A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
Last updated -- hours ago | Report incorrect information
Company ProductName Specs
Company ProductName Specs
What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 12, 2024·
If you prioritize high performance for tasks like gaming, 3D rendering, or intensive engineering software, the Dell Alienware m18 R1 is an excellent choice, albeit at a higher price. It features powerful processors and graphics suitable for demanding applications. However, it is less portable due to its size and weight. Alternatively, if you seek a more budget-friendly, lightweight laptop for general web browsing, document editing, and streaming, the HP Stream 14" is more suitable. It offers basic performance with cost savings but is not ideal for performance-heavy tasks. Keep in mind that battery life may significantly differ, with the higher-performing laptops generally having shorter battery lifespans. 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 Stream 14"
- Very good portability
- Good battery life
Key differences
General Use
8.2
6.5
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
281.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
4.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.0/10
5.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.1/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is very good for general use, while the HP Stream 14" is only fair.
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
5.7
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent for gaming and AI, while the HP Stream 14" is poor.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is equipped with a top-of-the-line Nvidia RTX 4080 GPU and a high screen refresh rate suitable for smooth gaming and 3D rendering, whereas the HP Stream 14" has a basic Intel UHD Graphics 600 GPU and a lower screen refresh rate, making it less capable for such demanding tasks. The Alienware's superior CPU and screen quality further enhance gaming performance, while the HP Stream 14” is designed more for everyday tasks given its modest CPU and screen quality.
Engineering and Design
9.1
5.7
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.4/10
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent for engineering and design, while the HP Stream 14" is poor.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is well-suited for engineering and design because it features powerful components such as an Intel i9 processor, ample RAM, and a high-end Nvidia RTX GPU, along with a high-quality screen which is all essential for intensive tasks. In contrast, the HP Stream 14" is poorly suited due to its less capable Intel Celeron processor, lower amount of RAM, basic integrated graphics, and lower resolution screen which hinder its performance for demanding engineering software.
Content Creation
8.4
6.7
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.4/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is very good for content creation, while the HP Stream 14" is only fair.
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
6.5
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.4/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.0/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is very good for software development, while the HP Stream 14" 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
5.2
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
281.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has a better screen than the HP Stream 14" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has a high-resolution display with great brightness, making it well-suited for general tasks and detailed engineering work where clarity is key, plus it covers a wide color spectrum which is crucial for design accuracy. However, for gaming and 3D, its lower refresh rate can impair the smoothness of fast-paced visuals. In contrast, the HP Stream 14" suffers from lower resolution and brightness, resulting in subpar image quality across all uses, and it lacks the advanced color coverage and refresh rate needed for specialized tasks like engineering and gaming.
Battery
4.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has 4 hours of battery life. The HP Stream 14" has 7.5 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
Very Good
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
8.9 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The HP Stream 14" has very good portability, while the Dell Alienware m18 R1 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5
5.5
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has very good build quality, while the HP Stream 14" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,600
$299
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has a price of $2,600 and the HP Stream 14" costs $299.
Let Us Help Find Your Perfect Laptop
Find your new laptop
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Dell Alienware m18 R1 and the HP Stream 14" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m18 R1 | HP Stream 14" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,600 | $299 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2022 | January 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 16.2'' x 12.6'' x 1.05'' | 12.8'' x 8.9'' x 0.7'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 8.9 lbs | 3.5 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 16.15" | 12.76" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 12.59" | 8.86" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-13900HX | Intel Celeron N4120 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 320 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 4 Hours | 7.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 97 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | TN | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1366 x 768 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 281 nits | 220 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 5.6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.1/10 | 8.2/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 8.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 6/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
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
See more
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 Stream 14"
See more
Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Zachary Cuevas | November 2021
"With half of the main system memory and a fraction of the storage that we recommend in any budget Windows laptop, the HP Stream 14 does not impress. Perhaps it doesn't need to, depending on your reference point. For the price, you're getting a functional laptop with Windows 10, which already places the HP Stream 14 above most Chromebooks on that merit alone. Still, in this price range, you can't do much worse, but you can do better. In fact, for just $100 more, you can grab the much superior budget option, the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m18 R1 or the HP Stream 14"
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.
Give feedback
We're constantly perfecting our model
Laptop guides you might be interested in
More comparisons for you
Compare Dell Alienware m18 R1 vs. ASUS ROG Strix G18 (2024)
VS
Compare Dell Alienware m18 R1 vs. Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023)
VS
Compare Dell Alienware m18 R1 vs. Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023)
VS
Compare HP Stream 14" vs. Acer Aspire Go 15
VS
Compare HP Stream 14" vs. Acer Aspire 5 15
VS
Compare HP Stream 14" vs. ASUS Zenbook 14
VS
FAQs
FAQs about laptops
Why trust us
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
130,995
Recommendations made
28,383
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.
Featured in
