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Alienware boosts laptops with 7th-gen Intel Core; Dell Inspiron 15 Gaming gets an upgrade

Just ahead of CES 2017 in Las Vegas, Dell has revealed its refreshed lineup of Alienware gaming laptops along with a new Inspiron 15 7000 Gaming series laptops. There are a total of five base models in the following pages, packed with Intel’s latest seventh-generation “Kaby Lake” Core processors, and Nvidia’s Geforce GTX 1050 and GTX 1050 Ti graphics chips.

All five models listed on the following pages start with discrete GeForce GTX 1050 graphics chips, along with Intel’s integrated graphics component. PC gamers wanting an on-the-go powerhouse may want to start with the Alienware 15 and Alienware 17 laptops, as they’re the only two of the group offering GTX 1070 and GTX 1080 graphics chips. The Inspiron 7000 Gaming series appears to be more price friendly, offering a great PC gaming experience without breaking the bank.

On the Alienware front, Dell says that the refreshed models are based on a new industrial design that includes anodized aluminum, magnesium alloy, steel, and copper. They also rely on a new chassis design providing increased ventilation, enabling the laptops to have a higher power usage ceiling and push most of the heat out through the back. Dell also has a new finishing process to reduce the annoying amount of “smudginess” and fingerprinting in the keyboard area, and a new steel-reinforced Alienware TactX keyboard.

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Dell Alienware 13

For starters, this model provides four discrete GPU options ranging from the GTX 1050 to the GTX 1060, and two seventh-generation Intel Core options. The base model includes a 1,366 x 768 resolution, 8GB of DDR4 system memory, an Intel Core i5-7300HQ, a discrete GeForce GTX 1050, and a 180GB SSD. The included ports consist of Thunderbolt 3, Mini DisplayPort 1.2 output, HDMI 2.0 output, and an Alienware Graphics Amplifier port.

One of the options customers can select is a touch-enabled screen with a 2,560 x 1,440 resolution. There are also five memory configuration options, seven storage options, three resolution options, and two Wireless AC/Bluetooth options. What Dell doesn’t offer is Wireless AD (WiGig) connectivity as we saw with Lenovo’s new pre-E3 2017 laptop explosion in late December.

Operating system: Windows 10 Home (standard)
Windows 10 Pro
Display: 13.3 inches
Resolution: 1,366 x 768 (TN @ 200 nits) (standard)
1,920 x 1,080 (IPS @ 300 nits)
2,560 x 1,440 with Touch (OLED @ 400 nits)
Processor: Intel Core i5-7300HQ (standard)
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
Memory: 8GB DDR4 @ 2,400MHz (1x 8GB) (standard)
8GB DDR4 @ 2,667MHz (1x 8GB)
16GB DDR4 @ 2,400MHz (2X 8GB)
16GB DDR4 @ 2,667MHz (2x 8GB)
32GB DDR4 @ 2,400MHz (2x 16GB)
Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 630 (standard)
GeForce GTX 1050 w/ 2GB GDDR5 (standard)
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti w/ 2GB GDDR5 (i5 only)
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti w/ 4GB GDDR5 (i7 only)
GeForce GTX 1060 w/ 6GB GDDR5
Storage: 180GB M.2 SSD (Standard)
180GB M.2 SSD (Boot) + 180GB M.2 SSD (Storage)
256GB PCIe SSD (Boot)
512GB PCIe SSD (Boot)
512GB PCIe SSD (Boot) + 256GB PCIe SSD (Storage)
1TB PCIe SSD (Boot)
1TB PCIe SSD (Boot) + 1TB PCIe SSD (Storage)
Audio: 2.0 speaker configuration
7.1 digital audio via HDMI output
Battery: 76 watt-hour (standard)
Connectivity: Killer 1435 Wireless AC & Bluetooth 4.1 (standard)
Killer 1535 Wireless AC & Bluetooth 4.1
Ports: 1x gigabit Ethernet
2x USB 3.0 port (one charges)
1x USB 3.0 Type-C
1x Thunderbolt 3 Type-C
1x Alienware Graphic Amplifier
1x HDMI 2.0
1x Mini DisplayPort 1.2
1x audio out (1/8”)
1x headphone jack (1/8”)
1x Noble lock port
Power adapter: 180 watts (standard)
Colors: Epic Silver
Cameras: HD camera with IR presence detection
Size: 0.87 x 10.6 x 13.0 inches (touch model)
0.94 x 10.6 x 13.0 inches (non-touch model)
Weight: 5.8 pounds
Other features: Alienware TactX keyboard with four multicolor RGB zones
Backlit button image sensor trackpad
Installed software: Alienware Sound Center
Audio Recon
AlienFX
AlienFusion
AlienAdrenaline w/ Accelerator
Tobii Aware
Starting price: $999
Availability:  Unknown

