• Better gaming machine

  Alienware x16 R2

  Operating System

  Windows 11 Home

  CPU

  Up to Intel Core Ultra 9

  GPU

  Up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU

  RAM

  Up to 32GB LPDDR5X 7467MT/s

  Storage

  Up to 8TB

  Battery

  90Wh

  The new Alienware x16 R2 delivers everything we love about these premium gaming laptops. It packs incredible hardware into a slim, compact frame, delivering plenty of horsepower for running the latest games. Its QHD+ 240Hz display also looks great, and it offers enough ports in the back to let you turn this laptop into a desktop if you want to. The only thing we don't like is the price.

  Pros & Cons

  • Excellent gaming performance
  • Powerful GPU options
  • QHD+ 240Hz display with G-Sync
  • Slim, sleek frame

  • No Ethernet port
  • Expensive

  $2100 at Dell
• Better value

  Alienware M16 R2 Gaming Laptop

  Operating System

  Windows 11 Home

  CPU

  Up to Intel Core Ultra 9

  GPU

  Up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU

  RAM

  Up to 64GB DDR5 5600 MT/s

  Storage

  Up to 8TB

  Battery

  90Wh

  The Alienware M16 R2 features a comprehensive redesign differentiating it from the brand's other laptops. It's a nice redesign that makes for a solid all-around laptop, but it makes a few compromises, setting it behind the X16 R2 as a gaming machine. It offers fewer GPU options, maxing out at the RTX 4070, and its RAM is considerably slower. On the flip side, it's a much better value in its base configuration.

  Pros & Cons

  • Considerably cheaper
  • QHD+ 240Hz display with G-Sync
  • Unobtrusive design

  • Weaker GPU options
  • Slower RAM

  $1500 at Dell $1850 at Best Buy

Alienware is a top-tier gaming laptop brand that releases new machines every year. So far in 2024, we've seen the launch of the new Alienware x16 R2 and m16 R2, two flagship gaming laptops that follow very different design philosophies. While they're both instantly recognizable as Alienware laptops, the m16 R2 is a marked departure from earlier models. But these are gaming laptops, and performance matters most here, which raises the question: which is better? Let's compare them side-by-side and find out.

Price, specs, & availability

The Alienware x16 R2 and m16 R2 are new for 2024, with Dell revealing them at this year's CES event. The Alienware x16 R2 and m16 R2, in their base configurations, come with an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H CPU and 16GB of RAM. However, the Alienware m16 R2 is cheaper, with a sticker price of $1,600, considerably less than the $2,100 starting price of the x16 R2.

Each laptop offers upgrade options for CPU, GPU, RAM, and storage (but we'll get into the weeds regarding specs later). Both are available for order through Dell's website. The Alienware m16 R2 is also on sale at select retailers such as Best Buy, and we expect the x16 R2 to become increasingly available from third-party outlets in the coming months.

• 	Alienware x16 R2	Alienware M16 R2 Gaming Laptop
  CPU	Up to Intel Core Ultra 9	Up to Intel Core Ultra 9
  GPU	Up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU	Up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU
  Display (Size, Resolution)	16-inch QHD+ (2560 x 1600)	16-inch QHD+ (2560 x 1600) 240Hz, 3ms, 100% sRGB, NVIDIA G-SYNC
  RAM	Up to 32GB LPDDR5X 7467MT/s	Up to 64GB DDR5 5600 MT/s
  Storage	Up to 8TB	Up to 8TB
  Battery	90Wh	90Wh
  Ports	1x Thunderbolt 4, 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, 2x USB Type-A 3.2 Gen 2, 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x mini-DisplayPort, 3.5mm headphone jack, 1x SD card reader	1x Thunderbolt 4, 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, 1x HDMI 2.1, 3.5mm headphone jack, 1x microSD card reader, 1x RJ45 Ethernet
  Operating System	Windows 11 Home	Windows 11 Home
  Wi-Fi connectivity	Wi-Fi 7	Wi-Fi 7
  Bluetooth	Bluetooth 5.4	Bluetooth 5.4
  Dimensions	14.36x11.41x0.73 inches (364.81x289.98x18.57mm)	363.90x249.40x23.50mm (14.33x9.81x0.93 inches)
  Weight	Starts at 6 lb (2.72 kg)	2.61 kg (5.75 lb)
  Speakers	Six speaker setup (2x 2W tweeters, 4x 3W woofers)	Six speaker setup (2x 2W tweeters, 4x 3W woofers)
  Colors	Lunar Silver	Dark Metallic Moon
  Price	Starting at $2,100	Starting at $1,500

Design

Newer isn't always better

For the Alienware m16 R2, Dell opted for a complete redesign of its flagship gaming laptop. That was a sensible idea, as there was not much differentiating the m16 from other models in the Alienware line, such as the x16 (at least in terms of design language, anyway). The new m16 R2 does away with the protruding "rear end" that's been a fixture of Alienware laptops for years, which reduces some bulk from behind by about an inch and a half. The trade-off is that the overall design is now thicker: the Alienware m16 R2 measures 0.93 inch thick, which is noticeable compared to the 0.73-inch-thick chassis of the x16 R2.

