Dell 16 vs Dell Alienware 16 Aurora Comparison

Laptop to replace

Change

Dell 16

16 inches | June 2025

CHECK PRICE

Change

Dell Alienware 16 Aurora

16 inches | May 2025

CHECK PRICE

Dell 16 vs Dell Alienware 16 Aurora Comparison Overview

Dell 16

See at AMAZON

Dell Alienware 16 Au...

See at AMAZON

Dell 16

See at AMAZON

Dell Alienware 16 Au...

See at AMAZON

In this review, we will be comparing 16 and Alienware 16 Aurora, two laptops by Dell. Dell 16 was introduced to market in June 2025 and Dell Alienware 16 Aurora was launched in May 2025. There is only 1 months difference between 16 and Alienware 16 Aurora so we are expecting this to be a fair comparison regarding age and technology level.

Click for Available Configurations of the Laptops

16 and Alienware 16 Aurora are members of Dell's series of laptops. Below you can find the latest models from this series.

Dell Series History

	Release Date	Screen Size	Dimensions	Weight
Dell 16 Premium	June 2025	16.3"	358.18 x 240.05 x 18.7 mm	2.07 kg (4.56 lbs)
Dell 15	June 2025	15.6"	358.5 x 235.6 x 16.96-18.99 mm	1.9 kg (4.19 lbs)
Dell Pro 14 Plus 2-in-1	June 2025	14.0"	313.5 x 224 x 19.92-20.25 mm	1.59 kg (3.51 lbs)
Dell 16	June 2025	16.0"	356.78 x 249.52 x 16.18-19.05 mm	1.98 kg (4.37 lbs)
Dell Alienware 16 Aurora	May 2025	16.0"	356.98 x 265.43 x 15.2-22.7 mm	2.49 kg (5.49 lbs)
Dell Alienware 16X Aurora	May 2025	16.0"	356.98 x 265.43 x 19.2-23.4 mm	2.57 kg (5.67 lbs)
Dell Pro Max 14	March 2025	14.0"	313 x 227.3 x 14.79-18.9 mm	1.83 kg (4.04 lbs)
Dell Pro Max 16	March 2025	16.0"	358 x 256 x 15.08-19.08 mm	2.2 kg (4.85 lbs)

Here is a brief look at the main features of Dell 16 and Dell Alienware 16 Aurora before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Dell 16 Key Specs

Launched in June 2025
16.0" IPS LCD, 16:10 Aspect Ratio Display
CPU: Intel Core 5 120U,Intel Core 7 150U
GPU: GeForce MX570 2GB
8GB,16GB,32GB Ram
356.78 x 249.52 x 16.18-19.05 mm (14.05 x 9.82 x 0.64-0.75 inches)
Weight: 1.98 kg (4.37 lbs)

Dell Alienware 16 Aurora Key Specs

Launched in May 2025
16.0" IPS LCD, 16:10 Aspect Ratio Display
CPU: Intel Core 5 210H,Intel Core 7 240H,Intel Core 9 270H
GPU: GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop 6GB,GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop 6GB,GeForce RTX 5060 Laptop 8GB,GeForce RTX 5070 Laptop 8GB
8GB,16GB,32GB Ram
356.98 x 265.43 x 15.2-22.7 mm (14.05 x 10.45 x 0.6-0.89 inches)
Weight: 2.49 kg (5.49 lbs)

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how 16 and Alienware 16 Aurora compares and decide which one is better for you.

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Reasons to choose Dell 16 over Dell Alienware 16 Aurora

Weight	1.98 kg vs 2.49 kg	0.51 kg lighter
Screen-to-Body Ratio	~83.4% vs ~78.3%	Larger screen area ratio
Side Bezel Thickness	6.1 mm vs 6.2 mm	0.1 mm thinner bezels
GPU FLOPS	6 TFLOPS vs 4.3-7.1 TFLOPS	Higher Resolution Camera
Webcam Resolution	1920 x 1080 vs 1280 x 720	Read & Write SD Cards with the built-in reader
SD Card Reader	Yes vs No	Larger Touchpad Area
Touchpad Size	11.5 x 8.0 cm vs 11.5 x 7.0 cm