Dell Alienware 15

Unlike the Alienware 13 model, this version provides three options for a seventh-generation Intel Core processor. The base unit consists of a 1,920 x 1,080 resolution, an Intel Core i5-7300HQ processor, 8GB of DDR4 system memory, a GeForce GTX 1050 Ti graphics chip, a 180GB SSD, and Wireless AC connectivity. The included ports are the same as the Alienware 13 despite its bigger size, but customers will notice that the power button is moved from the right side to the center, and includes five user-programmable keys.

On the GPU front, this specific model spans from the GTX 1050 Ti to the GTX 1070, but also includes a Radeon RX 470 option for dedicated AMD fans. The memory and storage options are much longer than the 13-inch model too: six memory configurations and eight storage configurations. Customers can also configure the laptop to rely on a 68-watt-hour or a 99-watt-hour battery, the latter of which is likely best used to support the GTX 1070 graphics chip.

Operating system: Windows 10 Home (standard)
Windows 10 Pro
Display: 15.6 inches
Resolution: 1,920 x 1,080 (IPS @ 300 nits) (standard)
1.920 x 1,080 (IPS @ 300 nits, 60Hz, G-Sync)
1,920 x 1,080 (TN @ 400 nits, 120Hz, G-Sync)
3,840 x 2,160 (IGZO @ 300 nits)
Processor: Intel Core i5-7300HQ (standard)
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
Intel Core i7-7820HQ
Memory: 8GB DDR4 @ 2,400MHz (1x 8GB) (standard)
8GB DDR4 @ 2,667MHz (1x 8GB)
16GB DDR4 @ 2,400Mhz (2x 8GB)
16GB DDR4 @ 2,667 (2x 8GB)
32GB DDR4 @ 2,133MHz (2x 16GB)
32GB DDR4 @ 2,400MHz (2x 16GB)
Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 630 (standard)
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti w/ 2GB DDR5 (standard)
GeForce GTX 1060 w/ 6GB GDDR5
GeForce GTX 1070 w/ 8GB GDDR5
Radeon RX 470 w/ 8GB GDDR5
Storage: 180GB M.2 SATA-based SSD (Standard)
1TB 7200RPM HDD
128GB M.2 SSD (Boot) + 1TB 7,200RPM HDD (Storage)
180GB M.2 SSD (Boot) + 1TB 7,200RPM HDD (Storage)
256GB PCIe SSD (Boot) + 1TB 7,200RPM HDD (Storage)
512GB PCIe SSD (Boot) + 1TB 7,200RPM HDD (Storage)
1TB PCIe SSD (Boot) + 1TB 7,200RPM HDD (Storage)
1TB PCIe SSD (Boot) + 1TB PCIe SSD (Storage) + 1TB 7,200RPM HDD (Storage)
Audio: 2.0 speaker configuration
7.1 digital audio via HDMI output
Battery: 68 watt-hour (standard)
99 watt-hour
Connectivity: Killer 1435 Wireless AC & Bluetooth 4.1 (standard)
Killer 1535 Wireless AC & Bluetooth 4.1
Ports: 1x gigabit Ethernet
2x USB 3.0 port (one charges)
1x USB 3.0 Type-C
1x Thunderbolt 3 Type-C
1x Alienware Graphic Amplifier
1x HDMI 2.0
1x Mini DisplayPort 1.2
1x audio out (1/8”)
1x headphone jack (1/8”)
1x Noble lock port
Power adapter: 180 watts (standard)
240 watts
Colors: Epic Silver
Cameras: HD camera with IR presence detection
Size: 1.00 x 12.0 x 15.3 inches
Weight: 7.69 pounds
Other features: Alienware TactX keyboard with four multi-color RGB zones
Five user-programmable keys
Backlit button image sensor trackpad
Installed software: Alienware Sound Center
Audio Recon
AlienFX
AlienFusion
AlienAdrenaline w/ Accelerator
Alienware TactX
Tobii Aware
Starting price: $1,199
Availability:  Unknown

