If you're in search of high performance for tasks like 3D modeling, machine learning, or gaming, the Dell Alienware m17 R5 is an excellent option due to its powerful processor and advanced graphics card. It also offers a larger screen and higher resolution, which might be preferable for immersive experiences or detailed work. However, the Dell is heavier, making it less portable, and it comes with a higher price tag. On the other hand, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is more budget-friendly, lighter, and easier to carry, but it is less suitable for intensive tasks due to its basic processor and integrated graphics card. The Lenovo's battery life is also superior, ideal for longer use on-the-go. Choose the Dell for power and larger screen size at a higher cost, or the Lenovo for basic tasks, ease of portability, and long battery life at a more affordable price. 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 3 15"
Good portability
Key differences
General Use
7.8/10
6.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
301.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
5.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is only fair.
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 excels in general use with a higher-tier CPU, more RAM, and a superior IPS screen giving better color accuracy and viewing angles, albeit at the cost of portability due to its larger size and weight. On the other hand, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" offers modest performance with an entry-level CPU and less RAM, and its TN screen has lower resolution and color quality, but it's lighter and more portable.
Gaming and AI
7.7/10
5.8/10
7.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
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
9.5/10
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is poor.
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
8.1/10
5.8/10
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
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 Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is poor.
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 excels in engineering and design owing to its powerful AMD Ryzen 7 processor, robust Nvidia RTX GPU, ample RAM, and an IPS display with high resolution and color accuracy, which are crucial for demanding software and visual clarity. Conversely, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" falls short due to its less capable Intel i3 processor, integrated graphics, more limited RAM, and a TN screen with lower resolution and color fidelity, making it less suitable for intensive tasks and precise design work.
Content Creation
7.8/10
6.3/10
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is good for content creation, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" 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
7.4/10
6.3/10
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 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 3 15" 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
5.2/10
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
301.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 boasts a vibrant display with high resolution and brightness, making it suitable for general use and detailed engineering work, where color accuracy is critical. However, its lower refresh rate may not be ideal for gaming or 3D applications, which demand smoother visuals. In contrast, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has a lower quality display across all aspects, resulting in less satisfactory performance whether you're browsing the web, doing color-sensitive design work, or engaging in action-packed gaming.
Portability
Poor
Good
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
7.3 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has good portability, while the Dell Alienware m17 R5 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.8/10
6.5/10
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 has good build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" 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
$360
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 has a price of $1,100 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" costs $360.
"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."
"The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 is an enduring office notebook with a powerful Ryzen APU. Lenovo's office all-rounder easily handles office and internet applications as well as modest games - the Ryzen 5 5625U APU and 16 GB of RAM make this possible. The CPU and GPU can work at consistently high clock rates. The emission values are okay, but the noise emissions should be lower under medium to full load. The relatively light notebook (approx. 1.6 kg) achieves practical battery runtimes of about 10 to 11 hours."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m17 R5 or the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15"
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.
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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