Alienware x17 R1 RTX 3080 laptop review: A new beginning
The 17.3-inch Alienware laptop series has had an avalanche of changes these past few years. Dell introduced a brand new Alienware m17 R1 chassis in 2019 only to replace it with a fully redesigned m17 R2 chassis just a year later in 2020. For 2021, the manufacturer has introduced yet another full chassis redesign to replace the m17 series altogether called the Alienware x17.
Our test unit is a higher-end configuration equipped with the Core i7-11800H CPU, GeForce RTX 3080 GPU, 120 Hz 4K UHD display, CherryMX mechanical keys, and 32 GB of RAM for approximately $3200 USD. Lesser and higher options are available with the RTX 3060 or Core i9-11980HK, respectively. Perhaps the most important feature of the new chassis is its redesigned cooling solution that includes more fans than before and a new gallium-silicone-based thermal paste over the CPU. A 15.6-inch version is also available called the Alienware x15 R1.
Competitors to the Alienware x17 R1 include other ultra-thin 17.3-inch gaming laptops like the MSI GS76, Razer Blade 17, Asus ROG Zephyrus S17, and the Tongfang-based Maingear Vector Pro.
More Dell reviews:
potential competitors in comparison
Rating | Date | Model | Weight | Height | Size | Resolution | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 89 % v7 (old) | 09 / 2021 | Alienware x17 RTX 3080 P48E i7-11800H, GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU | 3.2 kg | 21.4 mm | 17.30" | 3840x2160 | |
| 85.3 % v7 (old) | 04 / 2021 | Alienware m17 R4 i9-10980HK, GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU | 3 kg | 22 mm | 17.30" | 1920x1080 | |
| 89.4 % v7 (old) | 09 / 2021 | Razer Blade 17 RTX 3070 i7-11800H, GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU | 2.8 kg | 19.9 mm | 17.30" | 1920x1080 | |
| 90.1 % v7 (old) | 07 / 2021 | Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 GX703HSD i9-11900H, GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU | 2.8 kg | 19.9 mm | 17.30" | 2560x1440 | |
| 86.2 % v7 (old) | 09 / 2021 | MSI GS76 Stealth 11UH i9-11900H, GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU | 2.4 kg | 20 mm | 17.30" | 3840x2160 | |
| 88 % v7 (old) | 05 / 2021 | Gigabyte Aero 17 HDR YD i9-11980HK, GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU | 2.8 kg | 22 mm | 17.30" | 3840x2160 |
Case — Legend Reborn
The revamped "Legend" chassis design utilizes similar soft-touch plastics as on the m17 R2 but in different and generally flatter proportions to accentuate a thinner look. The white outer lid and honeycomb grilles all remain, for example, while the keyboard deck is now black and sharper around the edges. Rigidity is still excellent especially around the base with very little warping and no creaking to speak of.
The lid flexes more than the lid on the Blade 17 but not as much as on the MSI GS75. It also has some of the thickest bezels along the bottom edge for any 17.3-inch gaming laptop we've seen which are partly responsible for the extra-large footprint.
Alienware laptops aren't afraid to be big and the x17 R1 is still a big system regardless of how "thin" Dell likes to market the model. The truth is that the system is noticeably bigger and heavier than most competing models like the MSI GS76, Blade 17, or Zephyrus S17. Even the older Alienware m17 R4 is lighter than the x17 R1 by about 200 grams despite their nearly identical volumes. The added weight contributes to a stronger and stiffer base, however.
Connectivity — All Along the Back
Port options are mostly the same as on last year's Alienware m17 R4 but with a few important changes. The rarely used proprietary Graphics Amplifier port, for example, has been dropped in favor of a more handy second USB-C port. There is also one less USB-A port to work with this time around. Otherwise, all other ports have returned albeit rearranged along the rear of the chassis to be generally harder to reach and see than on most other laptops.
Note that both USB-C ports support DisplayPort and Power Delivery but only one is actually compatible with Thunderbolt 4.
