you covered. Here are my top three picks for Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X owners.

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• PS5 vs. Xbox Series X: Which console wins?

I have been a gamer for as long as I can remember — from playing a demo of Tomb Raider on my family's rusty ol' computer, Pokémon on my cousin's DS whenever he came around, to sinking hundreds of hours into my favorite RPGs on my PS5 Slim. Video games, especially story-driven ones, are therapeutic to me (regardless of how many times I've cried while playing the likes of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33).

But there is one thing that can absolutely ruin my immersion, and that's bad audio. There's an easy way to rectify bad audio, though, and the solution lies in picking up one of the best wireless gaming headsets. Now, as a lifelong gamer, I'm very privileged that I get to test gaming peripherals as part of my job. I've tested some fantastic gaming headsets, and I recently reviewed the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset and it almost instantly because one of my favorite sets of cans.

The Razer BlackShark V3 Pro is my primary gaming headset, but the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset comes in a close second. There's a lot to love about Alienware's flagship set of cans — incredible sound quality, long and reliable battery life, a lightweight design which ensures all-day comfort, you name it. If you're looking for a new headset, this might be the one for you.

Cloud-like ear cushions

Whether you're spending $50 or $300 on a headset, that money is a waste if the cans aren't comfortable and make you want to take them off your head instantly. To that affect, the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset is money spent extremely well because of just how comfortable these cans are.

Many headsets feature memory foam ear cushions, or leatherette ones. The Alienware headset features a combination of the two: leatherette-covered memory foam cushions! And when I say they feel like you're resting your ears against fluffy clouds, I mean it. Having worn the headset for an eight-hour gaming session, my ears never overheated and no sweat pooled into the earcups.

Also assisting the Alienware headset's comfy nature is its padded headband which helps relieve pressure on the top of your head, lending it a feeling of weightlessness. In fact, the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset isn't made for just gaming — you can wear it while listening to music too, when you're out and about, thanks to its sleek, minimalist, non-RGB powered design. Really, it's the only pair of headphones you need for anything and everything.

Sublime, textured, detailed sound profile

In addition to being ridiculously comfortable, the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset sounds magnificent too, injecting life into even the most boring games. Regardless of the game I played, the Alienware headset made every thing sound incredible. In Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, I loved being able to truly appreciate the powerful, orchestral operatic soundtrack, and enjoy the sound of my magic and sword attacks landing on enemies. Everything sounded well-balanced and never like one element was overpowering the other.

In Ghost of Yotei and Cyberpunk 2077, I was able to take a truly stealthy approach when infiltrating enemy camps and bases. I could hear every single footstep and NPCs breathing which helped me pinpoint their position and help me plan my next move. The Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset features directional audio too, which meant that I could hear dialogue move from one earcup to the other, and this, again, helped me gauge my enemies' position.

From the slashes of my odachi and katana to the loud explosions caused by my projectiles, each and every sound in both games was loud and clear, with plenty of depth and low-end impact. The energetic, vibrant sound profile alone firmly cemented the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset as one of my top five gaming cans of all time.

Power in spades

Sure, the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset looks good, sounds great, and it's very comfortable... but that's not all. It's got power in spades — and I mean that literally. The Alienware headset is rated at up to 75 hours of battery life (depending on usage conditions), and it's very reliable. Using it with active noise cancellation enabled, of course, halves the battery life, bringing it down to 35 hours (which proved true in my testing, by the way), but even then, that's a lot of juice.

Oh, did I say it's got active noise cancellation — and highly effective ANC, at that? The Alienware headset is capable of blocking out most external noise, whether that's your neighbors drilling into their walls (speaking from experience), or construction going on outside your house, or something as simple as the doorbell ringing. Regardless of the situation, the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset isolates noise and pulls you right into your game, making you feel like you're the main character. What else could you ask for?!

Not many other headsets I've tested are better than the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset — barring the Razer BlackShark V3 Pro — so it's a small, exclusive club. It's the only headset I'd buy just for the cloud-like ear cushions. I really can't recommend it enough.

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• I review gaming headsets for a living and the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset is the most comfortable set of cans I’ve used
• Best wireless gaming headsets in 2025
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I’ve used plenty of gaming headsets in all my years as a gamer. And as someone who now reviews them for a living, I’ve tested the good, the bad and the ugly. It’s with a lot of confidence that I say the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset is one of the most comfortable pair of gaming cans I’ve ever tested — with powerful performance to back it up.

The Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset is the brand’s flagship set of cans, and it’s worth the price of admission. Featuring 50mm drivers, the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset delivers crisp and textured sound in almost every genre. There’s a detachable mic with AI noise cancelling that works well, and the headset has highly effective active noise cancellation and reliable battery life. Really, it’s the only headset you need as it’s also compatible with a range of consoles and devices.

To find out why it’s one of the best wireless gaming headsets, read my full Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset review.

Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? The clue is in the name — it’s a wireless (and Alienware’s flagship) gaming headset for PlayStation, PC and other devices
• Who is it for? For serious gamers who want best-in-class audio quality as well as comfort
• How much does it cost? The Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset retails for $229 / £224, but it’s worth every cent
• What do we like? The cloud-like ear cushions for all-day comfort, detailed sound profile, highly effective ANC, long battery life and more
• What don’t we like? There’s no Xbox version, and the headset costs a premium

Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset review: Specs

Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset review: The ups

From its exceptionally comfortable ear cushions and fit to its detailed sound quality and effective ANC, the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset is a winner on most fronts.

Exceptionally comfortable

No gaming headset — or headphones, for that matter — is worth the money if it isn’t comfortable. It is, then, a good thing that the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset is extremely comfortable. Weighing just 11.11oz, it never feels too heavy or like it’s weighing you down, even when worn for long periods of time. It’s lighter than both the Razer BlackShark V3 Pro ($249, 12.9oz) and the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless ($350, 11.9oz), and it feels like the perfect weight to me.

I’m no stranger to gaming cans. I review them for a living and use them in my downtime, so when I say the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset’s ear cushions are some of the comfiest I’ve tested, I really mean it. These leatherette-covered memory foam cushions are so soft, it feels like my ears are resting against clouds. They offer a plush, relaxed fit that is spacious enough for my ears but tight enough to provide passive noise cancellation.

I could wear this headset all day long, and I’d be a happy camper — and I did! I wore the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset for just under seven hours, and not once did my ears feel suffocated or too hot. The memory foam headband even relieved some pressure on the top of my head, too.

Minimalist, sleek design

Unlike most other gaming headsets I’ve tested, the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset doesn’t necessarily look like it’s designed for gamers. Instead, it looks like a regular pair of wireless headphones, akin to the Sony WH-1000XM6, really. This is to say that the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset sports a minimalist, sleek design that’s nowhere near as bulky as its competitors, such as the Razer BlackShark V3 Pro or the HyperX Cloud Alpha 2 ($299) — and I love it.

The Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset is available in two colors: Dark Side of the Moon (as a huge Pink Floyd fan, I approve of this name for “black”) and Lunar Light (white). I tested the latter, and although I usually prefer darker colors, even I can’t resist the Lunar Light’s charm. Branding is subtle, with the Alienware logo gracing each earcup, and there’s no garish RGB lighting, so you can use this headset even as a regular pair of headphones when you’re out and about (also thanks to the detachable microphone).

Controls are well laid out, as they’re equally distributed across both earcups. Each button gives good tactile feedback when pressed, and the volume wheel can be moved easily, but not so easily that you knock it by mistake. I much prefer the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset’s control scheme over the cluttered ones found on headsets like the Turtle Beach Stealth 600 Gen 3 ($99) and the Cooler Master CH351 ($89).

Crystal clear, detailed sound

The Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset sounds phenomenal in most video games, period. It’s fitted with 50mm Graphene-Coated drivers, designed to deliver clear, accurate sound, great directional audio and reduced distortion — and it works as intended. You can use the headset wirelessly via Bluetooth or the 2.4GHz dongle.

I tested the headset by playing a few games on my PS5 Slim: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Ghost of Yotei and Cyberpunk 2077. In all three games, the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset delivered crisp, detailed sound with no latency issues or distortion. The headset has a frequency response range of 20-40,000Hz, so I was able to hear every sound in a game, from soft, easily-missable footsteps to loud explosions.

Ghost of Yotei

I recently finished Ghost of Yotei and was wearing the headset at the moment I earned the Platinum trophy for obtaining 100% of the trophies, so that is something I’ll always remember! Ghost of Yotei is a stunning game, not just in terms of graphics. It features beautiful music and a variety of sounds, and the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset made everything sound just as the producers intended: detailed, textured and multilayered.

When my character, Atsu, was playing the shamisen, I could hear every note plucked on the three-stringed instrument. Even when there were other sounds in the background, such as the sound of enemies and explosions while playing the shamisen next to an occupied camp, I could still hear my instrument. Playing the shamisen summons the companion wolf, and I could hear the wolf snarling as it ran to my aid. Every sound was well-balanced.

Combat in Ghost of Yotei sounded just as amazing. Every time I swung my heavy odachi (a massive katana, basically), I could hear it cut through the air, and when my katana or other weapon sliced an enemy, I could hear their bloody gushing and splattering. Directional audio worked extremely well in Ghost of Yotei, as I could gauge an enemy’s position depending on which earcup I was hearing them through.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is one of my favorite games of all time, and one I’ve spent over 150 hours playing, so I’m very familiar with the different sounds as well as the powerful soundtrack. Because nearly every cutscene and battle is soundtracked by operatic power ballads, it’s all too easy for a gaming headset to get overwhelmed and sound muddy. Not the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset, though.

The Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset makes every aspect of Expedition 33 sound cinematic and ensures you hear every note and instrument in the orchestral OST — even when you’re in the middle of a heated battle. I was also able to hear the loud explosions made by my magical attacks and my swords slashing enemies. It never felt like one musical element was overpowering another, making the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset second only to the Razer BlackShark V3 Pro, in my opinion.

Cyberpunk 2077

Cyberpunk 2077 features a fair bit of stealthy gameplay where enemies will gun you down if you’re detected… or you have a giant, mechanical, terrifying robot actively hunting you and who, upon detection, will insta-kill you. This is where being able to hear soft footsteps comes in clutch, and I was able to hear every sign of movement through the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset.

If I hid behind a door and tried to gauge where my enemies were positioned, I was able to do so easily. Directional audio, again, worked really well here as I could hear NPCs chattering through either earcup, which helped me move stealthily through a heavily-occupied base.

When I was running and hiding from the aforementioned robot hunter in the Phantom Liberty DLC, I could tell exactly which direction Cerberus was about to emerge from. When my character came to a stationary stop while hiding behind boxes and pillars, I could hear the tremble in their voice and breathing, which made an already scary mission even scarier!

Because the game features a pumping techno, synthwave soundtrack, it proved to be a great test for the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset — and one it aced. The electronic instruments sounded powerful and in harmony, but they never once overpowered the sound of combat or foot chases. I could still hear my V’s footsteps thudding on the ground as she ran away from cops, or when she fired gunshots at enemies. Perfectly balanced, as all things should be.

Great noise cancellation

While active noise cancellation (ANC) is a prominent feature on most wireless headphones, it’s hard to come by on gaming headsets. The very expensive Audeze Maxwell ($299) doesn’t feature ANC, and while the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless does, its ANC isn’t nearly as effective as advertised.

But the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset? It’s got ANC, and outstanding, highly effective ANC at that. A button on the left earcup lets you enable and disable ANC, and I strongly recommend using it if you want to be fully immersed in a game and not be disturbed by external sounds. My neighbors have been hammering their walls, ruining my immersion when I’m sobbing over Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

Scenarios like these are where the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset’s ANC comes in clutch. With it turned on, I couldn’t hear my neighbors drilling and hammering. When I used the headset while working, the loud clicking and clacking of my 8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard was muted, too, while my partner had to wave to grab my attention. Overall, I’ve been highly impressed by the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset’s ANC, and it’s second only to the Razer BlackShark V3 Pro.

Good microphone for online gaming

The Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset utilizes a unidirectional, detachable microphone that features two mics for “AI-powered” noise cancellation. As is the nature of unidirectional mics, the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset’s mic picks up sound only from the direction of the user’s mouth. It transmits loud and clear audio.

If you need a headset for gaming online or recording voice memos, the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset’s mic excels here. I recorded myself with nothing else playing in the background, and as you can hear in the clip above, my voice sounds textured and clear.

Next, I played an episode of Broadchurch at 60% volume on my phone and simultaneously recorded myself talking on my laptop, as in the clip above. My voice is still loud and clear, and even though you can hear something playing in the background, it’s not discernible and doesn’t hinder the mic’s performance.

Multi-platform compatibility

The Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset is the only set of cans you need if you own multiple gaming consoles… as long as an Xbox isn’t part of your ecosystem (more on that soon). This headset is compatible with PC, macOS, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, and Steam Deck. While I primarily tested the headset with my PS5 Slim, it worked just as well when connected wirelessly to my MacBook Pro M1, Switch 2 and OG Switch.

Long, reliable battery life

The Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset wins big in the battery department. On a single charge, Alienware claims that the headset can last up to 75 hours over Bluetooth. When using the 2.4GHz dongle, the battery life is rated at 70 hours with ANC off and 35 hours with ANC on. These figures are similar to the Razer BlackShark V3 Pro’s, which is rated at 70 hours (PC, 2.4GHz), and better than the pricier SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless’, rated at just 22 hours.

Battery life will, of course, depend on the usage conditions and headset settings. I used the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset with the 2.4GHz dongle and ANC on, and it died after nearly 34 hours — which aligns with the brand’s claims.

If you run out of charge, the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset features fast charging, so a quick 15-minute charge tops it up for another six hours.

Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset review: The downs

Anything wrong with the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset? Well, you’ll be paying a premium for premium features, and Xbox users might feel left out.

Steep price (that’s worth paying)

There’s no beating around the bush: the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset’s premium gaming features come at a steep price. It’s Alienware Pro’s flagship headset, and it sits alongside the brand’s mouse and keyboard — a complete package for those who want all their gear made by a specific manufacturer.

All three devices in the Alienware Pro Wireless lineup cost a premium. A $149 mouse, a $199 keyboard and a $229 headset. The Pro Wireless Gaming Headset retails for $229 / £224, but you can often find it on sale for $199 / £199 at Amazon. Though it’s expensive, it’s still cheaper than the Razer BlackShark V3 Pro ($249), the Audeze Maxwell ($299) and definitely the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless ($350).

Having tested the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset, I believe it’s worth the money. It still comes in cheaper than many other premium gaming cans, so it’s a fantastic way of elevating your gaming experience without burning as big a hole in your pocket as you would if you bought any of the other headsets mentioned above.

No Xbox version

Unfortunately, the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset isn’t compatible with Xbox consoles, so if you own an Xbox Series X or a Series S, you’ll need to consider alternatives. Fortunately, there’s no dearth of these in the market today. I’d recommend the Razer BlackShark V3 Pro, whose price is in the same ballpark as the Pro Wireless. If you can stretch your budget, you won’t go amiss with the HyperX Cloud Alpha 2 or the Audeze Maxwell.

Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset review: Verdict

If you want gaming cans that won’t let you down regardless of the game you’re playing, and you want to be able to wear them for hours and hours, I can’t recommend the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset enough. It’s packed with powerful 50mm drivers that make games — especially story-driven RPGs — sound extremely immersive, a fantastic mic that makes you sound loud and clear and effective ANC that excels at making you feel like the main character.

All of the headset’s premium gaming features come at a price, though, and you’re looking at an expenditure of nearly $230. But is it worth the money? I certainly think so! The Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset is for gamers who want best-in-class sound and comfort, and for those who don’t want to spend even more on the likes of the Audeze Maxwell.

Me? I’d buy the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset for the plush, soft ear cushions alone — it feels like my ears are resting on clouds!

Just when I thought we were through the sales madness of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, it turns out monitors are still seeing the biggest discounts of the year. So, don't think you've missed the boat on making a huge saving on your next screen for your PC, PS5, Xbox or whatever you use — I'm still seeing up to 50% off top sellers.

It's one thing to see everything from cheap 1080p screens with high refresh rates to ultrawide 4K OLED displays hit bargain prices, but it's another when many are the best monitors and best gaming monitors we've tested.

Here's a fine example: this 25-inch Alienware AW2525HM with a 320Hz refresh rate is under $200 at Dell, which is a pretty insane price considering its superb color accuracy and, yes, incredibly high refresh rate. But then there's this 27-inch Acer Predator with 4K and 320Hz for 50% off at Best Buy, and that's just about the cheapest I've seen for a monitor of this caliber.

So, if you're in need of an all-new monitor for your PC setup (or console) to treat yourself for the holidays, I've found all the monitor deals to keep your wallet happy. Here are the sales to get your setup the monitor it deserves (for less).

Editor's picks

• Samsung 27" S32GD 1080p 120Hz: was $169 now $99 @ Best Buy
• Alienware 25" AW2525HM 1080p 320Hz: was $249 now $199 @ Best Buy
• LG 32" UltraGear 34G600A-B curved 1440p 160Hz: was $399 now $299 @ Amazon
• Acer 27" Predator 4K 160Hz / 1080p 320Hz: was $699 now $329 @ Best Buy
• MSI 27" MAG 271QP QD-OLED 1440p 280Hz: was $649 now $439 @ Newegg
• Sony 27" Inzone M9 II 4K 160Hz: was $949 now $698 @ Amazon
• Alienware 34" AW3425DW QD-OLED 1440p 240Hz: was $799 now $699 @ Best Buy
• Samsung 49" Odyssey QD-OLED G9 5K 240Hz: was $1,699 now $999 @ Best Buy

Best monitor deals US

Best monitor deals UK

Having one of the best monitors on your desk is a near-necessity, whether you work on a laptop for up to eight hours, five days a week, or you're an avid gamer and want the best-looking experience. Given the rapid rate at which technology has advanced (and continues to do so), we're spoilt for choice when it comes to picking a screen.

OLED, 4K and even 5K monitors are all the rage, but what if I told you I've been testing an LED IPS monitor that won't make you care that its resolution is limited to just 1080p, and one that doesn't cost thousands? It sounded too good to be true... until I tested the Alienware AW2525HM 25-inch 320Hz monitor. This is the gaming and work monitor for you if you're on a budget.

Look, I'm no stranger to 4K resolution and just how fantastic it looks, but when the colors look this good and the monitor is this fast, I can look past that. With a whopping 320Hz refresh rate, 0.5ms response time, and mindblowing color reproduction, it didn't take long for the AW2525HM to become my favorite monitor. My mind was blown even further when I saw the price tag, so let me take you through it all.

If Speedy Gonzales was a monitor

Ever heard of the fastest mouse in all of Mexico? If Speedy Gonzales was a monitor, he'd be the Alienware AW2525HM. Marketed as a gaming monitor — and for good reason — the AW2525HM has a whopping 320Hz refresh rate and a 0.5ms response time. "What does that mean?" The 320Hz refresh rate ensures smooth, fluid motion, while the 0.5ms response time reduces ghosting and motion blur.

Sounds great in theory but what about in real-world usage? It works, and boy, does it work well! Regardless of the game I played to test this monitor, I was stunned by the performance, and I was left highly impressed. There was no choppiness during fast-paced combat in Cyberpunk 2077, or while sprinting in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. And no, no signs of ghosting either.

Given the AW2525HM's speed, I'm happy to trade off 4K resolution. Before you come for me, there's another excellent reason for this — and that's the color rendition, which I'll talk about next.

Any color you like

When I see an opportunity to make a Pink Floyd reference, I take it. Now that we're past my exquisite taste in music, let's talk about the Alienware AW2525HM's performance when it comes to color reproduction. 1080p isn't as good as 4K, but when the colors look this good, I'm inclined to not care as much.

First, let's talk about objective testing. I conducted my standardized lab testing to see how the AW2525HM fared in terms of color, and the results blew me away, as you can see in the table below.

What do these numbers mean? The monitor covers 148.5% of the sRGB color gamut, which means it covers the entire color spectrum and then some, and it delivers bold, bright, vivid colors, shades and hues.

Then we've got DCI-P3, another common color space with a wider overall gamut than sRGB, meaning it delivers a more accurate rendition of lifelike color. 105.2% coverage means it can render more shades than the actual gamut.

Lastly, Delta-E, which tells us how accurate or close the color on screen is to the color output from the source, such as your computer or laptop. The closer the score to 0, the more color-accurate the image — yes, 0.06 is an outstanding score.

The numbers are great and tell us half the story, but testing the monitor by playing video games confirms the AW2525HM's prowess in color rendition and reproduction. In Cyberpunk 2077, the neon lights appears brightly colored but not oversaturated to the point that they looked fake. This made the game feel more immersive, which is exactly what you need in an FPS/RPG.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is more of a challenge because there are many dark areas and dungeons in the game. Regardless, the AW2525HM excelled in balancing highlights and shadows to deliver a fantastic image. I was able to make out details in the dark areas, such as plants or objects which were otherwise obscured. And while a lot of the graphics performance comes down to your GPU, all the cutscenes appeared highly detailed and, again, bright and bold, which helped keep my immersion intact.

Wait, how much?!

What does the Alienware AW2525HM excel at? It's ridiculously fast with its 320Hz refresh rate and 0.5ms response time. It reproduces colors vividly and accurately. It looks great. When I first started using this monitor, I honestly thought it cost more than $500, and you probably will too. But to my surprise, it costs less than half of what I expected.

The question, then, isn't how much it costs — it's how little. That's right. The AW2525HM is a budget monitor and one of the cheapest screens that delivers outstanding performance, retailing for just $249 / £209. 4K and OLED panels cost a lot more money, but given that you're getting a speedy monitor that makes colors look the best they ever have, I really can't complain about being limited to a 1080p resolution.

More from Tom's Guide

• I just replaced my work monitor with this Alienware 25-inch 320Hz screen — and I’m never going back
• I've tested 100 monitors and these are the best ones for work, gaming and everyday use
• I added a portable monitor next to my main display and this inexpensive upgrade is a game changer

As someone who sits in front of a laptop for up to eight hours, five days a week, having one of the best monitors is a necessity for me. While many of the finest screens don’t come cheap, you don’t need to break the bank to get a great viewing experience — just look at the Alienware AW2525HM 320Hz LED. I’ve been using this monitor for gaming and work and it has blown me away.

Boasting a 320Hz refresh rate and a 0.5ms response time, the AW2525HM is a solid monitor for RPGs, FPS, and any other genre of gaming you can think of. Its color accuracy and rendition are something to behold, as is its SDR brightness. Considering that this monitor costs less than $250, it really doesn’t give you a lot to complain about.

For the complete breakdown, read my full Alienware AW2525HM 320Hz LED review.

Alienware AW2525HM 320Hz LED review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A 25-inch 1080p monitor featuring a 320Hz refresh rate and 0.5ms response time
• Who is it for? For gamers who also need a reliable monitor for work
• How much does it cost? The Alienware AW2525HM 320Hz LED is available for $249 / £209
• What do we like? The 320Hz refresh rate, great color accuracy, minimalist design, and overall fantastic value
• What don’t we like? There are no built-in speakers and HDR is weak

Alienware AW2525HM 320Hz LED review: Specs

Alienware AW2525HM 320Hz LED review: The ups

From its minimalist design to its superb color accuracy and reproduction, the Alienware AW2525HM 320Hz LED is an excellent monitor for both gaming and work.

Minimalist design

If you want a monitor that’s primarily designed for gaming but fits right into an office space and doesn’t draw unnecessary attention, then the Alienware AW2525HM is the one for you. The AW2525HM features an all-black design with minimal branding. There’s no flashy RGB on display either. There’s an Alienware logo around the back of the monitor, and it functions as a holographic sticker that reflects light and appears rainbow-like. I love it.