Reasons to choose Dell Alienware 16 Aurora over Dell 16

Refresh Rate	120 Hz vs 60 Hz	Smoother media experience
Screen PPI	189 ppi vs 142 ppi	More pixels per inch
Screen Resolution	2560 x 1600 pixels vs 1920 x 1200 pixels	Higher pixel count screen
Response Time	3 ms vs 35 ms	Faster Response screen
WiFi Standard	v7 vs v6E	More advanced Wi-fi connectivity
Bluetooth	v5.4 vs v5.3	More advanced Bluetooth connectivity
Number of USB-C Ports	2x USB 4.0 vs 1x USB 3.2	Connect more device at the same time
USB-C Port Type	v4.0 vs v3.2	Faster USB-C connection
HDMI Version	2.1 vs 1.4	Better HDMI connectivity
Ethernet RJ45 Port	Yes vs No	Connects to the local network via Ethernet RJ45

Common Strengths of Dell Alienware 16 Aurora and Dell 16

Launch Dates	June 2025 vs May 2025	Both laptops are recent models
Screen Coating	Matte vs Matte	Less reflections on the screen
Fast Charging Support	Yes vs Yes	Charge the battery in a shorter time
Upgradable RAM	Yes vs Yes	Option to increase the RAM size
RAM Type	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x) vs PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x)	Fast RAM type
Upgradable Storage	Yes vs Yes	Option to increase the Storage size
SSD Type	NVMe vs NVMe	Faster Data Transfers
Dolby Atmos Support	Yes vs Yes	3D Surround Sound Support
HDMI Output	1x HDMI 1.4 vs 1x HDMI 1.4	Connect to External Displays via HDMI cable
VGA Output	No vs No	Connect to External Displays via VGA cable
Numeric Pad	Yes vs Yes	Fast way to input numbers
Keyboard Backlight	Yes vs Yes	Easily see the keys under low light

Common Weaknesses of Dell Alienware 16 Aurora and Dell 16

Touchscreen Capability	No vs No	No Touchscreen Capability
HDR Support	No vs No	No HDR Support

Dell 16 vs Dell Alienware 16 Aurora: Physical Specs Comparison

In this section, we will be comparing the physical specifications and body features of the Dell 16 and the Dell Alienware 16 Aurora.

Physical Specs
Weight	1.98 kg (4.37 lbs)	2.49 kg (5.49 lbs)
Surface Area	890 cm2 (138 inches2)	948 cm2 (146.8 inches2)
Screen to Surface Ratio	~83.4%	~78.3%
Side Bezel Thickness	~6.1 mm	~6.2 mm
Weight per Inch of Screen	0.12 kg/inch	0.16 kg/inch
	0.264 lbs/inch	0.352 lbs/inch
Colors	Silver	Blue

Comparison of the Dell 16 and the Dell Alienware 16 Aurora External Dimensions

Weight

16 weighs 1.98 kg (4.37 lbs), whereas the Alienware 16 Aurora weighs 2.49 kg (5.49 lbs). There is a notable difference in weight between these two laptops. The weight difference between the two laptops is not significant.

Weight Comparison

Displays size 16.0-16.9 inches

Dell 16

Dell Alienware 16 Aurora

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Displays size 16.0-16.9 inches

Dell 16

Dell Alienware 16 Aurora

Min

Average

Max

Another value that we use for comparing the weights of the laptops is the Weight per Inch of Screen, which is calculated by dividing the total weight of the model with its usable diagonal screen size. This value for the Dell 16 is 0.12 kg/inch.In comparison, this value for the Dell Alienware 16 Aurora is 0.16 kg/inch.Here are some of the best performing laptops in this area:

Microsoft Surface Go 4: 0.05 kg/inch
LG Gram SuperSlim 15.6 2023: 0.06 kg/inch
Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306: 0.06 kg/inch
Asus Zenbook A14 UX3407: 0.06 kg/inch
Microsoft Surface Pro 12: 0.06 kg/inch
Dell Latitude 7330: 0.07 kg/inch
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2: 0.07 kg/inch
LG Gram 14 2022: 0.07 kg/inch

