Dell Alienware 16 Aurora (2025) 16" specifications and in-depth review

Dell Alienware 16 Aurora (2025) 16"

Manufacturer: Dell

The Dell Alienware 16 Aurora (2025) is a high-performance gaming laptop designed to offer an immersive experience. It features a 16″ display with a 2560 x 1600 px resolution, making it ideal for gamers seeking sharp visuals. The laptop also includes a backlit keyboard for ease of use in low-light environments, and it comes with a one-year warranty for peace of mind.

Under the hood, the Alienware 16 Aurora is powered by 16GB of RAM running at 5600 MHz, and it has a total storage capacity of 1024GB via NVMe SSD. The laptop features a turbo clock speed of 5.2GHz, supported by a powerful 8GB GPU with a clock speed of 952 MHz. For connectivity, it offers USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, HDMI 2.1 output, and Wi-Fi 7 support, ensuring fast data transfer and seamless online gaming.

Pros
  • Supports Intel Resizable BAR for improved GPU memory access.
  • Equipped with 32 ROPs and supports multi-display technology.
  • Offers integrated graphics for additional versatility in lower-demand tasks.
  • Supports ECC memory, enhancing system stability and error correction.
  • Capable of handling 3D content, suitable for entertainment and professional applications.
Cons
  • Lacks support for advanced features like Dolby Atmos, stereoscopic 3D, and AirPlay.
  • Does not include a MagSafe power adapter or a stylus, limiting charging convenience and input options.
  • No Thunderbolt 3 or Thunderbolt 4 ports, which may limit high-speed peripheral support.
  • No optical disc drive, limiting compatibility with legacy media formats.
  • No GPS, accelerometer, or compass, reducing its potential for location-based or motion-sensitive applications.
Who is this for?

This product is ideal for users seeking a high-performance laptop for gaming and multimedia tasks, with its Intel Resizable BAR support and powerful GPU features. Its integrated graphics provide additional flexibility for non-intensive applications, while its ability to support multi-display setups makes it great for multitaskers and content creators. The system’s ECC memory support adds stability for professional workloads that require error-free computing, such as in software development or data analysis.

Who is this NOT for?

This product is not suitable for users needing specialized features such as Dolby Atmos for immersive audio or AirPlay for easy media streaming. It also lacks a MagSafe power adapter, which could be a drawback for users who prioritize fast and convenient charging. Additionally, it is not ideal for those requiring high portability due to its relatively bulky design and lack of features like GPS or an optical disc drive, limiting its use in mobile or legacy media scenarios.

Design:

Type Gaming
weight 2490 g
Uses a fanless design
Has a backlit keyboard
warranty period 1 years
volume 2075.48 cm³
width 356 mm
height 265 mm
thickness 22 mm
is weather-sealed (splashproof)
has a rugged build

The Dell Alienware 16 Aurora (2025) is a gaming laptop with a weight of 2490 g and dimensions of 356 mm in width, 265 mm in height, and a thickness of 22 mm. It does not feature a fanless design, ensuring efficient cooling during intensive tasks. The laptop includes a backlit keyboard for enhanced usability in dim environments, and offers a 1-year warranty. Its total volume is 2075.48 cm³, making it a compact yet powerful gaming machine. However, it is not weather-sealed or ruggedly built, meaning it may not be suited for extreme environments.

Display:

screen size 16"
resolution 2560 x 1600 px
pixel density 188 ppi
has a touch screen
brightness (typical) 300 nits
refresh rate 120Hz
has anti-reflection coating
supported displays 4

The Dell Alienware 16 Aurora (2025) features a 16″ display with a high resolution of 2560 x 1600 px, offering a pixel density of 188 ppi for crisp and detailed visuals. While it does not support a touch screen, the display is equipped with a 120Hz refresh rate for smooth motion during fast-paced gaming. Additionally, it includes an anti-reflection coating to reduce glare, ensuring better visibility in bright environments. The display can support up to four connected monitors for an extended visual experience.

Performance:

RAM 16GB
RAM speed 5600 MHz
Uses flash storage
internal storage 1024GB
CPU speed 6 x 2.5 & 4 x 1.8 GHz
CPU threads 16 threads
VRAM 8GB
floating-point performance 9.684 TFLOPS
GDDR version GDDR7
texture rate 151.3 GTexels/s
pixel rate 46.56 GPixel/s
Is an NVMe SSD
DirectX version DirectX 12 Ultimate
GPU clock speed 952 MHz
uses multithreading
maximum memory amount 16GB
DDR memory version 5
turbo clock speed 5.2GHz
GPU turbo 1455 MHz
memory slots 2
PCI Express (PCIe) version 5
semiconductor size 5 nm
has XeSS (XMX)
Supports 64-bit

The Dell Alienware 16 Aurora (2025) delivers solid performance with 16GB of RAM running at 5600 MHz and 1024GB of NVMe flash storage. Its CPU features 16 threads and a total clock speed of 6 x 2.5 GHz and 4 x 1.8 GHz, while the GPU is equipped with 8GB of VRAM and a clock speed of 952 MHz. For demanding tasks, it offers a turbo clock speed of 5.2GHz and supports multithreading for better task handling. The system also supports PCIe 5 and DirectX 12 Ultimate for high-performance graphics and connectivity.