Given the AW2525HM’s 25-inch screen, you don’t need to worry about fitting it on your desk, even if you’re short on space. The monitor measures 21.87 x 19.71 x 2.71 inches with the stand, so it’s slightly smaller than 27-inch screens like the Lenovo L27i-4B ($109) — my second screen at work. The AW2525HM weighs 13.38lbs with the stand, so while it’s heavy enough to stay in place, it’s still easily liftable and movable.

Adding to the AW2525HM’s minimalism and ease of use is its straightforward menu system, which can be controlled via the clickable joystick located under the Alienware logo on the front. In my testing, I found the menu system highly responsive with zero input lag, and the joystick felt nice to use, too. It was super easy and quick to adjust brightness and contrast, swap between different presets (sRGB, FPS, RPG, etc.) and other settings.

Overall, the AW2525HM is nondescript, looks great on my desk, and is intuitive to use.

Great for gaming

The Alienware AW2525HM is marketed as a gaming monitor, and that’s not surprising given its 320Hz refresh rate and 0.5ms response time. It excels at delivering a smooth, lag-free gaming experience. There are plenty of picture modes to choose from so that you get a tailored experience, and this includes, but is not limited to, FPS, MOBA, RPG, and Sports.

The AW2525HM features an LED panel with a resolution of 1920x1080 FHD, so there’s no 4K at play. But even without it, visuals look nothing short of stunning, especially for a monitor that doesn’t charge a premium. To test the monitor, I played a few games on a Windows 11 laptop, and regardless of the genre and title, I was mesmerized.

I kicked things off with Cyberpunk 2077, an FPS/RPG with bright neon lights and quick movements that can cause motion blur. The neon colors appeared detailed, bright and vivid on screen, and I appreciated that they didn’t appear oversaturated to the point that they felt fake.

You can see plenty of details even in dark environments, so I was able to make my way through dark areas with confidence in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. It’s like I was able to see in the dark, which felt fantastic. And while a lot of the graphics performance is down to the graphics card in the laptop, I felt fully immersed in the life-like cinematic cutscenes during the game, given how detailed all the characters and surroundings appeared.

The whopping 320Hz refresh rate proved its worth in both games, as I didn’t experience any choppiness while sprinting or during fast-paced combat in Cyberpunk 2077. The AW2525HM has a 0.5ms response time, which means its pixels can change colors within 0.5ms, so I didn’t experience any ghosting during gaming either. Of course, if you want even better response times, you’ll need to spend way more on the likes of the MSI MPG 272URX QD-OLED ($1,099) or the Lenovo Legion Pro 34WD-10 OLED ($1,199).

Lab testing analysis: Color

So, the colors look great on screen, but what about actual lab testing? As part of our standardized lab testing, I measured the Alienware AW2525HM 320Hz LED’s color coverage as well as accuracy — and I was left impressed, in practice and on paper. You can see the results below, compared to other similarly priced monitors.

The AW2525HM covers 148.5% of the sRGB color gamut, which means it covers the entire color spectrum and more, which helps it deliver bright, vivid colors, shades and hues. This is aligned with the bold colors I saw when using the monitor for gaming and work, so I’m very pleased. The color coverage is also better than both the Dell 24 S2421HGF ($250) and Gigabyte G27FC ($229), which are in the AW2525HM’s price bracket.

DCI-P3 is another common color space with a wider overall gamut than sRGB, meaning it delivers a more accurate rendition of lifelike color. The AW2525HM has this space more than covered, with my testing showing 105.2% coverage (meaning it can render more shades than the actual DCI-P3 gamut) — again, better than both the Dell and the Gigabyte.

The last number I tested was Delta-E, which tells us how accurate or close the color on screen is to the color output from the source, such as your computer or laptop. The closer the Delta-E score to 0, the better, and the more color-accurate the images. As you can see above, the AW2525HM blows all other rivals out of the water with a score of 0.6. Even the pricier Alienware AW2725D ($529) is less accurate.

Good for work too

Given the Alienware AW2525HM’s nondescript design, high refresh rate and response time, it’s a fantastic monitor for office work. Its incredible color accuracy and rendition make it a good monitor for editing photos and videos I’ve taken on the best cameras and the best drones.

The 10-bit color depth means that the AW2525HM is capable of showing 1.07 billion individual hues. This enabled me to see the different shades of red and orange in photos of robins I’d taken, as well as the various hues in photos of autumnal leaves and trees. There are a few work-related picture modes, and you can adjust the monitor’s gain, offset, hue and saturation to achieve the ideal settings for photo editing and other work.

This is a very bright monitor too, which is exactly what I needed to watch videos I’d taken of nightscapes on the DJI Mavic 4 Pro and the DJI Mini 5 Pro. My lab testing showed that the monitor’s brightness in SDR peaks at 365 — my coworker, Erin, asked me if my retinas were burning when I had the monitor turned up to 100% brightness!

The table above shows the AW2525HM’s brightness in comparison to other monitors, and as you can see, it’s much brighter than the rest. The AW2525HM feels like an absolute steal, and this brings me to my next point.

Excellent value for money

Given that you get a 320Hz refresh rate, 0.5ms response time, and fantastic color accuracy, you’d think the Alienware AW2525HM costs a lot of money — and you’d be wrong. It’s one of the cheapest monitors on the market, retailing for just $249 / £209, making it the ideal screen for casual gamers who also want to use the same screen for work.

Alienware’s monitor is priced similarly to the Gigabyte G27FC ($229), the Dell 24 S2421HGF ($250), the Lenovo Legion R27fc-30 27-inch 280Hz ($239) and the ViewSonic XG2536 25-inch 280Hz ($299), but Alienware’s device is better than all of them as it offers a faster refresh rate. And while it’s pricier than the Lenovo L27i-4B, it’s well worth the extra spend if you want great color accuracy as well as more hertz.

Alienware AW2525HM 320Hz LED review: The downs

There isn’t a lot wrong with the Alienware AW2525HM, but it’s worth noting that it doesn’t have the strongest HDR or built-in speakers.

Weak HDR

Strangely, the AW2525HM’s product page doesn’t mention anything about HDR. The only way I found out that it supported HDR was via system settings on my laptop. But I’m not surprised that Alienware doesn’t emphasize this information, considering that the monitor doesn’t have the best HDR.

I tested the HDR at three levels as part of our standardized testing, and the results weren’t great. The AW2525HM peaked at 200 nits on 10% of the screen, 210 nits on 40% and just 198 nits on 100%. While not the brightest, it is worth noting that some of its competitors, like the Dell 24 S2421HGF and the Gigabyte G27FC, don’t support HDR at all — something is better than nothing, I suppose?

No speakers

Annoyingly, the Alienware AW2525HM 320Hz LED doesn’t feature built-in speakers, so you can’t hear any audio. This is a pretty minor issue if you have external speakers that you can plug into your gaming PC or laptop, or you’re using one of the best wireless headsets. But still, it would have been nice to have some speakers built into the display as a fallback.

Alienware AW2525HM 320Hz LED review: Verdict

The Alienware AW2525HM 320Hz LED is a fantastic monitor, and I don’t know how I’ve gone so long without it. Its LED panel is bright and detailed, and its color accuracy and rendition blew me away in both subjective and objective testing. I love its 320Hz refresh rate and 0.5ms response time too, both of which contribute towards a lag- and blur-free gaming experience.

The AW2525HM doesn’t have built-in speakers or the brightest HDR, but these are small drawbacks considering the monitor’s budget price tag. If you need a monitor for gaming and work, I can’t recommend the AW2525HM enough. It’s fast, it’s bright, and it’s unbeatable value for money.

Out of all the laptop brands around, I wouldn't have thought Alienware, known for its premium machines like the $2,999 Alienware 16 Area-51, would be dishing out serious value on its latest gaming rigs. But here we are with its RTX 5060 laptop that's by far the best deal you'll find right now.

The Alienware 16 Aurora just got a $350 price cut at Best Buy, making it one of the cheapest RTX 50-series gaming laptops you can grab at $1,149. But it isn't just about that GPU, as it also boasts an Intel Core 7 240H CPU, 32GB of DDR5 RAM and a 1TB SSD that pushes its entry-level gaming laptop status to new heights.

Considering the latest Asus TUF Gaming A14 with an RTX 5060 will set you back a whopping $1,699, you can already tell this gaming machine is a steal. If you're looking for quality AAA gaming at sky-high frame rates (thanks to DLSS 4) but don't want to spend a fortune, put this Alienware 16 Aurora on your radar.

With the specs it comes with under the hood, I'm amazed the Alienware 16 Aurora has dropped to a price this low. I've seen it cheaper during big sales, but only by $50, and seeing as the latest gaming laptops coming on the market with similar specs (and less) cost over $1,500, and even this RTX 4060 laptop is more expensive at $1,199, it goes to show the value this machine offers.

During my testing of the Alienware 16X Aurora, its slightly specced-up sibling that also comes equipped with an RTX 5060, I was playing games like Cyberpunk 2077 at high settings with ray tracing, Doom: The Dark Ages on Ultra Nightmare with DLSS Super Resolution and Black Myth: Wukong at high settings with frame rates at over 160 frames per second (FPS). This Aurora 16 won't be much different.

That's superb performance at this price, and for those competitive multiplayer titles, I was getting nearly 300 FPS with Marvel Rivals at Ultra settings at 1080p resolution and 240 FPS at Epic settings with DLSS 4, even with 1600p resolution, in my personal favorite, The Finals.

While its fantastic 16-inch WQXGA (2560 x 1600) LED display is an incredible deal for the price, take note that it only comes with a 120Hz refresh rate. That's the sweet spot for a vast majority of titles, but if you're after even higher frame rates for competitive games, you'll want to check out the best gaming monitors.

I know, an RTX 5060 only coming with 8GB of GDDR7 VRAM isn't much for playing games at their highest settings (I got Doom running at 7 FPS with settings cranked up). But that's not what the 16 Aurora was made for. Even still, it could pull off an applaudable 82 FPS at max settings with Nvidia's Multi Frame Gen at x4 in Cyberpunk 2077.

The Alienware 16 Aurora may be on the thicker side when it comes to portable gaming laptops, but that doesn't stop it from being an exceptional deal for anyone after RTX 50-series power that goes well past entry-level gaming performance. This is quality performance for less, and is a deal well worth jumping on.

I'm a sucker for major discounts, especially when it comes to the best gaming laptops. I mean, who isn't? Gaining high-end performance to play the latest PC games with settings cranked up for a fraction of the price is money well spent. But it isn't every day that happens — unless we're talking about the Alienware 16X Aurora.

Launched earlier this year, Alienware's refreshed Aurora gaming laptop lineup already impressed with its slight design change (dropping the thermal shelf) and more wallet-friendly pricing, especially compared to its premium-class Alienware 16 Area-51 starting at $2,999. But then, the deals started pouring in.

Despite only just launching at the time, I spotted the Alienware 16X Aurora for over $400 off during a Prime Day sale. It was a steal, considering its Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX CPU, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 GPU, 32GB of DDR5 RAM and a sizable 2TB SSD.

Was there something wrong with the laptop to be this heavily discounted while just being launched? Apparently not, with customers rating it a high 4.8 stars on Best Buy and stating it's the "perfect mid-level gaming PC" with "excellent value." Even the RTX 5060 model, which crashed to $1,399 in the summer, boasted an incredibly worthwhile offer.

Well, I finally got my hands on the Alienware 16X Aurora with an RTX 5060 and put it to the test. At full price, this laptop still soars with the performance it offers and high frame rates it delivers. But during a sale, this gaming laptop becomes a bargain beast.

Throughout the year, I've been keeping tabs on this Alienware 16X Aurora gaming laptop, and it's seen numerous discounts nearly every month. Now, with arguably the biggest sales event of the year coming soon, you can bet this gaming laptop will see a major discount that I'm a sucker for during Black Friday.

Is it a gaming laptop to keep on your radar? With the price cuts it frequently gets, I say yes. Now, let's dive into the performance you can expect.

Quality performance for less

Now, an RTX 5060 laptop GPU can only go so far. With its 8GB GDDR7 video memory (VRAM), this is mainly delivering entry-level gaming performance for popular multiplayer PC games that don't require the most demanding graphics (games like Indiana Jones and the Great Circle can munch through a lot of VRAM).

But that doesn't mean it can't run these types of games, anyway, and much of that has to do with DLSS 4. With Nvidia's multi-frame gen boosting frame rates, it pushes what the Alienware 16X Aurora can otherwise deliver. It can play the best PC games at more than acceptable frame rates, even with settings cranked to max, albeit not as well as the premium machines we've seen.

Whether it's Black Myth: Wukong at Cinematic settings, Cyberpunk 2077 with Ray Tracing Ultra or Doom: The Dark Ages at Ultra Nightmare, this Alienware machine could handle it. Well, sort of.

Check out the results I got below when running against a high-end machine like the Acer Predator Helios 18 AI with an RTX 5080.

I know. Only 7 FPS on Doom: The Dark Ages? Yeah, I could barely get out of the settings menu. But realistically, I wouldn't ever dream of turning on path tracing with an RTX 5060 gaming laptop, and, to be real, it's not exactly needed.

Of course, the Alienware 16X Aurora with its RTX 5060 wouldn't compete against a laptop of the Predator Helios 18 AI's caliber, but it's not meant to. That laptop will set you back $3,099, while you can get Alienware's for over half the price.

Also, that benchmark is running games at max potential, and that's not what the 16X Aurora is made for. By tinkering with settings, like changing DLSS Super Resolution to Ultra Performance in Doom and switching to High settings in Wukong, I was easily seeing frame rates boost to well over 150 FPS during real-time gameplay. What's more, I got over 160 FPS in Cyberpunk 2077 at high settings!

Being able to play these games with smooth, detailed visuals already makes for a great gaming laptop, but the Alienware 16X Aurora stands out for the discounted prices it's going for.

As for what the 16X Aurora was best at, I tried playing Marvel Rivals and The Finals (a favorite of mine). Here, I was seeing 240 FPS at Epic settings with DLSS 4, even with 1600p resolution in The Finals, and nearly 300 FPS with Marvel Rivals at Ultra settings (at 1080p, though). It can more than manage fast-paced gameplay, especially with its commendable display,

Speaking of, sporting a 16-inch WQXGA (2560 x 1600) display with a 240Hz refresh rate is a boon. For some titles, that can be a tad demanding, but having the option to bolster resolution in a gaming laptop like this is amazing value.

Coupled with the Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX CPU, a whopping 32GB of DDR5 RAM and 1TB SSD, that's a rare sight for a sub-$1,500 laptop. Well, when it's on sale, that is.

On the thicker side

Despite the impressive performance-to-price ratio the Alienware 16X Aurora boasts, it does still remind me of the gaming laptops of yesteryear. That isn't such a bad thing, but don't expect a super-sleek gaming laptop on the same level as, say, an Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 or Razer Blade 14 (2025).

Even for a 16-inch gaming laptop, this is one chunky machine. That works in its favor for the most part, with its base being slightly elevated to make room for a cooler on the bottom that sucks cool air in from under the laptop and pushes it from the back and sides.

This does keep fans on the quieter side, even when I pushed it to its limits when trying out path tracing in Doom: The Dark Ages. But, at 5.6 pounds, this is on the heavier side compared to other lightweight laptops (the Zephyrus G14 comes in at 3.5 pounds). Let me put it this way: I would find it on my desk more so than in my backpack.

But this isn't entirely surprising for a laptop that's been seen for as low as $1,399. It's making sacrifices in the right places, delivering as much performance as it can in a sturdy, well-built design.

Is the Alienware 16X Aurora worth it?

At full price, the Alienware 16X Aurora comes in at around $1,649 at Dell, and now at $1,799 at Best Buy. That's a steep ask, especially for a system that comes with an RTX 5060, while you could get the Asus TUF Gaming A18 with an RTX 5070 for the same price.

However, when its price is cut down to well under $1,500, I can now see why this machine has got the praise that it has from its customers. Being able to play the latest games at frame rates that far surpass entry-level performance I've seen in previous rigs, like an RTX 4050 gaming laptop, is outstanding.

After using this laptop to play everything from demanding PC titles to fast-paced multiplayer shooters, I'm sure that when it comes to Black Friday, this laptop is one to keep on your radar.

More from Tom's Guide

• I asked Google AI mode to recommend the best gaming laptop under $2,000 — you're wasting your money if you trust AI search
• I tested the Razer Blade 14 (2025) — and it may be the perfect on-the-go gaming laptop
• I swapped a gaming desktop for a gaming laptop — here's how they stack up in 2025

Alienware has launched a couple of new laptops called the Alienware 16 Aurora and Alienware 16X Aurora. These are a little thinner and less gaudy than the stereotypical gaming laptop. It's still a gaming laptop through and through, but it dials back some of the excess for which the company's high-end gaming laptops are known.

The design features a dark blue chassis that the company calls "interstellar indigo." The only visual element that stands out is the Alienware logo at the center of the case, but it's not as big and bright as some other Alienware models.

Alienware made the difficult decision to drop what is called a thermal shelf from the laptop's design. Usually, this large cooling feature sticks out of the back of the laptop on the bottom, and it adds a lot of extra girth. Instead, the company included a cooler on the bottom that sucks cool air in from under the laptop and pushes it from the back and sides.

This surprising change has allowed Alienware to make a thinner gaming laptop that's more portable than many of its other offerings. It's not going to be as small as one of the best MacBooks or another ultrabook, but it should be easier to carry around than a lot of other gaming devices.

Alienware 16 Aurora and 16X Aurora specs

Overall, Alienware is pushing solid specs for both the 16 Aurora and 16X Aurora. With up to Nvidia 5070 GPUs and Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX processors, you should be able to play more or less any game you can imagine.

The weight is relatively light at 5.49 pounds for the 16 Aurora and 16X Aurora. Obviously, a 16-inch display means it'll be on the larger side, but the design tweaks make it smaller than some other gaming laptops with larger displays.

Alienware 16 Aurora and 16X Aurora price and availability

As gaming laptops with high-end specs, they also come with a fairly high price tag. The base configuration of the 16 Aurora is $1,149, but it packs specs that might not be sufficient for some gamers. The 4050 GPU and 16GB of RAM aren't enough to run most high-end games at higher settings, so demanding gamers might want to spring for the extras.

For the 16X Aurora, the price starts at $1,949, and you get far more respectable specs with an RTX 5060 as the cheapest GPU available and 32GB of RAM.

More from Tom's Guide

• RTX 5060 Ti release date just tipped for April 16 — HP seemingly confirms Nvidia's next-gen GPUs
• I wanted an RTX 50-series gaming laptop, but $620 off this Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 broke me
• Razer Blade 16 with RTX 5060 spotted in new leak — with a pretty shocking $1,999 price tag

I had my mind blown by Asus’ 27-inch 4K OLED 240Hz gaming monitor earlier this year, and the Alienware AW2752Q takes the ball and runs with it. This is easily one of the best gaming monitors I’ve ever used — let me tell you why.

The big showcase feature here is that picture quality. With OLED, you normally have to watch out for the high refresh rate, as this display tech can create some visible frame artifacting — moments of screen tearing or ghosting where you see a faint trail behind moving objects.

Through whatever witchcraft Alienware has been conjuring up here, none of that exists. You get those gorgeously vivid colors and deep inky contrast ratio, which is completely uninterrupted with a mindblowingly smooth 240Hz refresh rate.

It’s a masterpiece of a screen, paired with all the ports you need to connect this monitor easily to your system and any peripherals, and it’s all housed in a sleek, attractive shell that will take ergonomic pride of place on any desk.

That’s not to say it’s completely perfect, though. Since OLED doesn’t require a backlight, the brightness is a little on the lower side, so keep it away from any direct sunlight. Not only that, but this is a serious investment to make at $899 — money that a lot of us can’t afford to really spend right now.

However if you’re all in on the RTX 5090, 5080 or 5070, you’re going to want to get this screen to make the most of it. The immersion, the smoothness, all of it is chef’s kiss.

Alienware AW2752Q: Cheat Sheet

• What is it? This is a 27-inch 4K OLED 240Hz gaming monitor — the latest trend in display tech for making the most of gaming PCs.
• Who is it for? This one’s for the pros and enthusiasts. If you’re all in on the 200+ FPS hype of RTX 50-series, you need a screen like this to make the most of your new GPU.
• What does it cost? You can pick one up for $899.
• What do I like? The 4K OLED picture quality is drop dead gorgeous and silky smooth at 240Hz with no visible ghosting or screen tearing. The port array is significant to fit this into any setup, and the design is premium and ergonomic.
• What don’t I like? At $899, this is a pricey investment to make. And given its OLED, the brightness is on the lower end.

Alienware AW2752Q: Specs

Alienware AW2752Q: The ups

Setting it up is a cinch, and once you turn it on (and use that DisplayPort 1.4 port for the maximum frame rate), you’re greeted with a picture quality that you just can’t take your eyes off of.

Incredible for gaming

So let’s talk about that 4K OLED panel. With five picture modes that are perfect for different genres and creative needs, this is a real stunner.

Whether it’s bright and colorful games like the fast-moving surroundings of Mexico in Forza Horizon 5, or the neon-soaked streets of Night City in Cyberpunk 2077, this is simply a mesmerizing flash flood of color.

Throw the 1.5 million:1 contrast ratio in there, a real OLED showpiece that is able to produce impressively inky blacks and real depth to a scene and Dolby Vision HDR, and scary titles like Alien Isolation become a whole lot more terrifying.

But what about multiplayer gaming? Well that’s where I drop into Call of Duty Warzone to really stretch the refresh rate and response time of the AWQ2752Q. Because of course, the above games look buttery smooth, that responsiveness really matters here.

With a 0.03ms response time, twitches of the mouse feel immediate, G-Sync eliminates any tearing, and there isn’t any of that OLED screen flicker with high refresh rate games. It’s so smooth and so sharp — your games are going to be a real feast.

Great for work

But of course, a gaming PC is great for work and play, so your monitor should be too. For this, we need color accuracy, a sleek design and connectivity.

Well to tackle the first, let’s look at the Delta-E score — rating said accuracy.

In any video or photo editing work I do, I had maximum confidence in the color representation of any frames I looked at while carefully crafting my pieces. Meanwhile, my desk space was kept clear with a monitor design that (surprisingly for Alienware) isn’t super cringeworthy.

I love the blue finish and the cable management built into the stand. It does have quite the caboose on it, but this is to fit the cooling needed to keep a monitor of this caliber running smoothly.

And yes, there is USB connectivity, but it’s a good news/bad news situation. While you can plug in your peripherals in to work with your computer, there's no KVM switch. If you work entirely off one system, this won’t be a problem.

But if you wanted to connect another laptop to work on things you may have been doing on the go, you won’t be able to hotswap between them with the same level of ease as you would with a KVM. You’ll need to unplug that USB port from your desktop and connect it to your laptop.

Alienware AW2752Q: The downs

That’s not to say it’s a perfect gaming experience, though. One problem is just a sign of the financially pressuring times, and the other is a side effect of OLED that I see a lot.

It’s a bit on the dim side

So if there’s one thing that OLED monitors usually suffer from, it’s brightness issues. Normally this comes from the fact that these monitors don’t require backlighting like your usual LCD panel.

There are very expensive ways to get around this (like tandem OLED), but Alienware doesn’t do this here and if you’re anywhere near a brightly sunlit window, it shows.

I’d be looking for a lot closer to 500 nits for this to be used near direct sunlight. So maybe find a darker corner to really make the most of this.

$899 isn’t going to be for everyone

Look, I know there’s going to be a correlation between how much you spend and the picture quality you get. But $899 is a big demand on anyone’s bank balance, so I guess it’s all relative to the type of gaming you’re going to do — especially when you take into account the 27-inch screen size.

QHD also looks damn good at this screen size, and you could save yourself a tidy amount of money if you do so, while still getting the same 240Hz refresh rate.

