Alienware X16 R2 Review - Is this really Alienware's top tier gaming laptop?

In this video we review Alienware's new x16 r2, their Flagship gaming laptop for 2024. Have Dell done enough to justify its premium price tag?
⚡️Other 2024 Alienware reviews:
🎬m18r2 review: • Alienware M18 R2 Revie...
🎬m16r2 review: • Alienware M16 R2 Revie...
🎬Alienware 2024 Gaming Setup: • All Alienware Gaming S...
TIMESTAMPS
0:00:00 - Intro
0:00:33 - Configuration / Specs
0:01:39 - Externals
0:02:13 - Ports
0:02:50 - Opening / Deck
0:03:06 - Trackpad
0:03:18 - Keyboard
0:04:00 - Speakers
0:05:23 - Screen
0:05:57 - Webcam and Windows Hello
0:06:32 - Internals
0:07:30 - Performance and Gaming
0:10:24 - Battery, PD, and PSU
0:11:31 - Conclusion

[@jameselia9581]

Very Nice! Always a fan of this Channel making detailed & honest reviews of top tier laptops! Way to go Mash IT!

[@MashITTech]

Thanks mate, just sad to see alienware going down hill

[@babatundeoshodi6262]

​@@MashITTech it really is.

[@FauzulChowdhury]

You helped me buy x17 R2 and I still love it, especially the 4k Screen

[@SeptimusPrime]

Trying to get one too!

[@captainpocky]

Same here! Had a fan go out after a year but other than that I've really loved it!! I am really shocked that AW doesn't even offer a 4k screen on a laptop right now, let alone that they would solder on the RAM 😮

[@lolidasterner414]

How about combining this laptop with the IELTS600 ? I am wondering if it is possible to lower the temperatures by 15-20 degrees while having lower noise fan by lowering the temps ? Of course there is the noise of the IELTS itself but well 47db and 47 db is not necessary the same as 57 db. The design is beautiful btw.

[@theone2678]

Do you think speakers are better in this than the dell xps 16 9640 and comparable to mac or g16

[@MatthewCimone]

Thanks for this! You asked me about my Alienware in a previous post I made on a past vid and I didn't reply! I'm stilly really happy with my M16 R1. It performs super well. Always above average in benches. BUT...I still really miss my X17. Wow that laptop's aesthetics were amazing. Same as this X16. What a gorgeous system. But, like this unit, the CPU performance just wasn't there. The M16 is still a great looking computer. I love the Alienware designs. And it's great to know that my CPU isn't going to be limited to 30 to 45W when gaming. So as much as I love the look of these X systems, it's nice to know I'm getting 250W of sustained power from my M16. Looking forward to seeing what Alienware does with the 50 series laptops.

[@mistermean3655]

theres just no way the flagship 50 series mobile gpus can be packed into that thin of a laptop without sacking performance... just expect a price tag really high but performance sacrificed. the problem is you pay for how thin the laptop gets but ur also paying for less performance

[@roboticvenom1935]

The m16 isn't any faster than the x16 nor does it have better cooling. M16 was a seriously uncompetitive product when it released- HP, Lenovo, and Asus had superior offerings rated higher by every reviewer. You are a blind fanboy

[@tinybit780]

Really nice production value, gets better and better! Do you have the AUO or BOE panel on your device?

[@MashITTech]

thanks mate, we are really trying to improve our quality over the last year so I am glad its being noticed :) I got the AUO panel

[@onimisiyusuff6184]

I absolutely love your content! It's always so detailed and top-notch. If it's not too much trouble, would it be possible to request a direct comparison video with the x16r1? I'd really appreciate it. It would be great if you could highlight key factors like temperature and everything. Thanks so much!

[@MashITTech]

Let me see what I can do, as they are so similar it would be a pretty short video :)

[@bennyribs]

I’d like that too! Curious about battery life and FPS on the same game in the same settings

[@davidg8014]

Great review! I'm in for the repaste video.

[@TechnicolorTube]

Dave these reviews keep getting better all the time. I wonder if it's the chipset drivers for the Core Ultra that are unfinished, or if Alienware has that bad of an OS image/install that you're getting such poor performance. The wattage should be enough for a Meteor Lake chip to perform better. On my x15r2 going from the stock OS image to a fresh install of Windows, in Timespy, I went from 12,000 points to 13,500 points on the CPU score respectively.

[@MashITTech]

Thank you mate, we have been trying really hard to improve our video quality so I am pleased you are noticing it 😃 It could be early BIOS/Driver issues but it is a real shame that the x16r1 actually performs better in the CPU performance, you would be crazy to upgrade from r1 to r2 🤣

[@TechnicolorTube]

@@MashITTech Oh yeah that intro was a banger. You are welcome. Keep it up guys!

[@roboticvenom1935]

X15 r2 was a horrific product. Zero reviewers rated it higher then the competition. Why would you buy it if you wanted very high performance? It had inferior cooling to all competitors but Acer and Gigabyte

[@RayZ_channel]

Thank you for your efforts, I like your laptop reviews best. Did Dell make it possible to let the trackpad RGB lit also when untouced? (it was possible at early 2015 models through the BIOS).

[@MashITTech]

Sadly I could not find a way. I went through all the options in BIOS and looked through command centre 😢

[@RayZ_channel]

@@MashITTech Oh boomer :( thank you so much for your confirm, I really appreciate that!

[@Yarizo]

FINALY i was hyped for this video XD

[@MashITTech]

Hope you enjoy it, sorry it’s not all good news

[@Yarizo]

@@MashITTech i saw yeah, i still think i'm going to save up for the 4080 version, i don't think the 4090 will give a huge boost in performance.

[@roboticvenom1935]

​@@Yarizowhy after seeing this review are you saving up for the 4080? This laptop is literally inferior to the competition and has horrific thermals for the money. Thermals only get worse as the laptop ages- yikes! You cannot be that blind of a fanboy

[@Yarizo]

@@roboticvenom1935 Did you buy the laptop?

[@ongezelligfan123]

@@roboticvenom1935 bla bla bla, stop it already will you! You geeks and your overreactions, I've had it with you!

[@cueball981]

David, curious if you were able to get the temps down a bit on your Alienwares. Going into Command Center, I was able to create a custom profile with the max. temp set to 85C, which did help out a lot. Still able to get over 150fps on 1440p ultra settings with Diable 4 and over 80fps1440p ultra with Helldivers 2.

