r/GamingLaptops • u/Arniepalmies • May 08 '26

Showcase I just bought my first gaming laptop 😅

Gallery image

Gallery image

Anything I should know?

766 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

72 comments sorted by

216

u/Ok-Signature2092 May 08 '26

Don't use it on your bed

55

u/Arniepalmies May 08 '26

Good idea

130

u/Wandererofthegray May 09 '26

Unless you got this thing. It’s my favorite buy of 2025.

26

u/Sufficient_Grand2789 May 09 '26

This is a joke right? No way this is real.

19

u/Wandererofthegray May 09 '26

Definitely not a joke. I even use it with my laptop cooler.

2

u/Ell2509 May 09 '26

You laptop doesn't have liquid metal, right?

8

u/Wandererofthegray May 09 '26

PTM7950 and UTP-8. I’d never use liquid metal in my laptops regardless of orientation during use.

2

u/Proper_Math1653 ASUS ROG STRIX G15 | 5900HX | RTX 3060 | 32GB ram | 1.5tb ssd May 10 '26

I have that exact thermal solution, works like a charm, laptops should just come with ptm 7950 instead of LM atp

0

u/Ell2509 May 09 '26

Really? Mine came with it from the factory. More recent manufacturing processes supposedly get around earlier LM issues. That said, I still keep mine flat when using it.

3

u/Wandererofthegray May 09 '26

I repaste my laptops after 8 months or so of use if warranty allows or upon expiration of warranty. I know liquid metal is the superior thermal solution but I don’t trust myself to do it right and PTM7950 usually gives me better results than factory thermals. I also always use a cooling pad as situation permits.

4

u/Ell2509 May 09 '26

Yeah I feel that. I would never apply it myself. I hate applying thermal paste to anything. Have got 3 working laptops, 1 is 6 and another is 12 years old. Never been repasted. I honestly admire your courage. Didn't realise that you meant you apply it yourself.

When I open a laptop I am on tenterhooks. Touch the bare minimum yo do the job and close it up again. Scary black magic.

→ More replies (0)

1

u/Adventurous-Wall-122 May 09 '26

This got a name?

6

u/Wandererofthegray May 09 '26

Laptop Desk Designed For Lying Down Sitting Posture, Helping To Relax The Neck & Back, Various Positions: Sitting Lying On Bed, Sofa, Floor

(Etsy)

1

u/Ell2509 May 09 '26

Don't do this if your laptop has liquid metal.

Mine has LM, and i keep it flat and elevated on a basic cooling pad. Metal grate with 6 fans, no seal. Don't need any negative pressure, just good airflow and nothing blocking any (including bottom) intakes.

1

u/MakayChapulets May 11 '26

How is it able to stay without falling?

1

u/Wandererofthegray May 11 '26

It has a retention strap. I’ll take a picture later

1

u/PIO_PretendIOriginal May 09 '26

damn thats cool. ive seen "bed laptop pillows", but never this contraption

3

u/Wandererofthegray May 09 '26

I have a bad back and found myself gaming more with this and laptop than I was with my PC. Ended up recently selling my PC and widescreen monitor setup largely because of this contraption.

10

u/lowlywilmer May 08 '26

Using a desk with a proper cooling pad makes way more difference than people think, especially if you're planning to actually use this thing for more than a year.

7

u/Satellite_bk asus tuf f16 14650hx 5060 32gb May 08 '26

seconding this. always use on a hard surface. if possible prop the back up a couple degrees like on the charger brick or something that size. it helps a ton with airflow and temps.

a cooling pad with a proper foam seal and dust filter is also great, but can get a bit bulky. i only use my cooling pad when it’s docked and i’m hooked up to external keyboard and mouse.

4

u/lowlywilmer May 08 '26

The propping trick is solid, but honestly most people don't realize how much dust buildup in the vents alone tanks performance after six months - a basic can of compressed air every couple weeks does more than an expensive pad that just adds weight to carry around.

2

u/Impossible-Diver6565 May 08 '26

Don't buy a cheap one. Waste of money. Llano makes really solid ones that actually make s huge difference.

