Keychron may not have the richest history among keyboard manufacturers but it is growing in popularity since its introduction in 2017. The brand is now entering the Nepali market and many of its products are already available for pre-order. In this post, we will be taking a look at all the Keychron products (keyboards & palm rests), their specs, features, price, and availability in Nepal.
Keychron: Brand Overview
Keychron came into existence in 2017. The company was founded by a group of keyboard enthusiasts that have worked in the keyboard industry. Keytron mechanical keyboard was the first keyboard from the company. The product was later renamed Keychron K1. As of now, the company has a wide range of Keyboards. In addition to it, it also sells accessories like carrying cases, palm rests, keycap sets, and switches.
Keychron products will soon be available for purchase in Nepal through Oliz Store. It is an authorized reseller of popular brands like Apple and JBL in Nepal. The store has physical stores at different places in the Valley and an online presence as well.
Oliz Store has opened pre-order for different keychron products including keyboards and palm rest. Keychrons products currently available in Nepal are listed below with their specs, features, and price.
Last month, MSI refreshed its lineup of gaming laptops with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 series graphics card. The new GS66 Stealth (2021) was one of the laptops announced at the event, which has now made its way into the Nepali market. In this post, we will be taking a look at the specs, features, price, and availability of MSI GS66 Stealth 2021 in Nepal.
MSI GS66 Stealth 2021 Overview:
Design and Display
At first glance, the MSI GS66 Stealth may not look like a gaming laptop. Because of the design, you can use the laptop in the office settings too. MSI says it’s the design is the perfect camouflage for business professionals who want to conceal their inner gamers. The Sharper in Core Black design means the laptop has a matte finish on top of the metal chassis.
The laptop comes with a 15.6-inch IPS display. Users can choose between FHD and UHD resolution. Of the two, the FHD panel supports refresh rate of 300Hz and is more likely to launch in Nepal. The bezel on the bottom is thicker than that on the top and sides. It also houses the MSI branding.
Like the latest Raider lineup, the GS66 Stealth is powered by the latest 10th-gen Intel Core processors. It can be configured with up to Core i9-10980HK processors. But the ones that will arrive here will pack the Core i7 instead. The processors are paired with the latest GeForce RTX 30 series mobile GPU’s based on the new Ampere microarchitecture. The variant that is launching here will come with GeForce RTX 3070 GPU.
If you have followed the latest GeForce 30 series mobile GPU, it is possible that two GPUs with same moniker can offer different level of performance of performance based on their TDP. As per an MSI Insider Video, the RTX 3070 in the GS66 has a TDP of 80W. Thus, it will have a lower performance than the 115W RTX 3070 that the variant of GE66 Raider 2021 is going to arrive Nepal with.
Cooling and Memory
The laptop flaunts the new MSI Cooler Boost Trinity with up to 15% better airflow compared to the previous design. The setup consists of 3 fans and 7 heat pipes. MSI claims that the 0.1mm blades on the laptop are the world’s thinnest.
GS66 Stealth 2021 features two SO-DIMM slots that can be configured to up to 64GB of RAM. Similarly, the laptop has two M.2 SSD slots with support for NVMe PCIe Gen3.
Rest of the specs
The laptop packs in a 99.9Whr battery and ships with a 230W AC adapter. MSI is advertising it as one of the first laptops to be equipped with Wi-Fi 6E. It also has Bluetooth 5.2 support. In terms of connectivity, the laptop has three Type-A, one Type-C, an HDMI, and an RJ45 port. It has a dual-speaker (2X2W) setup tuned by Dynaudio. You also get Hi-Res Audio support and Nahimic 3 app.
MSI GS66 Stealth 2021 Specifications:
Design & Build: Metal Chassis, 358.3 (W) x 248 (D) x 18.3-19.8 (H)mm, 2.1 kg
Resolution: FHD (1920×1080) / UHD (3840 x 2160) resolution
Keyboard: Per-Key RGB Backlit by SteelSeries
Processor: Up to 10th-gen Intel Core i9
RAM: Up to 64GB DDR4 RAM @3200MHz (2x SO-DIMM)
Storage: 2x M.2 SSD slot (NVMe PCIe Gen3)
Graphics: NVIDIA RTX 30 series
Audio: 2x2W by Dynaudio, Hi-Res Audio certified, Nahimic
Battery: 99.9 Watt-hours battery
Power Supply: 230W adapter
Webcam: IR HD (30fps @ 720p); Windows Hello
Connectivity: Intel WiFi 6E AX210, Bluetooth 5.2, Killer E3100 2.5Gbps with Killer Shield
I/O ports: 1x RJ45, 1x HDMI, 3x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, 1x Type-C USB3.2 Gen 2 (DP/PD charging), 1x, mic-in/headphone-out
MSI GS66 Stealth 2021 Price in Nepal & Availability
MSI GE66 Stealth 2021 is now available in Nepal for NPR 388,500. This is for the variant with a Core i7-10870H processor, RTX 3070 GPU, 16GB RAM, and 2TB of internal storage.
