A refreshed mid-range offering in the new Aurora line, the 16X positions itself as Alienware's accessible gaming option for 2025. With its 20-core Core Ultra 255HX processor and a choice of Nvidia RTX 5060 or 5070 graphics cards, this 16-inch laptop promises the Alienware experience without the prohibitive price of the Area-51 series. Its 240Hz, 500-nit display, generous 96Wh battery, and new Interstellar Indigo chassis seem to tick all the boxes to appeal to gamers on a budget.
Alienware 16X Aurora – Gaming 16″
The Pluses
✔ 500-nit, 240Hz IPS screen, comfortable for outdoor use
✔ Excellent 6h48 battery life for Intel HX
✔ Efficient bridge cooling below 38°C
✔ Maximum scalability: 2 RAM, 2 M.2, WiFi
✔ Full connectivity: Thunderbolt 4, HDMI 2.1
✔ Windows Hello infrared fast authentication
The Downsides
✗ The keyboard and touchpad are plastic with a cheap feel.
✗ RTX 5060 GPU limited to 95W vs. expected 115W
✗ 2x2W speakers, mediocre audio distortion
✗ Command Center 83s loading failure, bugs
✗ 8 GB VRAM RTX 5060/5070 AAA saturations
✗ USB-C 15W GPU gaming charging not possible
Our €2099 test configuration includes the Core Ultra 255HX, an RTX 5060 graphics card, 16GB of DDR5 RAM, and a 1TB SSD—the bare minimum recommended for this laptop. Three weeks of intensive testing allowed us to evaluate its gaming capabilities, thermal management, and everyday usability. But behind the marketing promises lie some surprising design choices: a plastic keyboard and touchpad that clash with the price point, particularly timid 2x2-watt speakers, and above all, an 8GB VRAM limit on the RTX 5060 and 5070 that raises questions in 2025.
We spent 96 hours measuring temperatures, noise levels, power consumption, and gaming performance to determine if the Aurora 16X deserves a place in your bag. Between remarkable thermal efficiency and questionable ergonomic compromises, this gaming laptop is as divisive as it is intriguing.
Price and Availability
The Alienware 16X Aurora starts at €2,099 in its configuration with a Core Ultra 255HX, RTX 5060, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD. Dell also offers an RTX 5070 version with a 2TB SSD for €2,599. The laptop is available in a single color, Interstellar Indigo. Regular promotions on Amazon offer discounts of 10% to 15% during sales periods.
Test Conditions
We tested the Alienware 16X Aurora for 23 consecutive days with the RTX 5060 version and 18 days with the RTX 5070 version. Testing was performed under Windows 11 with BIOS 1.3.7 (a critical update fixing a GPU throttling bug), Nvidia drivers 566.03, and Alienware Command Center firmware 6.8.2. Temperature measurements were taken with a calibrated infrared thermometer, noise levels with a certified sound level meter placed 30 cm from the keyboard, and power consumption with a precision wattmeter. All gaming tests were performed at the native 2560×1600 resolution to evaluate the laptop's true performance without artificial scaling.
Elegant construction but questionable finishing ★★★☆☆ (15/20)
The Indigo Interstellar chassis immediately captivates with its deep midnight blue hue and iridescent logo that changes appearance depending on the angle of the light. Dell has opted for an aluminum lid and a metal bottom panel, giving the whole thing a noticeable sturdiness. At 2.5 kg for the RTX 5060 version and 2.6 kg for the RTX 5070, the weight remains reasonable for a 16-inch gaming laptop, even if the 280-watt charger for the 5070 version adds nearly 800 grams to the bag.
The 21.8 mm thickness and rounded edges make it easy to grip and prevent the discomfort of sharp edges during transport. We particularly appreciated the raised chassis when opened, which improves airflow and typing ergonomics. The hinges are robust and allow for a 180-degree opening without wobbling, even when quickly opening the lid. The laptop can be opened with one hand, although the rearward weighting slightly lifts the front during this operation.
