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Updated March 22, 2024·
Considering your options, if your primary focus is on high-end gaming or resource-intensive tasks like video editing, the Dell Alienware provides superior performance and is designed for such demands. However, it comes at a higher cost and can be less portable due to its size and weight. On the other hand, the HP 14" laptop offers more portability and is sufficient for general use such as web browsing, office applications, and media consumption, with the advantage of being more budget-friendly. The tradeoff for the lower price is that it may not handle intense tasks as well and could have a shorter battery life when compared to specialized gaming laptops. Choose the Dell if performance is a priority and cost is less of a concern, or the HP for everyday use with better value and easier handling. 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
- Good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good for software development
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the HP 14" Laptop
- Very good portability
Key differences
General Use
7.9
6.7
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
302.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
265.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.5 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.0/10
6.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.3/10
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 is good for general use, while the HP 14" Laptop is only fair.
The Dell Alienware m16 R2, with a more powerful CPU and greater RAM, provides enhanced performance suitable for demanding tasks and better screen quality for sharper visuals compared to the HP 14" Laptop, making it better for general use; however, this comes at the cost of portability and potentially shorter battery life. The HP 14" Laptop, while more portable and likely offering longer battery life, may fall short in multitasking and visually intensive tasks due to its less powerful hardware, which may also impact its ability to effectively manage storage needs, keyboard, speaker quality, operating noise, and heat.
Gaming and AI
7.9
5.8
8.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 is good for gaming and AI, while the HP 14" Laptop is poor.
The Dell Alienware m16 R2, designed for high-end gaming, typically includes advanced GPUs and higher screen refresh rates, which are key for smooth gameplay and fast-paced 3D rendering. Meanwhile, the HP 14" Laptop, with less emphasis on graphics, offers moderate performance with a GPU that's adequate for casual gaming and daily tasks, along with a standard refresh rate screen, which still provides decent picture quality for everyday use.
Engineering and Design
8.4
6.0
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
8.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 is very good for engineering and design, while the HP 14" Laptop is only fair.
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 typically offers a powerful CPU, ample RAM, and a high-quality GPU, making it well-suited for demanding engineering software and design work; the screen quality is also superior, enhancing visual tasks. The HP 14" Laptop, while more portable and often quieter, may lag in performance due to less powerful components, making it a better fit for everyday use rather than specialized engineering applications.
Content Creation
7.9
7.0
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 and HP 14" Laptop are both good for content creation, though the Dell Alienware m16 R2 is somewhat better.
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
6.8
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.0/10
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 is good for software development, while the HP 14" Laptop is only fair.
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
6.3
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
302.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
265.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has a better screen than the HP 14" Laptop for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 is favored for general use and engineering tasks due to its high-resolution display, which offers clear visuals and a wide range of colors, enhancing detailed work and design accuracy. Conversely, for gaming and 3D applications, the Dell's lower refresh rate may result in less fluid motion, making it less ideal for fast-paced activities. The HP 14" Laptop, with its fair screen quality, provides adequate resolution and brightness for casual activities and work, but the narrower color gamut and modest refresh rate make it less suitable for professional design and smooth gaming experiences.
Battery
6.0 Hours
8.5 Hours
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has 6 hours of battery life. The HP 14" Laptop has 8.5 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
Very Good
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
3.2 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The HP 14" Laptop has very good portability, while the Dell Alienware m16 R2 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5
6.0
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has very good build quality, while the HP 14" Laptop has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,650
$414
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has a price of $1,650 and the HP 14" Laptop costs $414.
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How the Dell Alienware m16 R2 and the HP 14" Laptop compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m16 R2 | HP 14" Laptop |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,650 | $414 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2024 | October 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 9.8'' x 0.93'' | 12.8'' x 8.9'' x 0.7'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.75 lbs | 3.22 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.33" | 12.76" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.81" | 8.86" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel Core Ultra 7 155H | AMD Ryzen 5 5500U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6 Hours | 8.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 240Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 302 nits | 265 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.8/10 | 8.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 8.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 6/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8.8/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
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."
HP 14" Laptop
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Dig into reviews and images
Consumer Reports
Nicholas De Leon | October 2022
"This feels like an ideal laptop for someone who doesn’t want to spend a lot of money on a laptop and isn’t too bothered by things like build quality or construction. It’s a laptop that will be used to pay bills, keep track of expenses, do some online shopping, and will be tucked away in a spare bedroom/home office. It’s an appliance designed to do a job without fuss. It’s not a premium experience—the materials do feel a little cheap, the display won’t exactly wow you, and the battery life is nothing to write home about, especially if you’ve used more expensive devices. But overall it’s not too shabby, especially for the price."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m16 R2 or the HP 14" Laptop
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 HP
HP, also known as Hewlett-Packard, is an American technology company that develops personal computers and computer peripherals. In the laptop industry, HP is known for its entry level Essential series laptops, its mid-range Pavilion, Envy, and Victus series, and high-end Omen and Spectre series, in addition to its business-oriented EliteBook, ProBook, and Dragonfly series laptops. HP laptops generally undercut other mainstream competitors in terms of price, placing itself as the value-oriented mainstream brand.
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