If you prioritize storage space and a larger screen, the Dell G15 5520 would be a better option as it has more storage and a 15.6-inch display. However, it has a shorter battery life and is heavier, making it less portable than the Alienware x14 R1, which has a battery life that allows for longer unplugged usage and is lighter for easier transport. Both have similar processors and graphics cards, so performance in demanding tasks like gaming and engineering should be comparable. If portability and battery life are more important to you, and you don't mind a slightly smaller screen and less storage, the Alienware x14 R1 is a better choice. 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 x14 R1
Very good overall build quality
Very good portability
Advantages of the Dell G15 5520
Very good speakers
Key differences
Screen Quality
7.9/10
7.1/10
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
411.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
251.0 nits
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has a better screen than the Dell G15 5520 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
For general use, the Dell Alienware x14 R1 and Dell G15 5520 likely offer screens with sufficient resolution, brightness, and panel quality to provide a clear and vivid display. Engineering and design users will find these models' color reproduction to be suitable due to their coverage of color gamuts like DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB, ensuring accurate color work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, their screens fall short, likely because of lower refresh rates, which can limit the smoothness of motion and responsiveness, qualities that are highly valued in this use case.
Battery
9.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has 9 hours of battery life. The Dell G15 5520 has 6 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
Very Good
Fair
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
4.0 lbs
WEIGHT
5.5 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has very good portability, while the Dell G15 5520 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5/10
7.4/10
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has very good build quality, while the Dell G15 5520 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,201
$1,000
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has a price of $1,201 and the Dell G15 5520 costs $1,000.
The Dell G15 5520 and Dell Alienware x14 R1 are both good for general use.
The Dell Alienware x14 R1, with its lightweight design and higher screen brightness, offers better portability and visibility for general use than the Dell G15 5520, which has more storage and a slightly larger screen, but is heavier and has a shorter battery life. Both laptops have a high-quality display and powerful processors, making them suitable for various tasks, but the Alienware x14 R1's longer battery life and lower weight may appeal more to those frequently on the move.
Gaming and AI
7.6/10
7.7/10
7.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The Dell G15 5520 and Dell Alienware x14 R1 are both good for gaming and AI.
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
8.2/10
8.2/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
7.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell G15 5520 and Dell Alienware x14 R1 are both very good for engineering and design.
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
7.9/10
7.9/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell G15 5520 and Dell Alienware x14 R1 are both 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
7.7/10
7.5/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 and Dell G15 5520 are both 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.
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How the Dell Alienware x14 R1 and the Dell G15 5520 compare to other laptops
"The Alienware X14 series is thinner, but also slower than the competition. With the X series, you get plenty of modern technology: Intel Alder Lake CPUs, GeForce RTX 3000 GPUs, Thunderbolt 4, PCIe 4.0, Wi-Fi 6E, G-Sync, and Advanced Optimus. However, the slim design has some drawbacks, just like its larger siblings. The shifted hinge position results in a very deep device with a large footprint compared to the competition."
Olivier Martin, Ryan Lim, and John Peroramas | April 2023
"The Dell G15 (2022) is a 15.6-inch budget gaming laptop, and is great for gaming. You can configure the laptop with powerful Intel 12th Gen. CPUs and various NVIDIA dedicated GPUs, all of which deliver a smooth gaming experience at 1080p. There's also a QHD 240Hz display option if you want better visuals, though you'll have to pair it with the top-end NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti to get good frame rates. It doesn't get overly hot or loud under load, and there's no noticeable throttling on the CPU or GPU. Unfortunately, the 120Hz panel has a slow response time, causing noticeable ghosting, and it doesn't support variable refresh rate."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware x14 R1 or the Dell G15 5520
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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About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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