Dell claims that their Alienware X series features a new Legend 2.0 design with customizable AlienFX lighting, with improved thermals to cater to the new RTX GPUs. Today we have the Alienware x15 R2 with RTX 3070 Ti with us, and I've been using it as my daily driver for a few days now. So here I will share my experiences with it both in gaming and other daily tasks. Okay, to make it clear, I'm a proud owner of Alienware x17 R2 for a few months now. I love that device. And I've been wanting the smaller 15-inch version for better portability for a long time. Even though I might come across as biased in a few sentences, that's just me reviewing this laptop online for a long time. But I'll try to remain neutral and help you decide whether this device is the one for you. There are a few things that I like about this model compared to others, and I'm also not a real fan of some of the design choices they made for this model. In this review, we'll cover everything you need to know about the Alienware x15 R2.

So the TL;DR version of this Alienware x15 R2 review is that it’s a stunningly sleek machine for your gaming needs, but one that you’ll definitely be using with closed-back headphones. Confused? Let me explain. The model I had with me is an Intel Core i7 12700H with RTX 3070 Ti. You can even upgrade it to an i9 12900H paired with RTX 3080 Ti in a 15.90mm thin chassis. All this power in a small body means a ton of design innovations and tons of fans, so gaming on this beast is loud enough to pierce through any open-back headphones.

The x15 R2 has a distinctive, sophisticated look, similar to most of Alienware’s lineup. Alienware’s X-series machines are sleek, minimalist in design, and, thanks to some cleverly placed RGB lighting, manage to be both fashionable and understated. It features an off-white lid and black sides, and comes in a “Lunar Light” colorway. Think of the series as a gaming machine for those who prefer a more pared-down, mature aesthetic. Intel 12th Gen processors, the latest Nvidia GeForce RTX 30 Series graphics processing units, and faster DDR5 memory make up the technical upgrades over the x15 R2, which shares the same dramatic design.

The machine’s dimensions are 14.16 x 10.92 x 0.63 inches. Comparatively speaking, it’s larger but slimmer than laptops like the Dell G15 Gaming Laptop (which we reviewed) and many others. It’s Dell’s smallest 15-inch gaming laptop and fits comfortably in a carrying case or backpack.