Alienware M15 R1 vs. M15 R2

The Alienware M15 R2 has undergone a complete chassis redesign inspired by the Alienware Area-51m, using Alienware's Legend industrial design language. So, how does it perform, and does it surpass its one-year-old predecessor? To find out, we have reviewed the Alienware M15 R2 and compared it to the M15 R1.

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Alienware M15 R1 image

Alienware M15 R1

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Alienware M15 R2 image

Alienware M15 R2

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Alienware M15 R1 Pros

Reasons that Alienware M15 R1 is better than Alienware M15 R2.

Supports larger memory

Alienware M15 R1 supports a larger memory capacity than the Alienware M15 R2. It supports up to 32GB versus 16GB of system memory on the Alienware M15 R2.

Max system memory size
Alienware M15 R1
32 GB
Alienware M15 R2
16 GB
Upgradable memory

Alienware M15 R1 comes with two SODIMM slots that allow you to replace or upgrade when needed. On the flip side, you can't upgrade RAM on the Alienware M15 R2 since it has onboard memory.

MemoryAlienware M15 R1Alienware M15 R2
Slots
x2
Onboard
TypeDDR4DDR4

Alienware M15 R2 Pros

Reasons that Alienware M15 R2 is better than Alienware M15 R1.

Significantly faster CPU performance

Intel Core i9-9980HK inside Alienware M15 R2 has a 33% better multi-core CPU performance score than the Intel Core i7-9750H inside Alienware M15 R1.

Geekbench 5 multi-core score
Alienware M15 R2 - Intel Core i9-9980HK
6,504
Alienware M15 R2 - Intel Core i9-9880H
6,100
Alienware M15 R1 - Intel Core i7-9750H
4,880
Alienware M15 R2 - Intel Core i7-9750H
4,880
Alienware M15 R1 - Intel Core i7-8750H
4,470
Alienware M15 R2 - Intel Core i5-9300H
3,308
Alienware M15 R1 - Intel Core i5-8300H
3,269

Key Similars

Similar characteristics share between Alienware M15 R1 and Alienware M15 R2.

Uses the same memory type and speed

Both laptops supports the same 2666MHz DDR4 RAM.

Memory type and speed
Alienware M15 R1 - DDR4
2,666 MHz
Alienware M15 R2 - DDR4
2,666 MHz

Prices

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

Alienware M15 R1 Price
EbidDealz Replacement for Laptop LCD 15.6" FHD Screen Display Complete Assembly Dell Alienware M15 R1 K8TWT
 EbidDealz Replacement for Laptop LCD 15.6" FHD Screen Display Complete Assembly Dell Alienware M15 R1 K8TWT
By Generic
$199.99
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Alienware X15R1 Gaming Laptop - 15.6-inch FHD (1920x1080) 360Hz 1ms Display, Intel Core i7-11800H Processor, 16GB DDR4 RAM, 1TB SSD, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 DDR6 Graphics, Windows 11 Home- Lunar Light
 Alienware X15R1 Gaming Laptop - 15.6-inch FHD (1920x1080) 360Hz 1ms Display, Intel Core i7-11800H Processor, 16GB DDR4 RAM, 1TB SSD, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 DDR6 Graphics, Windows 11 Home- Lunar Light
By Alienware
$1,769.99
$1,899.97 7% OFF
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Dell Alienware m16 R1 Gaming Laptop 2023 16” WQXGA 2560 x 1600 IPS 240 Hertz Intel Core i7-13700HX NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 32GB DDR5 1TB SSD Thunderbolt 4 Windows 11 Home
 Dell Alienware m16 R1 Gaming Laptop 2023 16” WQXGA 2560 x 1600 IPS 240 Hertz Intel Core i7-13700HX NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 32GB DDR5 1TB SSD Thunderbolt 4 Windows 11 Home
By Dell
$1,999.00
See at Amazon
Alienware M15 R2 Price
2019 Dell Alienware m15 R2 Laptop 15.6" - Intel Core i7 9th Gen - i7-9750H - Six Core 4.5Ghz - 1TB SSD + 1TB SSD - 16GB RAM - Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 - 1920x1080 FHD - Windows 10 Pro (Renewed)
 2019 Dell Alienware m15 R2 Laptop 15.6" - Intel Core i7 9th Gen - i7-9750H - Six Core 4.5Ghz - 1TB SSD + 1TB SSD - 16GB RAM - Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 - 1920x1080 FHD - Windows 10 Pro (Renewed)
By Dell
$2,006.99
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Alienware X15 R2 Gaming Laptop - 15.6-inch FHD 360Hz 1ms Display, Intel Core i7-12700H, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070Ti 8GB GDDR6, USB-C, WiFi 6, Bluetooth, Windows 11 Home - White
 Alienware X15 R2 Gaming Laptop - 15.6-inch FHD 360Hz 1ms Display, Intel Core i7-12700H, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070Ti 8GB GDDR6, USB-C, WiFi 6, Bluetooth, Windows 11 Home - White
By Alienware
$1,823.63
$1,999.97 9% OFF
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Alienware m15 R7 Gaming Laptop - 15.6-inch 240Hz 2ms QHD, Intel Core i9-12900H, 32GB DDR5 RAM, 1TB SSD, NVIDIA Geforce RTX 3080 Graphics, Killer AX 1675i with Dell services, Windows 11 Home - Dark
 Alienware m15 R7 Gaming Laptop - 15.6-inch 240Hz 2ms QHD, Intel Core i9-12900H, 32GB DDR5 RAM, 1TB SSD, NVIDIA Geforce RTX 3080 Graphics, Killer AX 1675i with Dell services, Windows 11 Home - Dark
By Alienware
$1,725.00
$2,399.00 28% OFF
See at Amazon

