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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is a high-end gaming laptop that offers exceptional performance for 3D rendering, machine learning, and gaming due to its powerful graphics card and processor, but it's heavy and has a short battery life. In contrast, the LG Gram 16 is very portable and offers long battery life; it's suitable for general use and has respectable performance for lightweight engineering tasks, but it's not ideal for gaming or very intensive tasks due to its less powerful integrated graphics. If you prioritize gaming and high-performance tasks, the Dell Alienware is the better choice, despite its heft and shorter battery life. If portability and battery longevity are more important for regular day-to-day activities and less demanding engineering tasks, the LG Gram 16 is likely the more suitable option. 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
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the LG Gram 16
- Very good portability
- Excellent battery life
Key differences
Gaming and AI
9.1
6.4
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
10.0/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent for gaming and AI, while the LG Gram 16 is only fair.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent for gaming and 3D because it is equipped with a high-performing Nvidia RTX 4080 GPU and a screen refresh rate of 165Hz, which are critical for smooth and detailed visuals in fast-paced games and 3D rendering.
Engineering and Design
9.1
7.5
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent for engineering and design, while the LG Gram 16 is good.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1, with its more powerful i9 CPU, larger memory, and superior Nvidia RTX GPU, excels in engineering and design tasks, handling complex computations and graphics-intensive applications better than the LG Gram 16, which, while still capable with its i7 CPU and integrated graphics, trades off some performance for a lighter build and better portability. While both have high-resolution IPS screens, the Alienware's setup is more suited for demanding engineering software, and the LG Gram focuses more on users who value a balance between moderate performance needs and the convenience of carrying the laptop around easily.
Content Creation
8.4
7.8
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
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 LG Gram 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
7.3
17.3in
SIZE
16.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
281.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
347.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has a better screen than the LG Gram 16 for gaming and AI, software development, and content creation.
For general use, the Dell Alienware m18 R1 and LG Gram 16 both offer vibrant displays with sufficient resolution and brightness, ensuring a pleasant viewing experience for everyday tasks, such as browsing the web or watching videos. In the context of engineering and design, both laptops provide wide color gamuts, rendering accurate colors which are crucial for professionals who require precision in their color-sensitive work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, where a high refresh rate is paramount for smooth visuals, both laptops fall short, compromising the fluidity and responsiveness that avid gamers and 3D designers often expect from their screens.
Battery
4.0 Hours
15.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has 4 hours of battery life. The LG Gram 16 has 15 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
16.0in
8.9 lbs
WEIGHT
2.6 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The LG Gram 16 has very good portability, while the Dell Alienware m18 R1 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5
7.0
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has very good build quality, while the LG Gram 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
$1,450
$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 LG Gram 16 costs $1,450.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.2
7.8
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
281.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
347.0 nits
4.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
15.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
5.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Alienware m18 R1 to be very good for general use, while the LG Gram 16 is good.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is exceptional for general use with its powerful CPU and substantial RAM, which boost performance for demanding tasks, and high-quality screen, at the expense of portability due to its significant weight and poor battery life.
Software Development
8.0
7.9
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Alienware m18 R1 to be very good for software development, while the LG Gram 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 LG Gram 16 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m18 R1 | LG Gram 16 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,600 | $1,450 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2022 | April 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 16.2'' x 12.6'' x 1.05'' | 14'' x 9.5'' x 0.66'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 8.9 lbs | 2.64 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 16.15" | 13.96" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 12.59" | 9.53" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-13900HX | Intel i7-1260P | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 4 Hours | 15 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 97 Wh | 80 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 | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 281 nits | 347 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7/10 | |
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 | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 10/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
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 | 2 | |
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."
LG Gram 16
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Florian Glaser | January 2023
"The LG Gram 16 is a lightweight device with stability issues. The LG Gram 16Z90Q with a Core i7-1260P is made with portability in mind and places less of a focus on users with high demands on performance. The compact and light chassis is particularly practical when you are on the go. The device is not only comfortably small and lightweight, it also boasts a great battery life. When connected to mains, on the other hand, the 16-inch device is rather disappointing. The standard cooling mode causes extreme volatility in terms of CPU, SSD and iGPU performance. The meager stability of the chassis may also put off some potential buyers."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m18 R1 or the LG Gram 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 LG
LG is a South Korean conglomerate company. While LG is mainly known for various products outside of technology, LG also develops laptops. Within the laptop industry, they are known for their thin-and-light Gram series, as well as their value-oriented Ultra series. LG laptops offer very thin and light laptops with phenomenal battery life, and are often on sale.
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