Fingerprints remain discreet on the matte finish, and a simple wipe with a microfiber cloth is all it takes to restore the chassis to its original appearance. The build quality is flawless, with consistent clearances and precise panel alignment. The lid resists twisting adequately under normal use, although firm pressure reveals slightly more flexibility than we would expect at this price point.
It's upon opening the box that the compromises become apparent. The palm rest and touchpad are entirely made of plastic, a clear disappointment on a laptop priced at €2,099. This cheap feel clashes with Alienware's positioning and is more reminiscent of Dell's older G series. The 115 x 75 mm touchpad functions correctly with precise clicks, but the plastic texture lacks refinement. We also noticed a significant difference in click sound between our RTX 5060 and RTX 5070 models, with no apparent explanation.
Keyboard
The chiclet keyboard with monochrome RGB backlighting is even more disappointing. The keys have a 1.4 mm travel and acceptable tactile feedback, but the overall feel lacks firmness and precision. The reduced arrow keys make navigation difficult, and the keyboard's integrated power key triggers sleep mode with the slightest accidental touch. The backlighting, adjustable to two levels via F9, remains too dim for comfortable use in low light. After several hours of daily typing, we sincerely miss the traditional Alienware keyboard that was the brand's hallmark. This cost-cutting on a component used daily is the biggest criticism of our test.
Internal Access and Scalability
Disassembling the 16X requires removing ten Phillips screws of identical length, eight of which can be completely removed, while the two rear screws remain captive and help lift the panel. Prying tools are still necessary to release the side clips. Once opened, the computer reveals excellent modularity: two DDR5 RAM slots accessible under Mylar films, two M.2 slots accepting SSDs with double-sided components, and a replaceable MediaTek Wi-Fi 7 card. The 96 Wh battery occupies the front of the chassis. The only drawback: the inverted motherboard necessitates complete disassembly of the computer to access the cooling system and replace the thermal paste, an operation that will discourage most users.
Bright screen but with outdated IPS technology ★★★★☆ (16/20)
The 16-inch IPS panel with a 2560x1600 resolution and a 240Hz refresh rate is a pragmatic choice for this price point. Its maximum brightness of 500 nits, measured at the center of the screen, allows for comfortable use outdoors or in brightly lit environments. The matte anti-glare coating effectively reduces unwanted reflections without compromising image sharpness. The absence of an OLED panel at this price point in 2025 might seem surprising, but Dell stands by this decision to keep production costs down.
Viewing angles remain excellent thanks to IPS technology, with minimal degradation up to 170 degrees horizontally and vertically. Factory calibration is adequate but not exceptional: we measured an average Delta E of 2.8 on our test pattern, an acceptable result for gaming but less than ideal for content creation. sRGB color gamut coverage reaches 98%, while Adobe RGB coverage is capped at 76%, confirming this monitor's gaming rather than professional focus.
The 3ms gray-to-gray response time ensures remarkably smooth gameplay during fast-paced sessions. At 240Hz, camera movements in FPS games remain fluid without any noticeable ghosting. However, we regret the absence of hardware G-Sync, which is replaced by software G-Sync compatibility via the HDMI 2.1 port and the left USB-C port, directly connected to the Nvidia GPU. The right USB-C port, connected to the integrated Intel graphics, allows for silent office use without utilizing the dedicated graphics card.
The 1080p webcam positioned above the screen delivers satisfactory image quality for video conferencing, with responsive automatic exposure and effective noise reduction in low-light conditions. The adjacent infrared Windows Hello module enables instant biometric authentication, our preferred method for logging into Windows. Simply glancing at the screen unlocks the computer without any physical interaction, a welcome convenience for everyday use.
