Alienware 17 R3 (2016) Review


For 2016, Alienware is upgrading its winning formula for gaming laptops, bringing Intel's new 6th-gen Core i7 CPU and Nvidia's 980M graphics to its leading 17-inch gaming laptop. You still get Alienware's signature spaceship-inspired case, tons of customizable lights and a comfy keyboard. Toss in a 17.3-inch screen that sets a new bar for gaming machines, and you've got a pretty potent package for $2,750. Other notebooks have more powerful desktop-level GPUs built in, but when you connect the Alienware 17 to the optional graphics amp ($980 with Nvidia 980Ti GPU), its gaming performance goes to a whole other level while future-proofing your purchase.

Specs

CPU 2.7-GHz Intel Core i7-6820HK
Operating System Windows 10
RAM 16GB
Hard Drive Size 16GB
Hard Drive Type SSD
Secondary Hard Drive Size 1TB
Secondary Hard Drive Speed 7,200
Secondary Hard Drive Type HDD
Display Size 17.3
Native Resolution 3840 x 2160
Optical Drive Speed n/a
Graphics Card NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M with 8GB GDDR5
Video Memory 8GB
Wi-Fi 802.11ac
Wi-Fi Model Killer 1535 802.11ac 2x2 WiFi and Bluetooth 4.1
Bluetooth Bluetooth 4.1
Touchpad Size 3.75 x 2.75
Ports (excluding USB) Headphone
Ports (excluding USB) Microphone
Ports (excluding USB) Thunderbolt 3
Ports (excluding USB) USB 3.0
Ports (excluding USB) Ethernet
Ports (excluding USB) HDMI 2.0
USB Ports 4
Card Slots SD memory reader
Warranty/Support one-year premium support
Size 16.93 x 11.49 x 1.35-inches
Weight 8.33 pounds
Company Website www.alienware.com
 
 

Design - The Spaceship Returns

While other gaming systems compete with increasingly shouty designs that are too-often draped in red and black, the Alienware 17's case has remained mostly unchanged over the past three years. The chassis' sleek, spaceship-inspired paneling will still stand out in a crowd, especially when all the lights are set ablaze, like on a Star Destroyer hunting down some pesky rebels. However, with the 2016 model indistinguishable from its 2015 and 2013 predecessors, it's about time for Alienware to do a complete revamp.
 Alienware 17 Size
 
    Inside, a smooth black deck provides a nice contrast to the space-gray exterior panels and the additional lights mounted under the keyboard and behind the Alienware logo beneath the display. As usual, everything feels solidly put together, a necessity considering the 17's 8.33 pound heft.
Weight 8.3 pounds
Dimensions 16.93 x 11.49 x 1.35 inches             

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