Alienware Area-51m Operation and maintenance manual

Alienware Area-51m
Setup and Specications
Computer Model: Alienware Area-51m
Regulatory Model: P38E
Regulatory Type: P38E001

Notes, cautions, and warnings
NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of your product.
CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates either potential damage to hardware or loss of data and tells you how to avoid
the problem.
WARNING: A WARNING indicates a potential for property damage, personal injury, or death.
© 2019 Dell Inc. or its subsidiaries. All rights reserved. Dell, EMC, and other trademarks are trademarks of Dell Inc. or its subsidiaries.
Other trademarks may be trademarks of their respective owners.
2019 - 01
Rev. A01

Contents
Set up your Alienware Area-51m.......................................................................................5
Alienware Graphics Amplier...............................................................................................................................5
Create a USB recovery drive for Windows........................................................................6
Views of Alienware Area-51m........................................................................................... 7
Front...................................................................................................................................................................7
Right...................................................................................................................................................................7
Left.....................................................................................................................................................................7
Base....................................................................................................................................................................8
Display................................................................................................................................................................9
Back................................................................................................................................................................. 10
Bottom...............................................................................................................................................................11
Specications of Alienware Area-51m.............................................................................12
Dimensions and weight...................................................................................................................................... 12
Processors..........................................................................................................................................................12
Chipset..............................................................................................................................................................12
Operating system...............................................................................................................................................13
Memory.............................................................................................................................................................13
Ports and connectors..........................................................................................................................................13
Communications................................................................................................................................................ 14
Ethernet...................................................................................................................................................... 14
Wireless module...........................................................................................................................................14
Audio................................................................................................................................................................14
Storage............................................................................................................................................................. 15
Keyboard.......................................................................................................................................................... 15
Camera............................................................................................................................................................. 16
Touchpad.......................................................................................................................................................... 16
Touchpad gestures........................................................................................................................................16
Power adapter...................................................................................................................................................16
Battery.............................................................................................................................................................. 17
Display.............................................................................................................................................................. 17
Video................................................................................................................................................................18
Computer environment...................................................................................................................................... 18
Keyboard shortcuts...........................................................................................................20
Alienware Command Center............................................................................................22
3

Getting help and contacting Alienware...........................................................................23
Self-help resources............................................................................................................................................23
Contacting Alienware........................................................................................................................................23
4

Set up your Alienware Area-51m
NOTE: The images in this document may dier from your computer depending on the conguration you ordered.
1 Connect one or both power adaptors supplied with your computer, then press the power button.
NOTE: Your computer ships with two power adapters, and it will operate normally with one power adapter
connected. For maximum gaming performance, it is recommended to connect two adapters. Only use adapters
supplied with your device, or Dell-approved adapters to power your device.
2 Create recovery drive for Windows.
NOTE: It is recommended to create a recovery drive to troubleshoot and x problems that may occur with
Windows.
For more information, see Create a USB recovery drive for Windows.
Alienware Graphics Amplier
Alienware Graphics Amplier enables you to connect an external graphics card to your computer.
When using the Virtual Reality (VR) headset, connect the HDMI cable to the graphics card installed on your Alienware
Graphics Amplier. The USB cables from the VR headset can be connected either to your computer or your Alienware
Graphics Amplier.
NOTE: The USB dongle is not required, if you are connecting the USB 3.1 Gen 1 cables on your VR headset to the
USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A port on your Alienware Graphics Amplier.
For more information about Alienware Graphics Amplier, see Alienware Graphics Amplier User’s Guide at www.dell.com/
support.
5

Create a USB recovery drive for Windows
Create a recovery drive to troubleshoot and x problems that may occur with Windows. An empty USB ash drive with a
minimum capacity of 16 GB is required to create the recovery drive.
NOTE: This process may take up to an hour to complete.
NOTE: The following steps may vary depending on the version of Windows installed. Refer to the Microsoft support
site for latest instructions.
1 Connect the USB ash drive to your computer.
2 In Windows search, type Recovery.
3 In the search results, click Create a recovery drive.
The User Account Control window is displayed.
4 Click Yes to continue.
The Recovery Drive window is displayed.
5 Select Back up system les to the recovery drive and click Next.
6 Select the USB ash drive and click Next.
A message appears, indicating that all data in the USB ash drive will be deleted.
7 Click Create.
8 Click Finish.
For more information about reinstalling Windows using the USB recovery drive, see the Troubleshooting section of your
product's Service Manual at www.dell.com/support/manuals.
6

