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Updated January 10, 2024·
If your priority is high performance for gaming, 3D design, or intensive software engineering, the Dell Alienware m17 R5 offers more power and a higher-quality display, which is beneficial for these tasks. However, it is heavier and less portable than the Gateway 15.6", which might be more convenient for on-the-go usage and everyday tasks. The Gateway is also more budget-friendly, making it a good fit if price is a significant consideration and you don’t need the extra performance. The Alienware's battery life and build quality are superior, but it's more expensive and less portable than the Gateway. 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
- Good for software development
- Very good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Gateway 15.6"
- Good portability
- Good battery life
Key differences
General Use
7.8
7.0
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
301.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
250.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
5.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and Gateway 15.6" are both good for general use, though the Dell Alienware m17 R5 is somewhat better.
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and Gateway 15.6" are both suitable for general use due to their capable CPUs and sufficient RAM, making them efficient for standard tasks. The Alienware provides a high-quality larger screen and better battery life, which enhance user experience, though it is less portable due to its weight and size, while the Gateway is more portable and offers a quieter operation, but has a less impressive screen and build quality, potentially affecting its durability and display experience.
Gaming and AI
7.7
6.0
7.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
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 15.6" is only fair.
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
6.2
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
7.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is very good for engineering and design, while the Gateway 15.6" is only fair.
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is better for engineering and design because it has a higher performance CPU, more powerful GPU, and better screen quality with higher brightness and color coverage, which are very important for these tasks, while the Gateway 15.6" has a lesser CPU and GPU, and its screen is dimmer with lower color coverage. Despite the Gateway offering better portability and quieter operating noise, which are somewhat important, these advantages don't compensate for the substantial performance and screen quality differences that are crucial for engineering and design work.
Content Creation
7.8
7.0
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and Gateway 15.6" are both good for content creation, though the Dell Alienware m17 R5 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
7.4
6.7
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 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 15.6" is only fair.
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
6.1
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
301.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
250.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 has a better screen than the Gateway 15.6" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Dell Alienware m17 R5, with its high resolution and panel type, offers clarity and detail for general tasks and engineering software, while its color gamut coverage ensures accurate color representation for design work. However, the lower refresh rate impairs the smoothness needed in fast-paced gaming and 3D applications. In contrast, the Gateway 15.6" provides acceptable quality for everyday and professional tasks, with sufficient resolution and color accuracy, but lacks the high refresh rate required for optimal 3D and gaming experiences.
Battery
5.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 has 5 hours of battery life. The Gateway 15.6" 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
Good
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
7.3 lbs
WEIGHT
4.8 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Gateway 15.6" has 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 15.6" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,100
$600
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 has a price of $1,100 and the Gateway 15.6" costs $600.
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How the Dell Alienware m17 R5 and the Gateway 15.6" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m17 R5 | Gateway 15.6" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,100 | $600 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2022 | August 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.6'' x 11.8'' x 1.05'' | 14.8'' x 9.5'' x 0.77'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 7.3 lbs | 4.8 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.64" | 14.75" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.76" | 9.5" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 6800H | Intel i5-1135G7 | |
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 | 5 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 97 Wh | Unknown | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 15.6" | |
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 | 250 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 5.1/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.5/10 | 7.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 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 | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
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 15.6"
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Francisco Lahoz | July 2022
"Some concessions have to be made when shopping for a budget laptop. Walmart's Gateway Ultra Slim laptops succeeds on the affordability front and delivers serviceable specs and good battery life, though it's hard to claim it's the best (or even particularly good) at any particular aspect. Its build quality, especially the touchpad, is mediocre, and its performance is decent but doesn't lead the way. The Gateway does undercut the cost of some competitors and offers ample storage with good connectivity, so it's not to be ignored."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m17 R5 or the Gateway 15.6"
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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