Alienware 13 R3: Powerful and pretty, if you don’t mind junk in the trunk

Enlarge / Say hello to the Alienware 13 R3. (credit: Sam Machkovech)

It's a good time to be in the market for a gaming laptop that doesn't look stupid. Higher-powered laptops have begun to tick crucial checkboxes across the board, with smaller, super-powered GPUs landing in much less garish designs. In some cases, the result is a laptop you'll love using-and won't be ashamed to be seen using in public.

One of the latest to catch our eye is Alienware's "R3" update to its 13-inch model. While some of its SKUs may not win affordability awards, the R3 officially counts as a damned good laptop, gaming or otherwise. If your budget has room for a single portable productivity machine, Alienware might have the right balance of power, weight, design, and functionality for you, not to mention decent battery life in a pinch.

But first, let's talk about this laptop's tushie.

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