Alienware 16 Area-51
pros and cons
- Blazing-fast performance
- Fantastic Cherry MX keyboard
- New matte OLED option
- Solid, high-design build
- Expensive
- Heavy, even for a gaming laptop
- Very limited battery
more buying choices
Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source for the past few weeks and have felt completely spoiled by all the power.
Also: I’ve used Dell’s new XPS 16 for a week, and it’s the Windows laptop to beat in 2026
Everything about this laptop is fast. Apps load instantly, the device starts up in mere seconds, and it exudes power. The fans above each side of the keyboard move a palpable amount of air and aren’t just visible — they’re illuminated, a statement about the sophisticated cooling system.
Physically, the laptop is nearly identical to last year’s Alienware 16, with the biggest changes under the hood — upgraded Intel processors (up to the Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus), a fantastic CherryMX keyboard, and something totally new: an OLED display.
Best laptop deals of the week
Deals are selected by the CNET Group commerce team, and may be unrelated to this article.
Physical build
This device is solid, with the stalwart, future-forward build you’d come to expect from Alienware. The “Liquid Teal” colorway, with rounded edges, creates a slick, xenomorphic aesthetic that’s unique to the brand. Unfortunately, the top cover is also a fingerprint magnet.
All the ports are located on the back — except the SD card slot and headphone jack. Clocking in at 7.5 pounds, the 16-inch Area-51 is at the limit of what you’d consider portable. With the 2.2-pound, 360-watt power brick, you’re looking at a total package of 9.7 pounds — doable for occasional transport, but probably not something you’ll want to lug around daily.
Also: Not enough people are talking about the most capable Lenovo laptop right now
Dell has cited consumer feedback as a driving force behind its design approach this year, and one of the biggest requests from Alienware users was for an OLED display. It’s finally here on the 16-inch Area-51 with a 240Hz refresh, 620-nit peak HDR brightness, and 0.2ms response time. The matte finish is good at mitigating glare, and although the display doesn’t have the eye-popping contrast of a glossy display, games and media look fantastic on it.
I should note, however, that if you want the OLED, you have to commit to the high-end Intel Core Ultra 290HX CPU and 32GB of RAM, bringing the price to a starting cost of $3,500. Dell often locks certain features to hardware, but it would have been nice to have a 16GB/OLED option as well.
By extension, the trackpad is good, but it’s not haptic and on the small side. I would say it’s a good example of no-bull, functional tech that eschews flashy design elements for reliability… Just kidding. This thing lights up — and not just in a static color. The trackpad pulsates neon rainbow, breathes like a living organism, and yes, it looks sweet as hell. But I do have to say: for a $4k laptop, haptic tech would be very nice; even if that means losing the lights.
Of course, you can turn the lights off and customize each key to your heart’s content in the Alienware Command Center app, with stored profiles for when you need to tone down the show in the office (or if you’re running on battery).
Also: The secret to USB port colors: Why your device feels slow in the wrong slot
Speaking of which, and you probably already know where this is going, while this is an incredibly powerful laptop with a massive battery that pulls in lots of power, it’s not designed to be untethered for long. Dell cites over six hours of battery life, but that’s with ideal video-streaming conditions.
For real-world usability, you can expect around three hours for typical Windows tasks in balanced mode. If you’re gaming, expect much less: one to two hours, depending on what you’re running and how demanding the graphics are.
My biggest concern with the Alienware 16 Area-51 is the cost. The configuration I tested with the 290HX Plus CPU, 32GB of RAM, and GeForce RTX 5080 will run you four grand, and the cheapest possible variant starts at $3,149. If you want the OLED, be prepared to spend at least $3,500, since you can’t decouple it from the high-end 290HX processor.
Also: Should you replace your desktop with a laptop setup? I tried with this Dell, and didn’t mind it
The 16-inch also has some trade-offs compared to the 18-inch: it runs a little hotter and performs a little worse. The display is technically better on the 16-inch (there’s no OLED on the 18 yet), but it has a higher refresh rate at 300Hz. In terms of price, the 18-inch is not all that much more, but the performance is a noticeable step up.
Unless you’re dead set on an OLED and want a 16-inch display, the Alienware 18 should be a consideration, especially since you’re already quite firmly in heavy-gaming-laptop territory with both models.