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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 offers superior performance for tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering, accompanied by higher storage and RAM, making it suitable for intensive gaming and demanding applications; however, it comes with a higher price point and is less portable due to its weight. On the other hand, the Gigabyte A7 is more affordable and lighter, making it easier to carry around, but with its lower-end processor and GPU, it may not handle demanding tasks as effectively. Battery life is comparable, but for those needing to perform heavy-duty tasks and willing to invest more, the Alienware is the recommended choice. 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
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Gigabyte A7
- The Gigabyte A7 has no clear advantages over the Dell Alienware m18 R1.
Key differences
General Use
8.2
7.3
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
281.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
318.0 nits
4.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
5.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.0/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is very good for general use, while the Gigabyte A7 is good.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 outshines with a superior CPU and more RAM, enhancing its speed and multitasking capabilities, paired with a higher resolution screen for clearer images, albeit it's less portable and has a lower battery life compared to the Gigabyte A7, which offers moderate performance suitable for general tasks and greater ease of carrying, with a smaller storage capacity and less impressive screen quality.
Gaming and AI
9.1
7.3
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.3/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Gigabyte A7 is good.
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
7.6
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.3/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Gigabyte A7 is good.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 stands out for engineering and design due to its highly robust CPU and GPU, large memory and storage, coupled with a higher resolution display that promises better screen quality; factors that are critical for demanding tasks like simulations or complex design work.
Content Creation
8.4
7.3
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
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 Gigabyte A7 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
7.0
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is very good for software development, while the Gigabyte A7 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
7.3
17.3in
SIZE
17.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
281.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
318.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has a better screen than the Gigabyte A7 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
If you prioritize vibrant colors and crisp text for activities like browsing, document editing, or watching videos, both the Dell Alienware m18 R1 and the Gigabyte A7 have the high resolution and brightness necessary for general use. Engineers and designers will appreciate the wide color representation in both models, assisting in accurate visual work like CAD or photo editing due to their adherence to professional color standards. However, for high-speed gaming or 3D rendering that rely on fluid motion, neither laptop is optimal as they lack the high refresh rates that can significantly enhance the visual experience by making gameplay smoother and more responsive.
Portability
Poor
Fair
17.3in
SIZE
17.3in
8.9 lbs
WEIGHT
5.5 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
1.1in
The Gigabyte A7 has only fair portability, while the Dell Alienware m18 R1 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5
7.2
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has very good build quality, while the Gigabyte A7 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,600
$940
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has a price of $2,600 and the Gigabyte A7 costs $940.
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Key similarities
Battery
4.0 Hours
4.5 Hours
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has 4 hours of battery life. The Gigabyte A7 has 4.5 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.
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How the Dell Alienware m18 R1 and the Gigabyte A7 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m18 R1 | Gigabyte A7 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,600 | $940 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2022 | February 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 16.2'' x 12.6'' x 1.05'' | 15.6'' x 10.3'' x 1.19'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 8.9 lbs | 5.58 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 16.15" | 15.59" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 12.59" | 10.31" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-13900HX | AMD Ryzen 7 5800H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 4 Hours | 4.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 97 Wh | 49 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 281 nits | 318 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.1/10 | 6/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 4 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 4 | 3 | |
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."
Gigabyte A7
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Mike Wobker | October 2021
"In terms of looks, the Gigabyte A7 X1 is certainly not a trendy, slim, and ultra-mobile gaming laptop. But it does what it's supposed to do, namely bringing games smoothly onto the screen, very well. Both the processor and the GeForce RTX 3070 are able to unleash their performance without restrictions thanks to the well-ventilated case. The Gigabyte A7 X1 brings modern games smoothly onto the screen and offers excellent maintenance options."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m18 R1 or the Gigabyte A7
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 Gigabyte
Gigabyte is a Taiwanese computer hardware manufacturer. While Gigabyte mainly focuses its business on desktop hardware, Gigabyte is known for its value-oriented G series laptops, thin and light Aero series, and performance-oriented Aorus series. Gigabyte laptops offer a strong value proposition to compete with mainstream alternatives.
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