Views of Alienware Area-51m
Front
1Left speaker
Provides audio output.
2Right speaker
Provides audio output.
Right
1USB 3.1 Gen 1 ports (2)
Connect peripherals such as external storage devices and printers. Provides data transfer speeds up to 5 Gbps.
Left
1Security-cable slot (wedge-shaped)
Connect a security cable to prevent unauthorized movement of your computer.
2Thunderbolt 3 (USB Type-C) port
Supports USB 3.1 Gen 2, DisplayPort 1.2, Thunderbolt 3 and also enables you to connect to an external display using a
display adapter.
Provides data transfer rates up to 10 Gbps for USB 3.1 Gen 2 and up to 40 Gbps for Thunderbolt 3.
NOTE: A USB Type-C to DisplayPort adapter (sold separately) is required to connect a DisplayPort device.
3USB 3.1 Gen 1 port with PowerShare
Connect peripherals such as external storage devices and printers.
Provides data transfer speeds up to 5 Gbps. PowerShare enables you to charge your USB devices even when your
computer is turned o.
7

NOTE: If the charge on your computer’s battery is less than 10 percent, you must connect the power adapter to
charge your computer, and USB devices connected to the PowerShare port.
NOTE: If a USB device is connected to the PowerShare port before the computer is turned o or in hibernate
state, you must disconnect and connect it again to enable charging.
NOTE: Certain USB devices may not charge when the computer is turned o or in sleep state. In such cases,
turn on the computer to charge the device.
4Microphone/headphone port (congurable)
Connect an external microphone for sound input or headphones for sound output.
5Headset port
Connect headphones or a headset (headphone and microphone combo).
Base
1Touchpad
Move your nger on the touchpad to move the mouse pointer. Tap to left-click and two nger tap to right-click.
2Left-click button
Press to left-click.
3Right-click button
Press to right-click.
4Power button (Alienhead)
Press to turn on the computer if it is turned o, in sleep state, or in hibernate state.
Press to put the computer in sleep state if it is turned on.
Press and hold for 4 seconds to force shut-down the computer.
NOTE: You can customize the power-button behavior in Power Options.
8

NOTE: This computer supports AlienFX, which lets you choose from an array of color and transition eects across
multiple zones on the computer, including the keyboard, power button, and touchpad. For more information, see
Alienware Command Center.
Display
1Left microphone
Provides digital sound input for audio recording and voice calls.
2Camera
Enables you to video chat, capture photos, and record videos.
3Camera-status light
Turns on when the camera is in use.
4Right microphone
Provides digital sound input for audio recording and voice calls.
5Tobii Eye Tracker
Application that enables you to interact with your computer using your eyes.
9

Back
1HDMI port
Connect to a TV or another HDMI-in enabled device. Provides video and audio output.
2DisplayPort
Connect an external display or a projector.
3Network port
Connect an Ethernet (RJ45) cable from a router or a broadband modem for network or Internet access.
4External graphics port
Connect an Alienware Graphics Amplier to enhance the graphics performance.
5Power-adapter ports (2)
Connect a power adapter to provide power to your computer.
6AlienFX lighting
AlienFX lets you choose from an array of color and transition eects across multiple zones on the computer.
NOTE: AlienFX is congurable in Alienware Command Center (AWCC). For more information about AWCC,
see Alienware Command Center.
10

Bottom
1Service Tag label
The Service Tag is a unique alphanumeric identier that enables Dell service technicians to identify the hardware
components in your computer and access warranty information.
11

Specications of Alienware Area-51m
Dimensions and weight
Table 1. Dimensions and weight
Description Values
Height:
Front 27.65 mm (1.09 in.)
Rear 31.2 mm (1.23 in.)
Width 402.6 mm (15.85 in.)
Depth 319.14 mm (12.56 in.)
Weight 3.87 kg (8.54 lbs)
NOTE: The weight of your computer depends on the
conguration ordered and the manufacturing variability.
Processors
Table 2. Processors
Description Values
Processors • 8th Generation Intel Core i7
• 9th Generation Intel Core i7/i9
Wattage Up to 95 W
Core count Up to 8
Thread count Up to 16
Speed Up to 3.6 GHz Base, 5.0 GHz Boost, 5.20 GHz Overclocked
L2 Cache Up to 2 MB
L3 Cache Up to 16 MB
Integrated graphics Intel UHD Graphics 630
Chipset
Table 3. Chipset
Description Values
Chipset Intel Z390
Processor • 8th Generation Intel Core i7
• 9th Generation Intel Core i7/i9
DRAM bus width Not supported
Flash EPROM 16 MB
PCIe bus PCIe Gen3
12

