Dell made waves at CES 2025 with the highly anticipated return of the iconic Alienware Area-51 gaming laptop. Now, the wait is over—this powerhouse is officially available for purchase. Gamers can choose between two impressive configurations: the 16-inch model starting at $3,199.99 and the larger 18-inch variant priced from $3,399.99. As Alienware’s new flagship laptop, the Area-51 boasts top-tier hardware, including the latest Intel Core Ultra 9 processor and NVIDIA Blackwell GPU. Orders are expected to begin shipping on April 30, so securing your unit early is recommended to avoid potential delays.
Alienware Area-51 Gaming Laptop Now Available
New Release
Alienware 16 Area-51 Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX RTX 5080 Gaming Laptop
New Release
Alienware 18 Area-51 Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX RTX 5080 Gaming Laptop
Both the 16-inch and 18-inch versions of the Area-51 come equipped with the same high-performance components: the Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX processor and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 GPU. The Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX delivers a maximum turbo frequency of 5.4GHz across its 24 cores and 40MB of total L2 cache. Based on Passmark benchmarks, this CPU holds the title of the fastest mobile processor currently available, outperforming the AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX3D by approximately 7%. Paired with the RTX 5080 GPU—which preliminary 3DMark Time Spy results suggest offers about 16% better performance than the previous-gen RTX 4080—and DLSS 4.0 support, this system is built to handle even the most demanding games at ultra settings and high framerates on its QHD+ display.
The base configuration includes either a 16-inch or 18-inch QHD+ display with a refresh rate ranging from 240Hz to 300Hz, G-Sync technology, 32GB of DDR5-6400MHz RAM, and a 1TB M.2 SSD. Both models offer upgrade options, allowing users to increase memory to 64GB and storage to 2TB for those needing more power under the hood.
Alienware Area-51: Enhanced Design, Superior Cooling, and Maximum Performance
For 2025, the Alienware Area-51 features a redesigned magnesium alloy chassis engineered for improved thermal management. This includes additional fans, larger ventilation cutouts for increased airflow, enhanced copper heat dissipation, and an advanced thermal interface material designed to efficiently draw heat away from critical components. Dell states that the system can sustain a thermal design power (TDP) of up to 240W without increasing fan noise levels significantly.
From a visual standpoint, the Area-51 embraces sleeker, rounded contours instead of the traditional boxy laptop silhouette. Its hinges are largely internalized, giving the device a clean, uninterrupted profile. True to Alienware's signature aesthetic, the laptop supports extensive RGB lighting customization for immersive personalization. Connectivity options include three USB Type-A 3.2 Gen 2 ports (including one with PowerShare), two Thunderbolt 4 / USB Type-C ports, an HDMI 2.1 output, and a built-in SD card reader. Weighing in at 7.5 pounds for the 16-inch and 9.6 pounds for the 18-inch version, the Area-51 balances portability with raw desktop-level performance.
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