Choosing between the Dell Alienware m16 R2 and the Lenovo LOQ 15 involves weighing your needs and budget. The Alienware typically offers top-tier performance, leaning towards high-end gaming and demanding tasks, at a premium cost and with heftier build, affecting portability and battery life. The Lenovo LOQ 15, generally more affordable, will handle everyday tasks and moderate gaming well, with better portability and potentially longer battery life, but might struggle with more intensive software used in engineering or professional 3D work. Consider what's more important: peak performance and build quality or cost savings alongside respectable everyday use. 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
Very good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Very good speakers
Advantages of the Lenovo LOQ 15
The Lenovo LOQ 15 has no clear advantages over the Dell Alienware m16 R2.
Key differences
Screen Quality
8.2/10
7.1/10
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
302.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
329.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has a better screen than the Lenovo LOQ 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and content creation.
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 delivers superior screen quality for general use and engineering due to its high resolution and panel type that provides crisp images and wide color coverage, ensuring vivid and accurate color representation critical for design work. However, for gaming and 3D tasks, its lower refresh rate can make fast-paced visuals less smooth, detracting from the overall gaming experience. On the other hand, the Lenovo LOQ 15 offers good screen quality with decent resolution and color accuracy for general and engineering use, but like the Alienware, its refresh rate is not optimal for the high-speed clarity desired in gaming and 3D applications.
Build Quality
8.5/10
7.4/10
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has very good build quality, while the Lenovo LOQ 15 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,650
$1,179
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has a price of $1,650 and the Lenovo LOQ 15 costs $1,179.
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 and Lenovo LOQ 15 are both good for general use.
The Dell Alienware m16 R2, with its robust CPU and ample RAM, is excellent for demanding tasks and gaming thanks to its high-quality screen, but it is heavier and has shorter battery life, making it less portable. On the other hand, the Lenovo LOQ 15 offers solid performance for everyday tasks with good screen quality, longer battery life, and is easier to carry around, though it may not handle intensive applications as well as the Alienware.
Gaming and AI
7.9/10
7.5/10
8.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.0/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 and Lenovo LOQ 15 are both good for gaming and AI.
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 stands out for gaming and 3D with a powerful GPU that provides smooth visuals and high screen refresh rate for responsive gameplay, while the Lenovo LOQ 15 follows closely with a capable GPU for graphic tasks and a decent refresh rate, though both have strong CPUs and good screen quality that enhance overall performance and user experience. However, the Alienware typically has a higher-end GPU and refresh rate which are crucial for the most demanding games and 3D applications, setting it slightly apart from the Lenovo in terms of peak gaming performance.
Engineering and Design
8.4/10
7.9/10
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
8.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Alienware m16 R2 to be very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo LOQ 15 is good.
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 usually offers higher-end CPU and GPU options, providing better performance for demanding tasks like 3D rendering, coupled with ample RAM and a high-quality screen that's crucial for precise engineering work. Whereas the Lenovo LOQ 15, while still capable for engineering tasks with respectable performance components, adds the benefits of being more portable and having a quieter operating noise, which might be preferable for those frequently on the move or working in quieter environments.
Content Creation
7.9/10
7.6/10
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 Lenovo LOQ 15 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
7.6/10
7.5/10
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
8.0/10
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 and Lenovo LOQ 15 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 Lenovo LOQ 15 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
5.2 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 and Lenovo LOQ 15 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 Lenovo LOQ 15 compare to other laptops
"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."
"Even after a short time with the LOQ 15, you'll find it has a lot going for it, but ultimately it's just "good"—not quite a star. The performance is respectable for the hardware it’s running, but Lenovo had to make some design sacrifices to trim the price. One of the better aspects is the keyboard, making it one of the better low-cost gaming laptops to actually put your hands on."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m16 R2 or the Lenovo LOQ 15
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.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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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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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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