[@MashITTech]

Yes you could use TCC to reduce the temps (either in BIOS or like you did in AWCC) and you are right it does have little effect on performance. I do have to test them in their default configuration though so I can compare against other laptops.

[@cueball981]

@MashITTech oh definitely must test the default profiles, I was just wondering if you had played around in TCC with some of the settings. It's a shame Dell isn't listening to their customers and you guys, the influencers. They really blew it by not giving better panel options, IMHO.

[@roboticvenom1935]

​@@cueball981Dell has had shitty panel options on their laptops for 4+ years now. They're always been behind the competition in that respect and it will remain that way. Buy a superior competitor's laptop if you want both better performance and displays

[@darrylking15]

Awesome review Mash. I subscribed. How do you access the Windows 11 webcam features. I have the m18r2 and and trying to find this feature.

[@MashITTech]

it should be there by default. Look at the top right for the options. If you can't find it add me to insta and start a chat

[@darrylking15]

@@MashITTech done

[@mildvex]

I'm not interested in this laptop at all but I still watched it because of you, as you can make very interesting reviews even about meh devices while still not being biased about anything. It's also nice to see your progress over the years (I'm a ThinkPad fan(boy) and that's how I discovered you some 3 years back on r/thinkpad 🤠); no slacking, just prioritising quality of both content and production while not following cringe trends and not clickbaiting your own audience. Cheers ✌️

[@MashITTech]

Thanks so much for the kind words and so pleased to hear you watch the videos even when they are not relevant 😃 PS still a Thinkpad fanboy myself and loving my P1Gen6 at the moment especially since I managed to get a version with WAN card., makes my life so much easier when out on clients sites!

[@eric131313]

How about using x3d chip if u want ultra

[@TheJmorton55]

Great review. You do a great job of giving a balanced viewpoint. I particularly liked it when you got lost for a few seconds in the beat drop in the audio section. You're the first hands on review I've seen on x16r2 which strikes me as a bit odd. I would have thought with a flagship device like this that alienware would be keen to get it out to be reviewed prior to launch. Do you think the reason there are no major outlets with early reviews is an indication that alienware are not happy with their product?? It seems like you buy your equipment yourself (which probably keeps you impartial) but unfortunately your review came a bit late for me as I also received my device earlier than expected! I probably still would have bought the device as I love the aesthetic and probably my use case wouldn't utilise a better CPU. I'm using this mostly for work related activities but I want to game. I would have bought the xps16 but then they wouldn't/couldn't fit an 3090 in there - and the xps16 keyboard looks tragic whereas the cherry KB on x16 is so beautiful it's like magic. I just don't get two things. Why doesn't alienware let you choose a better screen. Keep this one as the base but how hard is to offer on OLED stunner? People who can afford and want can option it. They make each machine for the user so how hard is it - its not like these panels don't exist. Same goes for 64gb of ram. I mean why not take another $500 if people need it? The second issue is the core ultra 9. Intel real own this MAJOR own goal here. This company is weel past its used by and the quicker Windows can move to another cpu the better. They messed this one up so badly they've had to keep last year's model as the "refresh". The old tech addage of performance , price and power use pick 2... Well Intel can't even pick one - it's a tragic embarrassment! And then to call it the ultra ffs why not the ultra pro!? I mean this thing should have 10hr battery life with a 300nit screen and a core ultra but it's not even close. I'm very interested to your thoughts on why you think your CPU performance is due to error in thermal paste vs an intrinsic chip issue. If you tell me your CPU benchmark software I will run it on my ultra 9 and see what temps I get. Anyway great review of an important part of the performance gaming laptop space and congratulations on being first!

[@TheJmorton55]

I found your benchmark software fine bench r23. Well my ultra 9in with Max fan speed engaged did even worse than yours. Temp hit a steady 100degrees instantaneously as well and power draw was around 110w. Multithread Score was 17905. Either Dell has a serious problem or these ultra 9 chips are seriously borked. They seem to perform similar to ultra 7 chips and worse than last years i9s with no real efficiency gains to compensate. I reckon that as the next wave of reviews come out there will be a reckoning for Intel. Maybe a firmware patch can fix?

[@ismail-hassan]

You summed it for everyone but imagine all the competition like Razer or asus or Lenovo have mini led display options and you still using the same display from your first generation machines from 2021. So many things are not ok in the Alienware department. On Instagram whenever they advertise the x16 I always leave a comment about the display option.

[@roboticvenom1935]

​@@TheJmorton55you actually bought this laptop? Return it immediately. You can't be so blind in buying one of the least competitive laptops in this class. Fool

[@roboticvenom1935]

​@@ismail-hassanyeah so just buy another laptop. Don't support inferior products

[@roboticvenom1935]

Hey Jmorton. Return your laptop, it's much inferior to the competition in performance, battery life, ports, cooling, and thermals. Why did you buy this laptop? Because of the brand. Don't support companies who are making an increasingly overpriced and weak product. That's pathetic of you

[@robballer]

I always liked Alienware but my go to is Razer now. Love their build quality/software and playing games on Blade 14 is wonderful. Great review as always!!

[@MashITTech]

thank you mate, and I agree. I love my 2023 blade 14 so much, not only does it game well but its so portable I take it everywhere with me

[@StarWarsCadBane]

I love your channel and all of your reviews. I was reading the comment section and I saw that you are selling some of your review units for sale on Ebay? I was just wondering which laptops in particular you are selling and if you could provide me with a link to your Ebay profile or one of the listings? Its great to see you are selling basically brand-new laptops for discounted prices and I just love your content!!!

[@MashITTech]

Thank you mate. Are you UK based? I haven't listed them yet, its this weeks job 😃 I have a Razer Blade 17 2022, legion 5 pro 2023, legion 7 slim 2023, Thinkpad P1 gen 6 (that's all I can think of off the top of my head as I am not in the office)

[@fredfredburger5150]

Hey great review as always but just wanted to point out a mistake at 1:24 where the 4080 is listed as having 8GB ram rather than 12GB.

[@MashITTech]

Thank you, sorry about the typo! I completely missed that

[@astaroth5024]

Completely agree with what you said about the looks being way more impressive in person. Idk why but they look like plastic in videos, but once you see them in person it's obvious it's all metal and it feels so nice.

