Alienware Area-51: High-End Gaming Laptop and Desktop Returns 27 Reviews
After a long hiatus, Alienware is once again reaching for the stars with new laptop and desktop editions of the Area-51. The highest gaming performance should be offered on both laptops and desktops with components such as Intel Core Ultra 200H(X) and Nvidia‘s RTX 5000 graphics cards. The desktop PC complies as much as possible with standards.
The Area-51 is available in 16 and 18 inches
The new edition of the Area-51 for 2025 is available in two sizes in the laptop segment: 16 and 18 inches. As we know from previous implementations of the Area 51, the case again features a slightly forward hinge to allow enough space for cooling and connections on the back.
With the exception of an SDXC drive, Alienware has no side ports. On the back, the new gaming laptops offer three USB-A, two USB-C (Thunderbolt 5) and HDMI 2.1. The 18-inch model also includes Ethernet. The electrical connection is also at the rear.
Peep window provides a view of the hardware
The chassis also has AlienFX lighting, which illuminates areas such as the rear, the Alienware logo on the lid, the keyboard or the touchpad with individually configurable RGB colors and patterns. At the bottom, a large Gorilla Glass peephole allows you to see two illuminated fans; a total of four fans are used in the new “Cryo Chamber”.
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Intel Arrow Lake-H(X) and Nvidia GeForce RTX 5000
Alienware and Dell would not comment in detail on what technology would be used during the preliminary meeting more than a month before the show. However, hints such as “next generation” from Intel and Nvidia suggest that new platforms recently announced at CES will be used. At Intel, this means processors up to the Core Ultra 9 275HX and at Nvidia, GeForce RTX 5000 laptop GPUs are one of the innovations at the show. Alienware specifies a “total power” of 280 watts for the 18-inch Area-51, including 175 watts for the graphics card. High-end equipment should eventually include large RAM and SSD configurations.
Market launch from $3,200
Alienware’s new gaming laptops are expected to launch near the end of the first quarter with prices starting at $3,199 before tax in a high-end configuration with next-generation Nvidia GPUs. Smaller and therefore cheaper configurations starting at $1,999 are also planned at a later date. A specific date or price for Germany is still pending.
Standard-compliant desktop PC
In the desktop segment, a new tower, the Area-51, is also planned, which was developed according to the ATX format in a more standards-compliant manner than ever before at Alienware. The company’s goal was to create a virtually classic desktop gaming PC that users could modify and upgrade with commercially available components. A 1500 watt Platinum power supply from Lite-On should provide enough reserves for upgrades. QR codes in the respective areas of the tower guide users to facilitate the installation of new components.
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AlienFX lighting on its own card
Compared to previous Area 51 desktop PCs such as the triangular Centauri, offered from 2014 to 2019, the new model takes a standards-compliant path and relies on a normal motherboard, classic expansion cards, classic drives, an ATX power supply and a normal cooling system. This time, Alienware even outsources the fan and RGB control (AlienFX) to its own board so that it can be controlled independently of the installed components. Graphics cards can be installed up to four slots high, and there’s also room for six storage spaces. The cables can be hidden behind the motherboard, where there is also room for two 2.5-inch SSDs.
Space for 420mm radiator in cover
The 569.0 × 231.6 × 610.5 mm (H × W × D) tower features a closed front with the Alienware logo and draws in fresh air from the side through an illuminated area and from below via the power supply and can escape again via the lid. and the back. A rear fan has been deliberately avoided because positive pressure must be maintained in the case. A 360 or 420 mm long radiator for water cooling of the CPU can be located in the lid, while the graphics card releases waste heat directly to the rear of the chassis via air cooling.
Expected news from Intel and Nvidia
As with the laptop, the factory-installed graphics cards in the Area-51 remain secret from the announcement, only “GeForce Next-Gen” is mentioned – but of course it is the new GeForce RTX 5000, and China is also set to receive the GeForce RTX 4090D. Intel will use Intel Arrow Lake-S (test) with a matching Z890 motherboard.
The PC system with GeForce RTX 4090 (test) was on display. Also available are the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 and 265K or Intel Core Ultra 9 285 and 285K with up to 2 × 32 GB DDR5-6400 and up to 2 × 4 TB PCIe Gen4 SSD storage ex factory.
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Desktop starting at $4,500
The Area-51 desktop PC is expected to launch later in the first quarter with prices starting at $4,499 before tax, initially in a high-end configuration with Nvidia GeForce RTX 5000. Smaller and therefore cheaper configurations are also planned for a later date.
Techtip received information about this article from Dell under NDA during the manufacturer’s event in New York. Arrival and departure costs as well as the two nights’ hotel accommodation were the responsibility of the company. There was no influence on the part of the manufacturer or obligation to report. The only requirement of the NDA was the earliest possible publication date.
Themes: Dell Alienware CES 2025 Gaming Laptops
A lifelong video game enthusiast, Julien reviews the latest releases and explores the technologies transforming the gaming world.
