The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is a powerhouse suited for gaming or intensive software tasks, offering superior graphics and processing speeds at the expense of portability and battery life; whereas, the Dell Latitude 5330 2-in-1 is more budget-friendly, lightweight, and versatile, with better battery life, making it ideal for general use or business professionals who need something for on-the-go work, but it's less suitable for performance-heavy tasks. Consider how you'll use your laptop most and whether the added performance or the convenience and savings are more important for your needs. 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 2-in-1
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
8.7/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is very good for general use, while the Dell Latitude 5330 2-in-1 is good.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1, with its high-performance CPU and ample RAM, ensures smooth multitasking and gaming, coupled with a superior screen quality for an immersive experience, yet it's less portable and has a shorter battery life compared to slimmer laptops. On the other hand, the Dell Latitude 5330 2-in-1 offers good CPU and RAM for everyday tasks, better portability, and longer battery life, making it suitable for on-the-go use, but it might not handle intensive tasks as well as the Alienware.
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 2-in-1 is only fair.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1, with its high-end GPU and rapid screen refresh rate, excels in gaming and 3D applications, providing smooth and immersive visual performance that demanding programs require. Meanwhile, the Dell Latitude 5330 2-in-1, while having a serviceable CPU and decent screen quality, falls short in gaming and 3D tasks due to a less powerful GPU and a lower screen refresh rate, resulting in less fluid graphics and slower response times.
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 2-in-1 is only fair.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1, with a more powerful CPU, larger RAM, and a superior GPU, excels in demanding engineering applications and offers a higher-quality screen for detailed work, which is crucial for design and engineering tasks. Meanwhile, the Dell Latitude 5330 2-in-1 is lighter and more portable with a decent keyboard, making it suitable for general engineering tasks on the go, but it falls short on intensive graphics tasks due to its less powerful GPU.
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 2-in-1 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 2-in-1 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.
For general use, the Dell Alienware m18 R1 provides crisp visuals and vibrant colors due to its high resolution and brightness, making it pleasant for everyday tasks, while the Latitude's fair screen implies decent performance without the extra clarity and brightness. In engineering and design, the Alienware's display covers broader color gamuts ensuring accuracy for professional creative work, whereas the Latitude offers only satisfactory color reproduction. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the Alienware's lower refresh rate can hinder the experience, which relies heavily on smooth motion, something that a high refresh rate display can greatly enhance, even though the Latitude similarly falls short in this aspect.
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
2.9 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell Latitude 5330 2-in-1 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 2-in-1 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,600
$600
$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 2-in-1 costs $600.
"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 2-in-1
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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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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