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Updated January 16, 2024·
When choosing between the Dell Alienware m18 R1 and the Razer Blade 18, consider your priorities. If budget is a primary concern and you're looking for value, the Dell Alienware model might be favorable due to being less expensive. However, remember that the Razer Blade 18 may offer features or qualities that justify its higher price, such as a sleeker design, better build quality, or potentially higher-end components. For intensive tasks like gaming, 3D rendering, or machine learning, performance is key; if the Razer has better specs in this regard, it may be worth the extra cost. On the other hand, if portability is important to you, check the weight and battery life of both models. Laptops designed for high performance often compromise on these aspects. So, if you travel frequently or work remotely without regular access to power, a lighter laptop with longer battery life might serve you better, even with slightly less power. Consider how each option aligns with your needs to make the best decision. 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 gaming and AI
Advantages of the Razer Blade 18
- Very good overall display quality
- Best in class speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
Screen Quality
7.8
8.9
17.3in
SIZE
18.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
281.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
524.0 nits
The Razer Blade 18 has a better screen than the Dell Alienware m18 R1 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1, with its high resolution and brightness, makes it appealing for general use and detailed engineering work, but its lower refresh rate limits its appeal for gaming and 3D applications where smoother motion is crucial. The Razer Blade 18, with similar traits in resolution and brightness, also excels in general and engineering tasks, especially if it covers a wide range of color gamuts, ensuring accurate color reproduction. However, for gamers and 3D designers, the lack of a high refresh rate on both models may be a disadvantage, where fluid visuals are key to an immersive experience.
Portability
Poor
Fair
17.3in
SIZE
18.0in
8.9 lbs
WEIGHT
6.6 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Razer Blade 18 has only fair portability, while the Dell Alienware m18 R1 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$2,600
$3,200
$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 Razer Blade 18 costs $3,200.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.2
8.5
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
281.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
524.0 nits
4.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
5.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.1/10
The Razer Blade 18 and Dell Alienware m18 R1 are both very good for general use.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 and Razer Blade 18 are both well-suited for general use due to their strong CPUs, ample RAM, and high-quality IPS screens that deliver crisp and vibrant visuals, the former with slightly lower brightness but with good color accuracy.
Gaming and AI
9.1
8.9
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.2/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Alienware m18 R1 to be excellent for gaming and AI, while the Razer Blade 18 is very good.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 and the Razer Blade 18 are excellent for gaming and 3D because they both have powerful GPUs—the RTX 4080 and RTX 4070, respectively—which are crucial for graphics-intensive tasks. While the Alienware has a refresh rate of 165Hz, the Razer Blade excels with a higher 240Hz refresh rate, resulting in smoother visuals during fast-paced gaming.
Engineering and Design
9.1
9.3
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Razer Blade 18 and Dell Alienware m18 R1 are both excellent for engineering and design.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 and Razer Blade 18 are excellent for engineering and design use largely due to their high-performance CPUs, substantial RAM, and potent GPUs, which handle complex calculations and rendering tasks integral to such fields. While both have quality screens with high resolutions, the Blade 18 stands out for having a significantly brighter display, which is beneficial for intricate design work, although the Alienware's screen is commendable as well; considerations such as portability and noise may prioritise the Blade 18 which is lighter and has better heat management.
Content Creation
8.4
8.6
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Razer Blade 18 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
8.5
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Razer Blade 18 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.
Battery
4.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has 4 hours of battery life. The Razer Blade 18 has 4 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.
Build Quality
8.5
8.5
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 and Razer Blade 18 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 Razer Blade 18 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m18 R1 | Razer Blade 18 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,600 | $3,200 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2022 | February 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 16.2'' x 12.6'' x 1.05'' | 15.7'' x 10.8'' x 0.86'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 8.9 lbs | 6.68 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 16.15" | 15.7" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 12.59" | 10.8" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-13900HX | Intel i9-13950HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 4 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 97 Wh | 91.7 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 18" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 281 nits | 524 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.1/10 | 6.2/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 7.3/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1440p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 4 | 3 | |
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."
Razer Blade 18
See more
Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Matthew Buzzi | March 2023
"Razer made a powerful laptop in the Blade 18, showing off a beautiful and fast display and the same high-quality build we’ve come to expect from this product line. It’s also quite expensive, which is hardly a surprise, but bears repeating even in this price range. It’s pricier than the Scar 18 despite an inferior GPU and half the storage, so you really have to want the Blade 18’s design to justify the cost."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m18 R1 or the Razer Blade 18
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 Razer
Razer is an American-Singaporean technology company. Razer is best known for their Blade series laptops, well known for their strong performance and sleek design. Although Razer charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a stealthy laptop with clean fit and finish and strong performance. All of their models offer great portability and build quality compared to other gaming laptops.
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