[@furnitureandbedding776]

Yeah I agree with that as well. Def looks better in person. That being said the machine being lunar white everywhere and just ditching the lunar silver would be the most ideal option.

[@MashITTech]

yeah the lunar light m17r4 with lunar light keyboard was the pinnacle of Alienware design IMHO

[@astaroth5024]

@@MashITTech that just happens to be the laptop I have. It really is nice to use, and all the other keyboards after it feel like a downgrade.

[@furnitureandbedding776]

@@MashITTech Imagine that color scheme with an X16 though. Pretty wild. Would be amazing.

[@Fun_Science]

I feel like heavy gaming and top tier gaming laptops shouldn't be smaller than 17 inch. I have m17 r5 and it's great. I wanted x17 r2 but it was much more expensive. Also upgreadable ram is a must have. I hope they release X18 in the future

[@MashITTech]

yep I keep hoping for a x18, seems insane they made m18 but not x18

[@shuolangliu304]

Hi thanks for the review I have received my x16 r2 and the wsad could get uncomfortable when playing games. Also the fans on the right produce a high pitch sound at low to medium speed. Dell is currently sending a technician to replace the fans. Does your model exhibit similar acoustic behaviour for the fans? Thanks! P.s. I am not sure if I should return it to the m18 r2 :(

[@MashITTech]

My WASD keys did not get hot at all but the heat coming out the right vent was insane and I had to move the mouse well away from it. My R1 wasn't this hot. With regards to the fan noise, these are slim fans so do have a little whine to them but mine was consistent and not bothersome over all speeds

[@shuolangliu304]

@@MashITTech ok I might have received a defected product from Alienware...

[@theone2678]

​@shuolangliu304 I was about to get the x16 r2 n exchange for the m18 r2 n I used the m18 r2 n it was great in terms of fan noise. But I'm curious can I ask how we're the speakers in x16

[@shuolangliu304]

@@theone2678 it’s loud and got bass but the mid tone is very muddy the high can sometimes be distorted

[@roboticvenom1935]

Return and buy a competitors laptop. They're all offering better thermals, performance, and displays. You're sticking with alienware for zero reason and supporting their horrific lack of upgrades Why?

[@downtowntrain2319]

What does it mean when a screen can do over 100% of a color space?

[@Separatist-General-Grievous]

I was wondering if in the future you would make a video giving your top ten choices for best laptops based on a wide range of different things. I love your reviews, they cover everything I need to know but I want to know what you would personally recommend. I am a student who wants to game and video edit as well as maybe stream and I need a good laptop for under £1300 to do so, so I was wondering if you could help. Thank you for producing such great content.

[@MashITTech]

It's funny you mention that as I have been putting ideas together for this sort of video. It is a massive task so has taken me a while to try and get something filmed. £1300 is a solid budget and my advice would be to look for bargains on 2023 models as in all honesty the performance is going to be the same as the rebrands this year. For a good starting point a legion 5/7 or slim 7 can often be had on sale and have great screens, good ports, excellent performance. Are you in the UK as I do have a few review units I am about to put on eBay that have literally had no use if you want to save some cash

[@ducmanhduongnguyen9399]

Hi Mash, between X17 R2 and Scar 16 4080 which should you choose? I'm talking not just about the configuration, really want to know about other things, build quality, thermals, etc..which is last longer in the future. Thanks

[@barcafan94]

X17 R2 has been discontinued for 2 years. If you are talking about the X16 R2 then get the Scar 100%

[@ducmanhduongnguyen9399]

@@barcafan94 you mean Dell doesn't support for X17 R2? I am not interested in the X16 :D

[@barcafan94]

@@ducmanhduongnguyen9399 X17 R2 is the old model and it isn't available anymore.

[@ducmanhduongnguyen9399]

@@barcafan94 its ok in my region :D that's why I asking for the comperison

[@talhafarid]

Are the speakers on this better than the new G16?

[@MashITTech]

sadly I haven't tested the new g16 yet

[@bpuneeth9652]

Does dual channel ram in R2. gives more game performance than r1 ? . It currently costs 2500 dollars I need a rtx 4080 are there any better options than this. I am taking it for College use is it recommended. Can we run the laptop on the new lpe cores like other companies ultra chip laptops does ?.

[@roboticvenom1935]

Yes the options from Lenovo and Asus are SUPERIOR. Check those out

[@bpuneeth9652]

Do we have custom mode in aw x16r2

[@MashITTech]

yes you do, sorry I should have mentioned that

[@barcafan94]

Top tier laptop and Core Ultra doesn't go together! I don't understand why they didn't build on the X17 series. I have the 3080ti, 4K 120hz version and it is still very good. Dell should really offer a 4k screen again before calling their laptops top tier.

[@MashITTech]

Totally mate, they have lost their minds over at alienware at the moment and as someone who has loved their products for years it is really sad to see

[@Dr.D00p]

Who knows what sweetners Intel are throwing at laptop OEMS to get their decidedly unimpressive Core Ultra chips inside their products.

[@Dr.D00p]

On a side note Lenovo just sent me an Email with a flash sale on the Legion 7, 500nit screen, 32gb ram, 14900HX and a 4090 for £2800..which is a damn site better laptop than this R2 for the same money

[@MashITTech]

Yeah that is much more like it! I remember picking up a Legion 7 last year with 13900HX, 4080, 240hz 500nit screen for £2k Legions are some of the best value laptops out there

[@bloodyitachi]

Dude I have the m18 4090 and I can't see a pixel on it. When you get to that point there is no reason to go above it

[@furnitureandbedding776]

Hey Mash. It's Mr.X16 again. Did you get a chance to run cinebenchR23 in quiet mode and test the scores compared to the R1? (R1 was 14kish) Shame your unit wasn't pasted properly as I have other questions about quiet mode performance/fan-noise.

