Notebookcheck Logo

Alienware 17

Specifications

Alienware 17
Alienware 17 (17 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i7-4800MQ 4 x 2.7 - 3.7 GHz (Intel Core i7)
Graphics adapter
Memory
16 GB 
Display
17.30 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel, glossy: yes
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 8 64 Bit
Weight
4.2 kg ( = 148.15 oz / 9.26 pounds) ( = 0 oz / 0 pounds)
Price
2750 Euro

 

Pricecompare

Average Score: 84.63% - good
Average of 8 scores (from 11 reviews)
price: 71%, performance: 86%, features: 84%, display: 80% mobility: 63%, workmanship: 91%, ergonomy: - %, emissions: - %

Reviews for the Alienware 17

77% Alienware M17x R5 Review
Source: T Break English Archive.org version
Gaming laptops have come a long way from being bulky to slim, but they still don’t match desktop counterparts in terms of performance and are more costly. It’s sad to see that a beastly machine such as the M17x R5 gets outdated so fast with the latest titles. The fact is, even if the M17x R5 comes with Maxwell powered graphics, the performance will still not match up with the satisfying performance of the Maxwell desktop graphics cards.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 12/11/2014
Rating: Total score: 77% price: 70% performance: 70% features: 80% workmanship: 90%
80% Alienware 17
Source: Laptop Mag English Archive.org version
Somehow, Alienware has managed to top itself -- again. The Alienware 17 continues to catch every single eye in the room with its cocky, flashy design. And once this rig has your attention, it reels you in more with a gorgeous 1080p display and a stellar sound system. From there, it hits you with a one-two punch from the upgraded Core i7 processor and Nvidia GeForce GTX 880M CPU -- a combination that Floyd Mayweather would be proud of.
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 05/02/2014
Rating: Total score: 80%
80% Does Radeon do a gaming laptop good?
Source: Techradar English Archive.org version
Save for some nagging (but ultimately fixable) problems, the Alienware 17 is one of the best gaming laptops money can buy. From its sharp metallic and soft-touch build to a host of powerful components, this is a one-stop shop for getting into PC gaming with a single click. That said, over $2,000 is a fat wad of cash to put up in hopes of avoiding the perceived hassles of PC gaming. And again, if space is a concern, there are plenty of options that offer more power for less, given this isn't a laptop you'll want in your backpack for long.
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 05/01/2014
Rating: Total score: 80% price: 60% performance: 80% features: 90% workmanship: 90%
AMD's R9 M290X Goes Mobile
Source: Hot Hardware English Archive.org version
Overall, we're very pleased with the balance on this system, even if AMD Enduro's stability was a sore spot. Disabling the function isn't difficult, but it does come with a battery life tradeoff. Hopefully AMD and Alienware will be able to improve the situation with better drivers and software in the future. Regardless, if you're gaming on this machine, you're going to always want to use the discrete GPU anyway.
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 04/24/2014
100% Alienware 17 review
Source: Stuff TV English Archive.org version
Complaining about the size and weight of the Alienware 17 is missing the point, really – this laptop is all about no-compromise gaming, and in this it excels. OK, so the styling won't be to everyone's tastes and it's a long way from cheap, but if fragging is your thing, this beast of a machine will be your new best friend.
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 02/19/2014
Rating: Total score: 100% performance: 100% display: 80% mobility: 70% workmanship: 90%
90% Alienware 17 Gaming Laptop Review
Source: Kitguru English Archive.org version
Overall we are very impressed with the Alienware 17. It offers almost all of the performance of the Alienware 18 in a more convenient, portable package. The aesthetic design remains very similar, despite the difference in size. The Alienware 17 is very eye catching and is sure to attract gamers who are looking to buy a desktop replacement. Even though the Alienware 17 isn’t currently available with the same range-topping Intel Core i7-4930MX processor as the Alienware 18, the performance of the i7-4800MQ will be more than enough for the vast majority of users.
Single Review, online available, Very Long, Date: 12/17/2013
Rating: Total score: 90%
82% A little slimmer and lighter, but still not exactly portable
Source: CNet English Archive.org version
Side by side, the massive Alienware 18 we reviewed alongside this 17-inch model is the more impressive, and more expensive system. But the (slightly) more modest Alienware 17 is probably the winner in terms of practicality for most shoppers, cramming nearly all the same features, and much of the performance, into a thinner, lighter body.
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 11/06/2013
Rating: Total score: 82% performance: 90% mobility: 60%
83% Review: Alienware 17
Source: PC Authority English Archive.org version
Alienware still delivers a great product with a striking design and very robust build quality. But you pay for the Alienware brand, and if you just want the best bang for your buck then we suggest you will want to shop around a bit. If money isn’t an option though, this is a seriously good, if not quite great, gaming laptop.
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 10/04/2013
Rating: Total score: 83% price: 83% performance: 83% features: 83% workmanship: 83%
Dell's new gaming laptops are fast, powerful and well-lit
Source: Engadget English Archive.org version
Surprise: Dell's legacy as an OEM and Alienware's gaming cred still make for an awesome combination -- both the Alienware 14 and 17 rank among the best gaming laptops we've reviewed this year. Excellent build quality, killer components and excellent performance have left us with little to complain about.
Comparison, online available, Long, Date: 09/15/2013

