Like any device that we use every day, our laptops collect dirt, grime, skin oils, and who knows what else.
Most of us know the noise — an overworked laptop fan’s incessant whirling, struggling to keep a computer cool. You might put it down to the old century, thinking that notebooks are always getting more noisy and hotter until they stop working well.
When your laptop gets start overheating and shutting down automatically on its own, it might not be worn out; it might just be dirty and dusty. That, though, need not be the case. Once your laptop starts to get on a bit, overheat and shut down on its own, it may not get worn out-it may be dirty.
No matter how tidy you keep your notebook outside, dust inevitably gets sucked into fans, crumbs fall onto keyboards, and fluff gets into winds.
In this manual, we will guide you on how to clean dust from laptop — step by step approach, but first, let’s clear you how you can disassemble your laptop for the cleaning process.
Designs for laptop models vary considerably. You may generally presume that the same set of devices would disassemble in the same manner, but that is no guarantee.
Design peculiarities may arise because of particular configurations.
In most situations, we may be able to reach the internal parts at the bottom of the case, which you need to clean through panels. For starters, if you can get to the CPU, heat-sink, and fan without having to take your machine apart, then the cleaning process will be much quicker, more straightforward, and less likely to end in tears.
If access to the motherboard is not offered here, you might need to take a deep breath and partly dismantle the notebook.
As we have said, the assembly of laptops varies between brands and models, but there are two main ways to get into most notebooks-either through the top or down.
If you access your machine from the bottom up, you’re in luck. Often these machines are more comfortable to disassemble-at least enough to get access to the bits you need to clean. If your laptop has to be opened from top to bottom, the keyboard will generally have to be removed.
Tips Regarding Removing Dust From a Laptop
1. Tooling up
You have a laptop that requires cleaning and a manual for service. Now what you need are the appropriate tools to get the job started. Of simplicity, we will split these into case opening devices and cleaning tools. To handle and manage the small Philips and flat-head screws found in notebook cases, you will need a set of electric screwdrivers.
You may need to find a set of TORX screwdrivers if you have a Dell or Apple notebook, too.
As for cleaning, when cleaning a desktop machine, you will need similar tools to those you would use. A compressed air can, a soft-bristled brush and a small vacuum cleaner can all come in handy. When cleaning a desktop machine, you will use the vacuum cleaner for less than you would.
Inside a laptop, there is much less space for dust to waft around, so it tends to gather in wads. With a pair of tweezers, those are much easier to remove. Do not be tempted to pick these bits out with your fingers, as grease transferred to electronic contacts can exacerbate hygiene issues on your computer.
It is time to remove some real grime with your cleaning kit on ready. Power your laptop down, unplug it off the mains, then remove the battery. We are going to target specific areas which usually need to be cleaned.
The keyboard of your computer is probably the most contaminated part of the machine, with crumbs, dust, and dandruff falling into it all day. Now imagine what it would have to be like below.
Task one is to remove and underneath the keyboard. In most cases, two or three screws can keep the keyboard for the place, hidden beneath a clip-on panel running along the top of the upper case. However, every model of a laptop is different, which is where your service manual comes in.
One last tip before proceeding: ground yourself to dissipate any static charge before you begin work.
Your keyboard will be set at the top end in most setups. At the bottom end, there will be some plastic lugs that slip into slots, so you can usually pull the keyboard device towards you once you’ve removed the screws at the edges. But don’t just yank it out-you are going to damage the connector.
When it is at an angle of about 45 degrees, the ribbon connector should be seen below it. Disconnect from your Main board.
Chances are you’re looking at a lot of metal or plastic covering now, much of it coated in a mixture of dried crumbs, eyelashes, and unexplained tiny grit bits. Who knows how that stuff gets in there but can be used to get it out of your trusty vacuum cleaner.
3. Motherboard and case
In many situations, you’ll find the motherboard under that protective shield. You may be able to access it from the bottom up in some Notebook builds. Be that as it may, the cleaning process needs little subtlety here.
Some holes in the shell can collect dust particles, and these can be removed with your trusty tweezers. Light cleaning with a soft-boosted brush should help eliminate any dust.
Here the real targets are the heat sink and fan of the laptop, where dust tends to gather and can have the most significant impact on performance. If you access these from the top of the case, proceed with caution and make sure you keep track of the screws while removing them.
Some laptops give you direct access through a panel at the bottom of the heat sink and the fans. If that is the case, follow the tips for handling the access panels above.
4. Cleaning Fan
Clean the fan’s face with the cloth, rubbing off dust and dirt gently from the center. As the cloth gets dirty, clean it off or continue cleaning using another part of the cloth. Having a clump of dust falling inside the fan could defeat its cleaning purpose.
If you’ve any question or suggestion which can help people in this cleaning process, feel free to comment below. Thank you
Whether you are in a dorm or just have a small space, monitors are a great alternative to big console gaming televisions. Monitors are usually much cheaper, look great up close and take up much less space. Most high-end gaming monitors often offer better movement efficiency and lower input lag than any TV on the market, which is perfect if you are a competitive online gamer.
Gaming monitors vary from your regular TVs and monitoring devices. These are often explicitly designed for gaming, and provide a space-saving alternative to the widescreen television. TVs are great for sports, but the edge you need might be a more attentive gaming show.
In this manual, we will guide you about top gaming monitors for PS4. Before that, there are some critical factors that you should know before buying a gaming monitor; these are as follows.
A screen resolution shows you just how many pixels it includes. The higher this is, the better, but you will also need to be mindful of your graphics card’s capabilities. While a 4 K monitor may look fantastic, if your graphics card isn’t up to par, it will be affected from dropped frames and screen tearing.
Therefore, when looking at the resolution, usually an option between 1080p (Full HD), 2 K (QHD) and 4k (UHD), make sure that your graphics card is tested before the output level is increased.
Refresh Rate
The refresh rate is a function of how many images per second are shown and is expressed in Hertz (Hz). Higher is better in this case, and monitors are available at around 60, 144, and 240 Hz.
However, once again, a higher rate is pointless without the graphics card to push the frames, so make sure you can support the frequency you want on the monitor.
Size
The size of your display can depend on several variables, such as the room you have on your desk and what you’re more comfortable and easy to use, meaning that bigger is not necessarily better.
Nonetheless, for comparison, the majority of gaming consoles are diagonally between 21 and 27 inches. If you are using multiple displays, you might want to use a variety of sizes depending on your spacing.
Response Time
Response time tests how long it takes to transfer pixels across the spectrum of colors. Response time is strictly speaking a function of input latency, and the lower the input latency, the more responsive will be your gaming experience.
After research, here we listed down some top gaming monitors for PS4 — you can buy for high-end gaming.
ViewSonic VX2452MH Gaming monitor is a 24″(23.6″ viewable) Full HD screen, glossy-finish output display offering the ultimate visual gaming and interactive entertainment experience. The VX2452MH contains unique features precise motive II technology that delivers ultra-fast response times for blur-free images during intense gaming and an ultra-high 50 M: 1 Mega dynamic contrast ratio for sharp, crisp movement color output.
Specifications
Form & Function:
Its modern hardware and full HD resolution (1920x1080p), this display looks just as good as it does.
Game on:
A preset arsenal of customizable visual modes will keep you primed for games and digital entertainment.
Maximized color & contrast:
The mega-dynamic contrast ratio provides smooth and vivid images.
Flexible connectivity:
The VX2452MH supports HDMI, DVI, and VGA inputs on laptops, PCs, and Macs.
Industry-leading warranty:
Three-year coverage with access to our US-based customer service team.
Brightness:
The Brightness of this monitor is 300 cd/M2.
Consumption:
Consumption power is 21.5W.
Included in the box:
The box contained an LCD monitor, Power Cable, DVI cable, VGA cable, and audio cable.
Refresh Rate:
60 Hz.
Dimensions Without Stand 22.0 x 14.0 x 2.1 inches.
Pros
Super low response time of 2ms removes movement blur and choppiness during gaming.
Variable refresh rate cuts down as much as possible on-screen tearing
Colors and viewing angles are perfect for a TN panel
Cons
While the housing and the stand look great, in reality, they are rather flimsy.
The quality of and viewing angles of IPS panels will never suit TN panels quite well.
The built-in speakers aren’t the best out there, but you ought to invest anyway in a separate speaker system.
BenQ GL2460BH LED display provides every image information with the best viewing quality, featuring a dynamic ratio, HDMI connectivity, 1ms GtG response time, and a 75Hz refresh rate. BenQ monitor with the dream combination of LED with TN panel, GL2460BH is bound to bring you a whole new visual experience with genuine colors, deeper blacks, and sharper details.
Specification
Stylish and Sophisticated Design:
GL2460BH is enhanced with premium etching texture and sculpted foundation, GL2460BH avoids elegant scratch whirls and removes extraneous edges for a smooth, practical look.
Refresh Rate:
Super-fast 1ms GTG response and 75Hz Refresh Rate prevents movement smear for smooth gaming and video viewing. Fast-moving action and dramatic transitions without pause or ghosting make it flawless. Enjoy immersive entertainment in gaming and video without delay.
Multimedia Enjoyment:
Embedded with HDMI, DVI, and VGA ports, users can enjoy multimedia fun by switching between two media sources easily without having to plug in and plug out GL2460BH.
Brightness Intelligence Technology:
The picture-perfect image optimization Brightness Intelligence Technology(B.I.Tech.) measures content strength to prevent over-exposure of bright scenes while at the same time improving dark areas to keep clear visibility.
Eliminate Eye Strain in Any Ambient Light:
Brightness Intelligence Technology (B.I.Tech.) measures the ambient light in your viewing area and dynamically controls screen brightness to make the viewing experience as comfortable as possible.
Low Blue Light Technology:
The innovative BenQ Low Blue Light Technology is designed to filter out harmful blue light, eliminating eye fatigue and pain effectively.
Color Weakness Mode:
Color Deficiency Mode BenQ’s Color Weakness mode allows users to adjust the amount of red or green displayed with magenta and cyan filters on the monitor, ensuring users have accurate color distinctions. In addition, users can change the color deficiency mode.
E-Paper Mode:
The simulated e-book mode provides a smooth black and white reading interface without distractions and an adequate brightness on-screen for a relaxed reading experience with explicit texts.
Pros
Considerably lightweight.
Decent degrees of Brightness.
Colors seem pretty good.
Bezels are comparatively small. It does not disturb you at all.
Cons
The value of the speaker isn’t great, but that’s expected. Can’t max them out without distortion.
Menu navigation makes quick adjustment of the Brightness a little difficult, but that’s just a nitpick.
The “ASUS VG275Q Full HD gaming monitor is designed for the ultimate console gaming experience and features an ultra-fast 1ms response time and about 75Hz refresh rate. It also features Game Fast Input Technology for lag-free experience along with two low input lag HDMI ports and one Display Port, allowing you to enjoy super-smooth visuals and keep up to two devices connected. Additionally, AMD FreeSyncTM supports.
Specifications
27inch Full HD gaming display with super-fast 1ms response time and smooth game play Game Fast Input Technology
Dual HDMI ports and one DisplayPort allow simultaneous connection of your game console, other HDMI computer or PC
TUV Rheinland Flicker-free and Low Blue Light certification technologies to ensure secure viewing experience
Supports NVIDIA GeForce * graphics cards for both Adaptive-Sync and AMD Radeon graphics cards for FreeSync * NVIDIA GeForce GTX 10 series, GTX 16 series, RTX 20 series and newer graphics card
GameFast Input Technology:
The time delay between pressing or touching a button on your controller or keyboard and seeing its effects on screen is input lag. High input lag will cause a connection to be slower, which will make it difficult for you to keep up with the fast-paced action.
Input lag on an LCD is usually much lower than a TV, and Game Fast Input Technology features in ASUS VG275Q to further reduce the input lag. This technology gives you a lot of fasts motion delivery.
Response Time:
ASUS VG275Q boasts a response time of 1ms, so all of your fast-paced gaming action is made seamlessly without smearing, ghosting, and blurring motion.
Flexible Connectivity:
ASUS VG275Q consists of two HDMI ports and one DisplayPort to give you greater flexibility, enabling you to simultaneously connect your game console, PC, and any other HDMI computer.
Super smooth visuals with AMD FreeSync:
ASUS VG275Q uses AMD FreeSync technology to remove screen tearing and choppy frame rates to give you smooth gameplay and seamless visuals. It provides first-person shooters, gaming, real-time strategy, and sports games the upper hand.
Ultra-Low Blue Light technology:
ASUS Ultra-Low Blue Light technology reduces the blue light output. You can access and choose four different kinds of filter settings on-screen via the OSD or DisplayWidget UI menu to find the best one that fits the task at hand.
Ergonomically designed and wall-mountable:
ASUS VG275Q is specially designed for long gaming sessions on marathons. An ergonomically designed stand allows you to adjust the monitor’s tilt, swivel, turn, and height so you can always find the ideal viewing spot. VESA can also be mounted on a wall to fit into any limited space.
