Founded in 1996, Alienware quickly made a name for itself manufacturing premium PCs. A decade later, Dell purchased the company and has continued to apply its design prowess. Today, you can buy all of Alienware’s active lineup directly from Dell.
Depending on whether you want to play on a desktop or laptop, there are a couple of clear winners in terms of performance. The Alienware Aurora R14 Ryzen desktop offers the best selection of modern high-end components, while the Alienware x17 R2 is among the top gaming laptops you’ll find.
There was a time when most gamers considered building your own PC a necessary rite of passage. Back then, it was also usually cheaper to assemble everything yourself. In 2022, the demand for high-end computer hardware has exploded while the supply has dropped sharply due to mostly unavoidable circumstances. Today, buying a prebuilt gaming PC may be the only choice a lot of gamers have if they want to get their hands on high-end equipment like modern graphics cards and top-of-the-line processors.
You can be confident you’re getting both performance and reliability when investing in an Alienware gaming PC. Another advantage is the variety of components Alienware offers within each of its lineups. For desktop PCs, keep in mind what kind of monitor you have or how much you’re willing to spend on a new one. There’s no need to spend big on a 4K, 144-hertz HDR gaming monitor if you’re starting with a budget-friendly PC. At the other end of the spectrum, a premium desktop model will let you drive some of the best gaming monitors.
In both the gaming laptop and desktop markets, it’s important to be aware of the different hardware capabilities. If you want to play the newest games in resolutions of 1440p or greater and at frame rates well above 60 frames per second, you’ll need an Intel Core i7 or AMD Ryzen 5800H processor. Similarly, cutting-edge 3D titles run best on an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 graphics processing unit or better. You’ll also need at least 16 gigabytes of RAM.
If you’re OK with Full HD resolution and 60-90 FPS, though, you can get by with a considerably smaller investment. Some of Alienware’s midrange offerings fill this niche well, delivering reliable performance for well under $2,000.
When looking at gaming laptops, keep in mind that they sacrifice a good deal of performance for their portability. On the other hand, they don’t usually require the same kind of high-octane output because laptop screens are smaller and have lower resolutions than desktop PCs. Luckily, Alienware does a great job of balancing price and performance across all its offerings.
There are more available configurations for this high-powered desktop than almost any other model. They include impressive hardware options from the budget-friendly GeForce RTX 3060 Ti GPU to the enthusiast-grade RTX 3090.
This one combines a high-end Intel CPU that supports overclocking with an RTX 3070 GPU that can run the latest AAA titles at or close to max settings. While it doesn’t pack the absolute most powerful hardware possible, its performance is as high as almost anyone could ask for.
Sold by Dell
There are several excellent hardware choices available with this line, and the base model is one of the most exciting, as it’s equipped with a highly efficient 8-core AMD CPU and midrange GeForce RTX graphics card that’s perfect for high frame rates at 1080p.
If you’re willing to make a couple of minor sacrifices, this powerful yet reasonably priced option is worth considering. Its 11th-generation Intel CPU isn’t exactly the newest, but all the hardware around it is easily capable of great performance for many years.
Sold by Dell
If you want a solid gaming PC that doesn’t break the bank, this one’s worth a look. Its performance is closer to entry-level than midrange, but it’s a great choice if you’re waiting until prices drop to buy a new high-end GPU.
Sold by Dell
There’s a wealth of hardware to choose from when ordering your x17, but the most important thing to remember is that it’s the most recent version of Alienware’s biggest laptop. It measures 17 inches diagonally and comes with your choice of premium display, with a variable refresh rate of up to an impressive 360 hertz.
Sold by Dell
While it is a slightly older version of the company’s top gaming laptop, it’s worth considering if you want the premium visual fidelity that you can only get from a 4K, 120-hertz display with an incredibly wide color gamut. This would make an incredible machine for professional photo and video editors.
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Features like a 12-core, 12th-generation Intel CPU and blazing-fast 5,200-megahertz RAM make it clear that this is a powerhouse of a gaming laptop. Its modern design and extensive port selection make it one of the most versatile options on the market.
Sold by Dell
In stark contrast to its premium models, Alienware’s m15 delivers good performance at a surprisingly reasonable price. Despite the cost, it’s no slouch in terms of performance, with a high-quality Ryzen 5800H central processor and 165-hertz 1080p screen.
Sold by Dell
They say good things come in small packages, and that’s especially true with the new x14 gaming laptop. It’s equipped with a host of recently released hardware and is one of the most powerful 14-inch notebooks on the market.
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Chris Thomas writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
