When it comes to buying gaming laptops, Alienware is one of those brands you can’t miss. The Alienware M15 R2 is somewhere up there in high tier when it comes to gaming laptop rankings.

I received one of those beasts for a review, and it really deserves its moniker for a reason.

Packing Heat

Let’s just get the specs out of the way. This monster is packing:

CPU: 9th Gen i9-9980HK
RAM: 16GB
GPU: GeForce RTX 2070 8GB DDR6
Storage: 512GB SSD

I’m going to put it out there that my review of the Alienware M15 R2 is based on my usage of it as a daily driver in a period of around 3 weeks. Most of the time, I used it for work which involves a lot of typing and some lightweight video editing. I didn’t game on it daily but whenever I did, I did for hours.

Just from the pictures alone, I’m sure you can sense that this thing is big. That size also translates to its weight. The moment I got my hands on the laptop, I pinpointed its biggest weakness as a portable machine: how heavy it is.

Don’t get wrong, it’s no back-breaker but it’s something to think about if you care about portability.

With that being said, it’s perfectly functional as a desktop replacement which I believe is its main role. There’s nothing to complain about the performance. The 15.6″ full HD 144Hz screen is great to look at for work, gaming, and video editing. In terms of colour accuracy, I can’t say much since I didn’t any colour-critical work.

Sound Off

In terms of gaming, I decided to test out the performance with recent games such as Borderlands 3, Devil May Cry V, and Control. At “Badass” settings, I only managed to get an average of 62fps in Borderlands 3 but a quick internet search tells me that it’s because the game itself is poorly optimised.

As for DMCV and Control, the laptop performs splendidly. Average frames for both games were upwards of 100fps when playing on the highest settings.

Was the laptop loud while playing games? Definitely. You’ll want to use a pair headphones or earphones with this one.

Surprisingly, the M15 R2 manages to keep its temperature at a good level during my gaming sessions. Still, I wouldn’t recommend actually gaming on your lap. It can still uncomfortably warm.

I typed a lot while I was reviewing this laptop. As someone who’s accustomed to using a mechanical keyboard on my desktop, my expectations were pretty high. If you’ve been hoping for me to say that the laptop has a good keyboard, then you’re in luck.

I have no complaints about the M15 R2’s keyboard. In fact, it’s probably the best laptop keyboard I’ve ever used.

Typing on this beast is both smooth and satisfying. It also helps that there’s a programmable RGB backlight for users to play around with.

Eye Spy

Oh yeah, I almost forgot. There’s this thing called the Tobii Eye Tracker built into the laptop. It scans your face and then tracks the movement of your eyes. I didn’t have any games that took advantage of this effect and outside of gaming, it didn’t really feel useful.

So would I recommend buying the Alienware M15 R2? Only to people who have RM10,000 lying around and want to get a do-it-all laptop that can also function as a home computer.

If you don’t fit into that category but still have RM10,000 lying around, you could split that amount half-and-half to built a superb desktop complete with peripherals. And also get yourself another decent gaming laptop or even a cheap Macbook.

As such, I’d only recommend the M15 R2 if you don’t mind the bulk and loud fans while gaming.

PROS

• Unbeatable performance.
• Super satisfying keyboard.
• Great crystal-clear screen.
• Decent cooling.

CONS

• Fans get quite loud during gaming.
• A bit heavy.
• Disgustingly expensive.

FINAL SCORE: 70/100

Vital Statistics

• CPU: Intel Core i7-9750H 7.
• GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 (Laptop) 11.
• Display: 15.6”, Full HD (1920 x 1080), 144 Hz, IPS.
• HDD/SSD: 512GB PCIe M.2 SSD.
• RAM: 2x 8GB DDR4, 2666 MHz.
• OS: Windows 10 Home
• Battery: 76Wh
• Body material: Magnesium alloy (Magnesium Alloy exterior shell, Copper Alloy thermal structures)
• Dimensions: 14.17″ x 10.87″ x 0.77″
• Weight: 2.16 kg