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Updated January 10, 2024·
If you are seeking high performance for gaming or intensive engineering tasks, the Dell Alienware m15 R7 is built for power and advanced graphics, but it comes with a higher price tag and is heavier, which can impact its portability. On the other hand, the Gateway 15.6" provides a budget-friendly option for general use and could be more portable due to its likely lower weight, but it may not handle demanding applications as smoothly. Consider the balance of cost, performance, battery life, and how you plan to use the laptop to inform 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
- Good for software development
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Gateway 15.6"
- Good portability
- Good battery life
Key differences
General Use
7.5
7.0
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
300.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
250.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
6.4/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 and Gateway 15.6" are both good for general use, though the Dell Alienware m15 R7 is somewhat better.
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 stands out for general use due to its higher screen resolution and more robust CPU and GPU, offering smoother multitasking and better media quality, but it's heavier and has shorter battery life compared to the Gateway 15.6". The Gateway, while less powerful, offers better portability due to its lighter weight and possibly longer battery life, with sufficient performance for everyday tasks, along with a solid screen and good build.
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
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 is good for gaming and AI, while the Gateway 15.6" is only fair.
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 is better for gaming and 3D applications because it boasts a high-performance Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti graphics card and a screen refresh rate of up to 240 Hz, ensuring smoother motion and superior visual performance. Conversely, the Gateway 15.6" is equipped with the less capable integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics and a lower screen refresh rate of 60 Hz, which means reduced performance in visually demanding tasks and less fluid gameplay.
Engineering and Design
8.2
6.2
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
8.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 is very good for engineering and design, while the Gateway 15.6" is only fair.
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 is equipped with a high-performance AMD Ryzen 9 processor and Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti graphics card, along with a high-resolution screen, making it very suitable for intensive engineering and design tasks. The Gateway 15.6", while having the same amount of RAM and storage, has a less powerful Intel i5 processor with integrated graphics and a lower resolution screen, which makes it only fair for such demanding use.
Software Development
7.3
6.7
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 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 15.6" is only fair.
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
6.1
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
300.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
250.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has a better screen than the Gateway 15.6" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 offers a display with high resolution and brightness, making it suitable for general use and detailed engineering tasks where clarity is crucial. Its screen covers a wide range of colors, which benefits professionals in engineering and design by providing more accurate color representation. However, its lower refresh rate makes it less ideal for gaming and 3D applications that rely on smooth motion and rapid screen updates.
Battery
5.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has 5 hours of battery life. The Gateway 15.6" 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
Good
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
4.8 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Gateway 15.6" 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
5.1
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has very good build quality, while the Gateway 15.6" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,200
$600
$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 15.6" costs $600.
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Key similarities
Content Creation
7.5
7.0
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 and Gateway 15.6" 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.
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How the Dell Alienware m15 R7 and the Gateway 15.6" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m15 R7 | Gateway 15.6" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,200 | $600 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | August 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 10.7'' x 0.94'' | 14.8'' x 9.5'' x 0.77'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.93 lbs | 4.8 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.02" | 14.75" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.73" | 9.5" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX | Intel i5-1135G7 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 5 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 86 Wh | Unknown | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 15.6" | |
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 | 250 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 5.1/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.5/10 | 7.3/10 | |
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 | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
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 15.6"
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Francisco Lahoz | July 2022
"Some concessions have to be made when shopping for a budget laptop. Walmart's Gateway Ultra Slim laptops succeeds on the affordability front and delivers serviceable specs and good battery life, though it's hard to claim it's the best (or even particularly good) at any particular aspect. Its build quality, especially the touchpad, is mediocre, and its performance is decent but doesn't lead the way. The Gateway does undercut the cost of some competitors and offers ample storage with good connectivity, so it's not to be ignored."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m15 R7 or the Gateway 15.6"
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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