MSI GS66 Raider 2021
Price in Nepal
Availability
10UG: Core i7 10870H, RTX 3070 Max Q, 16GB RAM, 2TB SSD
MSI refreshed its Raider lineup of gaming laptops last month with the new GE66 2021. It is powered by 10th-gen Intel Core i9 processors and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 series graphics card. The good news here is that the laptop will soon be available in the Nepali market. So, let’s take a look at the specs, features, expected price, and availability of MSI GE66 Raider 2021 in Nepal.
MSI GE66 Raider 2021 Overview:
Design and Display
The new MSI GE66 Raider 2021 has an aluminum build and is available in silver finish. The lid has the MSI dragon logo on the top. On the bottom of the laptop, MSI has included what it calls the Dragon Armor carving. On the front, the GE66 Raider retains the “Mystic Light” LED bar for the panoramic aurora lighting design. MSI claims that the bar supports 16.8 million color combinations.
The laptop comes with a 15.6-inch IPS FHD display. It is available with either a 240Hz or 300Hz refresh rate. The company also offers the device with a UHD panel but that is less likely to hit the Nepali market. Talking about the display, the bezels on the sides are thinner. But the ones on the top and bottom are quite thick. The bottom also houses the MSI logo.
Performance and Memory
MSI GE66 Raider 2021 is powered by the latest 10th-gen Intel Core processors. It can be configured with up to Core i9-10980HK processors. But the ones that are arriving here will be powered by the Core i7 processor. The processors are paired with the latest GeForce RTX 30 series mobile GPU’s based on the new Ampere microarchitecture. The variant that is launching here will come with GeForce RTX 3070 GPU. The GeForce RTX 3070 used here has a TDP of 115W.
It will also support MSI Cooler Boost 5. It is a cooling setup consisting of 6 heat pipes and 2 fans that maintain the airflow to keep the temperature down during intensive gaming sessions. The laptop features two SO-DIMM slots that can be configured with up to 64GB of DDR4-3200 RAM. Similarly, it has two M.2 SSD slots with support for NVMe PCIe Gen3.
Rest of the specs
MSI GE66 Raider 2021 packs in a 99.9Whr battery and ships with a 230W AC adapter. MSI is advertising this device as the first laptop to be equipped with Wi-Fi 6E. It also has Bluetooth 5.2 support. In terms of connectivity, the laptop has three USB Type-A, two Type-C, a mini-DisplayPort, an HDMI, an RJ45 port, and an SD card reader. It has a dual speaker setup tuned by Dynaudio. You also get Hi-Res Audio support and Nahimic 3 app.
MSI GE66 Raider 2021 Specifications:
Design & Build: Aluminum build, 358 x 267 x 23.4mm, 2.38 kg
Resolution: FHD (1920×1080) / UHD (3840 x 2160) resolution
Keyboard: Per-Key RGB Backlit
Processor: Up to 10th-gen Intel Core i9
RAM: Up to 64GB DDR4 RAM @3200MHz (2x SO-DIMM)
Storage: 2x M.2 SSD slot (NVMe PCIe Gen3)
Graphics: NVIDIA RTX 30 series
Audio: Dual-speaker by Dynaudio, Hi-Res Audio certified, Nahimic
Battery: 99.9 Watt-hours battery
Power Supply: 230W adapter
Webcam: FHD (30fps @ 1080p)
Connectivity: Intel WiFi 6E AX210, Bluetooth 5.2, Killer E3100 with Killer Shield
I/O ports: 1x Rj45, 1x HDMI, 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A 1x Type-C USB3.2 Gen 2/DP, 1x Type-C USB 3.2 Gen2x2, 1x SD card reader, 1x, mic-in/headphone-out
MSI GE66 Raider 2021 Price in Nepal and Availability
MSI GE66 Raider 2021 will soon be available in Nepal with a Core i7 processor, RTX 3070 GPU, 16GB RAM, and 2TB of internal storage. We don’t have any information about the price of MSI GE66 2021 in Nepal yet but we will keep you updated once that’s known.