Benchmarks:

PassMark result 24546
PassMark result (single) 3821

The Dell Alienware 16 Aurora (2025) delivers strong performance with a PassMark result of 24546, reflecting its overall processing power. For single-threaded tasks, it achieves a PassMark result of 3821, indicating solid efficiency in less parallelized workloads. These benchmark scores highlight the laptop's capability to handle demanding applications and games with ease.

Connectivity:

USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports (USB-C) 2
USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports (USB-A) 0
USB 4 20Gbps ports 0
USB 4 40Gbps ports 0
Thunderbolt 4 ports 0
USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports (USB-C) 0
USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports (USB-A) 2
Thunderbolt 3 ports 0
has an HDMI output
Has USB Type-C
supports Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi version Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be), Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax), Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n)
has an external memory slot
RJ45 ports 1
HDMI ports 1
HDMI version HDMI 2.1
DisplayPort outputs 0
USB 2.0 ports 0
has AirPlay
mini DisplayPort outputs 0
has a VGA connector

The Dell Alienware 16 Aurora (2025) offers a range of connectivity options, including two USB 3.2 Gen 2 USB-C ports and two USB 3.2 Gen 1 USB-A ports. It also supports Wi-Fi 7, providing the latest wireless connectivity standards. Additionally, the laptop features a HDMI 2.1 output for high-quality video output and AirPlay support for wireless streaming. For wired networking, it includes a single RJ45 port for Ethernet connectivity.

Battery:

Has sleep-and-charge USB ports
Has a MagSafe power adapter

The Dell Alienware 16 Aurora (2025) includes sleep-and-charge USB ports, allowing users to charge devices even when the laptop is in sleep mode. However, it does not come with a MagSafe power adapter, offering standard charging methods instead.

Features:

release date May 2025
has stereo speakers
has a socket for a 3.5 mm audio jack
supports ray tracing
supports DLSS
has Dolby Atmos
Stylus included
Has a fingerprint scanner
number of microphones 1
Uses 3D facial recognition
has voice commands
has a front camera
Has S/PDIF Out port
has a gyroscope
has GPS
has an accelerometer
has a compass
Has an optical disc drive

The Dell Alienware 16 Aurora (2025) is equipped with stereo speakers for enhanced audio, and it includes a 3.5 mm audio jack for connecting external headphones or audio devices. The laptop supports ray tracing and DLSS for improved graphics performance, making it ideal for gaming. Additionally, it has a front camera for video calls but lacks features such as Dolby Atmos, voice commands, or a fingerprint scanner.

Miscellaneous:

clock multiplier 25
AMD SAM / Intel Resizable BAR Intel Resizable BAR
GPU architecture Blackwell
has LHR
Thermal Design Power (TDP) 45W
Supports 3D
Supports multi-display technology
OpenCL version 3
OpenGL version 4.6
Supports ECC memory
memory bus width 128-bit
effective memory speed 28000 MHz
maximum memory bandwidth 448 GB/s
render output units (ROPs) 32
texture mapping units (TMUs) 104
shading units 3328
Has Double Precision Floating Point (DPFP)
GPU memory speed 1750 MHz
number of transistors 21900 million
Type Laptop
instruction sets MMX, F16C, FMA3, AES, AVX, AVX2, SSE 4.1, SSE 4.2
Has an unlocked multiplier
L3 cache 24 MB
Has NX bit
CPU temperature 100 °C
GPU execution units 64
Has integrated graphics
memory channels 2
RAM speed (max) 6400 MHz
Uses big.LITTLE technology

This laptop is powered by a 45W CPU TDP and features a 24 MB L3 cache for improved performance. It also supports Intel Resizable BAR for enhanced GPU access to system memory. With a GPU architecture based on Blackwell and 32 ROPs, this system can handle multiple displays and supports 3D, ECC memory, and OpenCL 3.0. Its GPU memory operates at a speed of 1750 MHz, delivering a maximum bandwidth of 448 GB/s. Additionally, it includes integrated graphics and supports RAM speeds up to 6400 MHz, making it a versatile machine for various tasks.

Final Verdict

The product is a powerful gaming laptop with strong multi-tasking capabilities, offering a robust GPU architecture and Intel Resizable BAR support. Its combination of high-end performance, multi-display support, and ECC memory makes it well-suited for demanding tasks like gaming, content creation, and professional work that requires stability. While it lacks certain features like Dolby Atmos audio or portability-enhancing elements, it remains a solid choice for users prioritizing performance and versatility in a gaming and multimedia laptop.

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