Alienware m16 R2
Specifications
Primary Camera: 2 MPix
Price comparison
Average of 20 scores (from 36 reviews)
Reviews for the Alienware m16 R2
The Alienware m16 R2 is the first Alienware laptop in recent memory to drop the girthy thermal deck along the rear in favor of a smaller and lighter form factor. The end result is one of the most portable Alienware laptops ever created, but certain features have been omitted along the way.
Source: NDTV Gadgets
The Alienware m16 R2 is not what it used to be, but if you're looking for a machine that can do more than gaming, then this is a good choice. Everything on the laptop is good for a laptop at this price. It's got a nice design, it's built well, you get good performance from both the CPU and GPU, the display is fast, and the battery life when not gaming is pretty good. If you're also looking for a gaming laptop that can blend well among other lower-tier laptops so you don't feel weird in coffee shops, the Alienware m16 R2 is a great choice.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 09/06/2024
Rating: Total score: 80% price: 80% performance: 80% mobility: 70% workmanship: 80%
Source: 91mobiles
The Alienware M16 R2 is a capable gaming laptop. While not as fast as some competing devices, the laptop offers a relatively beefy battery backup. As such, the device makes sense for those looking for a dependable gaming machine that can also be used to get work done on the go. As outfitted, my review unit retails for around Rs 2.15 lakh, which is about what you would spend for the more powerful Legion 7i laptop.
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 07/22/2024
Rating: Total score: 80% performance: 80% display: 80% mobility: 85% workmanship: 75%
Source: Trusted Reviews
Alienware’s m16 R2 is a solid gaming laptop that makes for a great all-rounder with its sleek, redesigned looks, as well as beefy performance in both games and synthetic benchmarks thanks to its combo of a mid-range Nvidia GPU and one of Intel’s new Core Ultra processors. You also get the benefit of an excellent selection of ports and connectivity. This particular option also comes with a tactile keyboard and responsive trackpad, as well as the benefit of a clean Windows install with little bloatware for a zippy user experience. Combined with this, the QHD+ resolution of its 16-inch IPS display offers good detail, while a 240Hz refresh rate means games are responsive and super-smooth. This isn’t a perfect gaming laptop by any means, though, with its display also being quite dim, and the battery life being quite short.
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 07/19/2024
Rating: Total score: 80%
Source: India Today
With clear (if not vibrant) display, loud speakers (but sadly also noisy fans), capability to run heavy-duty games and a compact form factor, the Alienware m16 R2 is a fairly capable device for people looking to balance work and play. The laptop costs comparatively less than other Alienware laptops available in the market and that is one of its strongest points. If you are looking to buy a laptop that can do it all: Gaming as well as your work stuff, with some entertainment jobs thrown in, the Alienware m16 R2 is a dependable choice.
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 07/13/2024
Rating: Total score: 80%
Source: Laptop Media
The Alienware m16 R2 is a well-built gaming laptop. Its solid chassis houses a great keyboard for both typing and gaming. The device has the typical Alienware distinctive design. You can also use the “Stealth” mode which turns off all the RGBs for a more muted appearance when using the notebook outside your home. The cooling solution does its job well. The optional Core Ultra 9 185H can sustain 3.45 GHz / 2.92 GHz P and E-core clock in longer stress. In this scenario, the fans aren’t noisy in “Performance” mode and the keyboard doesn’t get toasty to the touch. The “Balanced” preset offers slightly reduced CPU and GPU frequencies but that’s fine since the performance is just slightly hindered but the fan noise is lower.
Single Review, online available, Very Long, Date: 06/29/2024
Source: The Indian Express
Dell’s Alienware-branded gaming laptops are known for two things: high performance and iconic design. The recently launched m16 R2 continues to follow this trend while incorporating changes to make it more practical than ever before. I started testing this machine with two specific questions in mind: Is this the best high-end gaming laptop (it costs approximately Rs 2,00,000), and what makes it better than most gaming laptops?