MSI GE66 Raider 2021
Price in Nepal
Availability
Core i7, RTX 3070 Max Q, 16GB RAM, 2TB SSD (10UG)
TBA
Soon
Also, check out our review of the MSI GE66 Raider 10SFS.
WorldLink Communication, one of the leading internet service providers in Nepal, has announced Tahalka Offer. It is the latest internet + NetTV package from the company that it is targeting individuals and small families. Let’s take a look at the features, pricing, and availability of the WorldLink Tahalka Offer.
WorldLink Tahalka Offer Overview:
WorldLink is looking to create a major buzz in the country with the pricing of the Tahalka Offer. In its promotional campaign, the company is advertising that users that subscribe to the Tahalka offer can enjoy the internet and NetTV for just NPR 799 per month.
We will start with the pricing of the plan. The Tahalka Offer is only available for an annual subscription. Unlike other plans from the company, there are no options for 1 and 3 months’ subscription. And the price of the annual subscription is Rs 9,588 (pre-tax). You will have to pay that amount upfront along with the pre-installation charge for both internet and NetTV.
WorldLink Tahalka Package (Internet + NetTV)
Price
Annual Subscription Charge
Rs. 9,588
Router Rental Charge
Rs. 500
Installation Charge
FREE
Drop Wire Charge
Rs. 500
Refundable Deposit
Rs. 500
NetTV Activation Charge
Rs. 500
Refundable Deposit (NetTV)
Rs. 500
Total
Rs. 12,088
If you are an existing user planning to switch to Tahalka Package, you will have to pay for ONU and STB while WorldLink has waived off the deposit charges. Also, the Telecommunication Service Charge (TSC) is included in the internet service charge while users will have to pay VAT on top.
Features
For that price, you will get to enjoy 10Mbps internet for a whole year. However, the router can only connect to three devices at most. Thus, if you have a big family or have multiple devices that need to connect to the internet at the same time, this is not the plan for you. Also, there is no option for a dual-band router.
Bundled with the internet service is the annual subscription of NetTV. While WorldLink says it covers 200+ Live Channels, it is unsure if it’s a Prime package or a standard package. With the latter, users can enjoy content from Hungama and Cine+. Also, there is no facility for multi-TV connection.
It looks like WorldLink is targeting individuals and small families with limited internet requirements. However, the limitation in the speed and the availability of a single subscription plan will be a major put off most of the people.
NVIDIA has now added support for GeForce Now (its game streaming service) to Google Chrome and M1 Macs. Let’s learn more about NVIDIA GeForce Now including its features, availability, compatibility, and the changes brought by the latest beta support.
NVIDIA GeForce Now Overview:
Introduction
As mentioned earlier, GeForce Now is a cloud-based game streaming service from NVIDIA, a company known for its graphics card. The motive here is to make a PC-like gaming experience accessible to more users. PC is the most popular platform for gamers with over 1.2 billion players. However, not many people get to play the latest title as they are restricted by the specs of their system. This is where game streaming services like GeForce Now come in.
Game Streaming Services at Core
It allows users to play the latest games on their old devices via standalone or web apps. The types of games and the settings you can play are often determined by the type of subscription you have. The library of games supported, controller compatibility, and the other things differ according to the streaming services you decided to go with. Google has Stadia, Amazon has Luna, Sony has PlayStation Now, Microsoft has Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, and so on. These services let you play games remotely on systems set up in the cloud. The game is actually played on the system at the cloud and it is streamed to your PC or whatever system you are playing the games in.
GeForce Now Features
With GeForce Now, the users can hit up to 60+ fps in multiple titles. Since the servers at NVIDIA’s end have RTX GPU, you can even play RTX titles if you have the Founders membership. It’s an open platform which means that you don’t have to buy games specifically for GeForce Now. You can add your existing library to GeForce Now and build upon that. It also has support for popular PC apps like Discord.
NVIDIA GeForce Availability
The downside here is that it is not available in every country. Also, the latest features are rolled out to limited regions before the global launch.
NVIDIA GeForce Now Support for Chrome & M1 Macs
With the latest update, GeForce Now now has support for Google Chrome. It is guaranteed to work on Windows and macOS. Users can try using it on other platforms but it’s not guaranteed to work. NVIDIA has used the WebRTC framework to optimize the browser to give a native app-like experience. Still, there is no information about the GeForce Now support coming for other Chromium-based browsers like Edge.