Pros
Vibrant, affordable gaming console with an excellent screen size
Fast response and refresh on high settings for smooth gameplay
Cons
Relatively poor speakers, you need to buy an external one
For the exceptional console E-Sports experience, every aspect of the RL-series is planned and finely tuned. The ZOWIE RL-series has been embraced by professional E-Sports tournaments and players all over the world. With your determination and commitment to winning backed by the RL-series exclusive features, you’ll be ready to compete on any console in FPS, combat, or sports games. (To PS3, PS4 compliant).
Specifications
BenQ consist of 27″ 1920 x 1080 (1080p) Full HD Display
Response Time is 1ms (GTG) for removing ghosting and lagging, providing you with the best console gaming experience possible.
Exclusive Color Vibrance and Black eQualizer technology to enhance color representation and visual clarity, giving you the advantage on the battlefield.
Optimized display presets for RTS, FPS, and Fighting Game modes, along with Smart Scaling/Display Mode, to create custom screen sizes, giving users complete customized viewing experience.
Flicker-free technology with a unique bezel frame to minimize visual distractions and reduce eye strain, increasing your comfort for intensive gaming sessions.
Compatible with Console and PC platforms with a compact slip-resistant base that provides ideal space for controller storage paired with full tilt adjustment, Dual HDMI ports, VESA compatibility, and built-in speakers.
Manufacturer Limited Warranty: 3 Years
Comfort for Long-Lasting Play:
The RL-Series, developed in partnership with pro gamers, was updated to remove flickering at all levels of Brightness. It effectively reduces eye fatigue and improves gaming efficiency by offering intense visual comfort, even for the most hardcore gamers who enroll long hours of play.
Dual HDMI for Added Flexibility:
Equipped with two HDMI ports, the RL-Series allows you to simultaneously connect your gaming console to the display and another HDMI unit. Therefore there is no need to alter connections regularly.
Customized Gaming Modes:
Every game has its optimum calibration settings for color. To improve your gaming, we have fitted a single RL-Series monitor with multiple configurations like FPS or RTS modes.
Lag-Free Technology for Real-Time Response:
Quick Response Matters. You are lagging in critical moments. You are losing. The RL-series delivers every movement with no lag compared to a TV or regular monitor. Each of your actions is reflected in real-time.
Pros
Easy to assemble
27 inch allows you to run more significant text and not interfere with most UI elements or browsers
The monitor base is quite heavy and sturdy
Very good to excellent picture quality
Ability to save three extra profile besides existing ones
Easy to use adjustments/buttons
Cons
None really, though I can’t commit to the lifespan of the model
The BenQ RL2455S is the perfect 1080p watch for competitive console gaming. It provides low input lag, fast response time, and loads of gaming features.
For the exceptional console eSports experience, every aspect of the RL-series is planned and finely tuned. The ZOWIE RL-series has been embraced by elite eSports competitions and players all over the world. With your determination and commitment to winning backed by the RL-series exclusive features, you’ll be ready to play on any console in FPS, combat, or sports games. (To PS3, PS4 compliant).
Specifications
24″ 1920 x 1080 (1080p) Full HD Display supporting up to 75 Hz (configure through GPU settings).
1ms Response Time to eliminate ghosting and lag, providing you the optimal console gaming experience.
Exclusive Color Vibrance and Black eQualizer technology to enhance color representation and visual clarity, giving you the advantage on the battlefield.
Optimized display presets for RTS, FPS, and Fighting Game modes, along with Smart Scaling/Display Mode, to create custom screen sizes, giving users complete customized viewing experience.
Flicker-free technology with a unique bezel frame to minimize visual distractions and reduce eye strain, increasing your comfort for intensive gaming sessions.
Compatible with Console and PC platforms with a compact slip-resistant base that provides ideal space for controller storage paired with full tilt adjustment. Tilt (°): -5~15, Dual HDMI ports, VESA compatibility, and built-in speakers.
Manufacturer Limited Warranty: 3 Year
Lag-free Technology for Real-Time Response:
Instant Response Matters. You lag in critical moments, you lose. Compared to a TV or standard display, the RL-series has no pause in every movement. Each of the actions is shown in real-time.
Image Quality:
The BenQ ZOWIE RL2455S is based on a 24′′ TN panel with a static contrast ratio of 1,000:1, 250-nit peak luminance, 8-bit color depth assisted by dithering (6-bit + FRC), and viewing angles of 160 °/170 °.
While its image quality is suitable for a TN panel display, you could get a 24′′ 1080p monitor with an IPS or VA panel at this price range, which would give you wider viewing angles.
Performance:
The BenQ RL2455S has a low input lag of only ~3ms, which is remarkable for a 75Hz display besides having a fast response time speed.
Tracking Enhancement:
Exclusive Color Vibrance customizable feature allows you to apply the desired degree of saturation, which helps to differentiate small targets from the background and make the trace accurate and straightforward.
Black eQualizer – Tip the Scales:
Reduced visibility will cost even the most professional gamers their game in dark scenes. The Black eQualizer color engine technology brightens dark scenes without over-exposing the bright areas to give you an excellent level of visibility and control for console gaming. It helps preserve crucial information, helping you to easily spot your enemies in critical combat and quickly react in any situation.
Comfort for Long-Lasting Play:
The RL-Series, produced in partnership with pro gamers, was updated to reduce flickering at all stages of brightness. It effectively reduces eye fatigue and improves gaming efficiency by offering intense visual comfort, even for the most hardcore gamers who enroll long hours of play.
Dual HDMI for Added Flexibility:
Equipped with two HDMI ports, the RL-Series allows you to simultaneously connect your gaming console to the display and another HDMI unit. Therefore there is no need to alter connections regularly.
Design & Connectivity:
The BenQ RL2455S display has a voluminous design with thick bezels, but it’s durable, while the bezels are specifically designed to reduce reflections. The monitor is tilt-only, but the 100×100 mm VESA design helps you to install the device on a third-party stand.
Connectivity options include two built-in HDMI 2.0 ports, Dual-Link DVI-D, VGA, a headphone jack, and two 2W speakers.
Pros
Exceptionally low input lag
Plenty of gaming features
Quick response time
Extensive connectivity option
Cons
No AMD FreeSync
Only two overdrive options
Tilt-only stand
Some Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a gaming monitor for ps4?
Playing monitors vary from traditional monitors. Although you can use ordinary TV monitors to play games, gaming monitors are the ones that can provide you with better gaming experience. The console gaming monitors particularly turn out to be a better option for gaming consoles like PS4 and Xbox One.
Does Hz matter for ps4?
Is 144 Hz necessary for a ps4 pro monitor? No. Some ps4 games are 30 fps, and some are 60 fps, so you have to look up online what games you play, but a 144hz monitor isn’t worth a buy because it’s not needed for a console.
Can ps4 run 144hz?
PS4 doesn’t support 1440p or 144hz, so it’s not the ideal place to play games on, but the PS4 Pro will work just fine at 1080p and 60hz on that monitor.
Is ps4 better on a monitor?
The PS4 and the PS4 Slim support only resolutions of up to 1080p so that an FHD-resolution display will deliver a great gaming experience. The ASUS VG275Q is the best gaming monitor we’ve tested for an initial PS4 or a PS4 Slim.
Does ps4 Pro increase FPS?
You don’t have to do anything if a game is PS4 Pro Enhanced. The PS4 Pro will take it from here and will do all the updates for you. What this means is dependent on the game, but most will increase the frame rate, add super sampling, and perhaps even include a bunch of visual enhancements.
Can ps4 use a PC monitor?
To plug your PS4 into your computer monitor with DVI compatibility, buy an HDMI-to-DVI adapter cable. Your computer monitor will play PS4 audio with the HDMI cable through its built-in speakers, but this is not always necessary.
Is 4ms response time good?
Lower is always better, and the current lowest response time is 1ms. That can only be done by TN panels, while IPS panels can only go as low as 4ms. Ultimately, 1ms is best for competitive gaming, whereas non-competitive gamers may want to consider IPS as it provides better quality visuals.
We spend much time on how to build the best PC for gaming, but sometimes you want to buy it. Yes, creating your PC is a point of pride for some people and is an excellent way to save the amount for others, but not everyone can be built so they can choose the best custom-built PCs.
If you’re a gamer, it is necessary to choose the best gaming PC. A reliable gaming PC will let you get the most out of the gaming experience, and you can play games of your choice. Under the $1000, when you purchase a prebuilt gaming PC, you’ll be expected to make several sacrifices. You will have to either settle for an inferior CPU or GPU. That’s not always the case, though, and there are a few devices that have appealing combinations of CPU and GPU that can comfortably run most AAA games on 1080p max settings around the 60 fps mark and above.
Prebuilt gaming PCs come with a wide range of prices, features, and designs that confuse you so much. Here, we will recommend you the top gaming PCs you can buy under $1000.
There is a large variety of gaming PCs, but we will guide you about the best gaming PC under 1000$ that will be best among-st all due to their specifications.
We will provide you a guideline to buy your best gaming PC that will be reliable and economical based on their Storage, Performance and Speed and all the factors that are important for purchasing a gaming PC.
The Main Parts Of A Gaming PC
Before choosing the best PC for gaming, here is the simple introduction of the main parts of the PC.
Before choosing your PC, you should know some introduction about the main components on which PC performance is dependent.
Processor Or CPU
The Gaming PC consists of a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The speed Of gaming can be affected more by GPU as compared to CPU. However, a good Processor will help to perform tasks fastly and smoothly.
You’ll be expected to make many compromises under the $1000 when you purchase a prebuilt gaming PC. Either you need to settle for an inferior CPU or GPU. That’s not always the case, though, and there are a few devices that have appealing combinations of CPU and GPU that can smoothly run most AAA games on 1080p max settings around the at a price of less than $1000.
But that doesn’t mean having multiple cores doesn’t have any benefits. Multicore processing is essential in many other tasks. If you intend to use your gaming PC for processor-intensive tasks such as rendering and encoding, it is something to take seriously into consideration. There are also many more CPU intensive video games, such as those with large datasets such as Cities Skylines and simulation-based titles.
GPU
The GPU is the essential part of your gaming PC, and even when you’re a pre-built machine, that remains true. With a $1000 budget, you want to strive for a system that offers at least enough graphics power to run all notable titles at max settings at an average of 60fps on the 1080p resolution.
RAM
For the best gaming Pc, we should have a minimum RAM of 8GB. The speed of gaming directly depends on the RAM of the system.
Ideally, you want 16 GB for the system memory. 16 GB RAM lets your processor have enough breathing space. RAM speed is also something you should remember, although the amount of RAM you have is not as significant. Ideally, you want as much power as you can at RAM.
Storage
Storage can be SSD or HHD.
SSD is faster as compared to HHD. For gaming purposes, it will be best to use SSD.
Modern video games are incredibly vast, so you want a device that can store it. But more importantly, you want fast storage, so your machine quickly loads up. You want a solid-state drive, or SSD, for your operating system and most basic applications such as drivers and essential programs. Even the slowest SSDs are quicker than the quickest hard drive by several magnitudes, so you want at least one.
Ideally, you’d want to see a mix of SSD and HDD in a pre-built gaming PC. While the choice varies greatly, we agree that a 240 GB SSD paired with a 1 TB HDD fits well for most consumers looking to purchase a gaming PC.
If you want high-end gaming with a friendly budget, here is a list of top 5 best Gaming PC under 1000 dollars you can pick.
Skytech Archangel brings you immersive graphics powered by Nvidia GTX 1050 Ti graphics cards. Optimized for 1080p gaming and partnered with 8GB 2400 MHz memory, the Skytech Archangel is one of the best-prebuilt PCs for gaming that will perform much faster with higher FPS in e-sports and AAA titles.
complete free package of Gaming Keyboard & Mouse | Monitor, Not included
1 Year Warranty | Lifetime Free US Technical Support
True Quad-Core Processing With AMD Ryzen 3
Unlocked for overclocking and with advanced intelligent ‘Zen’ architecture, the Ryzen 3’s powerful four processor cores increase Performance for gaming with accurate machine intelligence to analyze and adapt to your needs.
Fast Performance for Esports and AAA Gaming
Achieve high frame rate performance on High/Ultra 1080p graphics settings for games like Apex Legends, PUBG, Overwatch & Fortnite. Command high Performance for the most full AAA titles like The Division 2, Rise of the Tomb Raider and GTA V. Your PC is built to play the biggest games of today and upgradeable for the games of tomorrow.
High Build Quality & Consistent Color Schemes
Today’s PC Gamers care about the things that take an ordinary build to extraordinary. Vibrant RGB lighting, consistent color schemes, high build quality, and professional cabling. Every Skytech PC is hand-built in the United States to customer specifications and our high technical standards.
The GXiVR8060A8 is a prebuilt desktop gaming machine that comes complete with a keyboard, mouse, wireless, and Windows 10 Home OS. CyberpowerPC has frequently updated its GXiVR8060 series, and this latest edition includes Nvidia’s latest series of mid-level graphics cards, a decent-sized SSD, and an Intel CPU of the 9th generation.
Kill the rivalry with gaming machine series Cyber PowerPC Gamer Extreme VR. The Gamer Extreme VR series features the latest generation of high-performance Intel Core processors and ultra-quick DDR RAM for fast performing system-intensive tasks, such as video playback and gaming in high definition The Gamer Extreme series provides a smooth gaming and multimedia experience combined with strong, discreet video cards.