Foreign Reviews

85% Dell Alienware 17 teszt
Source: Laptopkalauz HU→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 03/24/2014
Rating: Total score: 85% performance: 90% display: 80% mobility: 60% workmanship: 100%
Alienware 17 – telivér, csúcs játékos notebook
Source: Prohardver.hu HU→EN Archive.org version
Positive: Powerful performance; great build quality; greate sound system; IPS display; cooling system.
Single Review, online available, Very Long, Date: 08/07/2013

Comment

Series:

Alienware recently made an impressive foray into making an 18 inch gaming behemoth. While two video cards and some of the most powerful components grouped together in one ostensibly portable machine were a wonder just to contemplate, Alienware have now returned to the much more user friendly size of 17 inches. This is still desktop replacement size, but the 1 inch of difference should make it appreciably easier to carry around. On the outside, a muted silver hue encases the minimalist looking machine. The familiar Alienware head stands out in matte black, matching the keyboard and palm rests. For those wanting to showoff, this machine comes with that familiar Alienware programmable light show. The logo, the keyboard backlight, touchpad, and the alien head on the lid can be lit up and customized for color and be made to pulse.

At the high end of the available configuration options, the Alienware 17 features the 2.7 GHz Intel Core i7 4800MQ and the 4GB Nvidia GeForce GTX 780M. With 16 GB of RAM thrown in for good measure, only the most demanding games will require use of medium settings. The 17 inch, 1920x1080 resolution matte screen may be a disappointment to those who were looking out for the newer 3200x1800 resolution which has yet to be adopted by current gaming laptops. As is typical for machines this power hungry, the Alienware will allow for approximately 4 hours of light use. During more intensive gaming, plugging in is mandatory. Overall, this is a high-end machine with lots of power for the enthusiastic gamer with deep pockets.

 

Alienware 17 R4 series

Considered to be the Apple of the gaming industry by LaptopMedia, Alienware made quite an impression on the reviewer. An improvement over its predecessor, the Alienware 15 R3, the new Alienware 17 R4, powered by a 6th-generation Intel Skylake CPU (the quad-core i7-6820HK 2.7 GHz) and equipped with a discrete graphics card (Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070), is an upgraded, powerful version for many purposes, but especially gaming. The Alienware 17 looks significantly grown up and slim, yet it still has powerful features. “It gathers the best and the latest (well, excluding the CPU because they still haven’t updated it to Kaby Lake) of what the industry offers and puts it in a sleek new body while retaining some of the usual Alienware characteristics,” states LaptopMedia.

