Alienware 16 Aurora evaluate: Price range specs at a mid-tier value

Finest Costs At this time: Alienware 16 Aurora

The Alienware 16 Aurora is a budget-focused 16-inch gaming laptop computer. At $1,499, nonetheless, the worth is simply too excessive: This machine makes many compromises, from the CPU to the show and the stunning lack of any NPU in any respect. This value is creeping in the direction of the mid-range mark, and you’ll spend much less to get higher {hardware} from a competitor.

It’s unlucky: I reviewed this machine alongside the Alienware 16X Aurora, and that specific mid-range laptop computer is a superb worth for the {hardware}. For those who’re this Alienware laptop computer, I like to recommend trying on the 16X Aurora as a substitute.

Alienware 16 Aurora: Specs

The Alienware 16 Aurora is a 16-inch laptop computer with an Intel Core 7 240H CPU — or an Intel Core 9 270H chip should you spring for the top-end mannequin. Nevertheless, our evaluate unit had the Core 7 chip. Considerably confusingly, whereas these are Intel Core (Collection 2) processors, they’re based mostly on the older Raptor Lake structure. It doesn’t have an NPU, so that you received’t get Copilot+ PC options on this machine.

Our evaluate unit was a $1,499 mannequin that got here with an Nvidia RTX 5060 GPU, however this machine can also be obtainable with RTX 3050, 4050, and 5070 graphics. The RTX 5070 possibility specifically doesn’t make a lot sense, because it makes the machine practically as costly as Dell’s higher-end Alienware 16X Aurora, which presents an all-around higher expertise.

Our evaluate unit additionally had 32GB of DDR5 RAM, which is probably the most RAM this machine is accessible with — Alienware additionally presents variants with much less RAM.

The bottom mannequin begins at $1,149 on Dell’s web site on the time of the evaluate, nevertheless it contains an older RTX 4050 GPU and solely 16 GB of RAM.

• Mannequin quantity: AC16250
• CPU: Intel Core 7 240H
• Reminiscence: 32 GB DDR5 RAM
• Graphics/GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060
• NPU: None
• Show: 2560×1600 IPS show with 120Hz refresh charge
• Storage: 1 TB PCIe Gen4 SSD
• Webcam: 720p digital camera
• Connectivity: 2x USB Sort-C (USB 3.2 Gen 2), 2x USB Sort-A (USB 3.1 Gen 2), 1x HDMI 2.1 out, 1x Ethernet (RJ-45), 1x combo audio jack, 1x energy in
• Networking: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
• Biometrics: None
• Battery capability: 94 Watt-hours
• Dimensions: 14.05 x 10.45 x 0.89 inches
• Weight: 5.49 kilos
• MSRP: $1,499 as examined

Alienware 16 Aurora: Design and construct high quality

IDG / Chris Hoffman

The Alienware 16 Aurora seems to be like a black laptop computer from some angles, however the darkish blue of its “Interstellar Indigo” coloration is seen from sure angles. This laptop computer has a reflective Alienware brand on its lid, however apart from that it might simply be an expert workstation laptop computer. Alienware hasn’t emphasised the normal gamer aesthetic on this design.

This machine has an anodized aluminum lid, however the remainder of the physique is plastic — for extra steel, you’ll should spend further on a higher-end gaming laptop computer. However plastic is ok, and the laptop computer seems to be good and feels stable, though it’s a little liable to selecting up fingerprints. The hinge is straightforward to open with a single hand and feels stable, and it doesn’t transfer round as you kind or sport on the laptop computer. It’s a well-put-together machine.

Alienware 16 Aurora: Keyboard and trackpad

IDG / Chris Hoffman

The Alienware 16 Aurora has a full-size chiclet-style keyboard full with a quantity pad on the proper. The 1.4mm of key journey ends in a pleasant typing expertise. It’s fairly snappy and never mushy as it’s on many lower-end laptops. It is a stable keyboard.

Dell included a backlight on the keyboard, nevertheless it doesn’t have customizable colours — you should use white gentle, however that’s it.

The trackpad right here works nice. It’s a fairly sized trackpad — many laptops have a lot bigger ones, however the measurement is ok with me. The press-down motion feels nice. A pleasant glass trackpad feels smoother — that is clearly a plastic floor — nevertheless it’s nonetheless easy and responsive.