[@MashITTech]

so sorry mate, I completely forgot to answer! Cine r23 was 15700 on quiet mode. Wish I could help more with fan noise but with how hot mine was running it probably wouldn't be representative

[@furnitureandbedding776]

​@@MashITTech No worries Mash! 15700 is actually pretty great for quite mode. Is the 43DB with fan noise in quiet mode constant or is it game application dependent? I am an RTS guy so fan noise with the X16 R1 in quiet mode would come in spurts. even with great setting. I'm sure you are not crazy about answering that since your unit has a shit paste job. That sucks too, my 1st X16 R1 had the same problem. This gen X16 is just such a letdown. I was happy to see you didn't sugar coat this either. There is no actual reason to buy an R2 over an R1. That being said it's still an amazing laptop (my fav from Alienware) We will see what the next year brings and maybe we will get the proper X16R2 that this machine deserves.

[@Jarhead6820]

Am I missing something? Every time I launch a game, my keyboard color preset goes off and it turns to white. NOT hitting F2 either

[@MashITTech]

You can adjust the power profile and alienfx for each game. Go into one of your games in AWCC and take a look, it may be defaulting to white in there or it may be the power profile is set to stealth for the games

[@Jarhead6820]

@@MashITTech I did that and created a preset, then when I exited, it then decided to go to the original preset I made at the gome screen. And it does not show a list of my presets. I also don’t know how to record game play. New to this if it’s not totally obvious.

[@TypeiZ]

thank you for your review. im at the moment looking for a new gaming laptop. I thought about the x16 r2 because i really hate the design of the m16 r2, but i'm shocked that this laptop performs so weak. Now im looking for an max specc m16 r1 and im considering the m18 r2 too. But it's so big and i need to bring it to the university (by car). i can't decide... can u tell me how the m16 r1 performs against the m18 r2? i love the design of the m16 r1, the upgradability and everything. but im not sure how the performance in the smaller version is ^^

[@MashITTech]

m16r1 will perform better than m16r2 and x16 r1 and r2.. The m18 will perform slightly better due to its larger fans but not by a lot. If you want some portability get the m16r1 not the m18

[@TypeiZ]

@@MashITTech thank you!

[@roboticvenom1935]

So you're looking for a new gaming laptop but ONLY looking at alienware? How can you be so ignorant and foolish

[@brightoskar9469]

Are they go to bring 18inch in the X series

[@MashITTech]

I wish they would but sadly there has been no rumours or leaks from Dell

[@Maj3st1kX]

Would you prefer the M18 R2 over this? I believe this one looks much better but I'm sure performance wise the M18 wins right?

[@MashITTech]

If I didn't need portability I would get the m18 every time. Much better performance and upgradable ram. I agree this x16 does look better though

[@Maj3st1kX]

Hard decision to make but i pulled the trigger on the X16 R2 with a 4090. Hoping I don't regret it 😅

[@unclesly2465]

thank you, but i only had problems with my x17r2 ( there are a lot people not just me ) , not going to dell anymore, bad quality control and customer service pretty much didn't care, pay premium for what?

[@MashITTech]

It’s sad to see dell going this route 😢

[@limitingfactor3678]

yeap, I had the same experience with the so-called "customer service"

[@unclesly2465]

@@MashITTech they invalidated my warranty aftern one-month because i bought the machine from third parties ( ebay, nothing dodgy, the guy was super honest and gave me is own warranty ) then the LCD started getting problems at the bottom ( due to bios/hardware issues ) basically static electricity remaining in the circuits creates issues with the video controller, ( or something similar ) i have to reset the cmos/hold the power button for 30-40 seconds ( without power cord ) in order to get rid of the problem, everytime this is a £3000+ machine and a huge number of people have similar problems through different generations of models and DELL doesn't even seem to be willing to replace them or at least find bios patches to fix it

[@lingzhijiang2218]

hope they can bring back the area 51m

[@MashITTech]

me too, loved loved loved that laptop

[@JonathanS89]

I miss the x17, that was a beautiful laptop, something about the curves on the x16 turn me off. Great review though, I agree with the max RAM configuration being 32GB is disappointing, if someone needs 64 they can't buy this

[@MashITTech]

yeah, the x17 was a beast, loved that laptop and ended up parting with my area 51m r2 to buy myself a x17r2. Dell keep seeming to be moving backwards!

[@TheCloudX]

Great review and points all around. Huge Alienware fan but we'll be looking at elsewhere this year. Looking forward to your Legion review. Great job, David!

[@furnitureandbedding776]

The one we have all been waiting for! Man What a letdown to one of the best machines of 2023. BTW in the CPU profile behavior section you have quite mode at 30 DB but at the end during the gaming performance segment you have quiet tracked between 46-47 DB. Does the fan noise in quiet mode vary that much? Also do you mind sharing some Cinebench and timespy scores in quiet mode just so I can get an idea of the performance in this mode? This X16 R2 is a real shame. Even last years HK i9 CPU was much better. I am also under the impression that the R2's quiet and balanced more are louder than the X16 R1's quiet and balanced mode. Esp if the 46 DB in quiet mode is accurate. Would you say that is a true statement? Overall I guess the silver lining is X16 R1 owners have nothing to FOMO about this year lol.

[@MashITTech]

yeah sorry it wasn't the best news. In answer to your questions. CPU only load is 30db in quiet load but mixed load such as gaming was 46db. Fan noise doesn't vary that much but CPU was only 70w as opposed to mixed load of about 120w. I can share the benchmarks when I get in the office as I am currently at home. IT is a real shame as this is a massive downgrade on the x16r1 that I really loved and felt was an underrated machine last year. Lastly I would say it is noisier but that could also be because I clearly got a poor paste job as my unit hits 100c in less than 5 seconds even at max fans which wasn't the behaviour of the r1 or the m16r2 which also has the core ultra. My biggest suggestions for most people would be snap up an r1 whilst dell are selling them cheap or hope we get a nice improvement for the r3

[@furnitureandbedding776]

@@MashITTech Hey Mash please see above comment. Sorry to be annoying. I just see this laptop as a huge letdown compared to the X16 R1 in terms of performance to fan-noise ratio. If I am wrong about this just let me know!

[@furnitureandbedding776]

@@MashITTech This answers my above comment regarding fan-noise. Sounds like AW did a terrible job integrating these new intel CPUS with the X16 R2. If we all stop and think about it the X16 should be the flagship Alienware laptop. The lack of effort they gave it this year is really concerning. As great as the X16 R1 was Dell could have been as lazy as they want and still brought in massive improvements. 1. OLED/Mini LED screen. 2. LUNAR WHITE on the back end 3. Glass touchpad with an ALL ON rgb option in bios. 4. Upgradable ram. 5. Continued focus on great quiet mode performance. From what you are telling me we are worse off this year compared to the 1900HK we had last year in terms of the fan noise to performance ratio. I know that's tough for you to argue since your model had a crap paste job but what do you think?