For any gamer with the excellent tech specs, the CYBERPOWERPC Gamer Xtreme VR (i7) is a solid choice.
The SkyTech Shadow’s eye-caching black case and blue-LED highlights make it instantly recognizable as a gamer’s PC, and it is complete with LED-lit gaming mouse and keyboard, wireless adapter, and 64-bit Windows 10 Home OS. With the Ryzen 3 1200 3.1GHz Quad-Core and the GTX 1050 Ti 4 GB graphics card, this Shadow has new hardware that can handle modern game titles with ease.
We like the compact size and most of the style, even though the fans might be a little noisy. While it is undoubtedly power, other desktops that we tested at roughly the same price have eked out better Performance.
It is an excellent budget friendly gaming PC for less than $700, offering fast and powerful output for the budget-conscious PC gamer. Featuring strong Nvidia GTX 1050 Ti graphics with AMD Ryzen 3 1200 quad-core processing, Skytech’s Shadow provides the best performance balance and value for playing the most challenging games of 2019 and onward while being entirely upgradable to tomorrow’s titles.
The SkyTech gaming PC is one of a kind with some distant memory and speed features, and a high-quality, well-known graphics card from NVIDIA.
Specifications
SkyTech Shadow Gaming Pc consist of AMD RYZEN 3 1200 4-Core 3.1 GHz (3.4 GHz Turbo) contains 1 TB 7200RPM Hard Drive
With good quality Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti with 4 GB Video Card | 8 GB DDR4 2400 Gaming Memory |
Windows 10 64-bit operating system
Pre-installed and ready to use wifi,1 x DVI, One DisplayPort.
Support by 80 Plus 500 Watt Licensed Power Supply Free Gaming Task & Mouse Screen Not included monitor Not included
One year life warranty.
Pros
Complete awesome looking case with blue LED case fans
Powerful graphics card-GTX 1050 Ti 4 GB GeForce
1-year warranty and free lifetime US technical support
Full keyboard/mouse kit, Wireless Networking, and Windows 10 installation included.
Sure, there are other very well-known computer brands in which you can install all the computer games, yet this is the one brand that is the best. In case you are looking for a powerful Gaming PC at a relatively affordable price for the current scenario, then this Gaming PC is perfect. Yet the lack of a USB Type-C port would make connections troublesome.
The SkyTech Shiva is a portable gaming PC for gaming enthusiasts. Equipped with an AMD Ryzen 5 2600 CPU, Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 2060 GPU, 16 GB RAM, and 500 GB solid-state drive for storage, our review unit is the mid-tier edition. Unsurprisingly, games in 1080p at fast refresh rates are more than ready to play, and can even hit 60fps on 1440p gaming.
Skytech Shiva gives you hyper-realistic graphics with ray-tracing support powered by Nvidia’s RTX 2060 6 GB video card. Use Ryzen 5’s powerful six-core architecture to manage intense multicore tasks like video editing, streaming & rendering. One of Shiva’s best-prebuilt gaming PCs is intended for HD+, 4 K, VR, streaming & recording. Enjoy AAA games and make content at the highest frame rates.
Specifications
Smartly Design:
This Gaming PC has been intelligently designed concerning functionality. While equipped with a host of the latest features, it was designed in such a way that it is lightweight and can, therefore, be held in a small space.
Ports & Connectivity:
Here, you could plug in many input devices via the different input slots. Interestingly, you have quite a lot of USB ports.
This PC has the AC WiFi with Antenna for Connectivity, which ensures fast communication.
Design:
Besides, it looks stylish and is also very durable. Even if the technology presented here is running for a long time, it can stay cool at all times.
If you are looking for a gaming PC, then this PC is the one that offers top Performance despite its most advanced features.
Performance:
If you are already in computer gaming, you will know that computer graphics is essential because it defines the nature of the experience of computer gaming, this PC is equipped with high quality Nvidia GeForce graphics RTX 2060 6GB GDDR6 Video Card.
Main Specs:
Ryzen 5 2600 series with 6-Core 3 4GHz (3 9 GHz Max Boost) CPU Processor 500 G SSD-Up to 30x Faster than traditional HDD Motherboard A320 M
Nvidia GeForce graphics RTX 2060 6GB GDDR6 Video Card, 16 GB gaming Memory DDR4 3000 with heat Spreader |
Windows 10 Home 64-bit operating system
It comprises Bloatware 1 x HDMI 4 x USB 3.1 Gen1 containing Ports 2 x USB 2.0 HD Audio and Camera with Free Keyboard and gaming mouse.
3 x RGB Ring Fans for maximum flow of air | Powered by 80 Plus Certified 500 Watt Power Supply | in Win 101 case
1 Year on Parts and Labor, Lifetime Technical Support, Assemble in the USA |
This Gaming PC Capable to Run Any kind of Your Favorite Game at 1080P High to Ultra Resolution with 60+ FPS that is Apex Legends (PUBG) Overwatch CS GO Battlefield V Anthem The Division 2 and More
The iBUYPOWER Gaming PC is one of the most powerful prebuilt PCs on the market you can find. It comes with Intel Core i7-9700F 3.0Ghz CPU with incredible multitasking capabilities and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti 6GB graphics card.
Featured on some of one of the largest tech and hardware media outlets, including IGN, Tom’s Hardware, and PC Gamer, iBUYPOWER is widely recognized for being at the forefront of innovation and high-performance gaming desktops.
From the Revolt 2, the world’s first gaming PC designed for esports, and the Snowblind, featuring the first mass-produced LCD-side panel gaming PC, iBUYPOWER breaks boundaries with an unwavering dedication to esports and PC gaming.
From this Intel-powered iBUYPOWER gaming desktop PC, experience exceptionally high Performance. Whether you’re looking for intense gaming, entertainment, downloading, content creation, testing, or multitasking, you’ll find this desktop tower device! Our gaming machines are filled with reliable processing power and the latest graphics, and you can cope with tasks and system-intensive programs. An Intel Core i7-9700F Processor-designed powers this iBUYPOWER desktop tower for reliability and Performance.
This Ultra Gaming Desktop Rig provides immersive graphics powered by NVIDIA’s GeForce GTX 1660 Ti 6 GB dedicated graphics card that will enhance your experience, whether it’s for your personal, gaming or business needs. 16 GB DDR4 allows your PC to run at good, optimum speeds in games with higher FPS. Encounter system-integration with ease. Equip yourself with this powerful Desktop gaming and enjoy today’s most challenging and popular games on the market!
All iBUYPOWER systems have sections of 1 year. Lifetime professional support-Our outstanding support brings our customers to our committed customer service professionals – FPS System: Processor: Intel Core i7-9700f 3. 0GHz (4. 70 GHz Max Turbo), Memory: 16GB DDR4 RAM, Hard Disk: 1TB 7200 RPM, Hard Drive SSD: 240GB Solid State Drive, Power Supply: 500 Watts Power Supply, and Operating System: Windows 10 Home 64-bit.
The iBUYPOWER gaming PC is a real breakthrough for that price range. With its 16 GB DDR4 RAM and 240 GB SSD and 2 TB HDD storage capacity, there’s no modern game title you can’t play with.
Specifications
System:
Intel 8-Core Core i7-9700F 3. 0GHz (4. 70 GHz Max Turbo) 16 GB DDR4-2666 RAM 1 TB HDD 240 GB SSD Home 64-bit Windows 10.
Graphics:
INVIDIA GTX 1660 Ti 6 GB Dedicated Video Card Gaming VR Ready 1x DVI 1x HDMI 1x Display Port.
Connectivity:
4x Windows 3. 0 2 via USB 2. 0 1x Ethernet Network RJ-4510/100/1000 Audio: 7. 1 Chanel.
Special Add-Ons:
RGB Gaming Case with tempered glass 802. 11AC wifi 16 Color RGB Lighting Case Free Gaming Keyboard & RGB Gaming Mouse Bloatware not included.
This PC’s impressive strong point is the new i5-9400F generation. It may not be as strong as our other Processing and Graphics recommendations on this list. But, when paired with a GTX 1660 TI, it still handles most AAA games well and has great results at its cheap price.
Pros
Well-priced given the parts inside
Great for fast-paced 1080p gaming
Excellent case quality and airflow
Removable dust filter
Cons
No flash card reader
Only basic audio-outs
Some Frequently Asked Question(s)
Can you get a good gaming PC for $1000?
Best $1,000 Gaming PC Build Max Out Easily with Any Player. The sky is the limit with this $1,000 gaming PC build with an RX 5700 XT 8 GB graphics card, 16 GB of RAM, and an AMD Ryzen 5 3600. If you have about $1,000 to spend on building a new gaming PC, you’ve got enough to make a great setup. Click here to see the list of top 5 best gaming PC under 1000 dollars.
Is SkyTech a good gaming PC?
The SkyTech ArchAngel is an excellent gaming desktop PC capable of delivering frame rates over 50FPS at high and extreme settings even at Full HD resolutions for most game titles. The latest graphics card and processor will remain relevant for years to come, and in this quality case, the improvements are simple.
Is iBUYPOWER good for gaming?
iBuyPower offers ASUS and MSI gaming laptops, in addition to its line of Battalion gaming laptops. The screen sizes vary from 14-18.4 inches. Best for: iBUYPOWER is best suited to high-performance enthusiasts and customers looking for a powerful gaming PC.
How much does a decent gaming PC cost?
A standard gaming PC should price you $700 to $1,000. But if you want to run high-end games with a frame rate of 60 + on max settings, you might need to pay as much as $2,000.
How much RAM do I need for gaming?
8 GB is the minimum required for high end gaming. With 8 GB of RAM, your PC can run most of the games without any difficulty, although some graphics sacrifices are likely to be made when it comes to the latest, more challenging titles. 16 GB is the optimum amount of RAM currently available for gaming.
Is it cheaper to build or buy a gaming PC?
Generally speaking, building a gaming PC is cheaper, rather than buying a Pre-built gaming PC. And making a PC is more inexpensive. However, if you want to build a PC from scratch rather than buy a Pre-built version, you forfeit the time and less risk of damaging the PC components.
Building your PC might sound a challenging task. After all, the only sure way to get what you want is a custom-built gaming PC. When you have access to control everything that goes from the power supply up into your PC, you know that you will be able to play the games you want without facing performance issue. It is also the perfect next step if you’re already a gamer because a custom-built PC allows you to upgrades as technology changes day by day, as the gaming flavor and needs of people changes or as your budget allows.
It’s not difficult to build a gaming PC, but it’s also not always intuitive. Here is the step-by-step guideline to make your first gaming PC. What you needed to build a gaming PC, and what are the requirements? Everything is mentioned below, let’s have a look.
Requirements for building your own PC
There are four main requirements worth mentioning:
Primary components
Secondary components
Cases
Exterior or outlying components
1. Primary Components
Primary components are those components which lie inside the actual computer. These are the CPU, GPU, Motherboard, RAM, Storage, and Power supply.
The CPU
Standing for “central processing unit,” CPUs are commonly called “processors” and are your PC’s brains.
Intel and AMD are the two renowned manufacturers of CPUs. Both of these tech giants offer a wide range of gaming CPUs to consumers. However, neither is necessarily better than the other, especially given the recent comeback of AMD with the Ryzen series.
For building a gaming PC, which CPU is best? Here we will provide you some suggestions for the CPU.
Intel Core I3 or AMD RYZEN 3 for some mid-range gaming PCs
Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5 for upper mid-range gaming PCs
The GPU
Standing for “graphics processing unit,” GPU do precisely what their name implies-they handle all the rendering of graphics in the game.
Which GPU should you use or buy?
Nowadays, two companies are producing GPU. These are: Nvidia and AMD
AMD is sticking to low-end and mid-range solutions, while Nvidia is best for the high-end.
We recommend you following GPU.
For Low-end gaming PC – Nvidia GTX 1050 or Radeon RX 560
For Mid-range gaming PC – Nvidia GTX 1060 6GB or Radeon RX 580
For High-end gaming PC – Nvidia RTX 2080 Ti
There are many other GPUs you can use, but the above ones are best to use.
Which Graphics Card should you use?
You can turn to many hardware manufacturers, some of which are big names that make both Nvidia and AMD graphics cards like Asus, Gigabyte, and MSI.
Nowadays Graphics cards utilize one of the following three cooling technologies these are
Open-air cooling
Blower fan cooling
Water cooling
We recommend you to use Open-air cooling. It is the most popular cooling graphics card.
The RAM
RAM stands for “random access memory,” and it’s what your PC uses to store information temporary that it needs to quickly access because this technology is significantly faster than any storage currently available.
We recommend you to use 8 GB of RAM for your gaming PC since that is the best all-around option. 4 GB is not enough for modern games and 64-bit operating systems, and 16 GB is a more future-proof solution. 32 GB and higher is excessive. It is mostly used for workstations and servers.
The Motherboard
The motherboard connects all the components physically.
It does not mostly affect gaming, but it tells which and how many components you can install.
The most commonly used motherboard formats are the following:
Mini ITX – These are Smallest motherboards with two RAM slots and only one PCIe slot
Micro ATX – Medium-sized motherboards with four RAM slots and 2-3 PCIe slots
ATX – Large motherboards with four RAM slots and up to 6 PCIe slot
The Storage
A PC’s internal storage consist of two types of drives:
HDD(Hard disk Drive)
SSD(Solid-state drive) – New Technology
For gaming purposes, we recommend you to have an SSD drive where you have installed all the games.
