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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 tends to be more expensive and is geared more towards gaming with its holistic design, including features like ray tracing and DLSS, making it suitable for intensive gaming and 3D tasks. It also has a larger battery and screen size which contributes to its heavier weight, affecting portability. On the other hand, the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i is a bit lighter, making it more portable, and offers a higher screen resolution, which might be preferred for engineering or professional work. Although it's better priced, it has a lower battery capacity, which could reduce usage time between charges. Both have good build quality and performance for general use, but if you need longer unplugged performance, the Dell might be a better option, while the Lenovo could be more suitable for carrying around and for tasks that benefit from a higher-resolution display. 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 overall display quality
- Very good speakers
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i
- Good portability
- Good battery life
Key differences
Screen Quality
8.1
7.8
17.3in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
301.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
409.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i has a better screen for general use, and content creation.
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 has a screen with vibrant colors and high brightness, making it easy to view documents and browse the web, but its lower refresh rate makes it less suitable for gaming where smooth motion is crucial. The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i boasts a screen with excellent color accuracy and good brightness, which is beneficial for both general tasks and color-sensitive engineering work; however, like the Alienware, it lacks a high refresh rate, so it's not ideal for the fast-paced visuals required in gaming or 3D applications. Both laptops offer sufficient resolution and panel quality for everyday use and professional design, but professionals and gamers might need to weigh the importance of color fidelity against the need for fluid motion in their specific uses.
Portability
Poor
Good
17.3in
SIZE
16.0in
7.3 lbs
WEIGHT
4.3 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i has good portability, while the Dell Alienware m17 R5 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,100
$950
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 has a price of $1,100 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i costs $950.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.8
7.7
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
301.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
409.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
5.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i are both good for general use.
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is well-suited for general use due to its powerful AMD Ryzen CPU and ample RAM, coupled with a high-quality, large screen that enhances visual experience but compromises on portability and battery life. On the other hand, the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i offers strong performance with its Intel i7 processor and equivalent RAM, has a high-resolution, color-accurate display in a smaller, more portable frame with better battery efficiency, but may offer less storage and slightly lower build quality compared to the Alienware.
Gaming and AI
7.7
7.4
7.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i are both good for gaming and AI.
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 stands out with its extreme screen refresh rate, which is highly beneficial for fluid visuals in gaming and 3D applications, supported by a robust GPU. Meanwhile, the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i, with a newer but slightly less powerful GPU and a moderate screen refresh rate, offers sharp image quality and is a strong contender for gaming and 3D tasks, ensuring smooth gameplay and content creation.
Engineering and Design
8.1
8.1
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
7.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i are both very good for engineering and design.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
7.8
7.7
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i 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
7.7
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i and Dell Alienware m17 R5 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.
Battery
5.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 has 5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i has 6 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.
Build Quality
7.8
7.6
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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How the Dell Alienware m17 R5 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m17 R5 | Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,100 | $950 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2022 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.6'' x 11.8'' x 1.05'' | 14'' x 9.9'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 7.3 lbs | 4.3 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.64" | 14.02" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.76" | 9.88" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 6800H | Intel i7-13700H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 5 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 97 Wh | 75 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 480Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 301 nits | 409 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
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 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 3 | |
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."
Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i
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Dig into reviews and images
Tom's Hardware
Brandon Hill | January 2024
"Lenovo’s IdeaPad Pro 5i represents an impressive opening salvo for Meteor Lake in the ultraportable space against familiar foes from AMD and Apple. Not only does the Core Ultra 5 125H processor provide good performance across the board, but battery life remains a strong point against the Acer Swift Edge 16 with its AMD Ryzen 7 7840U processor. It can’t quite match the endurance of the 15-inch MacBook Pro, but the gap is shrinking."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m17 R5 or the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i
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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