 

DESIGN

“The Alienware 17 feels like a refinement of 2015’s model, packing NVIDIA’s shiny new desktop GPU into a sleek new chassis that won’t see you break your back on the way to LAN parties,” says the page TrustedReviews. LaptopMedia also writes that by receiving a total revamp while staying true to Alienware’s roots, the Alienware 17 will appeal to the common gamer as well as to users with a more minimalistic and strict taste. Alienware’s laptops have steadily been moving towards thinner designs, and the new series takes a dramatic step towards slimness, says TechRadar: “To get here, the company completely redesigned the internal cooling system”. TrustedReviews gives a plus point for the chassis made by anodizing an alloy of aluminum and magnesium and for the redesigned “TackX” keyboard: “The alloy feels slightly more solid than past Alienware machines. We see a modest, but important upgrade with the keyboard”. LaptopMedia remarks that the new chassis has improved in terms of dimensions as well: “Coming from last year’s 34.4mm, this Alienware 17 R4 feels noticeably leaner with just 29.9mm profile. However, the R4 has gained weight (from 3.7kg to 4.4kg). Just wait until you see how the cooling system looks like and you will understand why it’s so heavy”.

 

DISPLAY

With the 17.3-inch display available in 1080p, QHD or 4K resolution, one could go for the standard Full-HD version that does not feature Tobii Eye Tracking Technology but offers an IPS display with better viewing angles (LaptopMedia). Following a positive evaluation from TrustedReviews, the IPS panel’s 120Hz refresh rate is well suited for gaming and, even though blacks did not appear quite as inky as the reviewer would have liked, colors looked balanced and viewing angles were excellent. Particularly, MobileTechReview writes that the IPS display has a very good panel typical of high-end gaming laptops: “With calibration, it’s fine for professional photo and video work for the web. Given the fast GPU in our GTX 1070 model that allows for a solid 60 fps in today’s AAA titles, we saw very little tearing with Vsync enabled on the 60 Hz LG-Phillips panel when gaming”. Steve Wright, a reviewer at Stevivor.com, feels that the 4K display and Tobii Eye Tracking is crazy good and terrifying in equal measure. It allowed him to use his eyeline to target incoming asteroids with surprisingly great success.

 

KEYBOARD AND TOUCHPAD

Regarding the keyboard: “We would have appreciated if the keyboard was moved down closer to the palm rest area so we wouldn’t feel the heat so much but on the other hand, your palms will rest comfortable on the big wrist rest area” (LaptopMedia). TrustedReviews sees a modest but important upgrade in the keyboard: “Alienware lists it as having a 2.2mm key travel and rapid-response feature that lets it register more than 108 key commands per minute. I didn’t get close to reaching the key command limit, but found the keyboard comfortable to game on and especially reactive.” Speaking of the keyboard and the trackpad of the Alienware 17, LaptopMedia states that this notebook has long key travel, customizable RGB illumination with separate zones, and 6 programmable macro keys, yet still no media control: “The ergonomic shape and overall feel of the keyboard will prove useful for typing and gaming. It is hard to miss the LED-illuminated futuristic touchpad - excellent gliding surface, accurate, responsive and slightly mushy dedicated mouse buttons.”

 

PERFORMANCE

The Alienware 17 R4 is available with the 6th-generation Skylake quad-core 2.7GHz Core i7-6820HK processor that is considered a high-performance chip with a relatively high consumption - 45W TDP, matching its little sibling, the i7-6700HQ. The Intel Core i7-6820HK with four cores is clocked at 2.7GHz and able to go up to 3.6GHz for one active core, 3.4GHz for two active cores, and 3.2GHz for four active cores. Powered by 8GB of VRAM and a GTX 1070 GPU, the Alienware 17 will happily cope with 1080p and 1440p gaming - 4K will still be a stretch if you ramp up things such as anti-aliasing, but it will handle most games with aplomb, according to TrustedReviews. And as the gaming tests of LaptopMedia show, this laptop achieved 59 fps with Full HD and maximum settings in “Grand Theft Auto V”, 55 fps with Full HD and maximum settings in “Tomb Raider”, and 84 fps for “Tom Clancy’s The Division”.

