A Core i9-12900H and GeForce RTX 3080 Ti provide sufficient performance for 4k gaming, video processing, and rendering. The matte 4k display (IPS, 144 Hz) scores with a good color reproduction and high brightness. Our test shows what else the new Blade 17 in the high-end configuration can do.
The Razer Blade 17 is targeted towards gamers and creative professionals - particularly in our tested high-end configuration with a Core i9-12900H CPU, GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU, and 17.3-inch 4k display with accurate colors. The price point lies at around 4,700 Euros (~$4,900). In addition to the RTX 3080 Ti, its US sibling that we already tested had a Core i7-12800H CPU and a QHD-Panel (240 Hz). The competitors include extremely powerful laptops such as the Alienware x17 R2 P48E, the Medion Erazer Beast X30, and the MSI Stealth GS77 12UHS.
You can find information on the case, connection equipment, input devices, and speakers in our review of the identically constructed Blade 17 2022 (Core i7, QHD).
Specifications:
Processor: Intel Core i9-12900H 14 x 1.8 - 5 GHz, 160 W PL2 / Short Burst, 65 W PL1 / Sustained, Alder Lake-P
Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition is a 2021 compilation of three action-adventure games in the Grand Theft Auto series: Grand Theft Auto III (2001), Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (2002), and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004). It was developed by Grove Street Games[b] and published by Rockstar Games. All three games are remastered, with visual enhancements and gameplay upgrades. The games feature different protagonists and locations within the same continuity. Grand Theft Auto III follows silent protagonist Claude in Liberty City; Vice City, set in 1986, features ex-mobster Tommy Vercetti in the titular Vice City; and San Andreas, set in 1992, follows gangster Carl "CJ" Johnson within the fictional state of San Andreas.
The two-year development focused on maintaining the look and feel of the original games; the physics code was copied from the originals, and artificial intelligence was used to automatically upscale textures. The development team studied the distinctive qualities of the original games. They added several colouring, weathering, and lighting effects, as well as new assets from Grand Theft Auto V (2013). The team consulted with the original developers at Rockstar North when upgrading the character designs. Prior to release, existing versions of the three games were removed from sale from digital retailers, which led to criticism from audiences and journalists; in response, Rockstar restored the original versions on the Rockstar Store.
The Definitive Edition was released for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on 11 November 2021, and is scheduled for release on Android and iOS devices in 2022/2023.[a] The Windows launch was marred by problems with the Rockstar Games Launcher, rendering it unplayable for three days. The game received poor reviews; critics generally praised the enhanced visuals, upgraded lighting, improved controls, and added gameplay mechanics, but criticised its technical problems, art direction, and character models. It was one of the lowest-scoring games of 2021, and was the subject of review bombing on Metacritic. Rockstar apologised for the technical problems and announced its intentions to improve the game through updates.
Contents:
Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition contains three games in the Grand Theft Auto series: Grand Theft Auto III (2001), Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (2002), and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004). They are action-adventure games played from a third-person perspective wherein players complete missions—linear scenarios with set objectives—to progress through the story. Outside of missions, players can freely roam the open world and have the ability to complete optional side missions. Some areas of the games become unlocked as the player progresses through the storyline.
Grand Theft Auto III is set in Liberty City, loosely based on New York City; it follows a silent protagonist, Claude, who is betrayed and left for dead by his girlfriend during a robbery and embarks on a quest for revenge that leads him to become entangled in a world of crime, drugs, gang warfare, and corruption.[4] Vice City, set in 1986 in the titular Vice City (based on Miami),[10] follows mobster Tommy Vercetti who, after being released from prison and becoming caught up in an ambushed drug deal, begins slowly building an empire by seizing power from other criminal organisations in the city. San Andreas is set in 1992 within the fictional state of San Andreas, consisting of three main cities: Los Santos (based on Los Angeles), San Fierro (based on San Francisco), and Las Venturas (based on Las Vegas); the game follows former gangster Carl "CJ" Johnson, who returns home following his mother's murder and is drawn back into his former gang and a life of crime while clashing with corrupt authorities and powerful criminals.
