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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated August 22, 2024·
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is a top-tier gaming laptop with exceptional performance for gaming, 3D rendering, and machine learning tasks, thanks to its powerful i9 processor and RTX 4080 graphics card. It has a high-resolution, color-accurate display with a fast refresh rate, making it ideal for intensive gaming and professional multimedia work. However, its large size, high weight, and premium price tag make it less portable and more expensive than the Lenovo LOQ 15i. On the other hand, the Lenovo LOQ 15i offers a more balanced approach suitable for general use and some gaming with its capable i7 processor and RTX 4060 GPU. It's more compact and lighter, making it a better choice for those who prioritize portability. While it doesn't match the Alienware's performance or display quality, it still provides a solid experience for everyday tasks and moderate gaming at a more affordable price point. The LOQ 15i also has a longer battery life, which is beneficial for users who need to work on the go without constant access to a power outlet. In summary, if you need the ultimate performance for demanding tasks and gaming, and portability is not a concern, the Alienware m18 R1 is the way to go. However, if you're looking for a more versatile and affordable laptop that can handle general tasks and some gaming while being easier to carry around, the Lenovo LOQ 15i would be the better 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 LOQ 15i
- Good battery life
Key differences
Gaming and AI
9.1
7.9
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo LOQ 15i is good.
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
8.2
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Lenovo LOQ 15i is very good.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
8.4
7.8
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
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 LOQ 15i 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
7.1
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
281.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
329.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has a better screen than the Lenovo LOQ 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
PerfectRec’s screen quality scores take into account various important factors that are relevant for different use cases.
Battery
4.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has 4 hours of battery life. The Lenovo LOQ 15 has 6 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
Fair
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
8.9 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Lenovo LOQ 15i 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 LOQ 15i has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,600
$1,080
$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 LOQ 15i costs $1,080.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.2
7.8
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
281.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
329.0 nits
4.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
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 LOQ 15i is good.
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.
Software Development
8.0
7.6
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Alienware m18 R1 to be very good for software development, while the Lenovo LOQ 15i 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.
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How the Dell Alienware m18 R1 and the Lenovo LOQ 15i compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m18 R1 | Lenovo LOQ 15i |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,600 | $1,080 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2022 | March 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 16.2'' x 12.6'' x 1.05'' | 14.2'' x 10.4'' x 0.99'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 8.9 lbs | 5.29 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 16.15" | 14.16" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 12.59" | 10.43" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-13900HX | Intel i7-13700H | |
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 | 6 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 | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 281 nits | 329 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.1/10 | 6.7/10 | |
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 | 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 | 3 | |
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 LOQ 15i
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Mark Knapp | August 2023
"Even after a short time with the LOQ 15, you'll find it has a lot going for it, but ultimately it's just "good"—not quite a star. The performance is respectable for the hardware it’s running, but Lenovo had to make some design sacrifices to trim the price. One of the better aspects is the keyboard, making it one of the better low-cost gaming laptops to actually put your hands on."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m18 R1 or the Lenovo LOQ 15i
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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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
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Recommendations made
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About the laptop team
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CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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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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