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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated March 21, 2024·
If you're looking for high performance in gaming or resource-intensive applications, the Dell Alienware may justify its higher price with superior graphics and processing power, but it comes at the cost of being bulky and having shorter battery life. The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 is more budget-friendly, highly portable, and offers longer battery life, making it suitable for general use and business applications, yet it may not handle demanding software as well as the Alienware. 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
- Good overall display quality
- Very good speakers
Advantages of the Lenovo ThinkPad T14
- Very good portability
- Good battery life
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
9.1
6.7
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.0/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.3/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 is only fair.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1, with its superior GPU and higher screen refresh rate, provides a smoother and more immersive gaming and 3D experience, which is crucial for fast-paced games and graphic rendering. Meanwhile, the Lenovo ThinkPad T14, while having a decent screen quality and CPU, lacks the graphic prowess and refresh rate of the Alienware, making it more suitable for less graphically intensive tasks.
Engineering and Design
9.1
8.0
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.0/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 is very good.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1, with its high-end CPU, abundant RAM, advanced GPU, and superior screen quality, excels in demanding engineering tasks and graphics-intensive applications, but it is less portable and could be noisy under load. On the other hand, the Lenovo ThinkPad T14, while still capable for engineering use, trades some performance for better portability and a more subdued operation, with a solid keyboard but less impressive audio and a not as high-fidelity screen as the Alienware.
Screen Quality
7.8
6.9
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
281.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
321.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has a better screen than the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design, while the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 has a better screen for content creation.
For general use, both the Dell Alienware m18 R1 and the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 offer high-resolution displays with bright panels, which makes text sharp and multimedia content vibrant for everyday activities. For engineering and design tasks, both laptops have screens that cover a wide range of color gamuts, ensuring accurate color reproduction which is crucial for professional photo editing and graphic design. However, for gaming and 3D applications, their screens' lower refresh rates may not provide as smooth an experience as gaming-dedicated laptops, which typically have higher refresh rates necessary for fast-paced action and fluid visuals.
Battery
4.0 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has 4 hours of battery life. The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 has 9 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
Very Good
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
8.9 lbs
WEIGHT
2.9 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 has very good portability, while the Dell Alienware m18 R1 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$2,600
$1,241
$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 T14 costs $1,241.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.2
8.5
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
281.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
321.0 nits
4.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
5.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 and Dell Alienware m18 R1 are both very good for general use.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1, with its powerful CPU and abundant RAM, is exceptional for demanding tasks and gaming but is less portable and has shorter battery life; its screen quality suits gaming and media. Conversely, the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 offers good performance for everyday tasks, longer battery life, and greater portability, with a focus on durability and a high-quality keyboard, making it ideal for business professionals on the go.
Content Creation
8.4
8.3
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 and Lenovo ThinkPad T14 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
8.3
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 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
8.0
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 and Lenovo ThinkPad T14 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 T14 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m18 R1 | Lenovo ThinkPad T14 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,600 | $1,241 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2022 | September 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 16.2'' x 12.6'' x 1.05'' | 12.5'' x 8.9'' x 0.7'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 8.9 lbs | 2.96 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 16.15" | 12.51" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 12.59" | 8.93" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-13900HX | AMD Ryzen 7 7840U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 4 Hours | 9 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 97 Wh | 39.3 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 281 nits | 321 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.1/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | Yes | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 8.4/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1440p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 4 | 2 | |
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 ThinkPad T14
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NotebookCheck
Benjamin Herzig | December 2023
"We like a lot about this laptop. It has many ports, with the inclusion of RJ45-Ethernet as a defining feature. WWAN is upgradable for maximum flexibility and the ThinkPad has many security functions. Working with the ThinkPad input devices is a lot of fun, and Lenovo puts in a serviceable Low Power panel. The AMD Ryzen 7 Pro 7840U delivers a great performance and does not drain the battery fast. Fan noise and temperatures are nothing special, but also far away from bad. With the user replaceable keyboard, the ThinkPad T14 Gen 4 has a special feature rarely present on most modern laptops."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m18 R1 or the Lenovo ThinkPad T14
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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