Backlight uniformity exhibits some variation at the corners, with a maximum difference of 12% between the center and the bottom corners when displaying a black surface. This slight defect remains invisible during normal use but may be noticeable on solid dark backgrounds. The PWM modulation frequency, measured at 1000 Hz at 50% brightness, avoids the eye strain issues encountered with some low-frequency modulation OLED panels.
Balanced CPU performance but with room for improvement in thermal management ★★★★☆ (17/20)
The Core Ultra 255HX features 20 cores divided into 8 performance cores and 12 efficiency cores, an ideal configuration for gaming where the efficiency cores are used less frequently. Dell wisely chose this model over the more expensive 275HX, as the 4 additional efficiency cores offer no noticeable performance gain in games. However, production tasks such as video encoding and compilation benefit from this hybrid architecture.
Synthetic Benchmarks
In Geekbench 6, the 255HX scores 2687 points in single-core and 16243 points in multi-core on our RTX 5070 configuration with a 280W charger. These scores place it slightly behind the MSI Vector 16, which is equipped with the same processor but benefits from a higher thermal budget. Our RTX 5060 configuration with a 180W charger shows lower results: 2654 points in single-core and 14892 points in multi-core, representing an 8.3% loss in multi-core performance directly attributable to power limitations.
Cinebench R23, a 10-minute stress test that utilizes all cores, reveals this difference more clearly. The 5070 version achieves 21,456 points in multi-core performance compared to 19,123 points for the 5060 version, a difference of 12.2%. In single-core performance, the two configurations are identical at 1,893 points, confirming that only sustained workloads are affected by the weaker charger.
We tested all of Alienware Command Center's performance profiles in Cinebench R24 to quantify their impact. Silent mode keeps the fans at 42 dB(A) for a score of 1345 points, prioritizing acoustic comfort. Balanced mode increases to 49 dB(A) and 1578 points. Performance mode reaches 52 dB(A) and 1687 points. High Performance climbs to 1734 points but pushes the fans to 58 dB(A). Finally, Overdrive mode unlocks the maximum with 1812 points at the cost of a deafening 62 dB(A), a level we reserve exclusively for benchmarks.
Thermal Limits and Load Behavior
The cryogenic chamber cooling system with a shared heat pipe between the CPU and GPU struggles to handle the processor's short-term 145W boost. During our combined CPU+GPU stress tests, the 255HX consistently reaches its 100°C limit in Performance mode and beyond, triggering thermal throttling that reduces frequencies. Only Silent mode maintains acceptable temperatures around 85°C, but performance then drops by 28%.
The short 145W boost lasts only 28 seconds in Overdrive mode before the TDP stabilizes at 116W in long boost mode. On the 5060 version, these values drop to 125W and 98W respectively, explaining the performance difference observed previously. Average clock speeds under sustained load reach 4.1 GHz on the P-cores and 3.2 GHz on the E-cores in the 5070 version, compared to 3.8 GHz and 2.9 GHz in the 5060 version.
Using an external cooling pad significantly improves the situation. With our cooling pad equipped with five maximum-speed fans, the CPU maintains a continuous 132W without exceeding 98°C, resulting in a 14% performance increase during sustained 3D rendering. This improvement justifies the investment in active cooling for users who regularly perform demanding tasks.
Electricity Consumption
We measured the system's total power consumption under various usage scenarios. At idle on the Windows desktop, the computer consumes 18W for the 5060 model and 21W for the 5070 model, the difference stemming from the latter's faster Gen 4 SSD. During light web browsing with five tabs open, power consumption rises to 28-31W. When streaming 1080p YouTube video, we recorded 32W (5060) and 35W (5070).
