If you’re looking for a powerful new gaming rig that’s powered by an AMD processor, Dell has some intriguing new options that are available right now. Today, the PC maker announced the launch of two Ryzen 6000-powered Alienware laptops, a Ryzen-powered Dell G15 laptop and an Alienware Aurora desktop with the powerful Ryzen 7 5800X3D, which is now one of the best gaming CPUs you can get.
Announced at CES back in January, the Alienware m15 R7 and m17 R5 (say those five times fast) are Dell’s new flagship gaming laptops in 15 and 17-inch form factors. Each comes with a choice of Ryzen 7 or 9 6000 series CPUs, up to 16GB or RAM and up to an RTX 3080 Ti GPU.
Alienware m17 R5 and m15 R7
| Alienware m17 R5 | Alienware m15 R7 | |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Up to AMD Ryzen 9 6980HX | Up to AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX |
| GPU | Nvidia Geforce RTX 30-series Laptop Graphics, Up to AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT (12GB GDDR6) | Nvidia RTX 30-series (up to 3080 Ti) |
| Display | 17.3 inches, 1920 x 1080, 165 Hz or 360 Hz with AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync, 3840 x 2160 120 Hz with AMD FreeSync and AMD SmartAccess Graphics | 15.6 inches, 1920 x 1080 (165 / 360 Hz) or 2560 x 1440 (240 Hz) |
| RAM | Up to 64GB DDR5-4800 | Up to 64GB DDR5-4800 |
| Storage | Up to 4TB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD | Up to 4TB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD |
| Networking | Mediatek Wi-Fi 6 or Qualcomm Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2 | Mediatek Wi-Fi 6 or Qualcomm Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2 |
| Ports | HDMI 2.1, 3x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, Ethernet, 3.5mm audio | HDMI 2.1, 3x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, Ethernet, 3.5mm audio |
| Battery | 64 Whr (standard), 97 WHr | 56 Whr (standard), 86 Whr |
| Weight | 7.3 pounds | 5.93 pounds |
| Starting Price | $1,599 | $1,499 |
Starting at $1,599, the Alienware m17 R5 is available with up to an AMD Ryzen 9 6980HX and a choice of either Nvidia graphics (up to RTX 3080 Ti) or AMD graphics (up to Radeon RX 6580M). Its 17-inch screen is available with either 1080p or 4K resolution panels with refresh rates ranging from 120 to 360 Hz. The rather bulky gaming rig weighs as much as 7.3 pounds.
The lighter-weight (but still not light), Alienware m15 R7 starts at $1,499 and tips the scales at 5.93 pounds. It’s available with up to a Ryzen 9 6900HX and up to RTX 3080 Ti graphics with no AMD GPU options.
AMD’s new Ryzen 6000 series mobile CPUs operate at up to 5-GHz (on the 6980HX model) with as many as 8 cores and 16 threads. If you opt for the m17 R5 with Radeon graphics, you can take advantage of AMD SmartShift, which shares a maximum power allowance between the CPU and GPU for better performance. You can also get AMD Smart Access Memory Technology which lets the CPU take better advantage of the GPU memory, and AMD Smart Access Graphics Technology which gives the graphics card more direct access to the display and promises a 15-percent increase in performance. If you want an all-AMD option, you’ll have to wait. While the models with Nvidia graphics are dropping today, the AMD Advantage version is coming “later this Spring.”
The new laptops have the same design aesthetic as other recent-gen Alienware notebooks, but they are only available in the dark gray “Dark Side of the Moon” color way. Both are available with a choice of keyboards, including one with the optional Cherry MX ultra low-profile mechanical switches, which we have really enjoyed in testing prior models. You can get either with up to 4TB of storage and up to 64GB of DDR5 RAM.
Dell G15 (5525)
If you want the latest Ryzen mobile CPU but can’t afford the Alienware m15 R7, Dell’s new G15 (5525) could be a better choice. Starting at $899, the affordable gaming laptop is available with up to a Ryzen 9 6900HX and RTX 3070 Ti graphics, though it has no AMD graphics option.
The G15 (5525) has a similar look to prior G15s with a premium, but not Alien-inspired, design and a prominent rear exhaust and port section. At 5.55 pounds, it’s a little lighter than the Alienware m15 R7 but it still has many of the more expensive laptop’s features, including DDR5 RAM, speedy NVMe storage and a choice of 1080p or 2K, high refresh rate screens. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have a mechanical keyboard option.
| Dell G15 (5525) | |
|---|---|
| CPU | Up to AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX |
| GPU | Nvidia RTX 3050, 3050 Ti, 3060 or 3070 Ti |
| Display | 15.6 inches 1920 x 1080 (120 Hz), 1920 x 1080 (165 Hz) or 2560 x 1440 (240 Hz) |
| RAM | Up to 32GB DDR5-4800 |
| Storage | Up to 2TB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD |
| Networking | Mediatek Wi-Fi 6 |
| Ports | HDMI 2.1, 3x USB 3.2 Type-A, 1x USB Type-C, Headphone, Ethernet |
| Battery | 56 Whr (standard), 86 Whr |
| Weight | 5.55 pounds |
| Starting Price | $899 |
Alienware Aurora Ryzen Edition R14
Dell’s Alienware Aurora Ryzen Edition R14 has been out already, but a new configuration option, which starts at $2,949, will feature the epic Ryzen 7 5800X3D CPU. When we reviewed the Ryzen 7 5800X3D, we were blown away by its 3D V-Cache, a 96MB stack of L3 cache that allows the 8-core, 16-thread chip to offer the best gaming performance on the market.
In our tests, AMD’s chip beat all of its competitors, including the pricey Intel Core i9-12900KS, at both 1080p and 1440p gaming. If you’re not gaming, Intel’s top chips perform slightly better in single or multi-threaded tasks, however.
The Aurora Ryzen Edition R14 also has a new “Advanced CPU Liquid Cooler” that promises a 42 percent improvement over a regular liquid cooler. It also has six different AlienFX lighting zones you can control for maximum bling.
| Alienware Aurora Ryzen Edition R 14 | |
|---|---|
| CPU | Up to AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D (or Ryzen 9 5950X) |
| GPU | Up to AMD Radeon RX 6900T or Nvidia RTX 3090 |
| RAM | Up to 128GB DDR4-3600 |
| Storage | Up to 4TB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD |
| Networking | 2.5G Ethernet, optional Wi-Fi 6 with Bluetooth 5.2 |
| Ports | 5x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, 4x USB 2 Type-A, 3x USB-C (10 Gbps), Audio jacks |
| Weight | 36.4 pounds |
| Starting Price | $2949 |