If you have the latest Macs powered by the Apple M1 chip, you can use the dedicated GeForce Now app to start gaming. The support for both M1 Macs and Google Chrome was added in the latest beta release.
Here, the NVIDIA GeForce Now is available in Windows, Android, macOS, NVIDIA Shield, and Chromebooks. Though it doesn’t have a dedicated app for it, you can even use it on the iOS platform through Safari. The beta release has also added other new features. For instance, now users can add desktop shortcuts of their favorite games on GeForce now.
In the competitive world of today, you need to keep innovating to stay relevant, especially in the tech industry. As a result, most companies don’t just stick to one product. In addition to their principal lineup, they invest in the research and development of new products for market penetration. As enthusiasts, we get to see patents of unique and never-heard-off technology. Today, we are going to talk about the new patents of therapeutic smart glasses from Xiaomi.
Xiaomi therapeutic smart glasses
Just days after impressing the world with its first truly wireless charging “Mi Air Charge” technology, the company is once again on the news because of its patent of smart glasses. Almost all of the smart glasses that we have seen other companies work on and launch are based on AR/VR technology. The new patent reveals smart glasses that are able to send different types of waves.
Proposed health advantages
As per the patent, these waves will be used for phototherapy and object detection. The therapeutic signals from the glasses will help cure brain diseases, mental illness, and eye fatigue. This could also help users in stress management and overcome problems like headaches and anxiety. Similarly, the electronic waves from the glasses will help in object identification. It is also said to help in promoting blood circulation in the brain.
Though the idea sounds impressive, we are yet to hear about it from the company itself. For now, it is just a patent of a product that Xiaomi might launch in the future. Patent never guarantees end products. At times, companies drop the project altogether in favor of ideas that are more feasible and less complicated.
For instance, last year, 91mobiles reported another patent of another smart glasses from Xiaomi with neckband design and AR capabilities. Needless to say, we have not heard of the product since then.
The whole process gets more complicated for technologies that are directly related to the health of the consumer. Developers need to ensure the well-being of the consumer, while also getting approval from regulatory bodies.
So are we going to see therapeutic smart glasses from Xiaomi in the future? There is no definite answer to this as of now. The idea is exciting but it will take time for the idea to grow, become mainstream, and debut in the consumer market.
Also, check out our review of the Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite.
Samsung had a rough start with foldable smartphones as the original Galaxy Fold ran into several problems. However, the company has turned things around as it has refined the technology in the Galaxy Z Fold 2 and Galaxy Z Flip. The focus is now on rollable / sliding smartphones. Companies like TCL, LG, and Oppo are all working on similar technology. And now, it has been confirmed that Samsung is working on smartphones with rollable or sliding screen as well.
Samsung Rollable/Sliding Screen Smartphones
The news was first reported by The Elec, a South Korean media outlet that focuses on the tech industry. According to the report, Samsung Display has confirmed that the company is developing on rollable and slidable smartphones. These new form factors are what the company believes will help it expand its leadership in foldable technology.
As of now, Samsung has already foldable smartphones in two different form factors – Fold (Galaxy Fold, Galaxy X Fold 2) and Flip (Galaxy Z Flip). The introduction of smartphones with rollable and foldable screens will expand the company’s portfolio of foldable smartphones. As a result, customers will have more form factors to choose from.
We are yet to see any official renders or live-images of Samsung rollable/sliding screen smartphones. However, LetsGoDigital published some renders of the said phones based on what they would look like.
Source: LetsGoDigital
Last year, it was TCL that shared its concept of rollable/sliding screens. Then there was news of LG, the brand behind the T-shaped Wing phone, working on similar technology. The company also teased the technology in the CES 2021. Oppo has also showcased a working prototype of the technology in Oppo X 2021.
Samsung may be looking to beat all these brands in integrating the technology in commercial smartphones. The company is looking to launch phones with new form factors later this year.
Other Display Trends in 2021
Also, the company has announced that it will still be developing LCD panels. If you remember, it was announced last year that Samsung Display will stop production of LCD panels by the end of 2020 in favor of other display technology. Since its clients are still using LCD panels, the company will still produce them at their request.
The company will also be promoting its OLED panels. Samsung is working on making OLED work with variable refresh rate and tweaking it to consume less power. In addition to smartphones, Samsung will also be shipping OLED panels to notebook and laptop manufacturers. Samsung will also push its Quantum Display to premium TVs.
