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Updated January 12, 2024·
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio cater to different users. If you're looking for a machine primarily for gaming or demanding tasks and prefer a larger screen, the Dell Alienware might be the way to go, keeping in mind it is heavier and bulkier, which affects portability. On the other hand, if you value versatility, such as using the device as both a laptop and a tablet, along with a higher-resolution and higher-ratio display that might be better for productivity and media consumption, the Surface Laptop Studio would be a good choice, though it may cost more and has a smaller screen. Remember that the Dell offers better graphics performance with its RTX 3060 compared to the RTX 3050 Ti in the Surface, which can be important for intensive tasks like 3D rendering or gaming. 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
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
- Very good overall build quality
- Good portability
- Good battery life
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.7
6.6
7.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is good for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is only fair.
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is equipped with a stronger GPU (Nvidia RTX 3060) and a higher screen refresh rate (480 Hz), which are very important for gaming and 3D performance, whereas the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has a less powerful GPU (Nvidia RTX 3050 Ti) and a lower screen refresh rate (120 Hz), making it less suited for these tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.1
7.3
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
7.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is very good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is good.
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.
Screen Quality
8.1
8.0
17.3in
SIZE
14.4in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
301.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
491.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio for gaming and AI, and content creation, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has a better screen for general use, and engineering and design.
The Dell Alienware m17 R5, with its emphasis on screen resolution and panel type that enhances image clarity and detail, makes it well-suited for general use and engineering tasks where precision is key; however, its lower refresh rate can be a drawback for gaming and 3D applications that require fluid motion. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio shines in tasks requiring color accuracy due to its high-quality color gamuts, making it exceptional for both general use and professional engineering and design work, yet its screen falls short for gaming and 3D work because of its suboptimal refresh rate. Both laptops offer displays that are less than ideal for 3D environments and fast-paced gaming, where a high refresh rate is crucial for smooth visuals and gameplay.
Battery
5.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 has 5 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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
14.4in
7.3 lbs
WEIGHT
4.0 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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
8.5
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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
$1,700
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 has a price of $1,100 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio costs $1,700.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.8
7.4
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
301.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
491.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
5.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio are both good for general use.
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 excels with a strong CPU and more storage for demanding tasks and media, but it's heavier with less battery life, making it less portable than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio, which offers a sharp, touchscreen display with flexible hinge design, making it more versatile and easier to carry with better battery performance for on-the-go use.
Content Creation
7.8
7.4
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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
5.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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 Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m17 R5 | Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,100 | $1,700 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2022 | September 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.6'' x 11.8'' x 1.05'' | 12.7'' x 9'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 7.3 lbs | 4 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.64" | 12.72" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.76" | 8.98" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 6800H | Intel i7-11370H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 5 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 97 Wh | 58 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 14.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2400 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 480Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 301 nits | 491 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.5/10 | 7.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 6.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 0 | |
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."
Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
See more
Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Tom Brant | October 2021
"There’s no doubt that the Surface Laptop Studio is groundbreaking. We’ve come to expect such things from the Surface lineup, so it’s always nice to see a product that exceeds our expectations. The pull-forward laptop-screen concept has been tried before, but never in a device that’s so stylish and packed with innovative features like a haptic touchpad and robust digital stylus support."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m17 R5 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
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 Microsoft
Microsoft is an American technology corporation. Microsoft is best known for their Windows operating system and Surface laptop series. The Surface Laptop is their standard notebook offering, while their Surface Go, Surface Pro, and Surface Studio are their 2-in-1/tablet offerings in order of increasing capability. Although Microsoft charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a well integrated and packaged device since Microsoft develops the Windows operating system.
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About the laptop team
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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