I have been sorting by means of Black Friday laptop deals all week, together with reductions on gaming laptops. There are numerous respectable choices on the market, however on the subject of the very best bang-for-your-buck worth, this $300 off sale on the Alienware 16X Aurora needs to be the very best. It is the closest laptop computer with an Nvidia RTX 5060 graphics card that I’ve seen get to $1,000. For $1,100, you get 16 GB of RAM, 1 TB of storage, and the aforementioned RTX 5060.
In distinction, another gaming laptop I love, the Razer Blade 14, has an RTX 5060 configuration on sale for $1,450. Comparable specs for lots more cash. That is a far thinner and extra moveable laptop computer, although, so it isn’t precisely a good comparability.
-
{Photograph}: Luke Larsen
-
{Photograph}: Luke Larsen
-
{Photograph}: Luke Larsen
-
{Photograph}: Luke Larsen
I’ve additionally been eyeing the current deal on the Asus ROG Strix G16, which is as near a 1:1 match with the Aurora as you will discover. It is one other gaming laptop computer I like, at nearly the identical thickness and weight, and the mannequin that is on sale for Black Friday comes with a really related set of specs. The distinction in value between the 2 machines is simply $100, which does not sound like an enormous distinction, however the Alienware 16X Aurora additionally comes with a higher-resolution, 2560 x 1600 show. That goes a great distance towards making the laptop computer really feel extra premium, particularly exterior of your gaming classes. With an RTX 5060, you most likely will not do an entire lot of gaming at native decision, however in case you additionally wish to use your laptop computer for watching movies, learning, or work, the sharper show of the Alienware laptop computer is a pleasant improve. I ought to word that the configuration I examined was additionally very shiny, going as much as 557 nits, whereas this mannequin says it solely goes as much as 300 nits.
However this is the factor: I used to be crucial of the Alienware 16X Aurora when I reviewed it, coming in at a few hundred greater than equally powered laptops, which resulted in related efficiency in video games. That made it onerous to justify. At $1,100, although, it is simply the alternative.
If you happen to’re actually in search of an inexpensive possibility, although, one thing beneath the $1,000 mark, you’ve got a couple of good choices proper now. First off, you possibly can configure the Alienware 16X Aurora with an RTX 5050, which brings the price down to $900. That is stable. You continue to get the higher-resolution display and the additional storage. The efficiency of any laptop computer with the RTX 5050 is not going to blow you away, however it handles lighter video games surprisingly effectively, and might entry upscaling and even multi-frame era to extend body charges once you want it.
However I might additionally advocate testing the Acer Nitro V 16. It is one of many least expensive gaming laptops you should buy proper now that is really price shopping for, on sale for $629. Similar RTX 5050 and efficiency for $271 much less.
-
{Photograph}: Luke Larsen
-
{Photograph}: Luke Larsen
-
{Photograph}: Luke Larsen
-
{Photograph}: Luke Larsen
There are some compromises, although. The show is worse, clearly, and also you get half the storage because the Aurora. But it surely additionally comes with an oddly small 135-watt energy provide. This does not present the laptop computer with sufficient energy to run at excessive ranges, and there is no manner round this on the present second. So, in case you’re gaming in Turbo mode, you may even see the battery drain whereas plugged in. The system finally does mechanically change to the Balanced mode as soon as it hits a sure degree of battery. To me, it is a disgrace and a irritating problem that Acer ought to resolve—although it isn’t the top of the world for a laptop computer at this value.
The completely satisfied medium between these choices, although, actually is the RTX 5060 model of the Alienware 16X Aurora.
For extra deal-hunting suggestions, try our hand-picked record of the Best Black Friday Deals, Best Black Friday Laptop Deals, and Best Black Friday Tech Deals.
