Alienware’s iconic Area-51 series has made a thrilling comeback. After a brief hiatus, Dell is shaking up the gaming world with new offerings: the Alienware Area-51 gaming desktop and two impressive laptops, the Alienware 16 Area-51 and Alienware 18 Area-51.
These fresh additions maintain the high standards of past Area-51 models, boasting advanced specs that rival the top-tier gaming PCs and laptops currently available. When these models were unveiled, our own Cale Hunt gave a comprehensive breakdown. Let’s revisit some of those key highlights, and the exciting update is that these machines are now up for grabs on Dell’s website.
Alienware Area-51 Gaming Desktop
First showcased at CES 2025, the Alienware Area-51 desktop combines cutting-edge power with an RTX 5090 and an Intel Core Ultra 9 processor. A standout feature is its enhanced upgradability — a past pain point with Alienware’s proprietary parts. The spacious 80L case, equipped with quick-release side panels, makes internal modifications and repairs a breeze. The desktop continues to impress with an ATX motherboard design, though it opts for just two UDIMM slots.
Under the hood, you’re looking at top-notch performance, thanks to NVIDIA’s future-ready RTX 5000 series GPUs paired with Intel’s Core Ultra Series 2 chips. Ease of upgrading aside, the affordability factor sweetens the deal. The model featuring an Intel Core Ultra 9 285K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 is currently offering a $400 discount, bringing it down to $4,649.99. Those wanting only the highest performance can opt for a configuration with RTX 5090 for $5,499.99.
Alienware Area-51 Gaming Laptops
Alienware is also turning heads with their new Area-51 gaming laptops — the 16-inch and 18-inch variants have been made available this week. These beauties sport sleek aluminum bodies and revamped thermal designs, engineered to handle up to 280W split across the CPU and GPU, setting a new bar for gaming performance in laptops.
Notably, the bottom of these devices includes a glass panel, a window into the high-octane workings within. Under the minimalist, robust design lies impressive power: the speculative specs include NVIDIA’s next-gen mobile GPUs coupled with Intel’s Core Ultra 9 275HX CPUs, pushing the limits of gaming on-the-go.
The display options flaunt high refresh rates and full coverage of the DCI-P3 color gamut, perfect for gamers who refuse to compromise on quality. Connectivity is also at the forefront, with ports galore and top-notch wireless technology, including support for Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4.
Whether it’s a high-performance desktop or a portable powerhouse laptop you’re after, Alienware’s latest lineup keeps the brand’s legacy of excellence alive and kicking.