Alienware x17 R2 laptop review: Peak 175 W GeForce RTX 3080 Ti performance

[Redaktion]

Most ultrathin gaming laptops strike a careful balance between performance, noise, and power consumption. The Alienware x17 R2, on the other hand, shows no shame maximizing performance even if it means a louder and more power-hungry system.

https://www.notebookcheck.net/Alienware-x17-R2-laptop-review-Peak-175-W-GeForce-RTX-3080-Ti-performance.617938.0.html

[reviewcommenter]

GPU-Z shows bandwidth for the iGPU is 153GB/s, is this correct? That is crazy high.

[PHVM_BR]

Great review! Dell releases the power limit to the maximum that the cooling system supports (100ºC). For this version with i9 (HK), the path is undervolt and limit the PL1 to 120/125W (by tests ~135W=100ºC). Or LM on the CPU to extract its full potential...

[Ednumero]

GPU bump right on schedule, however I notice a QHD panel option is still absent. Seems odd given the target audience of gamers, and the balance that offers when paired with a high refresh rate.

Hopefully next refresh will include all three resolution classes alongside also a transition to 16:10.

[Rolf]

Most ultrathin gaming laptops strike a careful balance between performance, noise, and power consumption.

erm, nope?! Actually it's exactly the other way around: ultra thin gaming laptops are not balanced at all.They just want to look stylish and cut down material costs. The weak cooling is compensated by very noisy fan speeds. But hey, who cares if there are enough fools out there, who don't have any clue of physics and buy that thin s*** at premium prices  ::)

While I fully dislike those cut down gaming laptops, the X17 is the only ultra thin gaming laptop which isn't totally shitty because of its quad fan system. But that's exactly where Alienware totally misses the point: They could crush the competition by making it just slightly thicker. 25 mm would be perfect and an instant buy for me. It would be way cooler and quieter than any other gaming laptop on the market.

[Tai]

Can we also give Ideas to the Company?

I would also point out some major design flaws like one other comment said just a bit thicker for better temps I fully agree, thinner is not better. The Power Jack should be on the backside, the Headphone jack should be on both sides together with 1-2 times USB4/thunderbolt ports on each side left(view Hinge <o--) and right(--o> View Hinge). Another problem is the modularity. I would suggest Dell, to make two keyboard types one with numpad and one without, the empty space you can fill it with mesh, so the quad fans get even more air. You Can use the method of the Dell Precision M6800, when you replace the keyboard, both have the same size overall and same screw holes.

Very Important to me, I want a dead centered trackpad and keyboard, put those extra keys on top, the power button also dead centered. DO NOT shift the entire typing experience to the side, by making the keyboard shift to a side, cuz in the worst case your lappy will take fall damage. I know it's only possible when you don't have numpad, so when the customer wants a numpad, keyboard wise not a big deal but trackpad, because of palm reactions, well when I use a laptop with a numpad, I mostly have a mouse anyway, but to avoid this minus point. I will also use the M6800 keyboard method, (metal frame) but with a longer ribbon cable. Build it with an offset to the right side, but so that it is still in the dead center of the laptop (for tkl setup/ Without numpad) and that there is space on the left side of the trackpad. In order so you can just take it out rotate this trackpad on 180° and put it back so you have it in the right position for the keyboard with numpad, slightly to the left shifted, like you wanna.(Don't slide, and I'm a German we love to Engineer) To the trackpad, most of them are clicking by seesaw method. To make it still clickable in every rotation those "metal holding springs" and the Clicker has to be put on the chassi side not on the metal frame of the trackpad or Not on the trackpad itself.


I mean look at Apple, their Keyboard and trackpad are the best in class, layout wise (don't remove the delete key, put it over/on top of backspace after F12 area like where the power button is on the macbook pros).

Last but not least, I would love to get an all white color, with golden or and black accents.

to me that would be my greatest laptop.