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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Alienware m18 R1, with its high-end price, offers a powerful Intel i9 processor, Nvidia RTX 4080 GPU, and more RAM, making it well-suited for the most intensive gaming and engineering tasks, but it is less portable and has a shorter battery life. On the other hand, the Lenovo Legion 5 Pro is more affordable and still delivers strong performance with an AMD Ryzen processor and Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU, suitable for gaming and general use, and it is more portable with a longer battery life, albeit with less RAM, which could affect multitasking and complex workflows. 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 Legion Pro 5
- Very good overall display quality
Key differences
Gaming and AI
9.1
8.4
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo Legion Pro 5 is very good.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has a superior GPU, the Nvidia RTX 4080, which is more powerful than the RTX 4070 in the Lenovo Legion Pro 5, making the Alienware better for gaming and 3D applications that demand high graphical performance. Both laptops have similar screen refresh rates and quality, with IPS screens and a 165Hz refresh rate, but the Alienware's edge in GPU processing power gives it an advantage for very intensive workloads.
Engineering and Design
9.1
8.5
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.3/10
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Lenovo Legion Pro 5 is very good.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 offers superior performance for engineering and design thanks to its more powerful Intel CPU and Nvidia GPU, which excel in demanding computational tasks and complex graphics rendering; however, it is heavier and less portable than the Lenovo Legion Pro 5, which still delivers very good performance with its AMD CPU and slightly less capable Nvidia GPU, but is more portable and can be carried around more easily. The Alienware's screen also has slightly lower brightness and color coverage compared to the Legion Pro 5, which may matter for design work where color accuracy is crucial, but the trade-off comes with better overall performance for engineering applications.
Content Creation
8.4
7.8
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.3/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
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 Legion Pro 5 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.
Screen Quality
7.8
8.0
17.3in
SIZE
16.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
281.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
340.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has a better screen than the Lenovo Legion Pro 5 for software development, and content creation, while the Lenovo Legion Pro 5 has a better screen for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
For general use, laptops like the Dell Alienware m18 R1 and Lenovo Legion Pro 5 are likely valued for their high-resolution displays and brightness which provide clear and vivid visuals, essential for browsing, office work, and multimedia consumption. Engineering and design professionals often prefer devices such as the Lenovo Legion Pro 5 because it likely has a wider color gamut coverage, offering more accurate color reproduction which is critical for tasks like photo editing and graphic design. However, for gaming and 3D applications where fast-paced visuals are the norm, both these laptops fall short due to their lower refresh rates, which can lead to less smooth motion and potentially affect the user experience during high-action scenes.
Portability
Poor
Fair
17.3in
SIZE
16.0in
8.9 lbs
WEIGHT
5.6 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 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 Lenovo Legion Pro 5 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,600
$1,320
$500
$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 Lenovo Legion Pro 5 costs $1,320.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.2
7.8
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
281.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
340.0 nits
4.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.5 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
5.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.6/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Alienware m18 R1 to be very good for general use, while the Lenovo Legion Pro 5 is good.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is rated very good for general use due to its higher RAM and top-tier CPU, offering excellent performance and screen quality, although it comes with less portability and potentially shorter battery life. The Lenovo Legion 5 Pro, while still good for general use, has less RAM and a slightly lower-tier CPU, which might limit performance, but offers better battery life and easier portability.
Software Development
8.0
7.6
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.3/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
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 Lenovo Legion Pro 5 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 Lenovo Legion Pro 5 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 Lenovo Legion Pro 5 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m18 R1 | Lenovo Legion Pro 5 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,600 | $1,320 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2022 | March 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 16.2'' x 12.6'' x 1.05'' | 14.3'' x 10.3'' x 0.97'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 8.9 lbs | 5.6 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 16.15" | 14.31" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 12.59" | 10.25" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-13900HX | AMD Ryzen 7 7745HX | |
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 | 80 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 281 nits | 340 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.1/10 | 6.6/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
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 | 4 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 4 | 3 | |
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 Legion Pro 5
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Mark Knapp | July 2023
"It doesn't quite match its Legion Pro 7i sibling as an Editors' Choice winner, but Lenovo's AMD-powered Legion Pro 5 Gen 8 is a stylish, well-built gaming laptop with solid performance at both 1080p and its sharper native resolution. It's cheaper than some comparably equipped machines and better than some similarly priced ones. That's a recipe for success, even without its frequent availability of discounts or sales. A brighter screen and longer battery life would be nice, but even as is the Legion Pro 5 earns a solid recommendation."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m18 R1 or the Lenovo Legion Pro 5
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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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.
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