Dell has announced the Alienware m15 R5, the latest version of the company’s flagship gaming laptop. Although the design of the chassis hasn’t changed much, it now comes with two game-changing features: Ryzen 5000 processors and the new ultra-low profile Cherry MX keyboard.
The Alienware m15 R5 will now come with an option for up to the Ryzen 9 5900HX and an RTX 3080. This is the debut of AMD processors on Alienware laptops, which are priced on the higher end of gaming laptops. Thus far, Alienware has been an Intel-exclusive platform.
This move does follow the recent trend in high-end gaming laptops finally using AMD’s Ryzen processors that started at CES this year. It’s a big win for AMD, which continues to make considerable gains toward reaching the entirety of the market.
The Alienware m15 R5 also is the first gaming laptop to use a keyboard with switches made by Cherry MX. They are “ultra-low profile,” designed to replicate the tactile feel of a true mechanical keyboard within the limited space of a laptop. The Cherry MX keyboard is an add-on, however, and will cost extra.
The fifth generation of the Alienware m15 is also marked by a new darker silver color option, known as Dark Core.
Lastly, the Alienware m15 will now offer a 1440p display option with a 240Hz refresh rate. This is also a first for Alienware gaming laptops, matching what Razer and MSI have already announced. A 1080p model with a 360Hz refresh rate is also offered for even faster speeds.
Like the R4 Intel model, which came out just earlier this year, the Alienware m15 R5 includes an HDMI 2.1 port. It’s still one of the only gaming laptops to incorporate the new HDMI standard, allowing for variable refresh rate on monitors and televisions that support it. It also supports user-upgradable 3,200MHz memory.
The Alienware m15 R5 will be available for purchase on April 20, starting at $2,230.
Dell has also announced an update to its more affordable G15 gaming laptops. These have taken inspiration from Alienware laptops this time around in two notable ways, including a redesigned chassis and the inclusion of these same AMD Ryzen processors.
The new chassis sports a vent design along the back hinge, similar to the Alienware m15. It also now comes in four different color options and has thinner side bezels.
The G15 offers the same processor options as the Alienware m15, however, the G15 maxes out at an Nvidia RTX 3070. Dell did not provide information on updates to its popular G5 SE from last year, which was its first all-AMD system.
The Dell G15 Ryzen Edition will be available for purchase on May 4, starting at $1,794. The Intel version of the G15, meanwhile, will be available earlier on April 13, also starting at $900.
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