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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 stands out for gaming or heavy graphics tasks due to its more powerful graphics card, and it has a higher refresh rate screen which is better for fast motion like gaming, but it is heavier and has less battery life, making it less portable. On the other hand, the Dell XPS 15 is lighter with a longer battery life, making it more portable and suitable for general use or for work that doesn't require intense graphics, such as programming or office tasks; however, it's not as well-suited for gaming or heavy 3D tasks. 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
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good overall display quality
Advantages of the Dell XPS 15
- Very good for general use
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Good portability
- Very good battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.5
8.2
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
300.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
606.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
6.4/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.7/10
The Dell XPS 15 is very good for general use, while the Dell Alienware m15 R7 is good.
The Dell XPS 15 offers superior portability and battery life, along with a higher quality keyboard and better screen brightness, making it very good for general use. Meanwhile, the Dell Alienware m15 R7, while also having a powerful CPU and ample RAM, is heavier and has a shorter battery life which makes it just good for general use, despite its high-refresh-rate screen and robust build quality.
Gaming and AI
7.8
6.8
8.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.4/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
9.1/10
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell XPS 15 is only fair.
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 stands out for gaming and 3D purposes because it features a high-performance Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti GPU and a high screen refresh rate of 240Hz, essential for smooth and immersive visual experiences during intensive tasks.
Content Creation
7.5
8.3
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell XPS 15 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
8.1
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Dell XPS 15 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
7.4
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
300.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
606.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has a better screen than the Dell XPS 15 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design, while the Dell XPS 15 has a better screen for content creation, and software development.
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 offers a vibrant display with high resolution and brightness, making it excellent for everyday tasks like browsing and video streaming. For engineering and design, its ability to accurately reproduce a wide range of colors means that professionals can trust the colors they see. However, for gaming and 3D applications, its lower refresh rate could lead to less smooth visuals compared to specialized gaming laptops.
Battery
5.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has 5 hours of battery life. The Dell XPS 15 has 10 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
15.6in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
4.2 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell XPS 15 has good portability, while the Dell Alienware m15 R7 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$2,200
$1,000
$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 XPS 15 costs $1,000.
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Key similarities
Engineering and Design
8.2
8.1
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
8.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 and Dell XPS 15 are both very good for engineering and design.
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 is very good for engineering and design due to its more powerful AMD Ryzen CPU, high-performance Nvidia RTX GPU, and screen with a higher refresh rate, which are crucial for heavy workloads and graphics-intensive tasks.
Build Quality
8.5
8.5
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 and Dell XPS 15 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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How the Dell Alienware m15 R7 and the Dell XPS 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m15 R7 | Dell XPS 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,200 | $1,000 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 10.7'' x 0.94'' | 13.6'' x 9.1'' x 0.71'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.93 lbs | 4.21 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.02" | 13.57" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.73" | 9.06" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX | Intel i7-13700H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 5 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 86 Wh | 86 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1440 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 240Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 300 nits | 606 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.5/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 9.1/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 10/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 3 | |
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."
Dell XPS 15
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Matthew Buzzi | May 2023
"The 2023 Dell XPS 15 is more or less exactly what you'd expect from the company flagship. Its fresh components deliver measurably superior power and longevity, while the machine's premium build and design remain intact. It may not be overly exciting, but XPS loyalists and upgraders should be more than happy."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m15 R7 or the Dell XPS 15
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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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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