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 06/14/2024
Rating: Total score: 80%
Source: USA Today
The Alienware m16 R2 is a well-built, high-performance machine that competes on price and specs with other great gaming laptops. Its display is geared up for quality gaming and it boasts an array of ports that make it easy to set up at a desk. Windows Hello facial recognition pairs well with a decent webcam, and a great keyboard rounds out the whole package. Performance often comes with a cost, however, and in this case those costs are noise and battery life. The Alienware m16 R2 may be able to keep up with some of its contemporaries in speed, but it can get pretty whiny. Even when the performance is dialed back considerably it can struggle to match the stellar battery life of options like the HP Victus 16 (2022) or Acer Nitro 16 (2023).
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 05/24/2024
Source: Ben G Kaiser
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 05/23/2024
Source: Digital Trends
The Alienware m16 R2 feels like a fresh start for the brand’s gaming laptops. In the era of compact, discreet laptops like the Razer Blade or ROG Zephyrus G14, Alienware laptops haven’t always followed the trend. The m16 laptops, particularly, were the defiantly chunky ones in the lineup. But with the Alienware m16 R2, many of the hallmarks of the company’s designs have been traded out for something that looks and feels more conventional.
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 05/23/2024
Rating: Total score: 70%
Source: Engadget
For 2024, it would have been so easy for Alienware to give the m16 a basic spec refresh and call it a day. But it didn’t. Instead, the company looked at its customers' preferences and gave it a revamp to match. So despite not having the same top-end performance as before, the R2 is still a very capable gaming laptop with a more compact chassis, improved battery life and a lower starting price of $1,500 with an RTX 4050. Sure, I wish its display was brighter and that there was another panel option, but getting 240Hz standard is pretty nice. Really, the biggest argument against the m16 R2 is that for higher-specced systems like our $1,850 review unit with an RTX 4070, you can spend another $150 for an ASUS ROG G16 with the same GPU, a brighter and more colorful OLED display and an even lighter design that weighs a full pound less. But for people seeking a well-priced gaming machine that can do a bit of everything, there’s a lot of value in the m16 R2.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 05/10/2024
Rating: Total score: 81%
Source: Jarrod'sTech
Single Review, online available, Very Long, Date: 05/10/2024
Source: T3
Many of the changes in this new version of the Alienware M16 aren’t focused on gaming; they're focused on making it more of a general-purpose laptop that's stealthily brilliant at running games. The reduced size and improved power management compared to its predecessor make it easier to carry and longer-lasting. Features like the Stealth Mode, which provides a neat way to switch from gaming to general-use mode with one key, brings a discreet mode to switch too. All that makes the Alienware M16 R2 an excellent pick for those who want to play games – but sometimes have to do other non-gamey things too. It's a brilliant solution that's very well executed.
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 04/15/2024
Rating: Total score: 100%
Source: Hot Hardware
That said, the Alienware m16 R2 is not exclusively designed for a single type of user, such as enthusiast gamers. This machine is meant to be somewhat of a go-between device that's perfectly capable of handling any productivity or content creation workload one minute, while gaming the next and maintaining a low profile if you'd like to as well. We consider the Alienware m16 R2 a good option for anyone who games, but also has to be on the go and get serious work done -- which is a large mainstream demographic these days. Regardless of your use case, the Alienware m16 R2 is a good looking, well-balanced, all-around gaming laptop that holds its own at its price point. As tested, the configuration featured here with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 and Intel Core Ultra 7 155H comes in at $1,849, but this laptop line starts at $1,499.99 base price.
Single Review, online available, Very Long, Date: 04/11/2024
Source: Techaeris
With all that being said, is the new Alienware m16 R2 gaming laptop any good? Of course. It can get pricey, but the higher price point is because of the new Core 7/9 Ultra and up to an RTX 4070 options — both well worth it. Otherwise, you can still get a 4050 or a 4060 for a slightly more affordable price. The choice is yours.
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 04/10/2024
Rating: Total score: 94% price: 90% performance: 100% display: 95% mobility: 90% workmanship: 95%
Source: Mash IT
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 04/09/2024
Source: CNet
For its second-gen midrange gaming laptop, Alienware rejiggered its midrange 16-inch m16 to fit more comfortably into its place in the company's gaming laptop universe. That meant lowering its configurations and redesigning it to meet the lower price target buyer. That puts the m16 R2 in competition with Dell's own G series, which is a lot cheaper for configurations with similar power, but also clunkier with last-generation components. There's a good set of options available for the m16 R2 line -- you can run the price up to $3,795. I wouldn't recommend that, though, since that's a lot to pay to get stuck with the meh display, unless you typically plan to use it connected to an external monitor.
