Alienware’s new laptop display has a ridiculous 480Hz refresh rate

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Alienware’s latest laptop options include a 480Hz refresh rate screen. That’s the fastest refresh rate on any laptop screen and the fastest even if you count desktop monitors.

Both the Alienware M17 R5 and X17 R2 are 17-inch gaming behemoths. Both could already be specified with a range of display types, from 4K 120Hz, 1080p 165Hz, and 1080p 360Hz, with other specs like FreeSync and G-Sync.

Now, you can upgrade the M17 R5 or X17 R2 to the new 480Hz panel. It’s not cheap, however. It costs $300 over the base 1080p 165Hz option.

So what do you get with that price increase? The update scores you a 1080p screen at a 480Hz refresh rate. This screen has a 3ms response rate, 300-nit brightness, and 100 percent coverage of the sRGB color gamut.

High-refresh rate panels have traditionally had to trade color accuracy for speed so that last point is great to see.

The M17 R5 can now be ordered in the AMD Advantage version, as well. This puts the fastest AMD Ryzen mobile processor and the fastest AMD Radeon RX 6-series laptop GPUs together.

Used together, they get some unique capabilities, like shifting power and memory to other components as needed. That’s kind of how things work in the tightly-integrated AMD consoles.

Until ASUS releases its 500Hz refresh rate desktop monitor, this Alienware duo will have the honor of the fastest panel available. We wouldn’t bet against other manufacturers bringing 480Hz to their gaming laptops later this year.

The M17 R5 gaming laptop starts from $1,599.99, with the AMD Advantage versions starting from $2,199.99. The X17 R2 gaming laptop starts at $2,249.99 or $2,549.99 if you want the 480Hz screen. Both are available now.

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Editors’ Recommendations:

• This new Alienware monitor has a 34-inch curved QD-OLED panel
• Lenovo’s back-to-school laptop deals are too good to be true
• The first-ever RISC-V laptop is now available for preorder
• New M2 MacBook Air appears to have an overheating issue

Just a heads up, if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale. It’s one of the ways we keep the lights on here. Click here for more.

Joe Rice-Jones

Maker, meme-r, and unabashed geek with nearly half a decade of blogging experience at KnowTechie, SlashGear and XDA Developers. If it runs on electricity (or even if it doesn't), Joe probably has one around his office somewhere, with particular focus in gadgetry and handheld gaming. Shoot him an email at joe@knowtechie.com.