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Subscribe from just £3 Takes you closer to the games, movies and TV you love Try a single issue or save on a subscription Issues delivered straight to your door or device From£9.99Subscribe now The Fantastic Four: First Steps Donkey Kong Bananza Switch 2 Starter Pack Recommended reading Alienware 16 Area-51 review: "it's back, baby" Best Alienware laptop 2025: all the latest models compared The best gaming laptop 2025 - the latest and greatest benchmarked and compared Gaming Keyboards Razer's latest keyboard has me falling in love with its analog switches all over again MSI Raider A18 HX A9W (2025) review: "the fastest gaming laptop I've seen, but no easy recommendation" Gaming Keyboards Asus gave my favorite gaming keyboard a makeover, and I'm 90% happy with the result I've just finished testing the 2025 Asus ROG Zephyrus G16, and it just makes this $500 discount on the previous generation even sweeter I hated laptop mechanical keyboards until I reviewed this 2025 release Tabitha Baker 18 July 2025 Keep it snappy When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. (Image credit: Future) I've just finished testing the Alienware 16 Area-51, a turbo charged gaming laptop with top-of-the-range components, excellent performance, and a slick new fan design. It's the keyboard that truly has me giddy, though. I've trialed mechanical keyboards in the best gaming laptops before, but I've recently been burned by the experience of using SteelSeries' keys in the MSI Titan 18 HX. Late at night I can still hear the echoes and pings of those Cherry switches, rattling around in a $5,000+ rig. This isn't the first Alienware laptop to use a mechanical deck, but it's certainly come closest to perfecting the feel overall. Alienware 16 Area-51 RTX 5080 gaming laptop | $3,399.99 $2,949.99 at Dell Save $450 - This is the same RTX 5080 / Intel Core Ultra 9 configuration I used during testing, albeit with half the storage, and it's $450 off on Dell's own site right now. That's a fantastic offer for a premium RTX 50-Series machine, especially one with this mechanical keyboard in tow. UK: £3,498.99 £2,998.99 at Dell There's a little ping here, but it's far from the levels of volume you'll find in alternative decks. Instead, that noise feels more contained and is easily tolerable when you actually feel the response of these switches for yourself. On first boot, I actually didn't like them. As is with anything new, I was wary of the change from softer dome decks. After only a short while, though, I was sold. There's a snap and clack to these switches that feels far more satisfying than any other gaming laptop keyboard I've used so far. With a higher actuation force than typical decks, and a tactile bump to each press I felt faster when typing and more accurate when gaming. Accidental keypresses are almost impossible thanks to that tighter switch, and the speed of that bounce makes for comfortable repeat presses as well. (Image credit: Future) The Alienware 16 Area-51 also impressed in my testing overall. The rig offers a wide range of configuration options, making it a more well-rounded offering than last year's Alienware M16 R2 and Alienware x16 R2. While its lack of OLED or MiniLED display puts it at a disadvantage against similarly priced options from HP, Asus, and Razer, the Thunderbolt 5 compatibility and rear-oriented ports keep it monitor-friendly. The numbers speak for themselves as well. The Area-51 battled it out against the HP Omen Max 16's incredible benchmark results, joining it and the Razer Blade 16 at the top end of 16-inch rigs I've tested so far. Today's best gaming laptop deals at Dell Alienware 16 Area-51 RTX 5080 | $3,349.99 $2,849.99 at Dell Alienware 16 Area-51 RTX 5070 Ti | $2,999.99 $2,549.99 at Dell After something a little different? Check out the best Razer laptops on the market and the best Asus gaming laptops I've tested so far. Or, take a look at the best gaming PCs for a more permanent setup. Today's best gaming laptop deals HP Omen Max 16 £2,799.99View Deal See all prices Asus TUF A15 FA507 £749.99View Deal See all prices Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) £3View Deal See all prices Razer Blade 16 (2025) £2,499.99View Deal See all prices Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 (2025) £3View Deal See all prices MSI Raider A18 HX A9W £3,549View Deal See all prices Deal ends Thu, 31 Jul, 2025 We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. Tabitha Baker Social Links Navigation Managing Editor - Hardware Managing Editor of Hardware at GamesRadar+, I originally landed in hardware at our sister site TechRadar before moving over to GamesRadar. In between, I've written for Tom’s Guide, Wireframe, The Indie Game Website and That Video Game Blog, covering everything from the PS5 launch to the Apple Pencil. Now, i'm focused on Nintendo Switch, gaming laptops (and the keyboards, headsets and mice that come with them), PS5, and trying to find the perfect projector. You must confirm your public display name before commenting Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name. Alienware 16 Area-51 review: "it's back, baby" Best Alienware laptop 2025: all the latest models compared The best gaming laptop 2025 - the latest and greatest benchmarked and compared Razer's latest keyboard has me falling in love with its analog switches all over again MSI Raider A18 HX A9W (2025) review: "the fastest gaming laptop I've seen, but no easy recommendation" Asus gave my favorite gaming keyboard a makeover, and I'm 90% happy with the result Latest in Laptops Alienware 16 Area-51 review: "it's back, baby" Cyberpunk 2077 lands on Mac today, but these are the only models that can run it Screw RTX 50-Series gaming laptops, I'm sticking to my RTX 4070 rig thanks to this accessory Am I dreaming or did this RTX 50-Series Alienware gaming laptop really just drop under $1,000 for Prime Day? The best RTX 50-Series gaming laptop I've tested yet is now also the cheapest, but you'll need to be fast When should you upgrade your gaming laptop? 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