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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is a high-end, expensive choice with superior performance for intensive tasks like gaming and engineering, featuring more RAM and a robust processor. However, it's heavier and has lower portability compared to the HP Omen 17, which has a midrange price and still offers solid performance with a good balance for general, 3D, and engineering needs. Both have large screens and similar GPUs for graphic-intensive tasks, but the Omen is lighter, hence easier to carry around. If budget is less of a concern and maximum performance is the goal, the Alienware could be preferable, while the Omen offers good value and easier mobility. 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
- Very good for software development
- Very good overall build quality
Advantages of the HP Omen 17
- The HP Omen 17 has no clear advantages over the Dell Alienware m18 R1.
Key differences
Screen Quality
7.8
7.9
17.3in
SIZE
17.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
281.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
350.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has a better screen than the HP Omen 17 for software development, and content creation, while the HP Omen 17 has a better screen for general use, and gaming and AI.
For general use, the Dell Alienware m18 R1 offers a well-balanced screen with suitable resolution and brightness but may fall short in refresh rates important for gaming, while the HP Omen 17's impressive resolution and brightness enhance the viewing experience for everyday tasks. In engineering and design, both laptops deliver decent color accuracy and range, vital for precision work, although they might not hit the highest color standards sought by professionals. Gamers and 3D designers, however, might find both laptops' screens lacking due to the lower refresh rates, which are crucial for smooth motion and detailed fast-paced graphics.
Portability
Poor
Fair
17.3in
SIZE
17.3in
8.9 lbs
WEIGHT
6.1 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The HP Omen 17 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
7.4
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has very good build quality, while the HP Omen 17 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,600
$2,099
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has a price of $2,600 and the HP Omen 17 costs $2,099.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.2
7.8
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
281.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
350.0 nits
4.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.5 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
5.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Alienware m18 R1 to be very good for general use, while the HP Omen 17 is good.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
9.1
9.0
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.8/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 and HP Omen 17 are both excellent for gaming and AI.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent for gaming and 3D work primarily because it is equipped with a high-end GPU, the Nvidia RTX 4080, and a high screen refresh rate of 165Hz, which pair up to provide smooth and visually stunning gaming experiences. Meanwhile, the HP Omen 17 is very good for similar tasks with the same powerful GPU and identical screen refresh rate but falls slightly behind due to having a less powerful CPU compared to the Dell's, although it still delivers robust performance for most gaming and 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
9.1
8.8
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.8/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Alienware m18 R1 to be excellent for engineering and design, while the HP Omen 17 is very good.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
8.4
8.0
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 and HP Omen 17 are both very good for content creation.
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
7.7
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
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 Omen 17 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.
Battery
4.0 Hours
3.5 Hours
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has 4 hours of battery life. The HP Omen 17 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 HP Omen 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m18 R1 | HP Omen 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,600 | $2,099 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2022 | June 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 16.2'' x 12.6'' x 1.05'' | 15.6'' x 10.3'' x 1.06'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 8.9 lbs | 6.17 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 16.15" | 15.64" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 12.59" | 10.32" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-13900HX | Intel i7-13700HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 4 Hours | 3.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 97 Wh | 83 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 2560 x 1440 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 281 nits | 350 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.4/10 | |
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 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
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 | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 4 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 4 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
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 Omen 17
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NotebookCheck
Marc Herter | September 2022
"The HP Omen 17 (2022) gaming laptop has a stylish case and hardware with lots of potential. The HP Omen 17 is a fairly unobtrusive gaming laptop. A material combination of plastic and metal gives the case a high stability and a quality surface feel. The unspectacular design is pleasing and is hardly indicative of the laptop's high performance potential. The Intel Core i7-12700H in particular is able to perform well once again. The Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 Ti is also strong in the gaming notebook. Demanding games run smoothly in Full HD resolution. The HP Omen 17 is a good gaming laptop that delivers partly excellent performance. But even at this performance level, cheaper alternatives are available."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m18 R1 or the HP Omen 17
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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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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