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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 is significantly more expensive but offers better performance for intensive gaming, 3D rendering, and engineering due to its powerful processor and high-end graphics card. It has a higher refresh rate display which is better for fast motion, but it is heavier and has a shorter battery life which affects portability. On the other hand, the HP Envy 17 is less expensive and has a larger screen with a touchscreen feature, but it's not suitable for intensive gaming or 3D tasks. It is lighter and has a longer battery life, making it more portable and better for general use and some multimedia 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
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the HP Envy 17
- Good portability
- Good battery life
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.8
6.4
8.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
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 HP Envy 17 is only fair.
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
7.4
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
8.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 is very good for engineering and design, while the HP Envy 17 is good.
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 is well-suited for engineering and design due to its high-end AMD Ryzen 9 processor and Nvidia RTX GPU which deliver strong performance for computation-intensive tasks and graphics rendering; however, its screen size and weight make it less portable compared to some alternatives.
Screen Quality
8.2
6.8
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
300.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
329.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has a better screen than the HP Envy 17 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
Consider the Dell Alienware m15 R7 if you prioritize a high-resolution display with vibrant colors for tasks like photo editing or CAD work, where color accuracy matters; however, its lower refresh rate might disappoint gamers who seek fluid visuals in fast-paced games. The HP Envy 17 offers a bright and sharp display suitable for everyday activities and professional design work, but again, its refresh rate isn't cut out for the high demands of 3D gaming, where smooth motion is essential. Both laptops have their strengths for general and professional use but fall short for gaming enthusiasts looking for that ultra-smooth gaming experience.
Battery
5.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has 5 hours of battery life. The HP Envy 17 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
17.3in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
5.4 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The HP Envy 17 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
7.2
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has very good build quality, while the HP Envy 17 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,200
$1,000
$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 HP Envy 17 costs $1,000.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.5
7.5
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
300.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
329.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
6.4/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The HP Envy 17 and Dell Alienware m15 R7 are both good for general use.
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 appeals for general use with a strong CPU, ample RAM, and high screen quality, but it's heavier which reduces its portability and has modest battery life. The HP Envy 17 also offers a robust CPU and plenty of RAM with a larger screen, slightly better battery life, and is lighter, making it slightly more portable, but it may compromise on intense workloads given its less powerful integrated graphics.
Content Creation
7.5
7.5
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 and HP Envy 17 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
7.5
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The HP Envy 17 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.
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How the Dell Alienware m15 R7 and the HP Envy 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m15 R7 | HP Envy 17 |
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'' | 15.7'' x 10.2'' x 0.77'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.93 lbs | 5.49 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.02" | 15.68" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.73" | 10.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX | Intel i7-13700H | |
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 | 55 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 17.3" | |
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 | 329 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.5/10 | 7/10 | |
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 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
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."
HP Envy 17
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Marcus Schwarten | April 2023
"In our test, the HP Envy 17-cr0079ng presents itself as a balanced multimedia laptop. Thanks to its solid CPU performance and dedicated entry-level GeForce, it can also be used for playing video games, as long as the demands aren't too high. Those looking for more can find it in the Dell XPS 17 for example."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m15 R7 or the HP Envy 17
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.
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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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