Specs Comparison

Availability

Alienware M15 R1Alienware M15 R2
Released20192019
Release Date
  • Announced at CES 2019
  • Available on January 29, 2019
  • Announced at Computex 2019
  • Available on June 11, 2019
PricingStarting at $1,379.99-
Generations

Exterior

Alienware M15 R1Alienware M15 R2
Dimensions14.27 x 10.85 x 0.70 - 0.78 in (362 x 275 x 17.90 - 19.99 mm)
Width: 14.27 in. (362 mm)
Depth: 10.85 in. (275 mm)
Height: 0.70 - 0.78 in. (17.90 - 19.99 mm)
Base
Width: 14.19 in. (360.50 mm)
Depth: 10.87 in. (276 mm)
Height: 0.70 - 0.77 in. (17.90 - 19.50 mm)
With Tobii Eye Tracking
Width: 14.19 in. (360.50 mm)
Depth: 10.87 in. (276 mm)
Height: 0.720 - 0.807 in. (18.30 - 20.50 mm)
WeightStarting at 4.85 lbs (2.20 kg)Average at 4.76 lbs (2.16 kg)
Colors
  • Epic Silver
  • Nebula Red
  • Dar Side of the moon
  • Lunar Light
Keyboard and Trackpad
  • Alienware AlienFX mSeries Keyboard with Alphanumeric Keys
  • 4.13 x 2.56 in (105 mm x 65 mm) precision touchpad with multi-touch gesture support.
  • Alienware mSeries keyboard with per-key RGB LED.
  • AlienFX lighting
  • Includes anti-ghosting and N-key rollover technology
  • 1.7mm key travel
  • 0.2mm-dish concave key design
  • 4.13 x 2.36 in (105 mm x 80 mm) precision touchpad with multi-touch gesture support.

