Is Alienware Worth It? (Pros, Cons, Full Review)

 

Alienware is a popular brand, especially among hardcore gamers and multimedia developers.

Some may say the brand has the whole package with its flashy, high-tech designs.

However, most people waver when choosing between Alienware and other gaming brands.

That’s mainly because of its steep prices.

This article will help you figure out if Alienware products are worth it by weighing the pros and cons.

 

Is Alienware Worth It?

 

The answer to this question is more complicated than a simple “Yes” or “No.”

It depends on which product you’re talking about, what you want to use it for, whether or not you’re a tech person, and so on.

Considering all the pros and cons in this article, Alienware laptops are worth it.

However, for the PCs and desktops, you would be better off building your own.

That is, of course, if you have the knowledge, skills, and time.

If not, what you get could be well worth the money you spend.

 

Pros

 

1. Elegant Design

 

One of the boldest and most eye-catching features of the Alienware brand is its unique and modern design.

The texture and material in the desktop sets and laptops make you feel they’re out of this world.

Alienware uses anodized aluminum, platinum, copper, and magnesium to make its products rigid and stiff.

Almost all Alienware pieces have cool RGB lighting across multiple spots.

Depending on the model you get, the RGB lighting can appear on the Alienware logo, keyboard, the edges of the laptops and casing, and the trackpads.

The colors and lights are fully customizable through the Alienware command center.

The newer laptops allow you to customize each key on the keyboard separately and have fun being creative!

The newer laptop models have less aggressive looks and rounded corners.

They restricted the flashing lights to a few key spots on the laptops, giving the devices a more elegant appearance.

All in all, Alienware’s vivid gadgets have always stood out among their competitors.

 

2. Powerful Features and Performance

 

The company is a trendsetter in the gaming industry, so its devices let you have an edge over your fellow gamers.

Their main goal is performance, which means they’re willing to compromise on weight and dimensions.

However, their latest laptop models have become slimmer while supporting the same high-end hardware as before.

Alienware’s latest laptops and desktops come with the 10^th generation Intel Core overclockable processors with Nvidia’s new Super GPUs.

This combination lets you experience outstanding performance and vivid gaming while giving you incredible content creation capabilities.

Alienware laptops have video RAM instead of ordinary RAM, boosting the gaming time.

They have a 9-ms response time, high-voltage driving fans, and dynamic thermal control.

The latest desktop models come with an innovative liquid cooling GPU technology, which brings along significant improvements while reducing temperature and noise.

Even the older models feature a liquid cooling system for the CPU.

What’s more, Alienware products give you plenty of opportunities for customization.

If you want overclockable CPUs and GPUs, dual SSDs, and OLED panels altogether, you can have it.

 

3. Innovation

 

The latest models of Alienware laptops feature the Tobii eye tracker, which lets you log in to your device more conveniently with a biometric login.

This facial recognition technology eliminates the need to type in a password.

A new cooling solution on the latest laptops keeps the temperature optimal and improves performance.

Alienware’s new clear-coat paint formula can resist stains and smudges, so you can snack while gaming without worrying about staining your precious device.

The latest headset models feature custom-tuned drivers, custom-designed acoustic earcups and chambers, plus retractable microphones with excellent voice quality.

 

4. Wide Range of Screen Options

 

These extra screen features aren’t necessary for everyone, but it’s good to have the option.

Your options include 4K, G-SYNC, and a higher refresh rate, which is perfect for gaming.

For games that run beyond 60fps, Alienware provides 120-Hz screens that give you exceptionally smooth gameplay.

 

5. High-Quality Keyboards and Touchpads

 

The latest desktop keyboards feature the newest generation Cherry MX keys, with key durability of 50 million keystrokes!

They’re also fully programmable.

The enhanced ergonomics and floating key architecture facilitate efficient gaming.

Alienware laptops also come with high-quality and reliable keyboards, which are essential for gaming.

Great core typing action, a clear lettering font, and crisp feedback let you type fast and effortlessly.

The laptops include a well-designed touchpad.

The newer models come with precision-point glass touchpads that make gaming very satisfying.

Although you can’t use the surface for clicking, there are two separate buttons below.

They’re easy to press and optimal for gaming.

In most Alienware devices, both the keys and touchpad light up with customizable colors.

 

6. Support and Warranty

 

Alienware systems come readily overclocked, making them safe and stable devices.

With Alienware, you’ll always have the option of finding the answers to your problems with a quick search on Reddit, YouTube, Quora, and other interactive platforms.

However, the convenience doesn’t stop there.

Dell and Alienware provide excellent customer support for all their products.

They offer both phone service and web service.

Alienware offers a standard warranty for its products.

That includes free two-way shipping, one-year hardware service, and in-home service once your problem is remotely diagnosed.

This company provides other warranty options that will cost you a pretty penny, but it’s wise to get them for a significant investment like an Alienware laptop.

First, there’s the “Premium Support” program in which the Dell support assistants diagnose your problem and contact an Alienware rep.

The “Support Plus” program is an upgraded version that will optimize PC performance and remove viruses.

You can buy these packages for two or four years.

 

7. Reviews

 

Although there’s a debate among customers about whether Alienware products are overpriced, the gamers who actually get the devices are mostly satisfied with what they end up with.

Many people have written great reviews about Alienware gaming laptops and desktops.

Even the headphones get lots of excellent feedback.

 

Cons

 

1. Expensive

Everybody knows that Alienware is an expensive brand.

Some people think the specifics and additional features are really worth the extra costs.

However, there are quite a few people who believe the devices are overpriced.

This debate is mostly over the brand’s desktop PCs.

However, their laptops are also relatively high-priced.

Alienware laptops aren’t the most expensive devices out there, but some customers believe that they end up paying an extra few hundred dollars when buying them.

