At this point, laptop makers that don’t support some kind of AMD-based config are kind of trolling, and now Alienware is finally back on board with its first AMD-powered gaming laptop in more than a decade.
With the new m15 Ryzen Edition R5, Alienware is releasing its first AMD-based laptop since the Aurora mALX from back in 2007, which at the time came with a massive 19-inch screen, an AMD Turion 64 CPU, a measly 2GB of RAM, and not one but two Nvidia GeForce Go 7900 GTX GPUs. Suffice to say things have changed quite a bit in 14 years.
On the new m15 Ryzen Edition R5, Alienware supports up to an eight-core Ryzen R9 5900HX CPU and an Nvidia RTX 3070 GPU with 8GB of vRAM. Like the existing Alienware R4 line, the m15 Ryzen Edition also comes with a bunch of display options, including 165Hz or 360Hz full HD screens, or a 240Hz QHD screen.
Alienware is also offering optional 3200Mhz DDR4 RAM for the first time, while the laptop’s revamped chassis features an updated design with more powerful Cryo-Tech cooling and new high-endurance paint that Dell claims is smoother and more durable than before. And as you’d expect, the m15 Ryzen Edition R5 also features a healthy selection of ports and connectivity, including HDMI 2.1, 2.5 Gbps Ethernet, Wi-Fi 6, and four USB ports (three Type-A and one Type-C). And as previously announced on the Alienware m15 R4, the m15 Ryzen Edition R5 can also be equipped with Cherry’s new MX Ultra Low Profile switches (though that upgrade will cost you extra).
[referenced id=”1680925″ url=”https://gizmodo.com.au/2021/03/alienwares-upgraded-gaming-laptops-have-the-good-cherry-switches/” thumb=”https://gizmodo.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/19/byjfcmd0pcl1qshj7zyi-300×169.jpg” title=”Alienware’s Upgraded Gaming Laptops Have the Good Cherry Switches” excerpt=”Three years ago, Alienware partnered with legendary keyboard switch-maker Cherry to create a binary mechanical switch experience just for laptops. Now those switches are finally available in Alienware’s m15 R4 and m17 R4 laptops.”]
The new Alienware m15 Ryzen Edition R5 (which is a real mouthful of a name) goes on sale April 20 for just under $US1,800 ($2,349).
Alternatively, if you’re looking for a more affordable gaming laptop, Alienware’s parent company Dell is also announcing the new Dell G15 Ryzen Edition, which sports up to an AMD Ryzen 7 5800H CPU combined with an Nvidia 1650 or RTX 30-series GPU, but with a much lower starting price of just $US900 ($1,175) (with an updated Intel-powered Dell G15 model also arriving this autumn starting at $US1,000 ($1,305)).
Editor’s Note: Stay tuned for local Australian pricing and availability.
Aside from support for AMD CPUs, the biggest change for the G15 Ryzen Edition is the addition of new cooling tech that uses larger copper heat pipes to better cool the bottom of the laptop and a refreshed design with four edgy new finishes: Dark Shadow Grey, Specter Green with Speckles, Phantom Grey with Speckles, and Obsidian Black.
The Intel-based G15 will be available first on April 13 in the U.S., followed by the G15 Ryzen Edition on May 4.
Finally, to go along with its new laptops, Dell is also announcing an updated family of gaming monitors, including the new Dell 25 Gaming Monitor which features a 240Hz refresh rate and support for both Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync Premium tech, along with three new curved monitors with 144Hz or 165Hz refresh rates and AMD FreeSync available in 27-inch, 32-inch, and 34-inch sizes.