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Updated January 10, 2024·
For intensive engineering tasks, gaming, and demanding 3D applications, the Dell Alienware x14 R1 offers significantly better performance due to its powerful Intel i7 processor and Nvidia RTX graphics. However, it is less portable due to its weight and has a 14-inch screen compared to the larger 17-inch display of the Lenovo IdeaPad 3. The IdeaPad 3, with its AMD Ryzen 5 processor and integrated Vega graphics, offers decent performance for general use and is priced more affordably, but it won't match the Alienware's capabilities for high-end tasks. Both laptops have similar storage and full HD displays, but the Alienware has a brighter screen and a higher refresh rate which is better for fast-paced games. The IdeaPad 3 may have longer battery life for typical use, but this is often at the expense of raw performance. 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
- Good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17"
- The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has no clear advantages over the Dell Alienware x14 R1.
Key differences
General Use
7.8
7.3
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
411.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
307.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
8.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.1/10
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" 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
6.1
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
9.5/10
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 is good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" is only fair.
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 is better suited for gaming and 3D applications because it comes with a powerful Nvidia RTX 3060 graphics card and a high screen refresh rate of 144 Hz, which translates into smoother visuals and enhanced gaming performance. In contrast, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has an integrated AMD Ryzen 5 5625U Vega 7 GPU and a standard refresh rate of 60 Hz, which is satisfactory for less demanding games and 3D tasks but won't provide the same high-level experience as the Alienware model.
Engineering and Design
8.2
6.6
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
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 Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" is only fair.
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 is better for engineering and design because it has a stronger CPU and GPU combo, which is crucial for tasks that require high processing and graphics-rendering capabilities, and it comes with more RAM, which helps with multitasking and running complex applications smoothly.
Content Creation
7.9
7.4
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" 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.
Screen Quality
7.9
6.7
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
411.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
307.0 nits
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Dell Alienware x14 R1, with its focus on performance, likely sacrifices higher refresh rates for more color-accurate displays, making it less ideal for fast-paced gaming but suitable for general use and engineering tasks where visual accuracy is paramount. The Lenovo IdeaPad 3's larger screen provides a decent workspace for productivity and design, but its likely standard refresh rate limits its appeal for 3D applications. Both laptops offer good color representation and resolution, factors that serve well for general computing and professional design work, where sharp and accurate images are more critical than the fluid motion required in high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.
Portability
Very Good
Good
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
4.0 lbs
WEIGHT
4.4 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has very good portability, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5
6.5
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has very good build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,201
$784
$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 Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" costs $784.
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Key similarities
Software Development
7.7
7.2
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" 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.
Battery
9.0 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has 9 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has 9 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.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Dell Alienware x14 R1 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware x14 R1 | Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,201 | $784 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | August 1, 2022 | April 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 10.3'' x 0.57'' | 15.7'' x 10.8'' x 0.78'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.06 lbs | 4.49 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.66" | 15.71" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.34" | 10.79" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-12700H | AMD Ryzen 5 5625U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 1 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9 Hours | 9 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 80 Wh | 45 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 144Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 411 nits | 307 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.1/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 9.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 6/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 3 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 4 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
Dell Alienware x14 R1
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | March 2022
"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."
Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17"
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Dig into reviews and images
LaptopMedia
Alex Iliev | December 2022
"The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" defies expectations. Indeed, it is just a minor upgrade over last year. However, this doesn’t make the laptop any less terrific. It’s got a great performance, courtesy of the Ryzen 5x25U processors. In addition, you get a pretty good battery life. Perhaps, the 2-hour decrease in video playback, compared to last year is not great, but still, 10 hours of Web browsing and 7 hours of video playback is okay for 17-inch notebooks."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware x14 R1 or the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17"
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 Lenovo
Lenovo is a Chinese technology company, and one of the largest personal computer vendor. They are well known for a variety of technology products, including laptops. Their consumer series include their entry level IdeaPad and LOQ series and mid-to-high-end Yoga and Legion series. On the business-oriented side, their series include their entry-level ThinkBook series and mid-to-high-end ThinkPad series. Lenovo laptops offer strong performance for reasonable prices, and are often on sale.
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