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 03/26/2024
Rating: Total score: 83%
Source: Ultrabook Review
The Alienware m16 r2 is a worthy successor to the version they put out last year. It maintains a high level of performance while offering a much smaller footprint and far less heft than before. It also comes with a better keyboard and trackpad layout. But Dell didn’t go as far as to improve everything that was wrong with the r1. This still runs hot in certain spots with sustained loads. It also still has mediocre speakers and webcam, and only a so-so display. And let’s not forget that the power modes and Advanced Optimus are still pretty buggy, at least for now.
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 03/18/2024
Rating: Total score: 80%
Source: Zdnet.com
I recommend the Alienware m16 R2 to people who want a laptop that can pull double duty. It excels at being an entertainment/gaming machine but it's inconspicuous enough for the office. Prices for the laptop start at $1,549, but if you start upgrading the hardware to look something like my review unit, it'll cost you $1,849. I should mention that it's possible to customize certain parts of the device even after you've purchased it. You can, for example, upgrade the SSD from 1 TB of storage up to 8 TB. To learn how to do this, you'll have to follow the set of instructions on pages 36 to 44 of the laptop's Owner's Manual. You can find said manual on Dell's website.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 03/16/2024
Source: PC World
The Alienware m16 R2 is a great laptop. It delivers strong graphics performance thanks to its Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 along with decent CPU performance. And it delivers all that while offering long battery life away from an outlet — long battery life for a gaming laptop, anyway. However, the display is a good IPS display, but it’s on the dim side, and I can see that being an issue for some people. This Alienware machine is a great value for its specs, its retail price beats similar systems like the Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 and the HP Victus 16 (2023). If you find an RTX 4070 laptop with an even cheaper retail price, it may make some sacrifices. For example, it may have a lower-resolution screen with a lower refresh rate. If you’re shopping for a laptop in this price range and you want a machine that can do more than just be tethered to a desk and play games, it’s a great fit. I just wish its display could be a bit brighter – but that’s not a deal-breaker considering everything else this laptop gets right.
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 03/08/2024
Rating: Total score: 90%
Source: Digital Trends
Overall, the Alienware m16 R2 is a reboot of the design and sets the foundation for where things could go. But we’re not there yet. If you can find the Alienware m16 R2 discounted by a couple hundred bucks, it might be a solid pick-up, especially if you’re a fan of Alienware. It does what it sets out to do, and fixes many of the issues with the original model. But at this price, there are some better options out there, many of which include last-gen gaming laptops that perform just as well. Amazon and Best Buy are full of RTX 4070 gaming laptops right now for significantly cheaper. It’s not this laptop’s fault that new mobile GPUs haven’t launched in 2024, but the performance parity with last year’s gaming laptops means newer devices really need to make a statement with its design, display, or price. The Alienware m16 R2 just barely misses the mark in walking that balance.
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 02/15/2024
Rating: Total score: 60%
Source: PC Mag
In the competitive world of gaming laptops, the Alienware m16 R2 carves out a niche and executes its concept well. Stopping well shy of the $2,000 price barrier, it spends your money in the right places, offering imprssive performance with a premium build and feature set. A few systems will get you similar frame rates for less money but lack some of the high-end finishes and features that make the m16 R2 such an attractive package. We think the 14.5-inch Lenovo Legion Slim 5 Gen 8 is a bit more appealing to a wider swath of on-the-go gamers, but the Alienware is easily the go-to alternative for more power or a larger screen. Though we didn't get the opportunity to test it, the RTX 4060 base model may be an even better buy.
Single Review, online available, Very Long, Date: 02/14/2024
Rating: Total score: 80%
Source: Laptop Mag
Alienware’s m16 R2 is a solid gaming laptop that leaves much to be desired, particularly in its quest to fulfill your needs as a product for productivity. Battery life under eight hours and a dim display are both vital issues for something that will accompany you through school projects or a workday. However, the Alienware m16 R2 is an exceedingly powerful gaming laptop, consistently being one of the best in our performance tests when compared against similar products. Even then, its display is lacking color, its fans get pretty darn loud, and its speakers aren’t punchy enough to rise above that noise. For a superior display with better audio, we recommend the Lenovo Legion 5 Pro. But if you’re on the lookout for a lighter and thinner Alienware gaming laptop that can deliver in power, look no further than the Alienware m16 R2.
