There is much to say about the recently revealed Alienware m17 R2. Dell released it half a year after the launch of the m17 R1. This 17.3-inch R2 is light for a laptop in its price range and size. It has hardware such as an Intel Core i9 CPU that is capable of over-clocking. Furthermore, this laptop has the RTX 2080 or GTX 1660 Ti graphics card. These components make the R2 model one of the best gaming laptops money can buy.
You get a number pad and large arrow keys with the keyboard. The arrow keys are not small or cramped at all and allow for a comfortable experience. A prey-key RGB lighting comes standard, and users aren’t limited to the 4-zone RGB lighting of previous models. The keyboard itself gives useful feedback for those who ever need to do long typing sessions.
Part of the advanced Alienware Cyro-Tech 3.0 architecture is the thick copper fin stacks. These make a new generation with their design and provide even more surface area for even heat transfer. The increased area allows for better heat dissipation. Another impressive feature of the Alienware m17 R2 is its “Dynamic Thermal Control” function. The thermal control is a built-in gyroscope and accelerator that can detect the laptop’s position, whether on the lap or a desk. It adjusts the temperature to ensure comfort while maintaining performance.
Alienware m17 R2 Processor Choice
Prices of this Alienware laptop vary due to differences in configuration. The lowest-priced option still comes with a powerful 9th Gen. Intel Core i7 (9750H) six-core processor. This processor can get up to 4.50-GHz with a turbo boost. Users who want more power and can afford it may go all out with a 9th Gen. Intel Core i9 (9980HK) 8-core processor. It can go up to 5.0-GHz with a turbo boost.
This laptop has dedicated NVIDIA GTX or RTX graphics cards. Cards that may go all the way up to an RTX 2080 card with 8GB GDDR6 memory and Max-Q design. There are 16GB DDR4 2666MHz memory and a few single drive and RAID 0 options for storage. You can go up to 4TB (2 x 2TB) PCIe M.2 SSD RAID 0 with the priciest configuration.
The display is a 17.3-inch FHD display with 1920 x 1080 resolution and 300-nits. It comes with optional EyeSafe Display technology and Tobii eye-tracking. With this laptop, you also get a reliable, long-lasting 6-cell 76-Wh battery keeps this laptop running for hours.
If you are a semi-pro or hardcore gamer and want a mid-range to a higher-end model, the Alienware m17 R2 might be what you need.