All three titles are remastered for The Definitive Edition, including a rebuilt lighting system, upgraded vehicle and character models, new navigation and heads-up display designs, and improved shadows, reflections, and draw distances. The controls were updated to match those of Grand Theft Auto V (2013), and the checkpoint system was improved to allow for an automatic restart. On Nintendo Switch, the game includes gyro aiming and touchscreen support. Some music tracks and cheats from the original versions of the games were removed.
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is a 2004 action-adventure game developed by Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the fifth main entry in the Grand Theft Auto series, following 2002's Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, and the seventh installment overall. It was released in October 2004 for the PlayStation 2, in June 2005 for Microsoft Windows and Xbox, and in November 2010 for Mac OS X.[2][3] The game is set within an open world environment that players can explore and interact with at their leisure. The story follows former gangster Carl "CJ" Johnson, who returns home following his mother's murder and is drawn back into his former gang and a life of crime while clashing with corrupt authorities and powerful criminals. Carl's journey takes him across the fictional U.S. state of San Andreas, which is heavily based on California and Nevada and encompasses three major cities: Los Santos (inspired by Los Angeles), San Fierro (San Francisco) and Las Venturas (Las Vegas).
The game features references to many real-life elements of the world, such as its cities, regions, and landmarks, with its plot heavily based on several real-life events in Los Angeles in the early 1990s, including the rivalry between real-life street gangs, the crack epidemic of the 1980s and early 1990s, the LAPD Rampart scandal, and the 1992 Los Angeles riots. Unlike its predecessor, San Andreas introduced gameplay elements that were incorporated in later games, including RPG-style mechanics, customisation options with both clothing and vehicle appearances, a vast array of activities and mini-games, and the inclusion of gambling games.
Considered by many reviewers to be one of the greatest video games ever made, San Andreas received critical acclaim upon release, with praise directed at its music, story and gameplay, and criticism for its graphics and some aspects of its controls. It was the best-selling video game of 2004, and with over 27.5 million copies sold worldwide as of 2011, it is the best-selling PlayStation 2 game and one of the best-selling video games of all time.[5] Like its predecessors, San Andreas is cited as a landmark in video games for its far-reaching influence within the industry. The game's violence and sexual content was the source of much public concern and controversy. In particular, a player-made software patch, dubbed the "Hot Coffee mod", unlocked a previously hidden sexual scene, resulting in the game being re-rated AO by the North American Entertainment Software Rating Board (although its previous M rating was reinstated after the game was edited to remove the content). A remastered version of the game was released for Android and iOS in 2013,[6] for Windows Phone, Fire OS and Xbox 360 in 2014, and for PlayStation 3 in 2015.[7] In June 2018, the game was made available for the Xbox One via backward compatibility. An enhanced version with the subtitle The Definitive Edition was released in 2021, and a virtual reality version for Oculus Quest 2 is in development. The next main entry in the series, Grand Theft Auto IV, was released in April 2008.
This is my detailed review of the Asus ROG Strix G15 2022 series, their everyday all-purpose/gaming laptop built on AMD Ryzen and Nvidia RTX hardware for this generation.
The ROG Strix G15/G17 series is Asus’s mid-range lineup of performance and gaming laptops, pretty much their best-value mix of features, performance, and pricing.
These laptops are full-size formats with powerful hardware inside, so not focused on portability. They’re also a slightly trimmed variation of the top-tier Strix Scar 15/Scar 17 series, with some changes in aesthetics, IO, and configuration options, but similar in overall format, functionality, and capabilities.
For the 2022 generation, the ROG Strix lineup is where Asus offers the latest AMD and Nvidia hardware platforms, as the Scar 2022 is an Intel-exclusive implementation now.
