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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 offers higher performance for intensive tasks like gaming, 3D rendering, and machine learning due to a more powerful processor and graphics card. It's better for gaming and engineering purposes but comes at a premium price and is heavier, affecting portability. Conversely, the Dell Latitude 5430 is more affordable, lighter, and offers longer battery life which suits general use or business tasks. It's very portable, but less suited for demanding applications due to a less powerful processor and integrated graphics. Balancing your budget and needs between performance and portability will guide your decision. 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 for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Dell Latitude 5430
- Very good portability
- Good battery life
- Very good speakers
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.8
6.0
8.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Latitude 5430 is only fair.
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 is superior for gaming and 3D tasks due to its powerful Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti graphics card and high screen refresh rate of 240Hz, which make for smoother visuals and gameplay. On the other hand, the Dell Latitude 5430, while still fair for gaming and 3D applications, comes with a less capable Intel Iris Xe graphics card and a standard 60Hz refresh rate, which translates to less graphical prowess and a less fluent visual experience.
Engineering and Design
8.2
6.5
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
8.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Latitude 5430 is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Screen Quality
8.2
6.1
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
300.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
248.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has a better screen than the Dell Latitude 5430 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and content creation.
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 offers a high-resolution display with vibrant colors and high brightness, making it excellent for general use and detailed engineering work where color accuracy is crucial. However, its lower refresh rate compared to specialized gaming laptops might disappoint gamers seeking fluid visuals in fast-paced games. On the other hand, the Dell Latitude 5430 provides an adequate display for everyday tasks and engineering software but lacks the high color fidelity and swift refresh rates required for premium gaming and design experiences.
Battery
5.0 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has 5 hours of battery life. The Dell Latitude 5430 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
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell Latitude 5430 has very good portability, while the Dell Alienware m15 R7 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5
7.4
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has very good build quality, while the Dell Latitude 5430 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,200
$790
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has a price of $2,200 and the Dell Latitude 5430 costs $790.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.5
7.2
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
300.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
248.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
6.4/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.4/10
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 and Dell Latitude 5430 are both good for general use.
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 offers robust computing performance with a high-quality screen, making it well-suited for general use, but its heavier weight and shorter battery life may limit its portability. Conversely, the Dell Latitude 5430, while more portable and offering longer battery life, compromises on CPU power, RAM, and screen resolution, which may affect its performance and suitability for more resource-intensive tasks.
Content Creation
7.5
7.2
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 and Dell Latitude 5430 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
7.3
7.1
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 and Dell Latitude 5430 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 Dell Alienware m15 R7 and the Dell Latitude 5430 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m15 R7 | Dell Latitude 5430 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,200 | $790 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 10.7'' x 0.94'' | 12.7'' x 8.4'' x 0.76'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.93 lbs | 3.01 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.02" | 12.65" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.73" | 8.35" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX | Intel i5-1235U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 5 Hours | 9 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 86 Wh | 58 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1440 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 240Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 300 nits | 248 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.5/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | Yes | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7/10 | |
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 | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 3 | |
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."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m15 R7 or the Dell Latitude 5430
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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