Dell 16 vs Dell Alienware 16 Aurora: Internals (CPU, GPU, RAM, Battery, SSD, etc.) Comparison

CPU Comparison

CPU Model	Intel Core 5 120U Intel Core 7 150U	Intel Core 5 210H Intel Core 7 240H Intel Core 9 270H
Base Frequency	1.4 GHz	2.2 GHz
Turbo Frequency	5 GHz	4.8 GHz
Number of Cores	10 (2P + 8E)	8 (4P + 4E)
Number of Threads	12	12
L3 Cache	12 MB	12 MB
Integrated GPU	Intel Iris Xe Graphics (80EU)	Intel UHD Graphics Xe G4 (48EU)
CPU Fabrication Process	10 nm	10 nm

Above you can see the CPU options and the CineBench and GeekBench test scores for both laptops, which gives an idea about what kind of performance difference you may experience between the Dell 16 and Dell Alienware 16 Aurora.

You may also read reviews of latest laptops with the same CPU ( Intel Core 5 210H,Intel Core 7 240H,Intel Core 9 270H ) and compare them:

MSI Cyborg 17 Compare

GPU Comparison

GPU Model	GeForce MX570 2GB	GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop 6GB GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop 6GB GeForce RTX 5060 Laptop 8GB GeForce RTX 5070 Laptop 8GB
Base Clock Frequency	832 MHz
Boost CLock Frequency	1155 MHz
TGP (Total Graphics Power)	15 W
Nvidia Optimus	Yes
Type	Dedicated	Dedicated
FLOPS	4.731 TFLOPS	4.3-7.1 TFLOPS
Memory Size	2 GB	6 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR6
Memory Bus	64 bit	128 bit
Memory Speed	1500 MHz 12 Gbps effective	~12 Gbps
Shading Units Cores	2048	2048
TMUs	64	64
ROPs	32	40

GPU is as critical as the CPU for graphic heavy applications and the table above gives a picture of how the two GPU compares. FLOPS is a measure of a GPU's performance based on the number of floating-point arithmetic calculations that the processor can perform within a second. Dell 16 has a FLOPS value of 6 TFLOPS whereas the Dell Alienware 16 Aurora ' has a FLOPS value of 4.3-7.1 TFLOPS. If graphical performance of the laptop is important for your use type, the Dell 16 may be the better choice between these two setups.

RAM Comparison

RAM	8GB 16GB 32GB	8GB 16GB 32GB
Memory Bus	1x8 GB	1x8 GB
RAM Clock	5200 MHz	5600 MHz
RAM Type	DDR5	DDR5
Upgradable	Yes	Yes
Max RAM Size	32 GB	32 GB
Total Slots	2	2
Memory Bus	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x)	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x)

Both laptops, the 16 and the Alienware 16 Aurora, come with similar RAM capacities of 8 GB, providing comparable performance in memory-intensive tasks.

LOCAL LLM Compatibility Evaluation

This quick guide shows what types of large language models (LLMs) each of these laptops could support, based on their respective hardware specifications. It's meant to help you compare their suitability for running AI models locally.

LLM Category	Dell 16	Dell Alienware 16 Aurora
Small Models(1-3B):Examples: Phi-2, Qwen-1.8B	✖ Not supported.	✔ Run smoothly.
Medium Models(7-8B):Examples: Mistral-7B, Qwen-7B	✖ Not supported.	✖ Not supported.
Large Models(13-30B):Examples: Mixtral, Qwen-14B	⚠ Can run using CPU + RAM fallback. Expect slower performance.	⚠ Can run using CPU + RAM fallback. Expect slower performance.
Extra-Large Models(65B+):Examples: LLaMA2-70B, Qwen1.5-72B	⚠ Possible with CPU + RAM fallback using quantized models.	⚠ Possible with CPU + RAM fallback using quantized models.