[@user-jd9lu1uf3l]

Can I use a 330W adapter and still get the full performance?

[@MashITTech]

I didn't test it but I am 99% sure that would work fine as the laptop doesn't need even 330w on load

[@crearg8259]

Stealth mode makes a laptop laptop. By the way, between your Razer Blade and this X16r2, which one do you feel more premium (regardless of price)? X16r2 is so much cheaper than RB16 in the US…

[@MashITTech]

yes, stealth mode is a great addition. If I was given both for free and price was not a factor I would take the blade 16 every time. Much more powerful CPU, able to undervolt, much brighter screen, upgradable ram and much more compact. But..if I was buying one I may well pick up the x16 for a massive saving, and I would also look for an x16r1 as its more powerful than r2 for a bargain price as Dell have been trying to sell them off :)

[@crearg8259]

@@MashITTech That makes perfect sense! Didn’t expect the Ultra 9 to have such a minor improvement on the battery life…If it increases the battery life to 9 hours I’d agree Ultra 9 is an acceptable compromise, but half an hour? Who cares…

[@MashITTech]

I got amazing battery life on the m16r2 with the same 90whr battery and core ultra so there could have been something wrong with my unit but I did test countless times and even tweaked the system to give it the best possible outcome and still it was terrible

[@bpuneeth9652]

Did you try the advance optimus ​@@MashITTech

[@wildcheetah68]

U do know that the touchpad lighting is not on the x16r2 models with 4060 -4070 graphics only the 4080 and 4090 models u should point out thanks

[@MashITTech]

I actually didn't know that! I thought they gave all the models the lit touch pad. Thanks for pointing it out

[@wildcheetah68]

@@MashITTech yea it’s actually in the part where u go buy it --tells u what it comes with it -either maybe the cards don’t support it - or dell being ridiculous--when I set mine up there was no option in the command center for touchpad -thought it was broken -then went back to there website went no way that’s crazy Touchpad Multi-touch gesture Premium Precision glass touchpad with integrated scrolling Multi-touch gesture Premium Precision glass RGB LED AlienFX lighting touchpad with integrated scrolling (NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 or 4090 configurations only) there u go makes no sense so much marketing

[@simonefiorini8298]

Great Dave! I'm waiting for 2025 Alienware line.

[@MashITTech]

God I hope they add better screen options next year!

[@simonefiorini8298]

@@MashITTech I hope in a full AMD config and a AUO Amled screen.

[@ajx8083]

Well covered, Thanks David.

[@MashITTech]

thank you

[@Isan_idc]

Does the x16r2 have 4k

[@MashITTech]

Nope, only 1 screen choice of 2560x1600 240hz 300nit

[@gamingChinaNo1]

So it is 350nits, higher than advertised 300nits?

[@MashITTech]

Yes, this was the same last year. Dell use more than one panel provider and some are slightly brighter than others

[@tinybit780]

Try to change Windows power plan in the energy settings to "most efficient". My CPU performance went up by more than 10% and I got better temps as well.

[@MashITTech]

I did try all three modes, sadly it didn't help my unit

[@tinybit780]

It’s really weird my CPU is acting differently after I have done these changes… I actually had the same problem that the X16 tried to squeeze the CPU too aggressively. I installed every driver manually from the downloads page again and deleted AWCC to install it again. Perhaps that helped. Happens too often especially with premium gaming laptops nowadays… I had lots of problems with the Legion 9i as well.

[@BlackThunderRC]

Having a bad paste job pretty much kills any performance a laptop can give. Found the paste on the x17 r2 went bad pretty fast. so had to redo it. FYI taking out the motherboard to repaste on them isn't all that bad.

[@MashITTech]

Whilst I agree its not too bad and I have plenty of experience after years of servicing Dell/Lenovo laptops. Sadly I did not have time to repaste ir with the amount of laptops I have had backed up for review. Plus I don't recommend end users without plenty of experience attempt it and if I received one with a bad paste job out of the box so could any end user and I would rather call Dell out on it rather than paste it myself and not mention it. Hope this makes sense

[@BlackThunderRC]

@@MashITTech it makes sense if you have a lot to get through and the average Joe will inevitably bugger something up.

[@zackjohnatan940]

Hello im watching you for couple of weeks and i need your opinion about few of the laptopts as i going to buy one of them in next month so here they are: Alienware m18 R2 Asus Rog Strix scar 18 Razer Blade 18 MSI Titan Titan 18 all of them with highest specs posible for each one of them. my choice at the moment is M18 R2 but will see. Keep creatig videos realy helpful content!👌🙌

[@MashITTech]

Yeah, that is a hard choice. Looking at your choices it doesn't seem you are bothered by price but m18r2 is the best bang for the buck but I like Blade 18 the most despite it not performing as well as say the Titan, IMHO it is just a better laptop for day to day use as well as gaming. It is always really hard making these choices though as there is never 1 perfect machine :)

[@zackjohnatan940]

@@MashITTech Blade is good but just i got atached to the M18 and Titan.. Alien for the balance performance and mostly MODEL :D + back ports (personal choice ofc) Titan for everything just its like M18 on steroids :D

[@cordawg17]

I have the R1, and kind of disappointed that the R2 didnt have much there for changes.

[@MashITTech]

its actually worse :( the CPU is better on r1

[@ThomasAAT]

I feel that the x16r2 is a step down from the m line. Except for the audio. Do you feel the m16r2 is the best 16 insh laptop alienware offers this year? I will hold my breath for this year and upgrade my 17r3 next year. I hope then to see a better screen and ram upgrade for the x16. I will then choose between x16r3 or the m18r3 most likely. Will be a desktop replacement and mainly used for production, movie editing, 3d heavy work and educational tasks. And gaming on the side.

[@MashITTech]

If you can wait a day you can watch my thoughts between the two on my x16 vs m16 comparison 🤣

[@ThomasAAT]

@@MashITTech You are a step in front as always! Looking forward to that video!

