by Last month we reported on the first Intel i9-13900HX benchmark leaks, which pointed to an 18-inch Razer Blade laptop. That would undoubtedly be Razer’s first 18-inch, but this particular size is certainly nothing new to Alienware. Dell’s gaming hardware division experimented with the 18-inch form factor for the first 5 years of the last decade when they housed dual-GPU configurations in rather thick and heavy chassis. The Alienware 18 series suddenly disappeared after 2015 as SLI GPU configurations fell out of favor and external GPU boxes became more attractive. However, it looks like the 18-inch flagships will be back in 2023, as Dell recently announced their return with a video tweet.
The teaser video mentions a “big and powerful” laptop that’s sure to “make a mark”. Will we also see the return of the “signature” thick chassis? Most likely not. Word on the street is that the Intel i9-13900HX mobile processors require bigger cooling systems and therefore an 18-inch case would make more sense, but that doesn’t mean the new models are as thick as the 2015s. The expanded internal stock could perhaps also bring back the quad-drive storage solutions.
Initial rumors about the RTX 4000 Mobile GPUs don’t mention SLI models, so we can rule that aspect out as well. The GPUs are already strong enough to function as a desktop replacement. What we’re really hoping for in an enthusiast-level device like this is an advanced 18.4-inch Mini-LED or OLED screen, hopefully with a high refresh rate of 165 – 240Hz. Of course, such an 18-inch configuration wouldn’t come on the market under 3000 US dollars.
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I entered the wondrous world of IT&C for the first time when I was about seven years old. I was immediately fascinated by computer graphics, whether they came from games or 3D applications like 3D Max. I’m also an avid sci-fi reader, an astrophysics fanatic, and a crypto geek. I started writing PC related articles for Softpedia and some blogs in 2006. I joined the Notebookcheck team in the summer of 2017 and am currently a Senior Tech Writer mainly covering processor, GPU and laptop news.
