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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 is a premium, high-performance laptop ideal for intensive gaming, 3D rendering, and engineering tasks due to its powerful AMD Ryzen processor and Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti graphics. However, it's heavier and has a shorter battery life, which might not be ideal for frequent travelers. On the other hand, the Gateway 14.1" is a budget-friendly, very portable option with significantly lower computing power, making it suitable for basic tasks and general use but not for demanding applications. Its lower storage and RAM indicate it's best for those who have minimal storage needs and don't run many heavy programs simultaneously. 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 general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good for software development
- Good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Gateway 14.1"
- Very good portability
- Good battery life
Key differences
General Use
7.5
5.6
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
300.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
208.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
6.4/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 is good for general use, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 is well-suited for general use due to its powerful CPU and GPU, ample RAM, high-resolution screen with good color accuracy and the presence of a backlit keyboard, although it is less portable and has relatively lower battery life. In contrast, the Gateway 14.1" falls short for general use because of its lower-end CPU, minimal RAM, and poorer screen color accuracy, despite its better portability and potentially longer battery life.
Gaming and AI
7.8
5.4
8.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
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
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 is good for gaming and AI, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 is equipped with a high-end Nvidia RTX GPU and a screen with a 240Hz refresh rate, which are crucial for smooth and immersive gaming and 3D experiences. In contrast, the Gateway 14.1" uses an entry-level Intel UHD Graphics GPU and has a lower 60Hz screen refresh rate, making it less suitable for demanding gaming and 3D tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.2
5.5
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
8.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 is very good for engineering and design, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 stands out for engineering and design due to its powerful AMD Ryzen 9 processor, substantial RAM, and advanced Nvidia RTX GPU, along with a high-quality IPS screen that offers a high resolution and color accuracy, making it ideal for intensive tasks and detailed visual work. Conversely, the Gateway 14.1" falls short with its basic Intel Celeron processor, limited RAM, and basic integrated graphics, which, along with a lower quality IPS display, lacks the capability to handle demanding engineering software and design work.
Content Creation
7.5
5.8
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 is good for content creation, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
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
5.8
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 is good for software development, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
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
6.0
15.6in
SIZE
14.1in
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
300.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
208.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has a better screen than the Gateway 14.1" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 offers a high-resolution display with vibrant colors and brightness suited for everyday tasks and detailed engineering work, but its lower refresh rate may not satisfy gamers who seek fluid motion graphics. The Gateway 14.1", with moderate resolution and brightness, provides an adequate visual experience for both general use and engineering, but its color reproduction and refresh rate aren't optimal for the high demands of 3D applications and gaming. While both screens serve well for general computing and professional tasks, they fall short for the fast-paced, visually intensive requirements of gaming and 3D rendering.
Battery
5.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has 5 hours of battery life. The Gateway 14.1" has 8 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
14.1in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
3.3 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Gateway 14.1" 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
5.1
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has very good build quality, while the Gateway 14.1" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,200
$99
$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 Gateway 14.1" costs $99.
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How the Dell Alienware m15 R7 and the Gateway 14.1" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m15 R7 | Gateway 14.1" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,200 | $99 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | August 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 10.7'' x 0.94'' | 13.1'' x 8.8'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.93 lbs | 3.35 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.02" | 13.1" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.73" | 8.78" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX | Intel Celeron N4020 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 4 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 64 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 5 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 86 Wh | Unknown | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 14.1" | |
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 | 208 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 5.1/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.5/10 | 8.1/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 5.3/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 6/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
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."
Gateway 14.1"
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | September 2021
"The Gateway Ultra Slim 14" is surprisingly quiet with long battery life. The inexpensive Gateway excels at maximizing performance per dollar with lots of RAM and storage, super-quiet fan, and a long battery life. It can even house up to two M.2 SSDs which we weren't expecting from such a cheap system. However, the iffy reliability of the keyboard and USB-C port on our test unit means users should double-check for these potential issues immediately after purchasing."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m15 R7 or the Gateway 14.1"
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.
About Gateway
Gateway is a laptop and tablet brand owned by Acer which sells budget-friendly laptops exclusively through Walmart. It was previously an American computer company until its acquisition by Acer in 2007, who then revived the brand in 2020. Gateway laptops are manufactured by Chinese company Shenzhen Bmorn Technology, which also makes EVOO-branded models.
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