Alienware is continuing its new trend of breaking into budget markets, something I first saw with the Alienware AW2726DM QD-OLED monitor that launched on April 14.
Whereas the affordable OLED gaming display arrived at a cool $349, the new Alienware 15 gaming laptop makes its debut at a similarly modest $1,299. It's available now at Dell.com, and it's configurable with AMD or Intel processors.
For a gaming laptop bearing the Alienware badge, that's not a bad price at all. The next cheapest option, the Alienware 16 Aurora, starts at $1,639.99. I often see it on sale, sometimes for as little as $1,199, but these opportunities are fleeting.
Assuming Dell will put the new Alienware 15 on sale from time to time, it could be a great way to jump into portable gaming without overspending.
Returning to the $349 AW2726DM QD-OLED gaming monitor for a moment, I'll admit that I was a bit skeptical of its quality. However, now that I'm testing it for an upcoming review, I'm confident Alienware can deliver an enticing gaming laptop in the budget range.
How does the new Alienware 15 compare to the Alienware 16 Aurora?
The Alienware gaming laptop family now consists of the new Alienware 15 as a budget option, Alienware 16 Aurora and 16X Aurora as mid- and upper-mid-range options, and Alienware 16/18 Area-51 as premium options.
Based on how close the prices between the new Alienware 15 and 16 Aurora can be (especially with discounts), I took a close look at how they compare. I hope this can help you make the right choice.
The gallery above shows how the new Alienware 15 has gone with a different chassis design. There's no rear thermal shelf, with the lid's 180-degree hinges instead sitting at the very back of the laptop's base.
Other than that, the keyboard (with number pad) and mechanical touchpad are quite similar. One difference to note is that the Alienware 15's lid and base are made from polycarbonate, while the Aurora 16 swaps polycarbonate for aluminum on the lid.
I put together this spec table to cover most of the other differences.
Alienware 15 |
Alienware 16 Aurora |
|
CPU |
AMD Ryzen 5 220, Ryzen 7 260 |
Intel Core 5 210H, Core 7 240H, Core 9 270H |
GPU |
NVIDIA RTX 4050 (65W), RTX 5050 (80W), RTX 5060 (80W) |
NVIDIA RTX 4050, RTX 5050, RTX 5060 (80W), RTX 5070 (115W) |
RAM |
8GB, 16GB, 32GB DDR5-5600MT/s |
8GB, 16GB, 32GB DDR5-5600MT/s |
SSD |
512GB, 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe |
512GB, 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe |
Display |
15.3 inches, 1920x1200 (FHD+), 165Hz, AMD FreeSync, 62.5% sRGB, 300 nits |
16 inches, 2560x1600 (QHD+), 120Hz, 100% sRGB, 300 nits |
Ports |
HDMI 2.1, 2x USB-A 3.2 (Gen 1), USB-C 3.2 (Gen 2 @ 100W), USB-C 3.2 (Gen 1), Ethernet, 3.5mm audio |
HDMI 2.1, 2x USB-A 3.2 (Gen 1), 2x USB-C 3.2 (Gen 2), Ethernet, 3.5mm audio |
Battery |
54Wh or 70Wh |
60Wh or 96Wh |
Camera |
720p |
720p |
Speakers |
Dual |
Dual @ 2.5W peak |
Wireless |
Wi-Fi 6, BT 5.2 |
Wi-Fi 7, BT 5.4 |
Dimensions |
13.76 x 9.85 x 0.81-0.90 inches |
14.05 x 10.45 x 0.60-0.73 inches |
Weight |
4.96 pounds (2.25kg) |
5.49 pounds (2.49kg) |
Performance hardware is practically the same, and I'll wait until independent reviews emerge to see how the new Alienware 15 handles cooling. The Aurora 16 does offer an RTX 5070 GPU option at 115W, whereas the Alienware 15 tops out at an RTX 5060 (80W).
Because it has a larger chassis, the Aurora 16 has larger battery options. It also weighs about a half-pound more.
And as for the display, the Aurora 16's QHD+ option at 120Hz might be the better choice if you're a creator, especially with 100% sRGB coverage. The Alienware 15's display has a lower FHD+ resolution with a pretty dismal 62.5% sRGB coverage.
Alienware 15 vs. Alienware 16 Aurora: Which should you buy?
I'm not making any final statements until we can get our hands on the new Alienware 15, but as I mentioned, the fact that Alienware's new budget QD-OLED monitor is so good instills a lot of confidence that Dell will get this new laptop right.
What I can say is that the Alienware 15 is looking like a better option for those who generally use an external display. It seems like a lot of the price difference might have been made up in that area, alongside the more affordable AMD Ryzen CPU options.
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