In this article, we’re going over the mid-upper Asus ROG Strix G15 G513RW configuration, which pairs an AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX processor with 16 GB of DDR5 memory, an RTX 3070Ti graphics chip (with a MUX), and a QHD fast and high-gamut display. This configuration is pretty much the sweet spot for the 2022 Strix G15 series, and what I expect many of you interested in a high-performance AMD ROG laptop to be looking at.
You’ll find all my impressions down below, with the positives and the quirks that you should be aware of before jumping on one of these.
We might follow up with reviews on other GPU configurations if there’s enough interest. I’m especially interested in the budget-tier RTX 3060 model, the ROG Strix G15 G513RM, but the top-tier Strix G15 G513RS variant with the RTX 3080 graphics should also be an interesting analysis, as the most powerful AMD-based ROG laptop of this generation.
Design and construction
The Strix G15 series is a simplified Scar 15 in looks and overall design.
The two are the same size and format, as rather compact, but at the same time fairly thick and heavy 15-inch laptops. You can tell their compact footprint from the size of the bezels around the screen, but these laptops are still fairly deep, with the thicker chin under the display and the extra hump behind the screen, which incorporates the cooling, most of the IO, and some of the speakers.
Compared to the Scar, the Strix G15 gets a simpler design and a dark-gray color scheme, which does a better job hiding smudges. The main deck is still made out of smooth plastic, and the lid is aluminum with a rougher finishing.
The main differences are subtle, and I find most to be an advantage for the Strix G15. The status LEDs are smaller and less annoying on this series, even if they’re still placed under the display, and there’s no longer that translucent part of the main deck that lets you peek at the components, which is exclusive to the Scar series. Instead, the interior is a more unified design, with only a subtle pattern of black dots for the right side, where the translucent part is placed on the Scar.
Then, the ROG plastic cap to the left-back side of the laptop is no longer user replaceable on this series, and instead has been replaced with a fixed piece that looks rather interesting, with the speckled dotted design.
There are also fewer RGB elements implemented on this mid-tier lineup, without the extra RGB bar under the screen and without RGB control over the ROG logo on the lid – this is instead panel-lit and cannot be manually adjusted or switched off.
Finally, there’s no longer a Keystone on this series, but that’s hardly any loss. No ports have been added to that right edge instead, which just doesn’t offer any connectors, as most of the IO is still on the back and some on the left side.
The PSU, HDMI, and LAN ports are tucked on the rear edge, behind the screen, and there are also two USB-C ports over there. One of them supports data, power, and video (connected to the dGPU) and the other is data only. The HDMI port hooks into the Nvidia dGPU as well, and it’s HDMI 2.1 on the latest variants, like on the Scar 15. That aside, there’s still no card reader on this series, no security locks, and no biometrics.
The practicality is otherwise so so, with the rubber feet offering good grip on the desk and the hinges sturdily keeping the screen in place, while allowing to pick it up and adjust it single-handedly. I also find the arm-rest spacious enough and the front lip and corners friendly on the wrists, despite the laptop’s fairly tall profile.
The screen, on the other hand, only leans back to about 110-degrees, which can be very limiting for couch or lap use.
As part of ASUS' ROG family of gaming notebooks, the Duo 16 has aggressive styling, though most of the fireworks are only visible once you open the lid. ASUS’ dual-panel setup is a bold move at reducing anxiety caused by limited screen real estate. However, it does come with some drawbacks. Because the ScreenPad Plus dominates the upper half of the laptop's deck, ASUS had to shove the touchpad in the bottom right corner. And measuring barely more than two inches wide, things can definitely feel cramped. Then you factor in half-sized arrow keys, shortcuts and media controls, and there's a lot going in not a lot of space.
That said, ASUS does its best to make the most of those areas, with the touchpad pulling double duty as a number pad. All you have to do is tap the shadowy icon in the top left for a second, and voila.
Still, there's no hiding the Duo 16's somewhat bulky chassis, which weighs over 5.5 pounds and measures 0.8-inches thick. These dimensions are right on the edge of being able to fit into a typical laptop sleeve, so anyone planning on buying a Duo 16 will want to make sure their bag of choice has plenty of room.
