Alienware 15 Gaming Laptop Review: Hedging Its Bets

Luke LarsenGearAug 1, 2026 5:31 AMReview: Alienware 15 Gaming LaptopThere are both cheaper and more powerful entry-level gaming laptops out there, but the Alienware 15 walks that tightrope between price and quality.Photograph: Luke LarsenTriangleUpBuy NowMultiple Buying Options Available$1,200 at Dell (RTX 5050)$1,350 at Dell (RTX 5060)CommentLoaderSave StorySave this storyCommentLoaderSave StorySave this storyRating:7/10Open rating explainerInformationWIREDDecent performance for the price. Keyboard and touchpad are good, not great. Simple design aesthetic is nice. It has plenty of ports, including Ethernet.TIREDDisplay lacks color. Thick bezels and a tall hinge make it chunky and clunky.Many of the best gaming laptops cost hundreds of dollars more than they did six months ago. Back then, you could get a decent budget-tier gaming laptop with an RTX 5050 for $700 or $800. Sadly, that’s no longer the case.In the current landscape of expensive hardware, the new entry-level gaming laptop from Dell’s Alienware line—the Alienware 15—offers just enough performance capability and quality specs to make it worth the price.When Simple Is BetterPhotograph: Luke LarsenThe Alienware 15 doesn’t seek to be overly flashy or impressive in its design. With gaming gear, though, I tend to count simplicity as a positive. No overdone RGB lighting or aggressive edges. This model takes visual DNA from the Alienware Aurora laptops, with a similar-looking keyboard and chassis materials. I especially appreciated the gentle curve of the vents just below the lid.Though the Alienware 15 is a notable 0.9 inches thick, a lot of that heft is in the lid, meaning the device doesn’t feel clunky while open. Its screen is chunky, but I like that the top-heavy design means the laptop doesn’t sit as high up off the table when I’m using it. On the other hand, it’s not much thicker than the more expensive Alienware 16 Aurora.The Alienware 15 has some flex in the lid and keyboard deck, but nothing egregious. You won’t even notice it unless you start really pressing down where you shouldn’t. I enjoyed typing on the keyboard and also found it to fill its space nicely. The touchpad is large and feels OK to use; it’s not the best touchpad I’ve used on a cheap gaming laptop, but it’s also far from the worst.Alienware 15 Gaming LaptopRating: 7/10$1,200 at Dell (RTX 5050)$1,350 at Dell (RTX 5060)One other compromise Dell made with this laptop is in its connectivity capability. It’s only on Wi-Fi 6, which is two generations back from what the latest devices use. You may not notice the difference in connection speeds, but if you have a newer Wi-Fi 7 router and are hoping to take advantage of it, you won’t be able to do so with the Alienware 15.Photograph: Luke LarsenFortunately, the laptop ports are plentiful and up-to-date, including two USB-A ports, two USB-C ports, an HDMI 2.1 port, and even an Ethernet jack. Both USB-A ports can support up to 5 GBps, and both of the USB-C ports are good for up to 10 GBps. The USB-C port on the left side can also charge up to 100 watts, which is not enough for gaming but is great for a quick charge. My only complaint is that the connectivity options are heavily on the left side of the device. Only the headphone jack and the other USB-C port are on the right side.A Dismal DisplayThe 15.3-inch screen is the laptop’s biggest weakness. Its 1920 x 1200 resolution is fine, but like many cheap gaming laptops, the display uses a lower-quality panel than what you’ll find on higher-end models, including the Alienware 16X that I tested last year. The result is washed-out, desaturated colors. My colorimeter confirmed my hunch, showing the Alienware 15 covered only 63 percent of the standard red, green, and blue (sRGB) color space, compared with the 100 percent you see on higher-end laptops.Though I’ve experienced similar issues with other budget laptops, including the Acer Nitro V 16, misery doesn’t love company in this case. That is, the commonplace nat