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Updated March 22, 2024·
The Dell Alienware M16 R2 is designed for high performance in demanding tasks like gaming, 3D rendering, and machine learning, with a premium build and higher cost, but it's heavier and might have shorter battery life, making it less ideal for travel. The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 is more budget-friendly and lightweight, suitable for general use like web browsing and office applications, and offers longer battery life, at the expense of lower performance for advanced tasks. 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
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14"
- Very good portability
- Very good battery life
Key differences
General Use
7.9
6.9
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
302.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
313.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
6.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.2/10
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 is good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is only fair.
The Dell Alienware m16 R2, with its powerful CPU and ample RAM, excels in demanding tasks and offers a high-quality screen, but it's less portable and has shorter battery life; whereas the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" offers moderate performance suitable for everyday tasks, better portability, and longer battery life but sacrifices screen quality and peak performance. Storage, keyboard, speakers, operating noise, and heat management are better on the Alienware, balancing its high performance and gaming pedigree, while the IdeaPad focuses on providing a cost-effective, basic user experience.
Gaming and AI
7.9
6.0
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
9.5/10
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 is good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is only fair.
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 comes with a high-end GPU and a screen with a fast refresh rate, making it well-suited for smooth and detailed gaming and 3D rendering. On the other hand, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 has a more modest GPU and a lesser refresh rate screen, making it less ideal but still capable for more casual gaming and basic 3D tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.4
6.1
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 Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is only fair.
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 typically has a more powerful CPU, larger RAM, advanced GPU, and higher screen quality, which are crucial for demanding engineering and design tasks; however, it may be heavier and bulkier, impacting portability. In contrast, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" offers modest performance that can handle basic engineering software, but excels in terms of portability and may come with a more comfortable keyboard and quieter operation, yet sacrifices the high-end screen and graphics performance of the Alienware.
Content Creation
7.9
7.1
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 Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" 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
7.1
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
6.5/10
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" are both good for software development, though the Dell Alienware m16 R2 is somewhat better.
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
6.4
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
302.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
313.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 with its high resolution and bright display offers a vivid and sharp image, making it excellent for general use and detailed engineering work where color accuracy and a wide range of colors are vital. However, its lower refresh rate compared to specialized gaming laptops makes it less ideal for the fast-paced visuals in gaming and 3D applications. On the other hand, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" provides an adequate display for everyday tasks and engineering purposes, but its lower color range and less impressive refresh rate might not satisfy the needs of gaming and 3D modeling enthusiasts.
Battery
6.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has 6 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has 10 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
3.1 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" 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
6.5
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has very good build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" 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
$390
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has a price of $1,650 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" costs $390.
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How the Dell Alienware m16 R2 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m16 R2 | Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,650 | $390 | ||
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 8.5'' x 0.78'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.75 lbs | 3.1 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.33" | 12.76" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.81" | 8.49" | |
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 | 1 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 45 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 | 313 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
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 | 9.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8.8/10 | 6/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
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."
Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14"
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Marvin Gollor | February 2023
"The low-priced IdeaPad 3 14 delivers on core functionality. Lenovo's IdeaPad 3 14 meets all the basic requirements for an inexpensive office laptop. The matte IPS display is bright enough, the performance is high for the class, and the input devices are rock solid. In addition, the mostly quiet operation including the useful performance modes, cool surface temperatures, easy maintainability as well as expandable working and mass storage all contribute to the IdeaPad 3 14's value proposition."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m16 R2 or the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14"
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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