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Updated March 22, 2024·
When choosing between the Dell Alienware m17 R5 and the HP Spectre x360 14, consider that the Alienware is a high-performance machine geared towards gaming and demanding tasks, with a tradeoff in size and battery life, making it less portable. The HP Spectre x360, on the other hand, offers more versatility with its convertible design, is typically lighter, and has a longer battery life, making it more suitable for general use and portability, but it may not handle intense tasks as well as the Alienware. If gaming or intensive work is your focus and you don't mind the size, the Alienware may be a cost-effective choice, while the Spectre is ideal for everyday productivity and flexibility on the go. 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 gaming and AI
Advantages of the HP Spectre x360 14
- Very good for general use
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good portability
- Good battery life
- Best in class speakers
Key differences
General Use
7.8
8.7
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
301.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
5.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.4/10
The HP Spectre x360 14 is very good for general use, while the Dell Alienware m17 R5 is good.
The Dell Alienware m17 R5, with its high-powered CPU and ample RAM, excels in demanding tasks and gaming but sacrifices portability and battery life due to its bulkier build and energy-consuming components. On the other hand, the HP Spectre x360 14 offers a balance with a quality screen, good CPU performance, and longer battery life in a more compact and lightweight design, making it suitable for everyday use with the versatility of a 2-in-1 form factor.
Gaming and AI
7.7
6.8
7.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
9.5/10
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is good for gaming and AI, while the HP Spectre x360 14 is only fair.
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is equipped with a high-end GPU and a screen with a fast refresh rate, making it ideal for gaming and 3D applications where graphics performance is crucial. In contrast, the HP Spectre x360 14, while offering a good-quality screen and a capable CPU, has a less powerful GPU and a lower screen refresh rate, which makes it suitable for less demanding gaming and 3D tasks.
Content Creation
7.8
8.7
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
The HP Spectre x360 14 is very good for content creation, while the Dell Alienware m17 R5 is good.
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
8.4
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The HP Spectre x360 14 is very good for software development, while the Dell Alienware m17 R5 is good.
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
8.6
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
301.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 has a better screen than the HP Spectre x360 14 for gaming and AI, while the HP Spectre x360 14 has a better screen for general use, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, both the Dell Alienware m17 R5 and the HP Spectre x360 14 offer vibrant displays with high resolution and brightness, providing sharp images for everyday tasks. The HP Spectre x360 14 stands out in engineering and design due to its wider color gamuts, essential for precision in color-sensitive work. However, for gaming and 3D applications where smooth motion is key, the lower refresh rate of these laptops' screens makes them less ideal compared to options specifically tailored for high-frame-rate gaming.
Battery
5.0 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 has 5 hours of battery life. The HP Spectre x360 14 has 9 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
3.4 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The HP Spectre x360 14 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
8.5
The HP Spectre x360 14 has very good build quality, while the Dell Alienware m17 R5 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,100
$1,630
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 has a price of $1,100 and the HP Spectre x360 14 costs $1,630.
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Key similarities
Engineering and Design
8.1
8.4
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
7.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The HP Spectre x360 14 and Dell Alienware m17 R5 are both very good for engineering and design.
If you require robust performance for engineering and design tasks, the Dell Alienware m17 R5, with its powerful CPU, high-capacity RAM, and dedicated GPU will deliver the processing power and smooth graphics handling you need, albeit with a bulkier frame and potential for higher operating noise. The HP Spectre x360 14, while still capable, offers better portability, a high-quality screen, and a comfortable keyboard, making it a more versatile option for on-the-go productivity, but it may not handle the most demanding applications as well as the Alienware.
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How the Dell Alienware m17 R5 and the HP Spectre x360 14 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m17 R5 | HP Spectre x360 14 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,100 | $1,630 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2022 | January 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.6'' x 11.8'' x 1.05'' | 12.4'' x 8.7'' x 0.67'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 7.3 lbs | 3.45 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.64" | 12.35" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.76" | 8.68" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 6800H | Intel Core Ultra 7 155H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 5 Hours | 9 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 97 Wh | 68 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | OLED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2880 x 1800 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 480Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 301 nits | 384 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.5/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 9.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 9.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 2160p | |
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 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
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."
HP Spectre x360 14
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Dig into reviews and images
LaptopMag
Rami Tabari | February 2024
"The numbers don’t lie — the HP Spectre x360 14 (2024) is a star, and a hell of a one at that. From performance to battery life, this machine is a dream. But why didn’t I give it a perfect score? Well, I wish the display performed better and that there were more ports to go around. If you’re itching for someone a little cheaper that offers a brighter display and significantly more battery life, I can only recommend the MacBook Pro 14 as a suitable substitute. Otherwise, the HP Spectre x360 14 (2024) is the perfect choice for those who want a reliable premium laptop."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m17 R5 or the HP Spectre x360 14
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.
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