At a look

Expert’s Rating

Pros

• Excellent CPU and GPU energy
• The QHD+ show is beautiful with a wealthy colour saturation
• The AlienFX RGB lighting is gorgeous

Cons

• It will get very popular and might throttle efficiency
• The rear port placement means it’s difficult to plug issues in
• The battery life is kind of brief

Our Verdict

The Alienware x16 is like the posh speedboat of 16-inch gaming laptops that leaves the competitors awash in its wake. This laptop computer seemingly has all of it: tons of energy, fashion, connectivity and all this in a brilliant skinny chassis measuring simply 0.73 of an inch thick.

Price When Reviewed

2949.99

Best Prices Today: Alienware x16

$2949.99

$3,249.99

The Alienware x16 is a standout 16-inch gaming laptop computer in nearly each respect. It’s extremely skinny, however robust and impeccably styled with a chassis diffuse with really gorgeous RGB accents that go far past what rivals obtain. But it’s not simply showy, it’s additionally a formidable gaming machine, with desktop-caliber silicon that makes mincemeat of AAA video games. What’s extra, it sports activities a keyboard with a desktop-like really feel. While our efficiency testing reveals the x16 can get fairly sizzling at occasions, that doesn’t seem to have a lot bearing on gaming efficiency, which stays within the higher echelon of our PCWorld efficiency charts.

Looking for extra choices? Check out PCWorld’s roundup of the best gaming laptops out there proper now.

Alienware x16: Specifications

The Alienware x16 is offered in a spread of configurations and at costs appropriate for various budgets. Prices begin at $1,799.99 for a configuration with an Intel Core i7-13620H CPU, Nvidia RTX 4050 GPU, 16GB DDR5 RAM, a QHD+ show with 165Hz refresh price and 1TB SSD storage.

Choosing essentially the most premium {hardware} for every class on Dell’s web site, nonetheless, will land you a mannequin with an Intel Core i9-13900HK CPU, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 GPU, 32GB DDR 5 RAM, 4TB SSD Storage and both a FHD+ show with 480Hz refresh price or QHD+ show with 240Hz refresh price.

My evaluation unit leans in direction of the higher finish of the value spectrum costing $2,949.99 at Dell. It sports activities an i9-13900HK processor, however with an RTX 4080 GPU and QHD+ show with 165Hz refresh price. Below I’ve damaged down its actual specs as follows:

• CPU: Intel Core i9-13900HK
• RAM: 32GB DDR5 / 6000MHz
• GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080
• Display: 16-inch, QHD+ (2560 x 1600) decision, non-touch, 100% sRGB, 165Hz refresh price, 3 ms response time, Advanced Optimus, Nvidia G-Sync
• Storage: 1TB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD
• Ports: 2 x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 (with PowerShare), 1 x USB-C Gen 2 (with DisplayPort), Thunderbolt 4 port, 3.5 mm combo Audio jack, HDMI 2.1, mini Displayport, microSD card slot
• Networking: Wi-Fi 6E (802.11 ax), Bluetooth 5.3
• Weight: 6lbs (2.72kg)
• Dimensions: 14.36 x 11.41 x 0.73 inches
• Battery: 90WHr
• Price: $2,949.99 at Dell

How does the Alienware x16’s worth examine to rivals?

The x16’s essential competitors comes from the Razer Blade 16 and the Asus ROG Zephyrus M16, that are each glorious 16-inch gaming laptops in their very own proper.

Looking first on the Razer Blade 16 and you’ll presently buy a mannequin with an Intel Core i9-13950HX CPU, RTX 4080 GPU and QHD+ 240Hz show for $3,599.99. We reviewed a configuration with RTX 4090 GPU again in May, and it had nice battery life and excelled in most different efficiency benchmarks, but it’s presently carrying a price ticket of $4,300 – a cool $1,350 greater than our x16.

Alternatively, a close to configuration of the Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 comes with an Intel i9-13900HX CPU, RTX 4080 GPU and a QHD+ 240Hz show, and ships for $2,699.99. While we don’t have efficiency stats on this configuration, this evaluation reveals our x16 can outperform an $1,699.99 M16 mannequin with RTX 4070 GPU and Core i9-13900H CPU, besides on the subject of battery life and our PCWorld HandBrake take a look at (see the efficiency graphs beneath).