Not to be unfair, their pricing has improved over the past few years, and you can find reasonable prices if you search for good deals.

Even so, Alienware’s average products sit in the gaming mid-range, and they don’t sell budget gaming laptops and desktops.

 

2. Unbalanced Systems

Some believe that Alienware goes overboard with its hardware.

For example, in the Aurora line of computers, they dedicate about $1,000 to the processor.

Getting the most top-of-the-line processor out there is fine as long as you don’t sacrifice overall device quality.

For instance, they don’t include a high-quality video card to go with the processor or an SSD.

They could raise the quality of their motherboards or power supplies, as well.

This strategy just doesn’t maximize the overall performance of the computer.

Some gamers even believe that Dell uses their low-quality RAMs and motherboards in some of their Alienware products.

 

3. Left Out Details

Some people argue that Alienware uses an extremely high-end processor in its products as a selling strategy.

This way, most consumers will just assume all the parts are as high-end as the processor.

Nevertheless, their eye-catching i9 processor doesn’t perform much better than the i7 if it’s not paired with the right GPU, RAM, and HDD.

This theory becomes more of a concern when the company leaves some details out of the product descriptions.

For instance, they never seem to forget to mention their high-tech processors, but they never say who manufactures their other components.

Even worse, they don’t include the type of motherboard and power supply that they use.

This information is crucial to let you know what you’re getting.

Good-quality motherboards and power supplies ensure that your system lasts.

Sometimes, they prioritize speed over quality in their assembly techniques and end up with a significant failure rate in their final products.

There have been reports of laptops not working or running with basic flaws when they were first delivered.

 

4. Cooling Issues

Cooling issues are common in Alienware laptops since their focus is mainly on performance.

This brand allows you to install additional components and push the specs further than their limits.

However, the upgrades are not only expensive but end up increasing your CPU temperature.

The temperature could go over 90 degrees and damage the laptop’s components in the long run.

You’ll need to sacrifice the performance by limiting boost frequency and power draw to keep the laptop cool.

Raising the back of the laptop is also an effective method.

 

5. Heavy and Thick Laptops

As mentioned, Alienware manufactures high-performance laptops and PCs that aren’t necessarily the most appealing or the lightest on the market.

Depending on your preferences, you could look at this as a pro or as a con.

Their laptops have thicker casings, so they tend to be heavier than other gaming laptops.

If you’re planning on keeping your laptop at home and only using it for gaming, this won’t be an issue.

However, for those who need to travel with their laptops daily, it could get annoying.

The newer Alienware laptop models such as the m15 and m17 are thinner and less bulky.

Still, it’s a good idea to compare their weight and size with those of other brands, so you won’t be shocked when your device arrives.

 

6. Lack of SD Card Slot

Unlike its competitors, Alienware doesn’t include an SD card slot in all of its laptop designs.

That could be an issue for video editors, photographers, and anyone who frequently works with portable storage media.

However, the problem isn’t that hard to solve.

A simple workaround is to buy a USB SD card reader.

 

7. You Could Build Your PC for Less!

Many avid gamers who know quite a bit about computers and desktops believe that you can build your PC for less, with the same quality as Alienware’s setups.

They argue that you’ll know that, when you choose all the parts and components yourself, there are no low-quality items in the design.

You can save a lot of money overall or put the extra money to buy better parts for your system.

Plus, building your PC isn’t hard.

You can learn all about it online.

It’ll take some time, and you’ll have to learn the basics, but it’ll be worth it.

 

Who Should Buy Alienware?

 

If you’re looking for a laptop that can handle high-end games, intense video processing, heavy streaming, sound editing, advanced programming, or any multimedia development, Alienware is an excellent option.

Their laptops are still more expensive than other brands, but you’ll know you’re getting a durable and robust device.

If you’re looking for a desktop, don’t know anything about computers, and want a decent machine, get an Alienware device.

That’s because even the low-end models are great PCs.

No matter what you pick, you’ll end up with a device that can solve your problems.

On the other hand, for the tech-savvy users who like to build their own computers and customize their systems, Alienware isn’t such a good option.

If you belong in this group, you can build your own for much less money or with much more horsepower.

All in all, everyone has different preferences, needs, and budget considerations.

Ultimately, you’re the one who decides what brand and model is best suited for your situation.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

1. Is Alienware Overpriced?

This issue is up for debate.

Many people believe that, much like all the big companies, Alienware sells its products at much higher prices than they’re worth.

The markup varies depending on the product line and model.

The issue is more significant with Alienware desktops.

On the other hand, some people think the high technology and modern design are worth the cost.

 

2. What’s So Special About Alienware?

Alienware usually gets the attention of hardcore gamers.

The first unique feature of Alienware products is their out-of-this-world design.

The texture and customizable RGB lighting turn many heads.

Second, they use the latest technology in their pieces, focusing mainly on performance, strength, and speed.

These factors create a great gaming experience.

Third, Alienware lets you customize their products to your liking, so you can boost the performance even further.

However, all these come at a high price.

Lastly, the company provides decent customer support and extra warranty programs that you can buy.

 

3. Is Alienware Better Than Apple?

Comparing Alienware and Apple is like comparing apples and oranges.

Both brands offer quality products that can fulfill various needs, but they’re suitable for different people.

If you’re all about high-end video games, high processing power, and a large storage area, Alienware is your obvious choice.

Also, Alienware products are better for those who prefer Windows and are willing to carry around extra weight.

Apple products can satisfy regular users like students, businessmen, or anyone who does creative work with office, motion graphics, design, and normal video editing.

Their low weight makes them great for easy transportation.

You should also be comfortable with iOS systems if you’re thinking about buying any of Apple’s.