Dell Alienware 17

This is the PC gaming beast of the Alienware trio, packing options like Nvidia’s meaty GTX 1080 graphics chip, Tobii eye-tracking technology, and up to an Intel Core i7-7820HK processor. The base configuration includes a 1,920 x 1,080 resolution, Intel’s Core i7-7700HQ processor, 8GB of DDR4 system memory, a GeForce GTX 1050 Ti graphics chip, and a 128GB SSD. The ports remain the same, but customers choosing this model will see nine user-programmable keys instead of five.

The refreshed Alienware 17 is offered up with two processor options, four resolution options, five memory configurations, five GPU options, and eight storage configurations. The default discrete GPU flavors range between the GTX 1050 Ti and the GTX 1080, while fans of AMD can option for the Radeon RX 470 too. There are two battery options (68 and 99 watt-hours) along with three power adapter options: 180, 240, and 330 watts.

Operating system: Windows 10 Home (standard)
Windows 10 Pro
Display: 17.3 inches
Resolution: 1,920 x 1,080 (IPS @ 300 nits) (standard)
1.920 x 1,080 (IPS @ 300 nits, Tobii IR Eye-tracking)
2,560 x 1,440 (TN @ 400 nits, 120Hz, G-Sync, Tobii IR Eye-tracking)
3,840 x 2,160 (IPS @ 300 nits, Tobii IR Eye-tracking)
Processor: Intel Core i7-7700HQ (standard)
Intel Core i7-7820HK
Memory: 8GB DDR4 @ 2,400MHz (1x 8GB) (standard)
8GB DDR4 @ 2,667MHz (1x 8GB)
16GB DDR4 @ 2,400Mhz (2x 8GB)
16GB DDR4 @ 2,667MHz (2x 8GB)
32GB DDR4 @ 2,400MHz (2x 16GB)
Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 630 (standard)
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti w/ 2GB DDR5 (standard)
GeForce GTX 1060 w/ 6GB GDDR5
GeForce GTX 1070 w/ 8GB GDDR5
GeForce GTX 1080 w/ 8GB GDDR5X
Radeon RX 470 w/ 8GB GDDR5
Storage: 180GB M.2 SATA 6Gb/s SSD (Standard)
1TB 7200RPM HDD
128GB M.2 SSD (Boot) + 1TB 7200RPM HDD (Storage)
180GB M.2 SSD (Boot) + 1TB 7200RPM HDD (Storage)
256GB PCIe SSD (Boot) + 1TB 7200RPM HDD (Storage)
512GB PCIe SSD (Boot) + 1TB 7200RPM HDD (Storage)
1TB PCIe SSD (Boot) + 1TB 7200RPM HDD (Storage)
1TB PCIe SSD (Boot) + 1TB PCIe SSD (Storage) + 1TB 7200RPM HDD (Storage)
Audio: 2.1 speaker configuration
7.1 digital audio via HDMI output
Battery: 68 watt-hour (standard)
99 watt-hour
Connectivity: Killer 1435 Wireless AC & Bluetooth 4.1 (standard)
Killer 1535 Wireless AC & Bluetooth 4.1
Ports: 1x gigabit Ethernet
2x USB 3.0 port (one charges)
1x USB 3.0 Type-C
1x Thunderbolt 3 Type-C
1x Alienware Graphic Amplifier
1x HDMI 2.0
1x Mini DisplayPort 1.2
1x audio out (1/8”)
1x headphone jack (1/8”)
1x Noble lock port
Power adapter: 180 watts (standard)
240 watts
330 watts
Colors: Epic Silver
Cameras: HD camera with IR presence detection
Full HD cameras with Tobii Eye-tracking (optional)
Size: 1.181 x 13.1 x 16.7 inches
Weight: 9.74 pounds
Other features: Alienware TactX keyboard with four multi-color RGB zones
Nine user-programmable keys
Backlit button image sensor trackpad
Installed software: Alienware Sound Center
Audio Recon
AlienFX
AlienFusion
AlienAdrenaline w/ Accelerator
Alienware TactX
Tobii Eye-tracking
Overwolf
Starting price: $1,299
Availability:  Unknown