 

HEAT AND NOISE

LaptopMedia ran the CPU stress test and noticed two things: “The CPU is clocked at lower than usual frequencies and doesn’t go above 3.1GHz with four active cores during full load.” Aside from that, this is comparable to some desktop PCs, with the CPU temperatures under full load reaching 65° to 70° Celsius (LaptopMedia). Similarly, according to MobileTechReview, the good news is that the GPU, even our NVIDIA GTX 1070 version, does not run hot, nor does the CPU: When gaming, the CPU cores average at a relatively cool 65° Celsius, and the GPU at 62° Celsius, which are impressively low temperatures, even for a desktop replacement gaming notebook. Surface temperatures are never burning hot, the keyboard and deck are the warmest. Nevertheless, the reviewer at Stevivor.com comments: “Whilst playing, I did notice the laptop’s fan getting louder as time progressed, but never distractingly so. All the while, intricate thermal ports kept air flowing and the laptop’s outer casing cool.” Furthermore: “During normal use or long hours of gaming, the center of the keyboard gets a bit warm (around 47 Celsius degrees),” writes LaptopMedia.

 

BATTERY

This is rarely the upbeat section of a gaming laptop review, but according to a battery test run by MobileTechReview, the Alienware 17 R4 with the 99-Whr battery and NVIDIA Optimus averages 6 to 6.5 hours of mixed productivity and streaming video use at 33 percent brightness. On the other hand, in order to simulate real-life conditions, LaptopMedia used their own script for different purposes: With automatic web browsing through 70 websites, the Alienware 17 R4 lasted for 267 minutes (4 hours and 27 minutes); with video playback, it lasted 3 hours and 41 minutes; and with gaming without the power source, it lasted for 54 minutes. MobileTechReview also noted about the battery life that the notebook shipped with a 240-watt power brick that is slim but has a big footprint, not unlike the laptop itself: “That’s a perfectly adequate power supply with watts to spare, so the charger never gets burning hot and charge levels don’t drop when gaming plugged into power.”

 

CONCLUSION

In general: “With the main difference being in the display department, the notebook will appeal to hardcore gamers, content creators and to those who like to keep it modest with a Full HD screen.” However: “For starters, the CPU and GPU are overclockable and the cooling system is fully capable of handling the extra clock speeds but Alienware hasn’t provided an easy overclocking setup” (quoted from LaptopMedia). With the extraordinary advantages in design and feature upgrades, the Alienware 17 R4 is considered to be a great laptop for gamers. Some of its advantages include the clean and sophisticated design, a good keyboard and touchpad experience, a well-designed cooling system, Tobii Eye Tracking (available with the 4K display only) and an impressive display with excellent image quality. That is the reason why Stevivor.com considers the Alienware 17 a very specific type of gaming device: “It’s a pretty, juiced-up package, perfect for those who don’t want to build their own machine and would also like a slightly more portable version of a pre-built PC tower.” However, this elegant notebook still has some unexpected flaws that could disappoint a bit. For example, its battery life is rather short, despite the large 99-Wh battery, overclocking is possible only through BIOS and 3rd party software. “In the end, the Alienware 17 R4 should be your premium gaming choice only if you are looking for the best possible gaming experience,” concluded LaptopMedia.

Press Review by Capuchino Saber

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770M: Upcoming high-end graphics card for laptops and part of the 700M 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.  


4800MQ: Haswell-based quad-core processor clocked at 2.7 GHz with Turbo Boost support up to 3.7 GHz. Offers an integrated HD Graphics 4600 GPU and a dual channel DDR3 memory controller.» Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Processsors.


17.30": This display size is a standard format for desktop replacements (DTR). The DTR laptops are heavier to carry, need more power, but texts are easy to read and high resolutions are no problem. DTR are mainly intended for stationary desk use, where weight and energy hunger don't matter. In return, you enjoy the advantages of high resolutions (more details, better legibility).» To find out how fine a display is, see our DPI List.


