CES 2024 | Alienware m18 R2: Gargantuan gaming laptop refreshed with Intel Core i9-14900HX

Dell was one of the many OEMs that got in the 18-inch desktop replacement laptop game last year, which gave birth to the colossal Alienware m18. Its high price might be offputting for many, but there seems to be an audience for it, which is why Dell has announced its successor, the Alienware m18 R2, at CES 2024. Some models can be bought on January 11, starting at $1,899.

The Alienware m18 R2 opts for Intel's 14000HX Raptor Lake refresh processors instead of Meteor Lake. You can pick between a Core i9-14900HX, Core i7-14700HX and a Core i5-14650HX. At launch, graphics card options are limited to the GeForce RTX 4060 (140 W) and GeForce RTX 4070 (140 W). Later this year, SKUs with the GeForce RTX 4080 (175 W) and RTX 4090 (175 W) will become available.

Dell offers the Alienware m18 R2 in two screen configurations. One is an 18-inch QHD+ (2,560 x 1,600) 165 Hz panel, and the other is an 18-inch FHD+ (1,920 x 1,200) 480 Hz. Both have a response time of 3 ms, support Nvidia G-Sync/AMD FreeSync and cover 100% of the DCI-P3 colour gamut. Their peak brightness is a bit lacking at 300 nits, but that shouldn't matter for a gaming laptop.

One can fit the Alienware m18 R2 with up to 64 GB of DDR5 5,200 MT/s modules. Those prioritizing speed over raw capacity can opt for 32 GB of 5,600 MT/s sticks. Storage options vary between 256 GB and 4 TB for a single-drive layout and 512 GB and 4 TB for RAID 0. Dell also throws in a 1080p IR camera with Windows Hello support. Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.3 are also supported, but the latter is downgraded to Wi-Fi 6E on some lower-end models.

I/O on the Alienware m18 R2 includes one Thunderbolt 4.0 port, one USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C port, two USB 3.2 Type-A ports, a HDMI 2.1 port, an RJ 45 Ethernet jack, micro SD card reader and a 3.5 mm audio jack. A 97 Wh battery powers the laptop. Depending on your hardware choices, you'll get either a 280 W or 360 W GaN charger. CherryMX key switches can optionally be added if required.