Alienware 16 Aurora: Show and audio system

IDG / Chris Hoffman

The Alienware 16 Aurora has a 16-inch 2560×1600 decision IPS show with a 120Hz refresh charge and as much as 300 nits of brightness. It’s a nice show with a stable decision and an honest refresh charge, however I want it was brighter. At any time when I take advantage of a gaming laptop computer with a show that caps out at 300 nits, I all the time need extra brightness. It doesn’t wow, although — the colours aren’t practically as spectacular they are often on a higher-end show in costlier gaming laptops. It’s cheap for a funds laptop computer, nevertheless it feels low-end for a $1,499 laptop computer.

This isn’t a contact display screen, and it’s not an OLED show both — it has an anti-glare coating that works properly, so it’s not a shiny, reflective show. Increased brightness settings are sometimes essential to overpower glare on shiny shows, however that isn’t the case right here.

I take a look at each laptop computer’s audio system by enjoying Steely Dan’s Aja and Daft Punk’s Get Fortunate. The sound high quality throughout Aja was respectable, though just a little flat — there wasn’t the sort of crisp instrument separation you hear on high-end audio system. Daft Punk’s Get Fortunate had a enjoyable sound, although there wasn’t a ton of underlying bass.

Alienware 16 Aurora: Webcam, microphone, biometrics

The Alienware 16 Aurora has a 720p webcam. The picture is fairly grainy and washed out, and that’s no shock — 720p webcams are low finish, and Dell is slicing a nook right here to maintain the laptop computer’s value down. It’s going to work if it’s essential to have a video assembly and don’t want a high-resolution picture, however that’s about it. And, as a result of there’s no NPU on this machine, you don’t have entry to Home windows Studio Results webcam results on this machine.

The twin-array microphone on this machine produces fairly muffled audio — this machine wasn’t constructed with video conferencing in thoughts, though it presents the fundamentals should you want them.

The Alienware 16 Aurora doesn’t have any biometric {hardware}, so you may’t signal into Home windows together with your face or a fingerprint. A $1,499 laptop computer ought to have biometric help, whether or not that’s a fingerprint reader or facial recognition. That’s too massive a nook to chop at this value level.

Alienware 16 Aurora: Connectivity

IDG / Chris Hoffman

The Alienware 16 Aurora has an awesome number of connectivity — it even has an Ethernet port!

On the left, you’ll discover a USB Sort-A port, a combo audio jack, and an Ethernet (RJ-45) jack. On the again, this machine has a second USB Sort-A port, two USB Sort-C ports, an HDMI 2.1 port, and a power-in port.

It’s an awesome number of ports, and the one factor lacking is perhaps an SD card reader, should you’re searching for that. Other than that, it’s properly laid out — particularly with a lot of the ports being within the again, the place it’s simple to plug the ability cable and different equipment in so that they keep out of your method.

This machine has Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 {hardware}, so it’s as future proof as could be with the most recent requirements.

Alienware 16 Aurora: Efficiency

The Alienware 16 Aurora’s cooling system works properly. Taking part in the most recent massive video games like Clair Obscure: Expedition 33 and Doom: The Darkish Ages, the followers stayed on the quiet aspect for a 16-inch gaming laptop computer — particularly a extra budget-focused laptop computer, as quieter followers are usually reserved for higher-end gaming laptops and less-expensive laptops typically go for the “jet engine” sound profile. This laptop computer blows a lot of the scorching air out of the again, and the keyboard solely will get mildly heat. Some scorching air comes out of the edges — in an ideal construct, it might all exit of the again and away out of your mouse hand — nevertheless it’s not too unhealthy.

Naturally, the Alienware 16 Aurora delivered cheap efficiency at average settings in these video games. As all the time, although we ran this machine via our commonplace benchmarks to see the way it performs in additional element.

IDG / Chris Hoffman

First, we run PCMark 10 to get an thought of total system efficiency. With a PCMark 10 total rating of seven,068, this machine is available in noticeably behind the pricier Alienware 16X Aurora. The Intel Core 7 Meteor Lake CPU right here can’t hold tempo with the higher-end Intel Core Extremely 9 and AMD Ryzen AI 9 chips within the higher-end laptops we’re evaluating it to. It’s a lower-end gaming CPU.

IDG / Chris Hoffman

Subsequent, we run Cinebench R20. It is a closely multithreaded benchmark that focuses on total CPU efficiency. It’s a fast benchmark, so cooling underneath prolonged workloads isn’t an element. However, because it’s closely multithreaded, CPUs with extra cores have an enormous benefit.

