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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 offers powerful performance suitable for gaming, 3D rendering, and machine learning with a high-refresh-rate screen and advanced graphics, but at a premium price and with lower portability due to its heavier build. In contrast, the Dell Latitude 5431 is more affordable and significantly lighter, making it highly portable and better suited for general use and business applications. It still performs well for engineering but isn't intended for intensive gaming or 3D tasks. The Latitude also has a longer battery life, making it a better option for those who need to work on the go. 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 5431
- Good portability
- Good battery life
- Very good speakers
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.8
6.2
8.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
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 5431 is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
8.2
6.9
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
8.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Latitude 5431 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
241.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has a better screen than the Dell Latitude 5431 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The Alienware's screen offers crisp images and vibrant colors due to its high resolution and wide color gamuts, making it suitable for engineering and design tasks that demand accuracy in color representation and detail. However, its lower refresh rate affects the smoothness of motion in gaming and 3D applications, where seamless visuals are crucial. On the other hand, the Latitude's adequate brightness and resolution deliver satisfactory performance for everyday tasks and professional work, although its more limited color range and modest refresh rate fall short for specialized activities like gaming and high-end graphic design.
Battery
5.0 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has 5 hours of battery life. The Dell Latitude 5431 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
Good
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
3.3 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Dell Latitude 5431 has 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 5431 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,200
$950
$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 5431 costs $950.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.5
7.5
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
300.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
241.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
6.4/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 and Dell Latitude 5431 are both good for general use.
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 with its high-end CPU, substantial RAM, and quality screen is suited for general use and demanding tasks, but it's less portable and has shorter battery life compared to the Dell Latitude 5431 which offers great portability, longer battery life, and a decent CPU for everyday tasks, albeit with a less powerful GPU and smaller storage capacity. While both have good RAM and screen quality, the Latitude 5431 leans towards business users seeking mobility and longevity on a charge, whereas the Alienware is tailored for those needing superior performance, especially in graphics-intensive applications.
Content Creation
7.5
7.4
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 and Dell Latitude 5431 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
7.3
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Latitude 5431 and Dell Alienware m15 R7 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 5431 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m15 R7 | Dell Latitude 5431 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,200 | $950 | ||
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 0.96'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.93 lbs | 3.3 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.02" | 12.65" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.73" | 8.35" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX | Intel i5-1250P | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
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 | 64 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 | 241 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.5/10 | 7.9/10 | |
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 5431
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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