SD Card Reader
Transfer rates from the integrated MicroSD reader are very fast at nearly 250 MB/s with our UHS-II test card. The slot is a bit difficult to access since it's along the rear, but it definitely beats not having one at all.
| SD Card Reader | |
| average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs) | |
| Razer Blade 17 RTX 3070 (AV Pro V60) | |
| MSI GS76 Stealth 11UH (AV PRO microSD 128 GB V60) | |
| Alienware m17 R4 (AV PRO microSD 128 GB V60) | |
| Gigabyte Aero 17 HDR YD (AV PRO microSD 128 GB V60) | |
| Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 GX703HSD | |
| Alienware x17 RTX 3080 P48E (AV Pro V60) | |
| maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB) | |
| Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 GX703HSD | |
| Alienware x17 RTX 3080 P48E (AV Pro V60) | |
| Alienware m17 R4 (AV PRO microSD 128 GB V60) | |
| MSI GS76 Stealth 11UH (AV PRO microSD 128 GB V60) | |
| Razer Blade 17 RTX 3070 (AV Pro V60) | |
| Gigabyte Aero 17 HDR YD (AV PRO microSD 128 GB V60) | |
Communication
The Wi-Fi 6E-enabled Killer AX1675x module comes soldered much like how it was on the last generation m17 design. Interestingly, the WLAN module is removable on the Alienware x15 even though it's a smaller 15.6-inch form factor.
Webcam — IR, but no Shutter
Camera quality has not really improved gen-to-gen as the system only comes with a 720p sensor. A few other laptops like the Razer Blade 17 have since upgraded to 1080p. A webcam shutter is missing as well.
Maintenance
The bottom panel pops off easily with just a Philips screwdriver and sharp edge. RAM is now expandable via 2x SODIMM slots whereas they are soldered on the older m17 R2 design.
Accessories and Warranty
There are no extras in the box outside of the AC adapter and paperwork. The standard one-year limited warranty applies with extension options if purchased directly from Dell.
Input Devices — CherryMX to the Rescue
Keyboard
Introduced on last year's Alienware m17 R4, the ultra-low profile CherryMX mechanical keys have returned on the x17 R1 as an optional feature. We were initially hesitant about the keys since mechanical or optical switches have been mostly misses on laptops like the MSI GT80 Titan, 2019 Razer Blade 15, or Lenovo Legion Y920. These new CherryMX keys, however, are quickly becoming our favorite on any gaming laptop. Feedback is uniform, crisper, and with both deeper travel and a more satisfying click when compared to laptops like the Razer Blade 17 or MSI GS76. The per-key RGB keys work well for both word processing and gaming albeit at the cost of loud high-pitched clatter that roommates or classmates may not appreciate. In these scenarios, we recommend opting for the SKUs with traditional membrane-based switches instead.
Perhaps our biggest gripe with the keyboard is that the secondary symbols on most keys are not backlit. Thus, the keys for brightness control, Print Screen, Pause, Insert, and more are almost impossible to see if working or gaming under dim ambient lighting. All keys and symbols are lit on the Blade 17 in comparison. Note that the first row of function keys are not mechanical, either.
Touchpad
The Precision clickpad is relatively small at 11.3 x 6.8 cm compared to 14 x 6.5 cm on the MSI GS75. Its surface is otherwise smooth when gliding at medium speeds with only a bit of sticking at slower speeds for more accurate clicks. Travel is very shallow and feedback is on the softer side when pressing down. Though a larger surface area would have made for easier multi-touch inputs, at least the clickpad isn't as spongy as the one on the Razer Blade series.
Dell offers an RGB backlight for the clickpad on certain SKUs which is a returning superficial option from older Alienware laptops. This feature is not available on the smaller 15.6-inch Alienware x15 R1.
Display — 4K, 120 Hz, 100% AdobeRGB, 5 ms
While the AU Optronics B173ZAN panel can be found on other laptops like the Schenker XMG Ultra 17, the one on our Alienware has a native refresh rate of 120 Hz instead of 60 Hz. Furthermore, black-white and gray-gray response times are very fast in the one-digit ranges and maximum brightness is also noticeably brighter than on most other gaming laptops. The MSI GS76 carries a similar 4K panel with even faster response times than our Alienware albeit at the cost of a narrower gamut. This makes the Alienware display one of the very few we've seen that seemingly checks all the boxes in regards to refresh rate, resolution, response times, color coverage, and brightness.
The matte overlay is slightly grainier than a glossy alternative and backlight bleeding could have been better on our specific unit. Our measurements below reflect only the 4K 120 Hz panel and not any of the other display options available for the Alienware x17 which are expected to have different attributes.