I’m not saying that the excess isn’t worth it, because that additional 4K fidelity is a feast for the eyes. But that doesn’t mean you’re not getting a super tasty amuse-bouche at lower prices too.

Alienware AW2752Q: Verdict

Put simply, if you can pay the high price for this display, and you can compensate for that slightly lower brightness (an occupational hazard of some OLED technology), this is easily one of the best gaming monitors you can buy right now.

The Alienware AW2752Q is a 4K monster of a screen with razor sharp fidelity and buttery smooth frame rates, which is further punctuated by gorgeous color production and immense depth from that HDR-ey contrast ratio.

If you’re a high end gamer and want to seek the best out of your shiny new GPU, this is a top pick.

Video gaming is an incredibly diverse hobby. Some prefer to kick back with their favorite handheld gaming device, while others prefer the traditional console experience. There are those content with casual gaming specs that get the job done as long as they get in the game, and then there are the enthusiasts who need the latest top-of-the-line gear. One thing that's consistent across all gamer archetypes, though, is the desire for high-quality, high-performing displays that don't require us to dip into our game funds.

You don't need to look for a unicorn to find a gaming monitor that fits the bill. Regardless of what you prioritize in your gaming setup, Alienware has a monitor that can fill that void.

For the competitive gamer: Alienware 25 Gaming Monitor

You're fast, you're snappy, your trigger game is on point and you're ready to hit the esports stage. You need a monitor that can keep up with your quick shots and trick shots, and that's where the Alienware 25 Gaming Monitor (model AW2523HF) comes into play. This 25-inch display is esports-optimized to give you the most bang for your buck and is built for the hardcore based on feedback from pro gamers. We all know frames win games, and this monitor is designed with full HD resolution and an impressive 360 Hz refresh rate on a stunning, high-quality IPS display. Pair all that with VESA Adaptive-Sync and AMD FreeSync Premium support to minimize screen tearing and a response time of 0.5ms to 1ms, and you've got yourself a display worthy of the best of the best.

The gaming monitor's bezel and stand are nearly as important as the screen itself. The Alienware 25 Gaming Monitor's hexagonal base is designed to require a minimal footprint on your desk, giving you more room for your keyboard and those all-important mouse moves. An integrated, retractable headset also helps keep your desk clear by giving you somewhere to tuck away your headphones when they're not in use. The revamped OSD layout features a centralized joystick that makes for easier navigation of the monitor's settings, and the fully adjustable stand ensures increased comfort for even the longest of gaming sessions.

This monitor also hits all the marks for connectivity, offering multiple USB ports, a headphone port and even a security lock slot. All of that comes with a respectable $350 price tag, so you've got form, function and affordability all in one here.

For the graphics-conscious gamer: Alienware 27 Gaming Monitor

For some of us, gaming is about the experience of a good single-player game with striking graphics. If you're willing to compromise a little on refresh rate for a higher display resolution, then the Alienware 27 Gaming Monitor (model number AW2723DF) may be a better fit for you. This one packs a 27-inch QHD display with a 1440p resolution, providing all the high-quality visual fidelity you expect for today's games. The vibrant IPS flat-screen panel is fitted with an InfinityEdge screen with IPS Nano Color technology that produces dynamic, vivid colors with 95% DCI-P3 color coverage. All that is wrapped up with a VESA DisplayHDR™ 600 certification, so you can trust the picture on your screen looks the way the developers intended it to.

Despite honing in on the graphic fidelity side of gaming, this monitor still offers an impressively fast 1ms response time for lag-free gameplay. The NVIDIA G-Sync, AMD FreeSync and VESA Adaptive-Sync certifications ensure that you're getting crystal-clear graphics without any screen tearing, and the 280 Hz response time is still plenty quick enough to let you keep up in a competitive gameplay environment. Like the Alienware 25 Gaming Monitor, you also get plenty of connectivity here with multiple USB ports, support for HDMI and DisplayPort connections, headphone ports and a security lock slot all at a $580 price point.

For the high-tech gamer: Alienware 32 4K QD-OLED Gaming Monitor

You're gaming in 4K. Your computer is a beast of a battle station decked out in all the RGB you could afford. You're at the top end of all the latest tech. You need a monitor that can match that unbridled unicorn-RGB-enhanced power of your gaming rig, and Alienware has you covered. The Alienware 32 4K QD-OLED Gaming Monitor (model number AW3225QF) is for you, combining the high-level color performance that only a Quantum Dot OLED panel can offer with the incredible detail of 4K resolution. We're talking about the cream of the gaming-monitor crop here, with exceptional clarity and color purity that's unmatched.

The curved 1700R screen captures your peripheral vision and provides a more natural viewing experience, and the QD-OLED display presents even dark scenes in stunning detail without that dreaded "halo" effect. This monitor offers an infinite contrast ratio and is supported by VESA DisplayHDR True Black 400, which ensures vibrant brights and deep, inky blacks without color bleed or distortion even in the same scene. Your games come to life with incredible DCI-P3 99.3% color coverage and Delta E<2 accuracy. Whether you're gaming on the highest-end PC or your favorite console, you know plugging into this gaming monitor is going to give you the best graphics fidelity possible.

The Alienware 32 4K monitor boasts all the same certifications as the previously mentioned monitors but is also bolstered by TUV-certified ComfortView Plus. This reduces blue light emissions using the monitor's hardware so you don't have to sacrifice color purity with software or blue light glasses. This monitor also offers all the bells and whistles of tear-free gaming with an impressive 240Hz refresh rate and is backed by a 3-year premium warranty that even covers OLED burn-in all for a sale price of $899.99 at the timing of this writing.

Unmatched performance and quality from a brand you trust

Alienware has long stood out in the field of gaming peripherals by offering high-quality, high-performance devices that are unmatched, but no good company stays at the top by riding on the coattails of its past success. That's why Alienware has continued to strive and innovate a portfolio of top-tier gaming hardware that provides value to gamers across the spectrum, from the casual console player dipping into their favorite indie game to the esports pros at the top of their game to the home enthusiast who wants the best gaming experience technology can offer.

CES 2025 saw no shortage of laptop announcements from major vendors like Lenovo, HP, MSI, Asus and more. Dell also arrived strong with its rebranded Dell laptops and the resurrected Alienware Area-51 gaming laptop lineup. While every company showed off fantastic notebooks, it’s the latter that got my attention the most.

My hype for the new Alienware laptops isn’t all that surprising. After all, I’m a lifelong gamer who also reviews the best gaming laptops for a living. Based on what I’ve seen, the 16- and 18-inch Area-51 laptops have everything I want in a portable gaming notebook — namely an elegant design, large displays and the latest components from Intel and Nvidia. Though they’re not too dissimilar from the Alienware m16 R2 and Alienware m18 R2 laptops we’ve reviewed, the new laptops are very enticing.

Here are the big reasons why I’m excited about the upcoming Alienware Area-51 gaming laptops.

They look awesome!

Even though I love gaming laptops, I’m not a fan of their sometimes outlandish designs. Many manufacturers have veered away from this in recent years, offering devices like the HP Omen Transcend 14, the aforementioned Alienware m16 R2, and Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2024) with relatively minimalist designs. Area-51 laptops are flashier than those machines while featuring an air of otherworldly elegance.

The new Liquid Teal finish on anodized aluminum gives Alienware’s laptops a dark iridescent sheen that shifts colors when light is absorbed. The AlienFX lighting animations illuminate the translucent shelf on the back to imitate the motions of the Aurora Borealis. Then there’s the clear Gorilla Glass window on the underside that allows you to see the internal components, while the RGB fans cast an underglow through the clear window and up through the keyboard deck.

The Alienware Area-51 laptops certainly have a unique aesthetic, but you can turn off all the RGB lighting if you don’t want to draw too much attention when out in public. In that way, it can be a gaming laptop that doesn’t necessarily look like one.

Lastly, these laptops come with optional low-profile CherryMX switches. If you want mechanical keys, Area-51 laptops have you covered.

Powerful components

Nvidia unveiled its GeForce RTX 50-series GPUs for laptops and desktops during CES 2025, which promise to deliver serious performance and graphical boosts over previous RTX cards. The mobile 50-series GPUs utilize the company’s Blackwell architecture and are made for gaming on the go. DLSS 4 will hopefully help RTX 50-series laptops deliver better graphics and higher framerates without destroying battery life.

We’ll need to get some laptops with RTX 50 cards into our testing lab to see what they can do, but the results could be substantial. Regarding Area-51 notebooks specifically, they’ll have 280W of total package power (TPP) on Nvidia RTX 50-series laptop GPUs and up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX CPU. According to Alienware, the laptops’ thermal architecture enables them to move up to 37% more air through the system while being 15% quieter.

In addition, Area-51 machines are the first Alienware laptops to support Gen 5 Solid State Drives (SSDs). When combined with Microsoft DirectStorage technology, the GPU can directly access SSDs to help games run faster, according to Alienware. You can upgrade up to 12TB of SSD storage, which should be plenty of room for dozens of games.

Outlook

Alienware Area-51 laptops should arrive in the first quarter of this year, so it won’t be too long until we get to test these machines. Based on what we’ve heard, these should be exciting gaming machines. However, don’t expect them to be cheap as even the lowest-end configuration starts at $1,999. But if Area-51 laptops live up to their promise, it could be money well spent.

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Nvidia's RTX 50-series GPUs have been announced, and while they pack impressive power, so too does this Alienware m16 gaming laptop with an RTX 4080 — and it's now over $500 off.

Right now, the Alienware m16 with RTX 4080 is $2,239 at Best Buy, and it even comes equipped with a 16-inch display with a 240Hz refresh rate. Alienware laptops rarely see discounts this aggressive, and this price drop may be one of the best cheap laptop deals we've seen.

It's part of Best Buy's clearance sale, so if you're after a new, powerful gaming laptop with a neat discount, you better scoop it up fast.

Alienware boasts a great reputation when it comes to its lineup of gaming laptops, and the Alienware m16 is no different. Our Alienware m16 review had this to say: "Dell has delivered a respectable product that is massively helped by Nvidia’s AI learning techniques that ultimately make this a compelling laptop for its price point." Now that it's over $500 off and sports a RTX 4080, this is one powerful machine.

We're big fans of the Alienware m16's impressive 16-inch QHD+ (2560 x 1600) with a 240Hz refresh rate, making it perfect for competitive PC games and high-quality titles alike. It's keyboard is also a major highlight, with a fitting and comfortable travel distance and the m16’s per-key AlienFX RGB effects offering great appeal.

While the review unit we received came with an RTX 4060, we were already wowed by its performance. With an RTX 4080 on board, this laptop will truly shine.

There are some flaws to consider, including its chunky build and loud fans. However, if you prefer to make this laptop a mainstay on your desk and have a quality pair of over-ear headphones to block out any noise, then it's hard to go wrong with this Alienware m16.

Looking for more brilliant deals? Check out what's in store at this huge Walmart sale.

In a world dominated by the best gaming headsets it’s hard to bring to market something that warrants a double take, but Alienware might have done just that. The company's new wireless pro gaming headphones are here to flip the script with 75 hours of battery life on a design that features hybrid ANC and two-mic AI noise cancelling. 

Built for esports pros, with Alienware teaming up alongside Team Liquid for its marketing push, the Pro Headset isn't messing around and delivers pro-grade support for both Bluetooth and 2.4Ghz channels. It’s built with 50mm graphene coated drivers to bring down the weight, making it more comfortable to wear for prolonged use, and a detachable mic makes it easy for travel. 

Alienware also claims it leverages hi-res audio certification from its drivers and USB input and comes equipped with pro-tuned sound across the highs, mids, and lows for superior audio quality. While we don't yet know if it's among the best wireless gaming headsets, be sure to stick to Tom's Guide for a full review later this month. 

The Alienware Pro headset is set to launch in October 2024 starting at $229. 

A headset for pros and casuals alike

Alienware might best be known for its wireless mice and pre-built PCs, but it's moseying into new territory with its Pro Wireless headset. It takes aim at the likes of SteelSeries and Razer, which have dominated in the gaming headset scene, pushing the bounds with a 75 hour rating over Bluetooth and 35 hours via 2.4Ghz with ANC on. 

While respectable, the longest-lasting headset still remains the HyperX Cloud Alpha, which comes in at 300 hours of battery life and costs all but a mere $99.  What the Cloud Alpha doesn't have, however, is hybrid ANC, a feature that allows wearers to customize and fine tune the amount of active noise cancellation they want. 

And that's not the only form of onboard ANC available as the Alienware Pro Wireless headset also has microphone noise cancellation as well, ensuring your comrades hear every word even in loud environments or in the midst of in-game action. Its two-mic system also helps to further alleviate background noise for the best comms even in the midst of a tournament. 

But what about build quality? Alienware stuck to their guns, aiming to bring the same level of innovation as comfort to its newest headset, bred from memory-foam leatherette earcups and a headband that's optimized to sit comfortably while for long gaming sessions while still being just as stable. 

It also looks sharp, too, taking inspiration similar to the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5, which remains our best-rated gaming headphones yet. But Alienware could soon dethrone it with three modes including Bluetooth 5.3 and 2.4Ghz connectivity, as well as USB-C, which means it works with everything from the best gaming PCs to the PS5 — and even smartphones, like the new Apple iPhone 16. 

The Alienware Pro Headset is set to hit North American stores this October, making it ripe for the gaming season and a perfect pairing for that new PS5 Pro preorder. It starts at $229, which is quiet good against major competitors like the $349 SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro. 

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The Alienware m18 R2 is a follow-up to 2023's m18 and is the company’s most powerful laptop to date. While it’s bigger than pretty much every other laptop on the market, its performance is equally big. Featuring up to a 14th Gen Intel Core i9 processor and up to an Nvidia RTX 4090 graphics card, this beefy laptop performs well in most scenarios — from playing video games with the highest settings to editing video.

As one of the best gaming laptops, there is little else you could ask for on the Alienware m18 R2. Graphically demanding games run just as well on this laptop as they would on a high-end gaming PC, albeit in a (relatively) smaller, portable package. If that’s not enough, Alienware didn’t hold back on the extras, such as the always-impressive Cherry MX mechanical keyboard that gives laptop keyboards a good name (finally). There are also a generous amount of ports, and even an SD card, which creators will no doubt appreciate.

Though there is little that Alienware got wrong with the m18 R2, the cooling could have been designed better. The right exhaust vent blows hot air directly at your mouse hand, and though it’s not hot enough to cook an egg, it’s also not pleasant after long periods. Besides that, the only other issue is the size. The laptop’s large footprint is at least justified by the performance it delivers. Yet, a notebook this big means you’ll likely have to buy a new backpack and maybe clear a few things from your desk. 

Despite some minor issues, however, the m18 R2 is a treat. It feels like a desktop experience that you can take on the go, allowing you to experience the best PC games whether you’re on the couch or in a cafe.

Alienware m18 R2 review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A high-end gaming laptop with a hefty price tag.
• Who is it for? For people who want the best possible gaming experience on the go.  
• What does it cost? The Alienware m18 R2 starts at $1,899, with the highest-end model costing $4,200.
• What do we like? The performance across the board is impressive and the keyboard spoiled me.
• What don’t we like? It’s too big to comfortably carry around.

Alienware m18 R2 review: Specs

Alienware m18 R2 Review: The ups

Alienware is not messing around with the m18 R2. The laptop can easily handle the latest games at the highest settings, making DLSS purely an option rather than a necessity. Add a fantastic mechanical keyboard and enough ports to make MacBook owners green with envy, and you have a gaming laptop that delivers on almost every level. Without a doubt, this is the most powerful laptop I’ve ever reviewed.

Superb gaming and overall performance 

After reviewing the aggressively mid Dell G15, I went into this review knowing that big laptops don't equate to big performance. The m18 R2 proved me wrong. It's a true powerhouse, delivering a smooth, stable gaming experience whether I was chasing down a kill in Fortnite or zooming through Night City at full Speed in Cyberpunk 2077.

I played Fortnite with Epic settings and DLSS turned off without an issue. I averaged around 65 fps (frames per second), which was more than enough to ensure a smooth experience. After setting DLSS to balanced mode, my fps was closer to 100. If I had wanted to reach the full 165 fps the monitor is capable of, I could have turned down the settings.

In Cyberpunk 2077, I averaged 99 frames per second on high settings with no DLSS and 178 FPS with DLSS. Ray tracing was turned off in both scenarios. Night City looked as grimy and neon-lit as ever on the massive 18-inch display.

While the m18 R2 impressed me with other graphically intensive titles like Shadow of the Tomb Raider and Metro Exodus Enhanced Edition (116 fps at full resolution and 58 fps at extreme settings and full resolution, respectively) it absolutely crushed modern titles such as Hades II, easily averaging 164 fps. The experience was buttery smooth, making it that much harder to go back to playing it on my Steam Deck OLED.

Big display for gaming

The 18-inch display is one of the major attractions of this laptop. With a resolution of 2560 by 1600 and 165 Hz refresh rate, I didn't miss my larger PC monitor, as it was big enough to give me the gaming experience I wanted.

The vibrant, saturated backdrops in Fortnite looked as good as ever, while the neon-draped glow of Cyberpunk 2077 popped amidst the dimly lit alleys and backstreets. However, the display's overall brightness wasn't as bold as on other laptops in this price range.

Alienware also offers an FHD version (1920 by 1080 resolution) with a much higher refresh rate of 480Hz. While a higher refresh rate will certainly appeal to competitive gamers who need as many frames per second as possible, the higher-resolution screen is a much better proposition for most people, offering the right balance between resolution and refresh rates. Paired with the RTX 4090 GPU, this screen shone whether I was gaming or watching soccer highlights on YouTube.

I would have liked a feature that defaults to a lower refresh rate when the laptop is unplugged since higher refresh rates are a huge drain on the battery. The Razer Blade 14 (2023) had this feature, so it would have been good if the m18 R2 did as well. Aside from that and the low brightness, however, there's not much more I could have asked for from this display.  

Top-tier laptop keyboard

I said the same thing about the Alienware m17 R5 last year, and I mean it again this year: I love this mechanical keyboard. The tactile feel of the low-profile Cherry MX switches is perfect, as I’m a huge proponent of tactile switches. The actuation force makes the switches even more tactile than the famous Cherry MX Brown switches.

While most people may not be used to such a high actuation force, I didn’t find it tiresome after long periods thanks to the short travel distance. The 1.8mm of travel is just enough to feel like a real keyboard without sacrificing reaction speed when gaming. I heard some pinging when hitting the keys too hard, which keyboard enthusiasts might find annoying, but it wasn’t too bad to be distracting.

Plenty of ports (and an SD card slot!)

You won’t be wanting for ports as this laptop has just about all the ones you'd want.

In addition to several USB-A and USB-C ports, an Ethernet port, and a full-sized HDMI 2.1 port, there’s also a Mini Display port 1.4. And, I can’t believe I’m saying this in 2024, there’s a freaking SD card slot. What else do you need?

Alienware m18 R2 Review: The downs

The Alienware m18 R2 doesn’t have significant flaws. However, there are a few things that bugged me.

Sub-par cooling layout  

The exhaust port on the right side is the thing that bugged me most about the Alienware m18 R2. Playing with a mouse and keyboard felt uncomfortable with the exhaust blowing out hot air directly on my hand. The air isn’t hot enough to cause any damage or severe pain, but it’s an annoyance that tarnishes an otherwise great gaming experience.

Elevating the m18 R2 with a laptop stand or playing with a controller are quick workarounds to this problem. But that proves that playing with a mouse and keyboard can be frustrating. At least the keyboard is not hot when gaming, which has been a problem in past laptops I’ve reviewed.

You’ll need a new bag and desk

It should go without saying by this point that this is a huge laptop. Like really huge. Still, the m18 R2 is so large that it’s worth mentioning again.

At 16.1 x 12.6 x 1.05 inches and 9.3 pounds, it's too big to put on your lap, use on a flight, or carry in a normal-sized backpack. It didn’t fit into any of my backpacks, so I couldn't take it anywhere. If I owned the m18 R2, I would probably invest in a bag with an oversized laptop pocket.

Aside from the issues that come with lugging it around, I found it hard to find surfaces to place this laptop on. In the end, I ended up using it exclusively on my kitchen island. And when I wasn’t using it, I cleared out a section of my bookshelf to store it. If you have a small desk, you might want to consider other places where you might use it.

Alienware m18 R2: Verdict

As far as gaming laptops go, you’d have a hard time finding another that performs as well as the Alienware m18 R2. While pricey, the m18 R2 doesn’t disappoint when playing the latest games at the highest settings on that huge 18-inch display. And if you’re a creator, the addition of a full HDMI port, Mini Display port, and an SD card, means you can quickly go from shooting to editing on large monitors in a matter of minutes — you can leave the stupid USB dongles/hubs at home where they belong.

Granted, the m18 R2 is very big, so you’ll have to plan around that. That laptop bag you’re used to taking on flights may have to make way for a much bigger one, but that’s a small price to pay when you get a full-fledged desktop experience you can (kind of) take on the go.

If you want a smaller (and cheaper) Alienware laptop, the Alienware m16 R2 is an excellent choice. But if you want big performance on an equally big gaming laptop, the Alienware m18 R2 is the machine to get right now.

The Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Mouse is squarely aimed at committed gamers with a bit of cash to splash. And that’s absolutely fine. If you regularly play the best PC games, there’s so much to like about Dell’s pointer. 

The $149 price tag on the official Dell website is somewhat of a sticking point, though. Just like committing to one of the best gaming laptops involves an eye-watering outlay, going well over 100 bucks on a gaming mouse deserves some thought regarding what you really need from a pointer.  

As a crucial counterpoint, the Alienware Pro is as excellent as it is expensive. With a ludicrously high DPI (dots per inch) setting for those with lightning reflexes, tough to top battery life and eye-catchingly designed, this is one of the best wireless gaming mice out there. Read on to get my full thoughts on this premium peripheral. 

Alienware Pro Mouse review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A high-end gaming mouse for players who want the best and don’t mind paying for it.
• Who is it for? Hardcore gamers who have money to spare
• How much does it cost? $149. As good as this mouse is, that’s a serious investment.
• How does it feel? Amazing and elegant. Its battery life also matches its responsiveness.
• Any other downsides? Price (as previously mentioned) and the fact it lacks RGB.      

Alienware Pro Mouse review: The ups

The Alienware Pro is a terrific wireless gaming mouse that feels premium at almost every turn. It’s probably overkill for everyday computing tasks, but if you’re a budding esports champ in waiting, you should definitely consider this first-class peripheral.  

A light touch 

One of the main reasons the Alienware Pro feels as good as it does when you grip it (and apologies for going “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” here), is it feels juuuust right weight-wise. Tipping the scales at a mere 2.08 ounces — just under the 2.11 ounce Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 — this mouse somehow achieves the balancing act of gliding across my desk in speedy fashion while also having a little reassuring heft behind it. 

I’m not sure which precise material Dell has used to make this gaming mouse, but what I can tell you is it feels lovely to touch. Its optical switches and what the manufacturer describes as “Alienware-Exclusive Magnetic-Force Keyplates” (phew!) are simply a pleasure to engage with. Throw in a max acceleration factor of 50G and you’re looking at a best-in-class PC peripheral that glides quite unlike any other mouse I’ve used before. 

Game on 

I’ve said it a lot more than once on this site before: I’m a gamepad guy. Though I’ve been building my own PCs since 2004, I’ve always bucked the traditional trend of gaming with a keyboard and mouse. And yet, when you put a quality board or pointer in my hands, I do appreciate the benefits they give you over a controller. Suffice to say, the Alienware Pro is good enough to make me do a bit of a double take on my input device preferences.

