Introducing the Dell Alienware x17 R2 Silver

Supercharged performance at all costs. Most ultrathin gaming laptops strike a careful balance between performance, noise, and power consumption. The Alienware x17 R2, on the other hand, shows no shame maximizing performance even if it means a louder and more power-hungry system.

Dell introduced its Alienware x17 series late last year with a completely new chassis design to distinguish it from the existing Alienware m17 series. For this year, the manufacturer has refreshed the lineup with the launch of the Alienware x17 R2 complete with 12th gen Intel Alder Lake-H CPUs and GeForce RTX 3070/3080 Ti graphics to replace last year’s 11th gen Tiger Lake-H and RTX 3070/3080 options, respectively. Other updates are present as well including the faster RAM (DDR4-3466 to DDR5-4800), newer display options, and support for MUX and Advanced Optimus.

Other than the internal updates mentioned above, the Alienware x17 R2 uses the same chassis as the Alienware x17 R1. We recommend checking out our review on the x17 R1 as our existing comments on the chassis, Cherry mechanical keyboard, and ports are also relevant on the x17 R2.

See the official technical specifications below for all configurable options. Our specific test unit is a higher-end SKU with the Core i9-12900HK, 360 Hz 1080p display, and 175 W GeForce RTX 3080 Ti graphics for just under $4000 USD. Competitors in this space include other ultra-thin 17.3-inch gaming laptops like the MSI GS77, Razer Blade 17, és Asus Zephyrus S17.

The x17 R2: A Mostly Internal Upgrade

Alienware debuted its X Series design last year, deploying slimmer new-look versions of its famous M Series laptops at various screen sizes. The x17 is the largest of the X Series laptops, and version two brings the design back with some internal and feature updates. The laptop’s dimensions are unchanged and uncommonly thin for a 17-inch gaming rig.