


These 18-inch laptops are truly meant as desktop replacements that you can move if you need to, but not frequently. The bottom line is, while it’s not overly thick, the Alienware m18 is still not at all portable. You’ll see later in the testing section if the extra heft is worth it in performance. The base model starts at 8.5 pounds, and certain component options raise the weight.Įven compared with other 18-inchers, the Alienware m18 is heavy: The Razer Blade 18 is the slimmest around at 0.86 by 15.74 by 10.83 inches, but it still weighs 6.8 pounds (much lighter, but still heavy), while the powerful Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 comes in at 1.21 by 15.71 by 11.57 inches and 6.77 pounds.
#Handbrake forced only or burned in full#
Limiting thickness is admirable, but realistically, it only helps so much when you consider the full size: The m18 measures 1.05 by 16.15 by 12.59 inches (HWD) and weighs 8.9 pounds. Despite the massive 18-inch frame, it peaks at 1.05 inches thick and tapers to 0.95 inch at the front, which isn’t much thicker than smaller laptops. We liked the look of the m18 when we first saw it back at CES 2023, and that remains the case during my time with it.
#Handbrake forced only or burned in pro#
Meanwhile, the smaller Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Gen 8 remains our top pick for high-end gaming laptops overall. The Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 is certainly an alternative, but the Alienware m18 takes our Editors' Choice award for big-screen gaming laptops. If you’re a deep-pocketed enthusiast in the market for a desktop-replacement for gaming, you’ll enjoy the blazing frame rates and slick design. Our pricey model lives up to that with an Intel Core i9-13980HX CPU and an Nvidia RTX 4090 GPU alongside its roomy 18-inch, 2,560-by-1,600-pixel display, and the gaming performance is as competitive as you’d expect. While it is not the first 18-inch gaming laptop we’ve reviewed since this XXL-size class of machines burst onto the scene at the start of 2023, the Alienware m18 (starts at $1,899.99 as tested $3,199.99) is no less a head-turner.