[@MashITTech]

its just released :)

[@davidsz.horvath3357]

Why the gpu is running at 101C? Most of gamer laptops with 4080 are runs around 65/70C

[@warriorsfg]

Dude even my HP omen 16 with i7 14700HX out performs this LET'S GOOOO

[@yizhou1119]

go what. go check the reviews. Omen 16 black out after 6/12 month use. It is because its resistance of screen is getting overheat after period of time. So even you turn on the screen the system would think you closed it. It is a design defect happens since 2023 and they did not change any design since then. Good luck with Black Omen 16.

[@warriorsfg]

@@yizhou1119 haha ok I have been using omen laptops since over 5 years, and if something like that happens, they will replace it for me, it's under warranty 😂🔥

[@PaulSmith-ip4js]

I sent mine back. The constant 100°C on the cpu, inability to software undervolt and bios not saving and fan or TCC offset settings is a deal breaker! Beautiful laptop but the thermals need work big time. Keyboard was uncomfortable to use because of how hot it got. Had the Ultra 9 and 4090 version.

[@MashITTech]

oh wow sorry to hear that. I thought mine may have been a bad paste job but maybe that's how dell designed it and if so what are they thinking! my keyboard didn't get hot but man was it hot out the side vents made is so uncomfortable on the mouse hand

[@Bazerk272]

Why no Ethernet port😢

[@tqrules01]

There is a 5% IPC uplift from 12'th gen to 14'th gen. Between 13 and 14 its even less maybe 1%, its purely just going from 5.2 GHZ to 6.5GHZ that makes the difference. That is why you can see better cooled 12 and 13gen systems destroy this 14'th gen part.

[@jessegriffin9]

The intro is goddamned

[@MashITTech]

haha thanks mate

[@badmanbajing4965]

as student from 3rd world country, i have been saving up money because i want to buy Alienware, especially the Area 51M, i even anticipating from them to release the 51M R3 so i did not buy the Area 51M R2 from your review to wait, but if Dell will not planning to release the Area 51M again (going downhill), either i choose M18 or find better competitors, should i go with Razer 18/16 RTX 4090 or Lenovo Legion 9i? i want triple boot for Linux and Hackintosh as well. Or, should i jump into the mainstream choices and buy ASUS Rog like most people instead?

[@MashITTech]

the m18 is a solid laptop for the price and a lot cheaper than blade 18 but I do prefer the blade 18 if you can afford it. My blade 16 is gathering dust since buying the blade 18

[@badmanbajing4965]

@@MashITTech thank you for the answer man, i will narrowed it down to Alienware M18 OR Blade 18 then, I'm going to watch your review about Razer 18 now to see the pro and cons. i saved up quite a lot so i could afford to buy only one of them, in my country, the Alienware was seen as prestige brand like Apple, good for business image, and for studio softwares and apps, i prefer Windows including Linux over MacOS, will install a "Hackintosh" anyway, so i don't need to buy apple machine.

[@MashITTech]

I also have a video where I directly compare the blade 18 to the m18 which could be very helpful for you: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rKi2dYupfreVl6s

[@badmanbajing4965]

@@MashITTech thanks, will watch now👍

[@metka9629]

Lack of OLED screen options plus the soldered ram at 32gb max are nails in the coffin in my opinion. Hopefully future revisions will at least address these issues. *edit( not saying its a bad laptop as is, just needs more options for people who want them).

[@MashITTech]

I keep hoping for an x18, a real premium machine!

[@barcafan94]

​@@MashITTechIt's Dell. If you expect the minimum from them, you still expect too much.

[@MashITTech]

Haha hilarious but also sadly true 😂

[@andyH_England]

Soldered RAM is an Intel retriction for the Core Ultra series as they use LPDDR5X which is the fastest and does not currently sell in a modular form. If you check other Core Ultra reviews you will see most have this unless they are allowed by Intel to use slower RAM.

[@metka9629]

@@andyH_England thanks, I didnt know about that. In that case a 64gb option should be available.

[@TheSonoranSniper]

2024 XPS 16 : bright screen, up to 64 GB RAM 2024 X16 : no also when I saw the video length, I expected a less thorough review, but was pleasantly surprised (especially at 9:52)

[@MashITTech]

yeah, Dells choices make no sense! And the video is a little shorter because I skimmed over some of the externals as it is exactly the same as the r1 and we are trying to tighten up our scripts :)

[@27Binx72]

Top tier review! It makes me sad to see Dell/Alienware mess this up so bad. The competition is better and who saw that this performs worse than the R1 and thought, "yeah...this is fine!" Hopefully they do something to stay competitive for the next round of revisions. Their laptops aren't popping out compared to what else is out there right now. Makes my inner child a little sad.

[@MashITTech]

thank you mate and as a long time Alienware fan I feel sad the direction they have headed lately. It feels like they need someone strong at the helm to turn it around.

[@henrikg1388]

There is one hidden issue here though, and I keep pointing this out because it really matters. Only Dell/Alienware and Lenovo AFAIK has next day on-site support on the table, even if it is a costly plan. For anybody using their laptop even somewhat professionally, this is a BIG deal.

[@henrikg1388]

Edit: The general cost of such a support plan is about the same as the diff between a 4080 and a 4090, which is about 2-3000 time spy points. A real no-brainer if you ask me.

[@MashITTech]

agreed on the support options, it is one of the reason I often choose Lenovo or Dell

[@5after12]

i wish I kept my x17 R1

[@babatundeoshodi6262]

Little to no improvement form the previous version of last year. Almost pointless releasing the R2. I own an R1 and my biggest gripe is the screen. I dont know how bad the screen bleed is on this model but its quite noticeable on mine. Also, You would think the brightness of the screen is okay until you are in a fairly bright room or outdoor before it dawns on you that the nits is not that great. They should use a brighter and more premium panel for the screen already....i mean this is their top tier product for crying out loud. If the xps can have a better and much brighter screen, i see no reason why the X series shouldn't have a brighter mini LED or OLED screen already. Great review by the way. Always looking forward to watching your videos.

