When choosing between the Dell Alienware m18 R1 and the Packard Bell Cloudbook 14", consider your needs and budget carefully. The Dell Alienware is a high-end device designed for intensive tasks such as gaming, 3D rendering, and machine learning, offering top-of-the-line processor and graphics, a large and high-resolution display, and robust build, but at a steep price and with significant weight, which affects portability. Meanwhile, the Packard Bell Cloudbook is budget-friendly, lightweight, and capable of handling everyday tasks like web browsing, office applications, and video streaming, with sufficient battery life for on-the-go use; however, its performance is modest compared to the Alienware, and it's not suited for demanding software or heavy multitasking. Choose the Alienware for performance-intensive work or gaming, and the Cloudbook for general use with easy travel and affordability. 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 speakers
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Packard Bell Cloudbook 14"
Very good portability
Good battery life
Key differences
General Use
8.2/10
5.7/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
281.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
200.0 nits
4.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
4.6/10
5.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.1/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is very good for general use, while the Packard Bell Cloudbook 14" is poor.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is geared towards power and performance with a high-end CPU, ample RAM, and a superior screen quality, but it's less portable and has a short battery life, whereas the Packard Bell Cloudbook 14" offers great portability and longer battery life but falls short in performance and screen quality, with a basic CPU and less RAM.
Gaming and AI
9.1/10
5.5/10
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Packard Bell Cloudbook 14" is poor.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
9.1/10
5.5/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
32.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Packard Bell Cloudbook 14" is poor.
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.
Content Creation
8.4/10
5.9/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
32.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is very good for content creation, while the Packard Bell Cloudbook 14" is poor.
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
8.0/10
5.9/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
32.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
4.6/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is very good for software development, while the Packard Bell Cloudbook 14" is poor.
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
7.8/10
5.8/10
17.3in
SIZE
14.1in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
281.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
200.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has a better screen than the Packard Bell Cloudbook 14 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1, with its superior resolution and brightness, offers a clear and vivid display ideal for daily tasks and detail-oriented work in engineering and design, where color accuracy and range are crucial. However, its lower refresh rate may not provide the smooth visuals avid gamers seek during fast-paced action. Conversely, the Packard Bell Cloudbook's lower resolution and brightness can lead to a less immersive experience across all activities, with its inadequate color range and slow refresh rate falling short for professional design tasks and gaming.
Battery
4.0 Hours
7.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has 4 hours of battery life. The Packard Bell Cloudbook 14 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
Very Good
17.3in
SIZE
14.1in
8.9 lbs
WEIGHT
2.7 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Packard Bell Cloudbook 14" has very good portability, while the Dell Alienware m18 R1 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5/10
5.1/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has very good build quality, while the Packard Bell Cloudbook 14" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,600
$350
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has a price of $2,600 and the Packard Bell Cloudbook 14" costs $350.
"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."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m18 R1 or the Packard Bell Cloudbook 14"
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.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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