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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The ASUS TUF Gaming F15, at a more midrange price, is less expensive than the Dell Alienware m18 R1 and offers a balance of gaming performance with its processor and GPU, a 15.6-inch display, and is lighter in weight, making it more portable. On the other hand, the Alienware m18 R1 comes at a higher end price, has more memory, a more powerful processor, superior GPU, and a larger 17.3-inch higher resolution display, but it's heavier and less portable. The F15 is suited for light to medium gaming and general use, while the m18 R1 caters to intensive gaming, 3D/machine learning tasks, and engineering applications. 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 ASUS TUF Gaming F15
- Good portability
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
7.6
8.2
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
257.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
281.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
7.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.1/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is very good for general use, while the ASUS TUF Gaming F15 is good.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is rated higher for general use primarily because it has double the RAM of the ASUS TUF Gaming F15, a more powerful CPU, and significantly better screen quality, which improves the experience for tasks that rely on viewing and interacting with content, despite being less portable and having a shorter battery life. The ASUS, on the other hand, has a balance of adequate performance for everyday tasks, portability, and longer battery life, making it a sensible option for users who need to move around frequently and rely on their laptop throughout the day.
Gaming and AI
8.0
9.1
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
6.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent for gaming and AI, while the ASUS TUF Gaming F15 is very good.
The ASUS TUF Gaming F15 is considered good for gaming and 3D because it has a capable RTX 4070 GPU and a decent 144Hz screen refresh rate for smooth gameplay. The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is rated excellent for these tasks due to its more powerful RTX 4080 GPU and a higher 165Hz refresh rate, offering enhanced graphics performance and even smoother image transitions during intensive gaming and 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
8.2
9.1
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
8.9/10
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 ASUS TUF Gaming F15 is very good.
The ASUS TUF Gaming F15 is acclaimed for engineering and design due to its sufficient CPU, RAM, GPU, and high-quality screen, which are very important for these tasks, but the Dell Alienware m18 R1 excels in these areas, providing even more powerful hardware for demanding engineering and design applications.
Content Creation
7.7
8.4
9.1/10
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 ASUS TUF Gaming F15 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
7.3
8.0
9.1/10
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 ASUS TUF Gaming F15 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
6.9
7.8
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
257.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
281.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has a better screen than the ASUS TUF Gaming F15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the ASUS TUF Gaming F15 offers a clear and bright display with sufficient resolution, making it suitable for everyday tasks like browsing and video streaming. The Dell Alienware m18 R1 also provides a sharp, bright screen with ample resolution, accommodating a range of activities from document editing to watching movies. However, for engineering and design, while both laptops offer a variety of colors within graphics work, the Dell Alienware m18 R1 covers a wider range of colors, resulting in more accurate color representation, and for gaming and 3D applications, the ASUS TUF's slower refresh rate may lead to less fluid motion, whereas the Dell still struggles with refresh rate but has better resolution and panel type, making it less optimal for the most demanding high-speed gaming or 3D rendering.
Portability
Good
Poor
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
4.8 lbs
WEIGHT
8.9 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The ASUS TUF Gaming F15 has good 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 ASUS TUF Gaming F15 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,399
$2,600
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The ASUS TUF Gaming F15 has a price of $1,399 and the Dell Alienware m18 R1 costs $2,600.
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Key similarities
Battery
5.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The ASUS TUF Gaming F15 has 5 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.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the ASUS TUF Gaming F15 and the Dell Alienware m18 R1 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS TUF Gaming F15 | Dell Alienware m18 R1 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,399 | $2,600 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | October 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 13.9'' x 9.9'' x 0.93'' | 16.2'' x 12.6'' x 1.05'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.85 lbs | 8.9 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13.94" | 16.15" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.88" | 12.59" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-12700H | 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 | 5 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 97 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 144Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 257 nits | 281 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.1/10 | 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 | 6.8/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.8/10 | 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 | 2 | 4 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 4 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
Shopping
ASUS TUF Gaming F15
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | March 2022
"Aside from all the chassis updates, the new TUF Gaming is most notable for its much higher TGP target of 140 W compared to only 95 W on the previous generation. PC makers everywhere are using the same GeForce GPUs this year since Nvidia has yet to launch the successor to the mobile RTX 3000 series. The more demanding processors of the new TUF Gaming has directly impacted battery life and the size of the AC adapter. Don't expect runtimes to be longer than on the previous generation under most conditions and be prepared to carry around an even larger AC adapter than before."
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 ASUS TUF Gaming F15 or the Dell Alienware m18 R1
About ASUS
ASUS, a Taiwanese electronics brand, is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. The majority of their laptops are targeted towards personal use or gaming. Their most popular product lines include the budget-friendly VivoBook, more premium ZenBook, and their TUF and ROG gaming laptops, the latter of which has a reputation for excellent gaming performance.
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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