Display

Alienware M15 R1Alienware M15 R2
Size15.6 Inches15.6 Inches
InfoFull HD with 60Hz refresh rate
  • 1920 x 1080, 141 PPI, 35ms response time, 300 nits, 16:9, 72% color gamut, 700:1 contrast ratio, Anti-glare, 6.20W max power consumption.
Full HD with 144Hz refresh rate
  • 1920 x 1080, 141 PPI, 19ms response time, 300 nits, 16:9, 72% color gamut, 800:1 contrast ratio, Anti-glare, 7.80W max power consumption.
Full HD with 240Hz refresh rate
  • 1920 x 1080, 141 PPI, 8ms response time, 300 nits, 16:9, 72% color gamut, 1000:1 contrast ratio, Anti-glare, 4.41W max power consumption.
Ultra HD with 60Hz refresh rate
  • 3180 x 2160, 282 PPI, 300 nits, 16:9, 1,000:1 contrast ratio, 5.15W max power consumption
Ultra HD OLED with 60Hz refresh rate
  • 3180 x 2160, 282 PPI, 1ms response time, 300 nits, 16:9, HDR-400 DCI-P3 color gamut, 10,000:1 contrast ratio, TrueLife, 14.80W max power consumption
All options
  • Wide Viewing Angles on all displays with 85 degrees viewing from all directions
Full HD with 60Hz refresh rate
  • 1920 x 1080, 141 PPI, 35ms response time, 300 nits, 16:9, 72% color gamut, 700:1 contrast ratio, Anti-glare, 6.20W max power consumption.
Full HD with 144Hz refresh rate
  • 1920 x 1080, 141 PPI, 19ms response time, 300 nits, 16:9, 72% color gamut, 800:1 contrast ratio, Anti-glare, 7.80W max power consumption.
Full HD with 240Hz refresh rate
  • 1920 x 1080, 141 PPI, 8ms response time, 300 nits, 16:9, 72% color gamut, 1000:1 contrast ratio, Anti-glare, 4.41W max power consumption.
Ultra HD with 60Hz refresh rate
  • 3180 x 2160, OLED, 282 PPI, 1ms response time, 300 nits, 16:9, HDR-400 DCI-P3 color gamut, 10,000:1 contrast ratio, TrueLife, 14.80W max power consumption
All options
  • Wide Viewing Angles on all displays with 85 degrees viewing from all directions

Ports

Alienware M15 R1Alienware M15 R2
Alienware M15 R1 Ports
Image Source: Dell
Left (4)
  • 1 x USB-A
    USB 3.1 Gen 1 (5 Gbps), PowerShare
  • 1 x RJ-45
    1 Gbps, Killer E2500
  • 1 x headphone jack
    Headphone/Microphone
  • 1 x lock slot
Right (2)
  • 2 x USB-A
    USB 3.1 Gen 1 (5 Gbps)
Back (5)
  • 1 x Thunderbolt 3
    40 Gpbs, DisplayPort
  • 1 x Alienware Graphics Amplifier port
  • 1 x HDMI
    v2.0
  • 1 x Mini DisplayPort
  • 1 x power port
Alienware M15 R2 Ports
Image Source: Dell
  • 1 x Power/DC-in Port
  • 1 x RJ-45 Ethernet 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 Output Port
  • 1 x Mini-Display Port 1.4 (certified) Output Port
  • 1 x Audio Out 1/8" Ports (Compatible with inline mic headset)
  • 1 x Wedge-shaped lock slot (cable and lock sold separately)

