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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 offers top-tier performance ideal for intensive gaming, 3D modeling, and engineering tasks, with more storage, higher RAM, and a more powerful GPU, but it is much more expensive and less portable. On the other hand, the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is more wallet-friendly, with decent capabilities for general use and some gaming, better battery life, and easier to carry, but it falls short in high-demand tasks and has less storage and RAM. For heavy-duty applications and if budget isn't a concern, go for the Alienware; for everyday usage and casual gaming, the IdeaPad presents a cost-effective choice. 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 overall build quality
- Very good speakers
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3
- Good portability
- Good battery life
Key differences
General Use
8.2
7.4
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
281.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
329.0 nits
4.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
5.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is very good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is good.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 shines for general use due to its powerful CPU and abundant RAM, which ensure smooth multitasking and performance, and its screen offers higher resolution and color accuracy for better viewing experiences, but it's less portable and has shorter battery life compared to the Lenovo. Although the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is lighter and offers longer battery life, making it more portable, it has a less powerful CPU and less RAM, which could impact its ability to handle demanding tasks as efficiently, and a lower-quality screen in terms of resolution and color accuracy.
Gaming and AI
9.1
6.5
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is only fair.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 offers superior gaming and 3D performance with a high-end Nvidia RTX 4080 GPU and a higher screen refresh rate of 165 Hz, which are crucial for smooth, detailed visuals in intensive gaming scenarios, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3, with its Nvidia RTX 2050 GPU and a lower 120 Hz screen refresh rate, provides a fair experience suitable for less demanding games.
Engineering and Design
9.1
7.2
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is good.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 excels in engineering and design due to its more powerful Intel i9 processor, substantial 32GB of RAM, and advanced Nvidia RTX 4080 GPU which together offer exceptional performance for demanding tasks, along with an excellent 17.3-inch high-resolution display for clear and detailed visuals. In contrast, the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3, while still capable with its AMD Ryzen 7 processor and Nvidia RTX 2050 GPU, offers less RAM and a lower screen resolution, making it a more budget-friendly option with moderate performance for less intensive engineering and design work.
Content Creation
8.4
7.4
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is very good for content creation, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 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
7.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is very good for software development, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 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
7.2
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
281.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
329.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, both the Dell Alienware m18 R1 and Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 have panels with ample resolution and brightness, making them clear and easy on the eyes for everyday tasks like browsing and video streaming. Engineers and designers would appreciate their wide color gamuts, ensuring accurate color representation necessary for professional design work. However, gamers might find the screens lacking due to lower refresh rates, which means less fluid motion and potential disadvantages in fast-paced gaming environments where every millisecond counts.
Battery
4.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has 4 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has 8 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
5.1 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 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
7.2
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has very good build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,600
$549
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has a price of $2,600 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 costs $549.
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How the Dell Alienware m18 R1 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m18 R1 | Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,600 | $549 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2022 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 16.2'' x 12.6'' x 1.05'' | 14.2'' x 10.5'' x 0.86'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 8.9 lbs | 5.1 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 16.15" | 14.16" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 12.59" | 10.49" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-13900HX | AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 8 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 | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 97 Wh | 60 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 | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 281 nits | 329 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.1/10 | 7.1/10 | |
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 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
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 | 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 IdeaPad Gaming 3
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Florian Glaser | October 2022
"The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is one of the most powerful RTX 3050 Ti laptops. If you disregard the mediocre quality of the case in terms of the material and workmanship, Lenovo has created a successful budget gaming laptop with the IdeaPad Gaming. Thanks to high TDPs and constant performance development, the Core i5-12500H and GeForce RTX 3050 Ti are able to show their full power, while in contrast, the (mostly slower) competitors deliver a better battery life. However, hardly any of the alternative laptops are able to reach the image quality of the Gaming 3. Most of the competitors are left behind in terms of the color space and brightness."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m18 R1 or the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3
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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