Alienware's subtle new Aurora 16 laptops still promise space-age performance
Most of Alienware's gaming laptops look like they came from another planet; the reimagined Aurora range feels a little closer to home, for blending in around the office, classroom or coffee shop when it isn't play time.
The name might sound familiar if you've been gaming for a while: Aurora laptops have been lost in space for two decades now, but Alienware has guided this reborn version down to earth with a choice of Intel chipsets, Nvidia 5000-series graphics, and a one-touch Stealth mode for when RGB illumination isn't the vibe to go for.
Announced at the PAX East gaming event, the Alienware Aurora 16 and Aurora 16X swap the desktop replacement-style rear shelf of the Area 51 flagship laptop line for a more traditional laptop look. They'll more easily slip in a 16in laptop bag as a result, with contoured edges all round and a satin finish that adds a little extra grip. Handy, given it'll be spending a lot more time on the road than the firm's bigger, badder models.
Alienware's raised thermal shelf design sticks around, leaving plenty of room for an unrestricted supply of cool air to the internal hardware. The backlit keyboard and illuminated Alien head logo on the lid haven't gone anywhere either, but pressing the Stealth mode button (indicated by the teensy silhouette of a B-2 Spirit stealth bomber on the F7 key) swaps all the lights to a subtle white. This'll also put the laptop in a battery-friendly power mode to eek out a little more time away from the mains, and silence the internal cooling fans.
Each laptop still has its power and HDMI ports at the rear, along with a brace of USB A and C ports, for cleaner desktop use. The single USB-A, 3.5mm audio combo jack and Ethernet port at the left side keep the right side free so as not to get in the way of a gaming mouse.
Once you've clocked off, though, the more potent Aurora 16X should be able to tackle just about any game. It can be specced up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 CPU and Nvidia RTX 5070 graphics, with 155W of total power shared between them. The 16in screen is a QHD+ LCD number good for 240Hz refresh rates and 500 nits of brightness. With a big enough wallet you can then equip it with 64GB of RAM, 4TB of SD storage, and a 96Whr battery.
The more mainstream Aurora 16 has a lower power ceiling, with up to 115W split between its Core i7 or i9 processor and RTX 5000 series graphics. It gets up to 32GB of RAM, 2TB of storage and a 120Hz, 300nit LCD screen, with a choice of 60 or 96Whr batteries.
With Nvidia's latest GPU line commanding eye-watering prices, the 5070 might be this generation's laptop sweet spot. Alienware will also offer the Aurora 16 with RTX 4000 and RTX 3000 GPUs if you're looking to keep costs in check.
Alienware will open pre-orders imminently, with prices set to start from $1149 in the USA. European and UK pricing has yet to be revealed.
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