Note: Optimized (e.g., 4-bit) models may run on limited hardware. Performance depends on runtime and setup.

📌 MoE Models: Some models like Mixtral 8x7B and Qwen3-30B-A3B use a Mixture of Experts (MoE) design, activating only part of the model during inference. This means they can often run efficiently on laptops with 12–16 GB of VRAM when quantized.

BATTERY

BATTERY	54 Wh 64 Wh	60 Wh 96 Wh
Battery Type	Li-Po	Li-Po
Replaceable	No	No
Fast Charging	Yes	Yes
Charging Port Position	Left	Bottom
Charge Power	65 W	130 / 180 W
Voltage	15 V	11.7 V

On the other hand, the Alienware 16 Aurora features a higher battery capacity of 60 Wh, delivering longer usage time compared to the 16's 54 Wh.

Battery Comparison

Displays size 16.0-16.9 inches

Dell 16

Dell Alienware 16 Aurora

Min

Average

Max

STORAGE
The Alienware 16 Aurora offers a larger max storage capacity of 4 TB, providing more room for storing files and data compared to the 16's storage capacity of 2 TB.

Storage Options	512 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB	512 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB, 3 TB, 4 TB
Upgradable	Yes	Yes
Total Slots	1	2
Storage type	SSD (M2)	SSD (M2)
NVMe	Yes	Yes

If your budget allows, we recommend opting for the largest possible disk size, considering the potential increase in storage capacity needs in the future. However, please keep in mind the question 'What will the laptop be used for?' when making this decision. Of course, you can later upgrade the hard disk capacity by getting a larger disk. However, if your laptop has only one disk slot, it may not be as straightforward as a RAM upgrade, where you simply add or replace a module, as moving or cloning files to a new disk may be necessary.

Dell 16 vs Dell Alienware 16 Aurora: Display Comparison

The display is an essential aspect to consider when comparing the Dell 16 and Dell Alienware 16 Aurora since its is the component that you interact the most and significantly impact the experience.

Screen Area and Dimensions

Now let's look at the comparison of the actual display areas of both laptops below, keeping the bezels around the screens out of the equation. Both 16 and Alienware 16 Aurora screens have the same size of 16.0".The total usable screen area of the 16 is 742cm² / 115inch² whereas the Alienware 16 Aurora's total usable screen area is 742cm² / 115inch².

PPI (Pixels per Inch)
Additionally, the Alienware 16 Aurora features a higher pixel density with 189 pixels per inch (PPI), ensuring sharper image details.

Screen PPI (Pixels Per Inch) Comparison

Displays size 16.0-16.9 inches

Dell 16

Dell Alienware 16 Aurora

Min

Average

Max

Refresh Rate
The Alienware 16 Aurora offers a higher refresh rate of 120 Hz, resulting in smoother motion and improved visual experience.

Furthermore, the Alienware 16 Aurora boasts a faster response time of 3.0 ms, reducing motion blur for fast-paced content.

Brightness
Both 16 and Alienware 16 Aurora offer the same maximum brightness of 300 nits (cd/m²).

Brightness Comparison

Displays size 16.0-16.9 inches

Dell 16

Dell Alienware 16 Aurora

Min

Average

Max

Dell 16 vs Dell Alienware 16 Aurora Connectivity Comparison

In terms of connectivity,

Wifi
Alienware 16 Aurora features a more advanced Wi-Fi standard v7, providing faster and more reliable wireless connections compared to 16 (v6E).

Below, you'll find a Wi-Fi Versions Table, along with their release dates and speeds, to provide a brief overview of its development.

Wi-Fi Versions and Speeds

Standard	Speed	Release Date	Network	Frequency Bands (GHz)
Wi-Fi 7	up to 40 Gbps (5 GB/s)	2023	802.11be	2.4, 5, 6
Wi-Fi 6E	up to 9.6 Gbps (1.2 GB/s)	2020	802.11ax	2.4, 5, 6
Wi-Fi 6	up to 9.6 Gbps (1.2 GB/s)	2019	802.11ax	2.4, 5
Wi-Fi 5	up to 6.93 Gbps (866.25 MB/s)	2014	802.11ac	2.4, 5
Wi-Fi 4	up to 600 Mbps (75 MB/s)	2009	802.11n	2.4, 5

* Please note that the provided transfer rates are maximum theoretical values, and real-life performance may vary based on environmental factors.