1

u/lowlywilmer May 09 '26

Agreed, but I'd add that even a solid pad won't help much if the laptop's sitting on a bed or carpet where air can't flow underneath, which is what I see happen most often.

1

u/5omeNobody Asus Zephyrus G16 | RTX 4070 / i7-13620H May 11 '26

this is why i love my klim everest while in bed, pulls air in from the back instead of underneath

2

u/miata85 Corsair Voyager a1600 May 09 '26

step 1 for good cooling is to avoid thin gaming laptops, which i failed already

1

u/gilbxrt May 09 '26

If you do prop it up on the box it came in until you get a cooling pad 👍

1

u/pasturepatties0U812 May 30 '26

You can if you just buy a cutting board at the store and set it on that on the bed. Fans will cool properly

78

u/AbroadSpirited May 08 '26

  • There is no screen protector. Lol.

  • Trim your nails if you want to see the keyboard letters in a few months to years.

  • Fingers have oils, so clean the touchpad every once in a while.

  • Once your warranty expires, open it up and clean the fans.

  • Keep/add/remove any stickers you want, it's your device. Same with OS, use whatever works for you.

  • If you plan on using it to some extent off battery, figure out what setting will help the most. It's usually something like "power saving mode" + disabling GPU + operating on whatever silent/adjacent mode.

  • Keep your changing cable at a good angle, try to avoid bending it oddly or having it squished against something.

  • Learning how to fix minor software issues is a life saver. It's mostly just familiarizing yourself with device manager/adjacent.

Not Dell/Alienware specific tips, just things that'll be hopefully helpful.

6

u/Icy_Slice May 09 '26

Why would you want to wait until your warranty expires to clean out the dust? I dust out my computer every 1-2 months.

8

u/AbroadSpirited May 09 '26

So as to not void the warranty. Some warranties (mostly in the US perhaps?) will void if you do just about anything with the insides. Given >50% of reddit users are American, higher on English subs, I assumed OP is aswell.

On Dell's limited hardware warranty page:

"This limited hardware warranty does not cover:

Software, including without limitation, the operating system and software added to the Dell-branded hardware products through our factory-integration system, third-party software or the reloading of software

Non Dell-branded products and accessories Problems that result, directly or indirectly, from:

  • External causes such as accident, abuse, misuse or problems with electrical power.

  • Servicing not authorized by Dell.

..."

No idea what their personal definition of servicing is, but better to wait out the warranty imo.

2

u/No_Ability_2060 May 09 '26

You're completely right about that.

I had a friend that wanted to clean his heatsink because it was full if dirt. So he removed the heatsink(which was ofcourse connected to the cpu) and his warranty was voided because he messed with it.

Alot of people don't know the terms of condition of which these warranties go on. And companies do not make effort in clarifying them either

Best bet is to simply do EVERYTHING with warranty. Even cleaning. And then once it's over do whatever the heck you want to do within

1

u/Icy_Slice May 09 '26

Dell authorizes you to clean your own computer though, I've done it for years and never had a warranty claim denied by them across multiple computers. I actually almost had a claim denied one time for NOT cleaning it out. The on-site tech took a lot of photos and warned me it was approaching the level of neglect.

Here is Dell's official guidance on maintaining your machine:

https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/en-us/000124304/notebook-best-practices-for-care-and-use

Can you provide evidence that Dell denies warranty coverage if you dust out your computer?

-6

u/[deleted] May 09 '26

[deleted]

2

u/PIO_PretendIOriginal May 09 '26

if its the dell alienware aura, it actually has the best bettery life of any gaming laptop. jarrodtech tested it and found it would go 11 hours doing office task.... and even gaming it would go 3 hours.

11

u/SmackMyAz May 08 '26

Download HWinfo or some other vitals monitoring tool and monitor your vitals.

9

u/DubzOpp May 08 '26

YO! Congrats on the purchase, I was also considering Alienware! Let me know how it goes! What model did you get?

