New OLED option is exactly what the Alienware 16 needed if it weren't for one big problem

The 2025 Area-51 was notable for being one of the best Alienware laptops to come from Dell, but it was sorely lacking in display options. All configurations at the time would only ship with 1600p IPS panels as there were no other panels to choose from. Luckily, the 2026 Area-51 has addressed this concern with an optional OLED panel for a much-improved visual experience over the base IPS option as detailed in our review of the new Alienware 16. Trying to configure the model with OLED instead of IPS, however, is where the main problem lies.

As of the time of publishing, the OLED Alienware 16 is tied to the new Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus CPU meaning that you must configure with the new CPU just to get the OLED panel. Simply upgrading to OLED costs a minimum of $600 as a direct consequence which is an extreme uptick in price. When considering that the Core Ultra 9 Plus has its own drawbacks, we wouldn't be surprised if most users out there would rather de-couple the OLED panel with the CPU to save on costs especially since OLED can arguably improve the gaming experience better than a slightly faster processor.

More freedom in configurations wouldn't be a new concept for Dell. The new XPS 16, for example, can also be configured with IPS or OLED just like on the new Alienware 16. However, they differ in that the OLED panel for the XPS 16 isn't bundled with any particular processor and so the OLED upgrade itself is a mere $150 extra.

At a time when PC prices are at an all time high, piecemealing configurations can be a relatively easy way for users to save on some cash. An Alienware 16 configured with Core Ultra 9 275HX and OLED instead of the Core Ultra 9 Plus would have been more affordable and more than acceptable for the vast majority of buyers.