Alienware Area-51m vs. Alienware M17 R3: Full specs comparison

We thoroughly analyzed technical specifications for Alienware Area-51m and Alienware M17 R3 models, including CPU, memory, storage, battery life, display quality, and other features.

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Alienware Area-51m image

Alienware Area-51m

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Alienware M17 R3 image

Alienware M17 R3

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Alienware Area-51m Pros

Reasons that Alienware Area-51m is better than Alienware M17 R3.

Significantly faster CPU performance

Intel Core i9-9900K inside Alienware Area-51m has a 21% better multi-core CPU performance score than the Intel Core i9-10980HK inside Alienware M17 R3.

Geekbench 5 multi-core score
Alienware Area-51m - Intel Core i9-9900K
8,543
Alienware Area-51m - Intel Core i9-9900
7,669
Alienware Area-51m - Intel Core i7-9700K
7,192
Alienware M17 R3 - Intel Core i9-10980HK
7,013
Alienware Area-51m - Intel Core i7-8700
5,810
Alienware M17 R3 - Intel Core i7-10750H
5,412
Alienware M17 R3 - Intel Core i5-10300H
3,747
Supports larger memory

Alienware Area-51m supports a larger memory capacity than the Alienware M17 R3. It supports up to 64GB versus 32GB of system memory on the Alienware M17 R3.

Max system memory size
Alienware Area-51m
64 GB
Alienware M17 R3
32 GB
Supports faster memory

Alienware Area-51m supports a faster memory speed than the Alienware M17 R3. It supports up to 2800MHz versus 2666MHz of system memory on the Alienware M17 R3.

Memory type and speed
Alienware Area-51m - DDR4 XMP
2,800 MHz
Alienware M17 R3 - DDR4
2,666 MHz
Upgradable memory

Alienware Area-51m comes with four SODIMM slots that allow you to replace or upgrade when needed. On the flip side, you can't upgrade RAM on the Alienware M17 R3 since it has onboard memory.

MemoryAlienware Area-51mAlienware M17 R3
Slots
x4
Onboard
TypeDDR4 XMPDDR4

Alienware M17 R3 Pros

Reasons that Alienware M17 R3 is better than Alienware Area-51m.

Newer manufacturing

2020 vs. 2019

About 24% lighter

Alienware M17 R3 weighed 6.55 pounds, 24% lighter than the 8.54 pounds Alienware Area-51m.

WeightAlienware Area-51mAlienware M17 R3
Pound
8.54 lbs.
6.55 lbs.
Kilogram
3.87 kg
2.97 kg

Prices

Here are the latest price updates and offers for both devices.

