When choosing between the Dell Alienware m15 R7 and the HP Dragonfly Pro 14", consider your primary use. The Dell Alienware m15 R7 with its powerful AMD Ryzen 9 processor and Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti graphics card is designed for intensive gaming, 3D rendering, and engineering tasks with a larger screen but is heavier and has shorter battery life, making it less portable. The HP Dragonfly Pro 14", featuring an AMD Ryzen 7 processor and AMD Radeon 680M graphics, is lighter, offers significantly longer battery life, and is more portable, making it well-suited for general use, has a high-quality webcam and speakers, and a better screen for fast motion, but is not as capable for heavy graphics tasks. Choose the Dell for performance-heavy tasks and gaming at a higher cost, or the HP for better portability, battery life, and everyday use at a lower price. 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
Advantages of the HP Dragonfly Pro 14"
Very good for general use
Very good portability
Very good battery life
Best in class speakers
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.8/10
6.5/10
8.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
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
7.5/10
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 is good for gaming and AI, while the HP Dragonfly Pro 14" is only fair.
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 is equipped with a Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti and a high screen refresh rate of 240 Hz, which are very important for smooth and graphic-intensive gaming and 3D applications, while the HP Dragonfly Pro 14" has a less powerful AMD Radeon 680M and a standard refresh rate of 60 Hz, making it fair for these tasks but not as capable as the Alienware in handling demanding graphics.
Engineering and Design
8.2/10
7.6/10
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.7/10
8.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 is very good for engineering and design, while the HP Dragonfly Pro 14" is good.
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 featuring a high-performance AMD Ryzen 9 CPU and an Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti GPU excels in engineering and design tasks, offering superior computation and graphics capabilities, alongside a high-quality screen although it's heavier and bulkier. The HP Dragonfly Pro 14", while still competent with its AMD Ryzen 7 CPU and Radeon GPU, focuses on portability and high-definition screen quality in a lighter and more compact form, making it a good choice for users who prioritize a balance between mobility and performance.
Software Development
7.3/10
7.8/10
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The HP Dragonfly Pro 14" and Dell Alienware m15 R7 are both good for software development, though the HP Dragonfly Pro 14" is somewhat better.
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
8.2/10
7.1/10
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
300.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
405.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has a better screen than the HP Dragonfly Pro 14" for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design, while the HP Dragonfly Pro 14" has a better screen for content creation, and software development.
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 offers an excellent balance of resolution, brightness, and panel type, providing a clear and vibrant display suitable for general use and engineering tasks where color accuracy and detail are crucial. However, its lower refresh rate may not align with the needs of gaming and 3D rendering, which require fast screen updates for smooth visuals. On the flip side, the HP Dragonfly Pro 14" maintains decent quality for general use and engineering, with satisfactory resolution and color representation, yet it similarly falls short for gaming and 3D due to its less optimal refresh rate.
Battery
5.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has 5 hours of battery life. The HP Dragonfly Pro 14" 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
Very Good
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
3.4 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The HP Dragonfly Pro 14" has very good portability, while the Dell Alienware m15 R7 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$2,200
$1,400
$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 HP Dragonfly Pro 14" costs $1,400.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers HP Dragonfly Pro 14" to be very good for general use, while the Dell Alienware m15 R7 is good.
The HP Dragonfly Pro 14" is rated higher for general use because it offers better battery life, a more portable design, and better screen brightness, all of which contribute to a more versatile everyday experience. The Dell Alienware m15 R7, while providing a high-quality display and processor, is less portable and offers a shorter battery life, making it less optimal for on-the-go usage but still suitable for high-performance tasks.
Content Creation
7.5/10
7.9/10
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.7/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The HP Dragonfly Pro 14" 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.
Build Quality
8.5/10
8.5/10
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 and HP Dragonfly Pro 14" 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 HP Dragonfly Pro 14" 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."
"I’d say that the HP Dragonfly Pro checks off most of the boxes for this freelancer. It feels nice to use, is zippy and responsive, has great speakers, and even has a relatively sane price. Although it’s an unorthodox choice to pick AMD for this kind of machine, it’s clear that when Ryzen is given a chance to shine, it can kick a lot of butt."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m15 R7 or the HP Dragonfly Pro 14"
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 HP
HP, also known as Hewlett-Packard, is an American technology company that develops personal computers and computer peripherals. In the laptop industry, HP is known for its entry level Essential series laptops, its mid-range Pavilion, Envy, and Victus series, and high-end Omen and Spectre series, in addition to its business-oriented EliteBook, ProBook, and Dragonfly series laptops. HP laptops generally undercut other mainstream competitors in terms of price, placing itself as the value-oriented mainstream brand.
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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