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Updated January 10, 2024·
For choosing between the Dell Alienware m18 R1 and the Lenovo Flex 5 14, consider the following: if you need a laptop for gaming or intensive tasks, the Alienware will provide stronger performance, but it will also be heavier and possibly more expensive. On the other hand, the Lenovo Flex 5 is more affordable, with good performance for everyday tasks and a flexible 2-in-1 design, making it portable and versatile for general use. Battery life may be better on the Lenovo due to less power-intensive components. If you often travel or need a machine for light work and media consumption, the Lenovo Flex 5 is likely the better option. If you require a machine for high-end gaming or demanding software engineering tasks, the Dell Alienware may be the better bet despite its higher cost and reduced portability. 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 Lenovo Flex 5 14
- Very good portability
- Very good battery life
Key differences
General Use
8.2
7.7
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
281.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
277.0 nits
4.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
11.5 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
5.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.3/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is very good for general use, while the Lenovo Flex 5 14 is good.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 offers a powerful Intel i9 processor, generous RAM, and a high-quality screen, which together provide robust performance suitable for demanding tasks, but its large size and shorter battery life make it less portable. Conversely, the Lenovo Flex 5 14, with its efficient AMD Ryzen processor and adequate RAM, offers good general performance with a longer battery life and touch-enabled screen in a more compact, convertible form factor, enhancing its portability and versatility for everyday use.
Gaming and AI
9.1
6.2
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
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
7.5/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo Flex 5 14 is only fair.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 excels in gaming and 3D due to its powerful Nvidia RTX 4080 graphics card and a high screen refresh rate of 165 Hz, which provide smoother visuals and better performance for graphically intensive tasks. In contrast, the Lenovo Flex 5 14 has a more modest integrated AMD Ryzen Vega 8 GPU and a standard screen refresh rate of 60 Hz, making it fine for less demanding gaming and 3D applications, but not on par with the Dell for high-end gaming experiences.
Engineering and Design
9.1
7.0
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 Lenovo Flex 5 14 is good.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 excels in engineering and design due to its powerful Intel i9 processor, ample 32GB of RAM, and high-end Nvidia RTX 4080 GPU, which together provide superior performance for demanding tasks and renderings, although it's less portable and has a shorter battery life.
Content Creation
8.4
7.6
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
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 Lenovo Flex 5 14 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
7.4
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is very good for software development, while the Lenovo Flex 5 14 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
6.4
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
281.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
277.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has a better screen than the Lenovo Flex 5 14 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 offers superior resolution and brightness, which enhances the visual experience for general use and detailed engineering work, and it covers a wider range of colors, vital for accuracy in design tasks. However, its lower refresh rate might not provide the smoothest experience in high-paced gaming or 3D rendering. The Lenovo Flex 5 14, with its fair screen resolution and brightness, might be adequate for everyday activities and some engineering, but its limited color range and refresh rate make it less suitable for professional design applications and less enjoyable for gaming or 3D applications.
Battery
4.0 Hours
11.5 Hours
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has 4 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Flex 5 14 has 11.5 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
3.4 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Lenovo Flex 5 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
7.0
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has very good build quality, while the Lenovo Flex 5 14 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,600
$950
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has a price of $2,600 and the Lenovo Flex 5 14 costs $950.
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How the Dell Alienware m18 R1 and the Lenovo Flex 5 14 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m18 R1 | Lenovo Flex 5 14 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,600 | $950 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2022 | December 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 16.2'' x 12.6'' x 1.05'' | 12.3'' x 8.9'' x 0.7'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 8.9 lbs | 3.42 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 16.15" | 12.32" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 12.59" | 8.85" | |
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 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 4 Hours | 11.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 97 Wh | 52.5 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 | 277 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7/10 | |
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 | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 6/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
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 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
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."
Lenovo Flex 5 14
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | May 2021
"The highlight of the latest IdeaPad Flex 5 14 is clearly its AMD CPU. The octa-core Ryzen 7 5700U is insanely fast even when compared to the best Tiger Lake Ultrabooks in the market or even Core H CPUs in many gaming laptops. It's a lot of raw processing power for what is supposed to be a budget 14-inch convertible. If your daily workloads can benefit from extra multi-thread CPU performance, then look no further than the inexpensive AMD-powered Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 14. For regular on-the-road browsing or video streaming, however, a slimmer and lighter 10th gen Core Yoga, Spectre, or XPS would be a more balanced option."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m18 R1 or the Lenovo Flex 5 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 Lenovo
Lenovo is a Chinese technology company, and one of the largest personal computer vendor. They are well known for a variety of technology products, including laptops. Their consumer series include their entry level IdeaPad and LOQ series and mid-to-high-end Yoga and Legion series. On the business-oriented side, their series include their entry-level ThinkBook series and mid-to-high-end ThinkPad series. Lenovo laptops offer strong performance for reasonable prices, and are often on sale.
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