When less power makes a better laptop

The Alienware m16 R2 is a rarity among modern laptops. This is because usually after a major refresh, gadget makers want to keep the new models on the market as long as possible to minimize production costs. However, after its predecessor launched last year with a fresh design, the company redesigned the entire system again for 2024 while limiting how big a GPU could fit inside. So what gives? The trick is that by looking at the configurations people actually bought, Alienware was able to rework the m16 into a gaming laptop with a sleeker design, better battery life, and a more affordable starting price, which is a great recipe for a well-balanced notebook .

Design

There are so many changes to the chassis of the m16 R2 that it’s hard to believe it’s from the same line. Alienware has not only gotten rid of the R1’s large bezels and chin, but the machine is now much more portable. Weight is down more than 20 percent to 5.75 pounds (down from 7.28 pounds), and it’s also significantly more compact at 9.8 inches deep (vs. 11.4 inches before). For some style points, Alienware added RGB lighting around the perimeter of the touchpad. This result is a big improvement for anyone who wants to take the laptop on the go. It fundamentally changes the system from more of a desktop replacement to a portable all-in-one.

Engadget

The Alienware m16 R2 is a great example of a laptop designed to suit its customers, because while it’s not as powerful as its predecessor, it’s more compact, has a longer battery life and a more affordable starting price than before.

Professionals

• Fast 240Hz screen
• Better than expected battery life
• Unique design
• Good choice of port
• Solid value

cons

• No HDR support
• The display could be brighter
• Toasted holes

$1499 at Dell

Critically, despite being smaller, the m16 R2 still has a large range of connectivity options. On the side, there are two USB 3.2 Type-A ports, a microSD card reader, an Ethernet jack and a 3.5mm audio jack. On the back, there are two USB-C slots (one supports Thunderbolt 4, while the other has DisplayPort 1.4), a full-sized HDMI 2.1 connector, and a proprietary power plug. Overall, I like this arrangement as moving some ports to the back of the laptop helps reduce clutter. However, I wish Alienware had changed the placement of the Ethernet jack and one of the USB-C ports, as I find myself reaching for the latter a lot more often.

Display

The m16 R2 has a single display option: a 16-inch 240Hz panel with QHD+ resolution (2560 x 1600). It is completely useful and for competitive gamers, this high refresh rate can be valuable during matches where the potential advantage is important. But you don’t get any HDR support, so colors don’t pop as much as they would on a system with an OLED screen. Other than that, the brightness is just OK at around 300 nits, which might not be a big deal if you prefer to play at night or in darker environments. But if you plan to drag this to a place with big windows or lots of sunlight, games and movies might look a little muffled. It’s not a deal breaker though, I just wish this model had other display options like the previous one.

productivity

1 / 4

Alienware m16 R2 keyboard

The m16 R2 keyboard can be upgraded with RGB lighting for each key.

While the sleeker design of the m16 R2 is a major plus, the trade-off is less room for a powerful GPU. So, unlike its predecessor, the largest card that fits is the NVIDIA RTX 4070. This may be a bummer for performance enthusiasts, but Alienware said it made this change after seeing that only a small some buyers choose the RTX 4080 graphics of the old model. Even so, the R2 can still hold its own when playing AAA titles. in Cyberpunk 2077 at 1080p and ultra graphics it hit 94fps, just behind what we saw from the ASUS ROG G16 (95fps) with a more powerful 4080. And while the performance gap grew slightly when I turned on ray tracing, the m16 still it was pumping out a very playable frame rate of 62 fps (vs. 69 fps for the G16).

Battery life

One of the biggest benefits of the m16 R2’s redesign is that it allowed Alienware to install a larger 90Wh battery compared to the 84Wh pack in its predecessor. When you combine this with components and fans better suited to the kind of performance this machine delivers, you get improved longevity. In our exhaustion test, the m16 R2 lasted 7 hours and 51 minutes, which is longer than the Razer Blade 14 (6:46) and the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (7:29) and slightly less than what we got from the similarly specced XPS 16 (8:31). That said, it’s still not as good as the ASUS G16’s time of 9:17. Regardless, being able to go longer between charges is never a bad thing. Meanwhile, for those looking to pack super light, one of the m16 R2’s USB-C ports on the back supports power, though you won’t get the full 240 watts like you do with Alienware’s included brick.

Summary

For 2024, it would have been so easy for Alienware to give the m16 a major spec refresh and call it a day. But it didn’t happen. Instead, the company looked at its customers’ preferences and redesigned it to match. So while it doesn’t have the same high-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. Of course, it wants I wish its display was brighter and that there was another panel option, but getting the 240Hz standard is pretty nice.

Indeed, the biggest argument against the m16 R2 is that for higher-spec systems like our $1,850 RTX 4070 review unit, you can spend another $150 on the ASUS ROG G16 with the same GPU, brighter, more colorful OLED display and an even lighter design that weighs a full pound less. But for people looking for a well-priced gaming machine that can do a little bit of everything, the m16 R2 is a lot of value.