The new Alienware m16 R2 was announced at CES at the start of the year as the vanguard of the company’s laptop strategy for 2024. It features an all new design under the latest iteration of the company’s Legend Design language. But, like the Aurora R16 that was the first device under the new design language, I think Alienware has missed the mark and gone far too tame in its presentation.
Gone are the Interstellar designs that were seemingly built off secret tech salvaged from Area 51, Roswell. Instead we now have these very dull, inoffensive, Dell business notebook designs. Yes, the m16 R2 is lighter, more ergonomic and has better thermal performance than ever before but is that enough to convince buyers?
The new Alienware m16 R2 starts at $2700 and comes in limited configurations that let you choose between an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H or Ultra 9 185H processor and Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 or 4070 GPU’s. Everything else is pretty much the same with 1TB SSD, 16-inch 240Hz QHD display and one colour way — Dark Metallic Moon. Interestingly, on Dell.com’s configurator, it refuses to let you choose the RTX 4060 with Ultra 9 processor for some reason.
In this review, I’ll be looking at the higher spec m16 R2 with the Ultra 9 185H, RTX 4070 and 32GB DDR5 5600MT/s memory which comes in at $3,300. Not a bad price but I can’t help but frown at the lack of an OLED display option? Come on guys, this is the year of OLED. Now, after two weeks with the m16 R2, I am mostly left feeling void of emotion. You could remove all the branding from this device and I wouldn’t be able to tell that it’s an Alienware laptop.
Did Alienware play it too safe with this one?
Alienware m16 R2 Review
For the most part, the Alienware m16 R2 is your average 16-inch gaming laptop and the biggest points of note have less to do with the spec and more to do with its somewhat controversial redesign. Alienware cut off the signature rear shelf with its signature RGB light ring that we’ve become so accustomed to with previous Alienware laptops. Also gone are the two-tone colour paint job replaced with a rather generic ash black called Dark Metallic Moon.
In doing so, the m16 R2 looks far more like your average Dell Inspiron laptop than Alienware. Alienware is using soft edges with gentle curves to the sides of the laptop that softens the overall presentation and makes it easier to hold. The chassis is made from bead-blast anodised aluminium with a dark two-tone block. It feels sturdy and doesn’t pick up fingerprints or oil smudges easily. On the lid is minimal branding consisting of just the RGB Alien head and an etched 16 denoting the model.
Thankfully, the laptop is still very slim, just 2.35 cm and weighs 2.61kg making it great for carrying around in a backpack. One benefit of removing the rear shelf is that the m16 R2 is now easier to fit in your standard laptop bags and cases due to the reduced depth. Alienware still provides some ports on the back of the laptop which is great for cable management.
Your main DC power port, HDMI 2.1 and two Type-C ports with DisplayPort 1.4 live on the back. One of those Type-C supports Thunderbolt 4 with 15w Power delivery which is not really enough to keep the laptop going under load so forget about single cable setups. On the sides you get Micro-SD card slot, two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports, an RJ-45 Ethernet port and a universal 3.5mm headset jack. I would have loved one of the Type-C ports to be on the sides for easier access though.
Opening up the laptop reveals a 16-inch, 16:10, QHD rapid IPS display with a 240Hz refresh rate. For most people, this IPS is good enough but many might crave an OLED. The panel has a 3ms response and is Nvidia G-Sync compatible so gaming is smooth and stutter-free. For use outside of gaming, the panel boast 100% sRGB coverage which makes it good for anyone doing colour-sensitive work on the go. The colours are vibrant with decent contrast but there is no HDR – Alienware says the display is Dolby Vision compatible but I didn’t have any content to test that.
Above the display is a FHD webcam with Windows Hello support so you can login via facial recognition. It works pretty well too and I appreciated it being here. I honestly didn’t put the camera to the test because, who buys a gaming laptop for the webcam, right? What I did test though was the new 4-watt stereo speakers which are surprisingly good. Not only are they crisp and clear, but they have very impressive separation allowing you to clearly hear audio panning from one side to the other. I honestly raised an eyebrow when I first heard these.
Moving on to the keyboard, you don’t get a mechanical board but the standard board is nice and tactile with deep travel and little noise. Typing on the m16 R2 is good enough and the keys are individually backlit for some bright and vibrant RGB lighting. Alienware includes a few special hotkeys on the board to activate different performance modes as well as managing your media playback, lighting and so on.