Alienware Area-51m Price
Alienware Area 51M Gaming Laptop, 17.3" 300hz 3ms FHD Display, Intel Core i7-10700K, Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 Super 8GB GDDR6, 1TB SSD, 16GB RAM, Lunar Light (AWARR2-7323WHT-PUS)
 Alienware Area 51M Gaming Laptop, 17.3" 300hz 3ms FHD Display, Intel Core i7-10700K, Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 Super 8GB GDDR6, 1TB SSD, 16GB RAM, Lunar Light (AWARR2-7323WHT-PUS)
By Alienware
$2,299.99
See at Amazon
Dell Alienware Area-51m Elite Gaming Laptop Backpack, 17-Inch, Gray/Black (AWA51BPE17)
 Dell Alienware Area-51m Elite Gaming Laptop Backpack, 17-Inch, Gray/Black (AWA51BPE17)
By Dell
$194.03
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Alienware m18 AMD Gaming Laptop - 18-inch FHD+ (1920 x 1200) 480Hz 3ms Display, AMD Ryzen 9-7845HX, 32GB DDR5 RAM, 1TB SSD, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 GDDR6, 1-Year Premium Support - Dark Metallic Moon
 Alienware m18 AMD Gaming Laptop - 18-inch FHD+ (1920 x 1200) 480Hz 3ms Display, AMD Ryzen 9-7845HX, 32GB DDR5 RAM, 1TB SSD, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 GDDR6, 1-Year Premium Support - Dark Metallic Moon
By Alienware
$2,199.97
$2,799.97 21% OFF
See at Amazon
Alienware M17 R3 Price
Dell m17 R3 17.3 inch FHD Gaming Laptop (Luna Light) Intel Core i7-10750H 10th Gen, 16GB DDR4 RAM, 1TB SSD, Nvidia Geforce RTX 2070 8GB GDDR6, Windows 10 Home
 Dell m17 R3 17.3 inch FHD Gaming Laptop (Luna Light) Intel Core i7-10750H 10th Gen, 16GB DDR4 RAM, 1TB SSD, Nvidia Geforce RTX 2070 8GB GDDR6, Windows 10 Home
By Dell
$1,230.00
See at Amazon
2020 Dell Alienware m17 R3 Laptop 17.3" - Intel Core i7 10th Gen - i7-10750H - Six Core 5Ghz - 256GB SSD + 256GB SSD - 20GB RAM - 1920x1080 FHD - Windows 10 Home (Renewed)
 2020 Dell Alienware m17 R3 Laptop 17.3" - Intel Core i7 10th Gen - i7-10750H - Six Core 5Ghz - 256GB SSD + 256GB SSD - 20GB RAM - 1920x1080 FHD - Windows 10 Home (Renewed)
By Dell
$1,592.99
See at Amazon
2020 Dell Alienware m17 R3 Laptop 17.3" - Intel Core i7 10th Gen - i7-10750H - Six Core 5Ghz - 256GB SSD + 256GB SSD - 16GB RAM - Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 - 1920x1080 FHD - Windows 10 Home (Renewed)
 2020 Dell Alienware m17 R3 Laptop 17.3" - Intel Core i7 10th Gen - i7-10750H - Six Core 5Ghz - 256GB SSD + 256GB SSD - 16GB RAM - Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 - 1920x1080 FHD - Windows 10 Home (Renewed)
By Dell
$1,592.99
See at Amazon

Specs Comparison

Availability

Alienware Area-51mAlienware M17 R3
Released20192020
Release Date
  • Announced at CES 2019
  • Available on January 29, 2019
  • Available on May 2020
PricingStarting at $2,549.99Starting at $1,549.99
Generations

Exterior

Alienware Area-51mAlienware M17 R3
Dimensions15.85 x 12.565 x 1.09 - 1.23 in (402.6 x 319.14 x 27.65 - 31.2 mm)
  • Width: 15.85 in. (402.6 mm)
  • Depth: 12.565 in. (319.14 mm)
  • Height: 1.09 - 1.23 in. (27.65 - 31.2 mm)
15.74 x 11.59 x 0.89 in (399.80 x 294.30 x 22.50 mm)
  • Width: 15.74 in. (399.80 mm)
  • Depth: 11.59 in. (294.30 mm)
  • Height: 0.89 in. (22.50 mm)
WeightMaximum at 8.54 lbs. (3.87 Kg)Starting at 6.55 lb (2.97 kg)
Colors
  • Lunar Light
  • Dark Side of the Moon
  • Lunar Light with High Endurance Clear Coat
  • Dark Side of the Moon with High Endurance Clear Coat
Keyboard and Trackpad
  • Keyboard
    • Alienware TactX keyboard with per-key RGB LED AlienFX lighting.
    • Includes anti-ghosting and N-key rollover technology.
    • 2.2mm key travel, programmable macro keys, alphanumeric keys
  • Touchpad
    • 4.13 x 2.56 in (105 mm x 65 mm) All-points addressable (APA) trackpad.
    • AlienFX backlit.
  • Keyboard
    • Type:
      • Alienware mSeries 4-Zone AlienFX RGB keyboard
      • Alienware mSeries keyboard with per-key RGB LED AlienFX lighting
    • Includes anti-ghosting and N-key rollover technology
    • 1.7 mm key travel and alphanumeric keys
    • 0.2 mm-dish concave key design
  • Touchpad
    • Size: 4.13” x 3.15” (105 mm x 80 mm)
    • Premium Precision-Point glass touchpad

