Alienware 15 R3 (2017) - Review 2022

The Alienware 15 R3 (starts at $ane,224.99; $2,424.99 every bit tested) is a new take on the 15-inch gaming laptop we rated highly back in 2022, with a few blueprint and component upgrades that offer cutting-edge functioning. The new model we're testing here is a much higher-end configuration than the $ane,499.99 unit nosotros reviewed 2 years agone, though. For just under $2,500 yous become a thinner chassis with a ton of storage, GTX 1070 graphics, and a Cadre i7 Kaby Lake processor for college than 60fps gaming in Hd. A 1080p screen at this price is a bit disappointing though, especially when you consider our Editors' Choice, the HP Omen 17, features the aforementioned graphics hardware and a 17-inch 4K brandish for about $600 less. The Omen 17 offers a better residuum of power and cost, but the Alienware xv delivers a premium build and a lot of power, if you tin beget it.

Future Aesthetic

The Alienware 15 R3 looks sharp, successfully balancing the gamer aesthetic with a mod, classy look. It's made of anodized aluminum and magnesium alloy on the outside, and feels very solid all around. This year's version measures ane by 15.3 by 12 inches (HWD), while the 2022 Alienware 15 was 1.34 past 15.ii by 10.65 inches, so it'south a bit thinner than its predecessor. The new model is still quite heavy though, even for a 15-inch laptop. It'due south compact, but at 7.8 pounds, it will weigh your bag down, an issue the eight.26-pound Acer Predator 15 (G9-593-72VT shares. The 17-inch HP Omen 17 takes up more room, but weighs less given its plastic trunk that measures ane.2 by sixteen.3 past 11.0 inches and weighs vi.iii pounds. The R3 is the big brother to the Alienware xiii in terms of both size and power—the smaller version measures 0.87 by xiii by 10.6 inches and weighs v.43 pounds.

Its stylized construction is supplemented by chassis lighting, adding colorful flair to the black and silverish pattern. The sides of the body and lid are trimmed with thin LED strips, while the alien head on the chapeau, the branding text on the bottom screen bezel, the keyboard, and fifty-fifty the touchpad likewise glow. That sounds like a lot of flair, just it's tasteful enough to be attractive rather than eyeroll-inducing. The included Alienware Control Center software lets y'all customize the lighting in 12 spots, including the touchpad, side lights, and carve up portions of the keyboard, with 20 color options to choose from.

The touchpad, setting its unique lighting bated, works well and tracks responsively. The keyboard isn't chiclet style, which is relatively rare in the laptop market right now, with all the keys spaced closer together, nearly flush confronting 1 some other. It'southward a breeze to type on the R3 regardless, with satisfying action and travel and just enough bounce. There'due south a column of 5 macro keys on the left side of the keyboard, the functions of which are also customizable through Command Center. You can assign them certain functions or set macros, and there are three profile relieve slots for dissimilar settings.

The 15.vi-inch brandish bears a full Hd (1,920-by-1,080) resolution, and the picture quality is crisp and articulate. The console uses Chiliad-Sync, Nvidia's characteristic that syncs the frame and refresh rates for smoother gameplay (but can lower performance), and the In-Plane Switching (IPS) engineering prevents glares and widens viewing angles. That said, it's a little disappointing the resolution isn't higher. The R3's Nvidia GTX 1070 graphics bill of fare could handle at least a QHD resolution, and the HP Omen 17 features a 4K screen. While 4K gaming at threescore frames per second (fps) is out of reach, the Omen was capable of effectually 30fps, and you yet have the pick to view 4K media natively. Especially given that the Alienware 15 costs more, not offering at least QHD seems like a missed opportunity—you lot tin always lower the resolution in a game's settings if it's too strenuous for polish play.

Connectivity options are good: There'south a USB iii.0 port, a USB-C port, a headphone jack, and sound out line on the left side, while the right panel has a single USB 3.0 port. Around back you get an Ethernet jack, an HDMI port, a USB-C port with Thunderbolt 3, and the power adapter. In that location's besides a proprietary port for connecting to the Alienware external graphics amplifier, into which yous can place a desktop graphics bill of fare to power the laptop.