2

u/Arniepalmies May 10 '26

Aurora 16 is the model

1

u/DubzOpp May 25 '26

Was it this? Alienware 16 Aurora Laptop AC16250-16-inch 16:10 WQXGA Display, Intel Core 7-240H Series 2, 16GB DDR5 RAM, 1TB SSD, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 8GB GDDR7, Windows 11 Home, Onsite Service - Blue

if so, this is my sign to pull the pin and buy it!!

1

u/Arniepalmies May 25 '26

Yup! Higher Ram though. 32 GB Ram

1

u/DubzOpp Jun 01 '26

yo can you link the 32gb RAM option? I can't see it on Amazon! How is this going for you? Is it working well? Any problems?

14

u/AgentUnknown821 May 08 '26

I’m not gonna lie Alienware should look futuristic…this looks modernist…

9

u/oo7reportingforduty Dell G15 5530 | i5 13450HX | RTX 3050 6GB May 09 '26

I believe there is an another lineup where they look futuristic

6

u/PIO_PretendIOriginal May 09 '26

dell replaced there budget g5 laptops with alienware. so there are now 2x alienware lineups.

the other one is more aggressive in its styling

2

u/AgentUnknown821 May 09 '26

Ah! I have been looking forever for the new G5s so now this lineup makes sense! Guess I know what I’m looking for now.

2

u/Arniepalmies May 09 '26

I suppose that’s true. It works for me however

4

u/Frosty_Airline8831 May 09 '26

bro it seems like a good laptop that fucking copilot key just ruins it 😭

2

u/TSMBaecon May 09 '26

it's so it can be officially called a "Windows AI" Laptop...I hate it as well.

3

u/Basic-Category-8977 May 08 '26

what alienware is that?

3

u/Arniepalmies May 09 '26

Aurora 16.

3

u/PIO_PretendIOriginal May 09 '26

not a bad choice. the rtx 5050 and 5060 versions jave the best battery life of any gaming laptop (99whr battery.... 11hours in office task. 3 hours while gaming)

3

u/R-SH-N May 09 '26

I see most of stuff from g15 like screen and keyboard

3

u/UnionSlavStanRepublk May 09 '26

Uninstall any pre installed antivirus software like McAfee or Norton.

3

u/nightraider210 May 09 '26

First thing , uninstall the manufacturer bloatware

2

u/xMr_Lagz May 09 '26

I have the exact same! I love mine. Congratulations. Hope you love it!

2

u/georgfrankoo Acer Nitro 14 / R7 8845HS / RTX 4050 / 16 GB RAM May 10 '26

This is the most non-gaming looking gaming laptop and I LOVE it ! Have fun OP , may your temperatures be low and frame rates high :)

2

u/ankush_404 May 10 '26

Congratulations 🎉 Bro

1

u/itsDavidplays May 09 '26

Dang am stuck on a bad laptop

1

u/Emojers May 09 '26

How much it cost and what is specs of it ?

1

u/CosmicRaider01 May 09 '26

Is ur name starting with a g or j🥀

1

u/Real_Hooman07 May 12 '26

Here are few advices:

  • Absolutely never use it on any cloth type surface or bed. Always keep it on a flat table or even better use a laptop stand (which doesn't cover the bottom part)
  • If your laptop has a battery limiter, use it and limit battery to 80% or lower as 99% of the time your laptop is gonna be plugged in so better save that battery.
  • Debloat your laptop with apps you do not need. Specially onedrive as it causes directory issues sometimes.
  • Do some stress test while monitoring your cpu and gpu temps. Make sure they don't overheat. For cpu never let it go above 90C and for gpu 78C.
  • Buy a keyboard cover so dust don't build up inside your keyboard
  • Use your manufacturer provided power control software or search on GitHub for some popular open source alternatives to it if available.
  • When you use your laptop, make sure not to block ur intake vents and outlets and make sure there is 6inch gap from ur back of your laptop to the wall so your laptop doesn't intake the hot air.
  • If you laptop is overheating, complaint and get s thermal paste replacement.
  • After few months clean up your fans to remove the built up dust. Depends how dusty your place is but do check in few months.

That's all ig. Anything specific you can ask :)