Purchasing a new Alienware laptop

[Sandy]

Hi Neowinians

I'm in the market for a new laptop but I'm not as tech-savvy as I used to be.

I'm considering this model: Alienware m18 R2 Gaming Laptop. I'll be upgrading to a 2TB SSD.

I have a WiFi 6 home internet setup, and I'll primarily use the laptop with dual monitors for work/home-related tasks, nothing too demanding. Additionally, I might do some casual gaming. It's likely more than I need, but I really like the 18-inch screen and the numeric keypad.

I also want this laptop to last me a while, so I'm hoping it won't become obsolete too quickly with future technological advancements, AI etc.

What do you think could be the potential bottleneck for me with this setup? I remember hard drives used to be the issue, but SSDs have mostly resolved that.

Thanks in advance!

[Ixion]

You haven't told us your budget... Personally I feel since Dell bought Alienware they've become just another face in the crowd and there's probably better options out there including Dell's own XPS range, although they've gone in a bit of an odd direction on those this year with a capacitive touch bar, they don't go as big as 18" though and I don't think they have a numpad - personally I just use a bluetooth numpad when I need one!

If you're only going to do light gaming, something like the LG Gram might be a better option? https://www.currys.co.uk/products/lg-gram-17-17z90rk.ad78a1-17-laptop-intel-core-i7-1-tb-ssd-black-10251652.html

[Sandy]

On 04/06/2024 at 08:30, Ixion said:

You haven't told us your budget... Personally I feel since Dell bought Alienware they've become just another face in the crowd and there's probably better options out there including Dell's own XPS range, although they've gone in a bit of an odd direction on those this year with a capacitive touch bar, they don't go as big as 18" though and I don't think they have a numpad - personally I just use a bluetooth numpad when I need one!

If you're only going to do light gaming, something like the LG Gram might be a better option? https://www.currys.co.uk/products/lg-gram-17-17z90rk.ad78a1-17-laptop-intel-core-i7-1-tb-ssd-black-10251652.html

Thanks for your reply, Ixion. My budget is £1500 - £2000. I'm open to any brand, but I need a minimum 2TB SSD and at least 16GB of DDR5 RAM. I also prefer a screen with better than 1080p resolution.

I should have mentioned that I'll be connecting two monitors to the laptop. Is there anything specific I need to ensure compatibility for this setup?

Regarding the link you sent, it has a 1TB SSD, but I found a few LG models with 2TB SSDs and better than 1080p screens on their website. However, these don't have dedicated graphics cards. Would a graphics card be necessary to avoid issues when running applications or using dual monitors along with the laptop screen?

[Ixion]

Pretty much any recent laptop will be able to run dual monitors regardless of discrete or integrated graphics and will be suitable for light gaming, you may need to use an adapter/dock depending on the monitor connections as many modern laptops have moved to USB-C/Thunderbolt as the main display out option these days, docks are readily available and a convenient option for using laptops at home and on the go as a single cable can provide power to the laptop and display out options as well as meaning you can leave your peripherals plugged in at the desk when you need to work away.

SSDs are usually easy to swap out and doing it yourself then cloning the OS over is often cheaper than paying the upgrade prices but this comes down to how comfortable you are tinkering with the insides of laptops.

Probably the most difficult requirement on your list is the numpad and big screen, most of the laptop manufacturers seem to have standardised around 14" and 16" screens over the last year or two.

[Good Bot, Bad Bot]

Since it will be used primary with a dual monitor setup and your worried about it becoming obsolete to quickly why not get a desktop machine that is upgradable and will get you more bag for your buck? You can still use your current laptop for mobile needs. Alienware seems like expensive overkill for a casual gamer.