A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
Last updated -- hours ago | Report incorrect information
Company ProductName Specs
Company ProductName Specs
What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 stands out for its gaming capabilities with a high-end graphics card, greater storage, and a larger display, making it well-suited for intensive gaming, 3D rendering, and machine learning tasks. However, it's significantly more expensive, heavier, and has a shorter battery life, compromising its portability. On the other hand, the Dell Precision 5470 is less expensive, lighter, and offers a longer battery life, targeting professional use with a balanced performance for engineering and general tasks. It's highly portable with a smaller screen size but lacks the gaming prowess of the Alienware model. Consider the Precision 5470 if mobility, battery life, and cost are your priorities, and the Alienware m18 R1 if you need top-tier performance for demanding applications and 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 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
Advantages of the Dell Precision 5470
- Very good portability
- Good battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
9.1
6.7
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
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 Precision 5470 is only fair.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 outperforms for gaming and 3D tasks largely because it contains a more powerful Nvidia RTX 4080 GPU and has a higher screen refresh rate of 165Hz, compared to the Dell Precision 5470, which comes with a less robust Nvidia RTX A1000 GPU and a standard refresh rate of 60Hz. The Alienware's GPU is better suited for the demands of high-frame-rate gaming and 3D rendering, and its faster refresh rate will translate to smoother on-screen motion during gameplay and animation, while the Precision's capabilities, though suitable for some gaming and 3D work, are oriented more towards general professional use.
Engineering and Design
9.1
7.8
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.5/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Dell Precision 5470 is good.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 excels in engineering and design due to its superior CPU, larger amount of RAM, and more powerful GPU, alongside a high-quality display, which are crucial for demanding tasks, but it sacrifices portability and has a lower-quality keyboard compared to the Dell Precision 5470.
Content Creation
8.4
7.8
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
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 Precision 5470 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.
Screen Quality
7.8
7.3
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
281.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
500.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has a better screen than the Dell Precision 5470 for gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
If you value a display that’s vibrant and clear for everyday tasks like browsing and watching videos, both the Dell Alienware m18 R1 and the Dell Precision 5470 offer displays which have respectably high resolution and brightness, suiting general use well. For engineering and design, where color accuracy is crucial, these laptops boast panels that cover a broad spectrum of colors, making them apt for professional creative work. However, for gamers and those engaged in 3D work where fluid motion is key, the lower refresh rates on these models may result in less smooth visuals compared to laptops with high refresh rate screens.
Battery
4.0 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has 4 hours of battery life. The Dell Precision 5470 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
14.0in
8.9 lbs
WEIGHT
3.2 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell Precision 5470 has very good portability, while the Dell Alienware m18 R1 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$2,600
$1,669
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has a price of $2,600 and the Dell Precision 5470 costs $1,669.
Let Us Help Find Your Perfect Laptop
Find your new laptop
Key similarities
General Use
8.2
7.7
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
281.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
500.0 nits
4.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
5.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.4/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Alienware m18 R1 to be very good for general use, while the Dell Precision 5470 is good.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 excels in general use mainly due to its more powerful CPU and higher RAM, making it suitable for demanding tasks and multitasking, although its larger size and lower battery life reduce portability. In contrast, the Dell Precision 5470, while also good for general use, balances performance and portability with a less potent CPU, less RAM but a smaller, lighter build, and longer battery life, proving advantageous for users who prioritize mobility and battery duration over top-tier performance.
Software Development
8.0
7.7
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Alienware m18 R1 to be very good for software development, while the Dell Precision 5470 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.
Build Quality
8.5
8.5
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 and Dell Precision 5470 both have very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Dell Alienware m18 R1 and the Dell Precision 5470 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m18 R1 | Dell Precision 5470 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,600 | $1,669 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2022 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 16.2'' x 12.6'' x 1.05'' | 12.2'' x 8.3'' x 0.74'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 8.9 lbs | 3.26 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 16.15" | 12.22" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 12.59" | 8.27" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-13900HX | Intel i7-12700H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 4 Hours | 9 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 97 Wh | 72 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 281 nits | 500 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.1/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | Yes | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 4 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 4 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 4 | 4 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
Shopping
Dell Alienware m18 R1
See more
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 Precision 5470
See more
Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Brian Westover | August 2022
"The Dell Precision 5470 is a mobile workstation that's far more portable than most alternatives. Between its slim 14-inch design and top-quality MIL-STD 810H build, it's one of the best options around for taking professional-grade performance on the road or to the job site. There are tradeoffs for its portability, and users of the most demanding, graphics-intensive applications will need to carry something heavier. But the Dell's exceptional battery life underscores its desirability as the most portable workstation we've seen."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m18 R1 or the Dell Precision 5470
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.
Give feedback
We're constantly perfecting our model
Laptop guides you might be interested in
More comparisons for you
Compare Dell Alienware m18 R1 vs. ASUS ROG Strix G18 (2024)
VS
Compare Dell Alienware m18 R1 vs. Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023)VS
Compare Dell Alienware m18 R1 vs. Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023)VS
Compare Dell Precision 5470 vs. Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023)
VS
Compare Dell Precision 5470 vs. ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14VS
Compare Dell Precision 5470 vs. Acer Predator Helios 16VS
FAQs
FAQs about laptops
Why trust us
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
171,195
Recommendations made
37,093
Consumer hours saved
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.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
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.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.
Featured in