Note that Advanced Optimus is only available on FHD 360 Hz SKUs. Other SKUs like ours have Optimus 1.0 with a manual discrete GPU option in the BIOS.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Brightness Distribution: 91 %
Center on Battery: 438.7 cd/m²
Contrast: 914:1 (Black: 0.48 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 4.34 | 0.5-29.43 Ø4.91, calibrated: 0.72
ΔE Greyscale 2.4 | 0.5-98 Ø5.2
100% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
100% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
88.3% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.09
| Alienware x17 RTX 3080 P48E AU Optronics B173ZAN, IPS, 17.3", 3840x2160 | Alienware m17 R4 AU Optronics AUOEC91, IPS, 17.3", 1920x1080 | Razer Blade 17 RTX 3070 AU Optronics B173HAN05.4, IPS, 17.3", 1920x1080 | Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 GX703HSD BOE099D (BOE CQ NE173QHM-NY3), IPS, 17.3", 2560x1440 | MSI GS76 Stealth 11UH AUO B173ZAN06.1 (AUODE95), IPS, 17.3", 3840x2160 | Gigabyte Aero 17 HDR YD AU Optronics AUO329B, IPS, 17.3", 3840x2160 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display | -16% | -15% | -3% | -23% | -1% | |
| Display P3 Coverage | 88.3 | 69.8 -21% | 71.7 -19% | 94.2 7% | 63 -29% | 86.9 -2% |
| sRGB Coverage | 100 | 99.7 0% | 98.8 -1% | 98.7 -1% | 94.8 -5% | 100 0% |
| AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage | 100 | 71.6 -28% | 73.6 -26% | 84.4 -16% | 65 -35% | 99.6 0% |
| Response Times | 10% | 43% | 45% | 39% | -206% | |
| Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% * | 14.4 ? | 13.2 ? 8% | 4.2 ? 71% | 4.8 67% | 8.8 ? 39% | 52 ? -261% |
| Response Time Black / White * | 10.4 ? | 9.2 ? 12% | 8.8 ? 15% | 8 23% | 6.4 ? 38% | 26 ? -150% |
| PWM Frequency | ||||||
| Screen | 21% | -44% | -19% | 9% | 30% | |
| Brightness middle | 438.7 | 305 -30% | 323.3 -26% | 322 -27% | 474 8% | 488 11% |
| Brightness | 435 | 301 -31% | 315 -28% | 288 -34% | 454 4% | 467 7% |
| Brightness Distribution | 91 | 93 2% | 91 0% | 72 -21% | 88 -3% | 86 -5% |
| Black Level * | 0.48 | 0.19 60% | 0.33 31% | 0.3 37% | 0.46 4% | 0.33 31% |
| Contrast | 914 | 1605 76% | 980 7% | 1073 17% | 1030 13% | 1479 62% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 4.34 | 1.31 70% | 4.59 -6% | 3.05 30% | 1.5 65% | 1.23 72% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 7.3 | 2.32 68% | 10.82 -48% | 5.23 28% | 5.59 23% | 2.94 60% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated * | 0.72 | 0.91 -26% | 1.4 -94% | 1.92 -167% | 0.86 -19% | 0.77 -7% |
| Greyscale dE 2000 * | 2.4 | 2.3 4% | 7.9 -229% | 3.11 -30% | 2.8 -17% | 1.5 37% |
| Gamma | 2.09 105% | 2.281 96% | 2.28 96% | 2.13 103% | 2.158 102% | 2.169 101% |
| CCT | 6413 101% | 6449 101% | 5941 109% | 6553 99% | 6597 99% | 6614 98% |
| Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998) | 72 | 84 | 99 | |||
| Color Space (Percent of sRGB) | 94 | 99 | 99 | |||
| Total Average (Program / Settings) | 5% /
12% | -5% /
-25% | 8% /
-6% | 8% /
6% | -59% /
-10% |
* ... smaller is better
Color space encompasses all of sRGB and AdobeRGB as advertised by the manufacturer while DCI-P3 coverage is approximately 88 percent. The deep colors, fast response times, and fast refresh rate all make this 4K panel suitable for both gaming and graphics editing.
X-Rite colorimeter measurements show that the display is decently calibrated out of the box with average grayscale and color DeltaE values of just 2.4 and 4.34, respectively, when compared against the AdobeRGB standard. Setting the display to sRGB and then calibrating its colors would result in excellent DeltaE values of less than 2 across the board.
