The Alienware Area-51 gaming laptop, announced at CES 2025, is now available for order. This highly anticipated return of the iconic gaming laptop is offered in two sizes: the 16" model starting at $3,199.99 and the 18" model at $3,399.99. Both models boast cutting-edge components, including the latest Intel Core Ultra 9 CPU and NVIDIA Blackwell GPU. To ensure you receive your unit without delay, place your order now as shipments are set to begin on April 30.
Alienware Area-51 Gaming Laptop: Now Available
New Release
Alienware 16 Area-51 Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX RTX 5080 Gaming Laptop
$3,199.99 at Alienware
New Release
Alienware 18 Area-51 Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX RTX 5080 Gaming Laptop
$3,399.99 at Alienware
Currently, both the 16" and 18" Area-51 gaming laptops come equipped with a single configuration featuring the Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX CPU and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 GPU. The Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX is a powerhouse with a maximum turbo frequency of 5.4GHz, 24 cores, and a 40MB L2 cache. According to Passmark, it's the fastest laptop processor available, outpacing the AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX3D by 7%. Paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080, which reportedly outperforms the RTX 4080 by 16% in 3DMark Time Spy benchmarks, this setup is primed for top-tier gaming performance, especially when enhanced with DLSS 4.0 on the QHD+ display.
The base configurations also include a choice between a 16" or 18" 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 sizes offer upgrade options to 64GB of RAM and a 2TB SSD.
The Area-51: New Style, More Power, Better Cooling
For 2025, the Alienware Area-51 introduces a sleek magnesium alloy chassis with enhanced cooling systems designed to manage the heat from its powerful components. This includes increased fan size, larger air vents, more copper usage, and a new thermal interface material for superior heat dissipation. Dell states that the laptop can handle up to a 240W TDP while maintaining low noise levels.
The design of the Area-51 embraces smooth contours with rounded edges and soft corners, departing from the typical squared-off laptop design. The hinges are discreetly positioned internally, adding to the laptop's sleek look. As expected from Alienware, there are plenty of RGB LED lighting customization options. Connectivity options include 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" model weighs 7.5 pounds, while the 18" model is heavier at 9.6 pounds.
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