Researchers at MIT have developed a new kind of neural network called liquid networks. Unlike the traditional liquid networks, the new liquid neural network is dynamic and can adapt to new inputs. In this post, we will talk about the new liquid neural network. We will discuss its architecture, advantages over the traditional models, and possible applications.
Introduction to Artificial Neural Networks
Before getting into the complexity of the new neural network, let’s talk about Neural Networks. Artificial neurons are programs/algorithms that act like biological neurons. In the field of computing, a neuron is a mathematical model of function that takes weighted inputs, sums them, and activates them before sharing the results with other networks. By feeding the artificial neuron with the input of different weights, we can train it for our desired result (or output).
An artificial neural network is a complex structure of different layers of neurons. There are multiple connections between neurons in the network and an input passes through these neurons multiple times before the network outputs a final result. An output of a neuron is input to other and all the neurons help in refining the input for the ultimate output.
A neural network is modeled and trained depending upon what kind of output is expected from it. As of now, neural networks have been successfully used in prediction, autonomous systems, and recognition tasks.
Liquid Neural Network
Fundamental Difference
The limitation in the neural networks prior to the liquid neural networks is their training data set. What that means is the complete behavior of the network including how it responds to certain inputs is firm. As a result, neural networks are not flexible enough to change it based on the real-time inputs.
In contrast to this, the liquid neural network is flexible. The underlying equation can change in accordance with the new inputs. For this, researchers have changed the differential equations that represent the neuron. These new neurons can change parameters based on the results of the equations. As a result, the new networks are dynamic in nature.
In the test, the new neural network bettered other time series algorithms by few percentages in prediction tasks. The neural network also has smaller and fewer computing nodes. The researchers believe that the few yet richer nodes in the liquid neural network will scale down the models.
Applications
The new neurons will have a great impact on how we process time-series data. Researchers believe the world is all about sequences. This includes our perception of the world too. Our reality is full of time-series data. Thus, with improved time series data analysis, we can develop future technologies.
The liquid neural network can anticipate future behavior in the system by analyzing data in real-time. This will be very helpful in systems that need to make decisions based on real-time data input. Thus, we could see the use of liquid neural networks in medical diagnosis and self-driving vehicles.
Check out our review of the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro.
WhatsApp has been a hot topic of discussion for the past few weeks. The messaging platform was drawn to public criticism because of its latest privacy policy update which makes it compulsory for users to agree to share data to WhatsApp’s parent company Facebook. After delaying the implementation, the company has now integrated biometric authentication in its web and desktop app for extra security to WhatsApp web. Let’s learn more about WhatsApp’s latest security feature.
Biometric Authentication in WhatsApp
The latest security feature of WhatsApp tries to minimize unauthorized login into web and desktop app. Prior to this, users needed to pass through the QR code authentication to log into their WhatsApp account via web and desktop client. You could do it by selecting the WhatsApp web/desktop option from the phone and scanning the QR code from the desktop.
Process
WhatsApp has not removed the QR authentication – it is still here. What the company has done is introduce biometrics integration as an additional layer of security. With this, users need to go through biometric authentication when they choose the WhatsApp Web/Desktop option on their phone. Depending upon the phone, user can use their Face ID, fingerprint, or Iris ID. Only then they will be promoted to QR authentication to complete the linking process.
Security Concern
The feature will work with all Android phones with biometric authentication. For iPhone users, the feature will work with devices running on iOS 14 and above. WhatsApp has clarified that the biometrics authentication is by the device’s operating system. What this means is that the authentication is done by the OS using the biometric stored in the OS. Thus, WhatsApp doesn’t have access to the biometric information of the user.
Future Plans
The new feature is only a step in enhancing the desktop/web experience. At present, many of the app’s features are not available in the web and desktop versions. The company is looking to bridge the gap between phone and desktop app. For instance, the call feature has been introduced in the latest beta version of the desktop app.
So, what do you think of the new security feature in WhatsApp? Are you still using WhatsApp or have moved on to its alternative? Let us know with your comment.
Check out our take on WhatsApp’s latest privacy policy [Nepali].
Dell’s Alienware series is known for offering spec-heavy laptops that deliver brilliant performance. Furthermore, they also sport a futuristic look that is enough to label them as a gaming laptop. The Alienware m15 R3 is the third iteration of this series. Its design is still similar to that of the last year’s m15 R2, but this updated version brings much more than just your usual processor upgrade. So without further ado, let’s dive right into our review of the Alienware m15 R3.
