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Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize gaming, the Dell Alienware m18 R1 offers top-tier performance and is built for intensive gaming but is less portable and more expensive. On the other hand, the Lenovo Slim 7 16 is more affordable, slimmer, and lighter, making it better suited for general use and portability, though it has less powerful hardware for gaming and engineering tasks. Choose the Alienware if gaming and performance are your main concerns and you don't mind the extra weight and cost. Opt for the Lenovo if mobility, price, and adequate performance for everyday tasks are more important to you. 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 Slim 7 16
- Very good overall display quality
- Good portability
- Good battery life
Key differences
General Use
8.2
7.7
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
281.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
500.0 nits
4.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.5 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
5.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is very good for general use, while the Lenovo Slim 7 16 is good.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1, with its higher RAM and a more powerful CPU, delivers superior performance over the Lenovo Slim 7 16, making it very good for general use including multitasking and demanding applications. However, the Lenovo offers greater portability and longer battery life, making it a good choice for users who prioritize mobility and longer usage away from power outlets, but it may not perform as well with intensive tasks.
Gaming and AI
9.1
6.6
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.3/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
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 Slim 7 16 is only fair.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is superior for gaming and 3D applications primarily due to its more powerful Nvidia RTX 4080 GPU and higher screen refresh rate, which result in better graphical performance and smoother visuals. In contrast, the Lenovo Slim 7 16 has a less potent Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU and the same screen refresh rate but may not perform as well in the same tasks because of the less capable graphics unit.
Engineering and Design
9.1
7.5
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.2/10
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.3/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Lenovo Slim 7 16 is good.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 stands out for engineering and design primarily due to its high-end Intel i9 CPU, substantial RAM, and powerful Nvidia RTX 4080 GPU, alongside a high-quality IPS screen, factors crucial for demanding computational tasks and graphical workloads. In comparison, the Lenovo Slim 7 16, while offering a capable AMD Ryzen 7 CPU and Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU, comes with less RAM and a similarly good IPS display, which makes it suitable for engineering and design but with less headroom for the most intensive applications.
Content Creation
8.4
7.6
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.2/10
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 Slim 7 16 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
8.3
17.3in
SIZE
16.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
281.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
500.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has a better screen than the Lenovo Slim 7 16 for software development, and content creation, while the Lenovo Slim 7 16 has a better screen for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 offers a high-resolution display with vibrant colors, making it suitable for general use and engineering tasks where detail and color accuracy are crucial. However, its lower refresh rate limits its appeal for gamers and 3D professionals who require smoother motion and faster screen responses. The Lenovo Slim 7 16 provides equally impressive resolution and color fidelity, appealing to users focused on general and engineering applications, but like the Alienware, the refresh rate isn't optimized for the high-speed visuals demanded in gaming and 3D modeling.
Battery
4.0 Hours
9.5 Hours
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has 4 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Slim 7 16 has 9.5 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
Good
17.3in
SIZE
16.0in
8.9 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Lenovo Slim 7 16 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
7.8
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has very good build quality, while the Lenovo Slim 7 16 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,600
$1,440
$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 Slim 7 16 costs $1,440.
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Key similarities
Software Development
8.0
7.6
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.2/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
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 Slim 7 16 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 Slim 7 16 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m18 R1 | Lenovo Slim 7 16 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,600 | $1,440 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2022 | June 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 16.2'' x 12.6'' x 1.05'' | 14'' x 9.7'' x 0.69'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 8.9 lbs | 4.6 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 16.15" | 14.01" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 12.59" | 9.68" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-13900HX | AMD Ryzen 7 6800HS | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 4 Hours | 9.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 97 Wh | 75 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 | 500 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.1/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
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 | 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 Slim 7 16
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Eric Grevstad | March 2022
"At $1,011, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7 Pro is a real bargain among full-sized laptops, with a handsome 16-inch, 16:10 aspect ratio touch screen, a speedy CPU, a comfortable keyboard, ample memory, and a roomy solid-state drive. It's not a blazing gaming rig or mobile workstation, but it doesn't pretend to be. Its biggest negative is that it may be hard to find—during our review, it sold out and was marked "Temporarily Unavailable" on Lenovo's site."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m18 R1 or the Lenovo Slim 7 16
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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