By contrast, the Alienware x16 R2 is a more typical "spec bump" upgrade, boosting some internal hardware but not reinventing the wheel. On the other hand, the port array is very similar between the two. Both have one Thunderbolt 4 port, one USB-C port, two USB-A ports, an HDMI 2.1 connection, a 3.5mm audio jack, and a microSD card reader. The m16 R2 also has an Ethernet port, which the x16 R2 lacks. While the new m16 R2 is interesting, it's still a pretty bulky laptop, so we're not sure the redesign solves any problems. Overall, we like the slimmer, sleeker-looking Alienware x16 R2. It would be nice to have an Ethernet port, though.

Winner: Alienware x16 R2

Display

Both are fine, but could be brighter

The Alienware x16 R2 and m16 R2 sport very similar 16:10 display panels. This aspect ratio is quickly becoming the new standard, especially for premium laptops such as these. Both offer a QHD+ resolution of 2560x1600, a snappy 3ms response time, and a smooth 240Hz refresh rate. The displays are bright and color-accurate, but curiously, they only offer a peak brightness of 300 nits. That's not a deal-breaker, as it's not likely you'll be gaming on your laptop outside, but we'd still prefer to see more brightness from laptops at these price points.

Besides the mediocre brightness, the Alienware x16 R2 and m16 R2 screens are excellent for laptops with GeForce RTX 40-series mobile GPUs. You'll be able to enjoy the latest games at 1600p, while the 240Hz panel will allow you to comfortably kick up the framerate for a buttery smooth experience. Both panels also support G-Sync to help you get the most out of those Nvidia graphics cards.

Winner: Tie

Performance

The x16 has more options, but you'll pay for it

The Alienware x16 R2 and m16 R2 feature very different designs yet very similar displays, but let's face it: what counts is under the hood. These are gaming laptops, after all, and the guts matter most when running the latest titles with the settings cranked up. They run on Intel's latest Core Ultra mobile chips, and you can equip either one with the Core Ultra 7 155H or Core Ultra 185H, both highly capable 16-core processors. Both laptops also offer between 1TB and 8TB of solid-state storage.

The main hardware differences between the Alienware x16 R2 and m16 R2 lie in the GPU options and the RAM. You can configure the m16 R2 with the GeForce RTX 4050, RTX 4060, or RTX 4070 mobile graphics. The x16 R2 packs the RTX 4060 in its base configuration, with the RTX 4070, RTX 4080, and RTX 4090 available as upgrades. That gives the x16 R2 more gaming muscle, an advantage compounded by the faster 7467 MT/s LDDR5X RAM. For comparison, the DDR5 memory inside the m16 R2 is clocked at 5,600 MT/s. Both laptops come standard with 16GB of RAM, although the x16 R2 maxes out at 32GB, whereas you can configure the m16 R2 with up to 64GB.

However, that doesn't negate the advantages of the x16 R2, and all that RAM seems somewhat unnecessary. A bigger benefit in favor of the m16 R2 is its lower price, especially in its standard configuration. However, this advantage becomes less of an edge once you start adding upgrades. Overall, the Alienware x16 R2 is the better performer, and gaming enthusiasts are likely to opt for something more than the base specs.

Winner: Alienware x16 R2

Battery life

Neither is great, as you'd expect

Battery life is never a strong suit of gaming laptops, given their energy-hungry hardware and the power demands of modern games. The Alienware x16 R2 and m16 R2 are no exception. You get a 90 watt-hour battery with either one, and although the new Intel Core Ultra CPUs are more efficient than their predecessors, you can expect about two to four hours of battery life. That said, we can all admit that anybody looking for a gaming laptop probably doesn't consider battery life a deciding factor. You'll probably be plugged in when gaming, anyway, lest your hardware performance suffer. Lousy battery life is one of the inevitable trade-offs of packing powerful gaming hardware into a PC you can fit in your backpack.

Winner: Tie

Which one should you buy?

These are gaming laptops, and in that light, the Alienware x16 R2 is the superior machine to the m16 R2. It's slimmer and offers more powerful GPU options backed by faster RAM. The new Alienware m16 R2 will appeal to those looking for an unassuming-looking laptop (perhaps a work machine that can also handle modern gaming). Still, overall, we like the x16 R2 design better.

The only thing we're not a fan of is the hefty sticker price, which makes the Alienware m16 R2 an attractive proposition if you're sticking with the base configuration and don't care about the x16 R2's sleeker design.