With a Cinebench R20 multi-threaded rating of 6,284, this machine as soon as once more is available in behind different laptops. That’s largely as a result of the Intel Core 7 240H CPU right here has 10 cores, whereas the Intel Core Extremely 9 275HX has 24 cores. Most purposes don’t profit from multithreading this a lot, nonetheless, so this isn’t consultant of the distinction in real-world gaming efficiency.

IDG / Chris Hoffman

We additionally run an encode with Handbrake. That is one other closely multithreaded benchmark, nevertheless it runs over an prolonged interval. This calls for the laptop computer’s cooling kick in, and plenty of laptops will throttle and decelerate underneath load.

The Alienware 16 Aurora took 900 seconds on common to finish the encode. That’s quarter-hour, and it’s considerably slower than different laptops — once more, this CPU simply doesn’t have as many cores as I’d prefer to see.

IDG / Chris Hoffman

Subsequent, we run a graphical benchmark. We run 3Dmark Time Spy, a graphical benchmark that focuses on GPU efficiency, on all of the laptops we evaluate.

With a 3Dmark Time Spy rating of 10,263, the Alienware 16 Aurora got here in behind different laptops as soon as once more — that’s as a result of Nvidia RTX 5060 GPU right here. This chart helps illustrate how vital the selection of GPU is and the way a lot quicker higher-end GPUs could be.

After that, we run the benchmarks constructed into some video games. First, we use the benchmark in Shadow of the Tomb Raider to check all of the gaming laptops we evaluate. It’s an older sport, nevertheless it’s an effective way to match GPU efficiency throughout totally different PCs.

IDG / Chris Hoffman

With a median FPS of 132, the Alienware 16 Aurora delivered nice efficiency. It was behind different laptops with quicker GPUs, however not by a lot. This older sport is seeing diminishing returns from higher-end GPUs.

Lastly, we run the benchmark in Metro Exodus. It is a extra demanding sport, and we set the benchmark to 1080p decision on the Excessive element setting.

IDG / Chris Hoffman

With a median FPS of 43 on this high-end Metro Exodus benchmark, the Alienware 16 Aurora provided fairly playable efficiency even at these brutal graphical settings. It’s instance of the stable efficiency you will get with out splurging on a top-tier CPU or GPU today. After all, it is available in behind costlier laptops with higher-end GPUs.

Total, the Alienware 16 Aurora delivered playable efficiency, nevertheless it’s held again by the parts in comparison with higher-end, costlier gaming laptops.

Alienware 16 Aurora: Battery life

The Alienware 16 Aurora we obtained had a big 94 Watt-hour battery, though Dell’s spec sheet stated it had a 60 Watt-hour battery — anticipate that smaller battery on lower-end variants and this bigger battery on higher-end ones. It delivered surprisingly good battery life away from an outlet for a gaming laptop computer, doubtless due to its lower-end CPU.

IDG / Chris Hoffman

To benchmark the battery life, we play a 4K copy of Tears of Metal on repeat on Home windows 11 with airplane mode activated and the keyboard backlight turned off till the laptop computer suspends itself. We set the display screen to 250 nits of brightness for our battery benchmarks. It is a best-case state of affairs for any laptop computer since native video playback is so environment friendly, and actual battery life in day-to-day use is all the time going to be lower than this.

The Alienware 16 Aurora lasted 603 minutes on common — that’s simply over 10 hours. For a gaming laptop computer that isn’t significantly targeted on battery life, that is fairly good!

Alienware 16 Aurora: Conclusion

The Alienware 16 Aurora doesn’t impress, which is a disgrace as a result of I reviewed it alongside the Alienware 16X Aurora, and that laptop computer did impress with the worth it delivered. The core drawback right here is the worth — $1,499 is simply too excessive for an expertise like this one.

It’s a funds expertise at a mid-tier value. If this machine had a quicker CPU or a extra spectacular show — ideally each — it might be simple to advocate. For now, you’re most likely higher off trying someplace else for a funds gaming laptop computer — until Dell is having a giant sale on this mannequin.

I’d advocate you take a look at the Alienware 16X Aurora should you’re searching for an Alienware laptop computer, nonetheless — that’s a lot better worth for cash. Or, should you’re searching for a funds gaming laptop computer, take a look at PCWorld’s greatest gaming laptops checklist for higher values.