Alienware x16: Design and construct

The Alienware x16 belongs to Dell’s X-Series of gaming laptops, that are designed to be particularly skinny gaming laptops, so it’s made with portability in thoughts. That being so, it’s the thinnest 16-inch laptop computer with RTX 4080 collection GPU you will see. How slender is it? It’s simply 0.73 of an inch by way of its middle, which beats rivals just like the Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 and Razer Blade 16. Its full dimensions are 14.36 x 11.41 x 0.73 inches.

Even so, the x16 is constructed like a tank, showcasing a robust magnesium alloy chassis and flex-less aluminum lid. The base is strengthened with chrome steel and feels utterly immovable. Looking across the chassis, you’ll discover eye-catching options in every single place together with its honeycomb-patterned vents, rounded edges, and large speaker grilles.

With numerous steel comprising the laptop computer, the x16 is, nonetheless, fairly heavy – it weighs six kilos (2.72kg) all up. That’s light-weight sufficient to be movable, however nonetheless fairly hefty to raise. Though, that’s unlikely to discourage players who will doubtless be enticed by the chance to commerce of their heavier 17-inch laptops for a premium, smaller-sized unit.

To styling, and I’ve at all times discovered Dell’s Alienware laptops to have gorgeous gamer-centric attraction and the x16 isn’t any totally different. The laptop computer’s anodized aluminum end in a Lunar Silver colour contrasts properly in opposition to the black base and palm rests. On the lid you’ll discover an iconic AlienFX emblem accompanied by a big, debossed letter X which appears to be like elegant.

Additionally, there are dazzling RGB accents all through the chassis, illuminated by at least 100 micro-LEDs. As nicely because the AlienFX emblem, the standouts amongst them embrace the RGB touchpad and an RGB tron ring embedded within the white plastic casing that covers the rear aspect of the chassis.

Dominic Bayley / IDG

To me, the trackpad is the actual gem of the bunch. It ripples with good colour like some type of luminescent airplane touchdown strip. It seemed completely aplomb in opposition to the darkish wooden of my buffet aspect desk. Alienware says it’s additionally 15 p.c bigger in measurement than the trackpad within the 2022 Alienware x17, so one in all final 12 months’s ache factors has been aptly addressed.

All of this RGB may be customized with as much as 16.8 million colours within the AlienFX software program app. Additionally, Alienware has launched new RGB lighting behaviors which it’s also possible to program within the AlienFX software program. They embrace scanner, loop and rainbow wave results, all of which take the RGB expertise past what most gaming laptops obtain.

The different huge noteworthy level about this laptop computer’s design is the cooling system. The many vents across the chassis are the primary clue that the laptop computer has formidable cooling {hardware} in it, however there’s one other huge clue hiding in plain sight. On the underside a big perimeter foot has been added for raise and to permit air to circulate by way of to the laptop computer’s inner quad-fans.

These followers, mixed with the laptop computer’s vapor chamber and the encapsulated Element 31 cooling agent which Alienware has utilized to the CPU and GPU, comprise the principle parts of the x16’s Cryo-tech cooling system.

Alienware x16: Keyboard

The x16’s low-profile per-key lit RGB keyboard with CherryMX mechanical switches felt type of like a desktop keyboard to me. That mentioned, I actually loved the satisfying click on of the switches, which made me really feel like I used to be in entrance of a decked-out desktop rig slightly than a confined laptop computer.

Dominic Bayley / IDG

The keyboard additionally felt very spacious. Alienware has very considerately unnoticed a numpad, so my fingers by no means felt cramped. The keys additionally felt suitably roomy. Despite being low set, they’ve a beneficiant 1.8 mm journey, but they nonetheless have sufficient upward pressure to reply at lighting pace, which allowed me to fireplace off macros with machine-gun like tempo.

The keys additionally didn’t really feel the slightest bit wobbly or mushy. Of course, as with the remainder of the RGB within the x16, they’re customizable to 16.8 million colours and with a spread of fascinating results within the AlienFX software program app.

Alienware x16: Connectivity

All of the x16’s ports are positioned in a neat groove on the rear of the laptop computer. Overall, the choice is extraordinarily helpful, with a diversified choice to help all my normal wants – for gaming, streaming, and managing recordsdata.