When it comes to mouse testing, I always boot up Valve’s digital platform to play the best Steam games. The genre you can most keenly feel the upside of a mouse is obviously games played from a first-person perspective, like the buttery smooth shooter Doom Eternal, the lovingly meme-worthy yet also terrifying Resident Evil: Village, and the once polarizing but now rightly loved Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty. All three of these games feel tremendously responsive without being overly twitchy, thanks to the Alienware Pro’s supreme accuracy using a DPI setting of around 9,000. 

A battery behemoth 

What’s the point of being wireless if you constantly have to recharge a device, right? Thankfully that’s not a question you’ll find yourself asking with the Alienware Pro. With the mouse set to 4KHz polling, it can last up to 32 hours on a single charge. Even more impressively, it boasts 120 hours battery life at 1KHz polling.

If you don’t speak fluent “mouse” what that last sentence means in terms of real-world usage is that the Alienware Pro almost never needs to be charged. I’ve been using Dell’s premium gaming peripheral with the tremendous Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2024) for the past three weeks and I’ve charged it exactly once. When it comes to staying power, there are few wireless mice out there that can compete with the Pro. 

Pretty and performant 

Hot dang am I into the design of the Alienware Pro. The review unit I’ve been testing is classed as “Lunar White” by Dell, and frankly it looks, well, utterly classy. This mouse has clearly been put together with a lot of care and thought, and it shows. Its optical switches feel great under my fingers and the company claims I could click it an astonishing 70 million times.  

Its software and feature set also match its looks, with Dell going full on “spared no expense” Jurassic Park mode on this wireless gaming mouse. If you use the Alienware Pro’s wireless dongle, you get 2.4GHz wireless polling. Want to go the wired route? That’s not only on the table, but actually gets more responsive, with the Pro supporting 8KHz wired polling. In non-tech terms, this is one super quick mouse. 

Software is also a strongpoint. The Alienware Command Center app is extensive and easy to navigate. You can quickly adjust the Pro’s button layout and set the DPI up to 26,000 if you’ve got the hand-eye coordination and precognitive digits of a Jedi. This software also detects whatever games you’ve got installed on your PC/laptop, letting you jump into them straight away after tweaking your pointer settings, which is a handy feature.

Alienware Pro Mouse review: The downs

When it comes to the negatives regarding The Alienware Pro mouse, my complaints are fairly nitpicky. My only real issues with it come down to price and the lack of a pretty standard feature that many wireless mice on the market sport.   

Priced out  

I don’t want to come across as stingy, but I’ve never paid more than $100 for a mouse before. My go-to pointer that I use every day is the Logitech MX Master 3, which I picked up for comfortably less than that price tag during an Amazon sale. In that context, and as much as I like the Alienware Pro overall, 150 big boys perhaps feels like 50 bucks too much. 

If you’re a seriously competitive gamer, I get why you could easily justify the Pro’s price tag. After all, its super high DPI could be the difference between a deathmatch-winning headshot in Halo Infinite and getting owned by rival Spartans on a regular basis. If you’re a more casual user who doesn’t want to fork out for the Alienware Pro’s asking price, let me direct you to our picks of the best wireless gaming mouse where the Corsair Harpoon RGB Wireless impresses at a fraction of the cost of Dell’s device.  

A dim view  

As much as I appreciate the Alienware Pro being a battery beast, it does come at a cost. You don’t get 120 hours of juice without paying a price, and in this case, the ferryman wants to turn the lights out before he’ll let you cross. The lack of RGB lighting with this premium mouse bothers me more than it should, yet it is what it is. Every time I look at this beautiful peripheral, I think “why the heck is the Alienware skull not lighting up?” 

This is obviously a massively subjective “down”. If you like the minimalist touch, the fact the Pro looks so good without having to constantly scream “look at my fancy lights” speaks to just how attractively designed it is. BUT… I’m the clichéd gamer who likes their rig/keyboard/and in this case, wireless mouse, to light up my life. Your mileage may vary on this point, but if you dig RGB, you probably want to look elsewhere for your next gaming mouse. 

Alienware Pro Mouse review: Verdict

The Alienware Pro wireless gaming mouse is easy to recommend, and if you can afford it, I’d class it as an essential purchase. If funds are tight, there are plenty of good pointers out there that will service your gaming needs without denting your bank balance like Dell’s peripheral will do — the Logitech G502 X is almost as good and slightly cheaper. That said, the Pro’s optical sensor is super accurate, it feels fabulous to use and this puppy is seriously easy on the eye. 

As someone who has spent a looooot of cash on PC peripherals in the past, it’s probably slightly hypocritical of me to slam Dell over the Alienware Pro’s price. If you have the cash to spare, by all means definitely pick up this top-tier mouse. As fantastic as the Pro is though, less hardcore gamers may want to wait until it goes on sale before taking the plunge. 

Known for their futuristic designs and premium build quality, Alienware peripherals don’t tend to trouble the setups of pro gamers, but instead appeal to everyday gamers who want a bit of luxury and a bold look. 

Enter the $179 AW920H headset — packed to the gills with features and futurism, and priced accordingly, but yet to refine an elegant way to make it all work together seamlessly. 

The headline act is its ‘tri-mode’ combo, which offers active noise canceling, Bluetooth and 2.4GHz wireless connectivity. On top of this, there’s also touch controls, an optional 3.5mm connection and Dolby Atmos support. They’re generally well implemented, too, and packaged up with typically excellent construction materials. 

But stay with me, dear reader, as I’ll tell you how a couple of minor snags prevent an otherwise brilliant headset from rocketing up into orbit.

Alienware AW920H: Design and comfort

If you can depend on Alienware for one thing, it’s a bold design. It’s not easy to make functional objects like headsets look like sci-fi objects, but the AW920H’s unique shape makes you imagine flying saucers with jet engines running along the bottom. It’s as cheesy as you’d expect from a brand whose logo is an alien head, but an enjoyable, endearing kind of cheesy. 

It’s all finished to a very high standard too. The matte finish on my Lunar Light sample is beautifully uniform and pleasing to the touch, with the RGB Alienware logos appearing pin-sharp on each ear cup.

The pleather running around the ear cup cushions and inner headband feels really high quality too. It might get a tad sweaty in hotter conditions, but it’s really comfortable and you need it to create a decent seal for that ANC to work effectively. There’s no creaking around any of the adjustment points — despite the largely plastic construction, it feels sturdy and fitting of the price tag.

The ear cups are on the small side, though, which can affect the comfort levels since larger ears may poke out beyond the interior of the cushioned pads. And since there’s quite a lot of clamping force on this headset, you don’t want your ear to be pressed against the cushion for long periods.

I found a fit that works for me though, even with slightly larger ears, and found that although it feels quite heavy and firm of grip when you put it on, the AW920H doesn’t dig in over time and remains where you place it.

Alienware AW920H: Features and controls

There’s a lot to get through here. Top billing must go to the ANC implementation, which is rare to see on a gaming headset at all, let alone for sub-$200. Noise cancellation does impact the natural sound you’re hearing from the source, so not everyone loves it. The implementation here is subtle and pretty neutral to the tone though, similar to Bose’s QC45s but slightly less effective at deadening the ambient lows.

There’s a choice of three connection types here, comprising 2.4GHz wireless, Bluetooth 5.2, and good old reliable 3.5mm wireless. There’s even a choice of dongles to connect with - USB or USB-C. Personally I appreciate this option a great deal. I’m always running short on USB slots so it’s nice that Alienware’s thought about this and spent the extra manufacturing cost on a choice of two.

However, wireless and Bluetooth connectivity doesn’t work simultaneously. That means you can’t mix sources, like taking calls from your smartphone while you’re playing or using Discord chat from another device. This is a real shame, because we’ve seen Steelseries’ Arctis headsets pull this feat off for years now and EPOS, Corsair and Logitech G have followed suit. At least you can use it on your smartphone after shutting off your PC.

There are a surprising number of physical controls hidden away on such a sleek and minimal headset. On the right hand ear cup you’ve got the power button, with a light indicator - green for on, yellow for charging. 

Over on the left there’s a toggle switch between wireless and Bluetooth connections, a mic mute button and an ANC toggle. These three are laid out quite close together and the mute button’s a tiny nub, so it takes a while for your muscle memory to correctly locate it when you reach up for it. After a week I’m just about honed in, but this feels like an avoidable design problem. 

There’s also a number of touch controls that handle volume, media playback, lighting and ANC. Oddly enough there’s no gesture for mic mute, but the swipes and taps are registered with enough precision to make this a viable way of boosting or lowering volume mid-game. 

The mic is detachable — very handy if you want to use these cans with your smartphone out in public, and it connects via the 3.5mm input jack. However, since there’s just one of these inputs you have to choose between either connecting a mic, or plugging the headset into your PC. 

In real terms, it’s unlikely anybody buying a wireless headset would find this a massive inconvenience. But it leaves the impression that there are some design wrinkles yet to be ironed out here.

Alienware AW920H: Sound quality

There’s a lot to unpack about the sound quality. First of all there’s ANC, which is effective and doesn’t color the audio too noticeably, but does introduce a perceptible high end ‘fizz’ when turned on, as a lot of ANC headphones do in quiet settings. 

Next there’s Dolby Atmos support, which is a very subjective benefit case. Ordinarily I turn off any virtual surround sound as soon as I start using a headset, because I don’t like the artificial ring and echo it seems to add. But in this case, even as a surround-luddite, I must concede that Atmos works well. 

3D sound spaces are nice and wide, and moving audio cues are voiced with impressive precision. I’ll still stick to a standard stereo spread for games like PUBG where locating audio cues really matters. But for movies and immersive solo games where I’m not trying to perform at esports-level, Atmos is, well, actually quite fun. 

Onto the fundamental sound quality of those 40mm drivers. They’re strong, they interact well with ANC and Atmos, and they’re sensibly tuned not to exaggerate too much low end, with a nice flat EQ curve. In a perfect world they’d voice a tiny bit more high-end frequencies, but there are no complaints when it comes to audio quality as a whole. 

A quick mention to the mic, which features some really impressive AI-powered noise suppression. It can kill mechanical keyboard clatter stone dead, to a degree that I haven’t heard from a gaming mic before. However the overall quality of your voice being broadcasted is just fine. Not stand out. The AI’s good at cutting noise out, but it’s not being used to enrich the signal.

Alienware AW920H: Battery life and charging

The stated battery life on a full charge is 55 hours over Bluetooth, or 30 hours via wireless. However, that’s when you turn the RGB lighting off. In the real world, with RGB on and volume that occasionally creeps over 50%, I get about 20-25 hours at the moment. 

That’s more than enough actually, and since you can keep on using the AW920H while it’s charging via USB-C I’ve never found myself inconvenienced by the battery. Charging it up to full battery takes between two and three hours.

Alienware AW920H: Verdict

There’s a lot on offer in Alienware’s future-forwards AW920H, and most of it works effortlessly and conveniently. 

The ANC is especially welcome at this price point, the aesthetic is typically strong, and I’m surprised to say Dolby Atmos sounds great through its 40mm drivers. You’ll also appreciate the AI-powered noise suppression working on the mic.

But there are just a few too many small, avoidable issues for this model to make it to the upper echelons. Having to share a 3.5mm input for either the mic or wired headset connection, not being able to use wireless and Bluetooth simultaneously and a tricky to locate mute switch - it all adds up. This feels one iteration away from an incredible headset, in short.

Alienware’s MO is to do things differently. Did those iconic tower PCs of the ‘90s need quite that much shiny plastic, or those Giger-like air vents? Absolutely not, but the Area 51 did it anyway and we all loved it. Flash forward a few decades, and the now-Dell subsidiary is still releasing striking sci-fi designs on gamer-kind, this time with the $79 AW160M wired/wireless gaming mouse. 

Looks unusual, doesn’t it? And no, that’s not a docking station at the bottom, that’s all part of the mouse itself. It’s fair to say this isn’t one of those ‘designed in collaboration with the pros’ models that’s been shaved down to the bare essentials for maximum esports performance. Instead the AW160M’s about comfort, luxury, and a standout appearance. 

I’ve enjoyed all three of those facets, but that doesn’t necessarily make it the best option for everyone. Read on and in my Alienware AW160M review I’ll break down who’ll love this space oddity, and which gamers should look elsewhere instead. 

Alienware AW610M: Design and comfort

You’re unlikely to feel ambivalent about the way this mouse looks. From the top to about two-thirds of the way down its body, it’s a pretty standardised shape — finished to a very high standard in non-slip rubberized material. It’s elegantly minimal, symmetrical, typical Alienware classiness. And then your eyes fall on that triangulated hilt.

It’s comfier than it looks, actually, but only if you use it in a palm or hybrid grip. Personally, that suits me perfectly. However, I found when I tried a claw grip I couldn’t position my thumbs quite where I wanted them because of those flared adornments on the base. It’s a shame we don’t tend to shop in stores anymore because this is a great example of “try before you buy.”

There are five customizable buttons in total, with two additional for DPI adjustment. That’s enough for most players, and special mention must be given to the satisfyingly clicky thumb buttons. MMO or MOBA players might want a few more buttons within thumb’s reach and should shop around for the likes of the Razer Naga V2 Hyperspeed or Corsair’s Scimitar RGB Elite (which both feature a frankly preposterous 12 thumb buttons).

The finish is definitely worthy of the Alienware name and speaks to the high pricing, and it’s set off nicely by four customisable lighting zones. 

Alienware AW610M: Gaming performance

Unlike many modern gaming mice, the AW160M doesn’t have a ‘thing.’ It’s not the super-lightweight mouse. It’s not designed by Shroud and it doesn’t set its sights on a particular genre. Quite the opposite, in fact — it’s something of a generalist.

Nowhere is that more obvious than in its wired and wireless connection types, the latter offering up to 350 hours of charge time, and to this tester’s wizened hand-eye sense, no detectable input lag or dropout issues. It turns itself off after a couple of minutes of inactivity so you don’t need to stress about managing that battery life manually, either. Let’s be honest, it’s rare to find a wireless model that actually does have any of those historical problems in 2024, but it’s still worth stating.

In wired mode you’re getting speed detection of up to 400 inches per second, which is way lower than my current favourite Razer Viper V3 Hyperspeed’s 750 IPS. It’s probably not that specific stat on the spec sheet that makes this mouse feel a bit stately and sluggish, but a combination of factors. 

Chiefly the 117g weight, the PTFE feet, and the larger design. They all conspire to make this mouse feel just slightly too ambling for super-twitchy games like PUBG or my eternal flame, Quake Champions. Honestly, some people really do still play it. 

Of course, all railguns and no play makes any gamer rather dull, and in reality none of us play just one game or genre. I had tons of fun using this mouse during a replay of Mafia: Definitive Edition, felt appropriately spacefaring during my ongoing Starfield save, and it even fared well in the exquisite (and quite twitchy)  boomer shooter Amid Evil.

It’s just not an all-out competitive gaming mouse, and at this $79 MSRP it’s going up against mice that can make that claim, and also perform well as a general clicker. The upshot is, you’ve got to love the way it looks and value the wired and wireless connectivity options for this to make sense as a purchase. 

Alienware AW610M: Customisation

Ah, peripheral manufacturers’ software. Everyone’s favorite thing — up there with ‘circling back’ on onerous work tasks in January after gleefully batting them away throughout the latter half of December. At best, they’re functional and unintrusive. At worst they’re a hard drive-hogging gauntlet of bad UI.

Alienware Command Center isn’t the latter. As you’d expect from a brand who values aesthetics this much, some serious design spend has been poured into the customization app and that makes it easy to dial in your preferred button mappings, DPI levels and lighting.

There’s a bonus: you can customize the feel of the AW160M’s mouse wheel without even delving into the Command Center. Just flick the button on the bottom of the mouse and you can switch between 12 and 24 notches on the wheel. A welcome feature. Personally, I’m a 24 notcher. 

Alienware AW610M: Verdict

It’s hard to knock a gaming mouse that does nothing wrong, and delivers multiple unusual features that feel welcome, like the adjustable wheel, vast battery life and choice of connections. It’s also a really bold visual design which after some forehead scrunching, I’ve decided I really like. 

But this is a cutthroat market, and the combination of its shape, comparatively slow IPS speed and some slightly resistant lateral gliding means that it’s not ideally suited to the faster, more competitive games, and there are other options at this price that are.

It’s a great mouse, and I’ll continue to use it for almost all my PC gaming. But the Razer Viper V3 Hyperspeed’s still coming out when I need to get serious in online shooters and battle royales, and that takes just a glimmer of this otherwise stellar mouse’s shine.

The Alienware m16 R1 isn’t the easiest gaming laptop to evaluate. The main reason? This is a hugely malleable machine. If you’re willing to hurl enough money at Dell, such is the spread of configuration options, you could easily build one of the most powerful and best gaming laptops in the world. 

Of course, seeing as we’re living in a global recession, it’s far more logical to review the most affordable model of this latest Alienware, which for a starting price of under $1,300, offers a tempting gaming package in a bulky shell.

Mercifully, thanks to the rapid advancement of AI upscaling techniques with the likes of Nvidia DLSS 3.0, you no longer need the best GPU tech to obtain blistering frame rates in the best Steam games on a laptop that starts at less than $1,500. 

That’s what makes the m16 an enticing mid-range prospect. The unit we’re reviewing may not have the most cutting edge components — though Dell does give you the option of upgrading to the best gear when configuring this E.T. branded laptop. Yet through savvy engineering, the m16 comes together as a compelling (if compromised) backpack-friendly PC. 

Alienware m16 review: Specs

Alienware m16 review: Price and availability

• Starting configuration begins at $1,299 / £1,699 
• You can choose between either an AMD or Intel build 

The Dell Alienware m16 is available in both the USA and United Kingdom, and there are a head-spinning variety of configurations to choose from. Its combo of components can be heavily tailored to your exact specifications, via either Dell’s US website or its UK counterpart. While this gaming-focused laptop is available from third-party retailers, the easiest way to build the precise config you want is going down the official Dell route.  

The Alienware M6 model I’m reviewing comes in at $1,699/£1,699 Intel — packing a 13th Gen Intel Core i7-13700HX CPU, an Nvidia GeFore RTX 4060 Laptop GPU, 16GB of DDR5 RAM and (an annoyingly paltry) 512GB NVMe SSD. It also sports a 16-inch, 1600p (2560 x 1600) IPS panel with a maximum refresh rate of 165Hz.

If you’d rather go Team Red, you can also assemble an AMD build of the Alienware m16 with a AMD Ryzen Series 9 7845HX CPU, starting off at $1,299/£1,699. There are slightly less config options to choose from in the UK, hence the higher starting price tag on my side of the pond.  

If you want to go full “Jurassic Park/John Hammond mode,” you can put together a truly monstrous m16 that costs up to $2,949/£4,769. You’ve spared no expense, after all. The prices vary either side of the Atlantic depending on region-specific SSD sizes, but if you do opt for the cream of the crop, know that your colossal outlay will net you a 14th Gen Intel Core i9-13900HX, an RTX 4090 Laptop GPU and 64GB of DDR5 RAM.

Alienware m16 review: Design

• Chunky but attractive
• Too heavy to carry around easily  

While I like the general aesthetics of the Alienware m16, boy does it bring the chonk factor. Tipping the scales at more than 7.17 pounds, I’d be competing in arm wrestling contests if I started doing regular biceps curls with this thing. 

Not that I’m going to overly hold the m16’s weight against it. This laptop feels downright premium. Its heavyweight form factor is pleasingly contrasted by cute visual flairs like RGB-lit keys, a certain iconic logo, and rear vents that all excite the eye with an entrancing shade of turquoise. This baby is both beauty and the beast.   

Annoyingly, there’s no obvious divot on top of the chassis, meaning this isn’t an easy laptop to open with one hand. The sheer weight of the screen doesn’t help, either — although I do dig its relatively slim bezels. Opening the Alienware m16 can often feel like trying to pry open a particularly stubborn clam.

Its brushed metals are certainly easy on the eye, at least. I’m also a fan of its “Dark Metallic Moon” color scheme, which has proven resistant to fingerprints during my time with this review unit.

Alienware m16 review: Display

• A surprisingly strong IPS panel 
• Black levels obviously lag behind OLED, but they’re decent  

As first impressions go, the Alienware m16 puts its best foot forward — especially considering it’s an IPS panel. The 16-inch native 1600p screen (2560 x 1600) is a smart choice, which offers exactly the right balance between clarity and avoiding overkill pixel density for a display of this size. Without the ability to turn off every on-screen pixel like an OLED or rely upon hundreds of mini-LED dimming zones, black levels on this screen are still respectable. 

The underlying metrics in the table below are hardly class-leading, but in real-world viewing scenarios, I had little issue with the picture quality the m16 outputs. And this is coming from a guy who literally owns six separate OLED displays in his apartment. No, really.

When you factor in 100% is the most accurate (and beneficial) reading laptops shoot for, north of 78% is a respectable state for the IPS-based m16. Reaching well north 110% of the sRGB color gamut isn’t too shabby either, which goes to show unfashionable LCD display tech is at least making some strides forward. 

Alienware m16 review: Ports

• A sold assortment of ports
• Placing them at the rear of the laptop is a pleasing design choice  

The m16 is respectable in the ports department. A duo of Thunderbolt 4.0 connections are joined by a trio of USB Type-A sockets, a welcome HDMI 2.1 port, a Mini DisplayPort 1.4 slot, an RJ-45 ethernet connection, SD card slot, and a global headset jack.

What I really like about the port layout on the m16 is that most of the connections (including the power socket), are located at the rear of the laptop. This means I don’t need to stare at a bunch of annoying wires and USB sticks jutting out of the side of this beefy laptop. The honeycomb design that links these ports also looks attractive, especially with that continuous turquoise glow emanating from the back of the m16.

Alienware m16 review: Keyboard and touchpad

• A great keyboard that delights with its RGB effects 
• Touchpad navigation feels a little sluggish and heavy to click on 

If I ever get lost in the woods Blair Witch style and find myself writing a snot-covered goodbye to my nearest and dearest, this is the keyboard I want to bash out my final words on. Thanks to the m16’s per-key AlienFX RGB effects, which are normally set to turquoise but can also be set to a rainbow-aping mode, typing on this laptop can feel like creating your own personalized light show. Regardless of how gimmicky this feature is, the vibrant backlit keys are great for typing in the dark and make this clichéd lover of LED happy.  

The ‘board itself also feels great to type on. There’s real resonance every time you click on a key, and I found the travel distance on the Alienware m16’s board to be just right. After weeks of solid use, not a single key jammed on me, which makes this one of the most reliable, responsive keyboards I’ve tested on a gaming laptop this year. 

The touchpad isn’t so hot. It’s fine. Nothing more, nothing less. My first impressions were that navigation was a tad sluggish, while I always felt like I was having to contend with a little too much resistance when clicking on the pad to open folders or new browser tabs. It’s not an offensive touchpad, but I’d recommend pairing the m16 with one of the best wireless mouse options currently available.    

Alienware m16 review: Gaming performance

• Commendable frame rates at native resolution
• The built-in RTX 4060 can prove a game-changer for FPS performance  

Increasingly, the frame rate figures we post in reviews based on gameplay at native screen resolution (or below) feel slightly skewed in a negative direction. We’re now living in a world of Nvidia DLSS 3 (and to a lesser extent, AMD’s FSR 2). 

The numbers in the following chart are based on running these games without frame-generating/upsampling techniques. So considering we’re dealing with an Nvidia 40-series GPU in this laptop, just know far higher fps targets are achievable if a game supports DLSS.

If you value outright performance over graphical fidelity, 1080p is obviously the resolution to go with this RTX 4060-powered laptop. But don’t be so quick on the draw. Based on my anecdotal experiences with more recent titles that take full advantage of Nvidia’s super sampling techniques, you can run the likes of Forza Motorsport 8 and Alan Wake 2 with tweaked settings at a reconstructed 1600p above 60 fps with very little reduction in image quality thanks to DLSS 3. 

