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Alienware has consistently made some of the most powerful and eye-catching gaming laptops out there, but all that performance has come at the cost of some bulk. That looks to change with the new Alienware M16, which touts a significantly trimmed-down design while still promising enough muscle to handle the latest PC games.
Factor in an impressive new OLED monitor and a pair of compelling new accessories, and you’ve got some serious new contenders for our top gaming hardware picks in 2024. Here’s what we think after going hands-on with Alienware’s entire new gaming lineup for CES.
The Alienware m16 features a 15% smaller design, support for the latest Intel processors and handy new Stealth Mode for keeping cool and quiet in an instant.
Same great performance without the bulky backside
Alienware’s gaming laptops are perhaps the most immediately recognizable out there, defined by the company’s signature alien logo and a host of futuristic etchings that make them truly look like something from another planet. But while these once notoriously chunky laptops have slimmed down quite a bit over the years — just look at last year’s Alienware x14 — there’s still been a pretty unsightly bump on the back that rears its head once you open up the notebook. With the new M16, that excess is finally gone.
Alienware says that the M16 R2 has a 15% smaller footprint than last year’s model, and having seen the new and old versions side by side at the company’s CES preview event, that number sure seems to check out. It’s as if Alienware simply snapped off that chunky excess that held the older model’s ports and ventilation fans, which are now discreetly distributed along the notebook’s edges. Fortunately, a smaller design doesn’t mean limited ports, as you’re still getting two USB-C connections (one of which is Thunderbolt 4 for optimal performance with accessories), two USB-A ports for your older gadgets, an HDMI 2.1 port for external displays, a microSD card reader and a proprietary power port.
While I respect the fact that Alienware laptops are unapologetically loud and gamer-focused, I don’t always need my notebook to be gushing with RGB lighting. That’s why I was very pleased to see the M16 R2’s new Stealth Mode, which turns off all of the flashy lights and puts the system in Quiet Mode (meaning no loud fan noises) with the push of a button. This worked as advertised during my demo, and could go a long way toward making the M16 a gaming notebook you could confidently bring to a coffee shop.
The M16 R2’s 16-inch, quad-HD panel doesn’t tout the same striking OLED tech we’ve seen on new rivals like the Asus ROG Zephyrus G16, but it still popped with color, and I gawked at the bold blue and purple of the system’s desktop wallpaper. It also touts a 240Hz refresh rate with both Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync support, meaning you can expect super-smooth, responsive gaming when you’re trying to score those crucial Call of Duty kills. And while the new M16 is significantly smaller than before, it’s just as powerful; you can load this thing with up to the new Intel Core Ultra 9 processor and the latest Nvidia 4070 graphics, making it strong enough for playing the latest PC games at medium to high settings.
A gorgeous OLED monitor and impressive new accessories
While I was impressed by the M16 R2, the company’s new Alienware 32 4K QD-OLED gaming monitor was hands down my favorite product I tested at Dell’s CES showcase. It’s being billed as the world’s first monitor to combine the richness and contrast of QD-OLED and the sharpness of 4K, all while delivering a zippy 360Hz refresh rate for super-smooth, tournament-ready gaming.
Playing Halo Infinite on this curved display was an absolute dream — the screen’s deep blacks and bold, bright colors stopped me in my tracks when I entered a dark room full of futuristic red lighting. It also provided plenty of practical benefits once I snapped out of that trance, as the monitor’s impressive contrast allowed me to easily see the outline of opposing players and swiftly take them out. I also didn’t notice a hint of input lag when clicking away at the competition, thanks to that speedy refresh rate.
Alienware’s curved 34-inch QD-OLED monitor made me a believer in ultrawide screens a few years back (and earned a top spot on our best gaming monitor rankings), so I’m delighted to see that same combo of immersive color, speedy response times and tons of features come to a new display size. The new monitor is available on Jan. 11, starting at $1,200; if you want something a little smaller and can live without 4K and a curved screen, the Alienware 27 360Hz QD-OLED will also be available on the same day starting at $900.
I’m mostly a controller guy when it comes to PC games, so I was shocked by how well I did with Alienware’s new Pro series mouse and keyboard during that same Halo session. Developed in collaboration with more than 100 professional gamers, the new Pro Wireless Mouse and Pro Wireless Keyboard are some of the lightest, most minimalist and most responsive Alienware peripherals I’ve tried out yet.
I’m especially fond of the Pro Wireless Keyboard, which has a compact, discreet look that I wouldn’t mind bringing out of my gaming den and into the office. It also felt satisfyingly snappy as I ran, jumped and slid my way around Halo, thanks to the smooth, transparent key switches lying underneath. And if the Pro keyboard doesn’t feel quite right out of the box, Alienware says you can swap in most 5-pin and 3-pin switches to get that perfect feel for competition day.
The Pro Wireless Mouse stood out, thanks to what it didn’t have, which was much weight. At less than 60 grams, this is one of the most feathery mice I’ve ever felt while still feeling substantial enough to be comfortable as I frantically tried to land headshots on my enemies. You can expect up to 32 hours of battery at its 4KHz polling rate (a higher polling rate equals more responsiveness) or up to a promising 120 hours at 1KHz.
The takeaway
Alienware came to play for CES 2024, with a much-welcomed refinement to its typically strong gaming laptops and one of its best peripheral lineups yet. As someone who has admittedly written off the company’s mice and keyboards as an afterthought, I’m especially impressed by how much the company stepped things up this year.
We’re eager to see how the M16 R2 can stack up to the best gaming laptops — same for the Pro series and our best gaming mouse and gaming keyboards picks. Stay tuned for more.
