CES 2023: Hands-On With the Alienware m18, an 18-Inch Next-Gen Powerhouse

Alienware is going even bigger with its next high-performance gaming laptop at CES 2023, announcing the 18-inch Alienware m18 powerhouse that will top its lineup this year. We went hands-on with the device at a preview event in New York City prior to the show, and have the rundown for you in the video above and the story below. Let's go large!

Maximizing Screen Size: 18-Inch Systems Are Here

Traditionally, the usual screen sizes for gaming laptops have been 15 and 17 inches, but that has changed dramatically in the last few years. First, we saw ultraportable 14-inch machines from companies like Razer and Acer, with vastly improved mobility. More recently, 16-inch gaming laptops have arrived as a sweet spot between the others, delivering plenty of power while avoiding creating a laptop that’s just too heavy to carry.

(Credit: Kyle Cobian)

Now, it looks like we'll be getting even bigger laptops going forward. Fresh 18-inch gaming laptops, like the Alienware m18, have started arriving. Alienware is settling on those even-numbered screen sizes (16-inch and 18-inch) for its new lineup, and the m18 powerhouse is on the top of the pile.

A true desktop replacement, the m18 is only technically portable if you really want or need to move it. It’s best left staying put on your desk. It should be said that this isn’t the first 18-inch gaming laptop from Alienware; it’s been many years since we reviewed the hulking Alienware 18 back in 2013. This is a wholly new machine.

(Credit: Kyle Cobian)

For the m18 and its new stablemates, Alienware revamped what it calls the “Legend” design language that it has used on its current generation of laptops, resulting in what you see here. The look is a little less sci-fi than it was before, with the dark aluminum, but the ringed LED on the back keeps some of that typically blingy Alienware style alive. It’s a sleek enough system, and the final weight is still pending, but it will be hefty at an inch thick, which is thicker than most laptops these days.

(Credit: Kyle Cobian)

The big 18-inch display is more like a small desktop monitor with a 16:10 aspect ratio. You can get it as a QHD+ 165Hz panel, or as a blistering-fast full-HD 480Hz screen. Both options support G-Sync and FreeSync, as well as Dolby Vision.

Next-Gen Power, Too

Of course, the whole reason you have this thick chassis is to stuff high-power components in there, and that’s what will make or break a high-end gaming laptop like this one. The newest top-tier, 2023 components from Intel, AMD, and Nvidia will be deployed in this monster, delivering—presumably—the maximum possible performance in a gaming laptop. (We’ll be the final judge of that when we get one for a full review.)

(Credit: Kyle Cobian)

There will be a whopping 250 watts of CPU and GPU total system power, with a quad-fan, seven-heat-pipe, vapor-chamber design to sustain top-level performance. The m18 also supports user-replaceable storage, with four M.2 SSD slots for up to 9TB of maximum storage.

Extras and Availability

Finally, Alienware is making some software changes with this generation. A revamped Alienware Command Center will help you make use of your hardware. This won’t be exclusive to the m18, but Alienware reworked its software based on feedback to make it more useful and intuitive for managing various internal components. For a high-end system like the m18, thermals, performance, power management, and—of course—RGB lighting are key.

(Credit: Kyle Cobian)

The rest of the design includes some notable features, like a larger touchpad than the previous 17-inch Alienware laptop, as well as the Cherry MX mechanical keyboard option we saw in the previous generation. The m18 also has support for Dolby Atmos audio, and a full-HD webcam.

The Alienware m18 will launch with top-end Intel and Nvidia components in Q1 2023 at $2,899, and a lower-priced entry-level model will follow later, starting at $2,099. AMD configurations will be made available sometime in Q2.