The Power Supply
All you need to think about when it comes to the Power supply is the wattage. Power supplies range from 200 watts to 1800 watts anywhere, though, for most gaming PCs, 500-600 watts is enough power.
It would help if you bought a high-quality power supply from a reliable manufacturer.
2. Secondary Components
These are internal components of the PC. These are useful components not mandatory. Some of the secondary components are: optical drive, the sound card, case-mounted fans.
Optical Drive
Optical drives were used when CDs and DVDs were popular; nowadays, the use of disk drives is rare because people download their games instead of using CDs. However, sometimes, we need to install games through CDS; in that case, it seems helpful.
Sound Cards
Advanced motherboards have integrated chips that handle audio input and output, and while in the past, these integrated solutions were hardly reliable, they have exponentially advanced.
If you are using stereo 2.0/2.1 speakers and headphones, there is no need to buy a sound card.
Miscellaneous Expansions Cards
These cards are useful when you want to connect internal modems, WiFi adapters, and used for various input-output ports.
3. The Case
After choosing internal components now you have to put all in the case.
There are four types of cases to put components inside, these are:
Mini Tower, for Mini ITX motherboards
Micro Tower, for Micro ATX motherboards
Mid Tower, for ATX motherboards
Full Tower
4. Exterior or Outlying Devices
These include input or output devices such as monitors, speakers, headphones, keyboards, mice, controllers, and microphones.
The Monitor
The Monitor is an output device that displays the result.
While choosing Monitor, we should keep in mind two main factors.
These are: Size and Resolution
The monitor size should not exceed 30 inches. Modern Monitor is having a size of 21-27 inches.
There are different resolution you can use for gaming PC such as
1080p Full HD up to 24 inches
1440p Quad HD
2160p Ultra HD ,
The Speakers
Speakers are one of the two choices you have about audio output, while the other is headphones. The speakers have the advantage of more realistic acoustics at very low frequencies.
The Keyboard
As for the keyboards, the most important choice to make is whether you will be getting a membrane keyboard or a more advanced mechanical keyboard.
For gaming purposes, we recommend you to use a regular membrane keyboard because of cost-effectiveness and having an approachable price.
Step into the world of high-performance gaming and experience the thrill of victory with the right PC parts. Whether you’re a hardcore gamer or just looking for an immersive experience, the right components can make all the difference. From the graphics card to the processor and everything in between, these are the essential pieces that bring your gaming setup to life.
So let’s dive into the most important parts of a gaming PC and see what makes them the key to unlocking your full gaming potential.
The faster the CPU, the more efficiently it can process and execute game instructions, leading to higher frame rates and smoother gameplay.
The “brain” of your gaming PC
High performance = smooth gaming experience
Reduces lag and stuttering for immersive gaming
Clock speed and cores matter when choosing a CPU
Higher clock speed = more calculations per second
Multiple cores = improved performance
Crucial component for serious gamers
The central processing unit (CPU) plays a crucial role in the performance of a gaming PC. It acts as the “brain” of the computer, responsible for processing and executing instructions from the software. In gaming, the CPU handles tasks such as AI calculations, game logic, and physics simulations.
A high-performance CPU is essential for a smooth gaming experience, as it determines the number of calculations a computer can perform in a given amount of time.
Modern games require powerful CPUs to run effectively, as they often involve advanced graphics, physics simulations, and AI calculations. A fast CPU can also help reduce lag and stuttering, resulting in a more immersive gaming experience.
When choosing a CPU for gaming, it is essential to consider its clock speed and the number of cores it has. A higher clock speed means the CPU can perform more calculations per second, while multiple cores allow for parallel processing, improving overall performance.
In conclusion, the CPU plays a vital role in the performance of a gaming PC. Investing in a high-performance CPU will ensure a smooth and immersive gaming experience and is a crucial component for any serious gamer.
A better graphics card means more detailed and smoother graphics, making the game more immersive.
Essential component for any gaming setup
Renders images, animations, and videos
Two main types: integrated & dedicated
Dedicated is better for gaming
Specs to consider: clock speed, memory, CUDA cores
Compatibility with computer crucial.
A gaming graphics card, also known as a GPU, is a vital component in your gaming PC that provides the graphics processing power for your games. Upgrading your graphics card can greatly improve the performance and visual quality of your games.
A graphics card is like the artist of a painting. It takes the basic outlines and shapes from the game and adds texture, color, and depth to create the final image you see.
There are two main types of graphics cards – integrated and dedicated. Integrated graphics are built into your computer’s CPU, while dedicated graphics are separate cards that plug into your motherboard. Dedicated graphics are better for gaming as they have more processing power and memory, making them able to handle more complex graphics.
When shopping for a gaming graphics card, it’s important to consider its specs such as the clock speed, memory, and number of CUDA cores. Clock speed is how fast the card can process data, while memory refers to the amount of memory the card has. The more CUDA cores the card has, the more detailed the graphics it can produce.
Another important factor to consider is compatibility with your computer. Make sure to check your computer’s specifications, including the available ports and power supply, to ensure your new graphics card will work with your setup.
In conclusion, a gaming graphics card is a critical component for any serious gamer. A better graphics card will lead to more detailed and smoother graphics, making your gaming experience more immersive. Consider factors such as clock speed, memory, and compatibility when shopping for a new gaming graphics card.
When playing a game, the more RAM you have, the more information the game can store in memory. This results in quicker load times and better performance.
RAM improves gaming performance by allowing fast access to game data
Temporary memory for smooth game loading and action
More RAM = better gaming experience
Insufficient RAM can cause slow loading, crashes, and poor performance
8GB is common minimum for most games
RAM, or random access memory, plays a crucial role in gaming. It acts as a short-term memory storage for the game and your computer’s operating system, allowing them to access data quickly. This allows for smooth game play, as the game can access the data it needs quickly and efficiently.
To ensure smooth game play, it’s recommended to have at least 8GB of RAM for most games. For more demanding games, 16GB or more is recommended. It’s also important to have enough RAM for your other computer programs and tasks, so you don’t experience slowdowns or crashes.
If the game requires a lot of memory and your RAM is limited, the game will experience lag and slowdowns, ruining your gaming experience.
In conclusion, RAM plays an important role in gaming by allowing games to access data quickly and efficiently. Having enough RAM is crucial for smooth game play and to prevent slowdowns or crashes.
Unleash Your Gaming Power with Cutting-Edge Storage Solutions: Say Goodbye to Slow Load Times and Hello to Lightning-Fast Performance with SSDs.
Fast load times with SSDs revolutionize gaming
Improved reliability and performance with SSDs
No more frustration with slow load times
Safe and secure storage for your game data
Invest in a high-speed SSD for the ultimate gaming experience
Maximize gaming potential with cutting-edge storage solutions
When it comes to building or upgrading a gaming PC, the storage solution you choose can make all the difference in performance and overall gaming experience. With games becoming larger in size and requiring more storage, having the right storage solution in place is crucial.
Blazing-fast storage solutions such as solid-state drives (SSDs) have revolutionized the gaming world by providing lightning-fast load times and improved overall performance. Unlike traditional hard disk drives (HDD), SSDs offer significantly faster read and write speeds, allowing games to load in mere seconds instead of minutes. This can result in a more enjoyable gaming experience, without the frustration of waiting for games to load.
Another benefit of SSDs is their reliability, as they have no moving parts, making them less susceptible to damage and failures. This can ensure that your game data and progress is safe, and you can continue to game without any interruptions.
When it comes to storage capacity, having enough space to store your favorite games is also crucial. With games ranging from a few gigabytes to several hundred gigabytes in size, having a storage solution with enough capacity is essential.
In conclusion, choosing the right storage solution for your gaming PC is an important decision that can significantly impact your overall gaming experience. With the increasing demands of modern games, investing in a high-speed SSD can provide the ultimate gaming experience, with fast load times, improved performance, and the peace of mind that your game data is safe.
The Heart of Your Gaming Machine: Elevate Your Gaming Experience with the Right Motherboard
Backbone of gaming PC
Determines component compatibility
Offers overclocking options
Provides connectivity for peripherals
Impacts gaming performance
A motherboard is the backbone of any computer, and for a gaming PC, it is no exception. The motherboard provides the necessary connections for all of the components to communicate and work together. It is responsible for providing the power, speed, and stability required for a great gaming experience.
Here are some of the key roles a motherboard plays in a gaming PC:
Component Support: The motherboard determines which components can be installed in the gaming PC, including the processor, memory, graphics card, and storage. It is essential to choose a motherboard that is compatible with the components you wish to install.
Overclocking: Many motherboards today offer the ability to overclock the processor, allowing gamers to boost performance beyond the stock speeds. This can provide a significant boost in gaming performance.
Connectivity: The motherboard provides connections for all the peripherals, such as keyboard, mouse, and other input devices, as well as the speakers, monitors, and other output devices.
Speed: The speed of the motherboard’s bus speed, which determines how fast data travels between components, is also important for gaming performance. Faster bus speeds can result in improved performance and a smoother gaming experience.
In conclusion, a motherboard plays a critical role in a gaming PC, providing the necessary connections, support, and speed for all components to work together and deliver a great gaming experience. When choosing a motherboard for your gaming PC, it is essential to consider the compatibility, features, and performance it offers.
A high-quality power supply is a critical component in a gaming PC as it provides the necessary power to run the computer’s components and keeps them stable.
Essential component for stable and consistent power to gaming PC components
Protects components from voltage spikes and power surges
Supports future upgrades to the system
Helps to avoid overheating and stability problems
Ensures sufficient power for demanding games and applications
As a gamer, you want a PC that is fast, reliable, and has enough power to handle all of your favorite games. The power supply is one of the most important components in a gaming PC and plays a crucial role in ensuring that your system runs smoothly. A good power supply is essential for providing stable, consistent power to all the components in your system, preventing crashes, and ensuring a smooth gaming experience.
Here are some of the key roles that a power supply plays in a gaming PC:
Power Management: The power supply provides the necessary power to run all the components in your gaming PC, including the processor, graphics card, and storage. It is crucial to choose a power supply with enough power to handle the components you plan to install.
Efficiency: A high-efficiency power supply is essential for reducing heat and noise, as well as reducing energy consumption and costs. This helps to keep your gaming PC running smoothly and prevents crashes due to overheating.
Stabilization: A power supply helps to stabilize the voltage, preventing fluctuations that can cause crashes or damage to components. This is particularly important in high-performance systems where stability is critical.
Protection: A good power supply includes protection features, such as overvoltage protection and short-circuit protection, to help prevent damage to your system and components.
In conclusion, a power supply is a crucial component in a gaming PC, providing the necessary power and stability for a smooth gaming experience. When choosing a power supply for your gaming PC, it is essential to consider the power requirements of your components, efficiency, stability, and protection features. With the right power supply, you can power up your gaming and dominate the gaming world.
Optical drives are part of many gaming PCs and serve important functions. They let you install games and software from CDs and DVDs, back up important files, and even watch movies or burn custom discs.
Provides ability to install games and software from CDs and DVDs
Enables backup of important files
Allows for watching movies or burning custom discs
Affordable and easy to install
Often comes built-in with gaming PCs
Valuable addition to any gaming setup.
Optical drives have been an essential component of personal computers for many years, and gaming PCs are no exception. Despite the increasing trend of digital downloads, optical drives still play a crucial role in the gaming world, serving several key functions for gamers.
First, optical drives allow gamers to install games and software from physical media such as CDs and DVDs. This is especially useful for older games that may not be available for digital download. Secondly, optical drives can be used to back up important gaming files and data, providing an additional layer of protection against data loss.
Optical drives also come in handy for watching movies, listening to music, or even burning custom CDs and DVDs. With the ability to read and write data, these drives can even be used to make custom bootable discs, enabling users to install operating systems or other software with ease.
In terms of hardware, optical drives are inexpensive and easy to install, making them an accessible addition to any gaming setup. Additionally, many gaming PCs now come with built-in optical drives, providing gamers with the convenience of having this essential component at their fingertips.
In conclusion, optical drives may not be the most glamorous component of a gaming PC, but they are certainly a useful one. From installing games to backing up important files, optical drives offer a wide range of benefits that can enhance your gaming experience. So, if you’re looking to build a gaming PC, don’t overlook the importance of an optical drive.
A good display monitor provides accurate color reproduction, fast response time, and high refresh rates, allowing for a smooth and fluid gaming experience.
Display monitor affects overall gaming experience
High-quality display offers clear graphics and smooth motion
Different sizes, resolutions, and technologies available
Consider screen size, resolution, refresh rate, response time, and connectivity
A display monitor is an essential component in a gaming PC that determines the visual quality of the games you play. It not only affects the overall gaming experience but also influences a gamer’s performance.
When it comes to gaming, display monitors play a crucial role. A high-quality display monitor can bring games to life, offering crystal-clear graphics and smooth motion that immerses you into the gaming world. In order to fully enjoy your games and achieve the best performance, it’s important to choose the right display monitor for your gaming PC.
