Description
The Alienware 16 Aurora (AC16250) is a brand-new 16-inch gaming laptop from Dell's mid-range Aurora line, released in May 2025. It pairs Intel Core H-series processors with Nvidia GeForce RTX graphics and a sharp 2560×1600, 120 Hz screen with full sRGB coverage. It suits gamers, students and creators who want a cleaner, plainer Alienware design with a full number pad and plenty of ports. Standout points include a slim 15.20 mm rear profile, user-upgradeable memory and storage, and long battery life with the larger 96 Wh battery.
Key features
- 16-inch WQXGA 120 Hz display. The 16-inch 16:10 panel runs at 2560×1600 and 120 Hz with 300 nits brightness and a matte anti-glare finish. It covers 100% sRGB, and Notebookcheck measured 99.9% sRGB with a 1501:1 contrast ratio.
- Intel Core H-series processors. Configurations range from the 8-core Core 5 210H up to the 14-core Core 9 270H boosting to 5.80 GHz. The processor runs at up to 45 W.
- GeForce RTX graphics. Versions are sold with RTX 3050, RTX 4050, RTX 5050, RTX 5060 and RTX 5070 graphics. The RTX 5070 has 8 GB of GDDR7 and runs at up to 85 W in this model.
- Built to be upgraded. Two user-upgradeable DDR5 SO-DIMM slots and two PCIe Gen 4 SSD slots allow memory and storage to be expanded. The battery is held by screws and a locking connector, so it can be replaced.
- Wide range of ports. Every version has two USB-A 5 Gbps ports, two USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 ports with DisplayPort 1.4a, HDMI 2.1 and Gigabit Ethernet. HDMI 2.1 is wired directly to the discrete graphics card.
- Slimmer design with Cryo-Chamber cooling. It measures 15.20 mm at the rear and weighs from 2.49 kg, finished in Interstellar Indigo blue. A newly designed Cryo-Chamber structure handles cooling.
- Battery life. It comes with a 60 Wh or 96 Wh battery depending on configuration. With the 96 Wh battery it lasted over 7.5 hours in LaptopMedia's test.
- Full-size keyboard with number pad. The white backlit Alienware keyboard includes a full numeric keypad and a dedicated AI key. A Premium Precision multi-touch touchpad completes the input set-up.
Specifications
| Processor | |
|---|---|
| Core 7 | Intel Core 7 240H (Series 2), 24MB cache, 10 cores, 1.80 to 5.20 GHz (performance cores) |
| NPU | None |
| Graphics | |
| RTX 5050 | 8 GB GDDR7 |
| Memory | |
| Type | DDR5-5600 (5200 MT/s with Core 5 processor) |
| Slots | Two user-upgradeable DDR5 SO-DIMM slots |
| Storage | |
| Drive | 512GB M.2 2230 SSD, PCIe Gen4 x4 |
| Expansion | Two upgradeable PCIe Gen 4 SSD slots |
| Display | |
| Size | 16 inch, 16:10 |
| Resolution | WQXGA 2560×1600 |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz |
| Brightness | 300 nits |
| Colour | 100% sRGB, ComfortView Plus |
| Finish | Anti-glare (matte) |
| Notebookcheck measurements | Contrast 1501:1, 99.9% sRGB |
| Ports | |
| USB-A | Two USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps) |
| USB-C | Two USB 3.2 Gen 2 with DisplayPort 1.4a (one with Power Delivery), wired to integrated graphics |
| HDMI | HDMI 2.1, wired to discrete GPU |
| Other | Universal audio jack, 1GbE RJ45 Ethernet, power-adapter port |
| Card reader | None |
| Wireless | |
| Card | MediaTek Wi-Fi 7 MT7925, 2×2, 802.11be, MU-MIMO, with Bluetooth |
| Keyboard and input | |
| Keyboard | Alienware white backlit keyboard, dedicated AI key, full numeric keypad |
| Touchpad | Premium Precision multi-touch touchpad with integrated scrolling |
| Webcam and audio | |
| Webcam | 720p |
| Speakers | Stereo |
| Battery and power | |
| Battery | 6-cell 96 Wh |
| Adapter | 180 W, 7.4 mm barrel, 19.5 V; some configurations use 130 W |
| Adapter weight | 0.52 kg (130 W), 0.58 kg (180 W) |
| Design and build | |
| Thickness | 15.20 mm rear, 22.70 mm thickest, 18.61 mm front |
| Width x depth | 356.98 x 265.43 mm |
| Weight | From 2.49 kg to 2.57 kg |
| Colour | Interstellar Indigo (blue) |
| Cooling | Cryo-Chamber structure |
| Operating system | |
| OS | Windows 11 Home (some listings Windows 11 Pro) |
What’s in the box
- Alienware 16 Aurora laptop
- Power adapter
- Power cord
- Documentation
Good to know
- There is no Thunderbolt, no G-Sync and no fingerprint reader.
- Slow black-to-white response times can cause visible ghosting in fast games.
- Demanding games run better at 1080p than at the native 2560×1600 on RTX 5060 versions.
- The base model uses the 60 Wh battery; higher configurations can have 96 Wh.
- The Alienware 16X Aurora (AC16251) is a different model with Thunderbolt and up to 240 Hz.
Frequently asked questions
Can I upgrade the RAM and storage?
Yes. It has two user-upgradeable DDR5 SO-DIMM slots and two PCIe Gen 4 SSD slots.
Does it have Thunderbolt?
No. It has two USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 ports with DisplayPort 1.4a, one of which supports Power Delivery.
Does it have a headphone jack and Ethernet?
Yes, it has a universal audio jack and a 1GbE RJ45 Ethernet port.
What is the screen refresh rate?
The 16-inch 2560×1600 display runs at 120 Hz with 100% sRGB coverage.
Does it have a number pad?
Yes, the white backlit keyboard includes a full numeric keypad.
Does it have an SD card reader?
No, there is no card reader slot.
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.