Display

Alienware Area-51mAlienware M17 R3
Size17.3 Inches17.3 Inches
InfoFull HD with 60Hz refresh rate
  • 1920 x 1080, 127 PPI, 35ms response time, 300 nits, 16:9, 72% color gamut, 600:1 contrast ratio, Anti-glare, 8W max power consumption.
Full HD with 144Hz refresh rate
  • 1920 x 1080, 127 PPI, 19ms response time, 300 nits, 16:9, 72% color gamut, 600:1 contrast ratio, Anti-glare, 8.5W max power consumption.
  • Tobii Eyetracking
  • Options:
    • Anti-Glare
    • Eyesafe® Display Tech
    • Eyesafe® Display Tech + NVIDIA G-SYNC
All options
  • Wide Viewing Angles on all displays with 85 degrees viewing from all directions
Full HD with 144Hz refresh rate
  • 1920 x 1080, 141 PPI, 9ms response time, 300 nits, 16:9, 72% NTSC  color gamut, 600:1 contrast ratio, Anti-glare.
Full HD with 144Hz refresh rate
  • 1920 x 1080, 141 PPI, 9ms response time, 300 nits, 16:9, 72% NTSC color gamut with NVIDIA G-SYNC Technology, 600:1 contrast ratio, Anti-glare.
Full HD with 300Hz refresh rate
  • 1920 x 1080, 141 PPI, 3ms response time, 300 nits, 16:9, 100% sRGB color gamut, 700:1 contrast ratio, Anti-glare.
Ultra HD with 60Hz refresh rate
  • 3180 x 2160, 282 PPI, 25ms response time, 500 nits, 16:9, 100% sRGB color gamut, 1,200:1 contrast ratio, 12W max power consumption
  • Tobii Eyetracking technology
All options
  • Wide Viewing Angles on all displays with 85 degrees viewing from all directions

Ports

Alienware Area-51mAlienware M17 R3
Alienware Area-51m Ports
Image Source: Dell
  • 1 x Power/DC-in Jack
  • 1 x RJ-45 Killer E3000 2.5Gbps Ethernet port
  • 2 x Type-A SuperSpeed USB 3.0 Port
  • 1 x Type-A SuperSpeed USB 3.0 Port with PowerShare technology
  • 1 x Thunderbolt™ 3 Port (USB Type-C™ with support for SuperSpeed USB 10Gbps, 40Gbps Thunderbolt, and DisplayPort)
  • 1 x Alienware Graphics Amplifier Port
  • 1 x HDMI 2.0 Output
  • 1 x Mini-Display Port 1.4 (certified) Output
  • 1 x Headphone / MIC (retaskable)
  • 1 x Global Headset Jack
  • 1 x Wedge-shaped lock slot (cable and lock sold separately)
Alienware M17 R3 Ports
Image Source: Dell
  • 1 x Power/DC-in Port
  • 1 x RJ-45 Killer™ Ethernet E3100 10/100/1000Mbps/2.5Gbps Port
  • 2 x Type-A USB 3.1 Gen 1 Port
  • 1 x Type-A USB 3.1 Gen 1 port with PowerShare technology
  • 1 x Thunderbolt™ 3 Port (USB Type-C™ with support for USB 3.1 Gen 2 10Gbps, 40Gbps Thunderbolt, and DisplayPort 1.2)
  • 1 x Alienware Graphics Amplifier Port
  • 1 x HDMI 2.0b with HDCP 2.2 Output Port
  • 1 x Mini-Display Port 1.4 (certified) Output Port
  • 1 x Audio Out 0.125" Ports (Compatible with inline mic headset)
  • 1 x Wedge-shaped lock slot (cable and lock sold separately)
  • 1 x microSD 5.1, UHD-II HD312 Card Reader

