Markets that sell laptop units often recommend Alienware for gamers. The brand is reputed for designing top-notch gaming laptops. The one issue that most users have with Alienware is the thickness of their machines. The majority of Alienware units are heavier than most of its competitors. The good thing is that, finally, the brand has released its first-ever slim gaming laptop: the Alienware m15.

So Just How Light Is It?

The base weight of the Alienware m15 varies a bit depending on the model and its specs. But its standard weight is exactly 2.16kg. The m15 is also about 20% lighter than its predecessor. By comparison, the m15 shaved more than a third of the weight of other Alienware laptops. Before the m15, the lightest model is Alienware 13 which weighs 2.6kg. To date, m15 is now Alienware’s lightest—and the easiest to transport—gaming laptop on the market.

Across the board, the m15 is also more compact. It only measures 363 x 275 x 17.9mm. As such, the height difference compared with others is pretty obvious. It’s where likely most of the weight loss originates from.

With the improvement in size and weight, it’s not unreasonable to doubt the efficiency of the machine. The good news is that even with the reduced weight and the condensed screen bezels, the m15 still delivers the well-reputed Alienware quality. In fact, with the refurbished heating system of the m15, the whole device feels even more streamlined.

The Alienware m15 also has a 1080p display by default. In the US, an upgrade to 4K is available. Dell hasn’t yet offered any information if this option will be available to other countries too.

What’s Under the Hood?

Inside, all m15 models have an 8th-Gen Intel Core i7-8750H CPU. The standard version delivers an 8GB RAM and a 256GB storage space. In terms of graphics, the gaming laptop is powered by NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 with a 6GB GDDR5. On the other hand, the Windows 10 Pro model version of the m15 features a GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q for graphics. It also has 8GB of DDR5, 32GB RAM, and a 2TB storage space. Its 3840 x 2160 60Hz screen is also far better for playing games.

Putting all that powerful elements in a lightweight framework is an impressive feat. However way you look at it, the m15 is more than capable of delivering serious gaming performance. But it does raise concerns with regards to the machine’s heating system. As to be expected, all that power takes a toll on the laptop’s battery life. In a non-stop video play, the m15 will last just over five hours. That being said, five hours of battery for a regular laptop is a bad thing. But for a gaming laptop, that amount of battery life is pretty decent.  

Is It a Worthy Investment?

The cost of Alienware m15 starts at $1352. It’s not cheap, but then no gaming machine is. The lighter design of the m15 hasn’t generated any critical compromises on its power and performance. So, if you don’t mind shelling out money for portability, you can’t do any better than the Alienware m15.