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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 offers superior performance with a higher-end graphics card and processor, which is ideal for intensive gaming, 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering tasks but it comes with a higher price tag and offers less portability due to its weight. On the other hand, the Lenovo Legion 5 17" is more affordable and slightly larger, with a smaller storage capacity and lower performance hardware, making it suitable for general use and moderate gaming. It also has a longer battery life than the Alienware, making it more suitable for extended use without charging, but it might not handle high-end tasks as effectively. 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
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
Advantages of the Lenovo Legion 5 17"
- The Lenovo Legion 5 17" has no clear advantages over the Dell Alienware m15 R7.
Key differences
Engineering and Design
8.2
7.6
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
8.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 is very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo Legion 5 17" is good.
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 stands out for engineering and design due to its robust CPU and GPU combo, which offer strong performance for compute-intensive tasks, and high-quality screen with greater pixel density and color accuracy which is key for detailed visual work. In comparison, the Lenovo Legion 5 17" offers a larger screen size and a good CPU and GPU, but its color accuracy and pixel density are lower, making it less ideal for precision design tasks.
Screen Quality
8.2
7.3
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
300.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has a better screen than the Lenovo Legion 5 17" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, the Dell Alienware m15 R7 offers a high-resolution display with vibrant colors and brightness that enhances everyday tasks, making text and images clear and crisp, while the Lenovo Legion 5's comparable but slightly lesser brightness and resolution provide a good but not as vivid experience. When it comes to engineering and design, the Alienware's wider color gamuts ensure that professionals can see more accurate colors and gradients which are essential for precision work, outperforming the Lenovo in this aspect. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the lower refresh rate of both laptops' displays means they're less ideal for the fast-paced visuals these activities demand, with smoother motion and better gaming experience typically found on screens with higher refresh rates.
Portability
Fair
Poor
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
6.5 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has only fair portability, while the Lenovo Legion 5 17" has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5
7.4
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has very good build quality, while the Lenovo Legion 5 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
$1,200
$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 Lenovo Legion 5 17" costs $1,200.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.5
7.2
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
300.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
6.4/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.8/10
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 and Lenovo Legion 5 17" are both good for general use.
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 offers a more powerful CPU and a higher resolution screen for sharper image quality, which is better for performance-sensitive tasks, but it's less portable because of its slightly heavier build and shorter battery life compared to the Lenovo Legion 5 17". On the other hand, the Lenovo provides a significantly larger screen for multi-tasking and comfortable viewing, and although it has a less powerful processor, it still offers substantial performance for general use along with better portability due to a longer battery life and lighter design.
Gaming and AI
7.8
7.4
8.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 and Lenovo Legion 5 17" are both good for gaming and AI.
The Dell Alienware m15 R7, with its more powerful Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti GPU and a higher screen refresh rate of 240, offers superior gaming and 3D performance compared to the Lenovo Legion 5 17", which has an Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU and a 144 screen refresh rate. However, the Lenovo may have a slight edge in screen real estate due to its larger 17.3" display, albeit at a lower resolution and refresh rate.
Content Creation
7.5
7.2
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 and Lenovo Legion 5 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
7.0
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 and Lenovo Legion 5 17" 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
4.5 Hours
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has 5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Legion 5 17" has 4.5 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.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Dell Alienware m15 R7 and the Lenovo Legion 5 17" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m15 R7 | Lenovo Legion 5 17" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,200 | $1,200 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | October 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 10.7'' x 0.94'' | 15.7'' x 11.4'' x 1'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.93 lbs | 6.57 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.02" | 15.7" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.73" | 11.41" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX | Intel i7-11800H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 5 Hours | 4.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 86 Wh | 80 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 | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 300 nits | 305 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.5/10 | 5.8/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
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 | 4 | |
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."
Lenovo Legion 5 17"
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sebastian Bade | February 2022
"The Lenovo Legion 5 17 is a current-gen 17-inch gaming laptop and equipped with the latest AMD CPU and a powerful GPU, that manages to reach its full potential. The AMD Ryzen 5 5600H is a very good choice for this laptop and able to maintain its performance level for long periods of time. Our test model only falls behind consistently in a direct comparison with its competitors that are often equipped with eight cores and 16 threads. Despite this, the Legion 5 17 leaves an excellent impression and is almost able to keep up with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 mobile GPU in synthetic benchmarks."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m15 R7 or the Lenovo Legion 5 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 Lenovo
Lenovo is a Chinese technology company, and one of the largest personal computer vendor. They are well known for a variety of technology products, including laptops. Their consumer series include their entry level IdeaPad and LOQ series and mid-to-high-end Yoga and Legion series. On the business-oriented side, their series include their entry-level ThinkBook series and mid-to-high-end ThinkPad series. Lenovo laptops offer strong performance for reasonable prices, and are often on sale.
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