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Updated January 10, 2024·
If price is a major concern and you need an affordable laptop that can handle everyday tasks and some light gaming, the Acer Nitro 5 could be a suitable option. On the other hand, the Dell Alienware x14 R1, while more expensive, offers higher performance which is advantageous for demanding gaming, 3D work, or intensive engineering software. With the Alienware, you'll also usually get better build quality and possibly better support, but it will be less portable than the Acer due to its typically heavier and bulkier design. The Alienware's higher cost also generally includes features aimed at gamers, such as higher-quality displays and gaming-oriented hardware. When deciding, consider how much you value game performance and premium features over cost and portability. 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 Nitro 5 15
- The Acer Nitro 5 15 has no clear advantages over the Dell Alienware x14 R1.
Advantages of the Dell Alienware x14 R1
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good portability
- Good battery life
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.9
7.9
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
262.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
411.0 nits
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has a better screen than the Acer Nitro 5 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the Acer Nitro 5 15's screen provides ample clarity and brightness, and the Dell Alienware x14 R1 offers a similar experience with sharp imagery and good visibility. When it comes to engineering and design, the Dell Alienware x14 R1 stands out with a display that covers a wider range of colors, essential for precision work, whereas the Acer Nitro 5 is less capable in this regard. However, for gaming and 3D tasks that demand fluid motion, both laptops fall short due to lower refresh rates, making fast-paced visuals less smooth compared to models with higher refresh capabilities.
Battery
5.5 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Acer Nitro 5 15 has 5.5 hours of battery life. The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has 9 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
Fair
Very Good
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
5.5 lbs
WEIGHT
4.0 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has very good portability, while the Acer Nitro 5 15 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.2
8.5
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has very good build quality, while the Acer Nitro 5 15 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$780
$1,201
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The Acer Nitro 5 15 has a price of $780 and the Dell Alienware x14 R1 costs $1,201.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.6
7.8
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
262.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
411.0 nits
5.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
6.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 and Acer Nitro 5 15 are both good for general use.
The Acer Nitro 5 15, with its sufficient RAM and solid CPU, is suitable for general tasks and gaming, and its IPS screen with moderate brightness and color coverage provides comfortable viewing for everyday use; it has an average battery life and heavier build which affects portability. The Dell Alienware x14 R1, while also equipped with ample RAM and a higher-end CPU, offers a superior screen with higher brightness and color accuracy making for a better visual experience, enhanced portability with its lighter weight and longer battery life, but comes at a higher cost.
Gaming and AI
7.5
7.6
7.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 and Acer Nitro 5 15 are both good for gaming and AI.
The Acer Nitro 5 15 provides gamers and 3D creators with solid GPU performance that can handle demanding games and applications, along with a high screen refresh rate for smooth visuals. The Dell Alienware x14 R1 also offers a robust GPU and a high refresh rate display, while its premium build delivers superior screen quality and a CPU that's effective for gaming and 3D work, though it usually comes at a higher price.
Engineering and Design
7.9
8.2
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
7.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Alienware x14 R1 to be very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Nitro 5 15 is good.
The Acer Nitro 5 15 is recognized for engineering and design use because it has competent performance hardware like an i5 processor and an RTX 4050 GPU, which support tasks like 3D modeling and analysis, but the Dell Alienware x14 R1 is rated higher primarily due to its more powerful i7 processor and better screen brightness and color coverage, which are crucial for detailed visual work. Additionally, while the Nitro 5 15 is slightly larger and heavier, affecting its portability, the Alienware x14 maintains high performance in a more compact and lighter form, making it easier to carry without sacrificing the quality of the screen and the keyboard, which are essential for long hours of work.
Content Creation
7.5
7.9
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 and Acer Nitro 5 15 are both good for content creation.
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
7.4
7.7
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 and Acer Nitro 5 15 are both good for software development.
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.
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How the Acer Nitro 5 15 and the Dell Alienware x14 R1 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Nitro 5 15 | Dell Alienware x14 R1 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$780 | $1,201 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | August 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 10.7'' x 1.06'' | 12.7'' x 10.3'' x 0.57'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.51 lbs | 4.06 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.19" | 12.66" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.67" | 10.34" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-12500H | Intel i7-12700H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 5.5 Hours | 9 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 59 Wh | 80 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 144Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 262 nits | 411 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.4/10 | 8.1/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 4 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
Shopping
Acer Nitro 5 15
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sascha Mölck | June 2022
"The Acer Nitro 5 is a fast QHD gaming notebook. The Nitro 5 is a well-balanced gaming laptop for just under US$ 2400. A Core i7-12700H CPU and a GeForce RTX 3070 Ti Laptop GPU enable QHD gaming at high to maximum settings, accompanied by fast PCIe-4-SSD (1 TB) and 16 GB of RAM. Acer delivers a solid QHD gaming notebook with the Nitro 5 AN515-58. However, the laptop is not completely free of shortcomings. The CPU and GPU can work at consistently high clock rates. The laptop heats up noticeably under load, but not excessively. Noise development is on the usual class level. Once again, however, Acer needs to improve the fan control."
Dell Alienware x14 R1
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | March 2022
"The Alienware X14 series is thinner, but also slower than the competition. With the X series, you get plenty of modern technology: Intel Alder Lake CPUs, GeForce RTX 3000 GPUs, Thunderbolt 4, PCIe 4.0, Wi-Fi 6E, G-Sync, and Advanced Optimus. However, the slim design has some drawbacks, just like its larger siblings. The shifted hinge position results in a very deep device with a large footprint compared to the competition."
Get a great deal on the Acer Nitro 5 15 or the Dell Alienware x14 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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