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 02/01/2024
Rating: Total score: 70%
Source: Techradar
Dell has chosen to leave the already gorgeous aesthetics of the Alienware x16 R2 refresh untouched from previous versions, barring a beautiful rainbow touchpad that complements the RGB keyboard. Instead, it upgraded its specs, display, ventilation system, and webcam among other enhancements. Even with its few setbacks, this is shaping up to be a great desktop replacement.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 01/14/2024
Source: Hardware Canucks
The Alienware M16 R2 is a gaming laptop that can go anywhere and do anything but primarily its meant to compete against the Legion Pro 5 series. Then there's the new Dell XPS 14 and XPS 16...and those are two laptops we really need to have a talk about.
Single Review, online available, Very Long, Date: 01/12/2024
Source: Techradar
This Alienware m16 R2 refresh has reduced the frankly massive and unwieldy size of the previous model by 15%, an incredible achievement. Meanwhile, the display size is still fully 16-inch and features a 240Hz refresh rate that's perfect for hardcore and professional gamers. Port selection is solid and thankfully it includes an ethernet port, which oddly can be missing from other desktop replacements.
Hands-On, online available, Short, Date: 01/10/2024
Source: Trusted Reviews
The Alienware M16 was introduced last year as a powerhouse gaming laptop to take on the likes of the Razer Blade 16 but with its second iteration, the brand is already pivoting. The new M16 R2 has a more timid look and milder specifications, all to appeal to a more mainstream audience.
Hands-On, online available, Medium, Date: 01/09/2024
Source: Tom's Guide
The Alienware m16 R2 bears the hallmarks of a gaming laptop but features a "Stealth" mode that reduces performance and shuts off RGB lighting. Its Meteor Lake chip facilitates AI tasks while its Nvidia RTX 40-series GPU can handle most modern games. This could be an overall great laptop for both work and play.
Hands-On, online available, Short, Date: 01/09/2024
Source: Tom's Guide
The Alienware m16 R2 straddles the fence between gaming and productivity. Though it bears the hallmark Alienware logo and is bulkier than an ultraportable, this redesign of last year’s Alienware m16 is suitable for those who also want to use this machine for everyday computing. Other than its sharp 16-inch display and Nvidia RTX 40-series GPU, the main draw is the inclusion of an Intel Core Ultra “Meteor Lake” processor. This chip’s NPU can perform AI-driven tasks faster than a processor lacking an NPU. In addition, pressing the F2 key instantly switches to productivity mode — which uses less power than performance mode. The Alienware m16 R2 is an intriguing device since it can function as both a work and gaming laptop. Its relatively subdued design is also attractive. It could be one of the best laptops of 2024.
Hands-On, online available, Very Short, Date: 01/09/2024
Source: CNet
The new XPS lineup takes after the previous Plus models, adding 14- and 16-inch sizes, while the m16 shrinks significantly. The new ROG Zephyrus G14 looks like it will continue to be a standout ultraportable gaming machine, while the twin-display Zenbook Duo will raise productivity on the go.
Comparison, online available, Short, Date: 01/09/2024
Source: Engadget
Despite launching an all-new version of the m16 last year, Alienware has completely redesigned its mainstream 16-inch gaming laptop again for 2024 to address customer feedback while optimizing performance for the most popular configs. I got to check out the new m16 R2 ahead of CES 2024 and there’s a lot to like about Alienware’s more purpose-built revamp.
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 01/09/2024
Source: Tom's Guide
The Alienware m16 R2 straddles the fence between gaming and productivity. Though it bears the hallmark Alienware logo and is bulkier than an ultraportable, this redesign of last year’s Alienware m16 is suitable for those who also want to use this machine for everyday computing. Other than its sharp 16-inch display and Nvidia RTX 40-series GPU, the main draw is the inclusion of an Intel Core Ultra “Meteor Lake” processor. This chip’s NPU can perform AI-driven tasks faster than a processor lacking an NPU. In addition, pressing the F2 key instantly switches to productivity mode — which uses less power than performance mode. The Alienware m16 R2 is an intriguing device since it can function as both a work and gaming laptop. Its relatively subdued design is also attractive. It could be one of the best laptops of 2024.
