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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 comes with a high-end processor and superior graphics card, providing excellent performance for 3D rendering, machine learning, and intensive gaming. However, it's heavier, has lower battery life, and is generally more expensive. The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i, on the other hand, offers a balance of good performance and moderate price. It's lighter and has better battery life, making it more portable, and it still has a solid processor and graphics card for general use and some engineering applications. So, if you value top-tier gaming and rendering capabilities and can afford it, the Dell might be a better choice. Otherwise, for everyday use with some gaming and engineering work, and a preference for better battery life and portability at a lower cost, the Lenovo would be a suitable option. 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 Lenovo Legion Slim 5i
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good for content creation
- Good battery life
Key differences
Screen Quality
8.2
8.0
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
300.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
343.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has a better screen than the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i for gaming and AI, and engineering and design, while the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i has a better screen for content creation, and software development.
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 excels in screen clarity and color detail, making it great for engineering and general use where crisp images and accurate colors are crucial. However, its lower refresh rate means it won't be as smooth for fast-paced gaming or 3D applications where screen fluidity is key. On the other hand, the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i offers a balance with strong performance for both day-to-day tasks and color-sensitive work, but like the Alienware, it falls short for gaming and 3D content due to a less optimal refresh rate.
Battery
5.0 Hours
7.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has 5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i has 7 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.
Build Quality
8.5
7.4
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has very good build quality, while the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,200
$1,055
$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 Slim 5i costs $1,055.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.5
7.9
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
300.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
343.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
6.4/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.7/10
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i and Dell Alienware m15 R7 are both good for general use.
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 offers robust performance with its high-end CPU and ample RAM, and its screen quality is commendable with high brightness and refresh rate, yet its heavier build and shorter battery life make it less ideal for frequent travel. The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i, while also providing strong performance with a capable CPU and plenty of RAM, stands out for its extra portability due to its lighter weight, and a high-resolution, vibrant screen with an aspect ratio that benefits productivity, though it has a slightly lower battery capacity compared to the Alienware. Both have quality keyboards and manage heat well, but potential buyers should consider the differences in portability and screen aspect ratio depending on their specific needs.
Gaming and AI
7.8
8.0
8.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.4/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo Legion Slim 5i to be very good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Alienware m15 R7 is good.
The Dell Alienware m15 R7's Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti GPU and high screen refresh rate of 240Hz make it exceptional for gaming and 3D, offering smooth and responsive visuals. Contrastingly, the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i, despite having a newer Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU, with a lower refresh rate of 165Hz, still delivers very good performance for similar tasks but might not be as fluid as the Alienware during fast-paced scenes.
Engineering and Design
8.2
8.4
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
8.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i and Dell Alienware m15 R7 are both very good for engineering and design.
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 stands out for its high-refresh-rate screen and an AMD Ryzen 9 CPU coupled with an Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti GPU, making it suitable for demanding engineering applications and design work that requires robust processing and graphics power.
Content Creation
7.5
8.0
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo Legion Slim 5i to be very good for content creation, while the Dell Alienware m15 R7 is good.
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
7.8
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i 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.
Portability
Fair
Fair
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i and Dell Alienware m15 R7 both have only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Dell Alienware m15 R7 and the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m15 R7 | Lenovo Legion Slim 5i |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,200 | $1,055 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 10.7'' x 0.94'' | 14.2'' x 10.3'' x 0.99'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.93 lbs | 5.29 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.02" | 14.16" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.73" | 10.25" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX | Intel i7-13700H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 5 Hours | 7 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 86 Wh | 80 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1440 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 240Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 300 nits | 343 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.5/10 | 6.7/10 | |
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 | 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 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 3 | |
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."
Lenovo Legion Slim 5i
See more
Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Mark Knapp | August 2023
"The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 Gen 8 acknowledges that a gaming laptop doesn’t have to be as thick as possible and can still ensure adequate cooling when the muscles need flexing. To this end, in the Slim 5 Gen 8, it finds a neat balance of refined, trimmed-down design that still lets its internals cruise (even above their max power ratings). Lenovo then added in some high-end build quality with an altogether excellent keyboard that’s useful for both work and play."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m15 R7 or the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i
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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