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Updated January 10, 2024·
Choosing between the Dell Alienware m17 R5 and the Gigabyte A5 depends on your priorities. If better performance for tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, or engineering work is important and you are willing to pay more, the Dell Alienware m17 R5 stands out; however, it's heavier and bulkier, which detracts from portability. On the other hand, the Gigabyte A5 is more affordable, lighter, and offers a slightly longer battery life, making it more travel-friendly, but it has less storage and might not handle intensive tasks as well as the Alienware. Neither is particularly suited for intensive gaming, despite their gaming laptop appearance. 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
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Gigabyte A5
- Good portability
- Good battery life
Key differences
General Use
7.8
7.3
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
301.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
281.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
5.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and Gigabyte A5 are both good for general use, though the Dell Alienware m17 R5 is somewhat better.
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 stands out with a superior CPU and larger screen with higher brightness, making it great for multi-tasking and media consumption; however, its heavier weight affects portability and it has a moderate battery lifespan.
Gaming and AI
7.7
7.1
7.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and Gigabyte A5 are both good for gaming and AI, though the Dell Alienware m17 R5 is somewhat better.
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 offers superior gaming and 3D performance due to its very high screen refresh rate, enhancing smooth visuals in fast-paced scenes, in contrast to the Gigabyte A5 which has a lower refresh rate but is still suitable for gaming and 3D applications. Both laptops are equipped with the Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU, ensuring high fidelity graphics, while differences in CPU and screen quality play a secondary role in influencing overall performance and user experience.
Engineering and Design
8.1
7.3
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.0/10
7.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is very good for engineering and design, while the Gigabyte A5 is good.
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 stands out for engineering and design due to its higher-end CPU and larger, high-refresh-rate screen, which can improve multitasking and detailed visual work, while the Gigabyte A5, with a mid-range CPU and a standard screen, offers competent performance but may not handle intense engineering tasks as smoothly. The Alienware m17 R5's considerable weight and size affect its portability, whereas the Gigabyte A5 is lighter, potentially making it a more travel-friendly option despite its slightly lower screen and speaker quality.
Content Creation
7.8
7.3
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and Gigabyte A5 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.
Screen Quality
8.1
7.2
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
301.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
281.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 has a better screen than the Gigabyte A5 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, both the Dell Alienware m17 R5 and Gigabyte A5 offer screens with adequate resolution, panel type, and brightness that ensure clear and comfortable viewing for everyday tasks like browsing the web and watching videos. In engineering and design, users can enjoy precise color representation on both models, as they likely support broader color gamuts that cater to the need for accuracy in visual work. However, for gaming and 3D applications where motion fluidity is key, the lower refresh rates on these laptops may not deliver the smooth visuals preferred by gamers and professionals working with fast-moving graphics.
Battery
5.0 Hours
6.5 Hours
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 has 5 hours of battery life. The Gigabyte A5 has 6.5 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
Good
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
7.3 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Gigabyte A5 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
7.2
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and Gigabyte A5 both have good build quality, though the Dell Alienware m17 R5 has somewhat better build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,100
$830
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 has a price of $1,100 and the Gigabyte A5 costs $830.
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Key similarities
Software Development
7.4
7.0
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and Gigabyte A5 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.
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How the Dell Alienware m17 R5 and the Gigabyte A5 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m17 R5 | Gigabyte A5 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,100 | $830 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2022 | February 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.6'' x 11.8'' x 1.05'' | 14.2'' x 10.2'' x 1'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 7.3 lbs | 4.68 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.64" | 14.21" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.76" | 10.15" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 6800H | AMD Ryzen 5 5600H | |
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 | 6.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 97 Wh | 49 Wh | |
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 | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 301 nits | 281 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
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 | 3 | |
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."
Gigabyte A5
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Florian Glaser | September 2022
"Ignoring price, the Gigabyte A5 has a hard time against the similarly fast competition. Besides the loud noise in 3D mode (performance mode), the high temperature development of the components should be mentioned on the downside. Despite the relatively thick case, the laptop gets very warm and loud under load, which does not exactly speak for the cooling system. The plastic surfaces look rather cheap and also tend to rattle. In most other disciplines - be it the input devices, the screen, the connectivity or the battery runtime - the Gigabyte laptop does not stand out from the crowd, neither positively nor negatively. However, those who primarily pay attention to the price-performance ratio will get a pretty good offer with the Gigabyte A5."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m17 R5 or the Gigabyte A5
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 Gigabyte
Gigabyte is a Taiwanese computer hardware manufacturer. While Gigabyte mainly focuses its business on desktop hardware, Gigabyte is known for its value-oriented G series laptops, thin and light Aero series, and performance-oriented Aorus series. Gigabyte laptops offer a strong value proposition to compete with mainstream alternatives.
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