Alienware Area-51m R2 vs Alienware Area-51m – desktop CPUs and NVIDIA RTX Super GPUs for the new one

Desktop CPUs in a laptop body? Why not, Alienware Area-51m proved that this is possible and the successor – Alienware Area-51m R2 comes with new desktop CPUs and mobile NVIDIA RTX Super GPUs under the bonnet. Well, this kind of machine isn’t for everyone – it weighs as two regular 15-inchers but if you like the idea to have a desktop high-end Intel Comet Lake CPU under your fingers, give it a go.

As you may expect, even the base price of this thing is jaw-dropping. Alienware has decided to keep the design almost unchanged, but they have new CPUs, GPUs, and display options which is enough for a new laptop….or a hybrid in this case.

You can check the prices and configurations of the Alienware Area-51m R2 devices in our Specs System: https://laptopmedia.com/series/alienware-area-51m-r2/

You can check the prices and configurations of the Alienware Area-51m devices in our Specs System: https://laptopmedia.com/series/alienware-area-51m/

Contents


Design: the same big alien

There is no way that a laptop which houses a desktop CPUs like the 10-core Intel Core i9-10900K to be slim and light at the same time. This big fella weighs 4.1kg and the profile is 31.2mm. Maybe you’ll forget how big is this thing when you play some games on it. Design-wise, the machine looks just like its predecessor.

Alienware Area-51m R2 | Alienware Area-51m

 

Display: 300Hz display option and a 4K panel

Four 17.3″ display options here – a 144Hz panel with Tobii Eyetracking technology, another 144 display with NVIDIA G-Sync support, a whopping 300Hz variant with a 3ms response time (official specs) for the pretentious gamers with big wallets, and there is even a 4K options with a 60Hz refresh rate and 500 nits of maximum brightness.

Alienware Area-51m R2 | Alienware Area-51m

 

Hardware: desktop hardware in a laptop body

Yes, the Intel Core i9-10900K (with unlocked multiplier) and the mobile version of RTX 2080 Super sound like a dream, a really expensive one. A bit down below, we can spot the Core i9-10900, Core i7-10700K, and Core i7-10700 (desktop CPUs only).  As for the GPUs – you can pick from the RTX 2080 Super, RTX 2070 Super, RTX 2060, GTX 1660 Ti, and AMD Radeon RX 5700M with 8 GB GDDR6 memory.  For memory, you can have up to 64GB of DDR4 memory with a frequency of 3200 MHz. Note that there are configurations with 2933MHz RAM as well. Sounds good, and no matter the CPU and the GPU, the end result will be a great mobile hybrid with desktop parts.


Connectivity and ports: a good I/O

The port selection is definitely decent – three USB 3.2 Gen 1 (Type-A) ports, a USB 3.2 Gen 2 (Type-C) port with Thunderbolt and DisplayPort 1.2 capabilities, an HDMI 2.0b connector, a Mini-Display Port 1.4, an audio combo jack, an Alienware Graphics Amplifier Port, a MicroSD card slot, and an Ethernet port.

Storage and other specs: 4xNVMe slots with RAID0 support, Wi-Fi 6, and backlit keyboard

The optimal (and optional) storage configuration looks like that – 2x1TB NVMe SSDs in RAID0 mode and 2x1TB NVMe SSD for storage. Sounds really nice, but you need a hefty amount of money for it. Normally, for such a high-end gaming device there is a backlit keyboard that is rich in customization. Last but not least, for wireless connectivity, the Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0 are at your service.


Specs Comparison

Alienware Area-51m R2Alienware Area-51m
Display17.3″, Full HD, IPS 144Hz / 300Hz, 4K, IPS 60Hz17.3″, Full HD, IPS 144Hz, 4K IPS 60Hz
GPURTX 2080 Super, RTX 2070 Super, RTX 2060, GTX 1660 Ti, Radeon RX 5700MRTX 2080, RTX 2070, RTX 2060
CPUIntel Core i9-10900K, Core i9-10900, Core i7-10700K, Core i7-10700Core i9-9900K, Core i7-9700K
MemoryDDR4 2933MHz – 3200MHzDDR4
Storage4xM.2 NVMe SSDM.2 NVMe + SATA
Gigabit WiFi802.11ax802.11ac
Battery90Wh90Wh
Thickness31.2 mm31.2 mm
Weight4.10 kg4.40 kg
Review

Prices and Configurations

Alienware Area-51m R2 configurations:

Alienware Area-51m configurations:

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