Suffice to say, this is a very solid gaming laptop that offers up PS5 and Xbox Series X-beating performance. Then again, its starting model costs three times as much as either of those consoles, so it should.

Alienware m16 review: General performance

• Outgunned by the majority of 16-inch laptops we’ve tested 
• File transfer speed tests are shockingly bad  

As soon as you clock the numbers below, you’ll immediately tell this config of the Alienware m16 we’re testing isn’t exactly a solid all-round performer. Granted, many of the 16-inch competitors we’re comparing it to boast stronger Intel Core i9 processors, which is why this particular m16 is lagging behind in the following results. 

Performance testing results

We’re yet to test the Alienware m16 with the highest-end 14th Gen Intel Core i9-13900HX, so if you splash more cash on a better specced model, the unflattering margins above won’t look so stark. 

Those Geekbench results aren’t too bad, considering this is a more bank balance-friendly equivalent to some of the 16-inchers above. Our Handbrake tests, which involve transcoding a 4K video down to 1080p, also remain semi competitive. Yet, that SSD speed test where we test how quickly the m16 can copy 25GB of multimedia files isn’t a typo. That’s a shameful result. If you’re in the business of transferring 4K content regularly for your profession, this version of the m16 certainly isn’t for you. 

The undeniably worst element of the m16, which somehow makes those terrible transfer rates almost seem borderline respectable? Hot damn does this laptop get loud. I realize this is a large-and-in-charge unit you won’t be casually throwing into a rucksack without a second’s pause, yet the noise it generates during seemingly undemanding tasks — like simply downloading a game from Steam — can be inexplicable.

While the m16 always generates a lot of fan hum during demanding game sessions, it can almost blast your eardrums into oblivion during everyday computing tasks you’d assume wouldn’t challenge its internals.

Alienware m16 review: Battery life and heat

• Battery life doesn’t shine but is acceptable  
• This is a laptop that’s equally hot and noisy  

Despite the Alienware m16’s good points, this is another area where this laptop slightly disappoints. Our standard battery tests revolve around running a machine surfing the web with screen brightness set to a lowly 150 nits. 

As you can see above, the m16 doesn’t shame itself in terms of battery life, and its gaming results are generally par for the (upsettingly short) course that gaming laptops often produce when unplugged from the wall. 

Considering the decibels this brute runs at, though, heat levels are unapologetically poor. Notching up to an extremely toasty 120.7 degrees Fahrenheit, this is not a device you want cradling your lap for too much time. If you have an inch of sense (and space), you’ll plant this bad boy down on a coffee table to reduce the probability of it melting your crotch.

Alienware m16 review: Audio

• Well-balanced speakers are loud and won’t disappoint
• Would benefit from deeper bass  

Perhaps the best set of speakers I’ve tested in a laptop this year. The m16 may lack the cutting edge audio Dolby Atmos features of the Asus Zenbook Pro 14 OLED that I recently reviewed, but this is still a far better sounding laptop in my opinion. 

I wouldn’t go as far to say that the audio output on this Alienware is exactly room-filling, but it gets impressively loud. More importantly, the soundscape is well-balanced, and there’s not a hint of the sort of tinny sound quality you get in thinner laptops. Bass isn’t world-beating, but it’s deep enough to make listening to some of my favorite songs on YouTube Premium (yes, I am one of those rubes) a pleasure. 

My go to track right now is Electric Youth’s “A Real Hero” — best known for playing at the end of 2011’s Drive, which is hands-down the best Ryan Gosling movie ever — and the retro-styled melody sounded rich enough to electrify my eardrums.  

Alienware m16 review: Webcam

• It’s 1080p, but you’d be hard pressed to tell
• Image details are easily lost during video calls  

Ah, the part of any laptop review I treasure the most: getting to obsess over my stupid face through a webcam image. Despite being someone who normally switches their video off during work calls, I’ve tested enough laptop webcams to tell a good cam from a passable one. The m16’s is definitely the latter. 

Despite outputting a 1080p picture, retaining finer image detail is not this webcam’s strength. In my bright home office — yes, yes I should tone down the LED lights — I found this Alienware’s cam produced pictures that looked muddy at times. Details were generally smeared during conference calls, though at least video artifacting was hard to spot.   

Alienware m16 review: Verdict

I hate to lean on this lazy phrase, but here goes: the Alienware m16 R1 is somewhat of a "mixed bag" of a gaming laptop. Ugh. 

Hotter than hell, weirdly attractive (despite its hefty exterior), and way too damn loud during the most unexpected, dull computing tasks, it’s a machine I both respect and am puzzled by.

Is the starting configuration worth $1,299 / £1,699, provided you have a decent amount of desk space/a reasonably sized coffee table? Sure. Yet it’s hard to shake the feeling that Dell has delivered a respectable product that is massively helped by Nvidia’s AI learning techniques that ultimately make this a compelling laptop for its price point. 

Also, to reiterate, hoo-boy do I love that keyboard. 

Alienware makes some of the best gaming laptops on the market, but these premium machines usually come with an equally premium price tag. With Cyber Monday deals already heating up, you can score some big savings on top-of-the-line gaming laptops. 

Right now, Dell is offering the Alienware M16 gaming laptop (RTX 4090) for $2,799. That's $700 off its full retail price of $3,499. Given that RTX 4090 desktop cards alone go for $2,000 or more these days, this deal is a steal for a fully decked-out Alienware gaming laptop.

This configuration comes with a mobile RTX 4090 GPU, 13th-gen Intel Core i9 CPU, 2TB solid-state drive, 32GB of RAM, and a 240 Hz, QHD display. Given the Alienware m16’s impressive specs, it’s well worth the asking price if you're looking for a portable machine to play the best PC games at max settings. This is undoubtedly one of the best gaming laptops out there, especially at this price.

Whether you're using it for gaming or work, the m16 is a powerful little machine. The 16-inch, 2560x1600 QHD display provides plenty of room to work with, and since the screen outputs at 100 percent of DCI-P3 gamut, it's perfect for for video and photo editing.

You can think of the Alienware m16 as the smaller cousin of the monstrous Alienware m18. This 16-inch laptop strikes a good balance between performance and portability, with one of the fastest laptop GPUs on the market. And of course, because it's an Alienware machine, it sports the same sci-fi-inspired aesthetic, solid build quality, and AlienFX RGB lighting effects the brand is known for.

As part of Dell's Cyber Monday savings event, the retailer is also offering huge discounts on monitors, laptops, and desktops to upgrade your gaming setup. If you're more in the market for a PC rig rather than a portable machine, be sure to check out our round-up of the best gaming PC deals happening right now. 

The Alienware m18 ($2,099 to start) is the company's first 18-inch gaming laptop in nearly a decade, and it delivers tremendous power in an equally tremendous chassis. 

Alienware debuted the new m18 alongside a portly crew of big-ass laptops at CES 2023, bringing it to market against similar 18-inch gaming laptops like the Razer Blade 18 and the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18. 

These are the new heavyweights of the gaming laptop world, and their added weight and screen size really cement them as desktop replacements. Sure, you could lug Alienware's m18 to class or work if you really wanted to, but it's hard to imagine you'd enjoy the experience. 

That said, the Alienware m18's top-of-the-line components make it one of the best gaming laptops you can buy if you just want a gaming PC that's easier to move than your average desktop. It's certainly in the same price range as some of the best gaming PCs, and as this Alienware m18 review will show, it delivers comparable performance in the latest games.

Alienware m18 review: Price and configurations

• $2,099 to start, can climb as high as $5k

The Alienware m18 is available for purchase right now via Dell's website or select third-party retailers for a starting price of $2,099. 

For that price you get an m18 with a 13th Gen Intel Core i7-13650HX CPU, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 GPU, 16GB of DDR5 RAM and a 512GB NVMe SSD for storage. It also comes with the baseline 18-inch QHD+ (2560 x 1600) 165Hz display.

If you feel like splurging though, you can spend a lot more on upgrades. As of this review the top-tier Alienware m18 you can buy costs roughly $4,949 before tax. For that you get an m18 with a top-of-the-line 13th Gen Intel Core i9-13900HX CPU, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 GPU, 64GB of DDR5 RAM and 8TB of SSD storage (across a pair of 4TB SSDs). You also get the upgraded 18-inch FHD+ (1920 x 1200) 480Hz display, which has a far faster refresh rate than the default but a lower resolution.

For the purposes of this review Dell sent us an Alienware m18 with an Intel Core i9-13980HX CPU, a GeForce RTX 4090 GPU, 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. It comes with the default 1600p 165Hz display,  and if you were to buy the same laptop yourself, it would cost you roughly $3,549.

You may notice our review unit has a more powerful CPU than what I said earlier is the current max for the m18. That's because Alienware launched the m18 in February 2023, but won't be adding the Core i9-13980HX CPU option to its configs until April 2023, at which point it will be an additional $50 over the current high-end CPU option.

All of these laptops come with Windows 11 Home by default, but you can upgrade to Windows 11 Pro for roughly $50 more.

Alienware m18 review: Design

• Heavier than the competition at nearly 9 pounds
• Customizable RGB light strip on the back is a nice touch

The Alienware m18 is massive. There's a lot of neat touches in the design, but the first thing I noticed, and the thing I keep noticing, is how hard it is to hold with one hand. At 16.1 x 12.6 x 1.05 inches large and 8.5 - 8.9 pounds heavy (depending on config), this is a hefty slab of tech. It's also a bit bigger and heavier than both the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 and the Razer Blade 18, two competing 18-inch gaming laptops.

The upside of that girth greets you when you open the lid: A luxuriously large keyboard deck with a striking ribbon of hexagonal cutouts that runs along the top edge, crowned by a massive (for a laptop) 18-inch display. The bezels on either side are thin, thickening slightly along the top and bottom where the webcam and Alienware logo (respectively) reside.

You won't be able to pretend this is anything other than an Alienware gaming laptop, either, thanks to the dark grey (excuse me, Dark Side of the Moon) aluminum chassis studded with hexagonal cutouts and prominent logos. Of course, you can customize the RGB lighting for the Alienware logo on the lid, as well as the per-key RGB keyboard lighting and the RGB light strip encircling the rear of the laptop.

Alienware m18 review: Display

• 18-inch QHD+ 165Hz display good enough for gaming
• Not as bright as the competition

The 18-inch QHD+ (2,560 x 1,600 pixels) 16:10 165Hz display on our Alienware m18 is nice and big, giving you lots of room for gaming and multitasking. If you've never used an 18-inch laptop before you may be surprised by the size the display the first few times you sit down in front of it, but you quickly get used to it. 

While I wouldn't recommend this laptop just for the screen, I will say that it's getting harder and harder to enjoy using smaller laptops. I recently reviewed Razer's Blade 18 and the slightly smaller (but far lighter) LG Gram 17 Pro, and now your average 13-inch or 14-inch ultraportable screen feels cramped by comparison.

I enjoyed playing games and watching movies on the Alienware m18's display, which is bright enough to be usable in all but direct sunlight. I thought it looked a little dimmer than I usually expect from a laptop, but that's in line with Alienware's promise that it can achieve 300 nits of brightness. 300 nits is nothing to sneeze at, but it's not in the 400-500 nit realm that many of the best laptops occupy these days. 

The results of our display testing back this up. When we ran the m18 through our battery of tests using a Klein-10A colorimeter, we found it achieved an average brightness of 280.8 nits, peaking at 310 nits in the upper-left quadrant. That's fine when you're indoors, which is typically the most common place you'd use this laptop, but it's less bright than either the Razer Blade 18 (495.2 nits) or Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 (402.2 nits).

The display on our m18 review unit is pretty good at accurately displaying colors, achieving 111.9% of the sRGB color gamut and 79.3% of the DCI-P3 color gamut (the closer to 100%, the more accurate) with a Delta-E score of 0.2 (the closer to 0, the better).

As you can see from the chart above, these results reveal the m18 is competitive with the Razer Blade 18 and Asus ROG Strix Scar in everything but brightness. It gets much less bright than those two other 18-inchers, but they're otherwise not much different.

Of course, they do differ in terms of refresh rate and resolution. The Alienware m18's default QHD+ (2560 x 1600) resolution and 165Hz refresh rate is plenty good enough for gaming, but it's not quite as fast as the displays on the Asus ROG Strix Scar or the Razer Blade 18. Both sport displays that offer the same resolution but a faster 240Hz refresh rate. The Asus ROG Strix Scar 18's display also supports HDR, a feature neither the Blade nor the m18 can match.

Don't forget you can pay extra to upgrade the screen on the Alienware m18 to a faster 480Hz panel with a lower (1,920 x 1,200 pixels) resolution. We just so happen to have tested an m18 with that panel as well, and I can tell you that it's definitely brighter than the default panel, achieving an average brightness of 335.8 nits. The color accuracy is otherwise pretty similar to the base model, with the same Delta-E score and a slightly worse showing in terms of sRGB and DCI-P3 color gamuts.

Alienware m18 review: Ports

• Plenty of ports, spread around both sides and back of the laptop
• Placing a lone USB-C port near the right hand feels awkward

The Alienware m18 sports a solid array of ports, but they're distributed around the laptop in a way that may surprise you.

Along the left edge of the m18 you'll find your RJ-45 Ethernet jack, two USB-A 3.2 ports and a headphone jack. They're situated between the speaker grille near the front of the laptop and the exhaust grille near the rear.

On the righthand side you get...just a single USB-C 3.2 port. It looks a little lonely all by itself, and its odd placement near the front edge of the laptop (instead of near the rear, like most laptop ports) means anything with a cord that you plug in here may hamper your ability to use a mouse or trackball with your right hand. 

But where are the rest of the ports, you ask? On the back of the m18, where you'll find 2x USB4/Thunderbolt 4 ports, another USB-A 3.2 port, an HDMI 2.1 out, a mini-DisplayPort, an SD card slot and the power jack. 

As mentioned earlier, there's also a customizable RGB light strip running around the rear port array that's a nice touch.

The power brick for this laptop is the first one I've seen in a long time that's actually the size of a real brick, by the way. You do not want to be carrying this laptop and charger in anything other than a vehicle if you can help it.

Alienware m18 review: Gaming performance

• Our top-tier (~$3.6k) review unit is a beast when gaming
• Outperforms competing 18-inch gaming laptops

Our Alienware m18 review unit is a beastly gaming machine thanks to its top-tier components, and I had no trouble playing all my favorite games at 60+ frames per second at the highest graphical settings. 

To give you a sense of what I mean, I'm writing this review shortly after CD Projekt Red released the "Ray Tracing: Overdrive Mode" update for Cyberpunk 2077, allowing players with sufficiently powerful PCs (think GeForce RTX 40-series GPUs and above) to play the game with path-traced ray tracing.

That's a technical term for what's basically the future of video game lighting, where the path of every light in the game is calculated and rendered in real time. That's far more demanding than the traditional method of pre-programming the lighting in a game, but it allows for far more realistic light, shadows and reflections. 

Most PCs can't run Cyberpunk 2077 in this mode at all, much less well, but our Alienware m18 review unit managed to handle it with no trouble. With all settings cranked to max and Nvidia's DLSS 3 image-upscaling tech switched on, I was able to play Cyberpunk 2077 on our m18 at a buttery-smooth 60+ fps without any noticeable drop in visual quality. 

Even when I switched DLSS 3 off and kept all the settings cranked to max, the m18 was still able to deliver 20-ish fps. Not the best way to play, but certainly playable, and an impressive display of power from this monster. Sure, the fans got so loud I wouldn't want to actually play the game without headphones on, but that's understandable given this thing packs enough power to compete with a full gaming PC in a far smaller case.

When we ran the m18 through our gauntlet of gaming benchmark tests it managed to deliver similarly beastly performance, beating out the competition. 

As you can see from the chart above, our Alienware m18 review unit ($3,549 as tested) surpassed the Scar 18 (~$3,899 as tested) and Blade 18 ($3,799 as tested) in terms of performance despite costing a bit less. In fact, our m18 review unit performed nearly as well as the Alienware Aurora R15 gaming PC in many of these gaming benchmarks despite costing nearly $1k less, proving it earns the desktop replacement moniker.

So if you prize performance above all else in your 18-inch gaming laptop, our testing suggests the Alienware m18 is the superior choice.

Alienware m18 review: General performance

• Top-tier components make this a monstrous productivity machine
• Slower CPU & SSD than competitors, but faster at video work

In case you needed to be reassured, the top-tier components inside our Alienware m18 review unit make it more than capable of handling just about any work task you throw at it. 

While writing this review on the m18 I regularly had 30+ tabs open in Chrome across multiple instances, while streaming music and occasionally a 4K video, without nary a stutter. Apps launch quickly, and I never noticed any crashes, freezes or lagging.

When we put it through our general performance tests, we once again saw our m18 review unit blaze past lesser machines. It earned a score of 18,070 in the Geekbench 5.4 multi-core CPU benchmark, surpassing the lion's share of productivity laptops and gaming laptops, including the Razer Blade 18. However, it's a bit less than the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 scored (19,233) in the same test.

The Scar 18 also beat our Alienware m18 review unit in our SSD speed test, which measures how fast the laptop can copy 25GB of multimedia files. The m18 achieved a peak speed of 1,531 MBps (megabytes per second), putting it behind both the Scar 18 (1,885 MBps) and the Blade 18 (1,637 MBps).

If you're thinking about doing a bit of video work, know that the one general performance test where the Alienware m18 smoked its 18-inch competitors is our video encoding test. We time how long it takes the laptop to transcode a 4K video down to 1080p, and by completing the task in 2 minutes and 35 seconds the m18 beat both the Blade 18 (4:56) and the Scar 18 (2:49).

Alienware m18 review: Audio

• Speakers get nice and loud, with no noticeable distortion on the high end
• Weak bass

The speakers on our Alienware m18 get nice and loud, without any noticeable distortion even at maximum volume. I enjoyed listening through a few of my favorite playlists while writing this review, and games sounded nice and clear whether I was driving through Night City or blasting baddies from Hell (in Cyberpunk 2077 and Doom Eternal, respectively). 

That said, there isn't much bass to speak of, which is par for the course yet somehow still a bit disappointing here. In my experience cheaper, smaller laptops like the Lenovo Yoga 9i Gen 8 and MacBook Pro 2023 can deliver better bass, so it's a bit of a letdown that this massive, expensive gaming machine can't compete in that department.

Of course, those smaller, lighter laptops don't have to squeeze a gaming-grade laptop GPU and cooling system into their chassis the way this Alienware does, so maybe I'm expecting too much. You'll almost certainly want to wear headphones while gaming anyway due to fan noise, so you may as well invest in a good set of cans—check out our list of the best gaming headsets for some recommendations.

Alienware m18 review: Keyboard and touchpad

• Spacious CherryMX mechanical keyboard feels great to type on
• Hotkeys are useful and well-placed

I really like the keyboard on the Alienware m18. It's effectively a full RGB keyboard with CherryMX mechanical keys, and I love the way they feel beneath my fingertips. The 1.8mm of travel is just enough to be satisfying, and there's a nice clicking sound from the switches engaging as you type.

That said, the noise is audible on video calls as a gentle susurration of clicks, and it's a bit louder than the sound of someone typing on a more common membrane keyboard. I didn't mind it and my colleagues didn't either, but it's something you should know if quiet is key. It's certainly not a laptop you'd want to be typing on with someone sleeping in the same room.

The function keys are also pretty useful, which I can't say about all the laptops I review. I appreciate that the m18 has a dedicated hotkey (F1) for switching to high performance mode, for example, as well as hotkeys for controlling volume and enabling/disabling your speakers or microphone. There are also five function keys (F2-F6) for storing custom macros, which you can create and save using the Alienware Command Center software (more on that later).

Beneath the keyboard is a touchpad just left of center. I didn't find the off-center placement to be a help or a hindrance, and the touchpad had no trouble correctly reading my taps and swipes. 

I will say that even though I'm 6'4" and have long arms, the sheer size of the m18's keyboard deck made it uncomfortable for me to use for long periods. I think this is because the keyboard is both slightly higher and slightly farther away from me than I'm used to (I review a new laptop every other week or so), so my hands and arms were slightly elevated and extended the whole time I used the m18 on a desk. This issue went away when I used it in my lap, but I don't recommend that; even if the weight is bearable, the heat (especially if you're gaming) can become uncomfortable fast. 

Alienware m18 review: Webcam

• 1080p webcam delivers sharp, accurate images and video
• IR camera supports facial login via Windows Hello, works well

I think the image quality delivered by the Alienware m18's 1080p webcam is quite good for a gaming laptop. During Google Meet calls I thought it did a solid job of accurately capturing the colors and details of my face, and there was no noticeable ghosting or image distortion.

The m18 also comes with an IR sensor built into the webcam housing, which is handy if you want to use features (like logging into your PC with your face via Windows Hello) that require an IR camera.

Alienware m18 review: Software

• Minimal bloatware
• Alienware Command Center useful, even if UI is clunky

Alienware doesn't load the m18 up with much in the way of bloatware, which is exactly what you want in a gaming laptop. Besides the usual complement of software that comes with Windows 11 you also get a few Dell/Alienware apps, the most notable of which are Alienware Update (used to update software) and the Alienware Command Center.

The Command Center app is where you do things like customize the laptop's RGB lighting, monitor and manage your system cooling, or create and implement system overclock profiles. I'm not a huge fan of the interface, but in terms of functionality it's a useful piece of software.

Alienware m18 review: Battery life and heat

• 4.5 hours of tested (non-gaming) battery life
• Don't expect more than 1-2 hours gaming on battery, and beware of heat

The Alienware m18 doesn't last very long on battery power, so don't expect to be toting this around all day without plugging in. 

Based on my anecdotal experience using the laptop for work and play, you can typically expect 1-2 hours of use while gaming (maybe more if it's not a demanding game) or 3-5 hours of non-gaming use before the laptop dies. I set it up playing music and streaming a video while I did other things, for example, and it died in roughly 3 hours and 45 minutes.

Our in-house battery testing backs that up. We run two battery tests on every gaming laptop we review: Our standard rundown test (which tasks the laptop with endlessly surfing the web via Wi-Fi with brightness set to 150 nits) and a PCMark 10 synthetic battery test meant to simulate battery life while playing games.

In the standard rundown test our m18 review unit managed to last for 4 hours and 33 minutes before shutting off. That's actually not bad for a gaming laptop, and it's about 7 minutes longer than the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 lasted in the same test. However, the Razer Blade 18 outperformed both by lasting a solid 5 hours and 20 minutes.

Oddly we ran into trouble running PCMark 10 on this machine, so I can't yet give you the results of that test for the m18. We're going to continue working on that after this review is published, and I'll update it with the results once we get it running.

As far as heat goes, watch out: Despite the Alienware m18's Cryo-Tech cooling system, which pulls air in through the top and bottom of the laptop and vents heat from the sides/rear, it still got quite toasty in our heat test.

That entails running the Metro: Exodus performance benchmark test at Extreme settings six times in a row, back-to-back. After the sixth run we scan the laptop with our infrared heat gun, and we found the m18 got quite toasty, topping out at a finger-scorching 125.1 degrees Fahrenheit on the top vent just above the keyboard deck. The underside, meanwhile, reached a toasty 101.5 degrees.

So keep this thing on a desk when you fire up your favorite games, be ready to slip some headphones on and be real cautious about where you put your hands.

Alienware m18 review: Verdict

The Alienware m18 is the heaviest, most powerful gaming laptop I've reviewed to date. Our kitted-out review unit truly earns the desktop replacement moniker, delivering cutting-edge performance in a still somewhat portable package. 

Of course, you have to pay several thousand dollars for the privilege of lugging such a PC around, and while the big screen and mechanical keyboard are great, it's not something you'll want to whip out in class or at the coffee shop. If you'd rather have a gaming laptop that still runs games well and can be toted around all day without giving you a spinal injury, you might be happier with something like the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14.

