Alienware - 13.3" Laptop - Intel Core i7 - 16GB Memory - NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 - 512GB Solid State Drive - Silver

I'm really loving my new Alienware 13 R3, and KUDOS to Best Buy for being one of the few retailers that actually have any Alienware in stock - this is great for people like me who have no patience :) So far, I've upgraded my RAM to 32GB DDR4 @2600MHz and upgraded the SSD to 2TB (this machine takes m.2 [80mm]/PCIe). I love being able to use Tobii and Windows Hello to log in using just my face and I'm very happy that Alienware (aka Dell) reintroduced the illuminated trackpad on the 13" models. I feel that this machine is well worth the money, especially given all the upgrades available. Compare this unit to Razer and you'll find that you get more for your money and you can do more with Alienware! Razer is all beauty and no brains or substance (I was considering their latest 14" model)! Alienware, on the other hand, is both beautiful - beauty is in the eyes of the beholder - and has a lot of substance :) Very happy with my decision, which I did after thoroughly researching alternatives including MSI (stealth line), Razer (14"), HP (Omen and Spectre), Dell (XPS and Latitude), Lenovo (Y700-series) and Acer (Predator series). Most important to me was portability (small form factor, minimized bulk) with no sacrifice in capability and power. The Alienware 13 I have has a Core i7 (6th gen.), illuminated keyboard and trackpad, small footprint (less than 5 lbs. a little shorter than a MacBook pro 15"), Tobii aware (not with eyetracking), Full HD anti-glare, and full-sized keyboard). Again, I'm really happy with my decision.

Upgraded from 15 R2 which was just too heavy for me to carry around everyday. After reading some reviews about this laptop, finally decided to upgrade and made the right decision. AWR3 13 is perfect for my daily needs, just about the right weight, size and power. I'm also a casual gamer and this laptop can run everything i throw at it at high if not max settings. If a 1060 doesn't cut it out for you, you can plug-in an AGA with a 1070 or 1080 for a much richer experience.

I returned my Dell 13 XPS two-in-one because it lacked the graphic card that this laptop has which allows me to do intense gaming and video editing. It was able to handle all that without breaking a sweat. I heard complaints about the Alienware being heavy. In terms of size and weight, I have to say that I much prefer the Dell 13 XPS that I returned. But in terms of power and performance, this Alienware 13 blows the Dell away. Of course, this version costs more so you need to take that into consideration. I did not get the OLED version because it wasn't available, but I am saving about $300 with this Full HD display. The only negative is that this display isn't Touch-Screen capable. I assumed that all Windows laptops were touch screens. After a day with the laptop, I decided to keep it. I rarely use the tablet mode anyways.

I have long been skeptical about Alienware computers because of the many reviews out there that warn would-be buyers about their tendency to overheat and fall apart. However, after using this Alienware 13 R3 for several weeks, it's clear to me that either those reviewers are greatly exaggerating, or Alienware has improved their build quality to the point that those reviews are just not applicable to the Alienware 13 R3. The Alienware 13 R3 is a very good gaming laptop. It fits in a bag designed for 15.6" laptops comfortably, despite having a significantly bigger than 13" chassis due to the radiator on the back for the large-ish mainstream GPU inside, the GTX 1060. For its 1080p resolution, the GTX 1060 should be fine for mainstream gaming for years to come, so performance-wise I'm quite satisfied with it. And of course because this laptop is still new, right now the performance is phenomenal. There is a lot of competition on the compact gaming laptop market right now, and this laptop is right there at the top of what is possible with current technology. I see signs that competitors and even Alienware might eclipse this laptop's compact bang-for-the-buck performance in just a few short months from now with "Max-Q" laptops, but right now I'm happy with it, and I got a good deal on it from Best Buy. So the main things I can recommend on this laptop are that it has a good graphics card, a good enough screen, and a compact enough size that it isn't uncomfortable to lug around in a bag. The touchpad is good, but nowhere near as good as a Macbook's. The keyboard, however, is fantastic -- I love the keyboard so much. The tactile response is delightful and the keys feel very solidly built. I also like that the screen hinge seems extremely sturdy, so I don't expect to have to run back to Best Buy for a repair on this unit any time soon. The whole laptop just feels solid and well-balanced. It's very satisfying to interact with and doesn't show any indications of weak points. That doesn't mean you can toss it around the house with reckless abandon, but it definitely feels built to handle day-to-day wear and tear for many years. For the price, this is great stuff. Just be prepared to spend another $800 or so if you want to upgrade it with aftermarket RAM and high-end SSDs for increased storage capacity and multitasking ability.

It's a solid build. I love the design of this machine. Its size allows more ventilation to take place, keeping the laptop cool. The 1060 does its job just fine for games and heavily-graphic required tasks. Now the not-so-fun part: the battery life would last about 3 hours, which is rather standard. However, note that if you're more likely to take it outside, you'll have to bring the charger. That means on top of 2.5 kgs of the machine alone, you're bagging about a few more hundred grams of the adapter, adding up the total weight to about 3 kgs. If that's not a problem for you, this machine is a no-brainer.

From packaging to the actual product, alienware has done a great job.

I really wanted to love this product but my experience has been less than desirable. I purchased this computer right after it came out and it has been a chore since then. After bringing home the first laptop I got it all setup and was very excited to try it out, after downloading a few games from Steam I launched the first game in my library. Once the final installation steps finished up It was to my amaze the speakers came out of the box BLOWN. Not a software glitch it was a hardware failure. I exchanged it for a new in box and it was smooth sailing for a few days before I ran into the SAME PROBLEM. I Never increase the volume past 35-40 or so. This experience has left me with a bad taste in my mouth and will be going to ASUS or MSI for a proper gaming laptop. PROS -Powerhouse, I7+1060 card is awesome -Battery life surprised me for how hungry it is -Very little Bloatware pre-installed -Very nice finish, feels like you can use it as a weapon -Windows hello is pretty neat CONS -PCEI SSD is not really that fast? Standard SSD's launch faster -Very little storage space, get a portable HDD for more than 5 games -Only 2 USB 2.0 -Gets VERY LOUD when under load -Decently hot as well -Quality Control The MEH -Screen is nothing to write home about but gets the job done -Graphics amplifier cool idea, but very expensive -Touchpad seems to be in it for itself and not you -RGB keyboard doesn't have that much customization

this is one heck of a fun machine - enjoy it if you can afford it