Display monitors come in different sizes, resolutions, and technologies. Some popular options include Full HD monitors, 4K monitors, and curved monitors, each offering its own set of benefits and drawbacks. When selecting a display monitor for gaming, it’s important to consider factors such as screen size, resolution, refresh rate, response time, and connectivity options.
In conclusion, a display monitor is a key component of any gaming setup. It’s essential to choose a display monitor that meets your needs and provides the best gaming experience. Whether you’re a casual gamer or a professional esports player, investing in a good display monitor can make all the difference in your gaming performance and enjoyment.
Some Frequently Asked Questions?
What makes a gaming PC different from a normal PC?
A gaming PC typically has higher end hardware components such as a more powerful CPU, GPU, RAM, and storage, which are optimized for gaming performance.
What are the most important parts of a gaming PC?
The most important part of a gaming PC is subjective and depends on individual needs and preferences. Some key components include a powerful CPU, high-end GPU, adequate RAM and storage, a reliable motherboard, and a quality power supply unit.
What kind of GPU should I choose for gaming?
It depends on your budget, the type of games you play, and the performance level you want. High-end GPUs like the Nvidia GeForce RTX 30 series or AMD Radeon RX 6000 series offer top-notch performance for demanding games, while more budget-friendly options like the Nvidia GTX 16 series or AMD Radeon RX 5000 series can still handle most games with acceptable graphics.
What type of storage is best for gaming?
Solid-State Drives (SSDs) are currently the preferred storage option for gaming due to their fast read and write speeds, which significantly improve game loading times and overall system performance.
How much RAM do I need for gaming?
It depends on the type of games you play, but 8GB of RAM is a good starting point for most gamers. If you play demanding games or want to run multiple programs simultaneously, you may want to consider 16GB or more.
Why is a powerful power supply important for a gaming PC?
A powerful power supply is important for a gaming PC as it ensures that all components receive the power they need to operate at maximum performance. It also helps prevent system crashes and stability issues caused by insufficient power.
Alienware is one of the best and praised company for building the fastest and quality gaming laptops. In the market, Alienware gaming laptops are at top notch by providing the best gaming experience ever.
With the new Alienware technology, you will get so deep into the game by using Alienware laptops. It is a computer hardware subsidiary of Dell located in America. Their products are purely designed for computer games and besides its performance and their alien-themed designs can identify its stylish look.
This versatile family of laptops delivers you the precisely high-performance gaming environment what you need. Ones you get in then it may be hard to get out.
Gaming laptops need high specification and graphics support to run high-quality games. These laptops have all built in such accessories which are necessary for running quality games.
Alienware delivers the ultimate experience with the highest resolution displays, exceptional build quality, unique materials, and powerful features.
Enjoy the most immersive gaming experience with Alienware powered by high-end technology.
“Alienware saved the Dell company made them grow extraordinarily”
There are a bunch of things that I do like in Alienware Gaming Laptops, and these things make this laptop separate from others in this space:
Alienware Pros
First is build quality, of all the 17-inch laptops in this price range. Alienware is the only who does it the best.
It’s got steel and magnesium on the inside, carbon fiber composite for the exterior, it just feels really durable.
You get the classic Alienware keyboard. According to my research, this is the most robust 17-inch gaming laptop.
The Alienware lighting is also cool, light-up track-pads are always fun, the light strips on the side are especially cool.
They aren’t super thin or super light, but this thing is a tank.
This is a design for only Alienware Laptops, not for everyone, they are made really well.
Its performance is obviously really excellent. It’s running the Kaby Lake i7 7280 HK and a GTX 1080.
And the thing which made this laptop special and unique is Thermal Management.
One more important thing about this laptop is the screen, and its Quad HD Panel, it is a TN panel that gives one of the best gaming experiences and trusts me really nice I have ever seen. Great color accuracy, 120Hz with G-Sync, this thing was built for gamers.
It’s a little bit expensive, but according to its mind-blowing features, if you can afford it, you’ll be playing buttery smooth games for years.
These are the things which I don’t like in Alienware Gaming Laptops:
Alienware Cons
There are only two RAM slots so that you can get up to 32 gigs of RAM. If you do want tons of VM or if you run crazy CAD software then you might need more than 32 gigs. So that’s a limitation in Alienware Laptops.
It has a decent number of ports; there’s a total of four, two of them being Type-C. And I think there are some ports in 17-inch laptop.
The other thing is that the power supply is really big, it’s 330 watts. If you’re going to power a GTX 1080 properly, you kinda need the wattage.
Our Verdict: The new Alienware 17 R5 delivers tremendous gaming power in a sleeker, hinge-forward design with lighting effects and captivating sound.
Quick Specs:
After nearly 22 years in the game, it is safe to say that Alienware knows very well how to make gaming laptops. This company also knows when to make a few tweaks or when to do a total redesign to refine the overall product.
Alienware made slight tweaks to its exterior design, creating a slimmer chassis with even more customized lighting opportunities. Overhauls to the audio and cooling systems make for louder speakers and quieter fans. And a complete redesign of Alienware Command Center software makes overclocking your processor and customizing your lighting and graphics card child’s play.
Speaking of GPUs and CPUs, as we tested the high-powered configuration comes with a powerful Intel 8th Generation Core i9 processor that can be overclocked to 5 GHz – a first for the laptop series – and a factory overclocked Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 GPU. Throw in a vibrant Quad HD display, a speedy SSD and over 3 hours of battery life, and you have got the difference between a simple gaming laptop and a great gaming laptop.
Design:
Call it an intergalactic blackout. In addition to the new shade, Alienware also added more LED zones to the ready-made battle-station, while making its system slimmer with its new hinge-forward design.
First is, the lighting. Alienware has added more new zones in the system, bringing the grand total to 13. You can select out your custom effects and colors on the revamped Alien Command Center (more on that later).
At 16.7 x 13.1 x 1.18 inches and 9.7 pounds, the Alienware 17 is slimmer than its predecessor (16.7 x 13.1 x 1.2 inches and 9.6 pounds), and lighter than the MSI GT75 Titan (16.9 x 12.4 x 1.2~2.3 inches and 10.1 pounds). However, it is still noticeably more massive than the 8.1-pound Aorus X9 (16.9 x 12.4 x 1.2 inches) and the 8.6-pound Origin PC Eon17-X (16.4 x 11.6 x 1.6 inches).
Opening the lid, you are greeted by a full-size traditional keyboard glowing with anticipation. The keyboard is sandwiched between the watchful eyes and a massive touchpad of the glowing alien head power button. The 17.3″ panel sits above the glossy plastic strip housing the Tracker (Tobii Eye).
For ports, you will get a single USB 3.0 port on the right with another one positioned on the left. You will also find a USB Type-C port, jacks for microphone and headphone, and a Noble Lock slot.
Because of the hinge-forward design, you will find the majority of your ports In the back, including an HDMI 2.0, Thunderbolt 3, Ethernet, Mini DisplayPort, a power port and the proprietary port for the Alienware Graphics Amplifier.
Display
Alienware typically provides a top-notch screen, and it does not disappoint with the newest Alienware 17. The 17.3″, the matte anti-glare display gives robust color and unrivaled brightness with generous viewing angles. Unfortunately, this 2560 x 1440 panel is not available in OLED(Organic Light Emitting Diode) like it’s 13″ cousin (sigh, one day), but it still had no issue delivering show-stopping reds during the BlacKkKlansman trailer.
The nonstop action, the Nvidia technology(G-Sync) helped prevent against image tearing by synchronizing the GPU(Graphics Processing Unit) with the panel up to 144 Hz.
For color reproduction, Alienware 17 hit 110% of the sRGB color gamut, which surpasses the 100% minimum and the Eon17-X’s 104 percent. However, it is short of the 131-percent premium gaming laptop average as well as the numbers put up by the Titan and the Aorus X9.
Audio
Back and louder than ever. Alienware’s top-notch design makes room for a seriously improved audio system. This design now includes a couple of internal smart amplifiers that monitor audio waveforms (a graph that displays level or amplitude changes over time), and the system uses that to regulate the speaker thermals for quality sound.
Keyboard and Touchpad
While pretty much everyone has gone island-style with their gaming keyboards, but Alienware has stayed true to its classic layout — with good reason. With 79 grams of actuation and 2.2 millimeters of key travel, the Alienware 17’s steel-reinforced TactX keyboard far surpasses our min requirements (60 grams, 1.5 mm). It was like my fingers were typing on springy mattresses, bouncing my way to 78 wpm on the 10fastfingers typing test. That is significantly higher than my usual 70 wpm(words per minute).
The 4 x 2.1-inch classic touchpad is massive and offered decent space for my fingers to skate along and navigate documents and websites — or summon Cortana with a 3-finger press. I also had no problem performing a 2-finger scroll or a 3-finger flick to shuffle through open apps.
The favorite part about Alienware touchpads is how they light up when on touching. It is like the lighting effects in Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean,” for your fingers. The pair of discrete mouse buttons were springy and nice and delivered a nice click on pressed.
Gaming, Graphics, and VR(Virtual Reality)
I have the power!!! Tricked out with an overclocked GeForce GTX 1080 GPU(Nvidia) with 8GB of Video RAM, I expected nothing but the highest frame rates, which Alienware delivered.
The Alienware 17 R5 performed just as well on our synthetic benchmarks, starting with notching 68 fps(frames per second) on the Rise of the Tomb Raider benchmark (1920 x 1080, Very High), beating the 56 frames per second premium gaming laptop average. It is on a par with its competitors, with their own Nvidia GTX 1080s. The Titan hit 67 frames per sec, while the Eon17-X reached 69 frames per sec. The Aorus X9 pulled out ahead of the pack with 73 frames per sec.
We saw the Alienware 17 R5 achieve 99 fps on the Hitman test, sailing past the 85-fps avg as well as the Titan’s 95 and the Aorus X9 and Eon17-X, which were in a dead heat at 96 fps.
During the GTA (Grand Theft Auto) V benchmark, the Alienware obtained 85 fps, beating the Eon17-X’s 55 and the 77 fps avg. The Titan put up an impressive 110 fps, and the Aorus X9 did slightly better with 86 fps.
With power like this, do not be shy about whipping out the Oculus Rift, Vive Pro or HTC Vive. The Alienware 17 R5 maxed out the SteamVR performance test at 11, matching theEon17-X and Aorus X9 while topping the 10.2 avg and the Titan’s 10.9.
Alienware Command Center
From the past seven years, the Alienware Command Center has been your one-stop shop for programming macros, customizing the lighting on LEDs and keyboard, creating desktop shortcuts and setting power-management plans. It still does that with a clean, easy-to-navigate interface and so much more.
One of the first changes you will notice about Command Center is that you can access all of your games from the Home tab and switch the software’s background from light to dark along with performance settings for the laptop. Also, you can swap out the Active System Theme, from Home the new term for your customized lighting profile. If you are looking to get more granular, you will want to start exploring the other tabs, starting with the Library.
The Library section of Alien Command Center has some clear influences from Nvidia’s GeForce Experience. Similar to Nvidia’s software, this Library aggregated all of my games, no matter if they were Steam titles, Windows or GOG. That eliminated the inconvenience of having to track down my games, allowing me to launch and access everything from one prime location.
Are you looking to squeeze out more performance from your graphics card and processor? The Fusion tab lets you overclock both by just adjusting a slider. Alienware was kind abundant to include a test feature to guarantee your new clock speeds are stable. You could overclock your system’s CPU to a ridiculous 5.0 GHz with right tweaks.
Of course, you can still customize the keyboard lighting and all the zones with the Command Center by way of the FX tab. With the additional zones combined with the 12 effects and 16.8 million color palette, Alienware claims that you can create up to 80 quadrillion possible combos. After creating your theme(custom), you can go to the Library and Home sections and assign that theme (also performance settings) to launch individually with selected games.
Tobii Eye Tracking Technology
Once again, the Alienware 17 R5 has teamed with Tobii to integrate eye-tracking technology that provides an exciting way to interact with both Windows desktop and your games. Currently compatible with over a hundred games, the integrated sensors track your eyes, allowing you to control the camera and auto aim with a simple glance.
This technology also allows for a more immersive experience, including hiding the heads-up display (minimaps, health, ammo, etc.) and panning the camera to follow your gaze until you look in its direction. This Tobii’s tech also provides some environmental awareness, including getting eye contact from nonplayable characters. You can also use the free Tobii Streaming Gaze Overlay to record and stream your eye movements, which can come in handy if you are trying to improve your game. Think of it as your personal lowlight/highlight reel.
But Tobii is not all fun and games. This tech can also be used to unlock your laptop via facial recognition. I used Tobii to wake the laptop from sleep after I stepped away to chat with a colleague/friend.
Overall Performance
This iteration of Alienware 17 is the first to rock Intel’s new 2.9-Giga Hertz, 8th Gen Core i9-8950HK processor in the series with a whopping 32GB of RAM. Also thanks to the Alien Command Center, you can overclock this bad boy to a smoking 5 Giga Hertz.
When it comes to multitasking, it’s kind of like a digital Ivan Drago. I started by streaming Runaways on Hulu while I was watching some of my favorite videos of Steven Universe theory on YouTube. From there, I just began launching tabs in Google Chrome, some of them running Slack, others running Twitch, until there I had 35 open tabs. And then I ran Windows Defender; there was nary a hiccup from this thing.
