There’s no question AMD has been wooing more and more gamers on desktop, but if anyone doubted that this momentum also translates to the mobile market as well, this is perhaps the final piece of evidence: The new Alienware M15 is AMD-powered.
Alienware announced that its new 15-inch laptop would come with a Ryzen 5000 Series processor (AMD 5800H to 5900HX) along with an NVIDIA RTX 3060 or 3070 graphics processor. AMD’s cost-efficiency and multi-core performance can make a massive difference for the most complex games, especially for laptops with higher thermal tolerance.
There have been other AMD Ryzen 5000 gaming laptops. Still, this Alienware M15’s configuration might give it an excellent “performance for the weight,” which would make it ideal for gamers who move their computers around from time to time, but not too frequently.
The CPU performance could also be of interest for Creative users who deal with video encoding that could be high-CPU. The Alienware M15 is configurable with up to 32GB of RAM (user-replaceable), and that is awesome for anyone working with large media files.
The 4TB (2x 2TB) maximum SSD capacity is also highly desirable. If you opt for a single SSD at purchase time, the availability of a second slot is something that I recommend because it lets you easily upgrade, down the road, at a lower price.
The lack of 4K display might hold some Creative users back, but the 165Hz QHD option might be enough. Gamers can be more than happy with smoother 260Hz and 360Hz FHD options.
The Alienware M15 design leverages a prior design language, which has gathered a cult-like following of its futuristic look and neat lighting. I love the air intake and exhaust design in particular.
Other details in the specs caught my eye. Without listing everything, the 2.5Gbps Ethernet might be interesting for its low-latency potential and if you have corresponding networking at home. The HDMI 2.1 connector supports 4K 120FPS, which is ideal if you use some high-end TVs like recent LG OLED 4K TVs.
Unfortunately, there’s no support for Thunderbolt 3 or 4 because Thunderbolt is an Intel protocol, so USB 3.2 is the highest that you’ll get, mainly with USB-A ports.
Finally, the new Cherry Ultra Low Profile Keys keyboard is also something that I absolutely want to try asap, and if you’re on the same boat, that option will cost an extra $150. Ouch – but I would still want it.
Starting at $1793.98, the Alienware M15 is not cheap, but this kind of performance and build quality does come at a price. If we take it for a spin, we’ll have actual performance numbers and stats to guide you as you look for your next gaming laptop.
Filed in . Read more about Alienware, Dell and Gaming Laptops.