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER, with 8GB GDDR6 VRAM
RAM: 16GB DDR4 @3200MHz
Storage: 512GB SSD PCIe M.2 SSD
Ports: 2 x Type-A USB 3.1 Gen1, 1 x Type-A USB 3.1 Gen1 with PowerShare , 1 x Alienware Graphics Amplifier, 1 x HDMI 2.0b, 1 x Mini-Display, 3.5mm headphone jack, 1 x Thunderbolt 3 with DisplayPort 1.2 support, 1x RJ45
Connectivity: Killer Wi-Fi AX1650 (2×2) 802.11ax + Bluetooth 5.1
Keyboard: Alienware mSeries keyboard with per-key RGB LED AlienFX lighting
Battery: 6-cell Lithium-Polymer Battery
Price in Nepal: Rs. 310,000
Alienware m15 R3 Review:
This laptop is really spec-heavy. You can configure it with a 10th Gen Intel Comet Lake H-series processor and bump up the GPU up to NVIDIA RTX 2080 Max-Q. The display options that you have are 144Hz, 300Hz, and a 60Hz 4K OLED. For deeper colors you can go for the 60Hz panel one, but hey if you are all in for gaming a faster refresh rate is preferable.
Our review unit of the Alienware m15 R3 comes with an Intel Core i7-10750H processor, RTX 2070 SUPER GPU, 16GB RAM, 512GB PCIe M.2 SSD, and a 300Hz refresh rate screen. This one does not have the Tobii eye-tracking. If you want that, you’ll have to go for the 4K OLED variant.
Design & Build
Minimalistic yet gaming aesthetic
Smudge-resistant back panel
Lightweight for a gaming laptop
So, talking about the design, nothing much has changed from last year’s model. M15 R2 had a superb design, so it does make sense that Dell has decided not to go for a complete design overhaul this time around.
It retains a minimalistic aesthetic although there are enough lighting fairs that help it retain a gaming laptop vibe. There are two color options: the white Lunar White one and the off-black Dark Side of the Moon. Our review unit is the latter one.
Traditionally, a black chassis meant that you’d have to deal with a lot of fingerprint smudges. However, the exterior makes use of a high endurance clear coat finish to help reduce smudge attraction. You do get some from time-to-time, but it is just a minor issue.
Sticking to the chassis, it isn’t metal, rather the keyboard and the lid are made up of glossy plastic. The lid contains a small LED-lit Alienware logo and a “15″ marking towards the bottom right. Similarly, the rear part, which houses an air vent and a few ports is made up of black matte plastic.
Honeycomb vent
Underneath, you’ll see the bottom vents in a honeycomb pattern. All the air-vents besides the bottom one i.e the rear one and the one above the keyboard deck are in a honeycomb pattern.
The rear part is extended and contains air vents which result in better cooling. However, it does come at a cost of increased size. An LED strip also surrounds the rear vent whose lighting can be controlled from the Alienware Command Center.
The Alienware m15 R3 weighs around 2.1kg and measures 14.2 x 10.9 x 0.8-inches. It is lighter than most competitors such as the Helios 300 and the ROG Scar G15. Thus, you can easily carry this laptop around for your daily commute.
Overall, the design is pleasing to the eye, fits in perfectly in any environment yet retains its gaming vibes. What more can you ask for, right?
Ports and Connectivity
Great port selection
WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.1
This laptop has a huge selection of ports. On the left, there’s a USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A port, RJ45 port, 3.5mm headphone jack, and a noble lock socket. Similarly, on the right, there are additional 2 USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-A ports and a MicroSD slot. The MicroSD slot was missing on the m15 R2, so it is a much-welcomed comeback.
Left
Right
The ports don’t end here. At the back, you have the AC adapter, an HDMI 2.0 port, a mini Display 1.3 port, and a Thunderbolt 3 with USB-C charging port. Furthermore, there’s an Alienware Graphics Amplifier port too.
One neat thing about the AC adapter is that, once you plug it in the charging wire lights up. And that gives a neat touch to the laptop. For communication, the laptop has the Killer AX1650 for Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1.
