Alienware unveils new Team Liquid tested PCs, peripherals at CES

At CES 2024, Dell unveiled new laptops, desktop PCs, monitors and accessories for its gaming focused Alienware brand. For 2024, Alienware redesigned its family of gaming laptops, added two 4K QD-OLED gaming monitors to its line up and debuted its first-ever competitive gaming peripherals.

This year, Alienware built upon its longstanding partnership with esports organization Team Liquid when designing its new products. Pros from around the world competing across genres battle-tested its 4K QD-OLED monitors and its new Alienware Pro wireless mouse and keyboard.

“We’ve got a history of building high-performance, premium gaming products and that’s why our partnership with Team Liquid works so well. They provide essential insights to us around how they’re using our products and early feedback,” said Matt McGowan, Sr. Director, PC gaming lead at Dell. “It’s constantly pushing us forward to build better and better products and exceed the expectations of competitive players.”

Alienware’s 2024 gaming laptops

While Alienware’s core focus of building products for competitive players hasn’t changed, the brand’s laptop family is evolving to appeal to a broader audience. The design language of Alienware’s new products has been updated to be more discrete and portable.

For customers who found Alienware’s lighting effects to be distracting in certain spaces, the brand is introducing Stealth Mode. This feature turns the keyboard backlighting white, switches off all other RBG light effects and reduces fan noise. Ultimately, Stealth Mode will help buyers that want an all-purpose machine that they can also use to perform in-game.

The redesigned m16 R2 is built to be the brand’s take on an all-purpose notebook. Compared to the previous generation, the m16 R2 has a 15% smaller footprint. Dell’s engineers accomplished this by adapting its Cryo-tech cooling technology, eliminating the need for the previous design’s thermal shelf. Now, the m16 R2 fits into a small backpack and gives players even more desk space for peripherals. As a bonus for players on-the-go, the m16 R2 has a built-in hotkey to activate Stealth Mode.

For players looking to maximize performance, Alienware supercharged its x16 R2 notebook model. While the all metal chassis, six speaker setup and lighting largely remain the same, Dell made some internal upgrades. Buyers can customize their machine’s hardware, but each x16 R2 has a 240Hz display as a default.

Finally, the Alienware’s m18 R2 is built for players looking to replace their desktop. The machine is portable but maximizes power and performance. The latest generation boasts the highest storage capacity (up to 10TB) of any Alienware laptop and cooling upgrades to boost performance.

Alienware’s 4K QD-OLED gaming monitors

Alongside its new laptop models, Alienware is adding two new QD-OLED gaming monitors to its lineup. In comparison to the 34-inch models that debuted at CES 2022, the Alienware 32 4K QD-OLED Gaming Monitor (AW3225QF) and Alienware 27 360Hz QD-OLED Gaming Monitor (AW2725DF) are more compact than their predecessors.

The 32″ model meets both competitive players’ and content creators’ needs. The 240Hz refresh rate and Dolby Vision HDR technology displays crisp and clear visuals. Non-PC players will also appreciate the AW3225QF’s dedicated console mode. Alienware recommends this model for players that want an all-in-one display that performs in game, rather than a device dedicated to pro play.

On the other hand, the AW2725DF is built for competitors and aspiring pro players. The 27″ model offers a best-in-class 360Hz refresh rate and its size is more suitable for esports competitions, particularly shooters. Its 0.03ms gray-to-gray response time allows clearer motion, reducing blur and ghosting. The ergonomic design works for a wide variety of desktop configurations and its smaller base gives players plenty of room for peripherals.

Team Liquid approved peripherials

Dell also debuted the brand new Alienware Pro wireless mouse and keyboard at CES 2024. While Alienware isn’t new to peripherals, the new Pro series was built to satisfy esports players at the highest level.

Esports organization Team Liquid played a key role in developing Alienware’s brand new competition-ready wireless keyboard and mouse. Quake legend Shane “Rapha” Hendrixson and over 100 other pros first tested early builds of the peripherals in January 2023 with a follow-up in May 2023.

“It’s no secret that pro players didn’t love [Alienware’s] previous peripherals, especially its mice. There were design problems with the shape and functionality of the feet design. It would have put us at a competitive disadvantage,” said Rapha. “I’m very happy to see how committed Alienware is to updating its products. I want to be able to play with something I feel like I can win a championship with. The new products are competition-ready and a vehicle to represent Alienware in the best light possible.”

To fit pro player needs, the design of the wireless mouse emphasizes durability, consistency and ease of use. The device runs at a consistent 4,000 Hz polling rate for 32 hours, giving players a much smoother and precise experience without recharging than a more standard 1,000 Hz mice. The shape of Alienware’s mouse is rounded and symmetrical to suit all grip types and hand sizes. At 60 grams, the mouse is lightweight, but stable. And for players on the go, the mouse has built-in housing for its wireless dongle, so you won’t lose it ever again.

The Alienware Pro wireless keyboard was also designed with pro player needs in mind. The product’s compact 75% form factor balances saving space without sacrificing features. The keyboard’s linear mechanical switches 40g activation force gives players quick inputs and a satisfying sound and feel. You won’t have to sacrifice battery life either. The keyboard will run wirelessly for 72 hours with RBGs at 50% or 798 hours without RBGs. The keys are customizable too, supporting most 5-pin and 3-pin switches.