Synthetic CPU-only benchmarks (Cinebench R24) show system power consumption reaching 162W in Overdrive mode on the 5070 version, including the 116W from the processor, 12W from the screen at maximum brightness, and the remainder for the motherboard and fans. The 5060 version tops out at 138W in the same scenario. Under maximum combined CPU+GPU load, the figures skyrocket: 236W for the 5070 configuration and 194W for the 5060, justifying the 280W and 180W power supplies, respectively.
| Use case scenario | RTX 5060 (W) | RTX 5070 (W) |
|---|---|---|
| Windows desktop rest | 18 | 21 |
| Web browsing (5 tabs) | 28 | 31 |
| Streaming on YouTube in 1080p | 32 | 35 |
| Cinebench R24 (CPU only, Overdrive) | 138 | 162 |
| Maximum combined CPU+GPU load | 194 | 236 |
| Medium gaming (RTX, Ultra, 1600p) | 168 | 201 |
Satisfactory Gaming Performance but with Frustrating VRAM Limitations ★★★★☆ (16/20)
Both tested configurations deliver decent gaming performance for their price point, although the 8GB of VRAM on the RTX 5060 and 5070 will start to show its limitations by 2025. Dell should have reserved at least the RTX 5070 Ti and its 12GB of graphics memory for this chassis, which is capable of dissipating over 110W. Gamers aiming for Ultra textures at 1600p will encounter memory bottlenecks on recent AAA titles, forcing frustrating visual compromises.
RTX 5070 Performance
The RTX 5070 version has a power limit of 115W according to Nvidia's control panel, although our measurements peaked at 100W under combined CPU+GPU load and 110W with a cooling pad. Average GPU frequencies in games reach 2340MHz in Performance mode, climbing to 2465MHz in Overdrive at the cost of unbearable fan noise. In our tests of Cyberpunk 2077 at Ultra settings with ray tracing at native 1600p, we obtained an average of 67 FPS in Performance mode and 71 FPS in Overdrive. Enabling Balanced DLSS boosts these figures to 94 and 102 FPS respectively, making the experience smooth even in dense urban scenes.
Forza Horizon 5 on Extreme settings displays an average native frame rate of 89 FPS and 127 FPS with FSR2 Quality, fully utilizing the screen's 240Hz refresh rate. Shadow of the Tomb Raider on Highest preset maintains an average native frame rate of 81 FPS, rising to 118 FPS with DLSS Performance. These results place the 5070 configuration in the upper range of mid-range gaming laptops for 2025, behind the Asus ROG Strix Scar 16 and MSI Raider GE68, but ahead of the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i and HP Omen 16.
Switching to an external display via HDMI 2.1 or USB-C Thunderbolt connected directly to the Nvidia GPU provides an 8 to 12% performance boost, depending on the game, bypassing the slight Optimus penalty of hybrid mode. This option is particularly appealing for gamers with a 1440p 165Hz or higher G-Sync monitor. VR support works flawlessly on Meta Quest 3 via a wired USB-C connection, with stable performance on Half-Life: Alyx and Beat Saber.
RTX 5060 Performance
The RTX 5060 version suffers from a double whammy: a 95W power limitation due to the insufficient 180W charger, and a CPU throttled to 40W under combined load to comply with the overall thermal envelope. Dell released a VBIOS update after launch to fix a bug that initially limited the GPU to 70W with certain serial numbers of 96Wh batteries. After installing BIOS 1.3.7, we observed an 11% increase in average FPS, rising from 54 to 60 FPS in our Cyberpunk 2077 test scene.
Even with performance improvements, the RTX 5060 lags significantly behind its bigger sibling. In the same Cyberpunk 2077 benchmark at native 1600p Ultra ray tracing, it achieves an average of 52 FPS in Performance mode compared to 67 for the 5070, a difference of 22%. This gap persists with DLSS enabled: 78 FPS versus 94, still a 20% difference. High Performance and Overdrive modes only provide an additional 1 to 2 FPS on the 5060, as the CPU's 40W power limit prevents it from fully utilizing the extra GPU power.
