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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 excels in gaming and intensive engineering tasks due to its powerful processor and high-end graphics but comes with a high price tag and lesser portability. If you're looking for a more portable laptop with an excellent display and good battery life for general use and premium business tasks, the more affordable Lenovo ThinkPad Z16, featuring an OLED screen, could be a better choice. Keep in mind, the ThinkPad may not perform as well in tasks requiring high graphics performance, such as advanced gaming or 3D rendering. 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 Z16
- Very good overall display quality
- Good portability
- Good battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
9.1
6.7
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is only fair.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1, with an Nvidia RTX 4080 graphics card and a high screen refresh rate of 165 Hz, provides an excellent gaming and 3D experience, outranking the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16, which features an AMD RX 6500M graphics card with a standard 60 Hz refresh rate. Despite the ThinkPad's OLED screen with higher resolution, its lower refresh rate and weaker GPU make it less suitable for the most demanding gaming and 3D tasks.
Engineering and Design
9.1
8.4
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.6/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is very good.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 offers top-tier CPU and GPU performance with a high refresh rate IPS screen suitable for demanding engineering software, but it's quite heavy and less portable. In contrast, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has a bright, high-resolution OLED touchscreen and more storage, a better balance for those who prioritize screen quality and portability alongside capable computing power.
Screen Quality
7.8
8.5
17.3in
SIZE
16.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
281.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
393.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has a better screen than the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has a better screen for general use, engineering and design, and content creation.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has a display that offers a satisfactory balance of resolution and brightness, making it suitable for everyday tasks and detailed work in engineering, but it lacks the high refresh rate that gamers desire for smooth visuals in fast-paced scenes. The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 shines with higher resolution and exceptional coverage of professional color gamuts, providing accuracy desired by engineers and designers, but like the Alienware, it falls short for gaming because it doesn't prioritize rapid screen refreshes. General users will find either screen more than adequate, yet those specializing in gaming or requiring high-fidelity color reproduction for design will note these limitations.
Battery
4.0 Hours
7.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has 4 hours of battery life. The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has 7 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
4.2 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has good portability, while the Dell Alienware m18 R1 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$2,600
$1,120
$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 Z16 costs $1,120.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.2
8.6
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
281.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
393.0 nits
4.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
5.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 and Dell Alienware m18 R1 are both very good for general use.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 shines in general use with its powerful Intel processor and ample RAM, alongside a high-quality IPS screen; however, its hefty build and limited battery life affect its portability. The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16, while also great for general use with a comparable amount of RAM and an excellent OLED touchscreen, boasts a slimmer design and superior speaker quality, making it more portable and versatile for various work scenarios.
Content Creation
8.4
8.5
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 and Dell Alienware m18 R1 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
8.2
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 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 Z16 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 Z16 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m18 R1 | Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,600 | $1,120 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2022 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 16.2'' x 12.6'' x 1.05'' | 14'' x 9.4'' x 0.62'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 8.9 lbs | 4.27 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 16.15" | 13.95" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 12.59" | 9.35" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-13900HX | AMD Ryzen 7 6850H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 2048 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 4 Hours | 7 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 97 Wh | 72 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | OLED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 3840 x 2400 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 281 nits | 393 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.1/10 | 7.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | Yes | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 9.6/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
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 | 0 | |
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 | 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 Z16
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Dig into reviews and images
PCWorld
Matthew S. Smith | September 2022
"Lenovo’s ThinkPad Z16 tries has some success in its effort to tweak the ThinkPad formula. The laptop is attractive, yet still tame, and material quality is on par with the best Windows competition. I also like the smooth, responsive haptic touchpad and the wide range of modern connectivity. Yet the Z16 doesn’t fix ThinkPad’s typical weakness: value. Starting around $1,550, and more typically near $1,700, the Z16 finds itself facing alternatives that have better performance or an improved display for the same price, or less."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m18 R1 or the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16
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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