USB
Both 16 and Alienware 16 Aurora feature 2x USB 3.2 USB-A ports.
Both 16 and Alienware 16 Aurora have USB Type-C ports. 16 has 1x USB 3.2 USB Type-C ports, while Alienware 16 Aurora has 2x USB 4.0 USB Type-C ports.

Below, you'll find a table of USB ports, along with their release dates and speeds.
To mitigate the confusion caused by generation names, the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) suggests using marketing names like USB 5Gbps, USB 10Gbps, and so forth, based on their respective transfer rates.

USB Type and Speeds

USB Type	Version	Speed	Date	Other Features/Explanations
USB4	Gen 4 (2.0)	80 Gbps	2022	Also known as USB 80Gbps
USB4	Gen 3×2	40 Gbps	2019	Also known as USB 40Gbps
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 2x2	20 Gbps	2019	Double the data transfer rates of Gen 2
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 2	10 Gbps	2017	Previously known as USB 3.1
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 1	5 Gbps	2017	Previously known as USB 3.0
USB 3.1	3.1 Gen 2	10 Gbps	2013	Faster data transfer rates
USB 3.0	3.1 Gen 1	5 Gbps	2010	SuperSpeed USB, improved data transfer rates
USB 2.0	2.0	480 Mbps	2000	High-speed data transfer
USB 1.0	1.0	1.5 Mbps	1996	Original USB standard

Thunderbolt
Neither 16 nor Alienware 16 Aurora has Thunderbolt port.

HDMI
Both 16 and Alienware 16 Aurora feature an HDMI port. 16 offers 1x HDMI 1.4, while Alienware 16 Aurora offers 1x HDMI 2.1.

Below, you'll find a comparison table detailing different HDMI versions, including their bandwidth, color depth, maximum resolution, and release dates. This information can be helpful in understanding the capabilities of each HDMI version and choosing the most suitable one for your needs.

HDMI Comparison Table

HDMI Version	Maximum Resolution	Bandwidth (Gbps)	Color Depth (bits)	Release Date
HDMI 2.1-2.1b	7680 x 4320 *(8K)* @ 60p 3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 120p	48.0	48	2017
HDMI 2.0-2.0b	3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 60p	18.0	48	2013
HDMI 1.4-1.4b	3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 30p	10.2	48	2009
HDMI 1.3-1.3a	2560 x 1440 @ 60p	10.2	48	2006
HDMI 1.0-1.2a	1920 x 1200 @ 60p	4.95	24	2002

* Please note that the provided resolution values represent the maximum supported resolution, and actual display quality may depend on other factors such as source content and connected devices.

SD Card Reader
16 is equipped with an SD Card Reader for easy access to memory cards. Alienware 16 Aurora does not have an SD Card Reader.

Audio Jack
Both 16 and Alienware 16 Aurora are equipped with a 3.5mm Audio Jack, providing seamless connection to headphones and speakers.

To summarize the connectivity and ports details, please refer to the table below to see them listed.

Connectivity and Ports
WiFi Standard (latest: v7)	v6E	v7
Bluetooth (latest: v5.4)	v5.3	v5.4
USB-A (latest: 3.2)	2x USB 3.2	2x USB 3.2
USB Type-C (latest: USB4 2.0)	1x USB 3.2	2x USB 4.0
Thunderbolt (latest: 5)	No	No
HDMI (latest: 2.1)	1x HDMI 1.4	1x HDMI 2.1
Display Port (latest: v2.0)	No	No
VGA	No	No
Fingerprint Sensor	Optional	No
Optical Drive	No	No
Audio Jack 3.5mm	Yes	Yes
Ethernet RJ45	No	Yes
SD CardReader	Yes	No
Proprietary Charging Port	No	Yes