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Updated January 12, 2024·
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is ideal for people who need high performance for gaming, 3D modeling, or intensive engineering tasks due to its powerful processor, advanced graphics card, and larger, higher-resolution display. However, it is heavier and has a shorter battery life, making it less portable. On the other hand, the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" is more affordable and offers portability with its lighter weight and longer battery life, but it has a weaker processor and graphics, making it suitable for general use like web browsing, office applications, and media consumption. The Lenovo's display is also smaller and of lower resolution, which might be less desirable for detail-intensive tasks. 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 Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14"
- Very good portability
- Good battery life
Key differences
General Use
7.8
6.1
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
301.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
239.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
5.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.3/10
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" is only fair.
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 boasts a significantly more powerful CPU and GPU, ample RAM, and a higher quality IPS screen, which makes it well-suited for demanding tasks and longer periods of general use, albeit with less portability due to its weight and shorter battery life. In contrast, the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" offers greater portability with a lighter design and longer battery life, but the lower-end CPU, minimal RAM, and inferior TN screen restrict its performance, hindering a smooth general use experience.
Gaming and AI
7.7
5.5
7.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
10.0/10
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" is poor.
The Dell Alienware m17 R5, with its high-performance Nvidia RTX 3060 graphics card and a screen refresh rate suitable for smooth gameplay, excels in gaming and 3D applications, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" has a basic Intel UHD Graphics card and a lower screen refresh rate, making it less adequate for those purposes.
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 Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" is poor.
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 excels in engineering and design due to its powerful AMD Ryzen CPU, ample RAM, superior Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU, and high-quality IPS display, which are very important for demanding tasks and detailed graphics work. In contrast, the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" has a basic Intel Celeron CPU, less RAM, an entry-level integrated GPU, and a lower-quality TN display, making it less suitable for intensive engineering and design applications.
Content Creation
7.8
6.2
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
16.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is good for content creation, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" is only fair.
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
6.4
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is good for software development, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" 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
5.3
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
301.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
239.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 offers a good screen for general use and engineering with higher resolution and brightness, bringing out sharp text and vivid images suitable for design tasks, whereas its lower refresh rate may not be optimal for gaming and 3D applications where fluid motion is key. The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14", with its lower resolution and brightness, falls short in providing the clarity and vibrancy needed across all categories, making it less ideal for any usage that requires high-quality visuals. Additionally, for engineering and design, the Alienware likely covers a wider color gamut, enabling more accurate color work, which the IdeaPad 1 doesn't provide, further hindering its suitability for professional creative tasks.
Battery
5.0 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 has 5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 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
3.0 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 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
6.0
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 has good build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" 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
$165
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 has a price of $1,100 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" costs $165.
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How the Dell Alienware m17 R5 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m17 R5 | Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,100 | $165 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2022 | January 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.6'' x 11.8'' x 1.05'' | 12.9'' x 9.3'' x 0.7'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 7.3 lbs | 3.09 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.64" | 12.88" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.76" | 9.25" | |
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 | 9 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 97 Wh | 32 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | TN | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1366 x 768 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 480Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 301 nits | 239 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.5/10 | 8.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 10/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 6.5/10 | |
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."
Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14"
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Tom Brant | August 2021
"The IdeaPad 1 14 is a simple machine, but it’s well-designed and has nearly everything you’d expect from a no-nonsense laptop that allows you to check emails and get schoolwork or other light tasks done with relative ease. A "true" 128GB SSD (as opposed to an eMMC drive) and a roomy 14-inch full HD display are arguably the star attractions, with the comfortable keyboard and reasonably modern styling playing important backup roles."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m17 R5 or the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 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 Lenovo
Lenovo is a Chinese technology company, and one of the largest personal computer vendor. They are well known for a variety of technology products, including laptops. Their consumer series include their entry level IdeaPad and LOQ series and mid-to-high-end Yoga and Legion series. On the business-oriented side, their series include their entry-level ThinkBook series and mid-to-high-end ThinkPad series. Lenovo laptops offer strong performance for reasonable prices, and are often on sale.
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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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