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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize a lower price and longer battery life with sufficient performance for basic tasks, the Acer Aspire 1 is suitable. For higher performance in intensive gaming, 3D rendering, or engineering applications, the Dell Alienware m18 R1 is ideal but at a higher price and with less portability due to its larger size and weight. The Alienware also offers better screen quality and overall build, but the Aspire provides a quieter, fanless operation which might be valuable in noise-sensitive environments. Consider your budget, performance needs, and how much you'll be moving the laptop around when making your choice. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Acer Aspire 1
- Good portability
- Good battery life
Advantages of the Dell Alienware m18 R1
- Very good for general use
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Excellent for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
5.8
8.2
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
200.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
281.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
7.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.1/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is very good for general use, while the Acer Aspire 1 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 1, with its basic Intel Celeron processor, lower RAM capacity, and a TN panel with lower color coverage, offers diminished performance and screen quality compared to the Dell Alienware m18 R1 which features a high-end Intel i9 processor, significantly more RAM, and an IPS display with much better color coverage and brightness. Additionally, the Aspire 1 is lighter and boasts a fanless design for silent operation, making it more portable and quiet, but it falls short in battery life and has poorer build quality compared to the sturdy and high-performing, but heavier and less portable Alienware m18 R1.
Gaming and AI
5.6
9.1
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Acer Aspire 1 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 1, with its basic Intel UHD graphics and a screen refresh rate of 60Hz, lacks the graphical capabilities and smoothness needed for gaming and 3D applications, while the Dell Alienware m18 R1 packs a powerful Nvidia RTX 4080 GPU and a higher 165Hz refresh rate, providing superior performance and fluid visuals for such demanding tasks.
Engineering and Design
5.5
9.1
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.8/10
4.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 1 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 1's limited RAM, basic CPU, and integrated graphics are well below the requirements for engineering and design tasks, while its screen quality is only suitable for basic use. In contrast, the Dell Alienware m18 R1's ample RAM, high-performance CPU, dedicated high-end graphics, and superior screen resolution and quality make it a powerful machine for engineering and design purposes.
Content Creation
5.9
8.4
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
4.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is very good for content creation, while the Acer Aspire 1 is poor.
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, video editing and other content creation tasks.
Software Development
6.1
8.0
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
4.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is very good for software development, while the Acer Aspire 1 is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
Screen Quality
5.2
7.8
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
200.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
281.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has a better screen than the Acer Aspire 1 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Acer Aspire 1's screen likely falls short in resolution, brightness, and panel quality, making it less appealing for any use where visual clarity and vibrancy are key, such as general computing tasks, engineering and design work, and gaming. The Dell Alienware m18 R1, with its superior screen, provides good color accuracy and a wide color gamut, meeting the needs of engineering and design professionals, but its lower refresh rate may not satisfy gamers and 3D developers who require smooth motion for an immersive experience. While both laptops cater to different needs, the Dell is better suited for color-sensitive work, whereas the Acer may disappoint users across the board due to its inadequate display characteristics.
Battery
6.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 1 has 6 hours of battery life. The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has 4 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
Portability
Good
Poor
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
8.9 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Acer Aspire 1 has good portability, while the Dell Alienware m18 R1 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
5.5
8.5
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has very good build quality, while the Acer Aspire 1 has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$244
$2,600
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Acer Aspire 1 has a price of $244 and the Dell Alienware m18 R1 costs $2,600.
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How the Acer Aspire 1 and the Dell Alienware m18 R1 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 1 | Dell Alienware m18 R1 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$244 | $2,600 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2022 | October 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 9.4'' x 0.78'' | 16.2'' x 12.6'' x 1.05'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.19 lbs | 8.9 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.3" | 16.15" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.4" | 12.59" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel Celeron N4500 | Intel i9-13900HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 4 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 128 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 36.7 Wh | 97 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | TN | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 200 nits | 281 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 5.6/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.5/10 | 5.1/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 5.4/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 4 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 0 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 4 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
Acer Aspire 1
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Dig into reviews and images
CNET
Joshua Goldman | May 2020
"There are no surprises and nothing's extraordinary here but this laptop's price. For those in need of an inexpensive Windows laptop for undemanding tasks, though, the Acer Aspire 1 offers just enough to get the basics done and a larger screen to do them on."
Dell Alienware m18 R1
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Matthew Buzzi | July 2023
"Dell's Alienware m18 delivers on its promises: This is a large, powerful gaming laptop with the premium flair and feel you expect from an expensive purchase. The drawbacks are really the price and battery life, which in context are reasonable. (We'd also like to see more ports on the laptop's sides.) This price tier exists for deep-pocketed enthusiasts, and if you’re considering anything in this range, the m18 isn’t an outlier. For the majority of shoppers, of course, all of these mighty 18-inch systems are likely too expensive."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 1 or the Dell Alienware m18 R1
About Acer
Acer is a prominent Taiwanese electronics brand which makes a wide range of laptops, with multiple product lines catering to personal use, gaming, and business use. They are renowned for having exceptional value for money, as they frequently offer good specifications at a lower price than other manufacturers.
About Dell
Dell is a highly recognizable American technology company, and is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. Their laptops are very popular for both personal and professional use, and they also own the Alienware brand which makes mid to high end gaming laptops. Their premium XPS range of laptops offer great build quality and portability, while Latitude and Precision laptops are known for reliability, repairability and performance for business users.
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