The Dell Alienware x14 R1 offers high performance for intensive tasks like gaming, 3D rendering, and engineering, with a dedicated graphics card and higher power processor. However, its premium components make it heavier and less portable, and it generally costs more. On the other hand, the HP Envy x360 15" costs less and provides decent performance for general use, plus it has a touchscreen and a more flexible 2-in-1 design. It's not as powerful for demanding tasks due to its integrated graphics and standard processor, and its lower storage capacity may limit the amount of data and applications you can keep on hand. Thus, for demanding performance and tasks, the Alienware is suitable, while for everyday use with better portability and value, the HP Envy could be the better 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 x14 R1
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Very good portability
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the HP Envy x360 15"
Very good battery life
Very good speakers
Key differences
General Use
7.8/10
7.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
411.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
271.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 and HP Envy x360 15" are both good for general use, though the Dell Alienware x14 R1 is somewhat better.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
7.6/10
6.0/10
7.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
144Hz
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 x14 R1 is good for gaming and AI, while the HP Envy x360 15" is only fair.
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
6.5/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
7.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 is very good for engineering and design, while the HP Envy x360 15" is only fair.
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 excels in engineering and design due to its powerful Intel processor and Nvidia graphics card, along with a higher RAM capacity, making it suitable for demanding tasks, whereas the HP Envy x360 15" has a more modest AMD processor with integrated graphics and less RAM, which may slow down performance-intensive engineering software.
Content Creation
7.9/10
7.3/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 and HP Envy x360 15" are both good for content creation, though the Dell Alienware x14 R1 is somewhat better.
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
7.2/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 and HP Envy x360 15" are both good for software development, though the Dell Alienware x14 R1 is somewhat better.
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
7.9/10
6.2/10
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
411.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
271.0 nits
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has a better screen than the HP Envy x360 15" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 likely has a screen with a high resolution and brightness, which is great for everyday tasks and detail-oriented work in engineering, but its lower refresh rate may not deliver the smooth visuals desired for fast-paced gaming. The HP Envy x360's screen, while adequate in resolution and brightness for general use and engineering tasks, may not offer the wide color gamut professionals require for precise color work. Both screens, not prioritizing high refresh rates, compromise the gaming experience for 3D applications where fluid motion is key.
Build Quality
8.5/10
7.2/10
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has very good build quality, while the HP Envy x360 15" has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,201
$518
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has a price of $1,201 and the HP Envy x360 15" costs $518.
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has 9 hours of battery life. The HP Envy x360 15" has 10 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
Good
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
4.0 lbs
WEIGHT
4.4 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.7in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Alienware x14 R1 to have very good portability, while the HP Envy x360 15" has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Dell Alienware x14 R1 and the HP Envy x360 15" 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."
"Despite its good looks, stellar webcam and comfortable keyboard, the Envy x360 15 is hard to recommend because of its dim, 16:9 display. If the display isn't an issue for you, just be sure to wait for a good sale price. Otherwise, a more modern two-in-one with a 16:10 display such as the Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 or Lenovo Yoga 7i 16 provides a larger workspace without adding much to the size and weight of the system."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware x14 R1 or the HP Envy x360 15"
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 HP
HP, also known as Hewlett-Packard, is an American technology company that develops personal computers and computer peripherals. In the laptop industry, HP is known for its entry level Essential series laptops, its mid-range Pavilion, Envy, and Victus series, and high-end Omen and Spectre series, in addition to its business-oriented EliteBook, ProBook, and Dragonfly series laptops. HP laptops generally undercut other mainstream competitors in terms of price, placing itself as the value-oriented mainstream brand.
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
97,395
Recommendations made
21,103
Consumer hours saved
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.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
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.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.