Alienware m15 Review: Thin, Light, Dense, Deadly

When first booting the Alienware m15 to it's desktop, you will be presented with a clean if somewhat dull screen but that's a good thing. The Recycle Bin is the only icon on the desktop by default, but things are quite different when you click the start button, due mainly to what Microsoft packs into Windows 10 these days. Of course, we're also greeted with the some clean, relatively sinister-looking black Alienware desktop wallpaper to dress things up at least a touch.

Among the pre-installed Alienware software is Alienware's Command Center application, which allows you to adjust several aspects of the PC. You can check the CPU's operating temperature here and adjust the speed of the machines fan profiles for better thermal performance or quieter operation. The software suite will also show you interesting information about your hardware such as the current clock speed and operating conditions of your CPU, GPU and DRAM. The software also has a built-in audio equalizer, controls for the keyboard's RGB LED lighting zone, and it will also detect any games installed on the PC and permit you to create custom system configuration profiles to kick off when a specific game title is started.


The LED backlighting on the laptop's keyboard is divided into four zones that can be controlled independently. This is also where you can adjust the RGB LEDs around the Alienware power button, and around the Alienware emblem on the top of the machine. All told, Alienware's Command Center has come a long way and is better than ever at full system customization, giving gamers a bit of extra style, flare and personalization.