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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is typically much more expensive than the Gateway 14.1" but offers significantly better performance, making it suitable for intensive tasks such as gaming, 3D rendering, or machine learning. It has a larger screen, more storage, and higher RAM, which contribute to its superior performance. However, it's heavier and bulkier, which may affect portability. In contrast, the Gateway is much more affordable and lighter, hence more portable, but it's less powerful due to a smaller RAM and less capable processor, suitable for basic tasks such as web browsing and office applications. The choice between the two depends on whether performance or portability and price is your priority. 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
- Good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good for software development
- Good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Gateway 14.1"
- Very good portability
- Good battery life
Key differences
General Use
7.8
5.6
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
301.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
208.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
5.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is good for general use, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 offers robust performance with more RAM and a higher-quality CPU, making multitasking and demanding tasks smoother, alongside a superior screen and substantial battery capacity which enhances overall user experience for general use. On the other hand, the Gateway 14.1" has less RAM and a lower-end CPU which may not handle intensive tasks as deftly, and despite its greater portability, its screen quality, battery life, and storage are limited, potentially affecting everyday functionality.
Gaming and AI
7.7
5.4
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
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is good for gaming and AI, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 excels in gaming and 3D applications due to its powerful Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU and high screen refresh rate, which greatly enhance visual performance and responsiveness. Conversely, the Gateway 14.1" laptop falls short for these tasks as it is equipped with a much less powerful Intel UHD Graphics 600 GPU and a standard refresh rate, both of which limit gaming and 3D capabilities.
Engineering and Design
8.1
5.5
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
7.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is very good for engineering and design, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is geared towards engineering and design use with a strong CPU, ample RAM, a high-performance GPU, and a high-quality screen, whereas the Gateway 14.1" laptop's modest CPU, limited RAM, basic integrated graphics, and lower quality display make it less suitable for such demanding tasks. Additionally, while the Alienware's larger size and weight make it less portable, its superior keyboard, and lower operating noise are beneficial for extended engineering and design work sessions, albeit less important than the core performance factors.
Content Creation
7.8
5.8
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is good for content creation, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
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
5.8
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is good for software development, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
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
8.1
6.0
17.3in
SIZE
14.1in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
301.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
208.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 has a better screen than the Gateway 14.1" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, the Dell Alienware m17 R5 offers high resolution and brightness, making it ideal for varied tasks and environments, while the Gateway's lesser brightness and resolution provide adequate but not exceptional visual quality. The Alienware stands out in engineering and design with its better color gamuts, ensuring more accurate color reproduction, which is not as prominent on the Gateway laptop. However, for gaming and 3D, the Alienware's lower refresh rate hampers the smoothness and responsiveness that's critical for fast-paced visuals, unlike specialized gaming laptops with higher refresh rates that would excel in this regard.
Battery
5.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 has 5 hours of battery life. The Gateway 14.1" has 8 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
14.1in
7.3 lbs
WEIGHT
3.3 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Gateway 14.1" has very good portability, while the Dell Alienware m17 R5 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.8
5.1
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 has good build quality, while the Gateway 14.1" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,100
$99
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 has a price of $1,100 and the Gateway 14.1" costs $99.
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How the Dell Alienware m17 R5 and the Gateway 14.1" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m17 R5 | Gateway 14.1" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,100 | $99 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2022 | August 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.6'' x 11.8'' x 1.05'' | 13.1'' x 8.8'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 7.3 lbs | 3.35 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.64" | 13.1" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.76" | 8.78" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 6800H | Intel Celeron N4020 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 4 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 64 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 5 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 97 Wh | Unknown | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 14.1" | |
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 | 208 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 5.1/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.5/10 | 8.1/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 5.3/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 6/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 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 | 3 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
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."
Gateway 14.1"
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | September 2021
"The Gateway Ultra Slim 14" is surprisingly quiet with long battery life. The inexpensive Gateway excels at maximizing performance per dollar with lots of RAM and storage, super-quiet fan, and a long battery life. It can even house up to two M.2 SSDs which we weren't expecting from such a cheap system. However, the iffy reliability of the keyboard and USB-C port on our test unit means users should double-check for these potential issues immediately after purchasing."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m17 R5 or the Gateway 14.1"
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 Gateway
Gateway is a laptop and tablet brand owned by Acer which sells budget-friendly laptops exclusively through Walmart. It was previously an American computer company until its acquisition by Acer in 2007, who then revived the brand in 2020. Gateway laptops are manufactured by Chinese company Shenzhen Bmorn Technology, which also makes EVOO-branded models.
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