When it comes to gaming laptops, nothing beats Alienware laptops. These premium laptops ensure high-end performance and take the gaming experience to the next level. Regardless of the availability of other affordable gaming laptops in the market, gaming enthusiasts still stick with Alienware laptops due to their solid build quality and incredible performance.
The Alienware 17in laptops are high-end computers equipped with modern cutting-edge technology. They are made to offer the utmost gaming performance for gamers of all levels. Choosing the best Alienware 17in laptop can seem tricky, which is why we curated this list of the best 6 Alienware 17in laptops that you can get right away.
What Are Alienware Laptops, And Are They Worth It?
Alienware laptops are made by the Alienware Corporation, Dell’s computer hardware subsidiary. Alienware Corporation is known to manufacture alien-themed and high-end gaming computers. These laptops and desktops typically carry a unique outer design and robust functions.
Alienware devices are provided with 10th gen Intel Core i7, and some have i9 processors with up to 12-phase Hyper Efficient Voltage control. This processor stimulates up to 8-cores and 16-threads of high-end performance. As a result, these devices can easily handle numerous tasks and allow you to play games smoothly.
For thermal technology, these laptops utilize Advanced Alienware Cryo-Tech that is incorporated with load-balancing heat tubes, fans, thick copper fin piles, and many more. It keeps the stability of the system while executing hefty tasks and assures users obtain a good experience while playing games.
The Alienware 17in laptop has a unique cooling system that will disperse heat quickly and give the best gaming experience. The air vents are placed in strategic positions and deliver enough airflow. As a result, these devices have fewer chances of overheating, regardless of how much you play.
New Alienware Command Center is incorporated into these devices and also includes an overclocking management module. Using this module, overclocking has become highly secure and uncomplicated. These devices are equipped with reliable touchpads and user-friendly keyboards. Alienware laptops offer RAID 0 formats.
The primary reason for the popularity of Alienware laptops is their high performance. These laptops are developed with strong elements that let the system operate quickly and handle multiple tasks. They have different slots and ports, including a USB slot, an SD card reader, an HDMI port, 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A ports, a Thunderbolt 3-port, and many more.
6 Top Alienware 17in Laptops For The Best Gaming Experience
Below is the list of top 6 Alienware 17in laptops that are the best in the market for the next-level gaming experience.
1. Dell Alienware Area 51M Laptop
This laptop is an exception in the field of gaming devices for primarily two reasons. One of the first things that you notice about the Dell Alienware Area 51M is that in contrast to the present-day gaming laptops, which are becoming sleeker with each version, this Area 51M is anything but sleek.
A machine that weighs more than eight pounds can hardly be called mobile, so many people treat it somewhat like a desktop instead of a fully portable laptop. However, the feature which makes Area 51M stand out is its upgradability.
It is a known fact that gaming computers are expensive, and the Area, 51M from Dell costs almost two thousand dollars. So if a user is spending anywhere close to that amount on a computer, they would expect upgradability.
The Area 51M does not disappoint when it comes to upgradability, as it comes with an upgradable graphics processing unit or GPU. In fact, Dell built its own Dell Graphics Form Factor to allow for the upgradation of the graphics processing unit. The GPU is just fitted onto modular boards that can be removed and replaced at will.
Apart from this, the Area 51M laptop gives the user a lot of power as its processor is of the desktop class. It is the first laptop to possess the overclockable tenth-generation intel core processor.
The huge display of seventeen inches( seventeen points three inches to be precise) is well complemented with a 360 Hertz full high-definition display. It comes with a full-size keyboard and has several macro keys as well.
Thus, this laptop from the house of Dell is expensive, but most users are satisfied with the power and control that it offers. Moreover, with a laptop that offers upgradability, you need not have to worry about buying a new laptop every time an upgrade hits the market.
2. Alienware X17 R1 RTX 3060
The Alienware X17 R1 RTX 3060 is in sharp contrast to the Area 51M that was discussed above. One of the major points of distinction is the size and shape of the machine. While the Area 51M was huge, the X17 R1 from the X- series is slim and sleek.
However, despite the size, it is surprisingly not very lightweight because it packs in a number of cool modules for optimizing performance.
Among its good features are the great cooling facilities that it has to offer. It has a great design for the cooling fan, and it comes with Dell’s amazing cooling element that uses an interface of Gallium and Silicone to offer excellent cooling. This interface is able to pull off a lot of heat from the central processing unit of the device, and it thus allows for maintaining higher clock rates for longer time periods.
