At CES 2024, Alienware announced three new gaming notebooks: the redesigned Alienware m16 R2 gaming laptop and the company’s premium and high-performance X16 R2 and M18 R2. We’ll discuss the X16 R2 and M18 R2 in a separate article. Meanwhile, the new Alienware m16 R2 has been redesigned with a 15% smaller body/footprint than its predecessor. It’s also powered with Intel’s latest Ultra H series mobile CPUs and NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 40 series graphics, up to RTX 4070 laptop GPU. It also has a new Stealth Mode feature, where users can turn off AlienFX lighting and make the keyboard’s lighting white.
Alienware Redesigns m16 R2 with Stealth Mode
The product launches from Alienware in the previous year received positive feedback from the community, offering insights on improving the m16. Essentially, the requests centered around designing a robust notebook capable of running demanding games while ensuring portability and discreetness for easy transportation between destinations.
The engineers and designers at Alienware set out to create a product that meets these requirements and introduces innovative features to the market. Enter the m16 R2, a revamped gaming laptop emphasizing performance, flexibility, and portability while retaining the beloved Alienware advantages.
Achieving this balance necessitated making significant changes. Beginning with the most noticeable update, recognizing the need for a more travel-friendly notebook, we decided to say goodbye to the thermal shelf. However, this was a challenging feat, considering it housed the components responsible for cooling the previous model.
New Thermal Solution – Cryo-Tech Cooling
The engineers at Alienware took on the challenge, completely redesigning and optimizing a new thermal solution for the m16 R2. They adapted our Cryo-tech cooling to be more efficient in a smaller package, resulting in a 43% improvement in airflow compared to the previous model. While we can’t disclose all the details behind these thermal gains, you can be confident that the m16 R2 will handle the latest games without breaking a sweat.
Smaller and Company Body
The removal of the thermal shelf has reduced the depth of the laptop, making the new 16″ notebook 15% smaller in footprint compared to the previous generation. This size reduction allows for easy accommodation in a small backpack and saves desk space for gaming peripherals like a mouse, keyboard, and monitor.
The m16 R2 boasts a more compact design with a larger palm rest and touchpad. This was achieved by implementing a slim and robust 180-degree hinge on the notebook’s back edge. Placing the hinge in the former thermal shelf area allowed for an elevated keyboard, expanding both the palm rest and touchpad.
While touchpads are seldom used for gaming, the increased surface area enhances cursor control during tasks like navigating Discord chats or browsing the web. Additionally, the touchpad features RGB stadium loop lighting, now positioned in a more visible area, making it easier to identify the touchpad’s boundaries in dark environments.
Stealth Mode
The m16 R2 now offers a Stealth Mode, responding to community feedback for a more subdued appearance when needed. A designated hotkey, F2, activates this feature, allowing the laptop to blend seamlessly into its surroundings.
Inspired by users who found bright lighting distracting in quieter spaces such as libraries or cafes, Stealth Mode turns the keyboard backlighting white, deactivates all other AlienFX lighting zones, and adjusts the performance mode to Quiet, reducing fan noise with a simple key press.
A simple keystroke toggles Stealth Mode on or off to suit different usage scenarios. When activated, the m16 R2 adopts a discreet appearance, with white keyboard backlighting and minimized lighting zones for quiet environments. Disabling Stealth Mode reveals the laptop’s full potential, powered by Intel® Core™ Ultra H Series processors and NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 40 Series mobile graphics (up to an RTX 4070).
More Features
These components deliver robust performance for running the latest games at high frame rates. For competitive gaming, NVIDIA’s DLSS 3.5 AI upscaling technology and NVIDIA Reflex latency reduction provide faster frame rates, improved image quality, and minimal latency without a significant increase in power consumption.
The m16 R2’s enhanced dual speakers, complemented by Dolby Atmos support, offer immersive spatial sound, ensuring a heightened experience where every sound, from footsteps to explosions, is delivered with depth and realism.
The m16 R2 features a QHD+, 240Hz display with a 16:10 aspect ratio, providing silky gameplay with sharp details and accurate colors. The high refresh rate ensures smooth and tear-free gameplay, making it a valuable upgrade for competitive gamers.
Pricing and Availability
The Alienware m16 R2 is scheduled for an initial release on January 11, 2024, with specific configurations priced around $1,649.99 (US) / $2,249.99 (CA). Additional configurations are expected to become available later, with the entry model starting at approximately $1,499 (US) / $2,099.99 (CA).