Display
1080p (FHD) IPS panel with 300Hz refresh rate
100% sRGB, 77.4% DCI-P3 color gamut
You get a 1080p 300Hz panel that is surrounded by thin bezels on the side. The upper one is slightly thick in order to house the 720p webcam, which is average at best and the bottom bezel contains the Alienware label. The whole screen is elevated a bit higher on the hinges and the screen can be pushed back up to a maximum angle of about 140 degrees.
The panel itself is a peach. The colors pop-out quite well and everything seems so vibrant. You probably won’t require the 300Hz refresh rate while doing general tasks so better switch it to 60Hz to save some juice. However, its true potential is reflected while playing high FPS games and I am sure gamers will appreciate it.
There is a bit of backlight bleeding, but that differs from unit to unit. Furthermore, the screen is not that bright either. The peak brightness is 300nits and I did have a hard time using it outside on a bright sunny day. The 60Hz 4K OLED variant would fare far better in that scenario.
Color coverage
If you are looking to do some content creation on this laptop, then that’s fine too. This panel covers 100% of the sRGB color gamut, about 64% of the Adobe RGB color gamut, and 77.4% of the DCI-P3 color gamut. So, it’s a fairly color-accurate panel. On par or even better than some of its competitors such as the Zephyrus M15. But if you want a more color-accurate screen, the Zephyrus G14 is the one to go for.
Keyboard & Trackpad
Island-style RGB-backlit keyboard, 1.7mm
Trackpad with Windows Precision Drivers
Coming to the keyboard, it is an island-style keyboard with an RGB backlight. The lighting can be configured from the Alienware Command Center. However, the keyboard itself does not have a dedicated key to launch the command center. Just above the main key-deck, there’s a power button shaped in the form of an alien head, and it lights up too. Moreover, if your battery level gets critically low, the lighting on the alien head starts to flicker, so that even if you’re immersed in a game, you do get notified about the battery levels.
The keys are well spaced and offer 1.7mm key travel. Typing is a joy on this one. Perfect for everything, but the keys do get quite warm while gaming. So, that’s a concern. Other than that, there’s nothing much that I have to complain about this keyboard.
The trackpad is placed just below the Spacebar. And I felt it to be a bit small to my liking. I got used to it after a while, but still, it somewhat bugged me. However, thanks to the size of the trackpad, you get enough space for palm rest on both sides.
The trackpad itself comes with Windows Precision Drivers. Gestures and pinch-to-zoom were not a problem. However, I did find the two-finger scrolling to be somewhat inconsistent. So, I saved myself the irritation of the inconsistent scrolling by using a mouse. Which you’ll probably use while gaming anyway.
Alienware Command Center
Control lighting, overclock, etc.
You can launch the Alienware Command Center from the Start menu. The command center allows you to control the lighting of the keyboard, the alien head on the lid, and the LED strip in the rear. Moreover, you also get to tweak the Overclock, thermal, power, and sound profiles.
The Home tab gives you an overview of your current system settings and you can easily choose a theme, thermal profile from the home tab itself. In the Library section, you can add games and customize settings for each of them. I highly recommend you to do that, ’cause there’s isn’t a dedicated button on the keyboard to boost fan speeds. So, you should adjust the things such as the thermals, audio, and power profiles from there itself.
The FX tab allows you to change the lightings. To adjust the lighting effects for the keyboard select the Advanced KB option and to adjust the lightings of the alien head and the Tron, select the Alienware m15 R3 option.
Finally, in the Fusion tab, you can tweak the Overclock, thermal, and power profiles. You can go to the Advanced View option besides the GPU overview to change the power limit, thermal limit, core clock speed, and memory clock speed. You can change the existing ones or create your profile.
Similarly, you can also change the thermal profiles between balanced, performance, cool, quiet, and full speed. You select the one as per your need. Lastly, I also suggest you tweak some of the power management options as you are really going to need them on this laptop.
Upgradability & Performance
Intel 10th-gen Core i7-10750H CPU (6C/12T)
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER GPU
16GB DDR4 RAM and 512GB M.2 NVMe SSD
Here, the 10th Gen Intel Core i7-10750H processor coupled with 16GB of RAM handles everything that you throw at it with perfect ease. This one has a 6-core processor however, in the international market you can get an unlocked 8-core i9-10980HK processor.
However, the i7-10750H is no slouch either. It scored Single Core 440 in the Cinebench R20 test. It is well over the standard 200 benchmarks for gaming laptops.
Upgrading the laptop is pretty easy. You just need to open the 8 screws in the bottom and bam you’re inside. Once inside, you’ll notice that the RAM is soldered onto the motherboard so you can’t really upgrade it. The SSD slots are covered with heat sinks and thus you’ll need to remove them to add extra storage.