On the bright side, ASUS has plenty of room for a healthy amount of ports, including two USB-A, two USB-C, HDMI 2.1, a microSD card reader and even a full-size Ethernet jack. My only complaint is that because of the ScreenPad's complicated hinge, the location of the proprietary power plug on its left side can be a bit awkward. I really wish they had found room for that somewhere around back.
Display(s)
OK, let's move on to the Duo 16's displays, which provide a really compelling one-two punch. The main 16-inch display features a speedy three-millisecond response time. On higher-end models like our $4,000 review unit, you even get a mini LED panel that puts out an impressive 700 nits of brightness. And that's coming from a screen with a matte finish, which typically lowers light output a touch. Meanwhile, thanks to a color gamut that ASUS claims covers 100 percent of the DCI-P3 spectrum, the Duo 16's primary display is just as good at pumping out vivid colors in games as it is replicating accurate ones in Photoshop.
However, the laptop's real party trick is its 14-inch ScreenPad Plus, which supports touch and offers a 1950 x 550 resolution on the base model, or 3840 x 1100 pixels on upgraded configs. Our review unit's ScreenPad registered 300 nits on our lightmeter, which isn't nearly as bright as the main screen, but it’s good enough.
To get the most use out of its secondary display, ASUS packed the ScreenPad Plus with a ton of nifty features including shortcuts to performance and lighting settings, customizable window layouts, and the ability to mirror your phone's screen, though that last one can be a little janky. Heck, there's even a secondary numpad tool, in case the one built into the touchpad isn't enough. And on the Duo 16, ASUS upgraded the ScreenPad’s hinge so that it rests at a steeper angle when open, which improves both ergonomics and cooling.
Now all that’s nice, but for me, the best use of the ScreenPad Plus is simply providing extra room for social media, streaming video services, or anything else you want to keep in sight, while keeping my most important apps up top. When I'm gaming, the main screen is where the action is at, while having Discord and YouTube open down below are great for chatting with friends and staying entertained during loading screens. And if I'm working, the ScreenPad is perfect for stuff like Slack that doesn’t require constant attention.
Also, because the ScreenPad Plus is configured in Windows as a generic display, that means you can use keyboard shortcuts to quickly move apps from your main display to the secondary screen or snap them to the side as needed. Is it as good as having a full second monitor? No, but it's enough to make things a lot more comfortable.
Webcam and sound
The Duo 16 makes it easy to log in using facial recognition with its 720 webcam and Windows Hello support. Unfortunately, image quality is mediocre at best, and as I've said before, 1080p should be the baseline for all modern laptops — especially one this expensive.
Thankfully, the Duo 16 boasts a powerful six-speaker setup with support for Dolby Atmos, so you get a performance mode in games that focuses on delivering accurate directional sound, along with a bunch of intelligent and preset EQs for movies and music. You even have the ability to create custom audio profiles, though, I wish the Duo 16 offered just a bit more low-end thump.
Performance
While a base Duo 16 only comes with an NVIDIA RTX 3060 GPU, our fully-loaded review unit features an AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX chip and an RTX 3080 Ti graphics card, not to mention 32GB of RAM and a 2TB SSD. So it probably won't be a surprise when I tell you this thing is basically the fastest laptop we've tested this year. It notched top scores in Geekbench 5's compute test, 3DMark's TimeSpy Extreme and more.
Naturally, the Duo 16's gaming performance is also rather strong, hitting 145 fps in Shadow of the Tomb Raider on highest settings and 85 fps in Metro Exodus on high. And that was with both games running at 2560 x 1600. So really, the only limiting factor regarding performance is how much you're willing to shell out for high-end components.
As far as gaming notebooks are concerned, brands have been conforming to a singular design of thin bezels and compact form factors.
Take the new Acer Nitro 7, for instance. It has a full metal chassis that adds to its sturdiness and slim bezels that look smart and also keep the size in check. At 2.5kg, it isn’t the lightest gaming notebook, but fits easily into a regular-sized bag. Its edges are a bit sharp and makes carrying it in your hand a tad uncomfortable.