Internal Specs

Alienware M15 R1Alienware M15 R2
Processor
  1. 8th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-8300H
    4 cores, 8 threads, 2.30 → 4.00 GHz, 8MB SmartCache, 45W
  2. 8th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-8750H
    6 cores, 12 threads, 2.20 → 4.10 GHz, 9MB SmartCache, 45W
  3. 9th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-9750H
    6 cores, 12 threads, 2.60 → 4.50 GHz, 12MB SmartCache, 45W
  1. 9th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-9300H
    4 cores, 8 threads, 2.40 → 4.10 GHz, 8MB SmartCache, 45W
  2. 9th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-9750H
    6 cores, 12 threads, 2.60 → 4.50 GHz, 12MB SmartCache, 45W
  3. 9th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-9880H
    8 cores, 16 threads, 2.30 → 4.80 GHz, 16MB SmartCache, 45W
  4. 9th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-9980HK
    8 cores, 16 threads, 2.40 → 5.00 GHz, 16MB SmartCache, 45W
Integrated Graphics
  1. 8th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-8300H
    Intel® UHD Graphics 630
    24 Execution Units, 350 → 1000 MHz
  2. 8th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-8750H
    Intel® UHD Graphics 630
    24 Execution Units, 350 → 1100 MHz
  3. 9th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-9750H
    Intel® UHD Graphics 630
    24 Execution Units, 350 → 1150 MHz
  1. 9th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-9300H
    Intel® UHD Graphics 630
    24 Execution Units, 350 → 1050 MHz
  2. 9th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-9750H
    Intel® UHD Graphics 630
    24 Execution Units, 350 → 1150 MHz
  3. 9th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-9880H
    Intel® UHD Graphics 630
    24 Execution Units, 350 → 1200 MHz
  4. 9th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-9980HK
    Intel® UHD Graphics 630
    24 Execution Units, 350 → 1250 MHz
Memory
8 GB 16 GB 32 GB
2666 MHz Dual-channel DDR4 RAM.
2 x SODIMM slots
  • 8 GB 16 GB
    2666 MHz Dual-channel DDR4 RAM.
Discrete Graphics
  • NVIDIA® GeForce GTX® 1050 Ti (4GB GDDR5)
  • NVIDIA® GeForce GTX® 1060 (6GB GDDR5)
  • NVIDIA® GeForce GTX® 1070 (8GB GDDR5)
  • NVIDIA® GeForce GTX® 1660 Ti (6GB GDDR6)
  • NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 2060 (6GB GDDR6) OC Ready
  • NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 2070 (8GB GDDR6) with Max-Q Design
  • NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 2080 (8GB GDDR6) with Max-Q Design
  • NVIDIA® GeForce GTX® 1650 (4GB GDDR5)
  • NVIDIA® GeForce GTX® 1650 Ti (6GB GDDR5)
  • NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 2060 (6GB GDDR6) OC Ready
  • NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 2070 (8GB GDDR6) with Max-Q Design
  • NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 2080 (8GB GDDR6) with Max-Q Design
StorageSingle Storage Configurations
  • 256 GB PCIe M.2 SSD
  • 512 GB PCIe M.2 SSD
  • 512 GB Intel Optane M.2 SSD
  • 1 TB PCIe M.2 SSD
Dual Storage Configurations
  • 128GB PCIe M.2 SSD + 1TB (+8GB SSHD) Hybrid Drive
  • 256GB PCIe M.2 SSD + 1TB (+8GB SSHD) Hybrid Drive
  • 256GB PCIe M.2 SSD + 256GB PCIe M.2 SSD
  • 512GB PCIe M.2 SSD + 1TB (+8GB SSHD) Hybrid Drive
  • 512GB PCIe M.2 SSD + 512GB PCIe M.2 SSD
  • 1TB PCIe M.2 SSD + 1TB PCIe M.2 SSD
Triple Storage Configurations
  • 256GB SSD M.2+256GB SSD M.2+1TB HDD
Single Storage Configurations
  • 256 GB PCIe M.2 SSD
  • 512 GB PCIe M.2 SSD
  • 512 GB Intel Optane M.2 SSD
  • 1 TB PCIe M.2 SSD
  • 2 TB PCIe M.2 SSD
Dual Storage Configurations
  • 512 GB RAID0 (2 x 256 GB PCIe M.2 SSDs)
  • 1 TB RAID0 (2 x 512 GB PCIe M.2 SSDs)
  • 512 GB Intel Optane M.2 SSD + 512 GB PCIe M.2 SSD
  • 2 TB RAID0 (2 x 1 TB PCIe M.2 SSDs)
  • 4 TB RAID0 (2 x 2 TB PCIe M.2 SSDs)

Connectivity

Alienware M15 R1Alienware M15 R2
Wi-Fi
  • Qualcomm QCA61x4A (DW1820)
    Dual Band 2.4 GHz/5 GHz up to 867 Mbps, WiFi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac.
  • Rivet killer 1550
    Dual Band 2.4 GHz/5 GHz up to 1733 Mbps, WiFi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac.
  • Intel 8265, Dual Band 2.4 GHz/5 GHz up to 867 Mbps, WiFi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac.
  • Rivet killer 1650w, Dual Band 2.4 GHz/5 GHz up to 2400 Mbps, WiFi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax.
Bluetooth
  • Qualcomm QCA61x4A (DW1820) › Bluetooth 4.2
  • Rivet Killer 1550 › Bluetooth 5.0
  • Intel 8265 › Bluetooth 4.2
  • Rivet Killer 1650w › Bluetooth 5.0
Ethernet
  • Killer E2500 PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet Controller
  • Killer E2600 PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet Controller
  • Killer E3000 PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet Controller (Optional)

