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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 shines for intensive gaming with high performance but is quite heavy, affecting its portability. It also tends to be priced a bit lower than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2. On the flip side, the Surface Laptop Studio 2 is more portable and lightweight. It has a touch screen and higher storage capacity, which is useful for general use and creative tasks but comes at a higher price. Ultimately, if gaming and performance is your priority, the Alienware might be a better fit, but if you value a balance of portability and power, consider the Surface Laptop Studio 2. 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 display quality
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2
- Very good for general use
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Good portability
- Good battery life
- Very good speakers
Key differences
General Use
7.5
8.3
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
300.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
503.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
6.4/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is very good for general use, while the Dell Alienware m15 R7 is good.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 offers greater portability and better battery life than the Dell Alienware m15 R7, which makes it very good for general use where mobility and time away from power outlets are crucial. Additionally, the Surface Laptop Studio 2 has a higher resolution touchscreen with a flexible display hinge that can double as a tablet, more RAM, and a larger storage capacity, enhancing its performance and versatility in everyday tasks compared to the Alienware, which is bulkier and has a shorter battery life but comes with a more powerful CPU and GPU that could be better suited for performance-intensive tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.2
8.7
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
8.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 and Dell Alienware m15 R7 are both very good for engineering and design, though the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is somewhat better.
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 is prized for engineering and design thanks to its high-performance CPU, substantial RAM, and powerful GPU, paired with a quality IPS screen, making it suitable for demanding tasks like 3D modeling and rendering; however, its heavier weight affects portability. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 similarly excels with a robust CPU, ample RAM, and a formidable GPU along with a sharp and bright touchscreen that flips to assist in design work, offering greater portability yet at the tradeoff of a higher price and reduced raw gaming power compared to the Alienware.
Content Creation
7.5
8.4
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is 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
8.2
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is very good for software development, while the Dell Alienware m15 R7 is good.
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
7.9
15.6in
SIZE
14.4in
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
300.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
503.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has a better screen for content creation, and software development.
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 both have high-resolution displays with bright panels, ensuring crisp, clear visuals and vibrant colors that are ideal for everyday tasks and detailed engineering work. They cover a wide range of color gamuts, providing accuracy necessary for professional design applications where precise color representation is critical. However, their screens have lower refresh rates, which makes them less suitable for gaming and 3D applications where smoother motion and rapid screen updates are crucial for optimal performance.
Battery
5.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has 5 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 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
14.4in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
4.4 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has good portability, while the Dell Alienware m15 R7 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$2,200
$3,300
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has a price of $2,200 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 costs $3,300.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
7.8
7.7
8.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 are both good for gaming and AI.
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 excels in gaming and 3D due to its higher screen refresh rate and powerful Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti GPU, offering smoother visuals and better performance in graphics-intensive tasks. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2, while also good for gaming and 3D applications with its Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU, offers a lower screen refresh rate but comes with a touchscreen, which could be a deciding factor if touch capability is prioritized.
Build Quality
8.5
8.5
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 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 Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m15 R7 | Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,200 | $3,300 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | September 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 10.7'' x 0.94'' | 12.7'' x 9.1'' x 0.86'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.93 lbs | 4.41 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.02" | 12.72" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.73" | 9.06" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX | Intel i7-13700H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 64 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 5 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 86 Wh | 58 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 14.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1440 | 2400 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 240Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 300 nits | 503 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 6.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
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."
Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | March 2022
"The new Surface Laptop Studio with its foldable display is supposed to replace the old Surface Book and the overall impression is good after our review. The build quality and the materials are top-notch, the performance utilization of the two components is solid and the device does not show any major flaws in terms of display or speakers, either. The folding mechanism leaves a sold impression as well, but it remains to be seen how it will hold up over the years. The so-called presentation mode is also not ideal since it covers the whole keyboard."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m15 R7 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2
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 Microsoft
Microsoft is an American technology corporation. Microsoft is best known for their Windows operating system and Surface laptop series. The Surface Laptop is their standard notebook offering, while their Surface Go, Surface Pro, and Surface Studio are their 2-in-1/tablet offerings in order of increasing capability. Although Microsoft charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a well integrated and packaged device since Microsoft develops the Windows operating system.
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