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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Nitro 5 17 is a more affordable option that still offers high performance with a capable AMD processor and Nvidia graphics, suitable for gaming, general use, and various engineering tasks. However, its battery life is shorter, and it has a heavier build which affects portability. The Dell Alienware m18 R1, while more expensive, brings a higher-resolution display and arguably better performance due to its Intel i9 processor and more powerful Nvidia graphics, making it very suitable for intensive gaming, 3D modeling, machine learning, and high-end engineering applications. It has a better battery capacity but will still be less portable due to its larger size and heavier weight. 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 17
- Very good overall display quality
- 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
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.7
9.1
7.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Acer Nitro 5 17 is good.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is superior for gaming and 3D applications due to its more powerful Nvidia RTX 4080 GPU which outperforms the RTX 3080 found in the Acer Nitro 5 17. Additionally, the Alienware's screen, despite a lower refresh rate, offers higher resolution and quality, complemented by a higher-end CPU, making it more suitable for visually intensive tasks and gaming.
Engineering and Design
8.0
9.1
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
7.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Acer Nitro 5 17 is very good.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 excels in engineering and design use due to its higher-end CPU, double the RAM, and a more powerful GPU compared to the Acer Nitro 5 17, along with a screen offering higher resolution and density which is crucial for detailed design work. However, the Alienware’s superior performance and screen quality come at the cost of increased weight and size, affecting portability, while the Acer offers a balance between decent engineering capabilities and easier transportation.
Content Creation
7.8
8.4
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is very good for content creation, while the Acer Nitro 5 17 is good.
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
8.0
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is very good for software development, while the Acer Nitro 5 17 is good.
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
8.2
7.8
17.3in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
307.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
281.0 nits
The Acer Nitro 5 17 has a better screen than the Dell Alienware m18 R1 for general use, and gaming and AI, while the Dell Alienware m18 R1 has a better screen for content creation, and software development.
When choosing a laptop for general use, the Acer Nitro 5 17's good screen resolution, panel type, and brightness make it very suitable, while the Dell Alienware m18 R1 also offers a display with similar attributes, ensuring clear and vivid visuals. For engineering and design tasks, both laptops provide adequate color gamut coverage, rendering accurate colors necessary for detailed projects, although they might not reach the highest industry standards for color precision. However, for gaming and 3D applications, their lack of high refresh rates implies that they won't deliver the smoothest visual experience, which could be a drawback for fast-paced games or rendering intensive 3D animations.
Battery
6.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Acer Nitro 5 17 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
Fair
Poor
17.3in
SIZE
17.3in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
8.9 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Acer Nitro 5 17 has only fair portability, while the Dell Alienware m18 R1 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.2
8.5
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has very good build quality, while the Acer Nitro 5 17 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$830
$2,600
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Acer Nitro 5 17 has a price of $830 and the Dell Alienware m18 R1 costs $2,600.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.8
8.2
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
307.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
281.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.1/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Alienware m18 R1 to be very good for general use, while the Acer Nitro 5 17 is good.
The Acer Nitro 5 17, with its AMD Ryzen 7 5800H CPU and 16GB RAM, offers solid performance for general use but its larger size and heavier weight make it less portable, while modest battery life limits its mobility. The Dell Alienware m18 R1, on the other hand, steps up with a powerful Intel i9-13900HX CPU, 32GB RAM, and better screen quality, making it very good for general use despite its even larger size, hefty build, and shorter battery life, which may affect portability and usage on the go.
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How the Acer Nitro 5 17 and the Dell Alienware m18 R1 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Nitro 5 17 | Dell Alienware m18 R1 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$830 | $2,600 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | February 1, 2023 | October 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.9'' x 11'' x 0.98'' | 16.2'' x 12.6'' x 1.05'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.95 lbs | 8.9 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.89" | 16.15" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.02" | 12.59" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 5800H | Intel i9-13900HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 57.5 Wh | 97 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 360Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 307 nits | 281 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.1/10 | 5.1/10 | |
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 | 7/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 4 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 4 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
Acer Nitro 5 17
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sascha Mölck | August 2021
"The Acer Nitro 5 17 is a solid mid-range gamer. The Nitro 5 does not belong to the top group of RTX 3070 notebooks: Compared with the RTX 3070 notebooks tested so far, the computer delivers below-average frame rates - this is due to the 100-watt TGP. The GPU performance can be increased a bit with a firmware update. The device scores with a high level of CPU performance. Throttling is not a concern. CPU and GPU can produce their performance constantly. The laptop heats up moderately under load. The noise development is on the usual class level."
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 Nitro 5 17 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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