In addition to the compulsory USB-C, USB-A and HDMI ports, you’ll discover a mini-DisplayPort and a microSD card slot – each rarities in a gaming laptop computer and good options to have. One of the USB-C ports is a Thunderbolt 4 port too, which I put to good use, instantly downloading my gaming library in a fraction of the same old time it takes me.

Dominic Bayley / IDG

Despite these connectivity wins, the x16’s awkward rear port placement did imply I needed to frequently flip the laptop computer round to plug gadgets in. On the upside, this additionally meant I gained somewhat more room both aspect of me for my espresso mug.

An even bigger grievance was that the RGB tron ring made the ports so troublesome to see that I wanted to make use of my telephone’s mild characteristic to light up them. It was only a small inconvenience, however one that will lead to some customers selecting to modify the RGB off there.

Alienware x16: Display and audio

Many a strong gaming laptop computer is let down by a substandard show however the Alienware x16’s QHD+ (2560 x 1600) show is an actual gem, brimming with saturated colour and boasting deep commanding blacks.

It’s fairly tall, and in the event you haven’t but skilled the complete advantage of a panel with a 16:10 facet ratio), I extremely suggest it. For me, I savored having a complete half inch or so of additional area on the far prime to get pleasure from video games like DOTA 2 and Age of Empires, the place I benefited from the additional map area. The element was additionally very crisp and the movement eminently easy – and that’s regardless of my evaluation unit sporting a 165Hz refresh price – think about how fast the configuration with a FHD+ (1920 x 1200) 480Hz refresh price have to be!

The laptop computer’s 1080p webcam is sort of invisible within the prime bezel. On the entire it produces respectable photographs, though at occasions I did discover a milky sheen beneath vibrant lights.

To make sure the x16’s audio high quality is a lower above the remaining, Alienware has integrated at least six audio system within the chassis, consisting of 4 woofers and two upward firing tweeters. These audio system have been co-designed with Dolby, for Dolby Atmos help and so they produce a wealthy and diversified tonal vary with a stable bass drop and powerful mid-tones that actually deliver a depth to video games with wealthy storylines.

Alienware x16: CPU efficiency

My evaluation unit’s i9-13900HX CPU makes use of desktop-caliber silicon in a cellular bundle. It incorporates a complete of 14 cores (6 Performance Cores and eight Efficient Cores) that function as much as a mixed max turbo frequency of 5.4GHz. Supporting the CPU is 32GB of DDR5 RAM working at a really fast 6000MHz clock pace.

To gauge the CPU’s efficiency functionality, I ran PCWorld’s normal duo of CPU-based benchmarks and in contrast the outcomes in opposition to laptops with confirmed excessive efficiency gaming chops. That lineup was nicely represented by 16-inch laptops, at the least one in all which additionally sported an Intel HX i9 CPU – a Razer Blade 16 configuration with an Intel Core i9-13950HX.

The outcomes of the primary benchmark, Maxon’s Cinebench R20 Multi-Threaded benchmark, present the x16’s i9-13900HX to be extraordinarily potent – it even beat out the Razer Blade 16 with a rating of 7808. In principle this result’s comfy proof that the x16 ought to be a stellar performer in duties that make the most of all or a number of threads of its CPU – duties like working AAA video games or encoding massive recordsdata.

Dominic Bayley / IDG

The subsequent consequence which comes from a bespoke take a look at in our PCWorld HandBrake utility casts a small shadow on that distinctive Cinebench efficiency. In this take a look at the laptop computer was given the duty of encoding a 30GB MKV file to MP4 utilizing the android pill preset – with a shorter period thought-about a greater end result.

The “shadow” right here is thermal throttling; the Alienware x16 completed the duty a lot slower than the gaggle of comparisons, together with just a few with much less spectacular CPUs. It additionally felt extraordinarily sizzling to the contact, reaching temperatures of round 172 Fahrenheit as the duty neared completion. Just to ensure this wasn’t a one-off anomaly I re-ran the identical take a look at two extra occasions, however the end result was the identical.

