Today, Alienware Area-51 laptops and desktops are among the best you can find. But did you know that the company's history dates back nearly 30 years, long before it became Dell's gaming powerhouse?
Alienware was founded in 1996 under a completely different name: Saikai of Miami. (If the fact that 1996 was nearly 30 years ago made you pause, don't worry, we can relate.) In 1997, Nelson Gonzalez and his childhood friend Alex Aguila renamed the company Alienware—a homage to their combined love for sci-fi.
What was the first Alienware computer?
Saikai, later Alienware, made its first desktop PC. This was then sent out to various publications, including PC Gamer, for review, and was immediately praised. Alienware then followed up with the first Alienware Area-51 desktop, which was a beast for its time. The same can be said of today's Area-51 laptops.
The Area-51 desktop was featured in Boot Magazine, and the publication referred to it as a "remarkable device," noting that it included "some of the fastest components in the known universe." Some things never change, do they?
Back then, the Area-51's spec sheet read like a wishlist: a 400MHz Intel processor, dual 3Dfx Voodoo graphics, and a 12GB hard drive. Today's Area-51 systems are built around modern RTX 50 Series laptop GPUs and Core Ultra Series 2 processors, but the thing that connects both the past and the present is Alienware's engineering. Alienware Area-51 remains innovative thanks to features like the Cryo-Chamber that helps keep your laptop cool, or the ability to customize your laptop to the max, even including the ultra-low-profile CherryMX mechanical keyboard.
Alienware later also launched an AMD-powered desktop and dubbed it the Aurora. Both lineups exist to this day and continue dominating the PC gaming market.
TL;DR: Alienware started out with a desktop in 1997, and quickly followed up with the Area-51 desktop in 1998. The desktop had the most powerful hardware available—just like Area-51 laptops do today.
When did Alienware start making laptops?
Alienware's first laptop was the Area-51M. It was bright neon green and bulky by today's standards, but back then, it was an absolute powerhouse. It sported a 15-inch display and a 2.4GHz Intel Pentium 4 processor, showcasing just how much more powerful Alienware hardware had grown in a few short years.
The Area-51M was widely considered to be a desktop replacement in a smaller, portable form factor.
Area-51 laptops these days can do everything a desktop can, too. They offer powerful specs, stunning 16-inch and 18-inch displays, and even Thunderbolt 5 ports (available on models with the RTX 5070 Ti and above).
TL;DR: Alienware's first laptop came out in 2002, and it was powerful enough to replace a desktop—just like today's Area-51 laptops.
When did Dell acquire Alienware, and how did it change Alienware's laptops?
Alienware became a part of Dell in 2006, but it continued operating as its own business until 2009. It wasn't until 2009 that Dell began manufacturing Alienware products, starting with the Alienware M17x.
After that shift, Alienware's focus stayed consistent: build high-performance machines and keep innovating, especially around thermals, design, and the overall experience instead of just the components inside.
Both brands were aligned in their goals. Area-51 laptops, alongside the rest of the Alienware lineup, were known to be the fastest; if a game existed, Alienware could run it. The goal was to expand on that and keep on innovating.
Soon after, the Alienware m9700 and the Alienware Aurora mALX were introduced, sporting two GeForce Go 7900 GS graphics cards. The Aurora could run games even at 1080p—a big feat back in those days. It also had a TV tuner and a surround sound connection, letting users switch from gaming marathons to entertainment systems in a flash.
That's another thing that hasn't changed much: Alienware keeps on innovating to this day, bringing new, exciting solutions with every laptop. The latest Area-51 laptops sport Alienware's proprietary Cryo-Chamber tech, which enables high-volume airflow, keeps your laptop quiet, and most of all, it looks super cool. (Pun intended.)
TL;DR: Alienware was acquired by Dell in 2006, but the goals remained the same: innovation.
What was the first major Alienware redesign?
Alienware went through many redesigns and product changes before 2009, but the first major redesign of the Dell-manufactured era started in late 2009, when the Alienware m15x and m17x debuted a futuristic red new chassis. In 2010, Alienware took the next step toward smaller notebooks and introduced the tiny m11x, an 11-inch monster equipped with the Nvidia GT33M GPU and the Intel Core 2 Duo SU7300 CPU.
Alienware was never afraid to pack a lot of punch into a smaller chassis. Today, the company offers the Area-51 laptops in 16-inch and 18-inch form factors.
The 16-inch Area-51 is perfect if you want a lot of gaming power in a laptop that's easier to carry around; the 18-inch alternative is a proper desktop replacement with a large screen and a full-sized keyboard.
TL;DR: Alienware had multiple redesigns before 2009, but the major redesign that defined the Dell-manufactured era began with the m15x and m17x in 2009, then continued with the tiny 11-inch m11x.
How did Alienware's cooling solutions evolve over the years?
Cooling a powerful laptop is no small feat—no company knows that better than Alienware. Before Element 31, Alienware introduced its Cryo-tech cooling approach, focused on improving airflow and thermal headroom. In 2021, Alienware introduced a materials science breakthrough called Element 31, an encapsulated gallium-silicone liquid metal interface that improved thermal management.
First appearing in the X-Series (x15 and x17), Element 31 was capable of transferring heat away from the CPU much faster than traditional thermal pastes. This innovation paved the way for the advanced cooling found in today's Area-51. The Cryo-tech redesign is what allowed engineers to pack incredible power into thinner chassis without overheating, while Element 31 helped move heat away from the CPU faster than traditional thermal pastes.
Now, Alienware's Area-51 laptops are fully equipped to face the future of gaming. With the most powerful GPUs and CPUs, cooling powered by Cryo-tech and Element 31, thoughtful airflow paths, the proprietary Cryo-Chamber, and stunningly bright, fast displays, Area-51 laptops are better than ever—backed by nearly three decades of excellence.
TL;DR: Alienware's Cryo-tech redesign came first, enabling higher performance through improved airflow and thermal design. Element 31 later improved heat transfer, and today's models pair it with the Cryo-Chamber for high-volume airflow.
If you're thinking of buying an Alienware Area-51 this January, find out more about their top-tier tech specs on the Alienware website.
And there's one more thing to know before you buy: Dell offers a price match guarantee. To learn more about the Dell price match and price guarantee, including the terms, exclusions and restrictions, click here.
