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Alienware has decided to update its futuristicM-Series Gaming Laptops Successors to the iconic m15 and m17 are the slimmer X-Series laptops. The new Alienware x15 delivers excellent gaming performance with an 11th Gen Intel Core i7 processor and Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 graphics.
However, a 512GB SSD, in mylook is small and the x15 frame rate limit is lower than some competitors. Overall, this is a solid gaming laptop with advanced features. But, Razer offers a lighter and better looking Blade 15 Advanced Edition with long battery life.
Read Also: MSI GE76 Raider Review: A Powerful Gaming Laptop for Excitement and Adventure
Alienware x15 Specifications
CPU
Intel Core i7-11800H
Graphics
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 (8GB GDDR6, Max-Q, 110W Max Power, 1365MHz OC)
RAM
16 GB DDR4-3200
Inner memory
SSD M.2 PCIe NVMe 512GB
Screen
15.6 inch, 2560 x 1440 resolution, 240 Hz
Connection
Wi-Fi 6E AX1675 (2 × 2) MIMO 802.11ax, Bluetooth 5.2
Ports and connectors
USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2, Thunderbolt 4 over USB Type-C, micro SD card slot, USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, HDMI 2.1
Synchronization acceleration technologies
G-Sync
Webcam
720p
operating system
Windows 10 Pro
Battery
87 W / h
Charger
240 watts
Autonomy (from test)
6 hours 22 minutes
Dimensions
359.7 x 277.25 x 15.9 mm
Weight
2.3 kg
Price
From 200 thousand rubles
Design and construction
This is not to say that the external changes of the Alienware x15 series notebooks are immediately evident.
The body has become thinner, and the color is invertedpalette m15. The back of the case, which houses the connectors and vents, is now white, and the keypad is black. When closed, the case is the same color.
The lid is made of high quality, tactilenice plastic with anti-stain coating. A harder plastic is used for the keyboard. The design of the number 15 on the cover has not changed. The ventilation grilles at the back and above the keyboard, in the form of a honeycomb, remained the same.
The back of the case is still ringedadjustable LED. The build quality is excellent - the case is solid, practically does not bend. It doesn't feel cheap, even though it's not made of metal. This Alienware laptop turns out to be a success, with a thinner chassis than the Alienware m15. However, the weight has increased and reaches 2.3 kg.
Other highlights include a 720p webcam with Windows Hello facial recognition, Killer Wi-Fi 6 wireless connectivity with Bluetooth, and the included USB-C-to-Ethernet.
Laptop screen
The Alienware x15 laptop comes in three variants, two of which are equipped with a Full HD (1920 x 1080) display.
One - with a refresh rate of 165 Hz and timeresponse 3 ms. The second will delight you with a frequency of 360 Hz and a response time of 1 ms. The characteristics of the third one are QHD (2560 × 1440), the frame rate is 240 Hz, and the response time is 2 ms. The latter two displays feature Nvidia's G-Sync and Advanced Optimus technologies.
In my opinion, QHD screens have optimalratio of resolution and frame rate. Gaming laptops tend to settle for 1080p, although the x15 has enough power to overcome that barrier. However, not without loss - the frame rate at 1440p is lower than at Full HD. If you are a fan of shooters, it might be better to opt for a Full HD screen.
Analysis of the panel using a calibrator showed thatAlienware's x15 boasts one of the brightest displays at maximum mode. In this it is second only to its larger brother, the Alienware m17. The color gamut of the display is also excellent.
Keyboard and touchpad
The Alienware x15 has a simple keyboard and touchpad that are comfortable and responsive.
However, the thickness of the case does not allow the use ofCherry low profile mechanical keyboard like m17. The model I reviewed does not have a custom touchpad backlight, although the RTX 3080 configuration does.
Connectors and ports
The ports on the Alienware x15 are mostly located on the back of the case.
The location of the connectors at the back deliversa certain inconvenience. Sometimes you have to turn your laptop to see what you are doing. Moreover, if you are trying to connect peripherals in a dark place, the bright LED ring around the module with ports is almost dazzling. After I had to turn on the lamp several times to see everything clearly, I decided it was worth mentioning.
You will find two USB-C connectors (one with support forThunderbolt 4), USB 3.2 Type-A port, HDMI and microSD card slot. On the left is the charging connector, on the opposite side is the headphone jack.
Components and performance
The base Alienware x15 has an Intel Core i7-11800H processor, 16GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD, a GeForce RTX 3060 GPU, and a 165Hz Full HD display.
The test configuration had the same processor andthe amount of RAM. But a 512GB SSD, Nvidia's RTX 3070 graphics, and a 240Hz QHD display panel. Given the sheer volume of games today, I would prefer a 1TB or larger drive. It's good that the amount of SSD is not tied to specific configurations, and you can get a larger SSD at checkout. It will not be cheap, but not more expensive than other manufacturers.
Note that the reviewed device was running Windows 10 Pro, although buyers will receive Windows 11 Home or Pro.
Performance tests
X15 performance evaluated withbasic programs and utilities. They simulate various practical tasks: word processing, working with spreadsheets, and participating in video conferencing. I also ran a drive benchmark to measure performance.