The side panel is endowed with a wide array of connectors, including a LAN port that is still very relevant in India though it is becoming obsolete overseas.
The speakers are placed at an angle on the base, so even if you put it down the audio quality doesn’t get muffled. The speakers however lack punch, the headphones are more useful.
The keys are a bit small, but you are getting a full keyboard, which also happens to be backlit with ample space between keys for a comfortable typing experience. The position of the power button feels awkward though and may lead to it being accidental pressed.
It doesn’t have a fingerprint sensor or face recognition login.
The 15.6-inch display is big and bright and has a refresh rate of 144Hz, which will come in handy for fast paced action games. Colours stand out very well and the IPS panel ensures they don’t lose their lustre even if you tilt the screen.
The Nitro 7 runs on the Intel 9th gen Core i7- 9750H processor with 8GB RAM, 1TB SSD, and Nvidia GTX 1660Ti (6GB) graphics card. Barring the 8GB RAM, which is a bit on the low side, the laptop impresses with its handling of games such as Assassin’s Creed Odyssey at maximum graphics settings. Priced at ₹1.3 lakh, the Nitro 7 is a dependable gaming notebook.
GTA 6 is in the works at Rockstar Games, and although the game has suffered from a substantial leak in recent months, official details on the game are still very limited. We got confirmation from Rockstar Games back in February this year that "active development for the next entry in the Grand Theft Auto series is well underway" - a little note snuck in the bottom of a GTA 5 Community Update(opens in new tab).
On September 18, an unprecedented GTA 6 leak saw over 90 videos and screenshots from an early, in-development alpha build of the game surface online. Rockstar has acknowledged and authenticated the hack, and is working to scrub the leaked material from the internet. Naturally, this first look at Grand Theft Auto 6 has revealed some new details about the game – including information on the GTA 6 location, characters, and gameplay. So keep on reading to find everything you need to know about GTA 6 so far.
GTA 6 announcement: When was GTA 6 confirmed?
The first GTA 6 announcement came in February 2022, when Rockstar Games snuck out the news that GTA 6 is "well underway" as part of a broader GTA 5 and GTA Online Community Update. With word that Grand Theft Auto 6 is in "active development", Rockstar said: "On behalf of our entire team, we thank you all for your support and cannot wait to step into the future with you!"
In August 2022, Rockstar's parent company Take-Two Interactive reaffirmed that GTA 6 development is "well underway" as part of the company's financial results report. Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick made some big promises for what GTA 6 will achieve: "With development of the next entry in the Grand Theft Auto series well underway, the Rockstar Games team is determined to once again set creative benchmarks for the series, our industry, and for all entertainment, just as the label has done with every one of their frontline releases."
Alienware was one of the first brands to define the gaming laptop category and today it continues to be a cut above the rest. Over the years we’ve seen their products evolve and adapt the latest tech to deliver excellent performance. At the same time, the manufacturer (now owned by Dell) has managed to maintain a unique identity with its space-age-inspired aesthetics.
Apart from the second-gen Alienware X17, X15 and the all-new X14, the 2022 gaming laptop lineup also includes the new Alienware m15 R7. It features the same chassis as last year, but the internals have been refreshed with the latest Intel 12th-gen Alder Lake CPUs and the option of either an Nvidia RTX 3060, 3070 Ti or the 3080 Ti. I had a chance to test one out of the three configurations of the m15 R7 offered in India, and here’s what I think about it.
Design
If you are familiar with last year’s Alienware m15 R6, you are not going to see any differences here. In fact, the new 2022 model uses the same chassis from last year which is made from a combination of aluminium, magnesium alloy and plastic. It does feel premium though, with nicely rounded corners and a nice matte texture all around. The dark grey colour scheme or as it’s called the ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ is also very appealing, although I really wish we could get this in white. I also loved the honeycomb design scheme on all the air vents, which gives the laptop its distinct look.
