Dell Alienware m15 R3 Gaming Laptop
Product Gallery
Product Overview
Dell Alienware m15 R3 is the mid-2020 iteration of the storied gaming laptop. The thinnest 15-inch laptop released by Alienware, it offers a broad set of I/O and graphics options as well as 10th-gen Intel Core i7 or i9 H- or HK-series processors.
Thanks to a premium magnesium alloy, the Alienware m15 R3 is significantly lighter than its predecessor while being stiffer and sturdier. Inside the thinner chassis, Alienware gives the m15 R3 a range of thermal and power-delivery solutions, including Vapor Chamber Technology, to broaden the thermal envelop for performance.
The m15 R3 is available with a 300Hz IPS panel, a 144Hz IPS panel with support for NVIDIA G-Sync, and an OLED 4K UHD panel.
There is also a 17.3-inch model, the m17 R3, which offers essentially the same set of options minus the OLED panel.
Ratings
What we found**
Pros
- Gorgeous 4K display option
- Excellent keyboard and touchpad
- Sleek design
Cons
- Very loud fans when gaming
- Very expensive
- Short battery life
What external reviewers found***
External score 77% (not directly comparable across industries)
Pros
- Incredible gaming performance
- Gorgeous 4K OLED display
- Great battery life
- Gorgeous 144 Hz display
Cons
- No Thunderbolt 3 port
- Display could be brighter
- Short battery life
- Low endurance
- No Thunderbolt 3
- No integrated graphics
Price Comparison
Specifications
| OLED | IPS | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Connectivity | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ports | 1x RJ-45 Killer Ethernet E3000 2.5Gbps + 3x USB 3.1 Gen1 + 1x Thunderbolt 3 + 1x Alienware Graphics Amplifier + 1x HDMI 2.0b + 1x Mini DisplayPort 1.4 + 1x Audio out + 1x microSD | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wireless Connectivity | Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650 (2x2) 802.11ax Wireless and Bluetooth 5.1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Construction | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Colors | Dark Side of the Moon with High Endurance Clear Coat | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Material | Magnesium Alloy exterior shell and copper alloy thermal components | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Speakers | 4-Way (Woofer/Tweeter) Stereo Speaker Design | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dimensions | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Size | Depth | 10.87" (276.2 mm) | 10.86" (276 mm) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Size | Height | 0.807" (20.5 mm) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Size | Width | 14.19" (360.3 mm) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 4.65 lbs (2.11 kg) - 5.5 lbs (2.5 kg) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Display | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Aspect Ratio | 16:9 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Brightness | 400 nits | 300 nits | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Display Diagonal | 15.6" | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Display Type | IPS or OLED | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gamut | 100% DCI-P3 | 72% NTSC or 100% sRGB | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Refresh Rate | 60 Hz | 144 or 300 Hz | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Resolution | UHD (3840 x 2160) | FHD (1920 x 1080) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Response Time | 1 ms | 7 or 3 ms | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Function | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Graphics | AMD Radeon RX 5500M 4GB, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti 6GB, RTX 2060 6GB, 2070 8GB, 2070 SUPER 8GB, 2080 SUPER 8GB w/ Max-Q | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Keyboard Backlight | 4-Zone AlienFX RGB lighting | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operating System | Windows 10 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Processor | Intel Core i7-10750H, 10875H, or i9-10980HK | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| RGB Lighting | Yes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Variable Framerate | NVIDIA G-SYNC available for IPS 144Hz panel | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Performance | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Memory | Capacity | 16 or 32 GB | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Memory | Type | DDR4 2666MHz | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Storage | Up to 4TB (2x 2TB) + 512MB PCIe M.2 SSD | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Production | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Debut | 2020-05 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Launch Comparison
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3rd-Party Review Videos
External Reviews
laptopmag[1]
Reviewer score 75%The Alienware m15 R3 can run a little hot. The touchpad measured 90-degrees Fahrenheit which is below our 95-degree comfort threshold. If you're looking for something with a bit more power or endurance, there's the $2,499 Asus Strix ROG G15.
Find the original article here.
Pros
- Gorgeous 4K display
- Sleek design
- Comfortable keyboard
- Long battery life
Cons
- Display could be brighter
- No Thunderbolt 3
notebookcheck[2]
Reviewer score 77%The Killer AX1650w comes standard for Wi-Fi 6 connectivity and Bluetooth 5.1. Users have access to three storage bays now, but WLAN and RAM remain soldered. There are no extras in the box other than the usual AC adapter and paperwork. The standard one-year limited warranty applies with extension options of up to 4 years.
Find the original article here.
Pros
- Excellent CPU and GPU performance
- Very good battery life
- Very fast WLAN and RAM
Cons
- High Core temperatures when running on battery power
pcmag[3]
Reviewer score 76%The Alienware m15 R3 stands out in an increasingly competitive gaming field with its looks, and it has the powerful substance to back up its style. The one area where it falls short is battery life, which certainly limits its potential if you want to use your gaming machine on the go or turn it into your daily driver. On Full Throttle, the fans get very loud.
Find the original article here.
Pros
- Unique, eye-catching design
- Powerful CPU and GPU performance
- Bright, colorful screen
Cons
- Short battery life
- No Thunderbolt 3 port
techradar[4]
Reviewer score 88%Alienware M15 for 2020 has the measure of pretty much any game you throw at it. At 1080p and with all the settings set to ‘ultra', the gaming performance is about the same as a 2070 Super non-Max-Q fitted to Alienware's large M17 chassis. However, for the best image quality, you need to run at native resolution, and that crushes frame rates down to the high 20s or low 30s. The harsh reality is that the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Super in Max-Q format doesn't have the graphics chops for totally smooth gameplay at 4K.
Find the original article here.
Pros
- Gorgeous 4K OLED display
- Incredible gaming performance
- Great battery life
Cons
- Nothing in particular
tomshardware[5]
Reviewer score 67%The Alienware m15 R3 is still among the sleekest gaming PCs out there. It has a slimmed-down design that strays from the gamer aesthetic but doesn't eschew it altogether. The option for a 300 Hz display is a boon for eSports players, though it won't make as meaningful a difference for those who stick to high-end, big games.
Find the original article here.
Pros
- Slimmed-down design
- Gorgeous 144 Hz display
- Great battery life
Cons
- Low endurance
- No integrated graphics
User Reviews
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References
- ^ Alienware m15 R3 (2020) review. [laptopmag]. https://www.laptopmag.com/reviews/alienware-m15-r3-2020. 2020-10-10. Retrieved 2021-10-13.
- ^ Dell Alienware m15 R3 Laptop Review: Vapor Chamber Saves The Day. [notebookcheck]. https://www.notebookcheck.net/Dell-Alienware-m15-R3-Laptop-Review-Vapor-Chamber-Saves-The-Day.483238.0.html. Retrieved 2021-03-22.
- ^ Alienware m15 R3 Review. [pcmag]. https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/alienware-m15-r3. 2020-08-20. Retrieved 2021-03-22.
- ^ Alienware M15 R3 (2020) review. [techradar]. https://www.techradar.com/reviews/alienware-m15-r3-2020. 2020-09-02. Retrieved 2021-03-22.
- ^ Alienware m15 R3 Review: Gotta Go Fast. [tomshardware]. https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/alienware-m15-r3. 2020-07-31. Retrieved 2021-10-13.
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These key takeaways ("pros" and "cons") and summaries are identified from third-party reviews. They may differ from the original texts.
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