Dell Alienware x15 15.6" Gaming Laptop (2021)

MSRP 2100 USD76% External
Keywords: alienwaredellg-syncgamingintelipslaptopmagnesiumnvidiargb-lightingthunderbolt-4tiger-lakewifi-6e

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Product Overview

Dell Alienware x15 is a powerful 15.6-inch gaming laptop that supersedes the m15 series. It resembles the m15 R4 unveiled at CES earlier this year; however, unlike the case with the m15 and m17 series, Dell is now making an effort to distinguish the x15 and x17 more.
This means that the x15 is now noticeably less endowed power-wise than the x17. What this pays for is a boost in the portability department: the x15 is now just around 16mm thin, depending on the display configuration.
Speaking of the display, Dell has, at least for the moment being, removed the OLED option. Instead, the x15 is available with only FHD and QHD display panels, though the three options are all sufficiently compelling.
Inside, the x15 can be purchased with up to 11th-gen Intel i9-11900H Tiger Lake processor. This means that, unlike the x17, the x15 is not overclock-friendly. GPU on this laptop is also limited at RTX 3070.

Ratings

What we found**

Pros
  • Thin and light for a 15.6-inch gaming laptop
  • Up to 360Hz display
  • Good CPU performance
  • Good battery life
  • High-quality aluminum chassis
Cons
  • Thick bezels

What external reviewers found***

External score 76% (not directly comparable across industries)
Pros
  • Solid gaming performance
  • Good battery life
  • Comfortable keyboard
  • Sleek design
Cons
  • Lackluster battery life
  • Lacks single-zone keyboard lighting
  • No G-Sync
  • Lackluster graphics performance
  • Somewhat bulky
  • Short battery life
Read More

Price Comparison

Specifications

FHD 165HzQHDFHD 360Hz

Connectivity

Ports1x USB 3.2 Gen1 + 1x USB 3.2 Gen2 + 1x Thunderbolt 4 + 1x HDMI 2.1 + 1x RJ45 + 1x Audio combo + 1x MicroSD
Wireless ConnectivityWiFi 6E + Bluetooth 5.2

Construction

Camera | Front720p HD
ColorsLunar Light
MaterialMagnesium Alloy exterior shell and copper alloy thermal components
MicrophoneDual-array microphones
SpeakersStereo speakers, 8W in total

Dimensions

Size | Depth277.25 mm / 10.915"
Size | Height16.3 mm / 0.642"15.9 mm / 0.626"15.9 mm / 0.626"
Size | Width359.7 mm / 14.16"
Weight3.02 kg / 6.65 lbs ~ 3.2 kg / 7.05 lbs

Display

Aspect Ratio16:9
Display Diagonal15.6 inch
Display TypeIPS
Refresh Rate165 or 360 Hz240 Hz165 or 360 Hz
ResolutionFHD (1920x1080) or QHD (2560x1440)
Response Time1 or 3 ms2 ms1 or 3 ms

Function

AudioRealtek ALC3281
GraphicsNVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 6GB GDDR6 or RTX 3070 8GB GDDR6
Keyboard Backlightper-key AlienFX RGB lighting
Operating SystemWindows 10
ProcessorIntel Core i7-11800H or i9-11900H Tiger Lake
RGB LightingAlienFX lighting programmable with up to 16.8 million distinct colors
Variable FramerateNVIDIA G-SYNC available for 240Hz QHD & 360Hz FHD panels

Performance

Memory | Capacity16 or 32 GB
Memory | TypeDDR4 3200MHz
StorageUp to 4TB (2x 2TB) PCIe NVMe SSD, RAID supported

Production

Debut2021-06

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Launch Comparison
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3rd-Party Review Videos

External Reviews

gizmodo[1]

Reviewer score 69%
Reviewers from gizmodo have found the following***:
The x15 lasted just four hours and 39 minutes on our battery rundown test. The only minor changes Alienware made to the x15 ‘s keyboard layout is a row of extra keys on the right for volume and muting your mic. The x15 starts at $2,100, while a similarly priced Razer Blade 15 comes with the same Intel Core i7-11800H CPU.
Find the original article here.
Pros
  • Sleek, sleek design
  • Slim and light for a gaming laptop
  • Comfortable keyboard
Cons
  • Lacks single-zone keyboard lighting
  • Lackluster battery life

notebookcheck[2]

Reviewer score 76%
Reviewers from notebookcheck have found the following***:
Hot spots on the top and bottom of the chassis can reach almost 60 C each. Power consumption has improved significantly over last year's Alienware m15 R4. Running on battery power will severely limit graphics performance. The system is heavier and larger in footprint than many competing 15.6-inch gaming laptops.
Find the original article here.
Pros
  • Slim and lighter than the previous Alienware m15 R1
  • Long battery life
  • Improved graphics performance
Cons
  • Below-average CPU performance
  • No Thunderbolt 3

pcmag[3]

Reviewer score 82%
Reviewers from pcmag have found the following***:
The Alienware x15 is a more successful redesign than the x17, and a good gaming laptop. The slimmer chassis and slight bump in weight make more sense at 15 inches. The system's portability and raw power don't blow us away, but it's a good mix of the two.
Find the original article here.
Pros
  • Slim and lighter than its predecessor
  • Solid gaming performance
  • Good battery life
Cons
  • Lackluster graphics performance
  • Short battery life

tomshardware[4]

Reviewer score 78%
Reviewers from tomshardware have found the following***:
Dell sells the Alienware x15 with a 1-year warranty, though you can pay extra to extend it. It's sleek, even if the RGB can make it look like a gamer's fever dream. This laptop isn't, however, much thinner than the existing Alienware m15.
Find the original article here.
Pros
  • Sleek design
  • Bright 1440p display
  • Good battery life
Cons
  • Somewhat bulky
  • No G-Sync

User Reviews

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References

  1. ^ The Alienware x15 Is a Sleeker (and Pricier) Way to Game in Style. [gizmodo]. https://gizmodo.com/the-alienware-x15-is-a-sleeker-and-pricier-way-to-gam-1848065694. 2021-11-18. Retrieved 2021-11-19.
  2. ^ Alienware x15 R1 laptop review: Dell's thinnest UFO has landed. [notebookcheck]. https://www.notebookcheck.net/Alienware-x15-R1-laptop-review-Dell-s-thinnest-UFO-has-landed.565050.0.html. 2021-09-30. Retrieved 2021-09-30.
  3. ^ Alienware x15 Review. [pcmag]. https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/alienware-x15. 2021-10-20. Retrieved 2021-10-22.
  4. ^ Alienware x15 Review: A Thin, 1440p Machine. [tomshardware]. https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/alienware-x15. 2021-10-19. Retrieved 2021-10-20.

The MSRP provided on this page may not apply to all regions equally. For the current price, please refer to the Price Comparison section.

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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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