If you're looking for high-end gaming or resource-intensive applications and value top-notch performance with premium features, the Dell Alienware m15 R7 could justify the higher cost. However, if your tasks are more moderate, or you prefer a balance between good performance and value, the Gigabyte Aorus 7 may offer what you need without stretching your budget. Keep in mind that with the Alienware, you may be paying extra for build quality and brand reputation. In contrast, the Aorus could offer similar functional capabilities at a lower cost, albeit with potential compromises in build quality or additional features. Also, consider battery life and weight, as gaming laptops often sacrifice these for power; if portability and long battery life are crucial, you may want to explore other options. 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 overall build quality
Advantages of the Gigabyte Aorus 7
Good battery life
Key differences
Screen Quality
8.2/10
8.3/10
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
300.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
351.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has a better screen than the Gigabyte Aorus 7 for engineering and design, while the Gigabyte Aorus 7 has a better screen for gaming and AI.
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 offers a high-resolution display with brightness that enhances visibility and clarity for documents and web browsing, making it excellent for general use. Its wide color gamuts are beneficial for engineering and design work, where color accuracy is paramount. However, its lower refresh rate limits the smoothness in fast-paced 3D games and could detract from the gaming experience.
Build Quality
8.5/10
7.4/10
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has very good build quality, while the Gigabyte Aorus 7 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,200
$1,190
$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 Gigabyte Aorus 7 costs $1,190.
The Gigabyte Aorus 7 and Dell Alienware m15 R7 are both good for general use.
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 and Gigabyte Aorus 7 are both equipped with high-quality screens, substantial RAM, and capable CPUs, which are essential for smooth operation during general use. However, the Alienware model offers a higher resolution and better GPU, which enhances visual performance, while the Aorus 7 has a slightly larger screen and better heat management but may not be as portable due to its larger size.
Gaming and AI
7.8/10
7.8/10
8.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.1/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 and Gigabyte Aorus 7 are both good for gaming and AI.
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
8.2/10
8.1/10
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
8.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 and Gigabyte Aorus 7 are both very good for engineering and design.
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 stands out for engineering and design with its AMD Ryzen 9 processor and Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti GPU, offering robust performance for computational tasks and 3D rendering, complemented by a higher-resolution screen that enhances visual clarity for detailed work.
Content Creation
7.5/10
7.6/10
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Gigabyte Aorus 7 and Dell Alienware m15 R7 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
7.3/10
7.4/10
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Gigabyte Aorus 7 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.
Battery
5.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has 5 hours of battery life. The Gigabyte Aorus 7 has 6 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
Fair
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
5.9 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 and Gigabyte Aorus 7 both have only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Dell Alienware m15 R7 and the Gigabyte Aorus 7 compare to other laptops
"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."
"The Gigabyte Aorus 7 is a gaming laptop that is pitched at perhaps the hardest market to get right: the mid-range. So, unlike high-end gaming laptops that can throw the latest and greatest components together in a bid to attract gamers with plenty of money to spend, or budget gaming laptops that can make wise cuts that are justified as long as the price is low enough, mid-rangers like the Gigabyte Aorus 7 have to balance the two."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m15 R7 or the Gigabyte Aorus 7
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 Gigabyte
Gigabyte is a Taiwanese computer hardware manufacturer. While Gigabyte mainly focuses its business on desktop hardware, Gigabyte is known for its value-oriented G series laptops, thin and light Aero series, and performance-oriented Aorus series. Gigabyte laptops offer a strong value proposition to compete with mainstream alternatives.
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
131,295
Recommendations made
28,448
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.