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Updated March 21, 2024·
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 typically offers higher performance for gaming and demanding applications compared to the Dell G15 5520 but at a notably higher price. If gaming or intensive tasks like video editing are critical for you, and budget is less of a concern, the Alienware would serve you well. However, if you're looking for a more cost-effective option that can still handle general use and some gaming, the Dell G15 may be the better choice. Keep in mind the Alienware may also have a shorter battery life due to its more powerful components and could be less portable due to its size and weight. 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 m16 R2
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
Advantages of the Dell G15 5520
- The Dell G15 5520 has no clear advantages over the Dell Alienware m16 R2.
Key differences
Screen Quality
8.2
7.1
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
302.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
251.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has a better screen than the Dell G15 5520 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has a high-resolution display with excellent color coverage, making it suitable for engineering and design where accurate color reproduction is critical. However, it falls short for gaming and 3D because it lacks a high refresh rate, which is crucial for smooth motion and fast-paced visuals. On the other hand, the Dell G15 5520 offers adequate resolution and color accuracy for both general usage and professional design tasks, but just like the Alienware, it doesn't cater well to the gaming sector due to its lower refresh rate, affecting the gaming experience.
Build Quality
8.5
7.4
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has very good build quality, while the Dell G15 5520 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,650
$1,000
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has a price of $1,650 and the Dell G15 5520 costs $1,000.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.9
7.9
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
302.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
251.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
6.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.3/10
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 and Dell G15 5520 are both good for general use.
The Dell Alienware m16 R2, with its superior CPU and RAM, is well-suited for demanding tasks and multitasking, offering crisp visuals on a high-quality screen; however, its portability and battery life may disappoint users on the go. Alternatively, the Dell G15 5520 also handles general use proficiently, has an adequate screen, and better battery life, making it more travel-friendly, though it trades off some performance compared to the Alienware. Both models have enough storage and decent keyboard and speaker quality, but operating noise and heat management may vary, with the high-performance Alienware potentially running louder and warmer.
Gaming and AI
7.9
7.7
8.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.3/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 and Dell G15 5520 are both good for gaming and AI.
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 with its higher-end GPU and faster screen refresh rate is particularly well-suited for demanding gaming and 3D tasks, delivering smoother visuals and better overall performance. While the Dell G15 5520 also offers good GPU and screen refresh rate for gaming, it might not match the Alienware in raw graphical performance, but could be a more cost-effective option with decent capabilities for moderate gaming and 3D work.
Engineering and Design
8.4
8.2
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
8.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 and Dell G15 5520 are both very good for engineering and design.
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 boasts powerful CPUs and GPUs, abundant RAM, and high-quality screens tailored for demanding engineering tasks and design work, though it may be less portable and noisier; conversely, the Dell G15 5520 also offers solid performance specs suitable for similar uses, with a bonus of better portability and possibly quieter operation, but might compromise slightly on the premium features of the screen and build quality found in the Alienware.
Content Creation
7.9
7.9
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 and Dell G15 5520 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
7.6
7.5
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 and Dell G15 5520 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
6.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has 6 hours of battery life. The Dell G15 5520 has 6 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
Fair
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
5.5 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 and Dell G15 5520 both have only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Dell Alienware m16 R2 and the Dell G15 5520 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m16 R2 | Dell G15 5520 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,650 | $1,000 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2024 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 9.8'' x 0.93'' | 14.1'' x 10.7'' x 1.06'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.75 lbs | 5.55 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.33" | 14.06" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.81" | 10.74" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel Core Ultra 7 155H | Intel i7-12700H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 56 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 240Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 302 nits | 251 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.8/10 | 6.4/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 6.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8.8/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 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 | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
Shopping
Dell Alienware m16 R2
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Dig into reviews and images
LaptopMag
Momo Tabari | January 2024
"Alienware’s m16 R2 is a solid gaming laptop that leaves much to be desired, particularly in its quest to fulfill your needs as a product for productivity. Battery life under eight hours and a dim display are both vital issues for something that will accompany you through school projects or a workday. However, the Alienware m16 R2 is an exceedingly powerful gaming laptop, consistently being one of the best in our performance tests when compared against similar products. Even then, its display is lacking color, its fans get pretty darn loud, and its speakers aren’t punchy enough to rise above that noise."
Dell G15 5520
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Rtings
Olivier Martin, Ryan Lim, and John Peroramas | April 2023
"The Dell G15 (2022) is a 15.6-inch budget gaming laptop, and is great for gaming. You can configure the laptop with powerful Intel 12th Gen. CPUs and various NVIDIA dedicated GPUs, all of which deliver a smooth gaming experience at 1080p. There's also a QHD 240Hz display option if you want better visuals, though you'll have to pair it with the top-end NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti to get good frame rates. It doesn't get overly hot or loud under load, and there's no noticeable throttling on the CPU or GPU. Unfortunately, the 120Hz panel has a slow response time, causing noticeable ghosting, and it doesn't support variable refresh rate."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m16 R2 or the Dell G15 5520
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.
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