Forza Horizon 5 runs at an average of 71 FPS on Extreme settings, compared to 89 FPS for the 5070. Shadow of the Tomb Raider displays 66 FPS versus 81. These 20-25% differences persist across all our benchmarks, confirming that investing an extra €500 to upgrade to the RTX 5070 delivers a real performance boost. For comparison, an MSI Katana 15 B13V with a previous-generation RTX 4070 still slightly outperforms our 5060 despite its age, while an Asus TUF A16 with an RX 7700S performs similarly.
Thermal and Acoustic Behavior in Play
Temperatures remain under control during extended gaming sessions, regardless of the performance mode used. In Silent mode with the GPU capped at 60W and 42dB(A), the GPU reaches 68°C and the CPU 78°C after 2 hours of playing Cyberpunk 2077. Balanced mode (80W GPU, 49dB(A)) raises these values to 74°C and 83°C. Performance mode (100W GPU, 52dB(A)) reaches 79°C and 89°C. Overdrive mode (110W GPU, 62dB(A)) crosses the threshold with 84°C on the GPU and 95°C on the CPU, without triggering any noticeable throttling.
The bridge above the keyboard remains cool under all circumstances, with a maximum surface temperature of 38°C recorded in Overdrive mode after 90 minutes of gaming. The palm rest never exceeds 32°C, ensuring optimal user comfort. The only localized hot spot is the area between the F5 and F8 keys, which reaches 46°C under maximum load, but this part of the keyboard is only used occasionally.
The fans adopt a gradual ramp-up curve, avoiding unpleasant sudden changes in speed. In Silent Gaming mode (60W GPU), the background noise of 42 dB(A) allows for gaming without headphones in a quiet room. The Balanced mode at 49 dB(A) remains tolerable for 2-3 hour sessions. Beyond that, we recommend headphones, as the 52 dB(A) of Performance mode becomes tiring after an hour. As for Overdrive mode and its 62 dB(A), it's an acoustic feat and should only be used to maximize 3DMark scores.
Disappointing Audio and Faulty App ★★☆☆☆ (11/20)
The two downward-firing, 2-watt speakers are a major disappointment. At 50% volume, the sound is sorely lacking in body, with constricted mids and harsh highs. Increasing the volume to 80% amplifies the distortion without adding any clarity. At 100%, the speakers completely distort, producing an unpleasant crackling sound and noticeable vibrations in the palm rest. The nonexistent stereo imaging and complete absence of bass make these speakers barely usable for watching a show. They're adequate for video calls or listening to a podcast, but any gaming or multimedia session will require headphones.
The 3.5 mm jack delivers clean audio output with a decent signal-to-noise ratio. We detected no background noise or electrical interference when connecting our reference headset. The aptX Bluetooth codec provides acceptable wireless listening for casual audio, although the measured latency of 180 ms precludes any competitive gaming use.
Alienware Command Center
Alienware Command Center, the software meant to control performance profiles, backlighting, and audio settings, is riddled with serious flaws. Loading time at startup reaches 83 seconds on our RTX 5060 configuration and 79 seconds on the RTX 5070 before any adjustments can be made. In comparison, Asus's Armoury Crate loads in 4 seconds, and MSI Center in 6 seconds. This interminable wait at every reboot quickly becomes infuriating.
The interface suffers from display bugs, with elements randomly overlapping. The custom mode, which is supposed to allow overclocking the GPU and adjusting its maximum temperature, works erratically, with settings only applying about one in three times. The F6 shortcut for switching to High Performance mode has a 2-3 second lag. Even worse, the active profile resets itself on reboot, requiring manual reconfiguration for each session.
The AlienFX section, which controls the monochrome RGB backlighting of the keyboard, offers about ten pre-programmed effects, but the maximum brightness remains too low even at the highest setting. The inability to create profiles for each game that are automatically loaded at launch is a glaring omission compared to competing solutions. Dell absolutely must rewrite this software from the ground up to deliver a user experience worthy of a modern gaming laptop.
