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Alienware has redesigned its m15 (See it on Dell's site) gaming laptop, and is seemingly taking on its own line of laptops now, specifically the 13" model in the same family. I say that because this 15" laptop is 14 percent thinner and 20 percent lighter than the Alienware 13, despite having a 15.6-inch display. The m15 is also the thinnest Alienware laptop the company has ever released.
One of the ways Alienware shaved off a few millimeters was by going with an Nvidia GTX 1070 Max-Q GPU, which is clocked lower than the standard model, so it doesn't need as much space for cooling. Like most Alienware PCs, the m15 is customizable, with configurations ranging in price from $1,379 to $2,349. Alienware sent me one of its higher-end configurations, which sells for $2,260 and has all the trimmings.
Here are the specifications of the Alienware m15 I am evaluating:
- Model: Alienware m15
- Display: 15.6-inch 144Hz FHD IPS with Anti-Glare (1920 x 1080)
- Processor: Intel Core i7-8750H Processor at 2.2 Ghz (9M Cache, up to 4.10 GHz)
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 with Max-Q (8GB GDDR5)
- Memory: 16GB DDR4
- OS: Windows 10 Home
- Storage: 512GG PCIe M.2 SSD
- Webcam: 1080p
- Ports: 1 x USB-C with Thunderbolt, 3 x USB 3.1, 1 x HDMI, 1 x MiniDisplay port, 1 x 3.5mm audio port, 1 x RJ45 Ethernet
- Connectivity: 802.11 ac, Bluetooth 5.0
- Dimensions: 14.3 x 10.8 x 0.83-inches (WxDxH)
- Weight: 4.78 pounds
- Price: $2,260 (as tested)
Alienware m15 – Design and Features
As I write this review, after over a week of using the m15, I still can't believe this is a 15-inch laptop. It looks and feels like a 13-inch laptop, yet it has a 15.6-inch 144Hz IPS FHD display. The m15 measures 14.3 x 10.8 and is 0.83-inches at its thickest, in the back, or 0.7-inches near the front of the laptop. To put that into perspective, Apple's latest 13-inch MacBook Air is 0.61-inches thick, so it's very thin, especially for a gaming laptop. Overall, the m15 weighs 4.76 pounds, which is about a pound less than a standard 15" gaming notebook. Alienware offers two color options for the lid; nebula red, or epic silver.
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Inside the thin chassis is an Intel Core i7-8750H CPU, Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 with Max-Q GPU, 16GB of DDR4 RAM, and a 512GB SSD. The m15 has a full-sized RGB backlit keyboard that's split into four different lighting zones – three on the main keyboard, and another for the number pad. The Alienware logo power button, just above the display, and the logo on the lid also boast RGB lighting that's customizable.
As for expansion ports, the m15 has quite a few. There's a full-sized Ethernet jack, a USB 3.1 port (with PowerShare for charging your phone when the lid is closed) and a headphone jack on the left side, with two more 3.1 ports (sans PowerShare), on the right side. The back of the m15 is where you'll find the charging port, Alienware's Graphics Amplifier Port, a USB-C Thunderbolt 3 port, a miniDisplayPort, and an HDMI 2.0 port.
Alienware m15 – Software
Alienware m15 – Performance and Gaming
Alienware m15 – Battery Life
The Razer Blade 15 still tops the chart for the same test, lasting 363 minutes, but the m15 has now taken the second step on the battery life podium. A more traditional (e.g. bulkier) laptop like the Asus ROG Zephyrus M lasted 177 minutes for comparison. Overall Alienware has done a tremendous job in squeezing every bit of power it can from a laptop that's incredibly thin, in a market segment where battery life isn't usually a priority.
Alienware m15 – Purchasing Guide
There isn't an m15 with a specific MSRP as it depends on the configuration you want, and there's myriad ways to configure this laptop. Generally speaking though, prices range from $1,379 to $2,349, and the configuration I reviewed is on the higher end at $2,260.