Alienware's first affordable gaming laptop is arriving at the perfect time

Even though Alienware has been around for 30 years, the company hasn't really made an affordable, entry-level gaming laptop. But that changes today with the succinctly named Alienware 15, and based on the rising price of seemingly every gadget, it couldn't have come at a better time.

Let's start with the basics. The Alienware 15 will be available with both AMD and Intel CPUs, starting at $1,299 for a config with a Ryzen 5 220 processor, 16GB of RAM, 512GB M.2 SSD and an NVIDIA RTX 4050 GPU. If you opt for a system with a Core 5 210H chip and the same memory, graphics and storage, expect to pay $1,349. (Note: There will be a variant with an RTX 3050 GPU in certain regions, but not in North America.) The laptop also features a 15.3-inch LCD display with decent brightness (300 nits), a 1,920 x 1,200 resolution (16:10) and a relatively speedy 165Hz refresh rate. You also get a surprisingly wide assortment of ports including two USB-C, two USB-A (all of them are least Gen 3.1), HDMI 2.1, 3.5mm audio and even an onboard Ethernet jack. So just going by its core components, the Alienware 15 is off to a good start.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

That said, I've had a chance to check out a pre-production model and while I can't benchmark it quite yet as it's still running unfinished software, there's a lot to like about Alienware's first proper budget gaming laptop. In addition to a new nova black paint scheme, this model features a more toned-down, understated design that I really like. Instead of a light up logo on its lid with built-in RGB LEDs, Alienware opted for a simple iridescent sticker that allows this thing to be a bit more incognito in case you ever need to bring it out in public. Subtle touches like a pronounced V-rail make it easy to open the lid, while the lack of a thermal shelf like you get on its more expensive siblings results in a more portable compact design that measures less than an inch thick at any point (0.81 inches in the front and 0.9 inches in the back). All told, the Alienware 15 brings some welcome subtlety from a company known for far out designs, so it should be even better at pulling double duty as a gaming rig and a portable productivity machine.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Unlike a lot of modern gaming laptops, Alienware also included a full numpad, which adds even more tools to its arsenal of productivity features. And because the 15 still has a Stealth key, you can disable all of its lighting while activating its Quiet performance mode with a single touch, which would be great for a college student who just wants to take notes without attracting a ton of attention. Another nice detail is that while the config I previewed features a single 16GB stick of DDR5 RAM, there's a second open SO-DIMM slot inside, so it'll be very easy to add more down the line.

So far, the Alienware 15's two small shortcomings are that it doesn't have any kind of onboard microSD card reader and that its built-in webcam is rather mediocre. Its resolution tops out at 720p at just 30 fps, so it's not ideal for anyone who needs to look their best on video calls. Initially, I was also a bit concerned with its display topping out at 300 nits of brightness, but I've found that unless you're sitting outside in direct sunlight, visibility generally isn't an issue.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Regardless, starting at under $1,300 for the base model with an AMD CPU, the Alienware 15 has a lot to offer for a very reasonable price. For comparison, its flagship sibling — the 16-inch Area 51 — costs around $1,000 more. Meanwhile, Alienware's middle child — the refreshed Aurora 16x — goes for at least $2,000, so at a minimum, you're looking at an extra $700 there. In a time when the price of seemingly every piece of gaming hardware is getting more expensive, including consoles like the Switch 2, it's just really nice to see Alienware expanding its portfolio with its first truly affordable gaming notebook. And if you do have a little wiggle room in your budget, you can always upgrade some of its components like its GPU, which can go up to an RTX 5060.

The Alienware 15 is available today on Dell.com.