In brief: Announced earlier this year, Alienware's new AMD-powered m17 R5 and Intel-powered x17 R2 gaming laptops have now finally arrived. Besides the latest CPU and GPU combos, these 17.3-inch monsters are the world's first to feature an ultra-fast 480Hz FHD screen for the most hardcore, competitive gamers.
We've previously seen AU Optronics show off 480Hz laptop and desktop displays, and now Alienware is offering the same refresh rate with a 3ms response time on its new m17 R5 and x17 R2 gaming laptops. This insane figure is mostly about bragging rights for those of us who aren't deeply into twitchy, esports shooters. However, competitive players are likely going to appreciate whatever millisecond advantage they can squeeze out from their hardware.
Refreshing 1080p resolution at nearly 500 times a second also means these laptops need to pack some beefy components underneath. As for the AMD-powered m17 R5, Alienware offers either the 8C/16T Ryzen 7 6800H or Ryzen 9 6900HX, with GPU choices ranging between a 4GB RTX 3050Ti and the flagship 16GB RTX 3080Ti.
Additionally, the $1,650 base model combines the entry-level CPU and GPU variants with 16GB RAM, a 512GB m.2 PCIe SSD, and a 165Hz FHD G-Sync display. Choosing the 480Hz FHD panel, meanwhile, automatically bumps the GPU to an RTX 3070 Ti and the price to $2,300.
The Intel-powered x17 R2 starts at a more expensive $2,249, though it comes with a 6GB RTX 3060 in the base model, instead of the 3050Ti. In terms of the CPU, Alienware offers either the 14C/20T Core i7-12700H or Intel's fastest i9-12900HK in the x17 R2, while keeping the same memory, storage and display options as the AMD-powered m17 R5.
For a fully specced-out Intel variant with Windows 11 Pro, an RTX 3080 Ti, 64GB RAM, a 4TB m.2 PCIe SSD, and the blistering 480Hz FHD panel, you're looking at nearly $5,000 worth of gaming hardware.