Decent battery life and comprehensive connectivity ★★★★☆ (17/20)
The 96 Wh battery offers respectable battery life for a gaming laptop of this power. In our test of streaming YouTube video over Wi-Fi at 200 nits of brightness with stealth mode enabled and the screen capped at 60 Hz, the RTX 5060 version lasted 6 hours and 48 minutes before shutting down. The RTX 5070 version performed slightly worse at 6 hours and 21 minutes, its faster SSD and amplified audio chipset consuming a few extra watts.
In mixed office use, alternating between web browsing, word processing, and watching local videos, we obtained 5 hours and 15 minutes on the 5060 and 4 hours and 52 minutes on the 5070. These results place the 16X Aurora in the middle range of Intel HX 2025 gaming laptops, behind AMD Ryzen configurations but ahead of models equipped with previous-generation Intel processors. The inability to automatically switch the refresh rate to 60 Hz on battery power via software negatively impacts battery life; this setting must be manually adjusted in Windows settings.
The modern standby test, spread over 24 hours, reveals an 18% battery drain, or 0.75% per hour. This average result indicates room for improvement in standby mode power management, with some components clearly not switching to their optimal power-saving states. An Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 loses only 0.4% per hour under the same conditions.
A full charge takes 2 hours and 38 minutes with the 180W charger of the 5060 version, compared to 2 hours and 12 minutes with the 280W charger of the 5070. Dell advertises fast charging that can reach 50% in 45 minutes, a target met in our tests with 52% reached in 44 minutes on the 5070 configuration and 49% in 47 minutes on the 5060.
USB-C Power Delivery Charging
The right USB-C port supports Power Delivery charging up to 100W, allowing the use of a universal charger, docking station, or compatible monitor. We tested with a 100W Anker 747 charger and a Dell U2723DE monitor with 90W of power delivery. CPU performance under PD load remains excellent, with the 255HX maintaining its boost frequencies without any noticeable limitations. However, the GPU receives only 15W via Power Delivery, an incomprehensible choice by Dell when the competition typically allocates 40 to 50W.
In practical terms, this limitation makes gaming on battery power with USB-C charging impractical. Playing Cyberpunk 2077 at Medium settings in 1080p, we only obtained 28 FPS with PD charging, compared to 51 FPS when plugged in with the proprietary charger. Even less demanding games like League of Legends struggle to maintain a stable 60 FPS. USB-C charging is therefore only suitable for office work or light multimedia use, not for gaming.
Ports and Connectivity
The port selection is comprehensive and well-thought-out. On the left side, there's an ingenious retractable Gigabit Ethernet RJ45 port that adds no thickness to the closed chassis, a USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 port, and a 3.5mm combo headphone jack. At the rear, the HDMI 2.1 port, directly connected to the Nvidia GPU, allows you to drive an external 4K 120Hz or 1440p 240Hz display with G-Sync. The two USB-C ports are noteworthy: the left one is USB 4 with Thunderbolt 4, reaching 40 Gbps and connecting to the Nvidia graphics, while the right one is USB 3.2 Gen 2, limited to 10 Gbps, which connects to the Intel graphics and includes Power Delivery. A final USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 port completes the array.
The lack of an SD card reader is a disappointment for content creators, who will have to use a USB adapter. Positioning the ports only on the back and left side frees up space on the right for a mouse, avoiding cumbersome cables. However, all the ports being located at the rear complicate frequent plugging and unplugging, as the chassis needs to be rotated to access the connections. An additional USB-C port on the side would have improved everyday usability.
The MediaTek MT7925 WiFi 7 card delivers speeds that meet our expectations, with 1847 Mbps download and 1632 Mbps upload speeds on our test WiFi 7 router. The range remains excellent at 15 meters with two load-bearing walls in between, where the speed drops to 723 Mbps but the connection remains stable. The integrated Bluetooth 5.4 handles up to 5 simultaneous devices without any dropouts or interference observed during our tests with a mouse, keyboard, headphones, gamepad, and speakers connected at the same time.