The build is sturdy and you might notice minor flexing on the lid and keyboard deck, but I didn’t feel any quality issues while using the laptop. Like the last year’s model, there is RGB lighting for the keyboard, the Alienware logo on the lid, the power button, and the wrap-around light bar on the rear. All of the lighting can be controlled using Alienware’s Command Center app. Now the laptop is on the heavier side weighing about 2.6kgs, and you can definitely feel the bulk at the back due to the beefy cooling solution. Plus if you add the weight of the charger you are looking at 3.2kgs which is not particularly good for portability.
The I/O is the same as last year so you get two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports (one with PowerShare) on the right side while the left has a 2.5G ethernet port with a 3.5mm headphone and mic combo jack. Moving to the back, there’s a USB-C port with Thunderbolt 4, another USB 3.2 Gen 1 port, DisplayPort 1.4, an HDMI 2.1 port and a barrel port for charging. The laptop also comes with Bluetooth 5.2 and Wi-Fi 6 AX1650.
The laptop is easily serviceable and you can get to the internal by removing a few screws that come with standard Phillips screws. The memory, M.2 SSD and Wi-Fi module are user upgradable and there is a secondary M.2 slot to further expand storage.
Performance
The Alienware m15 R7 is powered by the 12th-gen Intel Core i7-12700H mobile processor. It features 14 cores out of which six are performance or P-cores and eight efficient or E-cores, with 20 threads and a maximum clock speed of 4.7GHz. The review unit I was sent included 16GB of DDR5 dual channel memory running at 4800MHz and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 Ti GPU. The base TDP of the 12700H is rated at 45W which can go up to 115W. As per my testing, the CPU peaked at 146W, which is quite impressive and shows that Alienware means business. As for the GPU, the RTX 3070 Ti on the laptop has a maximum TDP of 75W.
Performance is top notch and the laptop delivered excellent results in almost every single task. Now primarily this laptop is meant for gaming, and it definitely lives up to its name. Fast-paced FPS games like Apex Legends at 1440p resolution should run around the 100fps mark and can go over 200fps if you pull down the resolution to 1080p with medium settings. I also loved how well Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered rendered on this laptop. Even at the highest graphics settings, it managed to deliver over 60fps at 1440p resolution. Enabling ray tracing does hit the performance but with DLSS you can maintain a good balance between frame rates and render quality.
The Lenovo Legion 7i Gen 7 is a high-end gaming laptop. A technology refresh of the Gen 6 model, the new 12th Generation Intel Core HX-class processor helped the Gen 7 achieve best-in-class performance among 16-inch machines. Its aluminum chassis, RGB lighting, Nvidia G-Sync screen, solid input devices, and ample connectivity are all highlights. However, its battery life is brief, and its fans tend to be a bit overreactive. We prefer the AMD Gen 7 version of this laptop since it gets better battery life, but the Legion 7i Gen 7 should still top your list if maximum performance is your goal.
The Design: Same Skin, New Hardware
The Legion 7i Gen 7 looks the same as the Gen 6 model. Its storm gray chassis and straight lines almost give it the appearance of a normal laptop until you switch on its extensive RGB lighting, which goes around every edge and covers the Legion logo on the lid.
Few laptops offer such extensive lighting. The Lenovo Vantage app lets you change settings and create up to six profiles. Vantage also shows system stats, battery health, warranty information, and provides access to Lenovo support.
An inch-long rear protrusion makes the Legion 7i larger than most 16-inch laptops, at 0.76 by 14.1 by 10.37 inches (HWD) and 5.51 pounds. The Gigabyte Aero 16 is 0.88 by 14.02 by 9.78 inches and 5.07 pounds. The 15.6-inch Razer Blade 15 Advanced (0.67 by 13.98 by 9.25 inches, 4.4 pounds) is more portable, but getting a Core HX-class processor requires a larger chassis for more potent cooling. (More on that special chip in the benchmarks section.)
