Dell at CES 2019: Alienware m17 Packs Core i9, GeForce RTX into 17.3-Inch Chassis
Having launched Alienware m15 ultra-thin gaming laptops last year and updated them this week, Dell is rolling out more notebooks for gamers concerned about compact dimensions. The new Alienware m17 machines feature a 17.3-inch display and pack six-core processors paired with NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q GPUs into a chassis that is up to 0.91 inch (23 mm) thick.
It goes without saying that the key feature of Alienware's m17 laptop is its 17.3-inch display with a 1920i-1080, 2560i-1440, or 3840i-2160 resolution. The Full-HD and Ultra-HD IPS panels feature a 60 Hz refresh rate, whereas the QHD TN panel features a 120 Hz refresh rate. Meanwhile, the higher-end 4K and QHD screens boast with 400 nits brightness, whereas the entry-level LCD is only rated for 300 nits brightness.
As far as internal hardware is concerned, the Alienware m17 notebook will use exactly the same components and configurations as the updated Alienware m15 introduced earlier this week. So, the the machine is powered by Intel's latest mobile processor - including its six-core Core i9-8950HK CPUs - that are paired with NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 1050 Ti, GeForce RTX 2060, RTX 2070 Max-Q, or 2080 Max-Q GPUs. Various Alienware m17 configs will feature from 8 to 32 GB of DDR4 memory and from 256 GB to 2 TB of PCIe/NVMe storage (see exact specs in the table below).
One important thing to note is that since the Alienware m17 notebook is bigger than the Alienware m15, it can be equipped with a larger and better cooling system. The latter enables the laptops to work at Turbo frequencies longer and thus provide higher performance in games.
When it comes to connectivity, the Alienware m17 copies its smaller brother too. The notebook has 802.11ac Wi-Fi + Bluetooth (from Qualcomm or Rivet Networks), a Killer E2500-enabled GbE port, one Thunderbolt 3 header, three USB 3.0 Type-A connectors, two display outputs (mini DisplayPort 1.3, HDMI 2.0), a 3.5-mm TRRS audio jack, and an Alienware Graphics Amplifier port for proprietary external graphics solutions. Besides, the Alienware m17 laptop features an RGB-backlit keyboard with a numpad, a 1080p webcam, stereo speakers, and a microphone array.
Just like the Alienware m15, the 17.3-inch notebook comes in Epic Silver or Nebula Red chassis that are from 18.5 to 23 mm thick (0.727 - 0.91 inches) thick. As for the weight, the Alienware m17 weighs 2.63 kilograms (5.79 pounds) when equipped with a 60 Wh battery or more when outfitted with a 90 Wh battery in a build-to-order configuration.
Sales of the Alienware m17 are set to begin on January 29, 2019. The price of the laptops will start at $1,650.
| General Specifications of Dell's Alienware m17 | ||||
| Alienware m17 1080p 60 Hz | Alienware m17 1440p 120 Hz | Alienware m17 4K UHD | ||
| Display | Type | IPS | TN | IPS |
| Resolution | 1920i-1080 | 2560i-1440 | 3840i-2160 | |
| Brightness | 300 cd/m^2 | 400 cd/m^2 | ||
| Color Gamut | 72% NTSC (?) | ~100% sRGB | ||
| Refresh Rate | 60 Hz | 120 Hz | 60 Hz | |
| CPU | Intel Core i5-8300H - 4C/8T, 2.3 - 4 GHz, 8 MB cache, 45 W Intel Core i7-8750H - 6C/12T, 2.2 - 4.1 GHz, 9 MB cache, 45 W Intel Core i9-8950HK - 6C/12T, 2.9 - 4.5 GHz, 12 MB cache, 45 W | |||
| Graphics | Integrated | UHD Graphics 620 (24 EUs) | ||
| Discrete | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti with 4 GB GDDR5 NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 with 6 GB GDDR6 NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q with 6 GB GDDR6 NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q with 8 GB GDDR6 | |||
| RAM | 8 GB single-channel DDR4-2667 16 GB dual-channel DDR4-2667 32 GB dual-channel DDR4-2667 | |||
| Storage | Single Drive | 256 GB PCIe M.2 SSD 512 GB PCIe M.2 SSD 1 TB PCIe M.2 SSD 1 TB HDD with 8 GB NAND cache | ||
| Dual Drive | 128 GB PCIe M.2 SSD + 1 TB (+8 GB SSHD) Hybrid Drive 256 GB PCIe M.2 SSD + 1 TB (+8 GB SSHD) Hybrid Drive 512 GB PCIe M.2 SSD + 1 TB (+8 GB SSHD) Hybrid Drive 1 TB PCIe M.2 SSD + 1 TB (+8 GB SSHD) Hybrid Drive 118 GB Intel Optane SSD + 1 TB (+8 GB SSHD) Hybrid Drive 256 GB PCIe M.2 SSD + 256 GB PCIe M.2 SSD 512 GB PCIe M.2 SSD + 512 GB PCIe M.2 SSD 1 TB PCIe M.2 SSD + 1 TB PCIe M.2 SSD | |||
| Wi-Fi + Bluetooth | Default | Qualcomm QCA6174A 802.11ac 2x2 MU-MIMO Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2 | ||
| Optional | Killer Wireless 1550 2x2 802.11ac and Bluetooth 5.0 | |||
| Thunderbolt | 1 i- USB Type-C TB3 port | |||
| USB | 3 i- USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A | |||
| Display Outputs | 1 i- Mini DisplayPort 1.3 1 i- HDMI 2.0 | |||
| GbE | Killer E2500 GbE controller | |||
| Webcam | 1080p webcam | |||
| Other I/O | Microphone, stereo speakers, TRRS audio jack, trackpad, Alienware Graphics Amplifier port, etc. | |||
| Battery | Default | 60 Wh | ||
| Optional | 90 Wh | |||
| Dimensions | Thickness | 18.5 mm | 0.727 inch ~ 23 mm | 0.91 inch | ||
| Width | 410 mm | 16.1 inch | |||
| Depth | 292.5 mm | 11.52 inch | |||
| Weight (average) | 2.63 kilograms | 5.79 lbs | |||
| Operating System | Windows 10 or Windows 10 Pro |
Related Reading:
- Alienware Rolls Out Thin & Powerful m15 Laptop: Coffee Lake & GTX 1070 Plus 4K
- Eurocom Launches Tornado F7W DTR Laptop: Desktop Core i9-9900K with 128 GB of RAM
- Dell's Spring Range: New 8th Gen Alienware, Laptops, and Monitors
- Alienware Refreshes The Alienware 15 And 17 Gaming Notebooks At PAX
- Eurocom Launches Sky X4C, X7C and X9C Laptops with Core i7-8700K CPUs
Source: Dell