Internal Specs

Alienware Area-51mAlienware M17 R3
Processor
  1. 8th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-8700
    6 cores, 12 threads, 3.20 → 4.60 GHz, 12MB SmartCache, 65W
  2. 9th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-9700K
    8 cores, 8 threads, 3.60 → 4.90 GHz, 12MB SmartCache, 95W
  3. 9th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-9900
    8 cores, 16 threads, 3.10 → 5.00 GHz, 16MB SmartCache, 65W
  4. 9th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-9900K
    8 cores, 16 threads, 3.60 → 5.00 GHz, 16MB SmartCache, 95W
  1. 10th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-10300H
    4 cores, 8 threads, 2.50 → 4.50 GHz, 8MB SmartCache, 45W
  2. 10th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-10750H
    6 cores, 12 threads, 2.60 → 5.00 GHz, 12MB SmartCache, 45W
  3. 10th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-10980HK
    8 cores, 16 threads, 2.40 → 5.30 GHz, 16MB SmartCache, 45W
Integrated Graphics
  1. 8th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-8700
    Intel® UHD Graphics 630
    24 Execution Units, 350 → 1200 MHz
  2. 9th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-9700K
    Intel® UHD Graphics 630
    24 Execution Units, 350 → 1200 MHz
  3. 9th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-9900
    Intel® UHD Graphics 630
    24 Execution Units, 350 → 1200 MHz
  4. 9th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-9900K
    Intel® UHD Graphics 630
    24 Execution Units, 350 → 1200 MHz
  1. 10th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-10300H
    Intel® UHD Graphics 630
    24 Execution Units, 350 → 1050 MHz
  2. 10th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-10750H
    Intel® UHD Graphics 630
    24 Execution Units, 350 → 1150 MHz
  3. 10th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-10980HK
    Intel® UHD Graphics 630
    24 Execution Units, 350 → 1250 MHz
Memory
  • Memory Slots
    • 4-SODIMMs
  • Memory Configurations
    • 16GB, 2x8GB, DDR4, 2400MHz
    • 32GB, 2x16GB, DDR4, 2400MHz
    • 16GB, 2x8GB, DDR4 XMP 2933MHz
    • 64GB, 4x16GB, DDR4 2400MHz
    • 32GB, 2x16GB, DDR4 XMP 2933MHz
    • 64GB, 4x16GB, DDR4 XMP 2800MHz
  • 8 GB 16 GB 32 GB
    • 2666 MHz Dual-channel DDR4 RAM.
    • Soldered-on.
Discrete Graphics
  • NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 2060 6GB GDDR6 (OC Ready)
  • NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 2070 8GB GDDR6 (OC Ready)
  • NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 2080 8GB GDDR6 (OC Ready)
  • NVIDIA® GeForce GTX® 1650 Ti (4GB GDDR6)
  • NVIDIA® GeForce GTX® 1660 Ti (6GB GDDR6)
  • NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 2060 (6GB GDDR6) OC Ready
  • NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 2070 (8GB GDDR6)
  • NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 2070 SUPER (8GB GDDR6)
  • NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 2080 SUPER (8GB GDDR6) with Max-Q Design
  • AMD RX5500M (4GB GDDR6)
StorageAvailable Slots
  • Two M.2 2230/2280 slots (Up to 1TB each)
  • One SATA AHCI 6 Gbps (Up to 1TB)
Single Drive
  • 1TB (+8GB SSHD) Hybrid Drive
  • 256GB PCIe M.2 SSD
  • 512GB PCIe M.2 SSD
  • 1TB PCIe M.2 SSD
Dual Drives
  • 128GB PCIe M.2 SSD + 1TB (+8GBSSHD) Hybrid
  • 256GB PCIe M.2 SSD + 1TB (+8GBSSHD) Hybrid
  • 512GB PCIe M.2 SSD + 1TB (+8GBSSHD) Hybrid
  • 1TB PCIe M.2 SSD + 1TB (+8GBSSHD) Hybrid
  • 116GB Intel OptaneSSD + 1TB (+8GBSSHD) Hybrid
RAID-0 Drives
  • 512GB RAID0 (2x 256GB PCIe M.2 SSDs)
  • 1TB RAID0 (2x 512GB PCIe M.2 SSDs)
  • 2TB RAID0 (2x 1TB PCIe M.2 SSDs)
  • 236GB RAID0 (2x 116GB Intel OptaneSSDs)
RAID-0 Plus Drives
  • 512GB RAID0 (2x 256GB PCIe M.2 SSDs) + 1TB (+8GB SSHD) Hybrid Drive
  • 1TB RAID0 (2x 512GB PCIe M.2 SSDs) + 1TB (+8GB SSHD) Hybrid Drive
  • 2TB RAID0 (2x 1TB PCIe M.2 SSDs) + 1TB (+8GB SSHD) Hybrid Drive
  • 236GB RAID0 (2x 116GB Intel OptaneSSDs) + 1TB (+8GB SSHD) Hybrid Drive
Available Slots
  • One M.2 2230 slot (Up to 512GB)
  • Two M.2 2230/2280 slots (Up to 2TB each)
Single Drive
  • 256 GB PCIe M.2 SSD
  • 512 GB PCIe M.2 SSD
  • 1 TB PCIe M.2 SSD
  • 2 TB PCIe M.2 SSD
RAID-0
  • 512GB (2x256 PCIe M.2 SSD) RAID0
  • 1TB (2x 512 PCIe M.2 SSD) RAID0
  • 2TB (2x 1TB PCIe M.2 SSD) RAID0
  • 4TB (2x 2TB PCIe M.2 SSD) RAID0
RAID-0 Plus
  • 1TB (2x 512GB PCIe M.2 SSD) RAID0 [Boot] + 512GB PCIe M.2 SSD [Storage]
  • 2TB (2x 1TB PCIe M.2 SSD) RAID0 [Boot] + 512GB PCIe M.2 SSD [Storage]
  • 4TB (2x 2TB PCIe M.2 SSD) RAID0 [Boot] + 512GB PCIe M.2 SSD [Storage]

