Dell Alienware 15 (DA15265) review: Budget gaming has a new price, and it holds up surprisingly well
Dell’s $1,499 Alienware 15 makes some obvious compromises, but strong RTX 5050 gaming performance, useful upgrades, and a fast 165Hz display make them surprisingly easy to accept.
Dell's Alienware 15 (DA15265) review reveals that budget gaming has found a new affordable price point, holding up surprisingly well. The entry-level gaming laptop, priced at $1,459.99, may seem steep for some, but it is a reasonable choice in a time when upgrading existing gaming laptops has become challenging. The laptop comes with AMD's Ryzen 7 260 processor, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5050 with 8GB of GDDR7 memory, 16GB of DDR5-5600 RAM, and a 512GB PCIe 4.0 SSD. The reviewer used it for a month primarily for gaming and general Windows tasks.
Despite being close to the bottom of Alienware's lineup, the laptop boasts a plastic chassis, mediocre color coverage on a 15.3-inch display, a 720p webcam, weak speakers, and a small SSD. However, Dell concentrated its budget on the performance, which is where it matters most for an entry-level gaming laptop. The reviewer tested popular games like Cyberpunk 2077, Forza Horizon 5, Black Myth: Wukong, and Assassin's Creed Shadows at native resolution and Ultra settings without DLSS or frame generation. The results were surprisingly decent, even though the price and specs don't align perfectly.
The plastic construction is noticeable, but the laptop doesn't look or feel embarrassingly cheap compared to other budget gaming laptops. The keyboard deck is surprisingly rigid, and the hinge holds everything firmly. The display, while not impressive for color accuracy, offers a 165Hz refresh rate and is comfortable to use for gaming.
The keyboard layout has a full numpad that compresses several keys, making it a bit cramped at first but comfortable once you get used to it. The touchpad is functional, and the design is clean with an unilluminated Alienware logo.
In summary, the Alienware 15 (DA15265) proves that budget gaming can still provide a competent gaming rig, even with its plastic construction and compromised display. It may not be a high-end gaming laptop, but it holds up surprisingly well for its price point.
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