Storage is plentiful, with a fast 512GB kicking SSD and 1TB seven,200rpm hard bulldoze. Even accounting for some big game installs, that'south a lot of room for a laptop. The Omen 17 includes slightly less infinite (a 256GB SSD and a 1TB HDD), while the Origin EVO15-South ups the ante with a 512GB SSD and 2TB HDD. To cutting down on the laptop'south cost, y'all can configure the R3 with simply a hard bulldoze and less solid-state storage. You can also guild a less powerful graphics card, all the way down to a GTX 1050Ti and less RAM (minimum of 8GB). It'southward fairly customizable depending on your needs, so the high price tag isn't a must, simply the fastest components will price you.

Other features include dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1, and Tobii middle tracking. With that technology, a special forepart-facing photographic camera tracks when y'all're looking at the screen, and adjusts settings accordingly. This includes dimming the screen, turning off the display, and putting the computer to sleep when your eyes aren't detected for a set menstruation, the length of which you can modify. The 17-inch model has a fuller version of Tobii that features in-game integrations, but the 15-inch model is limited to desktop utilise. The system is supported past one year of hardware service with onsite service afterward remote diagnosis.

Catholic Speed

The new Alienware fifteen packs suitably fresh hardware, outfitted with a ii.8GHz Intel Core i7-7700HQ processor, 16GB of retentivity, and the GTX 1070. The EVO15-Southward utilizes the same seventh-generation Intel processor as the Alienware 15, while the Omen 17 and even the Alienware xiii were built with 6th-generation chips. Every bit such, the Alienware 15 and the EVO15-S scored very similarly on the PCMark 8 Work Conventional and multimedia criterion tests, and while the others scored well in their own right, these 2 were ahead of the pack. These scores (which I tin can verify through real-world use in my fourth dimension with the system) indicate that the Alienware xv is a speedy multitasker that won't chug during daily utilize, and can crunch through some media projects on the side.

As a gaming laptop, though, 3D performance is what matters near. The 1070 is a very capable carte du jour, and running at 1080p the Sky and Valley tests were a cakewalk. Fifty-fifty at Ultra-quality settings, the R3 averaged 104fps on Heaven and 99fps on Valley, well above the ideal 60fps target. That translates to a smooth gaming feel, and since we couldn't bump up the resolution beyond Full HD, there are no caveats or suggested tweaks to brand. The Omen 17, for example, averaged 97fps and 93fps on these tests on the aforementioned settings, but just 26fps and 30fps at 4K. 30fps is still smoothly playable, though, and it's nice to have the pick for less demanding games, plus you lot could set the resolution somewhere between HD and 4K while playing. Regardless, the Alienware fifteen is a powerful gaming organisation that volition not disappoint, with smoothen 60fps performance in modern games at high settings. The GTX 1070 is besides more than capable of VR gaming, reaching across the GTX 1060 recommended flooring, and the R3'south other speedy components volition help ensure a smooth virtual reality experience.

Run across How We Test Laptops

Battery life is almost as expected for a gaming laptop, at 5 hours and 33 minutes on our rundown examination. That'due south longer than the Omen 17's iv:35 (not surprising every bit the 4K display will drain your bombardment faster), the EVO15-Due south'southward 3:28, and the Alienware 13's 4:56. But the ultraportable Early 2022 Razer Blade is truly long lasting for a gaming system, running for 10:36 on the same exam.

Premium with a Price

The Alienware R3 is a worthy upgrade on its predecessor, slimmer but more powerful than before, with a stylish design and sturdy high-quality construction. You get plenty of premium features including custom lighting and copious storage, but these add up to a pricey suggestion relative to its gaming power. The HP Omen 17 offers the same graphics carte du jour and similar performance across the board, plus a 4K screen, for $ane,799. With its plastic build, it'due south not as high stop, but it remains our midrange Editors' Choice for threading the needle on operation, features, and price. If you like the R3'south tiptop-notch feature ready and pattern, but can't beget the price tag, consider configuring a less expensive version.

Source: https://sea.pcmag.com/laptops/15292/alienware-15-r3-2017

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