But if a massive gaming laptop is what you want, the Alienware m18 is my new top recommendation. While I also enjoyed my time reviewing and playing games on the competing Razer Blade 18, it simply doesn't run games as well as our m18 review unit. 

Neither the Blade 18 nor the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 have keyboards that feel as nice to use as the Alienware m18 and its low-profile CherryMX mechanical keys, either. Sure, both are lighter than the m18 and have brighter displays, but those strengths don't mean as much when these laptops are likely to be sitting on a desk indoors most of the time. They don't call 'em desktop replacements for nothing.

The Alienware Aurora R15 ($1,199 to start) is an excellent gaming PC that improves upon its predecessors in a few key ways, packing the most powerful components you can afford in an attractive, easy-to-open chassis.

Though that chassis looks awfully similar to the Legend 2.0 case which debuted last year with the Aurora R13, Alienware claims to have redesigned it to run cooler and quieter, and my experience putting our review unit through its paces bears that out. 

But while case design is a surprisingly important part of choosing the best gaming PC for you given that their internals are typically highly customizable (and thus not a meaningful differentiator between PCs), it's far from the most exciting aspect of these machines. No, what we get most hyped about is how well a gaming PC plays the latest and greatest games with all the settings cranked to max. 

When Alienware sent us a tricked-out Aurora R15 review unit with an RTX 4090 and a high-end 13th Gen Intel CPU I did everything I could to bring it to its knees, but even when gaming at 4K with every bell and whistle firing it ran whisper-quiet and delivered great framerates. That level of performance is far from cheap, but if you can afford it this is a gaming PC that will last you for years to come.

Be sure to read our Alienware Aurora R16 review, which is the latest model.

Alienware Aurora R15 review: Price and availability

• Starts at $1,399, but you can easily pay over $5k if you want the best
• Highly customizable with the latest from AMD, Intel and Nvidia

The Alienware Aurora R15 is available for purchase right now via Dell's website in either white or black (Lunar Light and Dark Side of the Moon, technically), and you can order a stock config or customize your own. The price tag on this Windows 11 gaming PC starts as low as $1,199 (at time of review), and for that, you get a 13th Gen Intel Core i5 CPU, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 GPU, 8GB of DDR5 RAM and a 256GB SSD for storage.

That's a decent machine for the price and it should be able to run many games well enough (though 8GB of RAM really isn't much, so you should probably add more), but it won't play the latest and greatest PC games at high resolution with great framerates.

Of course, Alienware is happy to sell you more power if you can afford it. The company offers at least 7 pre-configured builds of the Aurora R15 on its website, some with Intel CPUs and others with AMD chips.

The price tag for these builds ranges as high as $4,499, and for that you get a top-of-the-line liquid-cooled R15 with a 13th Gen Intel Core i9-13900KF CPU, an Nvidia Geforce RTX 4090 GPU, 32GB of DDR5 RAM and a 1TB SSD for booting plus another 1TB hard disk drive (HDD) spinning at 7,200 RPM for added storage. It's a beefy rig, as befits a nearly $5k price tag, and it's what Alienware sent us to review.

But for true enthusiasts, Alienware offers the option of configuring your own build. In addition to the remarkably powerful Intel Core i9-13900KF CPU and GeForce RTX 4090 GPU, you can configure an Aurora R15 with up to 64GB of DDR5 RAM (at either 4800MHz or the faster, more expensive 5200MHz) and up to a 4TB SSD + a 2TB hard drive.  Such a rig would cost you roughly $5,500, though it could climb even higher if you splurged for a Pro copy of Windows 11 and some of Alienware's gaming accessories.

Alienware Aurora R15 review: Design

• Redesigned Legend chassis runs cool and quiet, still looks great
• Those fins on the back can leave wicked scratches on your wall

The Aurora R15 looks very similar to its predecessor the Alienware Aurora R13 at a glance, from the reclining oval face to the stubby fins on the back that left a few scratches on the wall behind my desk.

Dig deeper and you'll see how Alienware has redesigned the case to improve airflow by, among other things, punching some hexagonal holes in the side and expanding the cooling complement for high-end models (those with an Intel CPU ending in "K", denoting overclock capabilities) to a set of five 120mm case fans.  The company also changed up the motherboard's design and relocated some things within the case to try and make room for today's beefy GPUs while ensuring the R15 runs quieter and cooler.

After spending some time with our review unit I can't say for sure how much quieter it is than the R13 I reviewed last year, but I can say I barely noticed any fan noise or heat from the R15, even after spending hours playing a game like Cyberpunk 2077 at 4K resolution with all setting maxed. This is a nice change from when I was playing the same game on the older R13, since I can remember that machine getting a bit louder and putting out a noticeable amount of hot air after I'd been playing for an hour or two.

Like the R13, the new Alienware Aurora R15 has an optional clear glass side panel (not available on all models) which lets you peer inside your PC to watch the components at work. New to the R15 is the aforementioned grille of hexagonal cutouts along the bottom half of the panel for improved airflow. If you want to get inside the PC this is the panel you want to remove, and it's easy to do: simply unscrew one screw on the back of the PC and then (gently) pry it off. You can pull the other side off as well, and even the top of the case if you want to break out a screwdriver, but you can get to most of the PC's innards just from the left side panel.

You can get around inside to just about anything you need to, but expect it to take a while—the case is tightly organized, and there are more than one or two brackets that stay between you and some areas of the case. This is the trade-off you make for the Aurora R15's attractive case design and relatively compact size: Limited upgradability.

Still, it's not hard to see the appeal of the Aurora R15 at a glance. The oblong case is easy on the eyes and, if not exactly light, at least more convenient to lug around than many full-sized gaming PCs. Not long ago I reviewed the Acer Predator Orion 7000, another great gaming PC that comes in a full tower case, and if I had to pick one to carry up a flight of stairs, I'd go Aurora every time.

Alienware Aurora R15 review: Ports and upgradability

• Plenty of ports on front and back, though none up top
• Case is easy to open, but difficult to work in

That removable side panel is one of the nicer aspects of the Aurora R15's design because it makes it awfully easy to get into the PC and start mucking around. I really like this ease of access to the case, even if I'm less fond of the way Alienware routes as many cables as possible behind the motherboard and up the right side. This keeps cable clutter minimal in the case (which looks great) but can make it tricky to modify or add your own touches since you'll need to work within the limits of the case.

This is true for working within the case in general: It's easy enough to get in there and start fiddling with things, but you'll be hampered by Alienware's design work. While swapping in new RAM is easy enough, expect to have to remove brackets and move components around to do more complicated things like swapping out a GPU in the case. Since Alienware uses a proprietary motherboard, your options for upgrading it (and by extension the CPU) down the road are limited at best. 

Alienware's Aurora R15 sports all the ports a PC gaming enthusiast could want, with some on the front and the rest on the rear. However, you won't find any top-mounted ports on this PC, which might be a bummer for those who like to keep their gaming rig on the floor. 

While plugging things into the front of the case does mar the clean lines of the R15 somewhat, you can't beat the convenience. Up front you get a headphone jack and a vertical lineup of USB-C ports: 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, another USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 with PowerShare (which just means the port delivers power to connected devices even when the PC is switched off) and a USB-C Gen 2 port with PowerShare. 

But that's just a teaser. The real port smorgasbord is on the back of the PC, where you get a quartet of classic USB-A 2.0 ports as well as a newer USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 port, a USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port and a USB-C 3.2 Gen 2x2 port. As far as graphics go, your GPU choice will dictate what sorts of port options you have for outputting to monitors, and the 4090 in our review unit offers 3 DisplayPort jacks and one HDMI out.

If you want to invest in a serious speaker setup to go with your new gaming PC, the Aurora R15 sports the ports you want. In addition to side, rear and center/subwoofer output ports you get line in and line out, a microphone in, and two SPDIF digital outputs: one for Toslink cables and the other for coax.

You'll want to plug into a high-speed wired Internet connection for online gaming, of course, so it's nice to see the Aurora R15 also includes an RJ-45 jack with support for Intel's Killer E3100G Gigabit Ethernet.

The Aurora R15 also comes with a detachable rear cover you can slide over the back of the PC to help route cables and hide them from view.

Alienware Aurora R15 review: Gaming performance

• Our ~$5K review unit excels at 4K gaming thanks to Nvidia's RTX 4090
• ...but you can get nearly as good gaming performance from a PC over $1k less

The Alienware Aurora R15 unit we received for review is an excellent gaming machine thanks to its GeForce RTX 4090 GPU, Core i9 CPU and 32GB of DDR5 RAM. I enjoyed my time reviewing this PC immensely, as it had no trouble running any game I cared to launch.

At home, I have a dual-monitor setup, one 1080p and one 1440p, and our Aurora R15 was able to run everything from Cyberpunk 2077 to Death Stranding to Marvel's Midnight Suns at 1440p with all the settings maxed out. With most games, it had no trouble delivering 60 frames per second or better, especially when I flipped on Nvidia's DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) in games that support it. 

Even when I (carefully) dragged the Aurora R15 over to my LG C2 OLED TV and hooked it up to see how well it could spit game at 4K, I was not disappointed. While our Aurora R15 review unit could only manage between 30-40 fps while running Cyberpunk 2077 at 4K with all settings cranked to max, that was before I flipped on Nvidia's DLSS.

Nvidia rolled out a new version of the tech (DLSS 3) alongside its GeForce RTX 4000 series, and Cyberpunk 2077 was one of the first games to get updated with support for DLSS 3. Not only does DLSS 3 tap the Tensor Cores in Nvidia GPUs to dynamically enhance image quality while you're playing, it actually inserts new frames in between frames of gameplay. It can be confusing to understand when you read about it, but once I saw it in action on our Aurora R15 I was impressed by how much it improved my experience of playing Cyberpunk 2077 without any noticeable graphical issues. When I would use older versions of DLSS in times gone by I would often notice graphical distortions cropping up that made it appear as though the image was being smeared or blurred out slightly, especially during scenes of fast action.

Not so with DLSS 3 and Cyberpunk 2077. When I flipped on DLSS 3 in the game's settings, that 30-40 fps at 4K shot up to 100-120 fps, with no noticeable degradation in image quality. If DLSS 3 can do for every game what it did for my experience playing Cyberpunk at 4K, call me a believer.

Of course, we don't just rely on our own anecdotal experience when reviewing PCs here at Tom's Guide. We also run every machine through our testing lab (don't miss our guide to how we test products), where we subject it to a battery of performance tests to see how it stacks up against the competition.

As you might expect, our nearly $5K review unit achieved high scores across the board in these tests. In fact, it significantly outperformed some of the most powerful gaming PCs we've tested in the last year, including the Origin PC Millennium (2022) (i9-12900K, GeForce RTX 3080 Ti, 32GB RAM) and the Corsair One i300 (i9-12900K, GeForce RTX 3080 Ti, 64GB RAM).

However, keep in mind those are older PCs packing last-gen parts. We haven't tested a ton of 2023 PCs with the latest and greatest components yet, but we did recently test a cheaper Origin Chronos V3 gaming PC (priced upwards of $3.5K) with only slightly less powerful guts—specifically, it arrived with an Intel Core i9-13900K CPU, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 GPU and 32GB of RAM. Our Aurora R15 review unit still managed to outperform this Origin in nearly every gaming benchmark, as you can see from the chart of results above.

So if you want a great PC for gaming at 4K, Alienware delivers with the Aurora R15—assuming you're willing to pay for the privilege.

Alienware Aurora R15 review: Overall performance

• 13th Gen Intel Core i9 CPU blazes through performance benchmarks
• Excellent ray tracing, but cheaper PCs outperform this monster elsewhere

You shouldn't need to worry about performance when using a gaming PC for day-to-day work tasks, especially when that PC cost you nearly $5K. The Aurora R15 meets that expectation with flying colors, as it ran whisper-quiet and never hitched or froze  no matter how many browser tabs, productivity applications and streams of data I opened at once.

Our performance tests reveal that this is an excellent machine for running demanding applications for work like video editing, game development and the like, but you could have guessed that from the smorgasbord of high-powered parts inside. However, it was again neck-and-neck with the new Origin Chronos V3 we just tested, which managed to outperform the Aurora R15 in a few key areas.

Notably, our Alienware Aurora R15 review unit was less speedy than the Origin Chronos V3 in terms of CPU performance (22,494 vs 24,054), file transfer speeds (1,340 MBps vs 1,809) and video editing performance (3:12 vs 2:48), which we measure by timing how long it takes the PC to transcode a 4K video down to 1080p using Handbrake.

We also run every PC we review through a few benchmarks designed to evaluate how well it performs at tasks like rendering graphics (3DMark), editing media like photos in Adobe Photoshop Elements (HDXPRT 4), or more esoteric computing tasks like facial recognition (CrossMark).  As you might expect, our Aurora R15 performed quite well in these tests, putting up high scores across the board.

Here again, the Origin Chronos V3 put up better numbers than our Aurora R15 review unit in CrossMark and HDXPRT 4, though the difference between the two is relatively small. However, the power of the RTX 4090 helped the R15 achieve a far better score than the Chronos in 3DMark's Port Royal test, which evaluates how well a PC handles ray tracing.

Given that this is a machine tuned for gaming it's nice to see that it excels in the ray tracing department, since ray tracing tech is showing up in more and more games every year.

Alienware Aurora R15 review: Software

• Minimal bloatware, which is great
• Alienware Command Center is the MVP 

There wasn't much installed on our Aurora R15 review unit when it arrived save Windows 11 and a few Dell/Alienware applications you'll rarely touch, including My Alienware, Alienware Customer Connect and Alienware Update (which you use to do things like update your BIOS).

The one piece of pre-installed software you'll likely use a lot is the Alienware Command Center. This is the most feature-rich Alienware app on the system, as it allows you to do things like monitor and manage your system cooling, create and implement system overclock profiles, customize the case's RGB lighting and more. 

Alienware Aurora R15 review: Verdict

The Alienware Aurora R15 is a great gaming PC that improves upon its predecessors in small but meaningful ways. While how well it plays games will depend on what you can afford to put in it, getting in there is easy thanks to the accessible design of the case.

The fact that our Aurora R15 review unit never got hot or loud during the review process, even when playing demanding games at 4K for hours with all settings cranked to max, suggests Alienware's efforts to improve the case design paid off. While ours is admittedly liquid-cooled with Alienware's Cryo-Tech cooler, which is only available on the higher-end models (the cheapest Aurora R15 units are simply air-cooled), the cost of adding such cooling to an R15 is a few hundred bucks. Not cheap, but certainly not on the level of upgrading the GPU to the 4090 in our review unit.

And really, that's the main appeal of this PC: You can get one with the latest and greatest components inside, and my experience playing games on one suggests it's worth the high cost of entry. Of course, more and more PCs with 13th Gen Intel chips and 40-series Nvidia GPUs are hitting the market every week, some of which (like the Origin Chronos V3 we're reviewing) might actually outperform the R15 in some areas despite costing less. 

But even the truly flush who are out there scouring storefronts for the perfect RTX 4090-powered gaming PC would be well-served by the Aurora R15 thanks to its easy-to-access case and excellent cooling. Plus, it looks really good on a desk.

The Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 is one of the first 18-inch gaming laptops we've seen in years — and Asus' first entry in the category in more than a decade. Along with massive machines such as the Alienware m18 and the Razer Blade 18, the Strix Scar 18 must prove, one way or another, the viability of an entire size category.

While I can't argue that the ROG Strix Scar 18 is right for everyone — or even for most gamers — the system did eventually win me over with its excellent performance and stylish design. In fact, the 18-inch screen, which I initially dismissed as a curiosity, turned out to be one of the  most compelling features of the entire device. Having such a large display makes the ROG Strix Scar 18 a viable desktop replacement for even the most serious PC gamers, although it does come at the cost of portability. A laptop that essentially can't go anywhere is, by definition, not the most useful laptop.

If you have almost $4,000 to drop on a gaming laptop and want the best-of-the-best, the ROG Strix Scar 18 is worth considering — although so are some of its closest competitors. Read on for our full Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 review.

Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 review: Price and configurations

Asus has not shared a full range of prices and configurations for the ROG Strix Scar 18 yet. We can say that our review model came with a 13th-gen Intel Core i9-13980HX CPU, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU, 32 GB RAM and a 2 TB SSD. This model should cost about $3,900 when it goes into wide release.

However, based on Asus' CES announcement, we also know that some models will come with 64 GB RAM, so $3,900 is most likely not the ceiling. We also know, based on a Best Buy listing, that you can get an ROG Strix Scar 18 model with a GeForce RTX 4080 GPU, 16 GB RAM and a 1 TB SSD for $2,500. Over the next few months, we'll get a more complete picture of pricing and configurations; for the moment, we can say that the models run from "expensive" to "extravagant."

Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 review: Design

If nothing else, the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 is an eye-catching laptop. The device features a gray/black chassis with tasteful translucent plastic toward the top, and striking "chain" designs around the bottom and back. The device is also replete with RGB LED strips on the back and underside. More than one coworker commented on how pretty the lighting was, and I couldn't disagree — even though it doesn't do anything from a performance perspective.

As you might expect from an 18-inch laptop, however, the ROG Strix Scar 18 is positively massive. Measuring 15.8 x 11.5 x 1.0 inches, it takes up a ton of real estate, even on large desks, particularly once you factor in extra space for a gaming mouse. I have a medium-sized commuter backpack, which could not contain the device at all. My coworker had a large sports backpack, which could — but not in the dedicated laptop section. Few dedicated 18-inch laptop bags exist yet — and even if more did, it would not be comfortable to carry around a 6.8-pound device for an extended period of time.

That's not to say the ROG Strix Scar 18's portability is nonexistent. I was able to transport it easily from my desk, to our testing bench, to a conference room, to a private meeting booth and back again easily. As such, if you need a gaming machine that can live anywhere in your house, the ROG Strix Scar 18 fits the bill. But if you need a travel-friendly gaming laptop, the ROG Strix Scar 18 is simply too big, and a laptop that you can't take with you is a potential dealbreaker.

Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 review: Ports

The Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 has all the ports you're likely to need for your gaming gear, although spacing could potentially be an issue.

On the left side of the machine, you'll find a power port (for a truly enormous power brick, but what did you expect?), an Ethernet port, an HDMI port, two USB-C ports and a 3.5 mm audio jack. My only issue here is that the two USB-C ports are right next to each other. Since many modern gaming peripherals use long USB-C dongles, you may have to settle for using one port at a time, or buying different cables/adapters right off the bat. It's a small inconvenience, but an inconvenience nonetheless.

On the right side, you'll find two USB-A ports and nothing else. I was able to connect everything I needed to the laptop, although gamers with a ton of extra gear might have to fall back on Bluetooth connections instead.

Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 review: Keyboard and touchpad

If there's one feature of the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 that doesn't live up to its potential, it's the keyboard. To be clear, there's nothing egregiously wrong with the feature. It has a nearly full array of programmable RGB  keys, complete with a function row, some navigation keys and a numpad. But the layout is a little strange, from its cramped arrow keys, to its tiny right Shift, to its distant Delete. The media keys are also oddly placed, and offer only volume options rather than play/pause and rewind or fast-forward.

I also have to wonder why, in a machine that can potentially range up to $4,000, Asus did not include mechanical key switches. Premium gaming laptops have experimented with mechanical switches for years, and devices such as the Corsair Voyager a1600 have demonstrated low-profile switches can enhance gaming machines without compromising thin chassis design.

The touchpad is inoffensive, albeit pretty large, at 5.1 x 3.4 inches. Still, my hands didn't automatically rest on it while I was trying to type, which led to relatively few input errors. A mouse is still a necessity for everyday productivity and gaming, but the touchpad will work in a pinch.

Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 review: Display

It's impossible to discuss the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 intelligently without putting its display front and center. Along with a handful of competitors from Dell, Razer and Acer, the ROG Strix Scar 18 marks the potential resurgence of the 18-inch gaming laptop. Whether gamers want or need this size category, we'll learn over the next year or so.

For now, we can at least say that the 18-inch screen marks a significant size increase over what we've seen before. Compared to a 17-inch screen, an 18-inch model may not seem that much bigger. But bear in mind that laptops measure screen size in terms of diagonal, not horizontal, which means a significant increase in surface area size. Compared to a 17-inch laptop with a 16:9 screen ratio, the ROG Strix Scar 18's screen is, appropriately, about 18% larger.

Qualitatively, this makes a noticeable difference for both work and play, as we'll discuss in later sections. Quantitatively, here's how it stacks up to a few similar models: the Razer Blade 18 (not yet reviewed) and the Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 (not reviewed at Tom's Guide):

From a benchmarking perspective, the Razer Blade 18 is both brighter and more colorful than the ROG Strix Scar 18 - significantly so, on both counts. Compared to the ROG Strix Scar 17, the 18-inch model has better brightness and color accuracy, but an almost-identical color gamut. None of this changes the fact that the ROG Strix Scar 18 is both bright and colorful, in absolute terms. However, considering that the Blade 18 also offers 2500 x 1600 resolution, as well as a 240 Hz refresh rate, it seems that Razer's screen has some major advantages over Asus' - unless a 0.03 difference in color accuracy makes a tremendous difference to you.

Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 review: Gaming performance

Compared to two of its closest competitors, here's how the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 stacks up in terms of gaming performance:

Unsurprisingly, the ROG Strix Scar 18 beats its 17-inch counterpart by every metric. What's more interesting is that the ROG Strix Scar 18 also outperforms the Blade 18, often by a considerable margin. While benchmarks don't always tell the full story when it comes to real-world performance, the ROG Strix Scar 18 - at least the configuration we tested - appears to perform better than its closest competitor from Razer.

Qualitatively, the system's performance was impressive as well. I put the machine through its paces with extended play sessions of Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition, High On Life, Marvel's Midnight Suns and Lost Ark. Each game consistently ran at north of 120 frames per second, even with the graphical settings turned all the way up. Lost Ark, in fact, often exceeded 200, which is a rare sight on a gaming laptop. Given the ROG Strix Scar 18's components, this shouldn't come as much of a surprise, but the performance is just as good as you'd expect.

Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 review: Productivity performance

In terms of everyday productivity, the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 also acquitted itself well:

As in gaming benchmarks, the ROG Strix Scar 18 outperforms both the Razer Blade 18 and the earlier Asus ROG Strix Scar 17. It provides more power for artificial benchmarks; it copies files faster; it encodes videos more quickly.

Our qualitative testing backed up these observations, with the Scar 18 handling tons of everyday productivity tasks (word processing, Internet browsing, music streaming, online chatting, etc.) simultaneously without any slowdown. In fact, the 18-inch screen turned out to be massively helpful here, since it was no problem to display multiple windows side-by-side.

My only real qualms here involve some of the built-in Asus software. The Armoury Crate is straightforward enough, as it allows you to monitor all of your computer's metrics, including temperature, fan speed and so on. Likewise, there's an RGB control program that lets you modify the LED lighting as well as the keyboard.

What I can't figure out, though, is why Asus saw fit to include a "virtual pet" called M.O.U.S.E. In theory, this pet is supposed to provide helpful tips and keep you apprised of your PC's performance. In practice, all it does is walk around your desktop and perform precisely two tricks: spray painting an Asus logo, and rolling up into a ball. A virtual assistant with a little personality is a good thing, in theory, but a virtual assistant that fulfills no real function is not.

Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 review: Battery life and heat

Like most gaming laptops, the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 runs hot and doesn't last very long on a charge:

The ROG Strix Scar 18's productivity battery life is the weakest of any model we compared in this piece, coming in at less than five hours. This machine would not last through a cross-country flight - if you could even get it to fit on a tray table in the first place. The gaming battery life is also short, although you're not likely to play with it unplugged for a long period anyway.

Heat-wise, the system actually does OK in productivity mode. At 84 degrees Fahrenheit, it's theoretically cool enough to keep in your lap, which is more than we can say about either the Blade 18 or the ROG Strix Scar 17.

Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 review: Verdict

As an opening volley for the return of the 18-inch gaming laptop, the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 seems to have hit its target. Its performance is strong - stronger than its closest competitors - and it looks good, to boot.

At the same time, there's a distinct feeling that for nearly $4,000, some of its components could have been a little better, particularly the keyboard. It's also worth asking how many players will seriously consider dropping $4,000 on a gaming laptop that's too large to carry around, particularly when you can build a state-of-the-art desktop for less than $2,500.

I'm not absolutely convinced that the 18-inch laptop is destined to stick around, but the ROG Strix Scar 18 at least demonstrates that the format has some potential. If you get one, just be sure to invest in a bigger backpack, too.

The first day of CES 2023 was action-packed. Not only did we see the announcement of a slew of new laptops, but we also got new Nvidia graphics cards and went hands-on with what could be some of the best TVs of the year already. 

There’s a lot more to come, given CES hasn’t yet officially started, though press previews are underway. But here’s what we feel are the best and most exciting products from day one of CES 2023. 

Looking for more great gear debuting at CES? Check out our Best of CES 2023 Awards, honoring the top products we saw during this year's show.

World's first wireless OLED TV

Wires can quite literally tie our tech down, making it difficult to find the perfect placement for your TV or shift your tech around a room. Well The Displace TV, claimed to be the world's first wireless TV, aims to solve that. 

Powered by a battery, this OLED TV can offer 30-days of TV viewing away from a power outlet. And it could revolutionize the way we place TVs around our homws, offering flexibility when it comes to arranging and rearranging rooms. Check out our TikTok of The Displace TV below. 

18-inch gaming laptops 

Over the past few years we’ve been seeing gaming laptops get slimmer and lighter. Well that trend appears to be getting bucked, as Alienware, Asus and Acer all came out with gaming laptops with 18-inch displays. 

Why is this exciting? Well the specs of these machines are seriously impressive, as they not only sport the latest Intel Raptor Lake chips and Nvidia GeForce RTX 40-Series graphics, but super-fast high refresh rate displays as well. Sure, we’ve seen high-spec laptops before, but the combination of components, cooling and ports all set up these laptops to be proper desktop gaming PC replacements, without sacrificing portability.

And for the specs on offer, the respective pricing of these big laptops appears to be fairly reasonable, given a high-spec gaming PC is far from cheap. Expect these 18-inch machines to be the gaming laptops to watch this year. In the meantime, check out our Alienware m18 hands-on review. 

LG C3 OLED

We had the chance to go hands-on with the new LG C3 OLED and LG G3 OLED TVs at CES. And while the latter might be the more premium TV, the former is the one to watch. 

While buyers of the LG C2 OLED won’t see huge upgrades, the C3 offers a new processor, a perceivable boost in brightness and an updated take on the WebOS platform, which should make for a better customized experience for viewers. 

This might not seem like a big deal, and for owners of the LG C1 OLED or C2 these updates won't likely be enough to warrant an upgrade. But for new OLED TVs buyers, this could be the TV to watch as it has all the hallmarks of a great LG OLED TV, and going by the previous model we can expect it to drop in price come the latter part of 2023. 

Nvidia GerForce RTX 4070 Ti

Despite CES having barely begun, Nvidia have already announced the RTX 4070 Ti. In many ways Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 4070 Ti is just a cut down version of the GeForce RTX 4080, which suffered a bit of a backlash for its hefty pricing. But the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti is priced at $799, which while far from cheap, it’s at least more affordable for PC gamers. 

But the rub here is we’re likely to see more GeForce RTX 40-series cards follow in the RTX 4070 Ti’s footsteps, hopefully bringing onto the market decently specced GPUs that are within the budgets of the average gamer. As such, we’re hoping to see a keenly priced GeForce RTX 4060 before too long. 

Samsung QN95C Neo QLED TV

With some compelling upgrades, such as 144Hz refresh rate support and Auto HDR remastering, all packed into a sleek design, the Samsung QN95C Neo QLED is arguably this year's most anticipated 4K QLED TV.

Having seen it in the glass and metal, we were impressed with its picture quality and One Connect box, which offloads inputs into a separate unit and allows for installation and use flexibility. So, much like the LG C3 OLED, this Samsung QLED TV could be one to watch this year. 

Acer Swift Go

Currently the MacBook Air M2 is arguably the laptop to get when it comes to ultraportables, but Acer’s new Swift Go range could give it a run for its money. Sporting a slim design, yet still packing in the latest Intel chips and an OLED display, the Swift Go presents an attractive laptop with solid specs. 

Coming in both 14-inch and 16-inch models, the Swift Go is also priced competitively, starting at $799 (roughly £663/AU$1,164), which would not only undercut the MacBook Air M2, but also other slim laptops like the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5. We’ll have to see if hitting an attractive price point has seen Acer forced to make disappointing compromises. But the Swift Go could be an early contender for a spot on our best laptops list if it manages to blend impressive specs, a slick design and compelling price in one package. 

LG Gram Style

LG Gram laptops have long set one of the standards for thin and light laptops. But the new LG Gram Style could arguably set a highpoint for flashy design. 

This 2.7-pound laptop packs in a 16-inch OLED display, which is pretty slick. But it's standout features are an iridescent exterior that color-shifts depending on the light and a eye-catching disappearing touchpad that fades out of sight when not in use. Is this super practical? Probably not, but it's definitely something a bit different when it comes to laptop aesthetics.  

Honorable mentions

We’ve yet to get a look at this, but Samsung’s display arm showed off the Flex Hybrid, a smart device with a screen that folds and slides, expanding a 10.5-inch display with a 4:3 aspect ratio and into a 16:10 12.4-inch screen. Don’t expect it on any foldable devices this year, but it does hint at the direction folding phones and tablets could take. 

Alienware also showed off a 500Hz monitor, targeted at esports players who want to have lightning fast response times. Check out Tony Polanco's thoughts in his Alienware 500Hz Gaming Monitor (AW2524H) hands-on review.

CES 2023 is over. Now we have a chance to chew over some of the biggest and most exciting announcements of the vast tech show. 

If you want to se the products that really caught out eye, check out the Tom's Guide best of CES 2023 awards. 

But for all the major announcements from the big brands like Samsung, LG, Asus, Lenovo and more, as well as a look at some more intriguing gadgets and devices, then read on. 

We're still in the thick of it as CES, so read on for all the latest news, announcements, insights and hands-on experiences from CES 2023. 

CES 2023 highlights

• Our picks for the Best of CES 2023 Awards. 
• Tony Polanco gives us his 7 favorite products revealed at CES 2023.
• We've seen the future of OLED, and it's thanks to LG. 
• These are the best TVs of CES 2023.
• Check out our Alienware m18 hands-on review and our Alienware 500Hz Gaming Monitor (AW2524H) hands-on review.
• We got to see the world's first wireless TV, and it's pretty slick. 
• Take a look at the best laptops of CES 2023 and 7 of the best gaming laptops of CES 2023. 
• We went eyes-on with the HTC Vive XR Elite. 
• Mark Spoonauer got a glimpse at the future of camera phones — and it puts the iPhone to shame.
• Meet our favorite PC of CES 2023. 
• Kate Kozuch got to see the future of AR glasses with Lumus — and it’s awesome. 

Top CES 2023 news and announcements

• Razer showcases the covers off the Edge 5G, a cloud-powered handheld, and a mighty 18-inch Blade gaming laptop. 
• Lenovo has a suite of new products and we got to try the first Lenovo ThinkPhone by Motorola, go hands-on with the wild dual-screen Lenovo Yoga Book 9i, had a look at the Lenovo Tab Extreme, and how the Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Twist combines OLED and e-ink displays into one. 
• Wearable tech is looking great with the AI-powered CitizenCitizen CZ Smart smartwatch, Fossil Gen 6 Hybrid Wellness Edition, smart earrings that let you listen to music,  and the new Evie smart ring that beats Oura in one major way. 
• Samsung is onboard the Micro LED TV train and cold make the tech more mainstream. And we go hands-on with the Samsung QN95C Neo QLED TV and Samsung S95C OLED TV. 
• We take a look at the LG G3 OLED TV and LG C3 OLED TV in hands-on previews. And LG's transparent OLED TV looks incredible.
• Asus has unveiled two 18-inch gaming laptops to challenge Acer and Dell
• Say a hello to the new LG Gram Ultraslim, and see how the LG Gram Style just stole the show. Meanwhile, Acer debuts new Swift Go ultraportables with OLED to challenge the MacBook Air. 
• JBL takes the covers off a whole suite of audio tech, from soundbars to gaming headphones. 
• This Samsung display both fold and slides in a cool concept smart device 
• The Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Ti drops for a cool $799; get ready for this one. 

CES 2023 latest news

A lot happened at CES 2023, so we've rounded up all the major news and products we thing you should be excited to see as the year goes on. 

Samsung

• Samsung unveils Micro LED TVs at CES 2023 — and we just found out how they’re making more sizes
• Samsung Galaxy A14 unveiled at CES 2023: a $200 phone with surprisingly good specs
• Samsung's new 57-inch ultrawide gaming screen is impressively ridiculous
• More than just flexible — this Samsung display also slides out
• Samsung S95C OLED TV hands on
• Samsung QN95C Neo QLED TV hands on

Samsung is already having a busy CES fully revealing the Odyssey Neo G9, a 57-inch mini-LED display sporting a 7680 × 2160 resolution that’s the equivalent of two 4K monitors in one. With a 240Hz refresh rate and a 1000R curved screen, the Odyssey Neo G9 looks aimed at PC gamers with very powerful rigs who want a massive and immersive desktop gaming experience. 

For people not looking to go so extreme, Samsung revealed the Odyssey G95SC, its first ultrawide QD-OLED monitor. With a more subtle 1800R curved display, 32:9 aspect ratio and 5120 x 2880 resolution, it should be a little more manageable for people with powerful but not screaming high-end PCs. Samsung also noted the Odyssey 34-inch G8 QD-OLED it revealed at IFA 2022 will also make its debut this year.

A more intriguing announcement from Samsung comes in the form of the Flex Hybrid. Coming courtesy of Samsung Display, this device shows off a concept “smart mobile device” that has both a folding and sliding display.

Using this approach it takes a 10.5-inch display with a 4:3 aspect ratio and expands into a 16:10 12.4-inch screen. So not just adding more space but also transforming the shape of the screen.

While 10.5 inches is a little big for a smartphone, it’s not hard to see how this tech could be condensed down into a phone display and represent an evolution for folding phones. Don’t expect to see this on the potential Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5, but it could be a possibility for future folding Samsung phones and tablets.

Sticking with screens, Samsung also revealed the ViewFinity S9, a 27-inch 5K monitor that aims to take on the Apple and LG’s professional-grade displays by offering an IPS panel with 99% coverage of the DCI-P3 wide color gamut and a very sleek design.

Moving away from displays, to a certain extent, Samsung has also revealed the Bespoke Refrigerator Family Hub Plus line. This takes the company’s current range of Family Hub smart refrigerators and adds a larger 32-inch touch screen display on them. What might seem like overkill for many, could be the answer for folks looking to watch cooking videos or TikToks while searching for inspiration for what to cook. 

There’s also support for Google Photos, as well as apparent access to 190 TV channels in the U.S. or some 80 channels in South Korea through Samsung’s TV Plus app; though we’d be hesitant to say how good a vertically oriented display is for watching TV.

On the TV front, Samsung is showing off both the QN95C Neo QLED TV and the S95C OLED TV. The former is a top-shelf 4K TV that delivers some compelling performance upgrades including 144Hz support, auto HDR remastering and enhanced Q Symphony sound. As for the S95C, it's a 77-inch QD-OLED that should appeal to gamers.

Next up was the reveal of the 76-inch Micro LED CX TV, which takes Micro LED tech and puts it in a TV of a more manageable size for most people. And unlike the Micro LED TVs we’ve previously seen from Samsung, this one looks like it could be displayed alongside QLEDs and OLEDs at Target or Best Buy. 

So there's a real chance that Samsung's 76-inch Micro LED CX TV could be the tip of the spear in bringing the advantages of Micro LED panels (think the perfect blacks and the outstanding colors of OLED tech but without the organic compounds) for relatively accessible prices and sizes.

While the Samsung Galaxy S23 range isn't expected to be revealed for a good few weeks yet, the company did show off the new Galaxy A14, which has some surprisingly good specs for a phone of its price. 

And for more from the South Korean tech giant, check out our coverage of the Samsung CES 2023 keynote.

LG

• I just saw the future of OLED from LG Display — including a 360-degree foldable
• LG's transparent OLED TV wows at CES 2023
• The LG C3 OLED and G3 OLED TVs open CES 2023 with a bang
• LG Gram Style just stole the show at CES 2023 with color-shifting laptop
• LG is making a 97-inch wireless OLED TV — and it’s coming this year
• New LG Gram Ultraslim is one of the thinnest laptops in the world
• LG G3 OLED TV hands-on
• LG's MoodUp refrigerator is ridiculous, but I want one

LG is having a busy CES, showing off TVs, laptops and more. But it's most eye-catching device so far comes from LG Display, which showed off what could be the future of OLED panel tech, thanks to a suite of folding devices. 

Some of the most exciting concepts on display include an 8-inch, 360-degree foldable OLED panel that could be used in future phones, and a 17-inch foldable laptop that has an almost unnoticeable crease when fully open. There was even a 0.4-inch OLED panel that will likely find a home in VR or mixed reality headsets. 

LG also revealed the LG C3 and G3 OLED TVs, a wireless TV and a sgperslim laptop alongside other tech.

Following on from their excellent predecessors, the LG C2 and LG G2 OLEDs, these new TV will get access to the new α9 AI Processor Gen6 for improved upscaling and enhanced dynamic tone mapping in addition to powering virtual 9.1.2 surround sound right out of the box.

Beyond the upgrades to upscaling and audio reproduction, LG says the G3 OLED will also come with Brightness Booster Max technology — a combination of a new lighting structure and lighting algorithm — that helps to make it 70% brighter than before and a new no-gap wall-mount.

LG’s webOS, which powers its smart TVs, is also set to get an upgrade by being smarter and offering more personalized content recommendations and arranging apps into more logical groups. This should help the operating system look a little more tailored rather than a scattering of content and apps on a user interface.

We've had the chance to go hands-on with the LG G3, and we think that the promise of a brighter TV coupled with WebOS upgrades sounds like a winning combination. We particularly appreciated the new quick settings for customizing which settings you can access quickly without interrupting what you're watching. We're looking forward to testing this TV's color accuracy, color space reproduction, and lag times.

Meanwhile, the LG C3 OLED brings back the TV maker's top-selling OLED set, but improves the upscaling. If you own an LG C2 or even a C1, you may not have much reason to upgrade, but others will appreciate the new Alpha a9 Gen 6 processor and upgraded WebOS 23 smart platform.

Next LG took the covers off a 97-inch wireless OLED TV that's coming out this year. The TV’s official name is the LG Signature Series M3 OLED and it uses a new proprietary technology called the Zero Connect Box to beam video data from one side of the room to the other. That box, according to LG, can be placed up to 30 feet away from the TV without any signal degradation, as long as it has direct line-of-sight to the screen. 

Such wireless tech could completely shake up how TVs are place around one's home. And it's especially intriguing how LG plans to have this technology available in 2023, though it has yet to firm up a release date. 

While LG's standard OLEDs and wireless TVs are impressive, the company's transparent OLED TV is undeniably cool. 

Dubbed the LG OLED T, this TV can go transparent, meaning if it's sat in front of a window it need not block the view when not in use. Sadly, this tech still seems to be in the prototype stage, so we don't expect to see it soon. And when we do, we doubt it'll be cheap.

Outside of TVs LG revealed a new Gram laptop in the form of the LG Gram Ultraslim, bringing a super-slim machine to the ultraportable laptop arena. 

At a mere 0.43 inches thick, the new LG Gram Ultraslim is one of the thinnest laptops in the world yet packs in a 15.6-inch OLED display. Weighing in at just 2.2 pounds it's very light as well. 

LG also has the Gram Style, complete with a disappearing trackpad. Check out our editor Kate Kozuch's TikTok video of it below. 

On the smart home side, LG showed off the MoodUp refrigerator. We saw this a few months ago at IFA, but it's still a compelling smart refrigerator that can light up to correspond with programmed moods, as well as play musing and do a whole lot of smart fridge stuff. 

Nvidia

• Nvidia CES 2023 live blog — all the big news as it happens
• Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Ti drops at CES 2023 for a cool $799
• Nvidia GeForce Now game streaming arrives in cars at CES 2023 — here's how

Nvidia has got off to strong start at CES 2023 revealing the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti to offer a powerful graphics card for $799; that's still a steep price but more palatable than the price tag of the GeForce RTX 4080. The GPU will go on sale January 5. 

Following on from that, Nvidia then announced laptop versions of the GeForce RTX 40-series, which we can expect to see in a slew of laptops from the likes of Asus, Alienware, MSI and more; Nvidia says there'll be 170 plus laptop designs with these new GPUs. 

And for people who just can't face the idea of being away from gaming for too long, Nvidia revealed how it's bringing GeForce Now game streaming to cars. Granted you won't be able to game and drive at the same time but passengers will be able to do so. And if you were to pull into a service station to refuel or have a break then you could use the service to do a bit of gaming as you have some driving downtime. 

TVs

• I just saw the world's first wireless OLED TV — and it's pretty awesome
• Roku just launched its own TVs — everything you need to know
• TCL is making QD-OLED TVs to compete with Samsung and Sony
• There are going to be new Tivo TVs in 2023 — yes, you read that right
• Stop looking for a new Sony OLED TV this week — Sony won't announce any new TVs at CES 2023

For our TV highlights, check out the best TVs of CES 2023. 

It turns out CES 2023 may not be a great show for Sony Bravias — Sony isn't announcing new TVs this week — but we got to see the world’s first wireless TV. That could start a revolution for TVs, removing the need for wires that can make wall-mounting tricky or limit where you place you TV. 

Created by a US. company, The Displace TV uses a battery to provide 30-days of TV viewing away from a power outlet. So while you will need to charge it, likely with wired power supply, it’ll still be a lot more portable than standard TVs. This is one we’ll definitely want to hear more about; check out our TikTok on it below. 

Roku is throwing itself deeper in to the world of TVs having announced it will be making its own TVs this year. 

Where previous Roku TVs were made by TCL, the Roku Select and Roku Plus will be made by Roku itself, with sized ranging between 24 inches and 75 inches.

Speaking of TCL, the company announced it will be making its own QD-OLED TVs to take on those from the likes of Sony and Samsung. QD-based OLED TVs add a layer of quantum dots to the display to improve things like color reproduction. No word when exactly these TVs will arrive, but they are slated to come this year. 

In an odd turn up for the books, Tivo-powered TVs are set to make a comeback this year, bringing back the smart platform via potential partners that include JVC and Hitachi.

We're not sure if the world needs another smart TV platform, but if Tivo can bring its experience in show recording to bare, then perhaps it could offer something a bit different to the TV world.

Laptops

• The best laptops of CES 2023 (so far)
• The Lenovo ThinkBook 16p has Magic Bay accessories you can swap on the go
• The Razer Blade 18 is an RTX 40 gaming laptop that commands attention
• Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Twist combines OLED and color E-Ink displays in one weird convertible laptop
• Lenovo Yoga Book 9i just reinvented the laptop with a wild dual-screen OLED design
• Lenovo Tab Extreme hands-on: This monster could be the Android tablet of the year
• Alienware m18 hands-on review: A gigantic gaming laptop
• Acer Predator Helios 18 is company's first-ever 18-inch gaming laptop
• Asus unveils two 18-inch gaming laptops
• Asus' new Zenbook Pro 16X OLED has a Supernova inside
• Acer debuts new Swift Go ultraportables with OLED at CES 2023

Aside from new GeForce RTX 40-series graphics cards coming to gaming laptops this year, there's plenty more going on in the world of laptops. 

For a more  detailed look at laptops at CES, check out the best laptops of CES 2023 and 7 of the best gaming laptops of CES 2023. Or read on for more laptop news from the tech showcase. 

Alienware

Alienware has grabbed out attention with a massive 18-inch gaming laptop. While not the first of its kind, it's a complete flip on slim and light gaming laptops, aiming instead to deliver a desktop replacement machine. 

Check out our Alienware m18 hands-on review, as computing writer Tony Polanco was suitably impressed by the giant gaming laptop.

Asus

It looks like big 18-inch laptops are the theme of computing in CES this year, as Asus has revealed two behemoth gaming laptops. The Asus ROG Strix G18 and the ROG Strix Scar 18 have some major specs to go with their hefty sizes. 

We're talking the latest Intel processors and Nvidia GeForce RTX 40-series graphics cards, masses of RAM and storage, and displays that top out at 240Hz. Yet from the images we've seen so far, the laptops look almost understated, which could be rather refreshing of Asus. 

Asus also took the covers off a refreshed Zenbook Pro 16X OLED. This dual-screen laptop comes with a custom CPU that he company claims will deliver "ultra-powerful" performance. Created with Intel, this Core CPU that's been redesigned to be smaller, which Asus claims allows for better cooling.

Acer

Acer also revealed new laptops, with an updated Swift Edge ultraportable featuring a 16-inch display and the latest chips from Intel. And Acer also showed off its new Swift Go laptops that come with the latest Intel 13th Gen CPUs as OLED displays, all for a price that starts at $849 for the 14-inch model. 16-inch models will start at $799.

Not to be outdone on the gaming laptop front, Acer has its own 18-inch gaming laptop in the form of the Predator Helios 18. 

This desktop-replacement style machine pack in some serious specs from Intel's latest Raptor Lake processors and Nvidia's GeForce RRTX 40-series graphics, to 32GB of RAM and 2TB of SSD storage space.

Razer

Razer has also got in on the 18-inch laptop game, which is no surprise as it's long has a 17-inch Razer Blade. The Razer Blade 18 takes the clean, MacBook-like aesthetics of the Blade range and supersizes it. Revolutionary? No. Attractive? Definitely. 

But clean design aside, where this laptop is likely to shine is in sheer power, given it's sporting an 18-inch QHD (2560 x 1600) 240Hz 16:10 IPS display, Intel Core i9-13950HX processor, up to to 64GB of RAM, and most importantly a whole suite of Nvidia GeForce RTX 40-series graphics cards to chose from. Oh, you will also have the option to expand the SDD storage to 4TB. 

Lenovo 

Lenovo has put on quite a showing at CES, and we got to go hands-on with Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Twist, a  2-in-1 with dual twisting displays with an OLED screen one one side and an color E-Ink panel that you can use when you want to save battery life.

Then we checked out the dual-screen Lenovo Yoga Book 9i, which sports two OLED display attached by a hinge and comes with an attachable keyboard accessory; think a Surface Pro but totally extra. See it in action below. 

Keeping up with pursuing innovative features, the Lenovo ThinkBook 16p has Magic Bay accessories you can swap on the go. The "Magic Bay" uses magnets to connect various accessories to the top bezel of the laptop; these currently include
the Magic Bay 4K webcam, Magic Bay Light, and Magic Bay LTE modules. Naturally, under the hood this slick-looking laptop has the latest Intel and Nvidia hardware. 

We then took a look at the Lenovo Tab Extreme with its huge 14.5-inch OLED display. Powered by Android, this could be the non-iPad tablet to beat this year. And speaking of Android we also took a look at the the first Lenovo ThinkPhone by Motorola and came away impressed. 