4.2 kg:

A laptop in this weight range is a heavyweight that you rarely carry around. This is meant for desktops and the devices tend to score with a large display and high performance and replace desktop devices.


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.


84.63%: 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.

 

Please share our article, every link counts!

Devices from a different Manufacturer and/or with a different CPU

Digital Storm Krypton 17 inch
GeForce GTX 770M, Core i7 4700MQ
Cyberpower Fangbook EVO HX7-150
GeForce GTX 770M, Core i7 4700MQ
MSI GT70 2OC-065US
GeForce GTX 770M, Core i7 4700MQ
Asus G750JX-T4070H
GeForce GTX 770M, Core i7 4700HQ
Asus G750JX-DB71
GeForce GTX 770M, Core i7 4700HQ
Asus G750JX-T4045H
GeForce GTX 770M, Core i7 4700HQ
Asus G750JX-T4052H
GeForce GTX 770M, Core i7 4700HQ
Medion Erazer X7825-MD98416
GeForce GTX 770M, Core i7 4700MQ
Asus G750JX
GeForce GTX 770M, Core i7 4700HQ

Devices with the same GPU and/or Screen Size

Toshiba Qosmio X70-A-114
GeForce GTX 770M, Core i7 4700MQ, 3.6 kg
Toshiba Qosmio X70-A-12W
GeForce GTX 770M, Core i7 4700MQ, 3.4 kg
Toshiba Qosmio X70-A-122
GeForce GTX 770M, Core i7 4700MQ, 3.4 kg
Toshiba Qosmio X70-A-10F
GeForce GTX 770M, Core i7 4700MQ, 3.3 kg
Toshiba Qosmio X75-A7298
GeForce GTX 770M, Core i7 4700MQ, 3.4 kg
Toshiba Qosmio X70-AST2GX1
GeForce GTX 770M, Core i7 4700MQ, 3.5 kg

Devices with the same GPU

Gigabyte P25W
GeForce GTX 770M, Core i7 4700MQ, 15.60", 2.87 kg

Devices with Same Screen Size and/or Weight

Alienware m18 R1, RTX 4090
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU, Raptor Lake-HX i9-13900HX, 18.00", 4.23 kg
Alienware x14 R2 2023, RTX 4060
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU, Raptor Lake-H i7-13620H, 14.00", 1.91 kg
Alienware m15 R7, 6800H RTX 3060
GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU, Rembrandt (Zen 3+) R7 6800H, 15.60", 2.69 kg
Alienware m16 R1 AMD, RTX 4070
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU, Dragon Range (Zen 4, Ryzen 7045) R9 7845HX, 16.00", 3.11 kg
Alienware m16 R1 AMD
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU, Dragon Range (Zen 4, Ryzen 7045) R9 7845HX, 16.00", 3.11 kg
Alienware m16 R1, i7-13700HX RTX 4060
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU, Raptor Lake-HX i7-13700HX, 16.00", 2.984 kg
Alienware x16 R1
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU, Raptor Lake-H i9-13900HK, 16.00", 2.632 kg
Alienware m16 R1
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU, Raptor Lake-HX i9-13900HX, 16.00", 3.3 kg
Alienware x14 R2 2023
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop GPU, Raptor Lake-H i7-13620H, 14.00", 1.91 kg
Alienware x16 R1, i9-13900HK RTX 4080
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU, Raptor Lake-H i9-13900HK, 16.00", 2.72 kg
Alienware m18 R1
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU, Raptor Lake-HX i9-13980HX, 18.00", 3.891 kg
Alienware x14, i7-12700H 3050 Ti
GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Laptop GPU, Alder Lake-S i7-12700H, 14.00", 1.84 kg
Alienware m17 R5 (R9 6900HX, RX 6850M XT)
Radeon RX 6850M XT, Rembrandt (Zen 3+) R9 6900HX, 17.00", 3.384 kg
Current Prices
Stefan Hinum, 2013-08-12 (Update: 2013-08-12)