Alienware 16 Aurora (AC16250) vs Alienware 18 Area-51
51.1Performance64.4
31.8Display64.1
94.7Battery94.7
32.7Portability23.6
2 spec wins — Alienware 16 Aurora (AC16250)6 spec wins — Alienware 18 Area-51
InnoReviews verdict
Alienware 18 Area-51 wins this laptop face-off, 63.6 to 52.6, pulling ahead mainly in display (+32) and performance (+13). Alienware 16 Aurora (AC16250) still makes sense if its price or standout specs fit your needs better.
Which would you pick?
Key differences
Reasons to pick the Alienware 16 Aurora (AC16250)
- Stronger portability score: 33 vs 24
- 38% lower weight: 2.57 kg vs 4.12 kg
- Lower launch price: $1,150 vs $3,400
Reasons to pick the Alienware 18 Area-51
- Stronger performance score: 64 vs 51
- Stronger display score: 64 vs 32
- 150% higher Refresh rate: 300 Hz vs 120 Hz
- 100% higher charging: 360 W vs 180 W
- 67% higher Peak brightness: 500 nits vs 300 nits
Display
| Spec | Alienware 16 Aurora (AC16250) | Alienware 18 Area-51 |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 16 ″ | 18 ″+13% |
| Panel type | IPS | IPS LCD |
| Resolution | 2560x1600 | 2560x1600 |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 300 Hz+150% |
| Peak brightness | 300 nits | 500 nits+67% |
Performance
| Spec | Alienware 16 Aurora (AC16250) | Alienware 18 Area-51 |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Intel Core 7 240H | Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Laptop | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 Laptop (RTX 5060, RTX 5070, RTX 5070 Ti and RTX 5090 optional) |
| RAM | 32 GB | 32 GB |
| RAM type | DDR5-5600 (2x SO-DIMM) | DDR5-6400 (SODIMM) |
| Storage | 1,024 GB | 1,024 GB |
| Storage type | PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD (2 M.2 slots) | M.2 NVMe SSD (PCIe 4.0/5.0) |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Alienware 16 Aurora (AC16250) | Alienware 18 Area-51 |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 2,699Bottom 49% | 3,057+13%Top 20% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 13,815Top 43% | 19,869+44%Top 14% |
Battery
| Spec | Alienware 16 Aurora (AC16250) | Alienware 18 Area-51 |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 96 Wh | 96 Wh |
| Charging | 180 W | 360 W+100% |
Design
| Spec | Alienware 16 Aurora (AC16250) | Alienware 18 Area-51 |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 2.57 kg+38% | 4.12 kg |
| Thickness | 22.7 mm+7% | 24.3 mm |
| Material | Anodized aluminum lid, plastic deck and base, magnesium alloy internal frame | Anodized aluminum |
Connectivity
| Spec | Alienware 16 Aurora (AC16250) | Alienware 18 Area-51 |
|---|---|---|
| Ports | 2x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (one with DisplayPort 1.4, one with Power Delivery), 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, HDMI 2.1, Gigabit Ethernet, 3.5mm headset jack | 2x Thunderbolt 5 (DisplayPort 2.1, Power Delivery; Thunderbolt 4 on RTX 5070 and below), 3x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, HDMI 2.1, 5Gbps RJ-45, SD card reader, 3.5mm audio jack |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 7 | Wi-Fi 7 |
| Bluetooth | 5.4 | 5.4 |
| Webcam | 720p | 1080p + IR camera (4K option) |
| Biometrics | None | IR face (Windows Hello) |
Software
| Spec | Alienware 16 Aurora (AC16250) | Alienware 18 Area-51 |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Home |
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