During our Excel productivity test, this Alienware 17 R5 paired up 65,000 names and addresses in just 42 seconds, slipping past the 0:44 category avg. The Aorus X9 and Titan posted faster times of 0:31 and 0:34, respectively.
Alienware 17’s 512Giga Byte M.2 PCIe SSD (with a 7,200-rpm 1TB hard drive) duplicated 4.97 GigaByte of multimedia files in 9 seconds, tying the Eon17-X with a transfer rate of 565.5 megabytes/sec. That is more than enough to dust the 489.8-MBps average and the Aorus X9’s (1TeraByte PCIe SSD) 424 megabyte/sec. However, the Titan (512GigaByte NVMe SSD) notched a blistering 727 megabyte/sec.
When we ran the Handbrake benchmark, Alienware 17 transcoded a 4K(approximately 4,000 pixels) video to 1080p in 9 min and 10 seconds. It is faster than the 9:51 avg, but not the 7:41 and 8:15 put up by the Titan and Aorus X9, respectively.
Battery Life
Despite all its powerful specifications, Alienware 17 somehow manages to be the only last laptop standing on our battery test. It lasted 3 hours and 47 min of long continuous web surfing surpassing the 3:26 premium gaming laptop average, over Wi-Fi at 150 nits of brightness. The Eon17-X, Aorus, and Titan tapped out early with times of 1:52, 2:20 and 2:54, respectively.
Heat
The Alienware 17 manages to stay relatively kind of when you are gaming or watching videos, thanks to its renovated cooling system, dubbed Alienware Cryo-Tech v2.0. A company managed to reduce the thickness of its fans’ blades by 50% and added a vapor chamber on top of the Central Processing Unit to help in cooling. And those thinner fan blades are pretty quiet, even when you are gaming. After playing Witcher 3 for 45 min, the most I heard was a gentle whirring that I had to detect by pausing the game.
But before listening for the system’s fans, I took the temperature of the system after 15 minutes of battling a cave troll in a high-quality video game Witcher 3. The center of keyboard hit 98 degrees while the touchpad registered a began 76 degrees Fahrenheit, which is somewhat higher than our 95-degree of comfort threshold. Even the middle of the bottom vent was hotter, at 109 degrees, but you are probably not going to use this giant in your laptop, anyway.
We let this laptop cool down and then ran 15 minutes of High Definition video and took another thermal measurement. The middle of the keyboard and undercarriage temperature dropped to 88 and 96 degrees while the touchpad stayed at 76 degrees.
Software and Warranty Details
There is nothing terrible than booting up your new gaming rig and to uninstall a bunch of bloatware. And thankfully, Alienware employs a pretty light touch when it comes to needlessly pre-installed apps. But do not get me wrong — thanks to Windows 10 also, there are still a few pieces of debris hanging around, such as Skype, Dolby Access and a link to purchase Adobe Photoshop in Windows Store.
Most of Alienware 17’s remaining pre-installed apps are designed to maintain the health of your system or enhance your gaming as you have Alienware Digital Delivery to ensure that your software is up to date. There is also Dell Support Assist, which lets you tune on laptop diagnostics and keeps an eye on performance, check for viruses and optimize your network at the touch of a button.
The Alienware 17 also features Nvidia GF Experience along with Alien Command Center, with its gamer-centric software suite, including Game Optimization and Battery Boost. There is also a Killer Control Center, which lets you prioritize network bandwidth as well as test its speed and strength.
Bottom Line
Let the games begin! Or the video editing, or the multitasking, or the coding — heck, anything you want to do, the Alienware 17 R5 can handle with aplomb. For dollar 3,974, you get a system that doles out ridiculous frame rates, excellent audio system, a beautiful display, and Tobii Eye- tracking. The laptop’s also not too shabby on the multitasking front, and here I thank its overclockable 8th Generation Intel processor, which you should overclock because the app is super easy to use.
Our Verdict: The Alienware m15 enters the light-and-thin gaming arena with a bang, offering Nvidia Max-Q and Core i7 power in a very svelte frame.
Quick Specs:
Welp, it finally happened. After years of creating big, beautiful systems(BBC), Alienware has jumped headfirst into light-and-thin gaming in grand style with the 0.7″ slim m15.
And for such a lightweight system(laptop), the m15 (from $1,379, $3,629) has a lot of weight on its shoulders. It is a latecomer to a category where its opponents/competitors have firm footing.
But rocking an Intel Core i7 processor, over 6 hours of battery life, Nvidia Max-Q GPU and a drool-worthy display, now Alienware is ready to take on all its competitors. And it might just be the new king of thin-and-light gaming.
Design
Ever slim Alienware, the last of the big, chunky gaming rigs, has joined the light-and-thin league.
At 14.3 x 10.8 x 0.7-0.8-inches, 4.8 pounds, the m15 is the slimmest Alienware laptop ever but not the lightest system in its class, though, as both the Razer Blade 15 (4.6 pounds, 14 x 9.3 x 0.7 inches) and the MSI GS65 Stealth Thin with dimension (14.1 x 9.8 x 0.7 inches, and 4.1 pounds) weigh less.
The Asus ROG Zephyrus GM501 with a dimension (15.1 x 10.3 x 0.8~0.7 inches) and the OriginPC Evo15-S (14.9 x 9.9 x 0.7 inches) both are a bit heavier at 5.5 and 5 pounds. The m15 is even slimmer and lighter than the Alienware 13 R3 OLED (13 x 10.6 x 0.9-inches, 5.4 pounds).
At 4.8 pounds and 0.7 inches slim, the Alienware m15 is the slimmest Alienware laptop ever.
Slim or not, there is no mistaking that this is an Alienware, although with some new flourishes. Epic Gray lid is still made from aluminum(anodized) with a large backlit alien head in the center. There usual three lines intersect toward the bottom half, like inverted vivisection. The black plastic vents along the back while the top of the lid has a gentle downward slope which, at any moment, gives you the feeling the system is going to hit warp speed.
Opening the lid is at once strange and familiar, like a techie deja vu. The keyboard deck and palm rest are coated in a lush, black soft touch finish. The full-size keyboard, glowing an expectant turquoise, sits in a slight recess. The top of the deck (having alien head/power button gleaming in a fiery yellow) is made of glossy plastic. A vent runs below the button directly, creating a funky, honeycomb pattern the length of the deck.
When it comes to the customizable LED(Light Emitting Diodes) lights strategically placed around the m15’s frame, Alienware has done a bit of downsizing. Whereas a full-sized Alien 15 has lighting along the sides, you will only find the LEDs in the lid-mounted alien head, the power button and the keyboard.
Configurations
How much does the Alienware m15 cost?
I had fun with the Alienware m15’s $3,629 model.
It has a 2.2-GigaHertz(GHz) Intel Core i7-8750H processor, two 1TB NVMe M.2 PCIe SSD, 32GB of RAM, an Intel UHD Graphics 630 GPU, a 60Hz 1920 x 1080 panel and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q GPU with 8GB of VRAM.
For those of us, that really do not need two 1TB SSDs (or even one for that matter), the $2,099 model configuration that we also tested adds a 144Hz FHD (1920 x 1080) display and drops the RAM down to 16GB, and swaps out the previous storage option for a 512GB SSD(solid-state drive).
The $1,379 base model configuration gets you the Core i7-8750H CPU, an Intel UHD Graphics 630 GPU, 8GB of RAM with a 1TB (+ 8GB SSD) Hybrid Drive, an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q GPU, 60Hz 1920 x 1080 panel and 8GB of VRAM.
You can also add a UHD(Ultra High quality) (3840 x 2160) 60Hz panel to a configuration for an additional $275.
Ports
Just because the m15 is slim does not mean that you will be making any compromises when it comes to ports.
You will find a pair a USB 3.0 ports on the left with another on the right, along with a Gigabyte Ethernet jack, a Noble lock slot, and a headset jack.
The back side houses an HDMI(High-Definition Multimedia Interface) 2.0 port, a Thunderbolt 3, mini DisplayPort, power jack and also a proprietary port in case you want to connect Graphics Amplifier of an Alienware.
Display
It is not 4K, but man is the m15’s 15.6-inch, 60-Hz display enchanting. Colors seem to burst off the screen on both displays that we tested, but the 144-Hertz refresh rate configuration kept the gaming action very smooth.
Alienware has one of the most potent screens in the land, as usual. The 60-Hertz panel is capable of reproducing 150% of the sRGB color gamut, beating the 132% premium gaming laptop average and matching the Stealth Thin. The Evo15-S came in second with 126%, while the Zephyrus hit 120%. The Blade 15 delivered a respectable 112%. Meanwhile, the m15’s 144-Hertz panel did slightly better, at 154%.
Overcoming the 278-nit premium gaming laptop average the m15’s 60-Hertz display has an average brightness of 284 nits but on a par with its peers. The Zephyrus and Stealth Thin reached 286 and 293 nits, respectively, while the Evo15-S and Blade 15 averaged a respective 249 and 260 nits. However, the m15’s 144-Hertz screen hit only 241 nits of brightness.
Audio
Here something had to take a hit with all this slimming down. I have gotten so used to our offices and test labs being awash in loud and rich audio that I was a bit taken aback by the m15’s tinny sound that greeted me on the m15 laptop. Two bottom-mounted speakers did their best, but the Santana’s electric guitar on “Europa (Earth’s Cry Heaven’s Smile) barely filled out our lab even at maximum volume, and it sounded a bit distorted.
And when I played The Witcher 3, I appreciated that I could hear, as I trekked through the forest, the wind whipping through the trees. And while the strings were relatively clean during the music — the fight music, they were quieter than I am used to when playing on an Alienware system. I would definitely recommend using a gaming headset when gaming on Alienware m15.
Keyboard and Touchpad
The minute I saw that the m15’s stylish island-style keyboard had 1.1 mm’s of key travel, I was ready to write it off. But I was surprised to discover how actually comfortable the keyboard was. It was not bouncy per se, but it had enough feedback that my fingers never bottomed out. I easily hit my 70WPM (word-per-minute) avg on the 10fastfingers typing test.
The system’s backlighting is bright and nice. And unlike on the company’s last 15″ system, Alienware managed to fit in a nice-sized number pad in m15.
The new change concerns the 4.1 x 2.5″ touchpad. Alienware ditched the discrete buttons in m15, in favor of a unified pad. Windows 10 gestures such as two-finger scroll, three-and-four finger tap, pinch-zoom were fast and accurate. The bottom corners of the pad were clicky and nice, too.
Light Up My Life
The Alienware Command Center I have come to know and love is gone, replaced by something infinitely better. Updated Command Center looks great and has a lot of functionality to offer gamers like me who like to fiddle around with their systems.
And one most significant change is inspired by the Nvidia GeForce Experience. Now you can access all of your games from the Home tab along with performance settings. You can also swap out Active System Theme; this is a new term for your customized lighting profile from Home. If you are looking to get more granular, you will want to explore the other tabs, starting with the Library.
You can match and mix the 16.8 million available colors with 12 possible different effects and create something that is uniquely you.
And it just would not be an Alienware if you could not trick it out with a bunch of eye-catching effects and colors. That functionality resides under FX tab where you can match and mix the 16.8 million available colors with the 12 possible different effects and map them across the six designated zones on the laptop and create something that is uniquely you.
Gaming, Graphics, and VR
Part of the reason the m15 is so slim and thin is the use of Nvidia’s Max-Q GPUs — in this case, we are talking about a GTX 1070 Max-Q GPU with 8GB of Video RAM. Focused on power efficiency, Nvidia claims that these chips allow for a quieter and slimmer machine without sacrificing too much power.
Performance
Wielding a 2.2-GigaHertz Intel Core i7-8750H processor and a whopping 32GB of RAM, Alienware m15 is serious about its multitasking. I had 35 different tabs open in Google Chrome for various tasks, and the m15 showed no signs of sluggishness.
Alienware m15 also fared well on our synthetic benchmarks, with a score of 22,873 on Geekbench 4.1 (21,865 with 16GigaByte of RAM) beating the 21,849 premium gaming average. Armed with their own 2.2-GigaHertz Intel i7-8750H CPUs, the EVO15-S and Blade 15 hit 20,472 and 20,256 respectively, while the Stealth Thin and Zephyrus (with their 3.9-GHz Intel Core i7-8750H processors) obtained a respective 18,046 and 21,735.
When we ran our Excel productivity test, the Alienware m15 took 1 min and 3 sec to pair 65,000 names and addresses. That is short of the 0:44 category avg, as well as the times, put up by the Zephyrus (0:35), Blade 15 (0:40), EVO15-S (0:43) and Stealth Thin (0:54). The m15’s configuration with 16GigaByte of RAM did, however, nail the test down to 41 sec.
The m15 took 9 min and 51 sec to transcode a 4K video to 1080p (9:35 with 16GigaByte of RAM), which is faster than the 9:59 category avg. The Zephyrus (9:43) was a tad quicker while the Blade 15 (11:46), Stealth Thin (12:01) and EVO15-S (12:57) lagged.
