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Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize gaming or work with 3D rendering and machine learning, the Dell Alienware m18 R1 is a robust choice due to its high-end components and superior graphics card, but it's heavier and has a shorter battery life. On the other hand, the HP 17" Laptop is considerably more affordable and offers greater portability with a longer battery life, making it suitable for general use and moderate engineering tasks, although it may not handle intensive gaming or complex computational tasks as effectively. Both laptops offer sizable screens but the Dell model has a higher refresh rate and resolution, which can enhance visual experiences. 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 HP 17" Laptop
- Good portability
Key differences
General Use
8.2
7.3
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
281.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
287.0 nits
4.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.5 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.0/10
5.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.1/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is very good for general use, while the HP 17" Laptop is good.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1, with its high-end CPU, double the RAM, and a superior graphics card, excels in performance compared to the HP 17" Laptop, therefore offering a better experience for general use that may involve multitasking and demanding applications. However, it faces lower portability due to its higher weight and shorter battery life, whereas the HP 17" Laptop is lighter and slightly better in battery performance, making it a more practical option for mobile users.
Gaming and AI
9.1
6.2
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 HP 17" Laptop is only fair.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 leads in gaming and 3D tasks due to its high-performance Nvidia RTX 4080 GPU and faster screen refresh rate, which are crucial for smooth, detailed visual experiences. In contrast, the HP 17" Laptop employs a less powerful integrated AMD Ryzen 7 7730U Vega 8 GPU and has a standard refresh rate, which means it offers a fair performance under gaming and 3D loads but falls behind in fluidity and rendering quality.
Engineering and Design
9.1
6.8
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 HP 17" Laptop is only fair.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 surpasses the HP 17" Laptop in engineering and design tasks due to its superior Intel i9 processor, double the RAM, and a much more powerful Nvidia RTX GPU, along with a higher resolution and higher refresh rate screen, all of which contribute to faster processing and smoother visuals.
Content Creation
8.4
7.2
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 HP 17" Laptop 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
7.1
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
6.0/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is very good for software development, while the HP 17" Laptop 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
6.6
17.3in
SIZE
17.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
281.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
287.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has a better screen than the HP 17" Laptop for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use and engineering, the Dell Alienware m18 R1 with its high resolution and brightness, alongside wider color gamut support, provides crisp text and vibrant details vital for productivity and design precision. However, its lower refresh rate hampers gaming and 3D applications where fluid motion is key. The HP 17" Laptop, with its adequate resolution and brightness, offers sufficient quality for everyday tasks and some design work but lacks the color accuracy and refresh rate for high-end design and smooth gaming experiences.
Battery
4.0 Hours
5.5 Hours
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has 4 hours of battery life. The HP 17" Laptop has 5.5 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.
Portability
Poor
Good
17.3in
SIZE
17.3in
8.9 lbs
WEIGHT
4.5 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The HP 17" Laptop 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
6.0
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has very good build quality, while the HP 17" Laptop has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,600
$570
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has a price of $2,600 and the HP 17" Laptop costs $570.
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How the Dell Alienware m18 R1 and the HP 17" Laptop compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m18 R1 | HP 17" Laptop |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,600 | $570 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2022 | June 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 16.2'' x 12.6'' x 1.05'' | 15.8'' x 10.2'' x 0.81'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 8.9 lbs | 4.58 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 16.15" | 15.78" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 12.59" | 10.15" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-13900HX | AMD Ryzen 7 7730U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 4 Hours | 5.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 97 Wh | 41 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 | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 281 nits | 287 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.1/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 6/10 | |
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 | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 4 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
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."
HP 17" Laptop
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Francisco Lahoz | November 2022
"As far as starter laptops go, the HP Laptop 17 is a sound investment. Sure, it might not be the lightest of options, but what you get for the price is a well-rounded machine that fits multiple niches. Whether it be office duties that require you to multi-task between multiple programs, or study tasks in which you’ll spend hours browsing online, this laptop does it all. Plus, when it's time to unwind, you can watch your favorite shows or movies on a super-wide display. What's best of all is that you can do all this for about half a day on a single charge."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m18 R1 or the HP 17" Laptop
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 HP
HP, also known as Hewlett-Packard, is an American technology company that develops personal computers and computer peripherals. In the laptop industry, HP is known for its entry level Essential series laptops, its mid-range Pavilion, Envy, and Victus series, and high-end Omen and Spectre series, in addition to its business-oriented EliteBook, ProBook, and Dragonfly series laptops. HP laptops generally undercut other mainstream competitors in terms of price, placing itself as the value-oriented mainstream brand.
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