For storage, our review unit comes with a single 512GB NVMe SSD. Its performance is pretty good which you can see from the CrystalDiskMark scores. It has good sequential read/write scores too. So, don’t worry about the speed of this laptop.
Running demanding applications on this laptop is no trouble either as it can handle pretty much everything that you throw at it. I have been using this laptop for a significant amount of time at this point, and not once did I notice any sort of lag or stuttering. Rest assured, you can easily use this laptop for any sort of task.
Gaming
Coming to the gaming performance part, as I mentioned earlier, this review unit of Alienware m15 R3 is equipped with the NVIDIA RTX 2070 SUPER GPU. That along with the i7-10759H CPU is a deadly combination. Add to that the 300Hz panel and you are good to go for casual to competitive esports.
I played a few games in laptops Turbo mode i.e fans at full speed and GPU overclocked and the results are as follows:
Alienware m15 R3: FPS stat in various games
Ultra
High
Medium
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
100
132
142
Battlefield 5 (DXR off)
123
148
164
Battlefield 5 (DXR on)
78
93
110
Far Cry 5
118
123
126
Shadow Of The Tomb Raider
62
70
95
CS: GO
242 (very high)
323 (medium)
You can see from the stats that in each game you’ll be able to get very high fps. The laptop did struggle a bit while playing Shadow of the Tomb Raider, however other games were a breeze for it.
In normal titles the 300Hz won’t really make much of a difference, however, while playing FPS games such as CS: G0, you’ll see its full potential.
Thermals
Improved cooling solution
Vapor cooling chamber
Alienware M15 R2 was plagued by heating issues, so to solve that Dell has tried to improve the thermals on the m15 R3. This one comes with 39% more copper and 25% more fan blades than the R2; thereby resulting in 10% greater CFM air intake. Furthermore, it also integrates a vapor cooling chamber.
The vapor chamber does impact the cooling as it helps to keep the temperature low while doing normal tasks. You can bump up the fan speed while gaming, but be wary, at max speed, they get extra loud.
However, I am still not satisfied with the cooling on this device. I kept my fans in a balanced mode while web surfing because obviously, I would not want to be disturbed by the fan noise while reading blogs. But it resulted in the bottom panel getting heated somewhat quickly.
While gaming and doing the heavy-duty stuff, the keyboards tend to get pretty warm. And after about 30-40 minutes you might even start to feel uncomfortable using it. However, I was overclocking the GPU so that might have also led to a higher temperature. Furthermore, the fan noise was disturbing too.
You can game in balanced or performance mode without overclocking and get rid of the fan noise. But I did not want to sacrifice the performance level. Overall, the thermals have improved, but there’s still a lot to do in this department.
Speakers and Battery Life
4-way (woofer/tweeter) stereo speaker system
6-cell 86Whr Li-Ion battery
Alienware m15 R3 has a 4-way woofer with a stereo speaker design. They are located near the front of the laptop. The speakers are sufficiently loud. But at high volume, the details get a bit distorted. Then again you have to have the speakers at full volume while playing games with fans blasting at full speed. However, when the fans are not at full speed you’d probably not need any headset. Still, the palm rest starts to vibrate once the sounds get loud. No problem while gaming, but you might want to tone down the volume while typing.
Getting to the batteries, the laptop has a 6-cell Li-ion battery. It is a sub-par battery as it lasted just below 3 hours when simply web surfing at about 75% brightness. The numbers get even lower while gaming. But the catch is that the 300Hz panel exclusively uses the RTX 2070 SUPER graphics. So, you should tweak around with the settings or get the 144Hz variant for a better battery backup.
Verdict
All in all, as I’ve uncovered throughout this review, the Alienware m15 R3 is an excellent gaming laptop. It has good hardware and runs everything like a breeze. However, it is marred by lackluster battery life and despite an improved cooling system, the keyboards tend to get warm quickly when overclocked. But the heating issue can be resolved by tweaking around with the Overclock settings.
I really liked the design of the laptop and its overall performance. And I would definitely recommend this laptop to anyone looking for an excellent gaming laptop. Yet, given how laptops powered by the newer NVIDIA RTX 30 and AMD Ryzen 5000 series of mobile processors are right around the corner, maybe wait a while longer to get those instead.
Check out our video review of the Alienware m15 R3.
