Dell’s new Windows 10 Alienware 15 and 17 laptops are VR-ready

Reading time icon 4 min. read


Readers help support Windows Report. When you make a purchase using links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Tooltip Icon

Read the affiliate disclosure page to find out how can you help Windows Report effortlessly and without spending any money. Read more

Dell-Alienware-17

Dell’s recent releases of 15 and 17 inch Alienware laptops have brought the much-needed agility and flexibility in gaming laptops. The thinner, modern and VR ready gaming ware are packed with whizz-bang nimble features.

Dell announced their powerful gaming notebooks at PAX West in Seattle. The main attractions include the additional support of the latest NVIDIA laptop cards, GeForce GTX 10-Series family of GPU which provide a desktop standard, graphic experience. Both releases have received massive recognition among the users, not just on their eye-catching frame design but also for their prominent features.

For starters, we can see that Dell has hauled some liberal inspiration from their competitors like Gigabyte’s Aorus series of notebooks but all the while establishing their own unique identity. The latest design features the screen hinge, moved a few millimeters forward towards the keyboard deck and gives more room to the heat vents and giving an overall thinner body – 25% thinner as the company claims. Dell has used improved thermal management components to increase the overall performance of the components and to enhance the durability and firmness of the Alienware aesthetics.

The gaming platform also features an improved keyboard with TactX keys borrowed from its own lineup of desktop gaming keyboards. This latest technology offers a deeper 2.2mm of travel for punchier feedback and N-Key rollover, which records simultaneous keystrokes better and eliminates the chance of ‘ghosting’ or unregistered keystrokes.

Dell Alienware 17:

Dell’s new flagship Alienware 17 Notebook is clocked with sixth-generation Intel Core i7 CPUs (not the next-gen “Kaby Lake“) is getting an overclocked, “k-series” option and DDR4 memory running up to 2667 Mhz.

Another additional spec is the introduction of optional IR Tobii eye-tracking technology that is like a blessing for pro gamers. It enables them to track their eye-gaze and record it via the new Overwolf app and then can replay the pattern to further improvise their gaming skills. Dell pairing up with Tobii as their partner brings a whole lot more to the table which includes enhanced presence detection; tied to iconic AlienFX lighting zones that help the firmware understand when the user is most attentive by a LED illuminating system and what various elements of the game, engages user the most.

Specifications:

  • 1080p IPS screen with 120Hz refresh and G-sync support
  • 8GB 2667 MHz DDR4 RAM with a storage capacity of 32 GB.
  • Intel Core i7 CPU up to 6820HK Dynamically Overclocked up to 4.1 GHz
  • TactX” keyboards with 2.2mm of travel
  • e2400 Gigabit Ethernet networking; wireless and Bluetooth
  • NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 with 6GB GDDR5,
    AMD Radeon RX 470 with 8GB GDDR5, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 with 8GB GDDR5, and releasing in November, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 with 8GB GDDR5
  • Various storage capacities across SATA and PCIe, including a 3 TB option:  1TB PCIe (boot drive), 1 TB PCIe (storage) and 1TB 7200RPM SATA 6Gb/s (storage)

Dell Alienware 15:

Alienware 15, the core i5 notebook; includes graphics options from AMD and NVIDIA plus the VR-ready NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060. To give a long lasting gameplay, it comes with a 68 watt-hour lithium ion battery and an optional 99 watt-hour battery. For the finest graphic experience it comes with a 15.6” FHD, IPS Anti-Glare, 300-nits display, and additionally includes FHD 120Hz display with NVIDIA G-Sync for smooth, synchronized frame rates and UHD IGZO for 4k resolutions.

Specifications:

  • Intel Core i5 processor up to Core i7 6820HK Dynamically Overclocked up to 4.1 GHz
  • NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 with 6GB GDDR5,
    optional AMD Radeon RX 470 with 8GB GDDR5 or NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 with 8GB GDDR5
  • Networking includes e2400 Gigabit Ethernet, wireless and Bluetooth
  • 8GB DDR4 2133 MHz memory up to 32 GB
  • Multiple storage capacities across SATA and PCIe, including a 3 TB option:  1TB PCIe (boot drive), 1 TB PCIe (storage) and 1TB 7200RPM SATA 6Gb/s (storage)

Dell claims their Alienware notebooks to be the ”most compact VR-ready devices ever”. Before their recent release of Alienware 15 and 17 laptops, Dell had also launched their smallest Alienware notebook; Alienware 13, which is configured with NVIDIA GeForce GTX 10-Series graphics, uncountable combinations of LED lighting display, through eight unique programmable lighting zones with up to 20 unique colors that deliver an exceptional gaming experience.

The Alienware 15 and 17 are customizable to your needs and can be ordered from September 30, 2016; however, Alienware 13 notebook will be up for grabs from November.