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What we think
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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is an expensive, high-end gaming laptop with a large 17.3-inch display, exceptional graphics performance and a robust processor, which makes it great for gaming, 3D rendering, and machine learning tasks. Its battery life, however, is shorter and due to its size and weight, it's less portable. Conversely, the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is more affordable and has a professional appearance, making it a good fit for business and engineering purposes. It features a higher resolution display and longer battery life, but it has a less powerful graphics card and a smaller screen, which means it's not as optimized for gaming or highly intensive graphical tasks as the Alienware but is more portable and suitable for general use and professional applications where a high degree of color accuracy is beneficial. 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
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Excellent for gaming and AI
Advantages of the Lenovo ThinkPad P16
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good battery life
- Excellent speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
9.1
6.9
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is only fair.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 outshines the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 in gaming and 3D applications mainly due to its superior Nvidia RTX 4080 graphics card, which offers better performance than the ThinkPad's RTX A1000, and a higher screen refresh rate of 165Hz compared to the ThinkPad's 60Hz, which provides smoother visuals during fast-paced gaming. While both laptops have high-quality displays and powerful CPUs, the Alienware's emphasis on higher frame rates and more powerful GPU makes it particularly suited for demanding gaming and 3D tasks.
Engineering and Design
9.1
8.3
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.5/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 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.
Screen Quality
7.8
8.2
17.3in
SIZE
16.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
281.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
569.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has a better screen than the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 has a better screen for general use, engineering and design, and content creation.
If you prioritize vivid colors and sharp text for everyday tasks or professional design work, the Lenovo ThinkPad P16's display offers strong color accuracy and resolution, making it an excellent choice. The Dell Alienware m18 R1 provides a good balance for general use and engineering tasks, but its screen isn't optimized for gaming, where high refresh rates are crucial for smooth visuals. Both laptops may not suit gamers or those doing 3D work due to their poor refresh rates, regardless of their competent resolution and panel types for other uses.
Battery
4.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has 4 hours of battery life. The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 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
Poor
17.3in
SIZE
16.0in
8.9 lbs
WEIGHT
6.5 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
1.2in
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 and Dell Alienware m18 R1 both have poor portability, though the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$2,600
$1,449
$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 ThinkPad P16 costs $1,449.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.2
8.0
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
281.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
569.0 nits
4.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
5.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.8/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 and Lenovo ThinkPad P16 are both very good for general use.
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.
Content Creation
8.4
8.2
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 and Lenovo ThinkPad P16 are both very good for content creation.
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
8.4
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 and Dell Alienware m18 R1 are both very good for software development.
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.
Build Quality
8.5
8.5
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 and Lenovo ThinkPad P16 both have very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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How the Dell Alienware m18 R1 and the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m18 R1 | Lenovo ThinkPad P16 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,600 | $1,449 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2022 | July 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 16.2'' x 12.6'' x 1.05'' | 14.3'' x 10.5'' x 1.2'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 8.9 lbs | 6.5 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 16.15" | 14.3" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 12.59" | 10.5" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-13900HX | Intel i7-12800HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 4 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 4 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 97 Wh | 94 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 3840 x 2400 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 281 nits | 569 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.1/10 | 5.8/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | Yes | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 9.1/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
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 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 4 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
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 ThinkPad P16
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Eric Grevstad | February 2023
"It's only a few months since we gave the MSI CreatorPro X17 one of our rare 4.5-star ratings and our top mobile workstation honor, but the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 Gen 1 matches that achievement in a more premium overall build. Ultimately, its build quality, screen, and keyboard give our latest Editors' Choice nod to the Lenovo—it's enough of a monster on almost all fronts that it simply cannot be ignored."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m18 R1 or the Lenovo ThinkPad P16
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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