The 15-inch gaming laptop has been the best spot for gamers over the years, and the Alienware 15 has been a favorite pick because of its stylish design and powerful specifications. The 15-inch screen is large enough to play games on the built-in display while yet being portable. The Alienware 15 R3 gaming laptop is the current third-generation model, with minor improvements in specifications and a mostly identical appearance. Intel’s newest Kaby Lake CPUs and Nvidia’s new graphics chips that are as powerful as their desktop counterparts are the new models.
However, the Alienware 15 R3 has heavy competition from the likes of Origin’s tiny EVO15-S and the even thinner Razer Blade today (2016). While the Alienware 15 R3 lacks the size and weight of its competitors. It more than holds its own when it comes to actual performance.
The Alienware 15 R3 starts at $1,100 (£1,349) and can be customized for up to $2,050 (£1,849), depending on storage and RAM options. In actuality, the Alienware 15 R3 cost $3,500 (about £2,737) with triple storage drives (two 1TB SSDs and a 1TB HDD) and 32GB of RAM.
The Alienware 15 R3 is not a cheap laptop, but its configurability allows you to select the features that are most important to you. However, only the newest Intel Kaby Lake Core i5-7300HQ or Core i7-7700HQ processors are available. You may choose from the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050, 1060, or 1070 for graphics.
The Alienware 15 R3 is a remarkable laptop. Due to its impressive size and RGB LEDs that cover almost every surface. But seriously, everything on this laptop glows, including the Alienware lettering, emblem, and even the trackpad. While the Alienware 15 R3 is clearly a gaming laptop. It avoids overwhelming you with unnecessary fins, red accents, or an unnecessarily aggressive design. With its metal, plastic, and rubber structure, we thought the laptop was attractive.
The Alienware 15 R3 has a 15.6-inch screen, but the bezels around the display make it feel more like a 17-inch. The light-up Alienware logo is located on the bottom display bezel, which is exceptionally big. In terms of size and weight, the Alienware seems like a laptop from the early 2000s when compared to the Origin EVO15-S, which also has a 15.6-inch screen. Great thermal performance and a huge, 10-keyless keyboard are the trade-offs for the large size and weight. While some may miss having a number pad, the large keyboard makes typing a delight, and there are gaming macro buttons that can be set up in software.
The AlienFX program allows you to customize the laptop’s RGB LEDs. There are some nice settings, but you can modify each LED to match your devices or even your team colors.
The two cameras for Windows Hello compatibility and Tobii eye-tracking are visible at the top of the display. Windows Hello is a fantastic way to instantly unlock your laptop without having to input a password. Tobii eye tracking is also functional, as we’ll see in the performance section.
Unsurprisingly, our top-of-the-line Alienware 15 R3 is a beast of a performance. The Alienware’s huge size and powerful fans ensured that the laptop could always operate at full speed. For those concerned about noise, the Alienware 15 R3 is noisy when fully loaded, but not as loud as a slimmer laptop like the Origin EVO15-S. The Alienware isn’t quiet by any means, but it’s hardly the loudest gaming laptop.
The NVIDIA GTX 1070 is a monster GPU that handled every game flawlessly on the laptop’s Full-HD display. Every game on our Alienware 15 R3 looked buttery smooth thanks to the 120Hz display with G-Sync support. Both the graphics hardware and the display on the Alienware pleased us much.
The only game that knocked the Alienware 15 R3 to its knees when running on Ultra settings was Deux Ex: Mankind Divided. The laptop achieved a slideshow-like frame rate of 16 frames per second (fps). When the graphics are set to high, the laptop maintains an acceptable 50 frames per second on average.
Windows Hello and Tobii eye-tracking function well, but with less precision than comparable computers. We discovered that the Alienware 15 R3 could only detect our faces from a certain distance; too far or too close, and the camera would not record our faces. In comparison, other computers, such as the Microsoft Surface Book, detected faces instantly from varying angles and distances. Tobii eye-tracking works effectively in games like The Division but may be bothersome. Fortunately, you can disable it.