Hands-On, online available, Very Short, Date: 01/09/2024
Source: Laptop Media
Alienware m16 R2 是一款精心打造的游戏笔记本电脑。其坚固的机身配备了出色的键盘,无论是打字还是游戏都能得心应手。该设备具有典型的 Alienware 独特设计。您还可以使用 “隐形 “模式,它可以关闭所有 RGB 灯光,使笔记本在户外使用时显得更加柔和。散热解决方案表现出色。选配的酷睿至尊 9 185H 可在较长时间的压力下维持 3.45 GHz / 2.92 GHz 的 P 核和 E 核频率。在这种情况下,风扇在 “性能 “模式下不会发出嘈杂声,键盘的触感也不会过热。在 “平衡 “预设模式下,CPU 和 GPU 频率略有降低,但这并不影响性能,反而会降低风扇噪音。1600p IPS 显示屏(友达 XC0PX-B160QAN (AUO75AB))使该笔记本电脑适用于对色彩敏感的专业任务,因为它完全覆盖了 sRGB 范围,而且色彩准确度非常高(平均 dE 1.3),这得益于我们的 “设计与游戏 “配置文件。240Hz 无 PWM 屏幕可提供快速的像素响应时间(约 7 毫秒)和 320 尼特的最大亮度。底部面板的拆卸并不复杂。对于这种级别的笔记本电脑来说,升级能力很正常–两个 SODIMM 插槽和一对 M.2 插槽,但没有一个不是用于 5 代 NVMe 硬盘的。不过,该机还是支持 Wi-Fi 7,端口选择也不错,共有 4 个 USB 接口以及 LAN 和一个 MicroSD 卡插槽。m16 R2 在各种使用环境下都感觉非常灵敏。不过,这款笔记本的价格一点也不便宜,但它采用了流星湖处理器。竞争对手包括华硕 G634或微星 Vector 16 HX A13V等采用 Raptor Lake HX 芯片的笔记本电脑,它们拥有更多的内核和更高的计算性能,同时还提升了 GPU 性能。不过,作为一款游戏设备,Alienware m16 R2 还是有很多亮点的,比如最大负载下的良好舒适性、色彩精确的无 PWM 显示屏、优质的构造和不错的电池续航时间。
Positive: Tough device; slim size; powerful hardware; good cooling and silent system; nice display; comfortable keyboard; rich set of ports; decent battery life. Negative: Poor touchpad; no SSD Gen 5 slot; expensive.
Single Review, online available, Very Long, Date: 06/29/2024
Foreign Reviews
Source: PC Welt DE→EN
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 10/17/2024
Rating: Total score: 90%
Source: Basic Tutorials DE→EN
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 05/14/2024
Rating: Total score: 87% price: 90% performance: 90% features: 100% display: 80% mobility: 80% workmanship: 100%
Source: Frandroid FR→EN
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 08/02/2024
Rating: Total score: 70% performance: 70% display: 70% mobility: 70% workmanship: 80%
Source: Clubic FR→EN
Single Review, online available, Very Long, Date: 05/22/2024
Rating: Total score: 70% price: 70% performance: 80% display: 70% mobility: 60% workmanship: 70%
Comment
NVIDIA NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU: High-end graphics card for laptops based on the Ada Lovelace architecture. Offers 8 GB GDDR6 (128 Bit) and is configurable with a TGP of 35 - 115W (+ Dynamic Boost).
These graphics cards are able to play the latest and most demanding games in high resolutions and full detail settings with enabled Anti-Aliasing.
» Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Graphics Cards and the corresponding Benchmark List.
Ultra 7 155H: A high-end Meteor Lake chip that debuted in December 2023. This 1st Gen Core Ultra processor has come to replace 13th generation Core chips; it has 16 cores (6 + 8 + 2) and 22 threads at its disposal. Its Performance cores, of which there are 6, run at up to 4.8 GHz while its Efficient cores, of which there are 10 (8 main cores plus 2 extra ones found in the Low Power Island) run at up to 3.8 GHz. The integrated AI Boost NPU offers two Gen 3 engines for hardware AI workload acceleration. This laptop processor's Base power consumption is 28 W while its Turbo power consumption is supposed to stay within 115 W. » Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Processsors.
16.00":
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.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.
80.76%: 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.