Dell announced the exciting return of the iconic Alienware Area-51 gaming laptop at CES 2025, and as of today, it's finally available for purchase. The much-anticipated laptop comes in two sizes: the 16" model starts at $3,199.99, and the 18" model is priced at $3,399.99. True to Alienware's flagship reputation, the Area-51 is packed with the latest technology, featuring the cutting-edge Intel Core Ultra 9 CPU and NVIDIA Blackwell GPU. Orders are set to begin shipping on April 30, so secure your reservation now to avoid any delays.
The Alienware Area-51 Gaming Laptop Is Now Available
New Release### Alienware 16 Area-51 Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX RTX 5080 Gaming Laptop
$3,199.99 at Alienware
New Release### Alienware 18 Area-51 Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX RTX 5080 Gaming Laptop
$3,399.99 at Alienware
Both the 16" and 18" Area-51 gaming laptops are available in a single high-performance configuration: the Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX CPU paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 GPU. The Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX, boasting a max turbo frequency of 5.4GHz, 24 cores, and 40MB of total L2 cache, is recognized by Passmark as the fastest laptop processor on the market, surpassing the AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX3D by 7%. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 mobile GPU, according to preliminary 3DMark Time Spy benchmarks from VideoCardz.com, is about 16% more powerful than the RTX 4080. This significant performance boost, combined with DLSS 4.0 compatibility, promises to deliver exceptionally high framerates on the QHD+ display for virtually any game.
The base configurations offer a choice between a 16" or 18" QHD+ display with refresh rates ranging from 240Hz to 300Hz and G-Sync certification, 32GB of DDR5-6400MHz RAM, and a 1TB M.2 SSD. Both models provide the option to upgrade to 64GB of RAM and 2TB of storage.
The Area-51: New Style, More Power, Better Cooling
For 2025, the Alienware Area-51 gaming laptop introduces a sleek magnesium alloy chassis with enhanced cooling capabilities to manage the heat generated by its advanced components. This includes additional fans, larger cutouts for improved airflow, increased use of copper, and a new thermal interface material for better heat dissipation. Dell asserts that the laptop can handle a power ceiling of up to 240W TDP without increasing noise levels.
The Area-51's design showcases smooth contours with rounded edges and soft corners, moving away from the typical squared-off look. The hinges are discreetly positioned internally for a seamless appearance. As expected from an Alienware product, there are extensive options for RGB LED customization. Connectivity options include 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" model weighs 7.5 pounds, while the 18" model comes in at 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 uncovering the best discounts across gaming, technology, and beyond. Our mission is to guide our readers to genuine bargains on products from trusted brands that we've personally used. Learn more about our deal-finding process in our standards guide, or follow our latest finds on IGN's Deals account on Twitter.