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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is a high-end, expensive option with powerful components like an Intel i9 processor and Nvidia RTX 4080 graphics, making it well-suited for intensive gaming and demanding tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering software. The Dell offers top performance but is heavier and less portable, while the Gateway is highly portable but not designed for high-performance tasks. 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 Gateway 11.6"
- Excellent portability
- Good battery life
Key differences
General Use
8.2
5.6
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
281.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
200.0 nits
4.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
5.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.1/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is very good for general use, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has a more powerful CPU and more RAM, which allows it to handle everyday tasks more efficiently and run multiple applications smoothly, whereas the Gateway 11.6" has lower screen quality, making it less suited for tasks requiring visual precision. Furthermore, the Alienware's larger battery typically offers longer usage time away from an outlet, but it's heavier and less portable than the compact Gateway.
Gaming and AI
9.1
5.4
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 excels in gaming and 3D due to its high-end Nvidia RTX 4080 GPU and a high screen refresh rate of 165 Hz, which provide superior graphics performance and smoother visuals. In contrast, the Gateway 11.6" falls short with an entry-level Intel UHD Graphics 600 GPU and a standard refresh rate of 60 Hz, delivering inadequate power and display fluidity for demanding gaming and 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
9.1
5.4
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
32.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is equipped with a powerful Intel i9 processor, a high-end Nvidia RTX GPU, ample RAM, and a superior screen resolution and quality, making it an excellent choice for engineering and design tasks that require intensive processing and graphics capabilities.
Content Creation
8.4
5.7
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
32.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is very good for content creation, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
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
5.7
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
32.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is very good for software development, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
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
5.7
17.3in
SIZE
11.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
281.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
200.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has a better screen than the Gateway 11.6" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 offers a high resolution and brightness which makes it suitable for general use, and its wide color gamuts ensure precise color representation for engineering and design tasks, but its lower refresh rate may not be optimal for fast-paced gaming or 3D applications. On the other hand, the Gateway 11.6" likely falls short with low resolution and brightness, resulting in less visual clarity and vibrancy for general activities, inadequate color range for professional design work, and a possibly sluggish refresh rate that would hinder 3D performance. The needs of the user for screen quality and performance will greatly influence the preference between these two laptops, weighing the finer image and color detail of the Alienware against the Gateway's limitations across all mentioned aspects.
Battery
4.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has 4 hours of battery life. The Gateway 11.6" 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
Excellent
17.3in
SIZE
11.6in
8.9 lbs
WEIGHT
2.6 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Gateway 11.6" has excellent portability, while the Dell Alienware m18 R1 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5
5.1
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has very good build quality, while the Gateway 11.6" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,600
$89
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has a price of $2,600 and the Gateway 11.6" costs $89.
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How the Dell Alienware m18 R1 and the Gateway 11.6" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m18 R1 | Gateway 11.6" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,600 | $89 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2022 | August 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 16.2'' x 12.6'' x 1.05'' | 11'' x 7.5'' x 0.7'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 8.9 lbs | 2.6 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 16.15" | 11" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 12.59" | 7.5" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-13900HX | Intel Celeron N4020 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 4 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 64 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 4 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 97 Wh | Unknown | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 11.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1366 x 768 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 281 nits | 200 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 5.1/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.1/10 | 9.2/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 5.3/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 6/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 4 | 2 | |
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."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m18 R1 or the Gateway 11.6"
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 Gateway
Gateway is a laptop and tablet brand owned by Acer which sells budget-friendly laptops exclusively through Walmart. It was previously an American computer company until its acquisition by Acer in 2007, who then revived the brand in 2020. Gateway laptops are manufactured by Chinese company Shenzhen Bmorn Technology, which also makes EVOO-branded models.
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