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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is significantly more expensive than the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3, but provides better performance for intensive tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering, with more storage and double the RAM. Its larger screen size and higher refresh rate offer a more immersive gaming experience, but at the expense of battery life and portability, as it is heavier. In contrast, the Lenovo is more budget-friendly, lighter with longer battery life, making it more portable, but it may struggle with demanding software due to less RAM and a less powerful GPU. If you prioritize gaming and high-performance applications, consider the Alienware, but if you value portability, casual gaming, and everyday use with a tighter budget, the Lenovo could be the suitable choice. 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
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good speakers
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3
- Good portability
- Good battery life
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.7
6.5
7.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is only fair.
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is better suited for gaming and 3D applications due to its higher-end Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU and significantly higher screen refresh rate of 480 Hz, compared to the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 which has a mid-range Nvidia RTX 2050 GPU and a screen refresh rate of 120 Hz. While both have quality IPS screens and capable CPUs, the superior GPU and refresh rate in the Alienware provide smoother visuals and better performance in demanding gaming or 3D tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.1
7.2
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
7.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is good.
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 offers superior CPU, GPU, and more RAM compared to the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3, making it better for demanding engineering and design tasks; additionally, its larger screen provides a greater working area, but it's heavier and less portable. The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3, while still capable, trades some performance and screen size for improved portability and a likely lower price.
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
120Hz
301.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
329.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and content creation.
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 have displays with the resolution and brightness suitable for general tasks, making text clear and visibility comfortable in various lighting conditions. For engineering and design, both laptops offer good color accuracy and range, crucial for precision in graphic work, but they lack in higher-end color gamut coverage compared to specialized design laptops. However, for gaming and 3D applications, their screens fall short due to lower refresh rates that can't provide the smooth visual experience preferred by gamers and professionals working with dynamic 3D content.
Battery
5.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 has 5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has 8 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
5.1 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 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 Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 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
$549
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 has a price of $1,100 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 costs $549.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.8
7.4
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
301.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
329.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
5.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 are both good for general use.
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is equipped with a high-performance CPU and sufficient RAM for multitasking, along with a larger screen with good color coverage, making it suitable for general use, though it's heavier and has shorter battery life which affects portability. The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 also has a capable CPU and sufficient RAM for everyday tasks, and it’s lighter with longer battery life, making it more portable, yet it offers a smaller storage capacity and may have lower speaker quality.
Content Creation
7.8
7.4
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 are both good for content creation.
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
7.3
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 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 Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m17 R5 | Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,100 | $549 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2022 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.6'' x 11.8'' x 1.05'' | 14.2'' x 10.5'' x 0.86'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 7.3 lbs | 5.1 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.64" | 14.16" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.76" | 10.49" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 6800H | AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 5 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 97 Wh | 60 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 | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 301 nits | 329 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.5/10 | 7.1/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 6.8/10 | |
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 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
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 Gaming 3
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Florian Glaser | October 2022
"The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is one of the most powerful RTX 3050 Ti laptops. If you disregard the mediocre quality of the case in terms of the material and workmanship, Lenovo has created a successful budget gaming laptop with the IdeaPad Gaming. Thanks to high TDPs and constant performance development, the Core i5-12500H and GeForce RTX 3050 Ti are able to show their full power, while in contrast, the (mostly slower) competitors deliver a better battery life. However, hardly any of the alternative laptops are able to reach the image quality of the Gaming 3. Most of the competitors are left behind in terms of the color space and brightness."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m17 R5 or the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3
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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