Alienware · Instant quote
Alienware X17 Series
- Free, insured shipping
- Certified data erasure
- Paid within 2 business days
- No selling fees, unlike marketplaces
The Alienware x17 Series was Dell's flagship ultra-thin 17-inch gaming line, spanning two generations: the x17 R1 (2021) and the x17 R2 (2022). Positioned as the desktop-replacement king of the Alienware "x" family, it wraps a striking Lunar Light (white) magnesium-alloy chassis — complete with the glowing rear "stadium loop" light ring and an available CherryMX mechanical keyboard — around some of the most powerful mobile hardware of its era, including up to an unlocked Intel Core i9 and NVIDIA's top RTX 30-series graphics. Both generations carry the same regulatory model number (P48E), so telling them apart comes down to your processor, graphics, and memory type rather than the label on the bottom. Because these laptops were fully customizable at checkout, your exact combination of core parts dictates its final resale price. Many people don't realize a premium gaming laptop like this still holds strong resale value long after purchase — trading it in for cash through our service is often faster and simpler than listing it yourself and dealing with buyers. Select your components using our tool above to view an instant cash offer for your exact device.
Which Alienware x17 do you have?
Both generations look identical from the outside — same chassis, same lid, same rear light ring. The differences are internal. Use the two cards below to confirm which one you're selling. If you're not comfortable opening system menus, the easiest tell is your Intel processor: a chip that starts with "11" (like i7-11800H) is the R1, and one that starts with "12" (like i9-12900HK) is the R2.
✅ Alienware x17 R1 (2021)
- Regulatory model: P48E (type P48E001)
- Processor: 11th Gen Intel — Core i7-11800H, i9-11900H, or i9-11980HK
- Graphics: NVIDIA RTX 3060, RTX 3070, or RTX 3080 (no "Ti" models)
- Memory type: DDR4-3200 SO-DIMM (upgradable)
- Wireless: Wi-Fi 6 + Bluetooth 5.2
- Release year: 2021
✅ Alienware x17 R2 (2022)
- Regulatory model: P48E (same chassis as R1)
- Processor: 12th Gen Intel — Core i7-12700H or i9-12900HK
- Graphics: NVIDIA RTX 3060, RTX 3070 Ti, or RTX 3080 Ti
- Memory type: DDR5-4800 SO-DIMM (upgradable, up to 64GB)
- Wireless: Wi-Fi 6E + Bluetooth 5.2
- Release year: 2022
Fastest way to tell them apart: If your graphics card is an RTX 3070 Ti or 3080 Ti, or your processor starts with "12" (like the i7-12700H), you have the R2. An 11th-gen chip (i7-11800H) with a plain RTX 3060/3070/3080 (no "Ti") is the R1. Don't confuse the x17 with the 14-inch x14 or the 15-inch x15 — those are smaller machines with their own model numbers — or with the older, thicker m17 that the x17 replaced. Check our guide to finding your Alienware model number to track your full specs inside Windows using your hardware Service Tag.
Core hardware configurations
Processor (CPU)
- R1 (2021): Intel Core i7-11800H (8 cores), i9-11900H (8 cores), or unlocked i9-11980HK (8 cores)
- R2 (2022): Intel Core i7-12700H (14 cores) or unlocked i9-12900HK (14 cores)
Graphics (GPU)
- R1: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 (6GB), RTX 3070 (8GB), or RTX 3080 (8GB / 16GB)
- R2: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 (6GB), RTX 3070 Ti (8GB), or RTX 3080 Ti (16GB)
- Integrated Intel graphics with NVIDIA Advanced Optimus MUX switching and G-Sync
- Direct Ray Tracing and AI DLSS upscaling supported across all discrete GPUs
Memory (RAM)
- R1: DDR4-3200 dual-channel, two SO-DIMM slots — user-upgradable up to 32GB
- R2: DDR5-4800 dual-channel, two SO-DIMM slots — user-upgradable up to 64GB
- Factory options shipped in 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB (R2) capacities
Storage
- M.2 PCIe NVMe Solid State Drive (SSD) high-speed architecture
- 256GB / 512GB / 1TB / 2TB / 4TB standard shipping capacities
- Dual internal M.2 slots (supporting 2230 and 2280 form factors), RAID-0 capable for multi-drive setups
Display & audio
Display
Immersive 17.3-inch anti-glare display panels with thin borders, all supporting NVIDIA G-Sync and Advanced Optimus. Three configurations were offered across the generations: competitive FHD (1920 × 1080) at 165Hz, pro-esports FHD (1920 × 1080) at 360Hz (1ms, 100% sRGB), or a stunning cinematic UHD 4K (3840 × 2160) at 120Hz with 500 nits brightness and 99% DCI-P3 color coverage.
Audio
Dual tuned stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos spatial audio, offering multi-channel staging and custom noise-canceling microphone profiles through Alienware Command Center.
Ports & connectivity
Leveraging its spacious 17-inch footprint, most heavy video and charging cords route neatly out of the back to clean up desk real estate. Unlike the smaller x14 and x15, the x17 keeps a full built-in Ethernet port.
- 1× Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) with Power Delivery & DisplayPort
- 1× USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 with Power Delivery & DisplayPort (supports native DisplayPort output)
- 1× HDMI 2.1
- 1× RJ-45 Ethernet (2.5G) (wired LAN — dropped on the smaller x-series models)
- 1× Power adapter input (DC-in)
- 1× USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 SuperSpeed port (with PowerShare)
- 1× microSD card reader (microSD only — this is not a full-size SD slot)
- 1× 3.5mm headphone/microphone combo jack
Wi-Fi 6 (R1) Wi-Fi 6E (R2) Bluetooth 5.2
Battery, build & more
Battery & charging
Large 87Whr lithium-ion battery paired with a high-wattage barrel charger (240W–330W class depending on GPU). USB-C Power Delivery charging is also supported for lighter loads.
Camera & mic
Integrated widescreen HD (720p) webcam with an IR camera for Windows Hello face sign-in, accompanied by a dual-array digital microphone cluster.
Keyboard & lighting
Choice of a standard per-key AlienFX RGB membrane keyboard or an ultra-low-profile CherryMX mechanical keyboard, both with a full numeric keypad, plus the signature rear "stadium loop" RGB light ring — all controlled via Alienware Command Center software.
Cooling
Alienware Cryo-Tech cooling with an independently controlled quad-fan design, dense copper heat pipes, and Element 31 gallium-silicone thermal compound (on higher-GPU configurations).
Weight
≈ 2.98–3.22 kg (6.5–7.1 lb) — scales marginally based on display and cooling configuration.
Dimensions
399.0 × 299.4 × 20.9–21.4 mm (15.71" × 11.79" × 0.82"–0.84").