Alienware’s New M15 R4 And M17 R4 Laptops Use Mechanical Keyboards

Alienware has been making high-end gaming desktop and laptop computers for many years. The latest offerings from the company are the new m15 R4 and M17 R4. While they’re packed with a variety of high-end hardware, one of the biggest new features is something that gamers will appreciate. That feature is mechanical keyboards using Cherry MX switches.

Alienware claims the new machines to be the first gaming laptops the feature this mechanical keyboard. A tie-up between Alienware and Cherry MX started more than three years ago to create a binary mechanical switch experience that was small enough to be used with a laptop.

New switches were required because the standard Cherry MX mechanical switches were too tall at 18.55 millimeters. Its existing low-profile switches were also too tall at 11.9 millimeters. The two companies work together to design mechanical switches for the Alienware notebooks only 3.5 millimeters tall.

Interestingly, the design of the switches is based on the upward-opening gulll-wing doors of the DeLorean sports car of Back to the Future fame. The mechanical keyboard will be a $150 option on both notebooks.