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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 is often less expensive and more portable due to its smaller size and lighter weight, with a higher refresh rate screen for smoother visuals, suitable if mobility and fast-paced gaming are priorities. In contrast, the Dell Alienware m18 R1, while more expensive and less portable due to a larger screen size and more weight, offers a higher capacity for storage, more RAM, a more powerful processor and graphics card, which provides better performance for intensive 3D tasks, machine learning, and engineering software, with a slightly better battery life. 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 Dell Alienware m15 R7
- Very good overall display quality
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 speakers
Key differences
General Use
7.5
8.2
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
300.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
281.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
6.4/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.1/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is very good for general use, while the Dell Alienware m15 R7 is good.
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 offers solid performance for general use with its AMD Ryzen CPU, adequate RAM for multitasking, and good screen quality; however, its portability and battery life are fair, balancing convenience with power. On the other hand, the Dell Alienware m18 R1 with its higher-end Intel CPU, substantial RAM, and superior screen size and resolution excels in performance and visual experience, but is less portable and has a poorer battery life, making it more suitable for stationary use where it can also leverage its excellent heat management.
Gaming and AI
7.8
9.1
8.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.8/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Dell Alienware m15 R7 is good.
The Dell Alienware m15 R7, equipped with an Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti and a high screen refresh rate of 240 Hz, is a strong choice for gaming and 3D applications, offering a very smooth visual experience. In contrast, the Dell Alienware m18 R1 boasts a higher-end Nvidia RTX 4080 and a slightly larger screen, but with a lower refresh rate of 165 Hz, which makes it even better suited for more intense gaming and 3D work, providing superior graphics performance despite a slightly less fluid refresh rate.
Engineering and Design
8.2
9.1
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
8.7/10
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 Dell Alienware m15 R7 is very good.
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 offers solid performance for engineering and design tasks with a capable AMD Ryzen CPU, Nvidia RTX GPU, and a high refresh rate screen, but its lower RAM and smaller screen compared to the m18 R1 mean it might struggle with more demanding workloads.
Content Creation
7.5
8.4
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
2560 x 1440
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 Dell Alienware m15 R7 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
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is very good for software development, while the Dell Alienware m15 R7 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
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
300.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
281.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has a better screen than the Dell Alienware m18 R1 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design, while the Dell Alienware m18 R1 has a better screen for content creation, and software development.
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has a display that excels in clarity and brightness, making it suitable for general activities like browsing and watching videos, while its wide color gamut ensures accurate color representation for professionals in engineering and design. However, for gaming and 3D applications, its lower refresh rate may lead to less smooth visuals, which can be critical in fast-paced gaming scenarios. Conversely, the Alienware m18 R1, while still providing a sharp and bright display for daily tasks and a decent color range for creative work, similarly falls short in gaming performance due to its refresh rate not meeting the high standard expected by gamers and 3D professionals.
Portability
Fair
Poor
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
8.9 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has only fair portability, while the Dell Alienware m18 R1 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$2,200
$2,600
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has a price of $2,200 and the Dell Alienware m18 R1 costs $2,600.
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Key similarities
Battery
5.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 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.
Build Quality
8.5
8.5
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 and Dell Alienware m18 R1 both have very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Dell Alienware m15 R7 and the Dell Alienware m18 R1 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m15 R7 | Dell Alienware m18 R1 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,200 | $2,600 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | October 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 10.7'' x 0.94'' | 16.2'' x 12.6'' x 1.05'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.93 lbs | 8.9 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.02" | 16.15" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.73" | 12.59" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX | Intel i9-13900HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 5 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 86 Wh | 97 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1440 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 240Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 300 nits | 281 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.5/10 | 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 | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 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 | No | 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 | 2 | 4 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
Dell Alienware m15 R7
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Dig into reviews and images
Tom's Hardware
Brandon Hill | October 2022
"The Alienware M15 offers solid gaming and leading endurance. It makes the most of its CPU and GPU while delivering stellar battery life for a gaming laptop. Opening the lid presents a full-size keyboard with honeycomb cutouts above it on the deck. An oblong RBG lightning element surrounds the entire rear panel and can be color-synced with the other lights on the laptop. There’s not a lot to dislike about the M15 Its productivity performance lagged in some areas, particularly in the storage benchmark, and it’s a bit heavy. Alienware has a clear winner here with the M15 based on its strong overall performance and endurance."
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 Dell Alienware m15 R7 or the Dell Alienware m18 R1
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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