Description Values
External bus frequency 100 MHz
Operating system
• Windows 10 Home (64-bit)
• Windows 10 Professional (64-bit)
Memory
Table 4. Memory specications
Description Values
Slots Four SoDIMM slots
Type DDR4
Speed 2400 MHz
Maximum memory 64 GB
Minimum memory 8 GB
Memory size per slot 4 GB, 8 GB, and 16 GB
Congurations supported • 8 GB DDR4 at 2400 MHz (1 x 8
GB)
• 16 GB DDR4 at 2400 MHz (2x 8
GB)
• 32 GB DDR4 at 2400 MHz (2 x 16
GB)
• 64 GB DDR4 at 2400 MHz (4 x 16
GB)
Ports and connectors
Table 5. External ports and connectors
External:
Network One RJ-45 port
USB • One Thunderbolt 3 (USB Type-C) port
• One USB 3.1 Gen 1 port with PowerShare
• Two USB 3.1 Gen 1 ports
Audio • One global headset port
• One microphone/headphone port (congurable)
Video • One HDMI 2.0 port
• One Mini DisplayPort 1.4
• One external graphics port
Media card reader Not supported
Docking port Not supported
Power adapter port Two power-adapter ports
13

External:
Security Wedge-shaped lock
Table 6. Internal ports and connectors
Internal:
M.2 • One M.2 slot for WiFi and Bluetooth combo card
• Two PCIe/SATA M.2 2230/2280 slots for solid-state
drive/Intel Optane storage
NOTE: To learn more about the features of dierent
types of M.2 cards, see the knowledge base article
SLN301626.
Communications
Ethernet
Table 7. Ethernet specications
Description Values
Model number Killer E3000 Ethernet controller (integrated on system
board)
Transfer rate 2.5 Gbps
Wireless module
Table 8. Wireless module specications
Description Values
Model number Killer 1550
Transfer rate Up to 1.73 Gbps
Frequency bands supported Dual band 2.4 GHz/5 GHz
Wireless standards WiFi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
Encryption • 64-bit/128-bit WEP
• AES-CCMP
• TKIP
Bluetooth Bluetooth 5.0
Audio
Table 9. Audio specications
Description Values
Controller Realtek ALC3282-CG
Stereo conversion Supported
Internal interface High-denition audio
External interface One global headset jack supports headset/headphone, one
microphone/headphone port (congurable)
14

Description Values
Speakers Four
Internal speaker amplier Supported
External volume controls Media-control shortcut keys
Speaker output:
Average 8 W
Peak 10 W
Subwoofer output Not supported
Microphone Digital array microphones in camera assembly
Storage
Your computer supports one 7.5 mm or 9.5 mm hard drive and two M.2 2230/2280 solid-state drives/Intel Optane storage.
Table 10. Storage specications
Storage type Interface type Capacity
One 7 mm or 9.5 mm hard drive SATA AHCI 6 Gbps Up to 1 TB
Two M.2 2230/2280 solid-state drives/Intel Optane
storage • SATA AHCI 6 Gbps
• PCIe NVMe up to 32 Gbps
• Up to 1 TB (for SSD)
• Up to 240 GB (for Intel
Optane storage)
Keyboard
Table 11. Keyboard specications
Description Values
Type RGB per Key keyboard
Layout QWERTY
Number of keys • United States and Canada: 103 keys
• United Kingdom: 104 keys
• Japan: 107 keys
Size X = 19.05 mm key pitch
Y = 18.05 mm key pitch
Shortcut keys Some keys on your keyboard have two symbols on them.
These keys can be used to type alternate characters or to
perform secondary functions. To type the alternate character,
press Shift and the desired key. To perform secondary
functions, press Fn and the desired key.
NOTE: You can dene the primary behavior of the
function keys (F1–F12) by changing Function Key
Behavior in BIOS setup program.
Keyboard shortcuts
15

Camera
Table 12. Camera specications
Description Values
Number of cameras One
Type HD RGB Camera
Location Front camera
Sensor type CMOS sensor technology
Resolution:
Still image 0.92 megapixel (HD)
Video 1280 x 720 (HD) at 30 fps
Diagonal viewing angle 74.9 degrees
Touchpad
Table 13. Touchpad specications
Description Values
Resolution:
Horizontal 1727
Vertical 1092
Dimensions:
Horizontal 56 mm (2.20 in.)
Vertical 100 mm (3.94 in.)
Touchpad gestures
For more information about touchpad gestures for Windows 10, see the Microsoft knowledge base article 4027871 at
support.microsoft.com.
Power adapter
Table 14. Power adapter specications
Description Values
Type E4 180 W E4 240 W E4 330 W
Diameter (connector) 7.4 mm 7.4 mm 7.4 mm
Input voltage 100 VAC-240 VAC 100 VAC-240 VAC 100 VAC-240 VAC
Input frequency 50 Hz-60 Hz 50 Hz-60 Hz 50 Hz-60 Hz
Input current (maximum) 2.34 A 3.50 A 4.40 A
Output current (continuous) 9.23 A 12.31 A 16.92 A
Rated output voltage 19.50 VDC 19.50 VDC 19.50 VDC
Temperature range:
16

