The Alienware Area-51m is back at CES 2019, and with it, Dell has created a powerhouse laptop that can give desktop PCs a run for their money in terms of both power and upgradability.
Designed around a new industrial design language Dell has dubbed "Legend," the Area-51m harkens back to a time when all gaming laptops were unapologetically thick and chunky. But there's a good reason for that: the new Area-51m comes sporting desktop-class processors and NVIDIA's latest RTX graphics, both of which can be upgraded along with the RAM and storage drives.
On the inside, you'll be able to choose from the desktop versions of Intel's eight-core 9th Gen Core i7 and i9 processors, up to 64GB of RAM, and up to three storage drives totaling 3TB of space. Rounding that out is a selection of NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 20 Series chips, including the RTX 2060, RTX 2070, and RTX 2080.
Meanwhile, the screen is a 17.3-inch 1080p monster with 60Hz and 144Hz options and NVIDIA G-Sync. The laptop can also be configured with Tobii eye-tracking tech, integrated just below the display.
To keep all of its components cool and enable overclocking, Dell has equipped the Alienware Area-51m with its Cryo-Tech 2.0 tech. The chassis hides a total of eight dedicated copper heat pipes in the highest-end configurations, and high-voltage fans pull in cool air from the top and bottom vents while pushing hot air out of the rear and both sides.
Alienware Area-51m tech specs
Here's a rundown of the Alienware Area-51m's monster specs:
| Category | Alienware Area-51m (4th Gen) |
|---|---|
| Display | 17.3-inch FHD IPS60Hz60Hz w/ G-Sync144Hz w/ Tobii eye tracking144Hz w/ G-Sync + Tobii eye tracking |
| Processor | 9th Gen Intel Core i7-87009th Gen Intel Core i7-9700K9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900K |
| Chipset | Intel Z390 |
| Graphics | GeForce RTX 2060GeForce RTX 2070GeForce RTX 2080 |
| RAM | Up to 64GB DDR4 2400MHz |
| Storage | Up to 3TB PCIe M.2 SSD |
| Ports | 1x Alienware Graphics Amplifier2x DC power inputs1x Thungerbolt 3 w/ DisplayPort1x RJ-45 Realtek 2.5Gbps Ethernet2x USB 3.11x USB 3.1 w/ PowerShare1x HDMI 2.01x Mini DisplayPort 1.41x audio out1x Global headset |
| Audio | 2.0 Speaker configurationAlienware Sound Center7.1 Digital Audio out w/ HDMI |
| Camera | Windows Hello IR camera w/ThinShutter |
| Battery | 90 WHr |
| Dimensions | 16.1 in x 15.85 in x 1.7 in (410 mm x 402.6 mm x 42 mm) |
| Weight | Max: 8.54 lbs (3.87 kg) |
| Colors | "Lunar Light" and "Dark Side of the Moon" |
| Availability | January 29, 2019 |
| Price | $2,550 (lower-priced configs coming later) |
With user-swappable parts and desktop-class hardware, the new Alienware Area-51m represents a pretty remarkable piece of tech for gamers who want the maximum amount of performance out of their portable gaming rig.
You'll be able to get your hands on the Area-51m starting January 29 for $2,250. Dell says that lower-priced configurations will be available later.
