Dell Alienware m16 R2
Dell Alienware m16 R2
Last updated -- hours ago | Report incorrect information
GENERAL USE: Good—7.9/10
GAMING/AI: Good—7.9/10
ENG/DESIGN: Very Good—8.4/10
SOFTWARE DEV: Good—7.6/10
CONTENT CREATION: Good—7.9/10
PORTABILITY: Fair—6.7/10
BATTERY: Good—7.0/10
OVERALL SCREEN QUALITY: Very Good—8.0/10
OVERALL PERFORMANCE: Very Good—8.4/10
SIZE: 16"
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 is a high-performance laptop with premium gaming capabilities, featuring an Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU and an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H processor well-suited for gaming, 3D rendering, and engineering tasks. It has a display with high refresh rates for smooth visuals and good color coverage suitable for color-sensitive work. However, with a weight of 5.75 pounds and a relatively shorter battery life of about 6 hours, it's not the most portable option and might not be ideal for users who need to work on the go. Its upper midrange price affords you a quality build and features like hardware ray tracing and DLSS for advanced gaming, a backlit keyboard, and multiple USB-C and Thunderbolt ports for connectivity. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Evaluation
Pros
- High refresh rate for smooth visuals
- Strong CPU and GPU for gaming
- Quality build and premium materials
- High screen resolution, detailed display
- Numerous ports including Thunderbolt 4
Cons
- Lower battery life than some rivals
- Quite heavy, affects portability
- No touchscreen functionality
- Moderate fan noise can be distracting
Ratings by Category
Build Quality:4.6
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, chassis rigidity, and overall reliability.
Our assessment of build quality includes many details that are difficult to quantify.
Our laptop experts use their best judgment to produce the final score.
Keyboard Quality:4.6
The Keyboard Quality score is based on the PerfectRec experts’ assessment of tactile feedback, typing comfort, keyboard reliability and typing noise.
Engineering & Design:4.5
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 is excellent for engineering and design due to its powerful CPU and high-quality GPU which are essential for computation-heavy tasks and rendering, and its ample RAM which supports multitasking and complex operations. Additionally, the high-resolution screen offers clear and detailed images, beneficial for precision in design work.
General Use:4.4
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 is equipped with a capable processor and sufficient RAM, which are very important for smooth performance in general tasks, and it has an IPS screen with high resolution and color coverage that ensures good screen quality. However, the tradeoff for these features includes moderate battery life and fair portability due to its weight, which might be a consideration for those needing a laptop for on-the-go use.
Gaming & AI:4.4
The Dell Alienware m16 R2, designed for gaming and 3D applications, offers a high-end GPU that ensures smooth and detailed graphics, complemented by a screen with a high refresh rate for fluid motion visuals. The powerful CPU and high-quality screen also support these primary features, enhancing overall performance and the visual experience, although they are secondary to the GPU and refresh rate in importance for gaming and 3D tasks.
Content Creation:4.4
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, and video editing work.
In addition to a strong emphasis on overall performance, this score also places very high importance on screen quality. Heat management, storage, keyboard and speaker quality are also incorporated, with fan noise rounding out this score.
General Use Screen Quality:4.4
The general use screen score is based on the screen technology, contrast ratio, resolution, brightness, color gamut and color accuracy. This score does not take into account specialized display features for specific use cases, such as high refresh rate for gaming.
Software Development:4.3
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software development.
In addition to a strong emphasis on overall performance, this score also places very high importance on screen quality. Heat management, storage, keyboard and speaker quality are also incorporated, with fan noise rounding out this score.
Battery Life:4.0
PerfectRec’s Battery Life rating is based on hours of battery life in typical usage scenarios.
Operating Noise:4.0
PerfectRec’s Operating Noise Score is based on fan noise measurements. Laptops with a fanless design, such as Macbooks, receive the maximum score.
Portability:3.8
PerfectRec’s portability rating takes into account the volume and thickness of the laptop as well as its weight.
Full Specs
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
| Price | $1,650 | ||
Release Date | January 1, 2024 | ||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 9.8'' x 0.93'' | ||
Weight | 5.75 lbs | ||
Width | 14.33" | ||
Depth | 9.81" | ||
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | Intel Core Ultra 7 155H | ||
RAM | 16 GB | ||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | ||
RAM Slots | 2 | ||
Storage | 1024 GB | ||
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | 6 Hours | ||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | ||
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | 16" | ||
Display Technology | IPS | ||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | ||
Refresh Rate | 240Hz | ||
Display Brightness | 302 nits | ||
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score  | 8.5/10 | ||
Portability Score | 6.8/10 | ||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | ||
Premium Business Laptop | No | ||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | ||
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | ||
Speaker Quality Score | 8.8/10 | ||
Webcam | 1080p | ||
Fingerprint Reader | No | ||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | ||
Number Pad | No | ||
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | 2 | ||
USB-C ports | 2 | ||
USB-C Charging | Yes | ||
Display Outputs | 3 | ||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | ||
Dell Alienware m16 R2
See more
Dig into reviews and images
LaptopMag
Momo Tabari | January 2024
"Alienware’s m16 R2 is a solid gaming laptop that leaves much to be desired, particularly in its quest to fulfill your needs as a product for productivity. Battery life under eight hours and a dim display are both vital issues for something that will accompany you through school projects or a workday. However, the Alienware m16 R2 is an exceedingly powerful gaming laptop, consistently being one of the best in our performance tests when compared against similar products. Even then, its display is lacking color, its fans get pretty darn loud, and its speakers aren’t punchy enough to rise above that noise."
Comparison charts
Give feedback
We're constantly perfecting our model
Laptop guides you may be interested in
Compare Dell Alienware m16 R2 to similarly priced alternatives
Compare Dell Alienware m16 R2 vs. ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14
VS
Compare Dell Alienware m16 R2 vs. Acer Predator Helios 16
VS
Compare Dell Alienware m16 R2 vs. Lenovo Legion 7i
VS
Compare Dell Alienware m16 R2 vs. Dell Precision 5470
VS
Compare Dell Alienware m16 R2 vs. HP Spectre x360 14
VS
Compare Dell Alienware m16 R2 vs. Lenovo Legion Slim 7 16"
VS
FAQs
Why trust us
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
109,095
Recommendations made
23,638
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.
Featured in