The Alienware x17 R2 is the company's latest assault on the gaming laptop market, and you'll find plenty to like here as soon as you slide this machine from its box. The x17 deploys Alienware's eye-catching and now familiar Legend 2.0 design language, with the sheer size of this notebook signaling that you're in for an immersive and enjoyable gaming experience.
On the inside, Alienware's notebook pairs range-topping Nvidia graphics with a muscular Intel processor and a fast screen with G-Sync. The rig we've reviewed came in with Nvidia's RTX 3080 Ti and an Intel Core i7-12700H alongside 32GB RAM and a 2TB SSD, it will set you back $3,499. As is to be expected, Alienware laptops aren't particularly cheap. The most affordable x17 R2 still demands $2,249 from your wallet.
That's big bucks to spend on a gaming laptop, and it might prove too much when the Alienware x17 R2 faces strong competition from the likes of Razer and Asus.
Features and Design
Regardless of what those rivals look like, no-one could accuse the Alienware of being shy. The design combines a white exterior with black interior, and the combined colors look excellent. There's a huge "17" motif on the lid, and familiar Alienware touches abound...
The power button is an Alienware logo, and the speaker grilles and cooling vents use a honeycomb shape. Slim screen bezels and a ring of RGB LEDs around the rear ports complete the overall look.
The Alienware looks fantastic and there's no doubt that it takes a different path from its closest rivals. An alternative like the Razer Blade 17 is subtle, with an all-black design and fewer RGB, while the flagship Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 goes in the opposite direction, with loads of glow, translucent plastic and a more traditional "gamer" notebook style.
The Alienware sits somewhere between the two, balancing a mature aesthetic with the striking visuals that plenty of people expect from top-tier gaming notebooks.
The dimensions are reasonable, too. The x17 R2 is 21mm thick, which means it's slimmer than top gaming notebooks from Asus and barely thicker than the sleek Razer. At 6.61 pounds on the scales, the x17 R2 is a tad heavier than most of its competitors, but the gap isn't huge and you won't notice differences between the Alienware and its competitors -- when you buy a 17.3" gaming notebook you're going to have to accept having a weighty laptop in your bag. And while the power brick weighs 1.9 pounds, that's entirely normal in this segment.
It's an ideal specification for single-player gaming. The graphics card will struggle to drive refresh rates beyond 120Hz at 4K anyway, and 120 fps performance is easily ample to make most modern single-player titles look fantastic.
You'll need more speed if you're into esports or twitchy, fast-paced FPS games, in which case Alienware offers the x17 R2 with a 1080p screen that runs at 360Hz with a 1ms response time. That's great for competitive speed, and on this model it drops the price to $3,299.
Alienware also sells a 480Hz screen with this laptop, but we'd avoid that: the response time drops back down to 3ms, and the jump from 360Hz to 480Hz delivers diminishing returns. Add that display and our laptop jumps in price to a vast $3,749, too.
There are other more conventional options, too. Entry-level configurations have 1080p screens that run at 165Hz, which is ideal for mainstream single-player gaming and esports. And if you want a bit of extra sharpness, a 2,560 x 1,440 display at 165Hz is available, too.
We'd pick out the 4K and 1080p/360Hz screens as the best-value options, and the 4K screen we've reviewed delivered superb quality. The peak brightness level of 474cd/m2 is easily high enough to tackle indoor and outdoor gaming, and its accompanying black point of 0.44cd/m2 is decent. The resulting contrast ratio of 1,077:1 is solid for an IPS display, and means games have huge punch and nuance.
A deeper black point would have delivered even more depth and nuance to dark areas. But that's a tiny flaw that won't cause noticeable issues during gameplay, and titles are still vibrant and bold.
The Delta E of 2.91 is good and below the 3.0 point where most people will be able to detect deviations in color accuracy -- for gaming, that's easily good enough. But you'll want to find a laptop with a sub-2.0 Delta E if you need to tackle color-sensitive creative workloads. The color temperature of 6,671K is well-balanced -- we have no issues there.