Description Values
Operating 0°C to 40°C (32°F to
104°F) 0°C to 40°C (32°F to 104°F) 0°C to 40°C (32°F to 104°F)
Storage –40°C to 70°C (–40°F to
158°F) –40°C to 70°C (–40°F to 158°F) –40°C to 70°C (–40°F to 158°F)
Battery
Table 15. Battery specications
Description Values
Type 6-cell “smart” lithium-ion (90 WHr)
Voltage 11.40 VDC
Weight (maximum) 0.37 kg (0.82 lb)
Dimensions:
Height 15.8 mm (0.62 in.)
Width 81.0 mm (3.19 in.)
Depth 222 mm (8.74 in.)
Temperature range:
Operating 0°C to 35°C (32°F to 95°F)
Storage –40°C to 65°C (–40°F to 149°F)
Operating time Varies depending on operating conditions and can
signicantly reduce under certain power-intensive conditions.
Charging time (approximate) 4 hours (when the computer is o)
NOTE: Control the charging time, duration, start and
end time, and so on using the Dell Power Manger
application. For more information on the Dell Power
Manger see, Me and My Dell on https://
www.dell.com/
Life span (approximate) 300 discharge/charge cycles
Coin-cell battery CR-2032
Operating time Varies depending on operating conditions and can
signicantly reduce under certain power-intensive conditions.
Display
Table 16. Display specications
Description Values
Type 17-inch Full High Denition (FHD) panel 17-inch Full High Denition (FHD)
panel
Panel technology In-plane switching (IPS) In-plane switching (IPS)
Luminance (typical) 300 nits 300 nits
Dimensions (Active area):
Height 214.81 mm (8.46 in.) 214.81 mm (8.46 in.)
Width 381.89 mm (15.04 in.) 381.89 mm (15.04 in.)
17

Description Values
Diagonal 438.16 mm (17.25 in.) 438.16 mm (17.25 in.)
Native resolution 1920 x 1080 1920 x 1080
Megapixels 2.07 2.07
Pixels per inch (PPI) 127 127
Contrast ratio (min) 600:1 600:1
Response time (max) 35 msec rise/fall 19 msec rise/fall
Refresh rate 60 Hz 144 Hz
Horizontal view angle +/- 85 degrees +/- 85 degrees
Vertical view angle +/- 85 degrees +/- 85 degrees
Pixel pitch 0.1989 mm 0.1989 mm
Power consumption (maximum) 8 W 8.5 W
Anti-glare vs glossy nish Anti-glare Anti-glare
Touch options No No
Video
Table 17. Video specications
Discrete graphics
Controller External display support Memory size Memory Type
Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 One HDMI port and one Mini DisplayPort 6 GB GDDR6
Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 One HDMI port and one Mini DisplayPort 8 GB GDDR6
Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 One HDMI port and one Mini DisplayPort 8 GB GDDR6
Table 18. Video specications
Integrated graphics
Controller External display support Memory size Processor
Intel UHD Graphics 630 One Thunderbolt (USB Type-C) port Shared system memory • 8th Generation
Intel Core i7
• 9th Generation
Intel Core i7/i9
Computer environment
Airborne contaminant level: G1 as dened by ISA-S71.04-1985
Table 19. Computer environment
Operating Storage
Temperature range 0°C to 40°C (32°F to 104°F) –40°C to 65°C (–40°F to 149°F)
Relative humidity (maximum) 10% to 90% (non-condensing) 0% to 95% (non-condensing)
Vibration (maximum)*0.66 GRMS 1.30 GRMS
Shock (maximum) 140 G† 160 G‡
Altitude (maximum) 0 m to 3,048 m (0 ft to 10,000 ft) 0 m to 10,668 m (0 ft to 35,000 ft)
18

* Measured using a random vibration spectrum that simulates user environment.
† Measured using a 2 ms half-sine pulse when the hard drive is in use.
‡ Measured using a 2 ms half-sine pulse when the hard-drive head is in parked position.
19

Keyboard shortcuts
NOTE: Keyboard characters may dier depending on the keyboard language conguration. Keys used for shortcuts
remain the same across all language congurations.
Table 20. List of keyboard shortcuts
Keys Description
Disconnect Alienware Graphics Amplier
Disable/enable wireless
Mute audio
Decrease volume
Increase volume
Switch to external display
Decrease brightness
Increase brightness
Disable/enable touchpad
Disable/enable AlienFX
Table 21. List of Macro keys
Keys Description
Macro keys
NOTE: You can congure modes and assign multiple
tasks for the macro keys on the keyboard.
20