The Alienware 17 series has considerably evolved since the launch of its introductory model in 2008. These days, Alienware laptops have become some of the most widely-used gaming systems in the world. The brand’s rise to the top can be attributed to its consistency in delivering exceptional outputs. Among the latest addition to Alienware’s impressive line-up is the Alienware 17 R4, and based on the response from gamers and stores that sell laptop units, the 17 R4 packs a punch.

Price and Availability

The Alienware 17 R4 is already available in the US. Some parts of the UK and Australia market the laptop as well. It’s important to note, though, that the price tags and starting specs of the gaming laptop in the aforementioned countries vary considerably. In the United States, the cheapest model costs $1,299.  

Design

Like most gaming notebooks, the lid of the Alienware 17 R4 features a metal finish. The laptop is only available in one color, Epic Silver. Its body is predominantly made of plastic, but the keyboard has a matte-like finish.

Due to its LED lighting, the latest Alienware laptop is considered to be one of the most visually appealing gaming notebooks available. Both its keyboard and trackpad are backlit. Practically every area of the notebook has some sort of LED lighting too. The great thing about the lighting is that it’s customizable, so you can choose your own color scheme.

When you talk about its overall size (424mm x 332mm x 29.9mm) and its weight (4.42kg) the Alienware 17 R4 is a beast. As such, this impressive gaming laptop isn’t considered portable. But if you’re only stationed in one place, its hefty size and weight won’t be a problem.

This latest Alienware gaming notebook has a massive 17.3-inch HD display screen. Its screen’s Quad high-definition resolution makes everything look sharper, cleaner, and more detailed.

Keyboard and Trackpad

The 17 R4 comes with the standard Alienware TactX keyboard. Because of its size, the gaming notebook also features a complete numeric keypad, plus nine customizable buttons. These programmable buttons enable as many as 19 personalized functions per game. You can also change the backlight colors of specific keys and produce unique patterns across the keyboard. There are keyboard designs that can be downloaded online, but if it’s not a top priority, you can just use the preset designs available.

As for the trackpad, it’s a bit small considering the size of the laptop. But it’s not exactly a deal-breaker, since most gamers opt to use a plug-in mouse.

Performance

The Alienware 17 R4 isn’t just a beast in size and weight, it’s also a monster when it comes to specs. This laptop is fast becoming a favorite among serious gamers because the 17 R4 is strikingly super-fast. It offers up to 16 GB of DDR4 RAM with a whopping 256 GB SSD and a lightning-fast 1 TB 7200 RPM HDD for data storage.

The CPU tells a similar story. It features Intel’s seventh generation quad-core—the brand’s latest. So apart from being an outstanding gaming device, it’s also highly effective for professional-quality video editing.  

If you’re in the market to buy a superb gaming laptop, the Alienware 17 R4 is what you need. Overall, it’s a sleek, performance-heavy, and stylish gaming PC substitute.