Alienware's 4K screen rendered 98.6% of the sRGB color gamut at 139.7% volume. Those are excellent figures that will translate in games showing lashings of energetic color. Elsewhere, the panel produces 94.4% of the DCI-P3 color space at 99% volume -- more good figures, even though this isn't an HDR display.
This 4K screen only generated 84.8% of the Adobe RGB color space, though. That's not good enough for color-sensitive work in Adobe tools -- combine this with the Delta E and you've got a screen that won't quite sate creative professionals.
For gaming, though, it's superb: crisp, smooth and dynamic, with vivid colors. The speakers have plenty of punch with loud, bassy output. They certainly make games boom, but the top-end is slightly tinny, and anyone who wants a better gaming experience should invest in a headset.
Input and Connectivity
The Alienware x17 keyboard's got per-key RGB LED backlighting that's bright, sharp and easy to customize in the AlienFX software, and its stainless steel butterfly switches have 1.5mm of travel, n-key rollover and anti-ghosting tech.
The buttons are snappy and quick, with pleasing, crisp action and solid strength beneath. They're not far short of the best low-profile mechanical units you'll find on some laptops, and this keyboard is sturdy enough to cope with long gaming sessions.
Alienware x17 R2 Gaming Laptop Review
On the inside, Alienware's notebook pairs range-topping Nvidia graphics with a muscular Intel processor and a fast screen with G-Sync. The rig we've reviewed came in with Nvidia's RTX 3080 Ti and an Intel Core i7-12700H alongside 32GB RAM and a 2TB SSD, it will set you back $3,499. As is to be expected, Alienware laptops aren't particularly cheap. The most affordable x17 R2 still demands $2,249 from your wallet.
That's big bucks to spend on a gaming laptop, and it might prove too much when the Alienware x17 R2 faces strong competition from the likes of Razer and Asus.
Features and Design
Regardless of what those rivals look like, no-one could accuse the Alienware of being shy. The design combines a white exterior with black interior, and the combined colors look excellent. There's a huge "17" motif on the lid, and familiar Alienware touches abound...
The power button is an Alienware logo, and the speaker grilles and cooling vents use a honeycomb shape. Slim screen bezels and a ring of RGB LEDs around the rear ports complete the overall look.
The Alienware looks fantastic and there's no doubt that it takes a different path from its closest rivals. An alternative like the Razer Blade 17 is subtle, with an all-black design and fewer RGB, while the flagship Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 goes in the opposite direction, with loads of glow, translucent plastic and a more traditional "gamer" notebook style.
The Alienware sits somewhere between the two, balancing a mature aesthetic with the striking visuals that plenty of people expect from top-tier gaming notebooks.
The dimensions are reasonable, too. The x17 R2 is 21mm thick, which means it's slimmer than top gaming notebooks from Asus and barely thicker than the sleek Razer. At 6.61 pounds on the scales, the x17 R2 is a tad heavier than most of its competitors, but the gap isn't huge and you won't notice differences between the Alienware and its competitors -- when you buy a 17.3" gaming notebook you're going to have to accept having a weighty laptop in your bag. And while the power brick weighs 1.9 pounds, that's entirely normal in this segment.
Happily, the heft is justified by the impressive build quality. There's hardly any give in the display, the wrist-rest barely moves and the underside is sturdy. We have no qualms about carrying this rig around and the magnesium-aluminum alloy casing does a brilliant job.
There's a welcome practical touch on the base, too. It's designed to be removed, so you don't have to spend uncomfortable minutes trying to prise the panel from around the laptop's edges, and on the inside you can access both memory slots and two M.2 SSD sockets. Removing the base panels from Razer laptops is harder, and on Asus machines you're scuppered by awkwardly-placed lighting cables.
The Display
The Alienware x17 R2 we tested pairs a 17.3" IPS non-touch display with a 4K resolution, 16:9 aspect ratio, and 3ms response time. The refresh rate is capped at 120Hz with Nvidia G-Sync support to ensure butter-smooth gaming.
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