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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is a high-end gaming laptop with substantial power for 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering tasks, but it is less portable due to its size and weight. Conversely, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is far more portable and offers better battery life, suited for general use and mobility, but it may not handle intensive tasks as well due to less powerful hardware. Consider the Alienware if gaming or intensive tasks are a priority and you don't mind a premium price or reduced portability. Opt for the Surface Laptop Go 2 for everyday tasks, better battery life, and if you prefer a more affordable and lighter device. 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
- Good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2
- Excellent portability
- Good battery life
Key differences
General Use
8.2
7.0
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
281.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
4.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
5.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is very good for general use, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is good.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 provides robust performance and higher quality display with more RAM and a superior CPU compared to the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2, making it very good for general use, but its large size, heavier weight, and shorter battery life make it less portable.
Gaming and AI
9.1
6.0
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
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 Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is only fair.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 excels in gaming and 3D applications thanks to its powerful Nvidia RTX 4080 GPU and high screen refresh rate of 165Hz, which provide smooth visuals and fast rendering. In contrast, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2, with its integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics and a standard 60Hz refresh rate, offers modest performance for less demanding tasks and casual gaming, but falls short for intensive 3D work.
Engineering and Design
9.1
6.5
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is only fair.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 excels in engineering and design because it offers a strong CPU, abundant RAM, and a high-quality GPU, suitable for power-intensive tasks and detailed screen work needed in such fields; meanwhile, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2, with a fair assessment, provides a more modest CPU, less RAM, and an integrated graphics solution, which may suffice for basic use but falls short for advanced engineering and design requirements.
Content Creation
8.4
7.1
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is very good for content creation, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 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.
Software Development
8.0
7.0
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is very good for software development, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 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.
Screen Quality
7.8
6.9
17.3in
SIZE
12.4in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
281.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, laptops like the Dell Alienware m18 R1 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 offer clear and bright displays with enough resolution to make text and images look sharp, suiting everyday tasks. For engineering and design, these laptops have screens that reproduce colors accurately across different spectrums, which is important for precision in visual work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, their screens may not refresh as quickly as needed for smooth motion and may lack the desired resolution, which could diminish the visual experience in fast-paced scenarios.
Battery
4.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has 4 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has 8 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
Excellent
17.3in
SIZE
12.4in
8.9 lbs
WEIGHT
2.4 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has excellent 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 Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,600
$774
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has a price of $2,600 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 costs $774.
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How the Dell Alienware m18 R1 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m18 R1 | Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,600 | $774 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2022 | June 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 16.2'' x 12.6'' x 1.05'' | 11'' x 8.1'' x 0.62'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 8.9 lbs | 2.48 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 16.15" | 10.95" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 12.59" | 8.12" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-13900HX | Intel i5-1135G7 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 128 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 4 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 97 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 12.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1536 x 1024 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 281 nits | 401 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.1/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 4 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 4 | 1 | |
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."
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | August 2022
"The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 review is a compact companion with old hardware. The Surface Laptop Go 2 shows some weaknesses. Microsoft didn't really develop the second generation of the Surface Laptop Go 2 any further but has only equipped it with a slightly more powerful Core i5 processor. However, the performance still remains at a fairly low level overall, but for many users, it definitely should still be sufficient for everyday tasks."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m18 R1 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2
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 Microsoft
Microsoft is an American technology corporation. Microsoft is best known for their Windows operating system and Surface laptop series. The Surface Laptop is their standard notebook offering, while their Surface Go, Surface Pro, and Surface Studio are their 2-in-1/tablet offerings in order of increasing capability. Although Microsoft charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a well integrated and packaged device since Microsoft develops the Windows operating system.
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