The X17 R1 RTX can be operated in five modes. So there is a power saver mode when you are probably not using the laptop not using it for gaming; this is known as the quiet mode.
Then there is the battery saver mode for times when you do not have access to a plug point, and your battery is running low. And finally, there are the performance and full-speed modes that give superb performance when you are playing a game.
The latest upgrades in this model are great, but the best part is that it retains the cool features of the previous models of the series. So the design is aesthetically appealing, and the model has a “lunar light” finish that is off-white in color.
The only major flaw in the X17 R1 model is that it does not have enough USB ports. However, if you can overlook the lack of ports, the R1 from the X series is definitely worth your money.
3. Alienware X17 R2 VR Ready Gaming Laptop
This model is an updated version of the highly successful Alienware X17. It packs in more power and has a more effective CPU and GPU. We have the perfect guide to explain the difference between CPU and GPU. Also, much like its predecessor X17 the X17 R2 is highly customizable. So if you have deep pockets and a love for gaming, the R2 model can give you excellent results.
Apart from the power, the great thing about the R2 model is that it offers a big display (it is actually more than seventeen inches) despite being a sleek model. The big screen is rightly complemented by a high-definition display and a great refresh rate of more than 300 Hertz.
Despite offering so many great features, it fails in one crucial aspect, and that is its battery. The battery life is not very long, and you can play your favorite games in high definition, yet you will have to sit close to a power socket.
4. Alienware M17 R3 17.3 inch FHD Gaming Laptop
This model from Dell is the ultimate lightweight laptop that is made up of materials like magnesium alloy, copper, steel etc. The weight is around five pounds, and the laptop is just twenty millimeters thick.
This M17 model also promises high-speed motion graphics to uplift your gaming experience. It comes with a 300 Hertz full high-definition panel.
As far as cooling abilities are concerned, the M17 R3 comes with cryo-tech cooling facilities. The cryo-tech cooling makes sure that your gaming laptop is not too hot to touch even after long hours of use.
It is a powerful laptop and has a 2.6 GigaHertz Intel core processor. It comes with a bump up memory of 32 Gigabytes and has a great graphics processing unit. The M17 R3 is priced at around fifteen hundred dollars for the most basic version. However, if you wish to reconfigure it, the bill could go up to three thousand dollars as well.
Most gaming lovers like the power and graphics that the M17 r3 has to offer; however, the price tag does not justify the poor battery performance.
5. Alienware 17 R4 UHD Gaming Laptop
It is a comparatively older model from Alienware. It is also priced at a comparatively affordable thirteen hundred dollars. It is great as far as the gaming capabilities are concerned. It comes with a tenth-generation Intel i7 core processor. It has sixteen Gigabytes of memory. It has a full high definition seventeen inch long screen.
The most striking feature of the Alienware 17 is the eye-tracking facility that the monitor offers. But most game enthusiasts are not very impressed with the eye tracking feature. Its biggest limitation is that it is currently available for some ninety-odd games, and that is a small number given the wide variety of games that exist in the market.
Again like the M17 R3, the battery life is a significant concern. Also, given that this machine draws in a lot of power as compared to other models from Alienware, like the Alienware 15, the Alienware 17 lasts much less without a direct electrical connection.
6. Alienware 17 R5 Premium Hexa-Core Gaming Laptop
The good part about the Alienware 17 R5 is probably its battery power. The model can switch between GPU to APU mode, and this is probably what makes the difference when it comes to the power requirements of this laptop.
The webcam is reasonably good and works well even under conditions of low illumination. It has a 165 Hertz screen. But the major problem is its lack of upgradability. When it comes to laptops, and especially gaming laptops, the ability to upgrade modules is of vital importance, and this is where the Alienware 17 R5 disappoints the most.
Conclusion
The Alienware 17in laptop series from the house of Dell are popular because they deliver. They have pleasing aesthetics; that is, they are lightweight and sleek and come in cool colors like off-white.
These laptops offer good power and great screens with good resolution, and the latest models, like the Area M51, also have good upgradability. However, for most models, the battery power has been a cause of concern, but there are models like the Alienware 17 R5 that have solved this problem to some extent.
So pick a model that suits your budget and your playing style. Also, most of the models come with warranties that can extend up to five years, so long-term maintenance should not be a major issue.