Dell thrilled gaming enthusiasts by announcing the much-anticipated return of the iconic Alienware Area-51 gaming laptop at CES 2025, and now, starting today, it's finally available for order. This powerhouse comes in two sizes: the 16-inch model starting at $3,199.99 and the 18-inch model at $3,399.99. As expected from Alienware's flagship, the Area-51 is loaded with the latest technology, featuring the cutting-edge Intel Core Ultra 9 CPU and NVIDIA Blackwell GPU. Secure your order now, as shipments are set to begin on April 30, to avoid any potential delays.
The Alienware Area-51 Gaming Laptop Is Now Available
Alienware 16 Area-51 Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX RTX 5080 Gaming Laptop
$3,199.99 at Alienware
Alienware 18 Area-51 Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX RTX 5080 Gaming Laptop
$3,399.99 at Alienware
Currently, both the 16-inch and 18-inch Area-51 gaming laptops are available in a single configuration: the Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX CPU paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 GPU. The Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX is a beast, boasting a max turbo frequency of 5.4GHz, 24 cores, and a massive 40MB L2 cache. According to Passmark, it's the fastest laptop processor on the market, outperforming the AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX3D by 7%. Coupled with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 mobile GPU, which is reportedly 16% more powerful than the RTX 4080 based on preliminary 3DMark Time Spy benchmarks from VideoCardz.com, this setup promises to deliver exceptional performance. With DLSS 4.0 compatibility, gamers can expect to run any title at ultra-high frame rates on the QHD+ display.
The base configurations include a choice between a 16-inch or 18-inch QHD+ display with a refresh rate ranging from 240Hz to 300Hz and G-Sync certification, 32GB of DDR5-6400MHz RAM, and a 1TB M.2 SSD. Both models offer upgrade options to 64GB RAM and 2TB storage.
The Area-51: New Style, More Power, Better Cooling
For 2025, the Alienware Area-51 gaming laptop sports a sleek magnesium alloy chassis and enhanced cooling to manage the heat from its high-performance components. It features increased fan size and larger cutouts for superior airflow, more copper usage, and a new thermal interface material for efficient heat dissipation. Dell boasts that the laptop can handle a power ceiling of up to 240W TDP without increasing noise levels.
Design-wise, the Area-51 embraces smooth contours with rounded edges and soft corners, departing from the traditional squared-off design. The hinges are cleverly positioned internally, making them nearly invisible. True to Alienware's style, there are extensive RGB LED lighting customization options. Connectivity includes three USB Type-A 3.2 15Gbps ports (one with PowerShare), two Thunderbolt / USB Type-C ports, an HDMI 2.1 port, and a card reader. The 16-inch model weighs 7.5 pounds, while the 18-inch model tips the scales at 9.6 pounds.
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