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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 offers significantly higher performance for tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering due to its stronger main processor and GPU. It also has a larger display, more storage, and more RAM, but it comes at a higher price and is less portable. The Gigabyte G5, while more affordable and portable, provides less power, which can limit performance in demanding applications. It is still suitable for gaming, but with its smaller screen size and battery, it may not suit extensive gaming sessions without access to power. If budget and portability are concerns, the G5 may be more appropriate, but if performance for high-end tasks matters the most, the Alienware m18 R1 is the better 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
- Good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Gigabyte G5
- Good portability
Key differences
General Use
8.2
7.1
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
281.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
248.0 nits
4.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.5 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
5.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is very good for general use, while the Gigabyte G5 is good.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 excels in general use due to its high-quality CPU and RAM, which contribute to robust performance, a superior screen for clear visuals, and effective heat management, although it is less portable and has shorter battery life. Conversely, the Gigabyte G5, while more portable and with longer battery life, offers fair performance for general use because it has a lower-quality CPU and screen, and may not handle heat as effectively.
Gaming and AI
9.1
7.3
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
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 G5 is good.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 excels in gaming and 3D applications due to its more powerful Nvidia RTX 4080 graphics card and higher screen refresh rate, enhancing visual performance and responsiveness. In contrast, the Gigabyte G5, while still good for gaming and 3D, has a less powerful Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU and a lower refresh rate, which may not deliver the same level of detail or fluidity in games.
Engineering and Design
9.1
7.6
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Gigabyte G5 is good.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 stands out for engineering and design tasks with its very high processing power, abundant RAM, and advanced graphics unit, coupled with a larger, high-resolution screen that ensures sharper images and a wider color gamut for more precise work.
Content Creation
8.4
7.2
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is very good for content creation, while the Gigabyte G5 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
6.8
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 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 G5 is only fair.
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
6.8
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
281.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
248.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has a better screen than the Gigabyte G5 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 are crucial for clarity and visibility in general use, and its color gamut coverage ensures accurate color representation for engineering and design tasks. However, for gaming and 3D applications where smooth motion is key, it falls short due to a lower refresh rate. The Gigabyte G5, while providing acceptable brightness and resolution for everyday tasks and sufficient color range for some design work, also does not cater well to gaming and 3D due to a similarly inadequate refresh rate.
Portability
Poor
Good
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
8.9 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Gigabyte G5 has good 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 G5 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,600
$868
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has a price of $2,600 and the Gigabyte G5 costs $868.
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Key similarities
Battery
4.0 Hours
3.5 Hours
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has 4 hours of battery life. The Gigabyte G5 has 3.5 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 G5 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m18 R1 | Gigabyte G5 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,600 | $868 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2022 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 16.2'' x 12.6'' x 1.05'' | 14.2'' x 9.4'' x 0.89'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 8.9 lbs | 4.19 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 16.15" | 14.2" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 12.59" | 9.4" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-13900HX | Intel i5-12500H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 8 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 | 3.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 97 Wh | 54 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 15.6" | |
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 | 248 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.1/10 | 7.4/10 | |
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 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 4 | 2 | |
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 G5
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Vaidyanathan Subramaniam | April 2023
"The Gigabyte G5 KE is a midrange gaming laptop that checks most boxes. Gigabyte makes good use of the Core i5-12500H and RTX 3060 Laptop GPU combo, and we find no untoward issues with overall performance. The dual-fan quad-heatpipe cooling arrangement does well to ensure that the underlying hardware doesn't throttle under load. That being said, the display is below par when compared to 2023 standards, especially when competing devices."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m18 R1 or the Gigabyte G5
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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