Alienware x15 R1, Alienware x17 R1 Debut as Brand's Thinnest Gaming Laptops

Alienware x15 R1 and Alienware x17 R1 gaming laptops have been unveiled as part of a new series by the Dell-owned subsidiary Alienware. The new models have a compact build that is touted to be the thinnest in their segment. Particularly for the Alienware x15, the company calls it the “world's most powerful sub-16mm 15-inch gaming laptop” to date with 15.9mm of thickness. This is close to the 15.8mm-thickness offered by the recently launched Razer Blade 15 Advanced. Both new machines come with 11th Gen Intel Core H-series mobile processors. The Alienware x17 in the series additionally comes with an optional Cherry MX mechanical keyboard to deliver a distinct experience to PC gamers.

Alienware x15 R1, Alienware x17 R1 price

The Alienware x15 R1 carries a starting price of $1,999.99 (roughly Rs. 1,45,800), while the Alienware x17 R1 will be available at a starting price of $2,099.99 (roughly Rs. 1,53,100). Alienware, however, has not provided the pricing of higher configurations available with both the models. The company said in a statement that limited configurations of both new Alienware x-series laptops will be available in the US starting Tuesday (June 1), and their full configuration will go on sale from June 15.

Details about the pricing and availability of the Alienware x15 R1 and Alienware x17 R1 in India and other markets are yet to be revealed.

Alienware x15 R1 specifications

The Alienware x15 R1 is the company's slimmest gaming laptop. But to make it so sleek, Alienware has used multiple advancements in its thermal technologies. These include the proprietary Alienware Cryo-Tech that is claimed to deliver up to 25 percent improvement in thermal resistance over other gaming laptops by using a thermal interface material called Element 31. This is a proprietary, gallium-silicon liquid metal material that exists between the CPU and their thermal elements to disperse heat and mitigate spikes in core temperatures.

The company has also offered its HyperEfficient Voltage Regulation that is aimed at extending performance during long hours of gameplay. Further, the machine includes a Smart Fan control technology that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to enable each fan to independently spin-up, slow-down, or remain steady according to various sensors placed around core system components.

In addition to thermal management-focussed advancements, the Alienware x15 R1 is built using the company's Legend 2.0 design identity that comes with a “Dark Core” chassis. It essentially adds a black keyboard deck to reduce screen reflections. It also features on the Alienware m15 R5 and m15 R6 machines earlier.

The Alienware x15 has a 15.6-inch display with configuration options that include 1080p resolution/ 360Hz refresh rate or 1440p resolution/ 240Hz refresh rate. Customers can also add on ComfortView Plus, which is a hardware-based, low-blue-light technology to help reduce eye strain. There is up to Intel Core i9-11900H CPU, paired with up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 GPU (8GB of dedicated GDDR6 memory), and up to 32GB of DDR4 RAM. The laptop has storage space of up to 4TB.

The gaming laptop packs an 87WHr battery that is paired with a 240W power adapter. The Alienware x15 R1 also comes in configurations that include Windows Hello IR camera for biometric login. You'll also get a range of connectivity options including USB Type-C and USB-A ports as well as a bundled USB Type-C-to-Ethernet adapter. Besides, the laptop weighs 2.27 kilograms and goes up to 2.36 kilograms for the highest configuration.

Alienware x17 R1 specifications

Just like the x15 R1, the Alienware x17 R1 has features including Element 31 for thermal management and HyperEfficient Voltage Regulation for extended performance. It, however, offers a larger, 17.3-inch display with 1080p resolution/ 360Hz refresh rate or 1440p resolution/ 120Hz refresh rate as options. The laptop is powered by up to Intel Core i9-11980HK CPU, paired with up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 GPU (16GB GDDR6 memory), and up to 64GB DDR4 RAM. It also comes with up to 4TB of onboard storage. The Alienware x17 R1 also has the same connectivity options as the x15 R1, though the bigger machine has a built-in Ethernet port in addition to USB ports.

Alienware x17 R1 comes with a 17.3-inch display that has 120Hz and 360Hz refresh rate options
Photo Credit: Alienware

The Alienware x17 R1 is also thicker and heavier with 20.9mm of thickness and a starting weight of 3.02kg.