Display Response Times
| ↔ Response Time Black to White | ||
|---|---|---|
| 10.4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 5.2 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 5.2 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 25 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (20.9 ms). | ||
| ↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey | ||
| 14.4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 7.6 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 6.8 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.165 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 25 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (32.8 ms). | ||
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
| Screen flickering / PWM not detected |  | ||
In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 8705 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 343500) Hz was measured. | |||
Outdoor visibility is slightly better than on many other 17.3-inch gaming laptops since the 400-nit matte display is brighter than the typical 300-nit target. The heavy weight and size are difficult to ignore, however, and so you'll likely want to work on a flat desk regardless of the environment.
Performance — Impressive Processor Clock Rates
Two CPU options (Core i7-11800H, Core i9-11980HK) and three GeForce graphics options (RTX 3060, RTX 3070, RTX 3080) are available. We don't expect big differences between the two CPUs since our i7-11800H is already running well above 90 C when under load, but the three GPUs are each running at different TGP targets of 130 W, 140 W, and 165 W, respectively. In comparison, the RTX 3080 in the Razer Blade 17 targets "only" 130 W.
Our system was set to High Performance mode via the Alienware Command Center software prior to running our benchmarks below for the highest possible scores. We recommend users become familiar with this software as all lighting and performance features are found here. Additionally, users can set the system to Optimus or discrete GPU mode via the BIOS.
Advanced Optimus and thus G-Sync are only supported on the 360 Hz FHD SKUs.
Processor
CPU performance is outstanding with CineBench xT scores that are up to 20 percent faster than the average laptop in our database with the same Core i7-11800H CPU. In fact, the Alienware x17 is one of the fastest laptops you can get in the market with this specific processor. The faster-than-expected performance of our system actually puts it slightly ahead of the Ryzen 9 5900HX or Core i9-11900K in multi-threaded loads even though the i7-11800H is generally behind on most other laptops.
The high CPU performance of the Alienware can be attributed to the very high PL1 and PL2 targets of 165 W each (with a real-world sustainability of 98 W to 108 W) compared to 65 W and 90 W, respectively, on other laptops like the Razer Blade 17. The system is also excellent at maintaining high Turbo Boost clock rates over extended periods as shown by our CineBench R15 xT loop test below. Such lofty performance results don't come free, however, as our Stress Test and Power Consumption sections below will show.
Cinebench R15 Multi Loop
Cinebench R23: Multi Core | Single Core
Cinebench R15: CPU Multi 64Bit | CPU Single 64Bit
Blender: v2.79 BMW27 CPU
7-Zip 18.03: 7z b 4 -mmt1 | 7z b 4
Geekbench 5.5: Single-Core | Multi-Core
HWBOT x265 Benchmark v2.2: 4k Preset
LibreOffice : 20 Documents To PDF
R Benchmark 2.5: Overall mean
| Cinebench R23 / Multi Core | |
| SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Rocket Lake | |
| Alienware x17 RTX 3080 P48E | |
| Asus Strix Scar 17 G733QSA-XS99 | |
| MSI GS76 Stealth 11UH | |
| Asus ROG Strix G17 G713QE-RB74 | |
| Average Intel Core i7-11800H (6508 - 14088, n=48) | |
| Alienware m17 R4 | |
| Medion Erazer Beast X20 | |
| Cinebench R23 / Single Core | |
| SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Rocket Lake | |
| MSI GS76 Stealth 11UH | |
| Alienware x17 RTX 3080 P48E | |
| Asus Strix Scar 17 G733QSA-XS99 | |
| Average Intel Core i7-11800H (1386 - 1522, n=45) | |
| Asus ROG Strix G17 G713QE-RB74 | |
| Alienware m17 R4 | |
| Medion Erazer Beast X20 | |
| Geekbench 5.5 / Single-Core | |
| SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Rocket Lake | |
| MSI GS76 Stealth 11UH | |
| Average Intel Core i7-11800H (1429 - 1625, n=40) | |
| Asus Strix Scar 17 G733QSA-XS99 | |
| Alienware m17 R4 | |
| MSI GS75 10SF-609US | |
| Medion Erazer Beast X20 | |
| Eluktronics RP-17 | |
| SCHENKER XMG Pro 17 PB71RD-G | |
| Lenovo Legion 5 17IMH05 | |
| Geekbench 5.5 / Multi-Core | |
| SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Rocket Lake | |
| MSI GS76 Stealth 11UH | |
| Asus Strix Scar 17 G733QSA-XS99 | |
| Average Intel Core i7-11800H (4655 - 9851, n=40) | |
| MSI GS75 10SF-609US | |
| Alienware m17 R4 | |
| Eluktronics RP-17 | |
| Medion Erazer Beast X20 | |
| SCHENKER XMG Pro 17 PB71RD-G | |
| Lenovo Legion 5 17IMH05 | |
| LibreOffice / 20 Documents To PDF | |
| Lenovo Legion 5 17IMH05 | |
| Eluktronics RP-17 | |
| Asus ROG Strix G17 G713QE-RB74 | |
| Medion Erazer Beast X20 | |
| Alienware m17 R4 | |
| MSI GS75 10SF-609US | |
| MSI GS76 Stealth 11UH | |
| Alienware x17 RTX 3080 P48E | |
| Average Intel Core i7-11800H (38.6 - 59.9, n=45) | |
| Asus Strix Scar 17 G733QSA-XS99 | |
| SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Rocket Lake | |
* ... smaller is better
System Performance
PCMark scores are where we expect them to be relative to other high-performance gaming laptops. Overall results just slightly edge out the Razer Blade 17 equipped with the same CPU and GPU.
