– The 2026 Aurora 16X adds new high-end options (Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus, RTX 5070 Ti, OLED) that surpass the 2025 model’s IPS/RTX 5070 configuration.
– The RTX 5070 Ti delivers a solid performance upgrade over the RTX 5070.
– Configuration rigidity limits value: the 5070 Ti can only pair with the 290HX Plus, with no option to use the 275HX.
– OLED offers a meaningful upgrade over IPS, but more flexible configurations would help reach more buyers in a high-price market.
The 2026 Dell Alienware 16X Aurora is shipping with more configurable options than the 2025 version. It can be configured with the Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus CPU, GeForce RTX 5070 Ti GPU, and OLED display, while last year’s model topped out at the Core Ultra 9 275HX, RTX 5070, and IPS display. The GPU upgrade alone is a meaningful performance boost over the RTX 5070.
Config options vs last year
Unfortunately, trying to buy the 2026 16X Aurora is a completely different story. The problem is that the RTX 5070 Ti can only be paired with the new Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus, even though our review showed the new CPU is barely an improvement over the already excellent Core Ultra 9 275HX. The option to pair the RTX 5070 Ti with the Core Ultra 9 275HX instead could have saved buyers a few hundred dollars without sacrificing gaming performance.
OLED vs IPS and price considerations
The issue extends to the new OLED display as well since the RTX 5070 Ti cannot be configured with IPS. Yet OLED is a much more noticeable upgrade over IPS when compared to the modest performance jump from the Core Ultra 9 275HX to the Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus, so the extra cost is more easily justified. Nonetheless, Dell should should allow for more freedom in configurations to reach more potential customers especially at a time when laptop prices are higher than ever.
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