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Updated January 12, 2024·
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 offers powerful performance with its AMD Ryzen processor and Nvidia RTX 3060 graphics, making it well-suited for gaming, 3D work, and machine learning tasks. However, it is also larger, heavier, and more expensive, which affects portability. On the other hand, the Dell Latitude 14 7490 is more affordable, with a more modest Intel processor and integrated graphics. It is lighter and potentially has better battery life, making it a good match for general use and business applications. Consider the Alienware if performance in intensive tasks is a priority and the Latitude if you prefer portability and value. 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 m17 R5
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Dell Latitude 14 7490
- Very good portability
- Good battery life
Key differences
General Use
7.8
7.2
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
301.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
5.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.1/10
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and Dell Latitude 14 7490 are both good for general use, though the Dell Alienware m17 R5 is somewhat better.
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is well-suited for general use due to its strong CPU and ample RAM, which accommodate diverse tasks, while its large screen with high-quality display is ideal for those who prioritize immersive visuals over portability and longer battery life.
Gaming and AI
7.7
5.9
7.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
480Hz
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 m17 R5 is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Latitude 14 7490 is poor.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
8.1
6.5
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.8/10
7.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Latitude 14 7490 is only fair.
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 excels in engineering and design use due to its powerful AMD Ryzen CPU, high-quality Nvidia RTX GPU, and large, high-contrast IPS screen, which are all very important for such tasks. In contrast, the Dell Latitude 14 7490 is only fair for engineering and design use because it has a less powerful Intel CPU, an integrated GPU with lower performance, and a smaller screen with a lower color coverage, although it offers better portability and a higher-quality keyboard.
Screen Quality
8.1
6.7
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
301.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 has a better screen than the Dell Latitude 14 7490 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
If you prioritize a sharp and vibrant display for everyday tasks like browsing and video streaming, the Alienware's superior resolution and brightness outshine the Latitude's. The quality of the Alienware's display for engineering and design is elevated due to its wider color gamut, crucial for accuracy in color-critical applications. However, for gaming and 3D work, the Alienware's lower refresh rate may make the experience less smooth compared to displays designed specifically for these purposes, despite its adequate resolution and panel type.
Battery
5.0 Hours
9.5 Hours
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 has 5 hours of battery life. The Dell Latitude 14 7490 has 9.5 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
Poor
Very Good
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
7.3 lbs
WEIGHT
3.1 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Dell Latitude 14 7490 has very good portability, while the Dell Alienware m17 R5 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,100
$300
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 has a price of $1,100 and the Dell Latitude 14 7490 costs $300.
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Key similarities
Content Creation
7.8
7.3
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and Dell Latitude 14 7490 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
7.4
7.1
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and Dell Latitude 14 7490 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.
Build Quality
7.8
7.4
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and Dell Latitude 14 7490 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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How the Dell Alienware m17 R5 and the Dell Latitude 14 7490 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m17 R5 | Dell Latitude 14 7490 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,100 | $300 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2022 | April 1, 2018 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.6'' x 11.8'' x 1.05'' | 13'' x 8.7'' x 0.8'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 7.3 lbs | 3.11 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.64" | 13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.76" | 8.7" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 6800H | Intel i7-8650U | |
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 | 5 Hours | 9.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 97 Wh | 60 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 480Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 301 nits | 305 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.5/10 | 8.2/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | Yes | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 8.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 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 | 3 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 3 | |
Shopping
Dell Alienware m17 R5
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Christian Hintze | January 2023
"Overall, the all-AMD system in the Alienware m17 R5 is impressive, especially the graphics performance. However, various driver issues and unnecessary inconsistencies prevent us from truly enjoying such a potent gaming machine. In addition to strong 3D performance, we particularly like the build quality, the fairly bright UHD display with high color space coverage, and the fact that the gamer is often quiet when not under load and also rather quieter than some competitors under load."
Dell Latitude 14 7490
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Dig into reviews and images
LaptopMag
Henry T. Casey | April 2018
"The Dell Latitude 7490's got the speed you need (and then some), a keyboard that's comfortable enough for writing all day long and a battery that supports a full 8-hour workday. If only the display were brighter and it managed heat better. If you need every minute of battery life you can get, the extended-battery version of the Lenovo ThinkPad T480 lasts 8 hours longer than the Latitude 7490, but its display is much less colorful."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m17 R5 or the Dell Latitude 14 7490
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.
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