Today, Intel introduced its 13th-generation Core processors, codenamed Raptor Lake, and as usual, a slew of new devices are getting announced to go along with that. Among them, Dell's Alienware brand has announced the Aurora R15, the latest iteration of its flagship gaming desktop. The company also introduced a couple of new peripherals, including a more affordable version of its fantastic QD-OLED monitor.
Alienware Aurora R15
Starting with the new PC, the Alienware Aurora R15 has been refreshed with the latest hardware from both Intel and Nvidia, who recently introduced the GeForce RTX 40 series of GPUs. You can expect to find up to an Intel Core i9-13900K, with a whopping 24 cores, 68MB of cache, and up to 5.8GHz boost speeds. That's paired with up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 with 24GB of GDDDR6X memory. though you can also opt for AMD GPUs up to a Radeon RX 6900 XT with 16GB of GDDR6. The specs are rounded out by up to 64GB of DDR5 RAM at up to 4800MT/s and 6TB of SSD storage (one NVMe and one SATA SSD).
Alienware has further refined the thermal designed from previous generations. There are now a total of five 120mm fans for air intake and exhaust, and liquid-cooled configurations also now have a 240mm heat exchanger to help keep things cool. The new thermal design offers 19% more airflow and runs 66% quieter for CPU-intensive tasks, or 9% for tasks focused on the GPU.
The system is powered by 80 Plus Platinum certified PSU across the board, and you can choose between 750W and 1350W variants, which ensures the PC can meet the high power demands of Intel and Nvidia's components.
Alienware says the Aurora R15 will be available later in the fall, and pricing will be revealed closer to launch. You can expect to be paying quite a bit, however.
Alienware QD-OLED Gaming Monitor (AW3423DWF)
The other big announcement today is the Alienware QD-OLED Gaming Monitor, which is the company's second monitor to use the new QD-OLED technology. This new model, AW3423DWF, is very similar to the original AW3423DW, but it ditches Nvidia G-Sync Ultimate certification in favor of AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and VESA AdaptiveSync Display certification. It also comes with a slightly lower 165Hz refresh rate, whereas the previous model had a 175Hz refresh rate.
There are also some visual differences. This model is slightly thinner at the back to enable easier mounting with a VESA mechanism, and it comes in a new black colorway, compared to the mostly white look of the original. Some of the RGB lighting zones have also been removed, particularly around the monitor arm and underneath the display.
All of this makes for a cheaper model, which costs $1,099.99 in the US, $200 below the original model's current pricing. The Alienware QD-OLED Gaming Monitor (AW3423DWF) will be available in the fall.
Alienware TKL Gaming Keyboard
Finally, Alienware also introduced its first-ever gaming keyboard with a tenkeyless design, resulting in a more compact form factor ideal for users that don't care for the number pad. The Alienware TKL Gaming Keyboard (AW920K) comes with mechanical Cherry MX Red Switches and double-shot PBT keycaps for extended durability on the key labels. As you'd expect from a gaming keyboard, it supports AlienFX per-key RGB lighting, customizable through the Alienware Command Center.
The keys are also fully programmable with Alienware's software, and you can also disable the Windows key on the fly to prevent accidental interruptions while gaming. Design-wise, the keyboard offers integrated cable routing options on its underside, and the keyboard risers support three different height settings for extra comfort.
The Alienware TKL Gaming Keyboard will be available later this fall for $149.99 in the US.
[Update 9/28/2022 @ 12:34PM ET] Dell had originally stated that the Alienware TKL Gaming Keyboard would cost $129.99, but the price is $149.99. The article has been corrected accordingly.