Battery

Alienware M15 R1Alienware M15 R2
Size
  • 4-cell smart lithium-ion (60 Wh)
  • 6-cell smart lithium-ion (90Wh)
6-cell lithium-ion polymer (76Wh) with Alienware Battery Defender technology
Battery Life
  • Up to 17 hours on idle with 90Wh battery.
  • Up to 15.5 hours on FHD panel
  • Up to 10.8 hours on UHD panel
Power Supply
  • 130W (19.50 VDC/6.70A)
  • 180W (19.50 VDC/9.23A)
* Support Hybrid Power
  • E4 130W (19.50 VDC/6.70A)
  • E4 180W (19.50 VDC/9.23A)
  • E4 240W (19.50 VDC/12.31A)
* Support Hybrid Power

Software

Alienware M15 R1Alienware M15 R2
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 Adrenlin
  • Alienware Mobile Connect
  • Microsoft Office 365 (30-day trial)
  • Alienware Command Center
  • Alienware Adrenlin
  • Alienware Mobile Connect
  • Microsoft Office 365 (30-day trial)

Camera & Audio

Alienware M15 R1Alienware M15 R2
Camera
  • Front-facing camera
    Alienware FHD (1920x1080 resolution) camera.
  • Front-facing camera
    Alienware FHD (1920x1080 resolution) camera.
Audio
  • Controller
    Realtek ALC3281-CG.
  • 2.0 Speaker configuration
  • 7.1 Digital Audio out using HDMI out connection
  • Alienware Sound Center and Audio Recon software
  • Microphone
    Digital-array microphones in camera assembly.
  • Realtek ALC3281-CG
  • 2.0 Speaker configuration
  • 7.1 Digital Audio out using HDMI out connection
  • Alienware Sound Center via Alienware Command Center
  • Microphone:
    • Digital-array microphones in the camera assembly

Misc

Alienware M15 R1Alienware M15 R2
Sensors-
  • Tobii Eye Tracking (Optional)
Security-
  • Wedge-shaped lock slot
MoreCHASIS
  • AlienFX Lighting Zones
    6 unique programmable zones with up to 16.8 million distinct colors (Standard).
CHASIS
  • AlienFX Lighting Zones Programmable with up to 16.8 million distinct colors
  • Exterior Chassis Materials
    • Magnesium Alloy exterior shell
    • Copper Alloy thermal structures

Key Features

Alienware M15 R1Alienware M15 R2
At Glance
Released in Early
2019
16:9 FHD
15.6”
1080p 240Hz
Weight
4.85 lb
2.20 kg
Up to
Intel Core i7-9750H
6C/12T, 2.60 → 4.50 GHz
Geekbench 5
1,044
Single Core
Geekbench 5
4,880
Multi-Core
With integrated
Intel® UHD Graphics 630
24 Execution Units, 350 → 1150 MHz
Upgradable up to
32GB
2666 MHz DDR4
Alienware M15 R1 Ports
Nvidia GeForce
RTX 2080 SUPER
8GB GDDR6 with Max-Q
Released in Mid
2019
16:9 FHD
15.6”
1080p 240Hz
Weight
4.76 lb
2.16 kg
Up to
Intel Core i9-9980HK
8C/16T, 2.40 → 5.00 GHz
Geekbench 5
1,114
Single Core
Geekbench 5
6,504
Multi-Core
With integrated
Intel® UHD Graphics 630
24 Execution Units, 350 → 1250 MHz
Configurable up to
16GB
2666 MHz DDR4
Alienware M15 R2 Ports
Nvidia GeForce
RTX 2080 SUPER
8GB GDDR6 with Max-Q

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