[@MashITTech]

Sadly, this is actually a downgrade on the r1 as the CPU is now less powerful! seems insane. What panel did you get AUO or BOE? My Auto from this year and last year had good uniformity and little bleed. But you are absolutely right about the brightness, I often work in bright offices or rooms and the screen is impossible to use where as the blade 16s 500nit is comfortable in this environment

[@babatundeoshodi6262]

@@MashITTech I have got the QHD+ 240Hz panel. The screen bleed is only noticeable at the top right and left corner of the screen (worse on the top left corner) . It is not obvious when you're consuming content or working full screen but when you're watching a movie for example and you have those black bars on the top and bottom, it is noticeable. Also when I am on my desktop page cuz I have a dark wallpaper set for it. I just hope it fades out and get less noticeable overtime 😅😅.

[@leonardwise5807]

Ultra 7 or 9 don't scale well with extra power. So you don't get the benefits of extra battery life. You also don't get extra performance,running it at much higher wattage so it performs the same as XPS. If you're going to make a 6 pound gaming machine, use 14 gen hx. May as well buy g16 if you want 4080 or xps for a 4070.

[@adinnugroho6544]

6:12 : I feel like, Core Ultra powered Laptops, just getting good when comes to Webcam Maybe "Dedicated AI" engine or NPU, helped

[@MashITTech]

that is correct, I believe you only get the windows studio enhancements with a NPU enabled processor. The 1080p image looked quite soft to me though compared to XPS etc

[@theguard1]

Their engineers are just terrible. Simple thermodynamics will require airflow. Why is the bottom completely sealed all the way around the ventilation?! It's like playing your laptop on a bed, choked out!

[@draegus0072]

Not sure why they keep refusing to use something brighter than a 400 nit panel. I personally wouldn't settle for anything less than 600nits.

[@5after12]

i tried building an x16 R2 on the US site, and you can only get the mechanical keys if you get a 4090

[@MashITTech]

WTF, you can have the mech on any version in the UK!

[@JoshCravesTech]

I really want Alienware to succeed but every year they just miss the mark compared to the competition 😭 Like that display is just unacceptable in a laptop this expensive. Battery life should be better as well for a Core Ultra. GPU behavior seems great though. One thing I’ve noticed with the Core Ultra, at least on my Zephyrus G16, is it actually performs better in Optimus mode than in Nvidia dGPU-only mode. Super weird! Not sure if it’s the Core Ultra CPU itself or the laptop. And other users are noticing the same. Would be curious if you tried 3DMark Time Spy in hybrid vs dGPU mode and saw anything similar.

[@MashITTech]

how odd, I didn't even bother testing it in Optimus as it is usually so much better in Nvidia mode.. Going to have to go back and check now :)

[@roboticvenom1935]

Core ultras are a joke. Just get an AMD laptop at that point

[@3ebabil]

x16 r1 was designed to be an improvement over x17 r2, taking into account the wishes of the users. Improved speakers, 1080p webcam, lighting on secondary buttons, getting rid of the sharp part of the back, RGB touch pad. These were the expectations from the x16 r2 version. Alien head power button, 500 nits brightness, OLED or mini LED screen. And as none of them came, a weaker CPU was switched. Total nonsense. If they were going to release this product, they had to release x17 R3 with 4000 series GPU and 14th generation CPU. While Dell pays attention to the opinions of its users in some years, it does not care about its users in other years.

[@MashITTech]

well said

[@saltystephen5626]

I wouldn't mind all the ports being in the back if they at least put the headphone jack on the side. The wires on headphones aren't that long and I feel like having it wrap around the laptop would feel awkward to use.

[@MashITTech]

Agreed. I really moaned about it on the r1 so was sad to see it round the back still on the r2. I wish Dell cared enough to make changes to the chassis

[@2024style]

They should put a second screen like the asus duo 16

[@josephrobinson1009]

Alienware X20, would be Awesome!!!

[@MashITTech]

20" laptops would be amazing!

[@franbr.5440]

Sad. 46 dB in quiet Mode. For me is this to loud .

[@wwllsswtrustong]

Come on dell! The new Core ultra processor's peak performance is even worse than 13th Gen H45 processor, and that ancient 300 nits panel in a $3000 laptop. Man! what a shame! Nice review as always though!

[@SouryaDP]

Weirdly, at the rtx 4080 spec configurations in India, the M18 r2 is actually priced cheaper than the x16 r2, to the point where I could buy the m18 r2, and have enough cash left over for a second 360W GAN charger to use in the office. Alienware lost the plot with the pricing for the x series really bad, and I don't see the point anymore. Sure, the x16 is lighter and supports USB C PD charging, but other than that, there is not much differentiation in favor of the x16, as the 300 nit display option means that I could go for the bigger display and be happier with that. Sure, the faster soldered RAM on the x16 might be a better option, but the 5600 MT/s RAM on the m18 is no slouch either, and I could just strip it and go for 64 GB later on. Things like the mechanical keyboard is common on both, and the extra weight is something that I would bear with using a larger backpack, just so that I could use the large real estate of the 18 inch laptop. Kind of disappointed that Alienware still did not develop a mini-LED panel or an OLED panel for its lineup, while all the other big hitters have such options. It seems that Dell has stripped away all the R&D budget towards the new XPS series laptops rather than this one. Either way, great review brother, you were pretty thorough.....

[@MashITTech]

thanks mate, and I would also take the m18 every time over this x16, such a shame :(

[@aliginthahouse1]

X series is supposed to be the premium tier laptops, so yeah, it will be more expensive than a same M series configuration, despite the screensize

[@SouryaDP]

@@aliginthahouse1 Once upon a time, the m series laptops were made with cheaper plastic construction, and the x series got the premium glass and metal touches. In those days the price premium of the x series was justified. Now though, even the m series has come close to the x series with its metallic and premium polycarbomate materials, so there is a lesser gap between the two. In addition, the "fast memory" of the x series has ended up becoming a handicap for the marginal improvement that it provides, and the m series can fully trounce it with its massive upgradeability, which the x series lacks. Finally, all I am saying is that the gap has shrunk to the extent that the few creature comforts that the x series provides might not be able to justify the premium, especially in the 2023 and 2024 generations, especially when even the m series can push the full 175W power in their GPUs, probably better than the x series (due to the thicker chassis), and even the m series having premium build qualities.

[@giornianno6516]

M18 R2 Is much Better?

