Alienware adds OLED display to Area-51 Laptops but warns of RAM price hikes

Alienware has redesigned its Area-51 16 laptop for 2026, finally giving its “extraterrestrial” aesthetic a screen to match the powerful hardware. The predecessor featured an impressive mechanical Cherry Ultra keyboard and a glowing glass chassis, but was let down by its unremarkable IPS LCD.

The new model fixes this oversight by incorporating a vibrant OLED panel.

The new display features a 2,560 x 1,600 resolution and a 240Hz refresh rate. It boasts a rapid 0.2ms response time and covers 120% of the DCI-P3 color gamut. With HDR True Black 500 certification and 620 nits of peak brightness, the screen offers superior contrast resembled to traditional LCDs. Alienware also added an anti-glare coating to lower reflections.

However, this performance comes at a price. RAM prices are soaring globally. Dell has already raised rates for corporate clients because semiconductor manufacturers are prioritizing high-bandwidth memory for AI data centers. This shift has caused a shortage of consumer-grade RAM, which will likely drive up the price of the Area-51 and its high-speed DDR5 memory.

The laptop features advanced Intel Core Ultra 200HX processors. While the 2025 version was equipped with an Intel Core Ultra 9 and RTX 5080 graphics, the new model aims for even higher performance. Unfortunately, due to panel shortages, an 18-inch OLED version is currently not feasible.

For those prioritizing portability over sheer power, Alienware plans to introduce a new “ultra-slim” model. This laptop will be only 17mm thick and will compete in the Razer Blade market with 14-inch and 16-inch sizes. It will include the next generation of Intel CPUs, possibly from the Panther Lake lineup, along with powerful Nvidia graphics.