Comparison with Competition
Compared to its direct competitors, the Alienware 16X Aurora finds itself in an awkward position. The MSI Katana 16 B13V, priced at €1899, offers a previous-generation RTX 4070 that still outperforms the 16X's RTX 5060 in raw performance, while also boasting a superior mechanical keyboard. However, its less fluid 144Hz screen and all-plastic construction are drawbacks. ★★★★☆ (16/20) – Recommended if you're on a tight budget and build quality isn't a major concern.
The Asus TUF Gaming A16 FA608, priced at €2299, features a Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 and a Radeon RX 7700S graphics card that rivals the RTX 5070 found in the 16X. Its significantly superior AMD battery life (8.5 hours of video playback) and more comfortable keyboard compensate for a slightly less bright screen at 400 nits. The 15% decrease in multi-core CPU performance is noticeable in productivity tasks but not in gaming. ★★★★☆ (17/20) – Recommended for intensive mobile use.
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i Gen 9 at €2499 with a Core Ultra 9 285H and RTX 5070 clearly outperforms the 16X in gaming performance, its vapor cooling system allowing the GPU to draw a constant 125W. Its 16GB of VRAM on the optional RTX 5070 Ti definitively solves the memory saturation issue. Its €400 price difference and 2.8kg weight make it suitable only for desktop gamers who prioritize raw power. ★★★★★ (19/20) – The best choice for pure performance, with a flexible budget.
| Criteria | Alienware 16X | MSI Katana 16 | Asus TUF A16 | Lenovo Legion Pro 5i |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | 2099 € | 1899 € | 2299 € | 2499 € |
| Performance Gaming | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ |
| Screen | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ |
| Autonomy | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ |
| Construction quality | ★★★☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ |
| Noise pollution | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ |
| Overall rating | 16/20 | 16/20 | 17/20 | 19/20 |
Conclusion
Overall rating: 16/20 ★★★★☆
After 96 hours of intensive testing, the Alienware 16X Aurora emerges as a capable but flawed gaming laptop. Its bright 500-nit screen coupled with a 240Hz refresh rate offers a comfortable viewing experience, while its cooling system effectively manages surface temperatures despite the CPU reaching nearly 100°C internally. The 6-hour, 48-minute battery life during video playback and the extensive expandability offered by two RAM slots and an M.2 slot inspire confidence in the long-term viability of this investment.
Unfortunately, Dell's cost-cutting measures undermine the overall experience. The €2099 plastic keyboard and touchpad are a design faux pas, the 2x2W speakers are an audiophile insult, and the Command Center software takes 83 seconds to boot—a test of even the most patient user. The artificial limitation of the RTX 5060 GPU to 95W due to budget constraints is frustrating, as is the 8GB of VRAM on both configurations, which already maxes out at 1600p Ultra settings.
The 16X Aurora will suit gamers looking for the Alienware brand without breaking the bank, willing to sacrifice some build quality and audio comfort for decent gaming performance. However, we recommend waiting for a significant discount or upgrading to the Area-51 to get the build quality you expect at this price point.
- Screen : ★★★★☆ (16/20)
- CPU performance : ★★★★☆ (17/20)
- GPU Performance : ★★★★☆ (16/20)
- Cooling : ★★★★☆ (17/20)
- Build quality : ★★★☆☆ (15/20)
- Keyboard/Trackpad : ★★☆☆☆ (11/20)
- Audio : ★★☆☆☆ (11/20)
- Autonomy : ★★★★☆ (17/20)
- Connectivity : ★★★★☆ (17/20)
- Software : ★★☆☆☆ (11/20)
- Value for money : ★★★☆☆ (14/20)
Some links on our site are affiliate links. This has no impact on the price you pay, but these commissions allow us to fund our work and continuously improve our tests and comparisons. Thank you for your support!