CES 2025: Alienware reveals Area-51 series of flagship laptops

At CES 2025, Alienware, part of Dell, decided to bring back the iconic Area-51 name for its new series of flagship gaming laptops. These models, available in 16-inch and 18-inch screen versions, offer not only powerful specs but also an all-new industrial design.

Design and features of the new products

The new generation of Area-51 laptops retain the design elements familiar to fans of the brand, but now they’ve been given an updated look. Both the 16-inch and 18-inch versions are painted in an anodized liquid turquoise color with an almost iridescent effect. The back of the devices feature Aurora Lighting, which creates a gradient lighting effect on the thermal compartment. Inside the laptops, there’s also an RGB backlighting setup that covers both the keyboard and touchpad.

The bottom of the laptops gets special attention, where Alienware has installed a Gorilla Glass panel with an integrated vent that helps manage heat dissipation and also allows you to look inside the device. With the new thermal architecture, the Area-51 laptops now offer 35% better air circulation and are 15% quieter than previous models. The mounting mechanism has also been redesigned, hiding external components but providing easy access and stability.

Technical specifications and performance

As Alienware’s flagship gaming laptops, the Area-51 offers exceptional performance. The devices support Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX processors, up to 64GB of RAM (at up to 7200 MT/s, a record for an Alienware notebook), up to 12TB PCIe Gen 5 SSD, and next-generation NVIDIA RTX 5090 graphics. Both models can handle up to 175 watts of total power for the graphics and 105 watts for the processor.

All models can handle up to 175 watts of total power for the graphics and 105 watts for the processor.

Although I wasn’t able to fully test the laptops in gaming, due to device limitations, we can’t help but notice that the Area-51s promise to be true performance monsters, ready to tackle any modern game or task.

While I wasn’t able to fully test the laptops in gaming, I can’t help but notice that the Area-51s promise to be true performance monsters, ready to handle any modern game or task.

Price and Availability

Bearing in mind the top-end specs, the Area-51s clearly won’t be budget devices. High-configuration models are expected to launch in the first quarter of 2025, and they’ll be priced from $3,199. However, Alienware has also announced more affordable entry-level variants that will start at $1,999, which greatly expands the audience for these laptops.

Closure

With the return of the legendary Area-51 series, Alienware makes a powerful statement in the gaming notebook segment. The new models combine stylish and original design, high performance, and improved thermal architecture. Despite their high price point, these notebooks promise to be a great choice for gamers and professionals who want maximum potential in portable form.