[@MashITTech]

I am actually in the middle of doing a comparison but in a lot of ways I think it is unless you need 4080/4090

[@darrylking15]

@@MashITTech done

[@JogBird]

pricing is surprisingly competitive, but, the poor screen is gonna turn ppl off.. no option for oled or mini led like the legion 9

[@MashITTech]

yes, in the UK they knocked a good £500 off the r1 launch price but the CPU actually performs worse than the r1!! laziest launch ever

[@akin242002]

Dell seems to be dropping the ball this year. Only the Dell Latitude 7450 (for business line) and Dell XPS 16 (prosumer line) are worth even thinking about in 2024 brand new.

[@mohammedabuhassna8684]

Good Laptop but the screen need to be OLED then it will be perfect .

[@Helifax19]

"6:34:00 minutes - poor battery life".... me on my Alienware Area 51m-R2 where on battery staring at the desktop only lasts 1:25:00 minutes 🤣

[@MashITTech]

Haha, its not called battery life on the 51m r2 its called a UPS 😃 I really miss mine, I wish they would make an r3

[@jonathanb.1215]

i just dont understand the x series why would i buy an x 16 r2 thats more expensive than an m18 r2 yet less powerful

[@omarcortes5754]

Alienware laptops are not as expensive as they used to be but they not offer as much as other brands do.

[@wayne0320]

Damn, thermal on cpu is just horrendous..

[@MashITTech]

Yeah, I know Dell like it hot bit this one was insane 🤣

[@Shipon29]

You say battery life is pretty poor with 6 and a half hours. How much do you get from a legion 9i or a razorblade? Also if you are gaming 8 to 10 hours a day, a 300 nits screen will cause less harm to your eyes. And all those complaining about 64 gb ram, what is the purpose? If cyberpunk, cine bench and 19 tabs on chrome is all that they want to do, then they don't need 64 gb ram. Legion 9i with the same configuration costs 3800 dollars. Your reviews should be targeted at potential buyers rather than people who just come here to pass judgements.

[@MashITTech]

I think you need to watch my review of the x16r1/m18/m16r2 before saying my reviews should be targeted at potential buyers. If you watch my conclusion I give my reason for not fully endorsing the x16r2 and recommend people maybe consider the m18r2 which is much cheaper and performs so much better. I loved the x16 r1 and whole heartedly recommended it and the potential buyers should consider the r1 over the r2 due to its even cheaper price yet better CPU performance. I am, not comparing battery life with razer or legion, dell made the claim that the battery was much better with this release and it isn't yet the m16r2 with same 90whr batter got over 8 hours of battery! The 32gb of ram may not be an issue to you or many buyers but my point was, if you need 64gb you cannot choose the x16 (yet they have 64gb on m16r2/m18r2/xps16/xps14). I am a heavy ram user and genuinely need more than 32gb, even 64gb can sometimes cause issues with my workflow but I realise I am not an average user. I really try my best to be completely fair and unbiased in my reviews and even buy the laptops so that I cannot be accused of sponsored/paid positive reviews therefore not every laptop gets a glowing review. Hope this makes sense

[@yevgen4195]

Ports placement is beyond evil.

[@joffy9373]

Was actually going to get this if it came with either minled or oled screen, but alas it didnt, so instead i got the legion pro 7 2023 amd with 4090 and saved more than 1000 dollars..for basically the same screen and better performance. You cant make this shit up, alienware what r you doing? Give the people what they want!

[@MashITTech]

you actually have a better screen as the legion is 500nits!

[@joffy9373]

@@MashITTech partly, the nits are better, but the colours are worse, still not by much so its still a win

[@michabbb]

Not upgradable ram: every laptop like that is dead to me. Crazy they still produce that shit

[@henrikg1388]

Love your channel though your taste in music sucks. 😜 But I have to ask if you made a mistake or it is really true that this RTX4080 only has 8Gb. My own five months old 2023 model has 12Gb with the same GPU.

[@MashITTech]

haha my wife would agree with you! She hates my music. 8gb was a Gary typo sadly, we had done 3 RTX 4070 so Gary got used to writing 8gb and I didn't spot it 🤣 sorry for the confusion

[@Sunflash1001]

My m16 R1 4090 remains supreme lol

[@MashITTech]

Haha it really does!

[@electricmiragemedia]

Dell has been in a downward spiral since Frank Azor left. He seemed to have been holding everything in the XPS and Alienware divisions together

[@MashITTech]

yeah, they seem to have lost their direction after he left. sad times :(

[@fractalelf7760]

The lady running AW is ruining it.

[@pipebomber04]

350 nits??????

[@MashITTech]

unfortunately yes, 350 nits!

[@clkong3427]

The 4080 should be 12gb vram not 8

[@MashITTech]

It is, damn. Must have missed a typo

[@sibowu1188]

100degree core ultra 9 is unacceptable for a company like this, should’ve been much better

[@MashITTech]

even the m16r2 was much better!

[@ismail-hassan]

When they were advertise the alienware X16 r2 they started by saying the stadium at the back had been upgraded to LED lights. I was shocked when the panel was still the same as the x15 from the 2021 models. This is the most disgusting lcd panel for a premium laptop. Only thing keeping me away from this beautiful machine is the luck of mini led panel option until then I will keep my x15.

[@MashITTech]

I keep banging on at Dell about this too! They are loosing lots of customers but don't seem to care! Maybe next year we will see better screen options

[@ismail-hassan]

@@MashITTech trust me every post they put on Instagram I tell them their competitors like Razer and asus got mini led display panels and you busy telling us about putting led on the stadium. Something wrong with Alienware department.

[@Vandiekins]

i have the x16 r1 and i can just say that dell doesnt know how to make good cooling. 4 fans and still hits 100c while other laptops out there with more cpu performance, have better thermals with only 2 fans.

[@MashITTech]

even their own m16r2 manages it with 2 fans 🤣

[@cutthat4643]

350nits hard pass, just incredible, very very poor compared to Asus, Lenovo and even Razer now, this is a sub 1K GPB laptop screen

[@MashITTech]

spot on, between that and the crazy temps I have no idea what they are doing over at Dell!

[@deepanshu_raikwar]

ips seriously 😒? Atleast should given oled 1000nits

[@wouter2697]

I waited for this one and I'm so disappointed. Dont really know which one I should go for anymore

[@MashITTech]

Yeah sorry to be the bearer of bad news, I loved the x16r1 so had high hopes for this but sadly you are better off buying x16r1 for a discount