The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is a high-end, much more expensive choice with superior graphics, more storage, and stronger processing power, suited for intensive gaming and engineering tasks, but it is heavier and has lower battery life. Conversely, the Dell Latitude 5330 is much less expensive, lighter, and offers significantly longer battery life, making it a better option for general use and portability but with less suitability for demanding applications due to its less powerful processor and integrated graphics. 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 keyboard
Advantages of the Dell Latitude 5330
Very good portability
Good battery life
Key differences
General Use
8.2/10
7.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
281.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
286.0 nits
4.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
5.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.8/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is very good for general use, while the Dell Latitude 5330 is good.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 offers more RAM, a more powerful CPU, and a higher quality screen with better color coverage, making it well-suited for demanding tasks and visually intensive applications, although it's heavier and has shorter battery life, which affects portability. In contrast, the Dell Latitude 5330, while providing enough performance for everyday tasks with moderate RAM and CPU capabilities, excels in portability with its lighter weight and longer battery life, making it a better choice for users who prioritize mobility.
Gaming and AI
9.1/10
6.2/10
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
8.0/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Dell Latitude 5330 is only fair.
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
9.1/10
6.9/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Dell Latitude 5330 is only fair.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 excels in engineering and design largely because it is equipped with a high-end Intel i9 processor, a substantial amount of RAM, and a powerful Nvidia RTX 4080 GPU, complemented by a superior screen quality in terms of resolution, brightness, and color coverage, making it ideal for performance-heavy tasks.
Content Creation
8.4/10
7.4/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is very good for content creation, while the Dell Latitude 5330 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
8.0/10
7.3/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is very good for software development, while the Dell Latitude 5330 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
7.8/10
6.3/10
17.3in
SIZE
13.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
281.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
286.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has a better screen than the Dell Latitude 5330 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 likely has high resolution and brightness with a quality panel type providing sharp, clear images for general and engineering uses, but its lower refresh rate could be less suitable for the fast-paced visuals needed in gaming and 3D applications. The Dell Latitude 5330, being a more business-oriented machine, probably has moderate resolution and brightness, which is adequate for general tasks and basic engineering work but doesn't offer the wide color gamuts needed for precision design tasks. Meanwhile, its screen attributes, including the refresh rate, are not geared towards 3D applications where smooth motion and precise detail are crucial.
Battery
4.0 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has 4 hours of battery life. The Dell Latitude 5330 has 9 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
Very Good
17.3in
SIZE
13.3in
8.9 lbs
WEIGHT
2.6 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell Latitude 5330 has very good portability, while the Dell Alienware m18 R1 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5/10
7.4/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has very good build quality, while the Dell Latitude 5330 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,600
$590
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has a price of $2,600 and the Dell Latitude 5330 costs $590.
"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."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m18 R1 or the Dell Latitude 5330
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.
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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About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
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
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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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Laptops Expert
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