| PCMark 10 / Score | |
| Alienware x17 RTX 3080 P48E | |
| Razer Blade 17 RTX 3070 | |
| Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 GX703HSD | |
| Average Intel Core i7-11800H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU (6673 - 7470, n=11) | |
| Gigabyte Aero 17 HDR YD | |
| MSI GS76 Stealth 11UH | |
| Alienware m17 R4 | |
| PCMark 10 / Essentials | |
| Razer Blade 17 RTX 3070 | |
| Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 GX703HSD | |
| Average Intel Core i7-11800H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU (9862 - 11064, n=11) | |
| Gigabyte Aero 17 HDR YD | |
| Alienware x17 RTX 3080 P48E | |
| MSI GS76 Stealth 11UH | |
| Alienware m17 R4 | |
| PCMark 10 / Productivity | |
| Alienware x17 RTX 3080 P48E | |
| Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 GX703HSD | |
| Razer Blade 17 RTX 3070 | |
| Average Intel Core i7-11800H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU (8278 - 9803, n=11) | |
| Gigabyte Aero 17 HDR YD | |
| MSI GS76 Stealth 11UH | |
| Alienware m17 R4 | |
| PCMark 10 / Digital Content Creation | |
| Alienware x17 RTX 3080 P48E | |
| Razer Blade 17 RTX 3070 | |
| Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 GX703HSD | |
| Average Intel Core i7-11800H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU (9881 - 11323, n=11) | |
| Gigabyte Aero 17 HDR YD | |
| MSI GS76 Stealth 11UH | |
| Alienware m17 R4 | |
| PCMark 10 Score | 7470 points | |
Help | ||
DPC Latency
LatencyMon reveals DPC latency issues when opening multiple browser tabs on our homepage and when running Prime95 stress. 4K video playback at 60 FPS is otherwise perfect with no dropped frames.
| DPC Latencies / LatencyMon - interrupt to process latency (max), Web, Youtube, Prime95 | |
| Alienware x17 RTX 3080 P48E | |
| Gigabyte Aero 17 HDR YD | |
| Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 GX703HSD | |
| MSI GS76 Stealth 11UH | |
| Alienware m17 R4 | |
| Razer Blade 17 RTX 3070 | |
* ... smaller is better
Storage Devices — One PCIe4 and one PCIe3
Our test unit comes with two 1 TB WD SN730 NVMe SSDs in RAID 0 for sequential read and write rates of up to 6700 MB/s and 4300 MB/s, respectively, to be faster than any single PCIe3 SSD available. Nonetheless, a single Samsung PM9A1 PCIe4 SSD will still outperform our PCIe3 RAID 0 setup. Dell says the system can support up to one PCIe4 SSD if users want to install one themselves.
