For all you gamers out there we look at the great and not-so-great features with the new Alienware 17 R4?
The Build: It’s BIG
Are you looking for a gaming laptop that’s easy to carry?
Then, Alienware 17 might not suit you, because it is a gigantic laptop. If you are looking for something portable then this will probably not be for you!
The Alienware 17 laptop is just a little more than 9.5 pounds. That is heavy enough on its own but it also comes with a power adapter that weighs about 2.5 pounds. Like other gaming laptops, the Alienware 17 provides high power at the price of average battery life. Don’t expect the laptop to last for more than 3 hours when under medium to heavy use.
But that shouldn’t disappoint you too much, because Alienware 17, just like its predecessors, is not meant for easy haul or lasting hours on end without charging – but rather performance.
Size aside, Alienware 17 is quite an attractive machine with its popular trademark chrome and black color scheme.
While its keyboard is only zone-lit, there are RGB LED strips either side of the laptop, as well as on the lid. What’s more, there’s one under the trackpad, too. There is some nice attention to the detail in the design.
However, the design is not without issues, even if they are not major ones. The fans are placed at the end of the chassis, which, while understandable given the amount of heat this laptop can produce, takes away from the overall design.
The fans can also be quite loud. The laptop is sufficiently noisy under medium load, and if pushed, the sound is very noticeable.
Another potential issue for users is the power plugs. They are located at the back. While Alienware 17 is not the only laptop to have power plugs at the rear, it can be inconvenient and many users have an issue with this.
Alienware 17 Performance: It’s definitely worth it
Alienware 17 is very high on performance and is a good desktop replacement option.
The laptop comes with an Intel Core i7-7820HK, its strongest asset, and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080, as well as 16GB DDR4 RAM, 500GB of SSD storage, and 1TB of drive space.
The majority of gaming laptops in this category go with i7-7700HQ, which is a pretty good processor itself. However, if you want the absolute best gaming experience, go for i7-7820HK. Apart from the top-of-the-range processor, Alienware 17 comes with GTX 1080.
One important thing to bear in mind is that the baseline model has 8GB RAM which will be insufficient for many users. So if you’ve decided to buy Alienware 17, you may want to spend a little extra and go for 16GB at least.
Gaming enthusiasts looking for a desktop replacement must consider two things: venting and heat management.
Alienware 17 works well on both counts, and that’s why it is built for continuous gaming.
Alienware 17: the verdict
This laptop is by no means perfect – it doesn’t have the most advanced zone lightning, its fans are quite loud, battery life is no better than average, and its size is bulky.
However, Alienware 17 is a powerful gaming laptop and excels in performance – the most important consideration for a gaming laptop.
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