Alienware is known for producing high-end gaming PCs, but the company has just announced a more affordable option, the Alienware 15, which marks its first foray into the budget gaming laptop market. The new laptop will be available with either an AMD Ryzen or Intel Core processor, paired with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 GPU, and there will be options to upgrade to an RTX 5060. The base model, equipped with an AMD Ryzen processor, will start at $1,299, while the Intel version will be priced at $1,349.
The Alienware 15 is launching at a lower price point than the Alienware 16 Aurora Gaming Laptop, which was released last year and starts at $1,690. The smaller model will feature new AMD chip options, including a Ryzen 7 260 or Ryzen 5 220, and will come with either a 512GB or 1TB NVMe SSD. The laptop will also boast a 300-nit, 165Hz refresh rate, 16:10 WUXGA (1920 x 1200) display. In contrast, the base model 16-inch laptop ships with an 8GB RTX 5050 graphics card and 16GB of DDR5 RAM, but only with an Intel CPU and a 120Hz display.
The Alienware 15 will be configurable with 8GB, 16GB, or 32GB of RAM, and will have a 54Wh or 70Wh battery. These specs seem like compromises to hit the lower price point, which is a departure from what is offered on some other gaming laptops. As Alienware notes in a press release, “We made deliberate choices about where to invest and where to pull back.” This comment is likely a reference to the ongoing RAM crisis that is affecting the tech industry.
The $1,299 price tag may seem high for a budget laptop, but it is worth considering that Dell, Alienware’s parent company, often puts its laptops on sale. Therefore, it may be worth waiting a couple of months to see if the price drops below $1,000. However, the current trend in PC gaming means that there are no guarantees that the price will come down.
The Alienware 15 is available to purchase now, and it will be interesting to see how it performs in the market. The company’s decision to produce a more affordable gaming laptop is a significant one, and it will likely be popular among gamers who are looking for a high-quality laptop without the high price tag.
