The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is a midrange gaming laptop with superior performance for 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering tasks, alongside a larger screen and better build quality. It is less portable and has a higher price point compared to the HP 14" Laptop. The HP 14" Laptop is more budget-friendly, lighter, and offers longer battery life, making it suitable for general use and portability, but it has less storage, memory, and computing power, limiting its performance for intensive tasks and gaming. 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
Very good overall display quality
Good overall build quality
Very good speakers
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the HP 14" Laptop
Very good portability
Good battery life
Key differences
General Use
7.8/10
6.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
301.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
265.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.0/10
5.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.3/10
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is good for general use, while the HP 14" Laptop is only fair.
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is well-suited for general use due to its powerful CPU, ample RAM, high-quality screen, and robust build, but is less portable and has shorter battery life compared to other laptops. In contrast, the HP 14" Laptop offers good portability and longer battery life, but has a less powerful CPU, less RAM, and a screen that's not as vibrant, which may affect its performance and user experience for demanding tasks.
Gaming and AI
7.7/10
5.8/10
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
8.7/10
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is good for gaming and AI, while the HP 14" Laptop is poor.
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is better for gaming and 3D applications because it has a high-performance Nvidia RTX 3060 graphics card and an exceptionally high screen refresh rate, which are very important for a smooth and immersive experience. In contrast, the HP 14" Laptop uses an integrated GPU that's less powerful and has a standard refresh rate, making it only fair for gaming and 3D tasks; however, it may be more suitable for general use due to its greater portability.
Engineering and Design
8.1/10
6.0/10
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
7.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is very good for engineering and design, while the HP 14" Laptop is only fair.
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is very good for engineering and design due to its higher-end CPU, double the RAM, and a powerful dedicated GPU, which are crucial for intensive tasks, as well as a larger, brighter screen with higher color accuracy, compared to the HP 14" Laptop which has a mid-range CPU, less RAM, and an integrated GPU better suited for lighter tasks. While the Alienware's larger size and weight make it less portable and it has a shorter battery life, the HP is more portable and quieter, but its lower screen quality and speaker performance reflect its suitability for less demanding usage.
Content Creation
7.8/10
7.0/10
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and HP 14" Laptop 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
7.4/10
6.8/10
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.0/10
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is good for software development, while the HP 14" Laptop 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
8.1/10
6.3/10
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
301.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
265.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 has a better screen than the HP 14" Laptop for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 offers a high-quality screen with vibrant colors and clarity, which benefits general use and engineering applications that demand color accuracy for design work; however, its lower refresh rate compared to specialized gaming models makes it less optimal for fast-paced gaming experiences. The HP 14" Laptop provides adequate resolution and brightness for everyday tasks and casual design work, yet it lacks the advanced color gamut professionals might seek and doesn't keep up with the demanding refresh rates required by gaming and 3D applications. Users focusing on general productivity or basic design may find the HP 14" sufficient, but if screen fidelity in design is vital or gaming is a priority, the Alienware is a better choice despite its gaming limitations.
Battery
5.0 Hours
8.5 Hours
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 has 5 hours of battery life. The HP 14" Laptop has 8.5 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
3.2 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The HP 14" Laptop has very good portability, while the Dell Alienware m17 R5 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.8/10
6.0/10
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 has good build quality, while the HP 14" Laptop has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,100
$414
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 has a price of $1,100 and the HP 14" Laptop costs $414.
"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."
"This feels like an ideal laptop for someone who doesn’t want to spend a lot of money on a laptop and isn’t too bothered by things like build quality or construction. It’s a laptop that will be used to pay bills, keep track of expenses, do some online shopping, and will be tucked away in a spare bedroom/home office. It’s an appliance designed to do a job without fuss. It’s not a premium experience—the materials do feel a little cheap, the display won’t exactly wow you, and the battery life is nothing to write home about, especially if you’ve used more expensive devices. But overall it’s not too shabby, especially for the price."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m17 R5 or the HP 14" Laptop
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 HP
HP, also known as Hewlett-Packard, is an American technology company that develops personal computers and computer peripherals. In the laptop industry, HP is known for its entry level Essential series laptops, its mid-range Pavilion, Envy, and Victus series, and high-end Omen and Spectre series, in addition to its business-oriented EliteBook, ProBook, and Dragonfly series laptops. HP laptops generally undercut other mainstream competitors in terms of price, placing itself as the value-oriented mainstream brand.
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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