Alienware m18 R2 review: A gaming juggernaut with speed to spare

Alienware made its name by offering cutting edge gaming hardware in a clean, refined package. It hasn’t always offered the best value, but you’ll never be wanting for power. The new Alienware m18 R2 gaming laptop is very much in that vein—it has better specs than most desktop gaming PCs, and it’s technically portable. You won’t necessarily want to carry around this nearly 10-pound behemoth, but you can.

The Alienware m18 R2 has a starting price every bit as hefty as the computer itself, but the $1,900 base model pales in comparison to the staggering $4,500 fully souped-up version. The laptop I tested is a bit more modest (and $1,000 cheaper), but it still has the best Intel CPU and Nvidia GPU you’ll find in a laptop, and the 18-inch display won’t leave you feeling claustrophobic. If gaming is your primary use case, it’s hard to find a more capable laptop, but the price will be hard to swallow for casual gamers.

Looking for more options? Check out PCWorld’s roundup of the best gaming laptops available right now.

Alienware m18 R2: Specs and features

Even the base model m18 R2 is a beast of a laptop, with an Intel Core i7 14650HX and an Nvidia RTX 4060. My test unit is priced at $3,550 with a Core i9 14900HX, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 (16GB), 32GB of DDR5 RAM, a 2TB NVMe SSD, and a backlit mechanical keyboard.

Dell offers two 18-inch display options that cater to different kinds of gamers. There’s a 2560×1600 LCD with a 165Hz refresh rate or a 1920×1200 LCD with a faster 480Hz refresh. I tested the former. For people playing fast-paced competitive shooters, the speedy low-resolution display might be preferable.

All of the peripherals are best-in-class, as well. You’ve got an Intel Killer Wi-Fi 7 card, Dolby Atmos speakers, and Thunderbolt 4 connectivity. Here’s the full spec sheet for the review unit.

• CPU: Intel Core i9 14900HX
• Memory: 32GB DDR5, 5600 MT/s
• Graphics/GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 (16GB GDDR6)
• Display: 18-inch QHD (2560×1600) LCD, 165Hz refresh with G-Sync
• Storage: 2TB M.2 PCIe NVMe
• Webcam: 1080p at 30fps with HDR
• Connectivity: 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 1x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 1x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C, 2x Thunderbolt 4 Gen 2 Type-C (alt display supported), 1x RJ45 Ethernet, 1x 3.5mm audio jack, 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x mini-Display Port, 1x power adapter
• Battery: 6 Cell, 97 Wh
• Dimensions: 16.15 x 12.59 x 1.05 inches
• Weight: 9.32 lb
• MSRP: Starting at $1,899.99 ($3,549.99 as tested)

Alienware m18 R2: Design and build quality

IDG / Ryan Whitwam

IDG / Ryan Whitwam

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    </div></figure><p class="imageCredit">IDG / Ryan Whitwam</p></div>

The exterior of the Alienware m18 R2 is clad in anodized aluminum, and it’s available in a single color called Dark Metallic Moon. The lid has the iconic glowing alien logo, and there’s another one inside (above the keyboard) that serves as the power button. Not enough RGB for a gaming laptop? The keyboard is also fully backlit with RGB LEDs, and there’s a glowing ring around the rear thermal shelf. All the RGB is controlled via the bundled Alienware Command Center app, which also manages your performance profiles. .

As you can tell from the measurements above, this is a huge laptop. Unlike the slightly smaller Alienware m16 R2, the m18 R2 keeps the thermal shelf on the back, which blasts heat away from the internals with the aid of four cooling fans. That also makes the device even larger than the 18-inch display measurement might suggest. It almost feels wrong to call it a laptop as you’ll never willingly use it on your lap—this is the epitome of a “desktop replacement” machine.

The Alienware m18 R2 does have aggressively tapered edges, which helps hide its substantial girth. The hinge, fan grilles, and overall structure feel completely solid. Even with under sustained load, the fans produce a smooth drone with no rattling or clicks.

Alienware m18 R2: Keyboard and trackpad

IDG / Ryan Whitwam

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    </div></figure><p class="imageCredit">IDG / Ryan Whitwam</p></div>

The trackpad on the latest Alienware machine is responsive and large—as it should be on a laptop with so much real estate. The surface is soft-touch plastic instead of glass, which is common on high-end laptops. The rubbery finish attracts finger smudges, but my finger glides smoothly, and taps are detected well. It’s perfectly good for productivity, but let’s face it, you’ll want to use a real mouse for gaming.

The Alienware m18 R2 comes with a standard laptop keyboard by default, but you can (and should) upgrade to an ultra-low-profile mechanical keyboard for just $50 extra. The switches were co-designed with Cherry, and they provide a much more precise typing experience than other laptop keys. Because this is a laptop, the switches don’t have very much travel compared to a standalone keyboard, but the consistent feel is a huge upgrade over traditional laptop keys.

Noise might be an issue if you’re doing a lot of typing or gaming in a room with other people. These switches do have an audible click that’s louder than non-mechanical laptop keyboards. That said, the added tactility and stability makes up for the racket.

Alienware m18 R2: Display and audio