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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
For gaming, 3D rendering, or intensive engineering tasks, the Dell Alienware m18 R1 excels due to its powerful processor and graphics card, but with this performance comes a significant increase in weight and a short battery life that affects portability. On the other hand, the HP EliteBook 845 G9 offers a balance suitable for general use and professional tasks; it's lighter, offers a longer battery life for better portability, and is less expensive, yet it won't handle heavy gaming or complex 3D tasks as well as the Alienware. The choice depends on whether you prioritize high performance for demanding applications or portability and battery life for everyday use and travel. 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 speakers
Advantages of the HP EliteBook 845 G9
- Very good portability
- Very good battery life
Key differences
Gaming and AI
9.1
6.3
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
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 EliteBook 845 G9 is only fair.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 excels in gaming and 3D applications due to its powerful Nvidia RTX 4080 graphics card and a high screen refresh rate of 165Hz, which is ideal for fluid visuals in fast-paced games. In comparison, the HP EliteBook 845 G9 has a less capable AMD Radeon 660M GPU and a standard refresh rate of 60Hz, making it less suitable for demanding gaming and 3D tasks.
Engineering and Design
9.1
7.2
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.3/10
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent for engineering and design, while the HP EliteBook 845 G9 is good.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 exceeds in engineering and design use due to its superior Intel i9 CPU, substantial RAM, and high-performance Nvidia RTX GPU, which are critical for demanding tasks requiring powerful processing and rendering capabilities, along with a quality screen; however, its size and weight hamper portability.
Content Creation
8.4
7.6
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.3/10
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 HP EliteBook 845 G9 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
7.1
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
281.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
402.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has a better screen than the HP EliteBook 845 G9 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 and HP EliteBook 845 G9 both boast displays with high resolution and brightness, ensuring crisp, clear images for everyday tasks and detailed visuals for engineering and design work. Their screens cover a broad spectrum of colors, catering to professionals who need accurate color representation for projects involving graphics, video, or photography. However, for gaming and 3D applications where fast-paced action is the norm, both laptops fall short as their screens lack the high refresh rates required for smooth motion and gameplay.
Battery
4.0 Hours
12.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has 4 hours of battery life. The HP EliteBook 845 G9 has 12 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
3.0 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The HP EliteBook 845 G9 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
$740
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has a price of $2,600 and the HP EliteBook 845 G9 costs $740.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.2
7.7
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
281.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
402.0 nits
4.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
12.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
5.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.3/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Alienware m18 R1 to be very good for general use, while the HP EliteBook 845 G9 is good.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 excels in general use due to its higher performance components like a robust CPU, significant RAM, and superior graphics processing power, but it has lower portability and battery life, making it less ideal for on-the-go use.
Software Development
8.0
7.7
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.3/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Alienware m18 R1 to be very good for software development, while the HP EliteBook 845 G9 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
8.0
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 and HP EliteBook 845 G9 both have very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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How the Dell Alienware m18 R1 and the HP EliteBook 845 G9 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m18 R1 | HP EliteBook 845 G9 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,600 | $740 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2022 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 16.2'' x 12.6'' x 1.05'' | 12.4'' x 8.8'' x 0.76'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 8.9 lbs | 3.09 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 16.15" | 12.42" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 12.59" | 8.82" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-13900HX | AMD Ryzen 5 6650U | |
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 | 12 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 97 Wh | 51 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 | 402 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.1/10 | 8.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | Yes | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1440p | |
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 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
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."
HP EliteBook 845 G9
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sebastian Jentsch | July 2022
"The high-end version of the HP EliteBook 845 G9 with a Ryzen 9 PRO 6950HS, 32GB of RAM and a 1 TB SSD packs a lot of power, but is still quiet and cool enough to operate in noise-sensitive environments. Quiet, cool and drawing on a massive 40 watts from the APU at the same time, however, is not possible. The 14-incher only has a single-fan solution and it only just manages to keep an near unthrottled Ryzen 9 in check."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m18 R1 or the HP EliteBook 845 G9
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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