The touchpad on the m16 R2 is a spectacle thanks to the RGB border that really brings it to life. The pad itself is fine, with smoothness and responsiveness to get the job done. I did feel that clicking the touchpad was more of a chore than I’d like but you can always use taps to activate things.
Performance and battery life
The changes made to the m16 R2’s chassis were influenced by internal alterations. Alienware claims that the internal layout was re-engineered to occupy up to 15% less space compared to the previous generation. Additionally, the thermal design was enhanced to provide more efficient airflow and cooling. Although I don’t have an R1 for comparison, I do have historical data from other gaming laptops in this class, and the m16 R2 certainly runs relatively cool and quiet.
It’s important to note that we have an RTX 4070 and a 16-core Intel Ultra 9 185H processor to keep cool in a 2.3cm thin laptop, which is no small task. Furthermore, the laptop offers several performance profiles that significantly impact thermals and noise levels, so the results will vary depending on the profile used. During all my testing, I kept the m16 R2 in Performance mode, which falls between Balanced and Turbo modes, as Turbo mode is too noisy. In heavy CPU tasks like Cinebench R23, the laptop reached highs of the high 80s, significantly lower than the 100C temperatures often seen in these thin gaming laptops in the past.
I conducted stress tests with 3DMark Speedway and found that the GPU never exceeded 75°C. During gaming, the temperatures were also reasonable, with the CPU averaging in the low 60s°C and the GPU in the low 70s°C. Surprisingly, the fan noise in performance mode was not as loud as I expected, and it gets even better when the m16 R2 is running its Stealth mode profile. This profile turns off the RGB lighting and reduces fan speeds to create a quieter experience. While it’s not perfectly quiet, you can game without disturbing others, like in a library.
In terms of performance, the Alienware m16 R2 excels. Every game tested at the native resolution of 2560×1600 with the highest graphical settings easily surpassed 60fps, with some, like Forza Horizon 5, reaching well into the hundreds. This impressive performance is largely due to the AI wizardry of DLSS 3 and Frame Generation, which significantly boosts performance without straining the GPU. Turn it off though and you’ll be languishing below 60fps so I truly believe that anyone with an Nvidia GPU should take advantage of these technologies.
However, I was unable to achieve anything close to the native 240Hz refresh rate of the panel. If you play games like CS:GO or Valorant, it’s possible to get close with the right settings and a lower resolution of 1080p. I can also confirm that while there is a noticeable difference in visual quality from 1600p to 1080p, it doesn’t detract from the overall gaming experience.
When using the m16 R2 with the power brick plugged in, it delivers good performance. However, without the power brick, the laptop only lasts about an hour during gameplay, similar to the ROG Ally. For light tasks like watching content or working with web and office applications, the battery lasts around 4.5 hours, which is lower than expected. The Alienware m16 R2 has a MUX switch to deactivate the Nvidia GPU for better battery life.
In my testing, I found that using Nvidia Optimus for GPU switching resulted in about an hour shorter battery life compared to manually turning off the GPU completely. Although 4-5 hours of battery life is decent, it’s not impressive for a $3000 laptop, especially considering other laptops like the Asus TUF A16 Advantage Edition can last up to 10 hours while being more affordable.
I also found it inconvenient to have to adjust settings in the software to enable longer battery life. Despite Alienware’s emphasis on the new Command Center application, I didn’t find it very useful apart from changing RGB lighting. The overclocking tools are still complex, and the Stealth mode, which was highlighted, is difficult to access as it’s hidden in an obscure page in the ACC. It would be more convenient if it had a hotkey.
Although the laptop’s battery life may require you to keep the charger nearby, the lighter, slimmer power brick is a positive aspect compared to previous Alienware models. I wouldn’t mind carrying it around.
Verdict
I want to reiterate that the new Alienware m16 R2 is a decent gaming laptop, but to answer my question at the beginning of this review, yes Alienware went too generic with this one. While companies like Asus have significantly improved their designs and brought modern OLED displays, Alienware chose to go with a safer, restrained approach. Some might prefer this but I don’t. Alienware’s are supposed to feel special and standout not just for their performance but also their aesthetic.
The Alienware m16 R2 doesn’t feel special in that way. Along with its middling battery life, average display and high price, it’s not top of mind for recommendations this year. I believe more people will choose the new Asus ROG Zephyrus G16, which offers a far superior build and an OLED screen for just a little more money. Ultimately, the Alienware m16 R2 is okay, but with such strong competition in this space this year, it needs to be more than just okay.
Alienware Australia kindly loaned the Alienware m16 R2 to PowerUp! for the purpose of this review
