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Updated January 12, 2024·
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is significantly more expensive and targets gamers or professionals needing high performance, boasting top-tier processors and graphics. It's ideal for intensive tasks like gaming, 3D rendering, or machine learning. However, it's heavier and less portable than the Dell Inspiron 15 3511. The Inspiron, while much more affordable and portable, offers moderate performance suitable for everyday use like web browsing, office applications, and light media editing. Its battery life tends to be longer, but it's less equipped for demanding software. Consider the Alienware if high-end performance justifies the price for you; choose the Inspiron for general use with better mobility and value. 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 m18 R1
- Very good for general use
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Excellent for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 15 3511
- Good portability
- Good battery life
Key differences
General Use
8.2
7.6
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
281.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
230.0 nits
4.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.5 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
5.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.7/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is very good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 is good.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 stands out for general use due to its high-performance CPU and large RAM, making multitasking and demanding applications run smoothly, alongside a superior screen with better color coverage and resolution. Conversely, the Dell Inspiron 15 3511, while still good for general use, offers a lower-tier CPU, which is adequate for everyday tasks but less so for intensive processes, and a screen with lower color accuracy and resolution; however, it is more portable and has a slightly longer battery life.
Gaming and AI
9.1
6.2
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 is only fair.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 excels in gaming and 3D tasks with its high-end Nvidia RTX 4080 GPU and a screen capable of a high refresh rate, resulting in smooth graphics and responsive gameplay. In contrast, the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 is merely fair in these aspects due to its Intel Iris Xe graphics and a standard refresh rate screen, which offer competent but not high-end gaming performance.
Engineering and Design
9.1
7.0
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 is good.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 excels in engineering and design with a high-end CPU, abundant RAM, a powerful GPU and a high-quality screen, making it excellent for demanding tasks but less portable due to its size and weight. In contrast, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 also has plentiful RAM and a capable processor, its integrated graphics and lower screen quality make it less suited for intensive engineering tasks, though it offers better portability due to its lighter weight and smaller size.
Content Creation
8.4
7.5
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is very good for content creation, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 is good.
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
8.0
7.3
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is very good for software development, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 is good.
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
7.8
6.0
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
281.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
230.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 likely offers a higher resolution and superior panel type with adequate brightness, making visuals sharp and vibrant for general use and precise enough for engineering tasks where color accuracy is critical. However, its possibly lower refresh rate may not deliver the smooth motion desired for gaming and 3D work. In contrast, the Dell Inspiron 15 3511, with its fair screen quality, provides a balanced display for daily tasks and engineering design, but lacks the high refresh rate and advanced color gamut coverage, resulting in a less optimal experience for fast-paced gaming and color-intensive 3D applications.
Battery
4.0 Hours
6.5 Hours
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has 4 hours of battery life. The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 has 6.5 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
8.9 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 has good portability, while the Dell Alienware m18 R1 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5
6.2
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has very good build quality, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,600
$560
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has a price of $2,600 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 costs $560.
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How the Dell Alienware m18 R1 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m18 R1 | Dell Inspiron 15 3511 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,600 | $560 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2022 | January 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 16.2'' x 12.6'' x 1.05'' | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.74'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 8.9 lbs | 3.7 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 16.15" | 14.11" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 12.59" | 9.27" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-13900HX | Intel i5-1135G7 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 4 Hours | 6.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 97 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 281 nits | 230 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 6.3/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.1/10 | 7.8/10 | |
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 | 8.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 4 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 0 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 4 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
Dell Alienware m18 R1
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Matthew Buzzi | July 2023
"Dell's Alienware m18 delivers on its promises: This is a large, powerful gaming laptop with the premium flair and feel you expect from an expensive purchase. The drawbacks are really the price and battery life, which in context are reasonable. (We'd also like to see more ports on the laptop's sides.) This price tier exists for deep-pocketed enthusiasts, and if you’re considering anything in this range, the m18 isn’t an outlier. For the majority of shoppers, of course, all of these mighty 18-inch systems are likely too expensive."
Dell Inspiron 15 3511
See more
Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Zachary Cuevas | November 2021
"The Dell Inspiron 15 3000 (3511) is a solid, if unremarkable, 15-inch budget laptop. It improves on many of the issues we had with the previous 3505 model, and with the inclusion of Windows 11, the 3511 is already a step above its competition. The lack of a USB-C port, the subpar speakers, and the dim display are drawbacks to factor in, but it's still one of the better 15-inch budget laptops on the market, especially when you consider it's under $400."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m18 R1 or the Dell Inspiron 15 3511
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.
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