Dell Inspiron 15 7000 Gaming

Looking for a gaming laptop, but can’t afford an Alienware? Then you might want to consider the Dell Inspiron 15 7000 Gaming. We’ve praised it in the past for its winning combination of hardware and low price. Now, it’s getting an update.

It offers two processor options, two GPU options, and six storage options. Some of the higher-end specs include a 3,840 x 2,160 resolution display, an Intel Core i7-7700HQ processor, 16GB of DDR4 system memory, Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 1050 Ti, and a 256GB SSD / 1TB HDD combo.

In addition to the expanded list of options, the Inspiron 7567 Gaming laptop adds a numeric keypad to the keyboard. It also has a fairly beefy 74 watt-hour battery. What’s notable about this unit is that Dell offers Ubuntu as an operating system option for those not wanting to play on Team Windows. It has a touchscreen option, too.

This represents an expansion of the Dell Inspiron 15 7000 gaming from its humble budget origins. Pricing and availability of the new model is unknown. However, given the specifications of the base model, we’d be surprised if the starting price differs much from the old version’s $800 MSRP.

Model: Dell Inspiron 7567 Gaming
Operating system: Windows 10
Ubuntu
Display: 15.6 inches
Resolution: 1,920 x 1,080 (TN)
1,920 x 1,080 (IPS) with Touch
3,840 x 2,160 (IPS)
Processor: Intel Core i5-7300HQ
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
Memory: 4GB to 16GB DDR4 @ 2,400MHz; supports up to 32GB
Graphics: GeForce GTX 1050 w/ 4GB GDDR5
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti w/ 4GB GDDR5
Storage: 1TB 5,400RPM HDD
128GB SSD (boot) + 500GB 5,400RPM HDD (storage)
128GB SSD (boot) + 1TB 5,400RPM HDD (storage)
256GB SSD (boot) + 1TB 5,400RPM HDD (storage)
256GB SSD
512GB PCI Express SSD
Audio: 2x speakers
1x subwoofer
Battery: 74 watt-hour
Connectivity: Wireless AC
Bluetooth 4.2
Ports: 1x HDMI 2.0
3x USB 3.0 (one charges)
1x Kensington lock slot
1x SD card reader
1x gigabit Ethernet
1x Headphone/microphone jack
Power adapter: 90 watts
Colors: Matte black
Red
Cameras: 720p webcam with dual array digital microphone
Size: Unknown
Weight: Unknown
Other features: Standard full-size, spill-resistant keyboard with numeric keypad
Full-size, spill-resistant backlit keyboard with numeric keypad (optional)
Installed software: My Dell
Dell Digital Delivery
Dell Backup & Recovery
DropBox
Microsoft Office 2013 Trial
McAfee LiveSafe (30-day)
Starting price: Unknown
Availability: Unknown

Editors' Recommendations

Kevin Parrish
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Kevin started taking PCs apart in the 90s when Quake was on the way and his PC lacked the required components. Since then…
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