The Alienware 15 R3’s battery life is about three to four hours, which is normal for a gaming laptop. the laptop lasted 3 hours and 13 minutes, and it lasted 4 hours and 4 minutes when looping Guardians of the Galaxy at half brightness. You’ll be able to work at the neighborhood café, but you’ll need to bring your charger with you every time you leave the house.
One thing to keep in mind is that the Alienware’s abundance of LEDs reduces battery life, so you’ll want to disable them in the AlienFX program if you want to extend your battery life. Sure, without the light show, no one will know how good of a player you are, but that’s the price you have to pay for a little extra battery life.
While the Alienware 15 R3’s display only has a resolution of 1,920 x 1,080, it’s more than adequate for gaming on the road. On the 15.6-inch display, we never feel like we need a higher resolution to enjoy gaming. Alienware provides a 3,840 x 2,160 UHD display in its most expensive configuration in the United States and as a £200 option in the United Kingdom, but we believe that resolution is excessive for mobile gaming.
With its 120Hz refresh rate and G-SYNC functionality, the monitor truly shines. Titles seem buttery smooth thanks to twice the refresh rate of a regular laptop display, which helps with games that need rapid reaction times. The display made Dirt Rally a joy to play, and the powerful GTX 1070 never missed a frame even when the settings were maxed up.
The Alienware 15 R3 comes standard with a Full HD, 60Hz display, but you can upgrade to a 120Hz panel for $150 (£120), which we believe is well worth it. Last but not minimum, the Alienware 15 R3 has only anti-glare, non-touch screens, which means it may be used outside. The optional 120Hz display has a brightness of up to 400 nits, so using the laptop near a window or outside is no problem.
In terms of performance and size, the Alienware 15 R3 is a monster of a laptop. We like how sturdy the laptop is and how understated the design is, at least for a gaming laptop.
The Alienware 15 R3 is a fantastic pick for individuals who are generally stationary, but the size may be a concern for those who like to take their laptops on the road regularly.
The big keyboard is ideal for gaming and includes a row of customizable macro buttons. The lighting software from Alienware is overwhelming at first, but it allows for a lot of flexibility. The best part is that any game runs smoothly on the Alienware 15 R3. The Nvidia GTX 1070 is a beast, especially when it comes to 1080p gaming. The system’s 120Hz and G-Sync enabled display is also a standout feature.
There’s no denying that the Alienware 15 R3 is a brick in comparison to thinner laptops like the Razer Blade (2016) and the Origin EVO15-S. The Alienware isn’t a laptop you should carry on the go without thinking about it. The 15 R3 isn’t a laptop for travelers.
The battery life is approximately average for a laptop in this price range, but you shouldn’t leave it too far from an outlet because it drains rapidly even while doing simple things like online browsing and word processing.
The Alienware 15 R3 is quite expensive in terms of value, especially in the more powerful variants. The intermediate combinations, we believe, reach a sweet spot in terms of price against performance. MSI, for example, sells tiny and light gaming laptops, but at a premium. The Alienware trades mobility for cost reasons, but discriminating gamers will appreciate the superior thermal performance.
The Alienware 15 R3 is not a laptop for everyone who enjoys gaming. Many gamers will be turned off by its large and hefty bulk, as well as its costly, top-of-the-line specifications. The 15 R3, on the other hand, is a terrific laptop for folks who spend most of their time stationary.
The Alienware’s gaming performance is remarkable, and we enjoy the tank-like design. The Alienware 15 R3’s thermal performance is exceptional, allowing it to operate at 100% for lengthy periods of time without missing a beat. The optional 120Hz Full-HD display, which made games appear buttery smooth, was similarly impressive.
If you enjoy the Alienware 15 R3’s appearance and don’t mind its size, you’ll be pleased with its performance, display, and build quality.
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