Its customizable RGB lighting and top-tier hardware make it a standout choice for gamers seeking style and power.

Price and Availability

The Alienware x16 R2 gaming laptop is priced between2,249.99and4,199.99.

It is available on Dell’s website, as well as other retailers.

iPhone 16e with iPhone 16 Plus and iPhone 16 Pro in hand against grey wall.

This gives the laptop a substantial weight and a luxurious feel.

This laptop is certainly equipped to be a desktop replacement if that’s what you need.

With a generous 1TB NVMe storage on board, it can effortlessly handle large files and demanding projects.

Be Quiet CPU cooler with RGB RAM and PC fan inside a gaming computer.

In my testing, I could model and render complex scenes in Blender without experiencing any noticeable performance slowdowns.

The CPU is truly remarkable, delivering outstanding performance on a wide range of tasks.

I was able to simultaneously run multiple virtual machines and Docker containers and compile code without any hiccups.

Another image of the Alienware x16r2 on a table

Jerome Thomas / How-To Geek

During gaming sessions, the screen shines with bright colors and smooth motion, effortlessly delivering 240Hz gameplay.

One minor quirk is that the screen appears slightly taller than those on other laptops.

Overall, this is an exceptional laptop screen that truly stands out.

x16r2

The Alienware x16 R2 is a high-performance gaming laptop designed for enthusiasts, featuring a sleek, premium build with a 16-inch display, powerful Intel Core processors, NVIDIA GeForce RTX graphics, and advanced cooling technology for optimal gaming experiences. Its customizable RGB lighting and top-tier hardware make it a standout choice for gamers seeking style and power.

This is a remarkable feat, consideringCyberpunk 2077is one of the most demanding PC games of all time.

The Core i9 and RTX 4080 combination is a true powerhouse that’s a joy to experience.

However, this exceptional performance comes at a significant cost: the laptop generates excessive heat.

Article image

The Alienware x16 R2 is a high-performance gaming laptop designed for enthusiasts, featuring a sleek, premium build with a 16-inch display, powerful Intel Core processors, NVIDIA GeForce RTX graphics, and advanced cooling technology for optimal gaming experiences. Its customizable RGB lighting and top-tier hardware make it a standout choice for gamers seeking style and power.

Where’s the Juice?

It uses Windows 11 to delegate when it should use the GPU and when it should use Intel ARC.

Despite this efficient technology, I’ve found the laptop’s battery life to be disappointingly short.

The side view of the X16r2.

Jerome Thomas / How-To Geek

However, even not gaming, the battery life isn’t much better.

This is with the screen brightness set to around 50% and the keyboard backlight turned off.

I love the keyboard on this laptopit feels nice to touch and isn’t stiff.

The Alienware app open on the PC.

Jerome Thomas / How-To Geek

The touchpad, like the keyboard, is illuminated with RGB lighting, which I don’t understand.

I mean, I just don’t see the point of it.

Thankfully, the keyboard and touchpad lighting can be turned off, so it’s not all bad.

The Alienware X16r2 has an Intel Ultra 9 CPU.

Jerome Thomas / How-To Geek

However, the speakers lack a deep, bassy tone and can sometimes sound a bit tinny.

Given the laptop’s premium price, I was expecting a bit more oomph from the speakers.

The webcam, on the other hand, is a letdown.

The Alienware X16r2 sitting on a table.

Jerome Thomas / How-To Geek

Still, it’s a shame that the webcam doesn’t live up to the laptop’s overall quality.

Honestly, I didn’t find much use for either of these applications.

When you first boot up the laptop, you’re greeted with a clean, stock Windows 11 setup.

The back of the X16r2.

Jerome Thomas / How-To Geek

Overall, the x16 R2 provides a straightforward, hassle-free Windows experience that lets you dive right into gaming.

Should You Buy the Alienware x16 R2?

Another image of the back of the X16r2.

Jerome Thomas / How-To Geek

The AlienwareFX app open on the X16r2.

Jerome Thomas / How-To Geek

The X16r2 keyboard.

Jerome Thomas / How-To Geek

The X16r2 touchpad is illuminated.

Jerome Thomas / How-To Geek

The x16r2 speakers.

Jerome Thomas / How-To Geek

The start menu in X16r2.

Jerome Thomas / How-To Geek

The file explorer on the x16r2.

Jerome Thomas / How-To Geek