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Alienware 15 R2 (Skylake)

Specifications

Alienware 15 R2 (Skylake)
A15-0238 (15 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i7-6700HQ 4 x 2.6 - 3.5 GHz (Intel Core i7)
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M - 4 GB VRAM, Core: 1126 MHz, Memory: 2500 MHz, GDDR5, ForceWare 353.54, Optimus
Memory
16 GB 
, 2x 8 GB DDR4-2133 (Dual-Channel), 2 of 2 slots occupied
Display
15.60 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel, No, Samsung 4NDDJ_156HL (SDC4C48), IPS, Full HD, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel HM170 (Skylake PCH-H)
Storage
Samsung PM951 NVMe MZ-VLV256D, 256 GB 
, SSD + HGST Travelstar 7K1000 HTS721010A9E630 (1 TB HDD @7200 rpm)
Soundcard
Creative CA0132 @ Intel Sunrise Point PCH - High Definition Audio Controller
Connections
3 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 USB 3.1 Gen2, 1 Thunderbolt, 1 HDMI, 1 DisplayPort, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: headphones, microphone, Card Reader: 3-in-1, Sensors: Light sensor, Alienware Graphics Amplifier, Noble Lock, USB 3.1 Type-C (incl. Thunderbolt 3)
Networking
Qualcomm/Atheros e2400 PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet Controller (10/100/1000MBit/s), Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1535 Wireless Network Adapter (b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.1
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 34 x 386 x 270 ( = 1.34 x 15.2 x 10.63 in)
Battery
96 Wh Lithium-Ion, 8 cells
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: FHD (2 MP)
Primary Camera: 2 MPix
Additional features
Speakers: 2.0 Klipsch, Keyboard Light: yes, Power adaptor: 240 Watts, quick-start guide, USB recovery stick, Alienware Tools, Killer Network Manager, Sound Blaster Recon3Di System Control, Microsoft Office OneNote, 12-48 Months Warranty
Weight
3.11 kg ( = 109.7 oz / 6.86 pounds), Power Supply: 806 g ( = 28.43 oz / 1.78 pounds)
Price
2309 Euro

 

Pricecompare

Average Score: 81.6% - good
Average of 3 scores (from 4 reviews)
price: - %, performance: 91%, features: 69%, display: 81% mobility: 73%, workmanship: 87%, ergonomy: 87%, emissions: 74%

Reviews for the Alienware 15 R2 (Skylake)

84.8% Alienware 15 R2 Notebook Review | Notebookcheck
New revision. We already checked the Alienware 15 twice. In this review update, the gaming notebook gets a fresh Skylake processor and the fast Nvidia GTX 980M. Can Alienware keep the components of the 15-inch device cool?
80% Alienware 15
Source: Laptop Mag English Archive.org version
Now this is a midlevel gaming rig. For $1,849, the Alienware 15 delivers impressive gaming performance in an attractive, eye-catching chassis. The laptop also offers great sound for games and music, and one of the most comfortable keyboards I've used this year. But if that doesn't do it for you, 7-plus hours of battery life should; this is easily one of the longest-lasting gaming systems on the market.
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 07/08/2016
Rating: Total score: 80%

Foreign Reviews

80% Test : Dell Alienware 15, un PC gamer transportable et presque abordable
Source: 01Net French FR→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 11/30/2015
Rating: Total score: 80%
Dell Alienware 15 R2 – Внеземное Вторжение
Source: Notebook-Center.ru RU→EN Archive.org version
Positive: High performance with powerful hardware; excellent cooling system; good ergonomy. Negative: Relatively thick and heavy; high price.
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 10/05/2016
Ревю на Alienware 15 (R2, Late 2015) – лаптопът, който вдига летвата за 15-инчовите модели
Source: Laptop.bg BU→EN Archive.org version
Positive: Sturdy construction and elegant design; quality keyboard and crisp touchpad; powerful hardware; excellent sound quality; long battery life for gaming laptop. Negative: Bulky and heavy; average picture quality with low coverage of the sRGB color gamut and low maximum brightness.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 11/25/2015

Comment

Model: The new Alienware 15 R2 is built with ultimate gaming performance in mind. Its design is inspired by aerospace and carbon fiber makes the laptop is made durable and stiff. Design is futuristic with strong edges and lines commonly found on most Alienware devices. Thanks to the optional amplified graphics module, a desktop graphics card can be connected to the computer. The advanced cooling system is based on copper thermal modules and ensures that the device runs at optimal temperature. The Windows 10 laptop features a beautiful 15.6 inch anti-glare FHD IPS display with good clarity and color saturation.

On-board are an Intel Core i7-6700HQ quad-core processor with 6 MB of cache, 8 GB of dual-channel DDR4 RAM, a powerful NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M with 3 GB of GDDR5 VRAM and a 1 TB HDD. The Alienware 15 R2 comes with a responsive backlit keyboard that is specially tested for the rigorous usage from gamers. Other features on the device are 3 USB 3.0 ports, a Thunderbolt 3 port, the Alienware Graphics Amplifier Port, an HDMI out, a card reader and a 2 MP FullHD webcam. The Alienware 15 R2 is finished in Epic Silver and is powered by an 8-cell Lithium-Ion battery rated at 92 Wh.

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M:

Fast high-end graphics card based on the Maxwell GM204 chip from the GeForce GTX 900M series.

Modern games should be playable with these graphics cards at low settings and resolutions. Casual gamers may be happy with these cards.

» Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Graphics Cards and the corresponding Benchmark List.


Intel Core i7: The Intel Core i7 for laptops is based on the LG1156 Core i5/i7 CPU for desktops. The base clock speed of the CPUs is relatively low, but because of a huge Turbo mode, the cores can dynamically overclock to up to 3.2 GHz (920XM). Therefore, the CPU can be as fast as high clocked dual-core CPUs (using single threaded applications) but still offer the advantage of 4 cores. Because of the large TDP of 45 W / 55 W, the CPU is only intended for large laptops.  


6700HQ: Skylake-based quad-core processor for notebooks. Offers an integrated HD Graphics 530 GPU and is manufactured in 14 nm.» Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Processsors.


15.60":

15-inch display variants are the standard and are used for more than half of all laptops.

The reason for the popularity of mid-sized displays is that this size is reasonably easy on the eyes, often allows high resolutions and thus offers rich details on the screen, yet does not consume too much power and the devices can still be reasonably compact - simply the standard compromise.

» To find out how fine a display is, see our DPI List.


3.11 kg:

A laptop with this weight is comparatively heavy and less designed for mobility than for use at the desk. Therefore, the devices tend to shine less with battery life than with a large screen and higher performance.


Alienware: Alienware was founded in the USA in 1996. The European headquarters is located in Ireland. Alienware has been part of the Dell Group since 2006. The product range mainly focuses on gaming laptops and desktops, which are developed and manufactured by Dell. The trademark is a slightly futuristic design with an Alien as the logo. Additionally, workstations for private and business customers are sold.

As with every brand, there are also some points of criticism with Alienware. Some customers have complained about the high prices of the products, while others have criticized the quality of customer services. There have also been some reports of problems with the reliability and durability of some Alienware products. However, many customers have also had positive experiences with the brand and appreciate the powerful gaming computers.


81.6%: This rating is slightly above average, there are somewhat more devices with worse ratings. However, clear purchase recommendations look different.


» Further information can be found in our Notebook Purchase Guide.

 

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Current Prices
Stefan Hinum, 2015-12-24 (Update: 2015-12-24)