Computing

• Intel just dropped the fastest 13th Gen Raptor Lake CPUs yet at CES 2023
• AMD debuts Ryzen 7040 laptop CPU to take on Intel Raptor Lake
• The HTC Vive XR Elite Virtual Reality System is a $1,099 standalone headset
• Alienware 500Hz Gaming Monitor (AW2524H) hands-on review
• Razer and Verizon launch Android-powered Edge 5G cloud gaming handheld
• New Asus Xbox PC controller packs an OLED screen and killer connectivity

While laptops can be a big focus if CES, it's also a time when we see a lot of PC hardware and peripherals get announced. Case in point, Intel took the covers off its fastest 13th Gen Raptor Lake processors targeting both laptops and desktops. And sticking with chips, AMD showed off the Ryzen 7040 laptop CPU to take on Team Blue's silicon.

But the device that's caught out eye so far is Alienware's 500Hz esports-orientated gaming monitor. It looks to be targeted at people who want frankly absurd refresh rates on their displays. 

Check out Tony Polanco's thoughts in his Alienware 500Hz Gaming Monitor (AW2524H) hands-on review.

Virtual reality tends to have its place at CES, and this year the standout headset so far looks to be the HTC Vive XR Elite Virtual Reality System. 

Complex name aside, this VR headset is a stand-alone device complete with high-end features like a displays that offer a 3840 x 1920 combined resolution, up to 110° field of view and a 90Hz refresh rate. Plus there are four on-board tracking cameras for controller tracking and a depth sensor. And the headset has slick features in the form of adjustable IPD sliders and a dial to change the focus of the lenses to accommodate those of us that wear glasses.

For people who don't want to drop a huge wad of cash on a gaming laptop or PC, then the Razer Edge 5G could be a device worth checking out. Made in partnership with Verizon, this device is a cloud-powered gaming handheld.

Even without the power of the cloud, a Qualcomm Snapdragon G3x Gen 1 SoC processor optimized for gaming devices, 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, and a 2400 x 1080 AMOLED display with a 144Hz refresh rate, should make the Edge 5G a solid mobile gaming device. But its killer app could be Xbox Game Pass, which offers cloud gaming via the Ultimate subscription tier. 

Speaking of Xbox, Auus revealed an Xbox PC controller dubbed the ROG Raikiri Pro. While it looks like a rebranded Xbox Elite Wireless Controller, it has a suite of extras. 

Most notable is the 1.3-inch OLED display, designed to show notifications from games and gaming-related services. But it also has a mix of connectivity, from Bluetooth and wireless a low-latency Radio Frequency to a wired USB-C connection. And there's a load of customization to be had, such as remapping buttons, thanks to Asus’ Armoury Crate PC app. 

Audio

• I used these new smart earrings to listen to music — they totally surprised me
• JBL unveils powerful Dolby Atmos soundbar, gaming headsets, and hi-fi speakers at CES 2023

So far JBL has had the biggest audio showing of CES 2023 in our opinion. The company took the covers off a slew of devices from soundbars to gaming headphones. 

Highlights include the 4329P studio monitor speakers and the new Spinner BT turntable, which is a Bluetooth-enabled record player with aptX HD codec support for high-quality wireless streaming. 

Treading the line between earbuds and more classic wearable tech, the Nova H1 are earrings that let you listen to music. And for people afraid of needles, these earrings clip on with no need for piercings. 

Editor Kate Kzouch tried them out and was impressed. What's more, the Nova H1 earrings are truly made to be worn throughout the day. Active listening or talking battery life falls between 5 and 6 hours, but you’d still wear them in a dormant mode even when you’re not playing music or taking a phone call.

Wearables and smart tech

• Fossil’s new smartwatch looks great and lasts for weeks
• I just tried this Wear OS smartwatch that can predict my energy levels — and it's genius
• FluentPet lets your dog text you with the touch of a button
• The awesome new Evie smart ring beats Oura in one major way
• GE's new smart mixer can make — and costs — a lot of dough
• Withings U-Scan is a $500 device that tests your pee
• This robot lawnmower fixes the worst thing about robot lawnmowers
• Project Leonardo is a PS5 accessory designed for gamers with limited mobility

Wearables and smart tech are common features of CES, and one that''s caught out eye is the Fossil Gen 6 Hybrid Wellness Edition. This $299 (roughly £249 / AU$430) hybrid smartwatch combines a rather traditional watch design with a host of fitness-focused features one might expect from a fully fledged smartwatch. 

For a true smartwatch we have the Citizen CZ Smart, which uses artificial intelligence to gauge your physical and mental power throughout the day. 

Alongside WearOS support, the the CZ is launching with a proprietary program that analyzes the user’s behaviors to predict when they’ll have the most (or least) energy on a daily basis.

Speaking of tracking things, the Withings U-Scan offers hockey-puck shaped device that sits inside your toilet bowl and analyzes your pee, and then sends the results via Bluetooth to a smartphone app.

Why would you need to do that? Well, through loading the device with one of three cartridges, you can test your urine for sings of ovulation, general health markers like protein-vegetable balance, and pro-grade data for use in medical studies.

For more chic tracking tech take a look at this new Evie smart ring. Movano’s Evie ring offers a similar Oura Ring Gen 3 experience, but with a stronger emphasis on menstrual health management for people with uteruses.

With an adjustable design and portable battery case that can recharge the ring up to 10 times, the Evie seems feels like a rather practical smart ring.

While not necessarily a smart device on its own, Sony's Project Leonardo has a lot of smart  design aimed at making PS5 games more accessible to gamers with limited mobility. 

Sony says Project Leonardo is "a canvas for gamers to craft their own play experience." And that "it includes a robust kit of swappable components, including a variety of analog stick caps and buttons in different shapes and sizes." 

The controller’s buttons can be programmed for various function and multiple buttons can be mapped to the same function. Players can also map two functions (like “R2” + “L2”) onto the same button. 

While on the subject of mobility, L’Oreal’s new motorized lipstick applicator is a big win for accessibility. Called the HAPTA, the applicator can keep a lipstick steady for application, offering assistance and more confidence for people with limited mobility to enjoy beauty products. It works a bit like a gimbal, steadying the movement of the lip product even if the hand is moving irregularly.

One for smart kitchen appliance fans, the GE Profile Smart Mixer with AutoSense is a stand mixer that can measure how hard the motor needs to work to mix things and automatically determining when the mixing is done. 

That's not all the smarts as the GE Profile mixer has a scale built into the mixer itself, so you can measure things directly into the bowl while it's hooked up to the mixer. And a connected app on your smart phone has a number of recipes with measurements that will guide you along as you add ingredients. 

Robot lawnmowers haven't taken off in quite the same way in the U.S. thanks to their setup being a pain in the.. err... grass. But Worx's newest robot lawnmower, the Landroid Vision makes use of a camera to figure out what's lawn and what's not, doing away with the need to put wires around your garden. 

If your dog ever has a bone to pick with you, well instead of grumbled growls, it could soon text you, thanks to Fluentpet Connect.

The app allows dog owners to connect their smartphone to a series of smart buttons that a dog can learn to press if it wants to eat or go outside. 

It might sound barking mad, but it could be one step closer to being actually able to talk to your dog. Whether your fluffy friend has anything interesting to say is another case...

Cars

• CES 2023 sees the return of Sony’s electric car — and it’s coming in 2026
• Ring Car Cam just announced at CES 2023 — and it arrives next month
• BMW’s i Vision Dee concept unveiled at CES 2023 — and it can change color on the fly

While the show can be a little hit and miss where cars are concerned, CES 2023 has already had a pretty strong showing. BMW in particular has been showing off a whole host of new tech in the form of the i Vision Dee concept car. 

It may look like a bizarre CGI creation, and you're never going to be able to buy one, but this car is designed to showcase design and tech elements that could come to real-life BMW cars. Most important of which is the e-ink panels, allowing you change the car's color scheme on the fly.

Also on the agenda is another appearance of Sony and Honda's electric car, now officially dubbed "Afeela". No, we don't know what that name means either, but we do know that both companies have some pretty bold plans for this machine.

Soy's plan is to make driving and mobility more immersive and entertaining than it is right now — while also preparing for the day cars will need to drive themselves. That means there's a whole smorgasboard of sensors in the latest prototype, alongside advanced connectivity for both entertainment and continual software updates.

But bringing things right back to the present is the impending launch of the Ring Car Cam. Due to start shipping next month, this $250 device is Ring's take on the dash cam — though the company would prefer you didn't think of it like that.

This is a fully-fledged Ring camera for your car, that just so happens to be able to record what happens to your car whether you're driving or parked up. Combined with a classic simple Ring set-up, LTE connectivity and a novel OBD-II power supply, this looks like a great opportunity to add your favorite Ring features to your car with the minimal of fuss.

If Ring isn't your jam, then there's always the Nextbase IQ, which is making a return trip to Vegas. Promising to be the most advanced dash cam Nextbase has made, we finally know when this device will be available to buy.

The Nextbase IQ will be arriving sometime this spring, and will cost less than $500. For that price you'll get a 4K triple-camera system, automatic incident detection, various AI features, hands-free control, emergency SOS, GPS tracking and a live view through the iQ app. Like the Ring Car Cam it also comes with LTE connectivity, powered by T-Mobile and costing $10 a month.

For gamers…

Whether you're climbing pro-level leaderboards, exploring virtual worlds or just having fun racking up headshots, the right accessories link you seamlessly with your screen. This holiday season, Dell's presenting a carefully curated collection of tools and peripherals to delight casual and serious gamers alike.

Alienware Keyboard and Mouse 

The class-leading AW-510K keyboard shaves precious seconds off your reaction time and looks great doing it in Alienware's signature sleek style, with per-key RGB lighting for unrivaled customization options.

The specs are just as impressive, with a full array of Cherry MX Red mechanical switches, low profile for hair trigger actuation times, a comprehensive macro toolkit for pulling off complex commands at the press of a switch, and dedicated media keys so you can control your soundtrack without pausing the action.

The accompanying AW610-M mouse is one of the smoothest, most precise instruments you can buy, and features seven fully programmable buttons. Whether you go wired or wireless, it's the battlefield extension your right arm's been waiting for.

Logitech Headset and Mouse 

When you're coordinating killshots, communication's crucial. Logitech's Lightspeed gaming bundle pairs a high spec, dual wireless gaming headset and matching mouse.

Lightweight and comfortable, the G435 headset features both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity and delivers deep, immersive sound with its 40mm drivers, compatible with a wide range of surround sound standards, from Dolby Atmos to Windows Sonic.

Partnered with the G305 ultra-fast wireless gaming mouse, you have a class leading combo delivered at a 50% saving over buying both separately.

For creators…

Never before have there been so many ways to create, share and express yourself. And never before has such high quality recording and broadcast gear been so easily available. Here are some top picks for the artist in everyone.

Logitech Streamcam Plus 

Capturing footage at 60 frames per second and up to 1080p HD quality, the Logitech StreamCam Plus can switch to vertical 9:16 footage, ideal for Instagram Reels and TikTok, with just a flick of the wrist. And with auto-focus and auto-exposure you're free to concentrate on your content.

The advanced accompanying Logitech Capture software rounds out the package, with everything you need to professionally edit your piece right there in the box.

Blue Yeti X USB Microphone 

The Blue Yeti X looks as good as it sounds, with timeless Art Deco design notes, and customizable LED lighting. Ideal for YouTube stars and podcasters alike, the mic's adaptable to a wide range of environments, from solo commentary to roundtable discussions.

Form follows function and all the controls you need are right at your fingertips. Logitech's 'For Creators' software package gives you all the tools you need to make the most of this class leading microphone (the weapon of choice for Twitch and YouTube star Dr Lupo).

WD 4TB Passport Drive 

Digital masterpieces need a portable, speedy, spacious and secure place to call home. The WD Passport drive ticks all these boxes and more in style, the 208 gram form factor sitting snugly in your hand.

The 4TB of storage will store more than 500 hours of HD video, password protected for security and compatible with Windows, Mac OS and even Google Chromebooks via speedy USB 3.2 connectivity. The bundled My Passport software can automatically back up all your critical files and it even comes in a range of colors. 

For entrepreneurs…

Does your cousin have a side hustle? Is your grandma an undiscovered knitwear genius? Whatever and wherever you do what you do best, Dell can help you take care of the details and focus on making the most of your talent.

Google Nest Cam 

Security's a priority for us all, whether at home or in the office. Google's class-leading Nest Cam lets you keep eyes on your workspace 24/7, streaming 1080p HDR video to your phone via the ubiquitous Google Home app.

The sleek design comes in a choice of understated color schemes, and it’s flexible enough to put anywhere. You can even use the Nest cam to chat back and forth with remote colleagues, making this perfect for distributed offices.

Epson FastFoto Scanner Printer 

Digitize photos and critical documents in moments with the Epson FastFoto system. Operating as fast as one photo per second, this'll make short work of even the most expansive paper archive.

Both sides of the photo or document will be automatically captured and uploaded to your Dropbox or Google Drive account, so you can access your photo library or document archive anywhere, even on your phone.

For students…

Studying is hard. So do what you can to make it as easy as possible for the students in your life with this welcome range of tech accessories. From tools to help students focus, to comprehensive productivity suites, and accessories designed to make studying simple, Dell has a great choice of gifts for anyone in a higher education situation.

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 

You can't put a price on peace and quiet. Bose's top of the line wireless earbuds offer bespoke noise canceling technology, measuring the acoustics of your ear canal to deliver perfectly optimized performance.

Ideal for distraction free studying, wherever you are. And when it's time to relax, sound quality is blissfully crystal clear.

Canon PIXMA 

The wonderfully compact Canon Pixma all-in-one will happily fit into the snuggest of workspaces. At less than six inches high and just 15.9 inches wide, this is a miniature marvel as well as a powerful and flexible workhorse.

The 1.44-inch color screen makes scanning, copying and printing a breeze, and your new Canon is as comfortable chatting to Google Home and Alexa as it is to Internet of Things (IoT) devices, so you can explore its many tricks and features from the palm of your hand.

Microsoft Office Home & Student Edition 

The original suite of office software is still the benchmark against which all its rivals are measured, and the most widely used standard across both home and office.

Well established productivity standards like Word, Excel and PowerPoint are here brought bang up to date with cutting edge features for seamless online collaboration and OneDrive integration for effortless and secure file backup.

Want more holiday gift ideas? Explore Dell’s gift buying guide for a huge range of holiday tech.

I've been chasing the best gaming laptops for decades, playing the best PC games on over 100 beastly machines to push them to their limits. That's all to find out if they truly are worth their weight in gaming gold, as if there's one thing I've come to understand after years of testing, it's that these rigs are a major investment.

Whether it's a light yet powerful gaming laptop (check out the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14), a portable machine that approaches desktop-level performance (the Razer Blade 16 is what you're after), or something with real value for money (look towards the Lenovo Legion 5i for that), there are a lot of factors that go into choosing your gaming laptop of choice.

My team of experts and I have done the legwork for you, with years of experience testing, benchmarking and, of course, playing games on a wide range of machines to help you find the best gaming laptop for you.

Gaming laptops are only getting stronger, even if we're not expecting major GPU upgrades anytime soon. This year has already proved that with Nvidia announcing DLSS 5 coming this fall (whether it will be a significant improvement or not remains to be seen), and Intel's XeSS 3 is turning laptops of all kinds into capable gaming machines. We'll keep you updated on the latest, and for now, these are the gaming laptops to keep on your radar.

The best gaming laptops you can buy today

The best gaming laptop overall

As the headline of my review suggests, I took the new Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 on a 5,000-mile journey with me. And from firing up Cyberpunk the first time and seeing that silky smooth OLED gameplay, I already knew this was going to be the gaming laptop I'd recommend to everyone who asked me.

A lot of it remains the same — an identical gorgeous CNC-milled aluminum finish that gives serious MacBook Pro vibes, a stellar typing and clicking experience with a tactile keyboard and glass touchpad, and that delicious 14-inch 2880 x 1800 OLED display.

But inside, Asus has vastly increased the horsepower pairing to an AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 and up to an Nvidia RTX 5080. These together unlock a true beast in both prosumer productivity and (most importantly) monstrous gaming performance.

Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (RTX 5080) Gaming Tests

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Turn on DLSS 4 with multi-frame gen, and I was playing Cyberpunk at over 140 frames per second with max settings. When I remembered just the size and weight of this machine, it felt a little mind-bending to see just what it can do.

That being said, Asus hasn't managed to overcome the poor battery life of the G14's predecessor. Don't get me wrong, it did get an additional 45 minutes of playtime in my testing. But just like any gaming laptop, make sure you run games near a power outlet.

But with all that being said, this is a gaming laptop that doesn't forget about the "laptop" part of the equation, and that's why it keeps its position at the top of this list.

• Read our full Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) review

The best gaming laptop for value

I never thought I'd see it, but Lenovo's gone and pulled it off with the Legion 5i Gen 10 — a bona fide value for money gaming laptop that makes every penny of its $1,249 (£1,151) asking price totally worth it

Under the hood, you've got a performant Intel Core i7-13650HX (Ultra 7 255HX in the States) paired with RTX 5060 graphics, which are more than enough for stable, fluid 1080p gaming. Plus, that gaming looks drop-dead gorgeous on its 15-inch WQXGA OLED display. Colors melt off the screen, and that HDR quality makes it all the more immersive.

Lenovo Legion 5i (RTX 5060) Gaming Tests

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But what's most impressive to me is that in the cost-cutting measures to get this system, Lenovo's not forgotten about the laptop essentials — a solid build quality with an aluminum lid, great ergonomics including a fantastic keyboard and tactile touchpad, and plenty of I/O (including HDMI 2.1 around the back) for cable management.

There are a couple of cheaping-out moments that may frustrate you, including poor battery life and fans that can sound like a jet taking off under load. But that's gaming laptop 101: get a headset and always be plugged in!

These obstacles fade into the background in what is one of my favorite gaming systems, bringing a balanced, strong system for play that feels like you're getting a damn good deal buying it.

• Read our full Lenovo Legion 5i Gen 10 review

The best premium gaming laptop

For top-of-the-line specs in a supremely slim, lightweight and premium gaming laptop, set your sights on the Razer Blade 16 (2026). Just from the look of it, it's hardly surprising our reviewer, Tony Polanco, said it's one of the "loveliest-looking gaming laptops" around. Just make sure your bank account is prepared for its high cost.

Razer's latest 16-inch beast comes in a fantastically thin, portable design, but still leaves room for its vivid and bright 16-inch 2.5K (2560 x 1600) OLED display with a wicked-fast 240Hz refresh rate and 0.2ms response time, bringing out the best in visually stunning titles like Cyberpunk 2077 and fast-paced competitive shooters like Counter-Strike. It is quite glossy, though, so it's best used in darker rooms.

Razer Blade 16 (RTX 5090) Gaming Tests

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Expect to crank up settings to max settings, especially with the higher configurations available for the Blade 16. With the Intel Core Ultra 9 358H chipset and RTX 5090 GPU in the model we tested, this gaming laptop was reaching above 70 fps at 1440p resolution without DLSS 4 turned on, and that was with maxed-out graphics settings in AAA titles. No matter the game, this machine can make it shine.

Interestingly, another big perk is Blade 16's battery life. Gaming laptops aren't known to last too long, even when not gaming, but you can expect close to 13 hours of battery for productivity, which is an impressive feat (though still expect just under 2 hours while gaming).

When put under pressure, we noticed the Blade 16 gets loud and hot, likely due to its slim profile. Keep that in mind, and you'll find a premium gaming laptop that will last you for years to come. That is, if you have the funds, considering it can cost you up to $5,599 with the best specs. At the very least, prices start at $2,399 for lower configurations.

• Read our full Razer Blade 16 (2026) review

The best ultraportable gaming laptop

Put simply, this is the power of roughly an RTX 4070 gaming laptop in something the size of a tablet. The Asus ROG Flow Z13 is a Microsoft Surface Pro that ingested a whole lot of caffeine, and it's one of my favorite gaming systems ever. And now, for all you Death Stranding fans out there, there's the Asus ROG Flow Z13 Kojima Edition, and it boasts the highest configuration you can get for this marvelous gaming 2-in-1.

At just 11.8 x 8 x 0.6 inches, it's easily the smallest system on this list, and I know when I say the words "integrated graphics," a lot of you reading this guide will recoil in horror. But stick with me. AMD's Strix Halo chips are a true marvel in gaming performance.

I'm talking Cyberpunk 2077 at a solid 30 FPS and Red Dead Redemption 2 at 60 FPS (at the right settings, no less). If you turn on FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) tech for frame generation and resolution scaling, you can easily get these games running at over 100 FPS. And they look really rather pretty on that 500-nit display with a vibrant 82% DCI-P3 color gamut. But going the integrated route reveals two key superpowers here: battery life and versatility of play.

Asus ROG Flow Z13 (AMD Radeon 8060S) Gaming Tests

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Most of the laptops on this list will struggle to make it much further past the one-hour mark when disconnected from the charger. At over two hours in our lab testing, that integrated GPU knows how to slow sip that battery juice and keep you playing for longer (of course, mileage varies based on what kind of games you're playing).

Then there's the versatility. This is a 2-in-1, after all, and while the keyboard attachment feels shockingly good to play on, with good key depth and tactility, you could just ditch it altogether, pull out a Bluetooth controller, and play on your own dedicated superpowered tablet, too!

So long as you're prepared for a couple of other tablet-esque frustrations, like the limited number of ports and the price tag attached to this, there's nothing better for ultraportable gaming right now.

• Read our Asus ROG Flow Z13 (2025) review

The best 16-inch gaming laptop

The MSI Stealth 16 AI+ immediately stands out for its brilliant 16-inch, 240Hz OLED display, and that makes this a top pick for anyone after a sizeable 16-inch machine. But it does one better with the performance it brings to the table.

Under the hood, the Stealth 16 AI+ is powered by an Nvidia RTX 5060 GPU paired with Intel’s Core Ultra 9 386H Panther Lake processor, delivering impressive results in both gaming and demanding multitasking scenarios. In our tests, it achieved a strong 15,170 multi-core score on Geekbench 6. That isn't just thanks to the chip, as one tangible advantage of its design is the elevated hinge, which boosts airflow and helps the system handle sustained loads by improving thermal capacity and system cooling during those long gaming sessions (and demanding work days).

MSI Stealth 16 AI+ (RTX 5060) Gaming Tests

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The Stealth’s all-aluminum chassis feels substantial, and that goes a long way in giving it a premium aesthetic. Its revised design may have lost it some brownie points when it comes to portability compared to its predecessors (it's still an extremely thin gaming laptop), but it's all worth it for the performance it now boasts.

Now, is it really MSI's thinnest Stealth laptop to date? Technically, yes, and at 0.65 inches, this is one sleek 16-inch gaming laptop. But note that its bang hinge bumps up the thickness to 0.79 inches, so not quite the thinnest. Still, that elevated hinge offers better cooling for even greater performance, and even bumps battery life past 10 hours!

Along with its gorgeous OLED display with a super-high refresh rate for blockbuster PC titles and competitive gaming alike, and a wealth of ports (Thunderbolt 4 included), the MSI Stealth 16 AI+ is a very compelling, if pricey, choice.

• Read our full MSI Stealth 16 AI+ review

The best 18-inch gaming laptop

There are plenty of big-screen gaming laptops to choose from, but it's rare to find one that can also fit in a normal backpack. That's where the Razer Blade 18 comes in — packing mightily powerful specs into a big yet slim chassis that can be carried around.

Yes, of course, it's going to be heavy at 6.9 pounds, and it comes with the standard hefty Razer price tag too. But for what you get, this is a seriously good option for serious gamers. With a sustained 280W of power delivered to the CPU and GPU, this is capable of some beasty frame rates with all the ray tracing goodness turned on.

Compared to the astronomically expensive MSI Titan 18 HX, the Blade wins out easily — Metro: Exodus being 9.5% faster on Extreme detail, Marvel Rivals 20.8% faster on Ultra, and Assassin's Creed: Shadows at Ultra detail a whopping 24% faster.