| Alienware x17 RTX 3080 P48E 2x WDC PC SN730 SDBPNTY-1T00 (RAID 0) | Alienware m17 R4 2x Micron 2300 512 GB (RAID 0) | Razer Blade 17 RTX 3070 Samsung PM9A1 MZVL21T0HCLR | Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 GX703HSD Samsung PM9A1 MZVL22T0HBLB | MSI GS76 Stealth 11UH Samsung PM9A1 MZVL22T0HBLB | Gigabyte Aero 17 HDR YD Samsung PM9A1 MZVL2512HCJQ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AS SSD | -12% | 52% | 67% | 68% | 66% | |
| Seq Read | 4978 | 2733 -45% | 5302 7% | 5085 2% | 5408 9% | 5438 9% |
| Seq Write | 2058 | 2822 37% | 3977 93% | 4434 115% | 3863 88% | 3904 90% |
| 4K Read | 43.4 | 45.04 4% | 55 27% | 80.3 85% | 52.7 21% | 56.2 29% |
| 4K Write | 146.9 | 88.4 -40% | 148.7 1% | 214.7 46% | 153.1 4% | 165.8 13% |
| 4K-64 Read | 1260 | 1388 10% | 2715 115% | 2573 104% | 2692 114% | 2489 98% |
| 4K-64 Write | 1385 | 1227 -11% | 3416 147% | 2972 115% | 3414 146% | 3480 151% |
| Access Time Read * | 0.039 | 0.079 -103% | 0.044 -13% | 0.018 54% | 0.046 -18% | 0.054 -38% |
| Access Time Write * | 0.074 | 0.095 -28% | 0.085 -15% | 0.02 73% | 0.027 64% | 0.026 65% |
| Score Read | 1801 | 1706 -5% | 3300 83% | 3161 76% | 3285 82% | 3089 72% |
| Score Write | 1737 | 1598 -8% | 3963 128% | 3631 109% | 3953 128% | 4036 132% |
| Score Total | 4314 | 4184 -3% | 8874 106% | 8380 94% | 8830 105% | 8620 100% |
| Copy ISO MB/s | 2009 | 2414 20% | 2710 35% | 3239 61% | ||
| Copy Program MB/s | 1099 | 1030 -6% | 1114 1% | 899 -18% | ||
| Copy Game MB/s | 1881 | 1991 6% | 2095 11% | 2171 15% | ||
| CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6 | -16% | 38% | 41% | 39% | 42% | |
| Write 4K | 159.2 | 93.1 -42% | 233.5 47% | 244.2 53% | 230.7 45% | 230.4 45% |
| Read 4K | 51.9 | 46.79 -10% | 90.1 74% | 89.8 73% | 87.9 69% | 91.6 76% |
| Write Seq | 3115 | 2853 -8% | 4263 37% | 4300 38% | 4216 35% | |
| Read Seq | 3298 | 2556 -22% | 4468 35% | 4392 33% | 4543 38% | |
| Write 4K Q32T1 | 392.6 | 475 21% | 538 37% | 607 55% | 582 48% | 667 70% |
| Read 4K Q32T1 | 474.7 | 529 11% | 703 48% | 658 39% | 730 54% | 728 53% |
| Write Seq Q32T1 | 4331 | 3331 -23% | 5097 18% | 5270 22% | 5152 19% | 5043 16% |
| Read Seq Q32T1 | 6746 | 3319 -51% | 7065 5% | 7091 5% | 7094 5% | 6821 1% |
| Write 4K Q8T8 | 2270 | |||||
| Read 4K Q8T8 | 2490 | |||||
| Total Average (Program / Settings) | -14% /
-13% | 45% /
47% | 54% /
59% | 54% /
55% | 54% /
56% |
* ... smaller is better
Disk Throttling: DiskSpd Read Loop, Queue Depth 8
GPU Performance — Just a Bit Higher than Average
Despite the 165 W RTX 3080 graphics, raw performance is only 2 to 9 percent faster than the average RTX 3080 laptop in our database likely due to diminishing returns at higher TGP targets. The minor advantage can also be seen when running games as frame rates are again only a few percentage points higher on average. However, the performance difference becomes more pronounced when compared to the 90 W RTX 3080 in the MSI GS76 where our Alienware can be roughly 15 to 30 percent faster in certain titles. A desktop PC with RTX 3080 graphics will still outperform any RTX 3080 laptop by about 40 to 45 percent.
Idling on Witcher 3 for over an hour shows stable frame rates with no random drops to suggest no interrupting background activity when gaming in contrast to what we observed on some older Alienware m15 models.
| 3DMark 11 Performance | 31362 points | |
| 3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score | 34288 points | |
| 3DMark Fire Strike Score | 23159 points | |
| 3DMark Time Spy Score | 11437 points | |
Help | ||