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What we think
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Updated March 22, 2024·
If you require a laptop primarily for high-end gaming or demanding tasks like video editing and 3D modeling, the Dell Alienware will deliver better performance, but it will also be heavier and have a shorter battery life than the Lenovo Flex 5. The Lenovo Flex 5, on the other hand, offers versatility with its convertible design, is lighter making it more portable, and has a longer battery life for everyday tasks and moderate workloads, and it comes at a lower cost. Choose the Dell for power and the Lenovo for value and flexibility. 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 for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Lenovo Flex 5 16
- Good portability
- Very good battery life
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.9
6.2
8.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 is good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo Flex 5 16 is only fair.
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 is more suitable for gaming and 3D work due to its superior graphics processing unit (GPU) and higher screen refresh rate, which are critical for smooth visuals and fast-paced action. While the Lenovo Flex 5 16 can handle games and 3D content at a basic level, it has a less powerful GPU and lower refresh rate, making it less ideal for those demanding tasks despite having a decent CPU and screen quality.
Engineering and Design
8.4
7.2
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
8.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 is very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo Flex 5 16 is good.
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 packs a higher-end CPU, more RAM, and a more powerful GPU, offering top-notch performance and screen quality for demanding engineering and design tasks; however, it is less portable and could be louder under load. In contrast, the Lenovo Flex 5 16 offers decent performance for engineering and design at a lower cost, with increased portability and potentially better keyboard and speaker quality, though it might lag behind in screen quality and intensive task handling.
Screen Quality
8.2
7.3
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
302.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has a better screen than the Lenovo Flex 5 16 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and content creation.
For general use, the Dell Alienware m16 R2 offers a high-resolution display with vivid colors and brightness that enhance everyday tasks, while the Lenovo Flex 5 16's display lacks the same sharpness but still offers a clear image for casual activities. Engineering and design professionals benefit from the Dell's wider color gamuts, giving more accurate color representation for detail-oriented work, whereas the Lenovo has respectable color accuracy but doesn't match up for precision work. The Dell's lower refresh rate limits its appeal for gaming and 3D applications, where smooth motion is crucial; similarly, the Lenovo's refresh rate is not optimal for these fast-paced visual demands.
Battery
6.0 Hours
11.5 Hours
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has 6 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Flex 5 16 has 11.5 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
Good
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 has 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
7.0
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has very good build quality, while the Lenovo Flex 5 16 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,650
$740
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has a price of $1,650 and the Lenovo Flex 5 16 costs $740.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.9
7.6
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
302.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
11.5 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
6.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.4/10
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 and Lenovo Flex 5 16 are both good for general use.
The Dell Alienware m16 R2, with a powerful CPU and ample RAM, offers high performance and a superior screen for gaming or intensive tasks but sacrifices portability and battery life, whereas the Lenovo Flex 5 16 provides a balance with moderate CPU power and RAM, decent screen quality, and better battery life for on-the-go use. Although storage, keyboard, speaker quality, operating noise, and heat management are also factors, they take a back seat to the core attributes of performance and usability in these two laptops.
Content Creation
7.9
7.6
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 and Lenovo Flex 5 16 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
6.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 and Lenovo Flex 5 16 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.
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How the Dell Alienware m16 R2 and the Lenovo Flex 5 16 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m16 R2 | Lenovo Flex 5 16 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,650 | $740 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2024 | April 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 9.8'' x 0.93'' | 14.1'' x 10'' x 0.74'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.75 lbs | 4.63 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.33" | 14.09" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.81" | 9.99" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel Core Ultra 7 155H | Intel i7-1255U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6 Hours | 11.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 52.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 240Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 302 nits | 400 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.8/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8.8/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
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."
Lenovo Flex 5 16
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | April 2023
"The Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 is a solidly equipped, 2-in-1 in the lower price segment. Performance is definitely sufficient for everyday tasks and in tests the battery proved itself to be very economical. That aside, there is a lot of standard fare on show and a search for real highlights ends in vain. The low color coverage and reflective display can be avoided by going for an optional 2.5K display but this also presumably results in poorer battery life. The cooling uses only one fan and leads to a raised temperature on one side of the device under load. Additionally, there is very loud fan noise, also under load or when gaming. On top of that, we also occasionally noticed electronic noises."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m16 R2 or the Lenovo Flex 5 16
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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