Battery Life
Despite all the flashing lights and whistles and bells, Alienware laptops consistently have the most extended battery life in their class. The same goes for the Alienware m15, which lasted an impressive 6 hours and 25 min with its 60 Hertz panel and exactly 6:00 with its 144 Hertz screen, outlasting the competition and the 3:37 premium gaming laptop avg. The Blade 15 lasted 5:54, the Stealth Thin hit 5:40 and Zephyrus tapped out at 2:40.
Bottom Line
It took a while, but Alienware has created a light-and-thin gaming laptop that is equal parts powerful, sexy and flashy. The Alienware m15 is legitimately portable without sacrificing the endurance and performance I have come to expect from the brand. And do not forget that lovely, animated display.
Additionally, Alienware needs to work on the speakers, I do not expect to be starring in a Maxell commercial, but it’s a gaming laptop, and gaming rig needs to have some punch. Overall, Alienware m15 is a top contender for the light-and-thin gaming crown.
Our Verdict: The Alienware 15 R3 offers the power and refinement that gamers will love in it. It’s a big and heavy beast but, if you do not mind the weight, it is a potent laptop that can do it all.
Quick Specs:
Over the years, the 15-inch gaming laptop is the sweet spot for gamers like me, and the Alienware 15 is a top choice for its powerful specs and design. The 15-inch size is large enough to enjoy high-end games on a built-in display while not being too clumsy to carry around.
Now with the latest model, the Alienware 15 R3 offers incremental bumps in specifications with a relatively consistent design. New for this year’s model is Nvidia’s new graphics chips and Intel’s latest Kaby Lake processors that are as effective as their desktop counterparts.
Today Alienware 15 R3 is up against stiff competition from the likes of Origin with slimmer Razer Blade (2016) and even with its compact EVO15-S. While the Alienware 15 R3 cannot match the weight and size of its competitors, it can more than keep pace in terms of pure and top notch performance.
Design
Alienware 15-R3 is a striking laptop, thanks to its RGB LEDs that are just about everywhere on the laptop and its imposing size. Seriously though, just nearly everything on this laptop lights up from the Alienware logo, text, and even the trackpad.
Alienware 15 R3 is unabashedly a powerful gaming laptop, and it does not beat you over the head with red accents, superfluous fins or overly aggressive design. We found the laptop handsome with its rubber, plastic and rubber construction.
Although this laptop sports a 15.6″ screen, its size is more fit for a 17″ with beefy bezels around the display. The bottom display bezel is unusually large and houses the light-up logo of Alienware. Compared to the Origin EVO15-S, which has a wide screen of 15.6″, the Alienware looks like a sturdy laptop from the early aughts in terms of weight and size.
Speaking of weight, you will want to hit the gym if you plan on taking the Alien15 R3 anywhere. The laptop weighs in at a whopping 3.49kg (7.69 lbs), and its massive power brick may add a couple of more pounds in your backpack.
The pay off for that weight and big size is excellent spacious and thermal performance, 10-keyless keyboard. While some may miss having a number pad, the spacious keyboard makes typing a joy, and there are macro keys for gaming that can be configured in software.
You can also configure the laptop’s slew of RGB(Red Green Blue) LEDs via the AlienFX software. You can customize every LED to your liking to team colors or even match your peripherals.
Looking at the top of the display, you will notice the dual cameras for Tobii eye tracking and Windows Hello support. Windows Hello works excellent for quickly unlocking the laptop without ever having to type your password. Tobii eye tracking works fine as well.
While the Origin EVO15-S came configured with the same i7-7700HQ processor, but Alienware 15 R3 came with a more powerful NVIDIA GTX 1070. Graphics performance between these two laptops is readily apparent, with the Alienware pump out most strong graphics benchmark scores everywhere.
NVIDIA GTX 1070 is a beast of a GPU(Graphics Processing Unit) and played every game without problem on the laptop’s Full-High Definition screen. Alienware 15 R3 was configured with a 120Hertz display with G-Sync support, making every game look smooth. We were seriously impressed with both the display and graphics card on the Alienware.
As for the Tobii eye tracking and Windows Hello, both work well but with lower accuracy than other such laptops. We ran into a problem where the Alien 15-R3 could only recognize our face at a particular distance; too far or too close and the camera would not register our face. Contrast that to other laptops like the MS Surface Book recognized faces immediately from various distances and angles.
Tobii eye tracking works well for high-quality games like The Division if it ends up being somewhat distracting. Then thankfully, you can turn it off.
Battery life
Battery life for Alienware 15 R3 is avg for a gaming laptop with around 3 to 4 hours of use. You will be able to do some work at the local cafe, but you will want to bring your charger whenever you leave your home.
One thing to note here is that the Alienware’s plethora of LEDs results in a hit to battery life, so you will want to disable them in the AlienFX software if you’re going to stretch your longevity. Sure, people will not see how much of a pro gamer you are without the light show, but that is the price you have to pay for a bit more battery life.
Buttery display
While the Alienware 15 R3’s display offers 1,920 x 1,080 resolution, it is more than enough for gaming on the go. We never feel we need a higher resolution to enjoy gaming on the 15.6′ display. Alienware offers a 3,840 x 2,160 UHD(Ultra High Definition) display in its most top price configuration in the United States and as a £200 option in the United Kingdom, but we feel that resolution is enough (overkill) for gaming on the go.
Where the display shines in with its 120Hertz refresh rate and G-SYNC support, by doubling the refresh rate of a laptop display, games look buttery smooth, which helps a lot with games that require quick reaction times. The powerful GTX 1070 never dropped a single frame – even with settings maxed out, and the display made playing the Dirt Rally a pleasure.
Here you should note that the Alien 15-R3 comes standard with a Full HD, 60Hertz panel but you can opt for the 120Hertz panel for an additional $150 (£120), which worth it.
We liked
Alienware 15 R3 is a beast of laptops in terms of physicality and performance. We love how solid the laptop feels and its lovely design, for a gaming laptop anyway. However its size may be an issue for those who hope to take their laptops frequently on the go, but for those who are usually stationary, this laptop is an excellent choice.
For gaming, the spacious keyboard features a row of configurable macro keys excellently. Lighting software of Alienware is intimidating to use at first but also allows for a ton of customization as well.
There is no getting around the fact that the Alien 15-R3 is a brick compared to slimmer laptops, like the Origin EVO15-S or Razer Blade (2016). The 15 R3 is not for the road warrior. You can not take this laptop on the go without serious consideration (frequent gym visits).
In terms of value, this laptop is quite expensive, especially in powerful configurations. We think that the middle configurations hit a sweet spot for price VS performance. Companies like MSI offer light and thin gaming notebooks but for a price. Alienware sacrifices portability of their laptops for some cost savings, but its excellent thermal performance will please discerning gamers.
Alienware 15-R3 is by no means a cheap laptop, but its configurability lets you think that you value the most for Alienware. However, the processor choices are finite to the latest Intel Kaby Lake Core i7-7700HQ or Core i5-7300HQ. For graphics, you can select between the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050, 1060 or 1070.
Final verdict
The Alienware 15 R3 gaming laptop is not for everyone. Its heavy, big size and expensive, top-of-the-line configurations will turn a lot of laptop gamers away. But, for those who most of the time stay stationary, the Alienware 15 R3 is an excellent laptop.
Its gaming performance is impressive, and we take pleasure in the Alienware’s tank-like build. Also, its thermal performance is top notch, allowing the Alienware to run at 100% for extended periods without losing a beat. We also impressed by the optional 120Hertz Full-HD display that made games look buttery smooth.
Finally, if you like the design of the Alienware 15 R3 and do not mind its bulk, you are going to be very happy with its performance, build quality and display.
Pros
Impeccable build quality and design
Massively powerful
Excellent cooling
Cons
Expensive
Big and heavy for 15-inches
Average battery life
For a majority of the people, three gaming laptops that have already been listed are enough to satisfy your gaming needs. For other insatiable gamer, continue reading for more top rated gaming laptops.
The new Alienware 17 is designed for consumers looking for an elite gaming notebook that prioritizes screen size, high performance, and overall immersion above all else. This is our new flagship notebook that is VR-capable and includes support for optional Tobii eye-tracking technology providing a new way to experience gaming and the way you interact with your PC.
Performance-wise, the Alienware 17 can handle the highest end components including NVIDIA’s 10-series GeForce GTX graphics and Intel’s 7th generation Core i7 processors with options that can overclock up to 4.4 GHz.
KEY SPECIFICATIONS
Intel Core i7-7700HQ (Quad-Core, 6MB Cache, up to 3.8GHz w/Turbo Boost)
16GB DDR4 at 2400MHz (2x8GB); 32GB Maximum
1TB 7200RPM SATA 6Gb/s; No Optical Drive
NVIDIA GTX 1070
17.3 inch FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS Anti-Glare 300-nits Display
Pros
Great performance for hardcore gamer
Great port placement
Have super rich audio and display
Also contain LED lighting
Cons
Have no space to fit a large battery (even it’s own battery should get between 3 to 4 hours)
As Alienware has no equal competitor in manufacturing such high performance and impressive Alienware gaming laptops, with an upgraded Alienware tactX keyboard, n-key rollover is now supported in this laptop.
A more extensive and more active speaker box has been installed, improving audio output for a clearer and more dramatic gaming experience and I think this is the best laptop which gamers need to be the best.
Also contains TDP support means this laptop can handle a higher total wattage for internal components and enable a higher level of performance. Its 17-inch FHD 120Hz display is designed to deliver the smoothest gaming experience with 4ms response time, wide viewing angles, and NVIDIA G-sync technology on selected modules.
KEY SPECIFICATIONS
7th Generation Intel Core i7-7700HQ (Quad-Core, 6MB Cache, up to 3.8GHz w/ Turbo Boost)
8GB DDR4 at 2400MHz included; 32GB Maximum
256GB SSD (boot)+ 1TB 7200RPM SATA HDD; No Optical Drive
17.3-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS Anti-Glare 300-nits Display with Tobii IR Eye-tracking
Windows 10 Operating System; Silver
Pros
Show smoothest gaming experience
Its 17″ LCD screen can support FHD resolution
Battery life is excellent
Contain higher max Thermal Design Power
Cons
Overheating can get wires to be melt at the bottom of your laptop
The fan can get kind of loud by overloading programs
Alienware’s most powerful 17 inch gaming laptop is designed for the most immersive VR and now has options for the revolutionary Tobii eye tracking, bringing you deeper into the game than ever before.
This system comes with Intel Core i7-7700 HQ processor which has a base frequency of 2.80 GHz and Turbo frequency of 3.80 GHz. Intel Turbo Boost Technology is a way to automatically run the processor core faster than the noted frequency. The processor must work in the power, temperature, and specification limits of the thermal design power (TDP). Single and multi-threaded application performance increase.
KEY SPECIFICATIONS
7th Generation Intel Core i7-7700HQ (Quad-Core, 6MB Cache, up to 3.8GHz w/ Turbo Boost)
16GB DDR4 at 2400MHz included; 32GB Maximum
1TB 7200RPM SATA HDD; No Optical Drive
17.3-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS Anti-Glare 300-nits Display with Tobii IR Eye-tracking
Windows 10 Operating System; Silver
Pros
The sound and video is top notch
A lite-up mouse pad is a nice touch
Games are a piece of cake for this laptop, games run very smoothly without any lag
Battery life is excellent
Cons
It does feel warm, and it’s fan produce sound, but the Cooling system is very good at keeping the system cool
The Alienware 17 is engineered for high-performance gaming, combining jaw-dropping power with mind-blowing graphics capabilities.
It runs all games in high and 60fps. The screen and the materials are excellent. The personalization blows my mind. If anyone buys this model, I suggest to format and make a clean install of the OS. You can download a Windows 10 ISO from Microsoft’s webpage, and the drivers from Dell’s. And update drivers and firmware BIOS, it will save you from random crashes.
KEY SPECIFICATIONS
Intel Quad Core i7-6700HQ 2.6 GHz Processor
8 GB DDR4. GTX 970M
1 TB HDD Storage
17.3 Inch FHD (1920 x 1080 pixels) LED-lit Truelife Screen
Windows 10 Home Operating System; Epic Silver Chassis
Pros
Build quality is great
Screen is gorgeous
Keyboard and touch-pad are some of the best I’ve ever used
Cons
Many user face problem of WiFi dis-connectivity
Optical Drive Not included
You can resolve this issue by simply upgrading device manager and firmware BIOS regularly
Discover a world of unlimited connectivity with this Dell Epic Silver Alienware AW17R3 Notebook. This notebook has an Intel Core i7 6th Gen. 2.6GHz processor with 16GB of RAM, delivering incredible power. With a 1TB HDD capacity, it is capable of quickly storing a sizable amount of files with it’s 1256GB hard drive storage. Increase your efficiency with this Dell Alienware notebook.
Dell Alienware 17 R3 AW17-4175 SLV epic silver 17.3-inch laptop is built for intense gaming. You can use it for development work, play the latest high-resolution HD video games, video editing as well as watch movies online such as Netflix, visiting social media networks, and be able to communicate with friends and family online and much more.
Alienware AW17R3-4175 allows you to multitask with 16GB DDR4 and high-end processing power of Intel Core i7-6700HQ Quad-Core.
