Dell Alienware 15 R4 – An Unstoppable Beast of a Gaming Laptop

Sup gamers! Today we’re taking a close look at Dell’s powerhouse Alienware 15 R4 gaming laptop that was released back in 2018. Even in 2022, this bad boy still packs a mean punch if you’re looking for excellent 1080p gaming performance.

Introducing the Iconic Dell Alienware 15 R4

For those new to the Alienware scene, their laptops are known for two key things – epic gaming performance and a rad sci-fi inspired design. The 15 R4 sticks to this formula.

It’s got all the bleeding edge specs you want – Intel’s 6-core i7 processor, Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 1070 graphics, a super smooth 144Hz display, and even customizable RGB lighting. I mean, what more could a gamer ask for?

The Beast Under the Hood

Let’s talk about what makes this laptop such a formidable gaming machine.

It can be configured with up to a hexa-core i9 CPU and GTX 1070 GPU, which is plenty of firepower to crushed 1080p gaming or even 1440p. We’re talking about hitting 100+ FPS in titles like Shadow of the Tomb Raider with all settings maxed out.

You also get a dual storage combo with both a speedy PCIe SSD and a high capacity HDD. Plus, there are two RAM slots to upgrade to up to 32GB of memory.

Honestly, the Dell Alienware 15 R4 has specs comparable to many desktop rigs!

Aggressive Looks with RGB Bling

Aesthetically, this laptop just screams “gamer” with its angular design, space-age font and colorful lighting.

You can customize the RGB keyboard and other lighting zones among 16.8 million colors to match your style. And it’s all easily controlled through Alienware’s AlienFX software.

The Epic Grey color looks properly badass and stealthy. And despite the bulky looks, the smart use of magnesium alloy keeps the weight at a very portable 5.8 lbs.

Diving Into the Dell Alienware 15 R4 Specs

Let’s now geek out over some key hardware specs:

Display – You get a bright 15.6-inch 1080p screen with a smooth 144Hz refresh rate and G-Sync support. This results in super fluid gaming visuals.

Processor – Intel’s 8th gen hexa-core i7-8750H clocked at 4.1GHz max turbo is an absolute beast for gaming, streaming and running heavy applications.

Graphics – The GeForce GTX 1070 with 6GB of GDDR5 memory dominates 1080p gaming and can tackle higher resolutions too. You’ll enjoy 60+ FPS even in demanding titles.

RAM & Storage – Dell Alienware 15 R4 comes equipped with 16GB of fast 2666MHz DDR4 RAM and a dual storage setup comprised of a zippy 256GB PCIe SSD and a spacious 1TB HDD.

Ports – Connectivity is excellent including latest gen USB-C Thunderbolt 3 along with HDMI, Mini DisplayPort and Ethernet.

Battery – You can expect around 5 hours of usage while gaming thanks to the large 86Wh battery. Impressive for such a powerful rig!

The Iconic Alienware Design

Let’s talk about this laptop’s unique aesthetics and design elements:

Despite its gaming hardware, the chassis is surprisingly thin at just 1.18 inches. And weighing under 6 pounds is awesome considering everything that’s packed inside.

The Epic Grey color looks properly badass while the use of magnesium alloy gives it a premium, durable build.

Of course, being an Alienware, you get fully configurable RGB keyboard backlighting for billions of color combinations. There are also customizable LED light strips and logo lighting for added flair.

Port selection is abundant with USB 3.1 Type-C Thunderbolt 3, HDMI, Mini DisplayPort, Ethernet and more. You also get MACRO key shortcuts and dual drive upgradeability.

Dominating 1080p Gaming Performance

Let’s talk about how well it handles gaming:

The GTX 1070 GPU dominates 1080p gaming, able to crush modern titles with ease. You’ll enjoy silky smooth frame rates well above 60 FPS on high settings in graphics intensive games like Control and Shadow of the Tomb Raider.

CPU performance is top notch as well thanks to the hexa-core i7. This keeps things like game load times and FPS super quick. Multitasking and streaming is a breeze too.

The capable cooling design ensures optimal thermals – so no annoying throttling even after hours long gaming marathons! The fans can get loud but that’s expected for such a powerful rig.

Easy to Upgrade and Future Proof

A major highlight is how easy it is to upgrade components:

You can swap out the dual SO-DIMM RAM sticks for up to 32GB of total memory. The dual drive bays allow adding more SSD storage or larger capacity hard drives.

The Killer 1550 Wi-Fi card is also replaceable. So upgrading to wifi 6 in the future would be no problem.

These upgrade options help increase the gaming lifespan of the laptop.

Should You Consider Buying the Dell Alienware 15 R4 in 2023?

The Good:

• Class leading 1080p gaming performance
• RGB customizable Alienware design
• 144Hz G-Sync display is superb
• Highly upgradeable
• Runs cool thanks to great thermals

The Bad:

• Bulkier and heavier than newer thin options
• Older 10-series GPU lack ray tracing
• Expensive, especially for top configs

The Bottom Line

Dell Alienware 15 R4 holds up amazingly well even in 2023 for high end 1080p gaming. Between its 8th gen Intel CPU, GTX 1070 graphics, slick 144Hz display, RGB bling and upgradeability – it’s still an awesome package for enthusiasts seeking top-notch performance.

Sure, the design is bulky by today’s standards and it lacks newer features like ray tracing. But if you want a super powerful 1080p gaming beast that also looks like a badass spaceship – the iconic Dell Alienware 15 R4 still delivers! Let me know if you have any other questions.