Connectivity

Alienware Area-51mAlienware M17 R3
Wi-Fi
  • Rivet Killer 1550
    Dual Band 2.4 GHz/5 GHz up to 1733 Mbps, WiFi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac.
  • Rivet Killer WiFi 6 AX1650
    Dual Band 2.4 GHz/5 GHz up to 2400 Mbps, WiFi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax.
  • Rivet Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650
    Dual Band 2.4 GHz/5 GHz up to 2400 Mbps, WiFi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax.
Bluetooth
  • Rivet Killer 1550 › Bluetooth 5.0
  • Rivet Killer AX1650 › Bluetooth 5.1
  • Rivet Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650 › Bluetooth 5.1
Ethernet
  • Killer™ Ethernet E3000 PCI-e Gigabit ethernet controller
    Transfer rate: 10/100/1000/2500 Mbps
  • Killer™ Ethernet E3000 PCI-e Gigabit ethernet controller
    Transfer rate: 10/100/1000/2500 Mbps

Battery

Alienware Area-51mAlienware M17 R3
Size
  • 6-cell smart lithium-ion (90Wh)
  • 56 WHr, 3-cell smart lithium-ion
  • 86 WHr, 6-cell smart lithium-ion
Power Supply
  • 180W (19.50 VDC/9.23A)
  • 240W (19.50 VDC/9.23A)
  • 330W (19.50 VDC/9.23A)
  • 130W (19.50 VDC/6.70A)
  • 180W (19.50 VDC/9.23A)
  • 240W (19.50 VDC/12.31A)
  • 330W (19.50 VDC/16.92A)