More power: Alienware 17 automatically overclocks and monitors internal temperatures to keep your system running cool when you are running high programs or the action is hot and deliver performance precisely when you need it.
KEY SPECIFICATIONS
Intel Quad Core i7-6700HQ 2.6 GHz Processor
16 GB DDR4. GTX 970M NO G-SYNC
1 TB HDD + 256 GB SATA SSD Storage
17.3 Inch FHD (1920 x 1080 pixels) LED-lit Truelife Screen
Windows 10 Home Operating System; Epic Silver Chassis
Pros
Great laptop for intense gaming and video editing
Price wise best laptop
LED-lit True life Screen
Cons
Optical Drive Not included
If any part got damaged then it world be expensive to fix it
With the unstoppable mobility and awesomely intense graphics, the Alienware 15 gives you the power to take the game further than ever. Alienware 15R2-6161sLV 15.6 Inch Laptop (epic Silver), engineered for extreme action.
Brand new, Unlocked, factory sealed Laptop comes with complete accessories, with 1 Year International warranty from the manufacturer they are original/authentic from the manufacturer.
This fantastic Alienware gaming laptop is packed with a large 15.6-inch display and a powerful Intel Core i7-6700HQ Quad-Core CPU Processor. Great for gaming, heavy duty processing or a work computer. This Alienware laptop model would work well for portability with its 7.1 pounds lightweight design and sleek epic silver look.
Intense inside: With the latest generation Intel processor for genuinely intense action, the Alienware 15 is equipped for a seamless gaming experience.
KEY SPECIFICATIONS
Intel Quad Core i7-6700HQ 2.6 GHz Processor
16 GB DDR4 GTX 970M NO G-SYNC
1 TB HDD + 256 GB SATA SSD Storage
15.6 Inch FHD (1920 x 1080 pixels) LED-lit Truelife Screen
Windows 10 Home Operating System; Epic Silver Chassis
Although slimmer than some predecessor offerings, the Alienware 15 is still a fairly hefty laptop. With dimensions of 385.8 x 270.2 x 34mm it’s only just under an inch and a half thick and weighing in at just over 3kg. However, the very robust construction does mean that you can treat it fairly roughly. For instance, despite its weight, you can grab the top edge of the lid to pick the whole thing up without fear of buckling the screen. There is a bit of flex there, but it’s nothing to be concerned about.
Alienware AW15R2-8469SLV has largely steered clear of the trend for ultra-high resolutions with its latest Alienware gaming laptops, choosing instead to equip every model with a 1920 x 1080 resolution screen by default.
Colors are also accurate and vibrant, while maximum brightness is plentiful. Black levels are also top notch. As the most serious of gamers may want a higher refresh rate display, this is standard 60Hx IPS screen, but we’d take a better quality panel every time.
KEY SPECIFICATIONS
Intel Quad Core i7-6700HQ 2.6 GHz Processor
16 GB DDR4 GTX 970M
1 TB HDD + 256 GB SATA SSD Storage
15.6 Inch UHD (3840 x 2160 pixels) LED-lit Screen
Windows 10 Home Operating System; Epic Silver Chassis
The Alienware 15 wins a Notebooks.com CES Excellence Award for reintroducing high-end gaming innards to a 15-inch form factor. Performance and the 4K graphics are un match-able with others.
The bulkiness of these Alienware gaming laptops brings an advantage which is better cooling than many of its competitors. In short Great and Powerful machine specially crafted for gaming.
An external hard drive you can buy without breaking the bank, the Buffalo’s MiniStation Extreme NFC(Near Field Communication) could be your match made in heaven.
With compatibility for both Windows and Mac machines, the Buffalo MiniStation Extreme NFC is very flexible and comes with a rugged case that is water and dust resistant, along with a built-in USB 3.0 cable.
Not only is your personal data kept protected from drops and knocks with the rugged shell, but it is also got 256-bit and NFC (Near Field Communication) features and AES(Advanced Encryption Standard) security features as well.
Essentially it allows you to unlock the hard drive to get to your files easily and quickly by tapping the supplied NFC card onto the drive’s body. Pretty neat!
Currently, this product is only available in the US at the time of this writing. Australian and UK readers: check out a fine alternative in the Western Digital My Passport Wireless Pro.
The latest generation of the Western Digital My Passport range of external HDDs has landed, coming in sizes from 1-4TB. It features 256-AES encryption and cloud storage, along with WD’s backup software.
Best of all, it’s an excellent performer when it comes to data transfer speeds, beating many of its competitors. Unsurprisingly, it does not reach the top speeds of solid state external drives(SSDs), but for external hard drives based on traditional hard drives, this is the drive to get.
Capacity: 256GB, 512GB or 1TB | Interface: USB 3.0
The Adata SD700 External SSD will suit those looking for a rugged storage device that can give/provide ample capacity without costing too much. It performs well and remains the only SSD we have seen that is IP68 rated.
Thanks to the solid state drive(SSD) that resides in this external hard drive, it is a lot faster than external hard drives that use traditional spinning hard drives – so you are getting rugged protection as well as excellent transfer speed.
It also comes in capacities up to 1TB(TeraByte), so you do not have to worry about running out of storage space just because it uses an SSD(solid state drive) – this drive really does hit all the right notes.
If you are looking for the absolute largest capacity external HDD, then the WD My Book Duo 4TB is best for you, offering a huge 4TB (you can also get its versions with up to 20TeraByte) of storage space over two HDDs.
If you do not mind sacrificing some of the ample storage space you can set the hard drives up in a RAID array, so you’ve file backups of your files should one of the drives die.
This USB 3.0 external drive has many of the features of a fully-fledged NAS device (including a high price), and you could use this device as a network attached storage device in its own right if you have a router with a USB 3.0 port.
The device, which comes with 2-year warranty, has automatic backup software (WD SmartWare Pro), and 256-bit AES hardware encryption.
Worth noting that the enclosure used is fully serviceable and that WD SmartWare Pro ships the drive already pre-formatted for Windows users (NTFS).
Capacity: 1TB, 2TB | Interface: Thunderbolt, USB 3.0
If you have a device with a Thunderbolt port, then it’s a great option, as it provides twice speed then a standard USB 3.0 drives. It is also not expensive compared to other Thunderbolt drives.
Its price is kept down due to use of a traditional HDD, rather than an SSD, which limits the potential speeds. And it also comes with a USB 3.0 port for people without access to Thunderbolt.
This product is currently only available in the UK and US at the time of this writing. Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the WD MyBook Duo.
Seagate 8TB Innov8(8TB) range is worth a mention. It’s a normal-size 3.5-inch desktop hard disk drive but does not need an external power supply to run.
And it needs to be powered via a USB Type-C connector without which it will not work. Without being tethered, it does pave the way for customers to move the staggering amount of data around.
What sets the Seagate Innov8 apart from the competition is its design. All metal with fins to keep the minimalist approach to the drive’s construction and keep it cool.
If absolute performance coupled with ease of use is what you are yearning for, then someone working in the creative industry or for a small business user, the Innov8 is a no-brainer.
Other drives will probably settle for far cheaper but less beautiful options like the WD My Bookmentioned previously.
This product is available in Australia only at the time of this writing. UK and US readers: check out a fine alternative in the Buffalo MiniStation Thunderbolt.
If you want to combine capacity and speed, then the Seagate Backup Plus Desktop Drive 5TB is worth considering. It comes in a range of capacities up to 8TB, and it beats the competition when it comes to write and read speeds as well.
On top of this speed and storage, you get a decent amount of peace of mind thanks to Seagate’s average(even lower than average) failure rates, especially in bigger capacity HDDs.
You also get the backup software, and the drive is compatible with both Macs and Windows, though it is formatted for Windows out of the box unless you go for a Mac-specific HDD – though these are more expensive.
Even if we had mixed feelings on old versions of the My Passport Wireless, the 2016 “pro” variant of the external hard drive restores faith in the Western Digital name. And design, for one, has been overhauled and no longer resembles the My Passport for Mac or My Passport Ultra. Instead, there is now a more premium feel to the My Passport Wireless Pro.
Now it resembles an external DVD drive, but considering the onboard SD card(Secure Digital Card) slot, do not worry about getting it confused with anything else.
And for photographers, this will make the Wireless Pro stand out.
For everyone else, there is a massive 6,400mAh battery built into the device. This lets the hard drive be used completely free of wires over 2.4GHz or 5GHz channels. When it is wired up, however, do not expect cutting edge connection tech, as the My Passport Wireless Pro uses only USB Type-A to Type-B. Completely absent is the greatest and latest USB-C connection.
Where the My Passport Wireless Pro compromises on affordability, it can benefit in just about every other area. Of course, not everyone needs an SD card or wireless hard drive support, but for those who do, it is almost essential.
You may have stumbled upon the LaCie Porsche Design Mobile Drive when examining the Apple website for USB-C accessories. There is a reason for that: the Porsche Design ships with both USB Type-C to Type-C and USB Type-C to Type-A connectors, making it a worthy candidate regardless of your setup.
It is expensive for an external hard drive, do not get us wrong, especially if you are in the market for the top-end 4TB option. On another hand, this is a hard drive that could theoretically output speeds of up to 5Gbps, if it were not hindered by the limits of Shingled Magnetic Recording(SMR) technology.
Comprising five 800GB(GigaByte) platters in a 15mm form factor, LaCie Porsche Design Mobile drive is an exemplary challenger to the Seagate M3, though it is notably bigger in both dimensions and weight.
Sure, it packs an extra convenience factor in the form of USB-C, but here it should be noted that the LaCie Porsche Design Mobile is still limited to USB 3.0 speeds. Plus, even an aluminum finish cannot prevent it from clashing with your Rose Gold MacBook. Nevertheless, the LaCie’s offering is the best USB-C external hard drive money can buy, at least for the time being.
Typically, iStorage hard disks cater best to multinational organizations and governments around the world, for a good reason too – they offer very tight security like no other HDDs around.
If someone tries to tamper with your iStorage hard drive, you can configure it to self-destruct. What is more, the data is encrypted by the 256-bit AES(Advanced Encryption Standard) protocol, with multiple forms of such protection in place to ensure the bad guys do not get in no matter how persistent.
And when you consider all that extra security, the prices will not scare you away either.
Sure, it is still expensive, four times the price of an equivalent 2TB drive, and unlikely to be the most nimble performer. But, you are paying for a product that is virtually uncrackable. Bear in mind, though; you will get no help from the manufacturer if things go awry and you lose your password.
Alienware typically provides a top-notch screen, and it does not disappoint with the newest Alienware 17. The 17.3″, the matte anti-glare display gives robust color and unrivaled brightness with generous viewing angles. Unfortunately, this 2560 x 1440 panel is not available in OLED(Organic Light Emitting Diode) like it’s 13″ cousin (sigh, one day), but it still had no issue delivering show-stopping reds during the BlacKkKlansman trailer.
While pretty much everyone has gone island-style with their gaming keyboards, but Alienware has stayed true to its classic layout — with good reason. With 79 grams of actuation and 2.2 millimeters of key travel, the Alienware 17’s steel-reinforced TactX keyboard far surpasses our min requirements (60 grams, 1.5 mm). It was like my fingers were typing on springy mattresses, bouncing my way to 78 wpm on the 10fastfingers typing test. That is significantly higher than my usual 70 wpm(words per minute).
The Alienware 17 R5 performed just as well on our synthetic benchmarks, starting with notching 68 fps(frames per second) on the Rise of the Tomb Raider benchmark (1920 x 1080, Very High), beating the 56 frames per second premium gaming laptop average. It is on a par with its competitors, with their own Nvidia GTX 1080s. The Titan hit 67 frames per sec, while the Eon17-X reached 69 frames per sec. The Aorus X9 pulled out ahead of the pack with 73 frames per sec.
The Asus ROG Zephyrus GM501 with a dimension (15.1 x 10.3 x 0.8~0.7 inches) and the OriginPC Evo15-S (14.9 x 9.9 x 0.7 inches) both are a bit heavier at 5.5 and 5 pounds. The m15 is even slimmer and lighter than the Alienware 13 R3 OLED (13 x 10.6 x 0.9-inches, 5.4 pounds).
While the Origin EVO15-S came configured with the same i7-7700HQ processor, but Alienware 15 R3 came with a more powerful NVIDIA GTX 1070. Graphics performance between these two laptops is readily apparent, with the Alienware pump out most strong graphics benchmark scores everywhere.
Alienware 15 R3 is a beast of laptops in terms of physicality and performance. We love how solid the laptop feels and its lovely design, for a gaming laptop anyway. However its size may be an issue for those who hope to take their laptops frequently on the go, but for those who are usually stationary, this laptop is an excellent choice.
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If you are looking for the absolute 
If you have a device with a Thunderbolt port, then it’s a great option, as it provides twice speed then a standard USB 3.0 drives. It is also not expensive compared to other Thunderbolt drives.
If you want to combine capacity and speed, then the 
Even if we had mixed feelings on old versions of the My Passport Wireless, the 2016 “pro” variant of the external hard drive restores faith in the Western Digital name. And design, for one, has been overhauled and no longer resembles the My Passport for Mac or My Passport Ultra. Instead, there is now a more premium feel to the My Passport Wireless Pro.
