This Alienware laptop is a gaming powerhouse, and it's $650 off right now
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Close Home Home & Office This Alienware laptop is a gaming powerhouse, and it's $650 off right now The Alienware 16 Area-51 is one of the most powerful gaming laptops on the market right now, and multiple configurations are on sale for Memorial Day.
Written by
Kyle Kucharski, Senior EditorSenior Editor May 25, 2026 at 2:55 p.m. PT 
Looking for a gaming laptop that can handle any game you throw at it? Look no further. Alienware's 16-inch Area-51 is a powerhouse machine loaded with the latest hardware and a banger OLED display -- massively discounted for Memorial Day.
Multiple configurations are on sale, ranging from $650 off the version with the Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX processor, 32GB of RAM, and GeForce RTX 5070 Ti GPU. That's already a beast, but if you're looking for something with a higher-end GPU, the model with the RTX 5080 is regularly priced at $4,899 but right now is a whopping $1,500 off -- bringing it down to $3,399.
Also: The best Memorial Day laptop deals: Save on Apple, Dell, Lenovo, and more
Simply put, if you've got you've been waiting to maximize your savings on a new gaming PC, now's the time. This laptop just came out earlier this year, and all this hardware is still at the top end of the spectrum.
Everything about this laptop is fast. Apps load instantly, and it exudes power. Physically, the laptop is nearly identical to last year's Alienware 16 (that's a good thing) with the biggest changes under the hood -- upgraded Intel processors, a fantastic CherryMX keyboard, and something totally new: an OLED display.
Thermals are very good on this laptop, as well. Dell's Cryo-Chamber cooling structure sits at the bottom, with the design allowing additional space between the laptop and the surface it's on. Dell cites 32% larger fans to move up to 35% more air through the system. More airflow means more cooling, and when they're cranking, you can feel it moving.
Also: I was not expecting a Razer keyboard to enhance my office productivity - here's how it did
The cooling structure is visible, too. Laptop configurations with the GeForce RTX 5070 Ti or higher feature a clear Gorilla Glass panel that shows the AlienFX fans and provides a glimpse into the internals for an enthusiast desktop vibe -- complete with RGB lighting effects, of course.
With all this heat mitigation, I never felt the laptop reach uncomfortable levels, though the 16-inch did feel slightly warmer on average than the 18-inch.
The Alienware 16 Area-51 exudes power. It's built like a tank and requires a commitment to both the serious-gaming use case and the associated cost. If you're willing to go there, however, both the 16- and 18-inch laptops are unapologetically powerful machines that will run the latest triple-A titles for years to come.
When will this deal expire?
Deals are subject to sell-out or expire at any time, though ZDNET remains committed to finding, sharing, and updating the best product deals for you to score the best savings. Our team of experts regularly checks in on the deals we share to ensure they are still live and obtainable. We're sorry if you've missed out on this deal, but don't fret -- we're constantly finding new chances to score savings and sharing them with you at ZDNET.com.
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