Dell's modern Alienware gaming laptops are powerful and cool-looking machines, but they have a reputation of being hefty and expensive. That may soon change. At CES 2026 Monday, the American tech company teased its forthcoming ultra-slim and entry-level gaming laptops set for release later this year.
Mashable saw prototypes of both devices in Dell's private showroom this week, so I can tell you that they exist. However, we couldn't photograph them and we can't disclose any design details beyond what Dell revealed in its announcement blog post.
Neither laptop's category is currently represented in the Alienware lineup. Existing models include the 16-inch Aurora 16 and 16X, two sleek mid-range options, and the 16- and 18-inch Area-51s, Dell's glitzy flagship machines. They start at $1,100 to $2,670, respectively; weigh 5.5 to 7.5 pounds; and measure at least 0.89 inches thick.
You May Also Like
The 16X Aurora and 16 Area-51 are getting updated with anti-glare OLED displays for 2026. The 16X Aurora and both sizes of the Area-51 will have new Intel Core Ultra 200HX processors with Nvidia GeForce RTX 50 series graphics.
The new ultra-slim Alienware laptop will have a more understated look compared to other Alienware models, and it'll be available in 14- and 16-inch sizes, according to the blog post from Dell's PC gaming lead Matt McGowan. It will come in around 0.67 inches thick, making it as thin as last year's 16-inch Apple MacBook Pro.
McGowan said the 16-inch version of the ultra-slim Alienware laptop will be "nearly 50% smaller in volume than our current 16-inch Area-51." Its portability comes at the cost of some power, but it "still delivers serious gaming capability with Nvidia discrete graphics and new highly efficient CPUs," he said. Dell provided one photo of it that appears to reveal an RGB keyboard and a microSD card slot. That's all we're working with right now.
In theory, this model sounds like a direct competitor to the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 and G16, which are popular picks for gamers and creatives who prioritize mobility. Lightweight and aesthetically subtle, they're often likened to MacBook Pros themselves.
Dell has revealed even less about its mysterious entry-level Alienware gaming laptop. All we really know for sure is that it will be cheaper than any other model in the Alienware lineup. Per McGowarn's blog post, it "delivers strong gaming performance in a clean design at our most accessible price point yet." Given the price of Dell's existing gaming laptops, it'll probably start well under $1,000.
Head to the Mashable CES 2026 hub for the latest news and live updates from the biggest show in tech, where Mashable journalists are reporting live.
Haley Henschel is a Chicago-based Senior Shopping Reporter at Mashable who reviews and finds deals on popular tech, from laptops to gaming consoles and VPNs. She has years of experience covering shopping holidays and can tell you what’s actually worth buying on Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day. Her work has also explored the driving forces behind digital trends within the shopping sphere, from dupes to 12-foot skeletons.
