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What we think
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Updated March 21, 2024·
For high-end gaming or demanding tasks, the Dell Alienware m16 R2 might be a better choice due to its reputable build quality and likely better gaming-specific features. However, considering the Gigabyte Aorus 5 could offer similar performance and might provide better value if it includes features that meet your specific needs at a lower price point. Always consider battery life and portability; gaming laptops like these tend to be heavier and may not last as long on a charge compared to less powerful, more portable options. If portability and battery life are important, you may want to look at alternatives. 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 build quality
- Good battery life
Advantages of the Gigabyte Aorus 5
- The Gigabyte Aorus 5 has no clear advantages over the Dell Alienware m16 R2.
Key differences
Screen Quality
8.2
8.0
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
302.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
280.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has a better screen than the Gigabyte Aorus 5 for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
If you prioritize a clear and vivid display for everyday tasks such as browsing the web and working with documents, the Dell Alienware m16 R2 with its high resolution and brightness offers superior visual clarity. For those engaged in engineering and design work, this laptop's display covers a wide range of colors, providing accurate color representation critical for such tasks. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the lower refresh rate of the Dell Alienware m16 R2's screen may not be as smooth as desired, while the Gigabyte Aorus 5, despite its adequate display for general and professional use, also falls short for gaming due to a similar limitation in refresh rate.
Build Quality
8.5
7.4
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has very good build quality, while the Gigabyte Aorus 5 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,650
$2,359
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has a price of $1,650 and the Gigabyte Aorus 5 costs $2,359.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.9
7.5
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
302.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
280.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
6.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.7/10
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 and Gigabyte Aorus 5 are both good for general use.
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 boasts a high-performance CPU and ample RAM suitable for demanding tasks and multitasking, paired with a high-quality screen for vivid visuals, but it trades off some portability and battery life due to its gaming-oriented design. On the other hand, the Gigabyte Aorus 5 also offers reliable CPU and RAM capacities suited for general use, a decent screen, and better portability than the Dell, but it may slightly compromise on battery life and heat management during intensive use.
Gaming and AI
7.9
7.9
8.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.2/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 and Gigabyte Aorus 5 are both good for gaming and AI.
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 and Gigabyte Aorus 5 both excel in gaming and 3D applications due to their high-end GPUs and fast screen refresh rates, enhancing visual fluidity and responsiveness. While both laptops provide smooth gameplay and 3D rendering performance, the Dell offers superior screen quality which can enhance the visual experience, and both have capable CPUs to handle demanding tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.4
8.2
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
8.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 and Gigabyte Aorus 5 are both very good for engineering and design.
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 and the Gigabyte Aorus 5 are equipped with powerful CPUs and GPUs, ample RAM, and high-quality screens that perform exceptionally for engineering and design tasks. However, the Alienware generally offers a better keyboard and lower operating noise, while the Aorus may be more portable with potentially higher speaker quality.
Content Creation
7.9
7.6
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 Gigabyte Aorus 5 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
7.3
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 Gigabyte Aorus 5 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
5.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has 6 hours of battery life. The Gigabyte Aorus 5 has 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.
Portability
Fair
Fair
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
5.0 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 and Gigabyte Aorus 5 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 Gigabyte Aorus 5 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m16 R2 | Gigabyte Aorus 5 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,650 | $2,359 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2024 | June 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 9.8'' x 0.93'' | 14'' x 10'' x 1.08'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.75 lbs | 5.07 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.33" | 14" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.81" | 10" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel Core Ultra 7 155H | Intel i7-12700H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 99 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 | 360Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 302 nits | 280 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.8/10 | 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 | 8.8/10 | 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 | 3 | |
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."
Gigabyte Aorus 5
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Dig into reviews and images
Can Buy or Not
Vincent Chang | June 2022
"The Gigabyte Aorus 5 SE4 is a capable mainstream gaming notebook that will run the latest PC games with aplomb. However, it's not your stereotypical flashy gaming PC. Gigabyte has added some interesting tweaks. For example, the webcam placement and its Microsoft Azure AI tool — to automatically switch between power modes — are unusual for this genre. But more importantly, the pricing is fairly competitive and reasonable."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m16 R2 or the Gigabyte Aorus 5
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 Gigabyte
Gigabyte is a Taiwanese computer hardware manufacturer. While Gigabyte mainly focuses its business on desktop hardware, Gigabyte is known for its value-oriented G series laptops, thin and light Aero series, and performance-oriented Aorus series. Gigabyte laptops offer a strong value proposition to compete with mainstream alternatives.
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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