Alienware Area-51 Gaming Laptop Returns with Enhanced Style, Power, and Cooling

Dell has officially reintroduced the iconic Alienware Area-51 gaming laptop, first announced at CES 2025, and it's now available for purchase. You can choose between two models: the 16-inch version starting at $3,199.99 and the 18-inch version starting at $3,399.99. Both models are equipped with top-of-the-line components, including the latest Intel Core Ultra 9 CPU and NVIDIA Blackwell GPU. To avoid any delays, place your order now, as shipping is scheduled to begin on April 30.

The Alienware Area-51 Gaming Laptop Is Now Available

New Release### Alienware 16 Area-51 Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX RTX 5080 Gaming Laptop

0$3,199.99 at AlienwareNew Release### Alienware 18 Area-51 Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX RTX 5080 Gaming Laptop

0$3,399.99 at Alienware

Currently, both the 16-inch and 18-inch Area-51 gaming laptops are available with a single configuration: the Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX CPU paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 GPU. The Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX offers a max turbo frequency of 5.4GHz, 24 cores, and 40MB of L2 cache, making it the fastest laptop processor on the market according to Passmark, with a 7% performance lead over the AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX3D. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 mobile GPU, while not yet tested by us, is reported by VideoCardz.com to be about 16% more powerful than the RTX 4080 in 3DMark Time Spy benchmarks. With DLSS 4.0 compatibility, this GPU should deliver exceptional performance on the QHD+ display.

The base configurations include a choice between a 16-inch or 18-inch QHD+ display with a refresh rate of 240Hz-300Hz and G-Sync certification, 32GB of DDR5-6400MHz RAM, and a 1TB M.2 SSD. Both models offer upgrade options to 64GB of RAM and a 2TB SSD.

The Area-51: New Style, More Power, Better Cooling

The 2025 Alienware Area-51 gaming laptop boasts a magnesium alloy chassis and enhanced cooling systems to manage the heat from its powerful components. This includes additional fans, larger cutouts for improved airflow, increased copper usage, and a new thermal interface material for better heat dissipation. Dell claims the laptop can handle a power ceiling of up to 240W TDP without increasing noise levels.

The design of the Area-51 features smooth contours with rounded edges and soft corners, moving away from the typical squared-off look of other laptops. The hinges are mostly internal, making them nearly invisible. As expected from Alienware, there are extensive RGB LED lighting customization options. Connectivity includes three USB Type-A 3.2 15Gbps ports (one with PowerShare), two Thunderbolt / USB Type-C ports, an HDMI 2.1 port, and a card reader. The 16-inch model weighs 7.5 pounds, while the 18-inch model weighs 9.6 pounds.

Explore more of the best Alienware deals available today.

Why Should You Trust IGN's Deals Team?

IGN's deals team brings over 30 years of collective experience in sourcing the best discounts across gaming, tech, and various other categories. Our commitment is to provide our readers with genuine value, avoiding any misleading promotions. We focus on highlighting the best deals from reputable brands that our editorial team has firsthand experience with. For more insight into our methodology, visit our deals standards page, or follow the latest deals on IGN's Deals Twitter account.