Software

Alienware Area-51mAlienware M17 R3
OS
Windows 10 Home Windows 10 Pro
Upgradable to Windows 11
Windows 10 Home Windows 10 Pro
Upgradable to Windows 11
Built-in Apps
  • Alienware Command Center
  • Alienware Mobile Connect
  • Microsoft Office 365 (30-day trial)
  • Alienware Command Center
  • Alienware Adrenalin
  • Alienware Mobile Connect
  • Microsoft Office 365 (30-day trial)

Camera & Audio

Alienware Area-51mAlienware M17 R3
Camera
  • Front-facing camera
    Alienware HD (1280 x 720 resolution) camera.
  • Front-facing camera
    Alienware FHD (1920x1080 resolution) camera.
Audio
  • Controller: Realtek ALC3282-CG
    • 7.1 Digital Audio out using HDMI out connection
    • Alienware Sound Center via Alienware Command Center
  • Speakers:
    • 4-Way Stereo Speaker Design
    • Output: 8-10W
  • Microphone:
    • Dual-array microphones in the camera assembly
  • Controller: Realtek ALC3281-CG
    • 7.1 Digital Audio out using HDMI out connection
    • Alienware Sound Center via Alienware Command Center
  • Speakers:
    • 2-Way Stereo Speaker Design
    • Output: 4-5W
  • Microphone:
    • Digital-array microphones in the camera assembly

Misc

Alienware Area-51mAlienware M17 R3
Sensors
  • Tobii Eye Tracking (Optional)
  • Tobii Eye Tracking (Optional)
Security
  • Wedge-shaped lock slot
  • Wedge-shaped lock slot
Warranty1 Year Hardware Service with Onsite/In-Home Service After Remote Diagnosis-
MoreCHASIS
  • Exterior Chassis Materials
    • Magnesium Alloy
  • Thermal
    • Cryo-Tech v2.0 Cooling Technology
    • Dual-Intake, Dual-Exhaust Airflow Design
    • High-Voltage Driving Fans
    • Load-balancing Heat Pipes
    • Copper Fin Stacks
    • Thermal Controls
    • Whisper-quiet operation
CHASIS
  • AlienFX Lighting Zones
    • Programmable with up to 16.8 million distinct colors
  • Exterior Chassis Materials
    • Magnesium Alloy exterior shell
    • Copper Alloy thermal structures
  • Customized Features
    • AlienFX Lighting Detail
    • Programmable with up to 16.8 million distinct colors
    • Alienware Command Center
    • AlienFX Lighting Technology
    • Game Library with auto-tune game profile functionality
    • Fusion (Includes support for Overclock, Thermal, Power, Audio, and Audio Recon profiles)
  • Thermal
    • Cryo-Tech Cooling Technology
    • Dual-Intake, Dual-Exhaust Airflow Design
    • High-Voltage Driving Fans
    • Load-balancing Heat Pipes
    • Dense Copper Fin Stacks

Key Features

Alienware Area-51mAlienware M17 R3
At Glance
Released in Early
2019
16:9 FHD
17.3”
1080p 144Hz
Weight
8.54 lb
3.87 kg
Up to
Intel Core i9-9900K
8C/16T, 3.60 → 5.00 GHz
Geekbench 5
1,309
Single Core
Geekbench 5
8,543
Multi-Core
With integrated
Intel® UHD Graphics 630
24 Execution Units, 350 → 1200 MHz
Upgradable up to
64GB
2800 MHz DDR4 XMP
Alienware Area-51m Ports
Nvidia GeForce
RTX 2080
8GB GDDR6
Released in Mid
2020
16:9 FHD
17.3”
1080p 300Hz
Weight
6.55 lb
2.97 kg
Up to
Intel Core i9-10980HK
8C/16T, 2.40 → 5.30 GHz
Geekbench 5
1,223
Single Core
Geekbench 5
7,013
Multi-Core
With integrated
Intel® UHD Graphics 630
24 Execution Units, 350 → 1250 MHz
Configurable up to
32GB
2666 MHz DDR4
Alienware M17 R3 Ports
Nvidia GeForce
RTX 2080 SUPER
8GB GDDR6 with Max-Q

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