Dominic Bayley / IDG

What does this imply? While throttling in itself isn’t dangerous for the laptop computer – it’s simply the laptop computer defending its {hardware} from an excessive amount of warmth – it does recommend the x16 gained’t at all times carry out at its peak. Looking on the slenderness of the chassis and the wattage and {hardware} on supply, some throttling might be going to be anticipated, but Alienware guarantees lots with its Cryo-cooling system and it ought to actually have been as much as the duty right here.

Without finishing up an in-depth evaluation of what’s inflicting the throttling, it’s arduous to say what’s happening. It would possibly merely be a bug within the software program. Regardless, and regardless of this discovering, the outcomes of the 2 checks nonetheless present there’s large CPU energy out there within the x16.

Alienware x16: Gaming efficiency

Previous PCWorld evaluations have already revealed the excellent energy of Nvidia’s cellular GeForce RTX 4080 GPU – like within the just lately reviewed 2023 Razer Blade 14, which has a Total Graphics Power (TGP) of 140-watt. Here I got down to see what the identical GPU may do tuned to a most 175-watt TGP within the x16.

To that finish, 3DMark’s Time Spy benchmark offered an eagle eye view of the graphics energy on supply. Here within the graph beneath, you’ll be able to see the x16’s GPU comfortably outperformed a spread of GPUs – together with the Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 with its step-down RTX 4070 GPU. Against the Razer Blade 16’s beefier RTX 4090 GPU, the x16 additionally carried out admirably.

Dominic Bayley / IDG

On to the gaming benchmarks, and on this case, the outcomes had been gleaned from working the Rise of the Tomb Raider and Shadow of the Tomb Raider benchmarks. In SoTTR, the x16 outperformed the Razer Blade 16 and the remainder of the sector of comparisons, whereas within the RoTTR benchmark our evaluation unit punched above its GPU division to match the Razer Blade 16’s fps rating blow for blow.

Dominic Bayley / IDG

Dominic Bayley / IDG

When ray-traced graphics efficiency turned the principle defining issue, nonetheless, the Razer Blade 16’s GPU pulled away barely from the x16’s RTX 4080 GPU, as demonstrated by the outcomes of the 3DMark Port Royal benchmark.

Dominic Bayley / IDG

This is to be anticipated contemplating the upper variety of ray tracing cores within the RTX 4090 (76 versus 58) and means that this specific configuration of the Blade 16 will doubtless have an edge over the x16 in video games that rely closely on ray-traced graphics.

Overall, these outcomes present the RTX 4080 in my x16 is a pressure to be reckoned with – its GPU is extremely able to producing glorious body charges in richly textured video games and can doubtless haven’t any hassle with different graphically demanding duties, like video enhancing or rendering 3D fashions.

It’s price noting too, that these outcomes had been achieved regardless of the laptop computer once more getting very popular, which signifies that the throttling we noticed earlier than is unlikely to be a lot of a hindrance to gaming efficiency – at the least on this configuration of the x16 with RTX 4080 GPU.

Alienware x16: Battery life

To take a look at the battery life, I waited till the laptop computer was at full cost then switched off the keyboard backlighting and in addition switched the Wi-Fi to Airplane Mode. I additionally turned the sound all the way down to 50 p.c and plugged an affordable pair of headphones in to manage noise. Last however not least, I unplugged the facility and set a 4K Hollywood film to repeat. I then timed how lengthy it took for the battery to expire of juice.

Dominic Bayley / IDG

The Alienware x16 lasted simply 4 hours and 20 minutes earlier than switching to standby mode. This means you’re unlikely to get very lengthy gaming time with the facility twine unplugged – I estimate simply two hours. Therefore, the x16 is mostly a laptop computer finest used plugged in to an AC outlet.

Alienware x16: Should you purchase it?

The Alienware x16 hits dwelling runs in nearly each class, being skinny, stable, trendy and with a stellar QHD+ show that brings textured gaming environments to life in vivid realism. It additionally has a satisfyingly desktop-like mechanical keyboard.

Despite working fairly sizzling at occasions, the x16 outperforms a robust subject of rival 16-inch contenders in GPU and CPU efficiency and produces spectacular body charges in AAA video games. This makes it an especially worthy proposition for players chasing the most effective efficiency in a 16-inch gaming laptop computer.