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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is a high-end laptop with a large screen, high storage, and powerful processor and GPU, suited for gaming and intensive engineering tasks, but is expensive and heavy, making it less portable with a shorter battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" is more affordable, lighter, and has longer battery life, making it more portable for general use, but it has less storage, lower performance components, and is not as suited for demanding games or 3D/machine learning tasks. Choose the Alienware if you need top performance and can handle lower portability, or the IdeaPad for everyday tasks with better mobility and battery life. 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 IdeaPad 1 15"
- Good portability
- Very good battery life
Key differences
General Use
8.2
7.3
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
281.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
4.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
5.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is very good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" is good.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 excels in general use due to its powerful CPU, ample RAM, high-quality IPS screen with higher resolution, and robust speaker quality, but suffers from low portability and shorter battery life compared to the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15", which offers decent CPU performance, a fair amount of RAM, an IPS screen with standard resolution, better battery life, and portability. While the Lenovo is more travel-friendly and lasts longer on a charge, the Dell provides a more potent and visually richer experience for demanding tasks, despite being heavier and quicker to drain its battery.
Gaming and AI
9.1
6.1
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
9.5/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
9.1
6.6
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
32.0 GB
RAM
12.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" is only fair.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 stands out for engineering and design due to its high-performance CPU, larger RAM, and powerful GPU, which are crucial for demanding software, while also offering a superior screen with higher resolution and color accuracy. In comparison, the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has less impressive CPU and GPU capabilities and lower RAM, which might be sufficient for less intensive tasks but falls short for advanced engineering applications, although its lighter weight and longer battery life offer better portability.
Content Creation
8.4
7.4
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
32.0 GB
RAM
12.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is very good for content creation, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" 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
7.3
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
32.0 GB
RAM
12.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is very good for software development, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" 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
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
281.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1's screen offers high resolution and brightness, which enhances the clarity and detail for general use and engineering tasks, and its wide color gamut supports precise color work needed in engineering and design. However, its lower refresh rate makes it less ideal for gaming and 3D applications, where high refresh rates are critical for smooth motion. In contrast, the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has just fair screen attributes across the board, meaning it provides adequate screen quality for everyday tasks and some design work but falls short for high-end gaming and professional 3D rendering due to its average color range and refresh rate.
Battery
4.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has 4 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has 10 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
15.6in
8.9 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" 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 Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" 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
$741
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has a price of $2,600 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" costs $741.
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How the Dell Alienware m18 R1 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m18 R1 | Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,600 | $741 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2022 | March 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 16.2'' x 12.6'' x 1.05'' | 14.2'' x 9.3'' x 0.74'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 8.9 lbs | 3.57 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 16.15" | 14.18" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 12.59" | 9.29" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-13900HX | AMD Ryzen 7 5700U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 12 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 1 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 4 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 97 Wh | 42 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 15.6" | |
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 | 300 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.1/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 9.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 6/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
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 | 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 IdeaPad 1 15"
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Dig into reviews and images
LaptopMedia
Alex Iliev | April 2023
"The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" is affordable and pretty efficient. At the end of the day, the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 (15″, 2023) is one of the better affordable laptops money can buy right now. It has a decent performance, albeit coming from a CPU that is based on old architecture. Playing low-intensity games is possible but at low to medium settings. We are really happy with the cooling setup, but the main event here is the battery life. We got 9 hours of either Web browsing or video playback, which is a great result. Especially if you compare this device with the ASUS E410."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m18 R1 or the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15"
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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