To find out the power of the processor,three tests. Maxon's Cinebench R23 rendered a complex scene using Cinema 4D. Geekbench 5.4 Pro cross-platform benchmark from Primate Labs. Finally, the HandBrake 1.4 video transcoding program ran a 12-minute video clip captured in 4K resolution at 1080p.
For comparison, I took the results obtained onsimilar tests: x17, Alienware m15 Ryzen Edition (on AMD), closest competitor - Razer Blade 15 Advanced Edition, and more compact Razer Blade 14 (with RTX 3070). PCMark benchmarks are very similar. In multimedia, the difference is slightly larger, in general, the results are similar here.
Graphics and gaming tests
To test the graphics of the Alienware x15, we used two gaming simulators from the 3Dmark suite. A humble Night Raid and Time Spy aimed at discrete GPU gaming laptops.
Also, I ran game tests usingbuilt-in benchmarks, on the F1 2021 simulator, the Assassin's Creed Valhalla action-adventure game and the Rainbow Six Siege shooter. F1 2021 was launched twice at maximum settings, the second time DLSS anti-aliasing was turned off.
In order to be able to compare the results of different laptops, gaming tests were performed at 1080p and 1440p. Overall, the Alienware turns out to be one of the best laptops out there, although there were some dips.
Assassin's Creed Valhalla is one of the mostdemanding games. But even at maximum settings, x15 showed a solid 70 frames per second. The Blade 15, the main competitor, has the same result, and the x17 is slightly behind.
The laptop performed better than the othermodels on the RTX 3070 - Blade 14. But it lost to him in F1 2021 and Rainbow Six Siege in terms of frame rates. The Alienware x17 and Razer Blade 15 also outperformed the x15 in these benchmarks, thanks to the RTX 3080. Overall, the x15 graphics performance is good, with the Alienware keeping up with RTX 3080 laptops.
Laptop without stress exceeded 60 fps in the mostdemanding game, passed the 100 fps mark in the shooter and the simulator ran smoothly. The performance was worse at 1440p at maximum settings. Valhalla dropped by 10 fps and stayed at 60 fps, Siege dropped to 111 fps (less by 50 fps), and F1 2021 showed 81 fps (-7 fps).
Cooling and noise
Alienware has equipped the x15 series with a new version of its proprietary Cryo-Tech cooling technology.
The cooling system has four fans withintelligent control. The new thermal material (gallium - silicone matrix dubbed Element 31) is only available in RTX 3070 and 3080 configurations. The manufacturer claims a 25% improvement in thermal resistance over the previous generation.
The Alienware x15 has significantly more room forheatsinks in a larger chassis, which is why it outperforms the Razer Blade 14 in some tests and lags behind in others. The case got a little warm during gaming, especially the plastic trim above the keyboard.
Fans sounded under increased loadlouder than average. Full Speed was so noisy that I chose to sacrifice a few extra frames for a lower performance setting.
All improvements are complemented by a highly effectivevoltage regulation and performance profiles (Quiet, Performance, Full Speed). Configurable through the Alienware Command Center software. In my opinion, switching profiles mainly affected the noise level emitted by the cooling system. Therefore, all CPU and GPU tests were carried out in Performance mode.
Alienware x15 autonomy
Naturally, I checked the battery life of the new x15.
Locally saved 720p video fileplayed at 50% brightness and 100% volume before shutdown. At the beginning of the test, the battery was fully charged, Wi-Fi and keyboard backlight were turned off. As a result, the battery life is relatively short compared to the competition.
Nevertheless, six hours of use without a charger is quite a decent result.
Total
The Alienware x15 is thinner (but no morelight) modification of the m15, elegant and excellently equipped. In my opinion, the redesign of the x15 turned out to be more successful than that of the x17. The slimmer design justifies the slight increase in weight, and the performance meets expectations.
Should I buy
The combination of power and portability makes the Alienware x15 one of the best choices for those looking to buy an expensive gaming laptop. However, not the best.
The Razer Blade 15 Advanced Edition doesn't cost muchmore expensive, but offers a better GPU, more memory, more battery life, and a lighter design. But, if you love the Alienware design, the x15 is a decent alternative.
Yandex MarketGaming laptop Alienware x15 - video 
Alienware x15 R1 Gaming Laptop Product Overview (2021) 
Alexander Shamanalmost two decades. Initially, he collected technology news for the local media. His love of science fiction has sparked an immense thirst for knowledge. Trying to understand how it works and whether it can work better, he gets so carried away, as if he is plunging into a trance. For this, among colleagues at TehnObzor, he received the nickname - Shaman. Slim and powerful gaming laptop Alienware Design and ergonomics 95/100 Display and multimedia 95/100 Keyboard and input devices 95/100 Connectors and ports 95/100 Performance 95/100 Cooling and noise 80/100 Connectivity and connections95/100 Autonomy 85/100 Total 91.9 The Alienware x15 is a slimmer upgraded laptop with an excellent display and many ports on the rear panel. But, hardware can get hot and sometimes cause throttling.Advantages and DisadvantagesElegant DesignLarge Port SetHigh Frame Rate Gaming1440p 240Hz Screen Very ExpensiveHot and Loud for GamesThe SSD could be bigger Thinner but not as light as the competition
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