A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
Last updated -- hours ago | Report incorrect information
Company ProductName Specs
Company ProductName Specs
What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 offers great performance for engineering tasks with a strong processor and capable graphics card, making it suitable for intensive gaming. It's priced higher and has less storage but is more portable due to its smaller size and lighter weight compared to the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i. The Lenovo has a larger screen with higher resolution, more storage, and a superior processor and graphics card combo which can handle demanding 3D rendering and machine learning work more effectively. However, it has slightly lower portability and battery life compared to the Dell. The best option depends on your priority: if portability and cost are key, go for the Dell; if performance and a larger, better display matter more, choose the Lenovo. 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 Lenovo Legion Slim 5i
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
Key differences
Screen Quality
7.9
8.0
14.0in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
411.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
343.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i has a better screen than the Dell Alienware x14 R1 for general use, gaming and AI, and software development.
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 is equipped with a display that offers crisp resolution and ample brightness for tasks like browsing and document editing, which makes it suitable for general use, while accurate color representation benefits engineering and design work, despite its lower refresh rate hindering gaming and 3D applications. The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i shines in general use thanks to its superior panel quality and brightness, delivering vibrant and clear visuals, and its color accuracy caters to engineering and design professionals; however, the mediocre refresh rate limits its effectiveness for gaming and 3D where smooth motion is key. Both lack the high refresh rates desired for gaming and 3D modeling, which may disappoint users focused on these activities, but they offer qualities beneficial for other professional and casual uses.
Battery
9.0 Hours
7.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has 9 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i 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
Very Good
Fair
14.0in
SIZE
16.0in
4.0 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has very good portability, while the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5
7.4
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has very good build quality, while the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,201
$1,055
$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 Legion Slim 5i costs $1,055.
Let Us Help Find Your Perfect Laptop
Find your new laptop
Key similarities
General Use
7.8
7.9
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
411.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
343.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
8.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.7/10
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i and Dell Alienware x14 R1 are both good for general use.
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
8.0
7.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo Legion Slim 5i to be very good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Alienware x14 R1 is good.
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i outshines the Dell Alienware x14 R1 for gaming and 3D applications owing to its superior Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU and higher screen refresh rate of 165 Hz compared to the Alienware's Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU and 144 Hz screen refresh rate. Although both have capable CPUs and quality IPS screens, these factors bolster the Legion Slim 5i's edge in rendering detailed graphics and providing smoother gameplay.
Engineering and Design
8.2
8.4
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
7.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i and Dell Alienware x14 R1 are both very good for engineering and design.
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 and Lenovo Legion Slim 5i are ideal for engineering and design due to their high-quality CPUs and GPUs, providing sufficient computational power for demanding tasks, and ample RAM ensuring smooth multitasking. The Alienware boasts better screen brightness and higher color coverage, enhancing visual accuracy for design work, while the Legion offers a larger, higher-resolution display for more screen real estate and sharper images, with a newer CPU lending a slight edge in processing, but both are somewhat heavy and less portable compared to lighter laptops..
Content Creation
7.9
8.0
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo Legion Slim 5i to be very good for content creation, while the Dell Alienware x14 R1 is good.
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
7.8
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i and Dell Alienware x14 R1 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.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Dell Alienware x14 R1 and the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware x14 R1 | Lenovo Legion Slim 5i |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,201 | $1,055 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | August 1, 2022 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 10.3'' x 0.57'' | 14.2'' x 10.3'' x 0.99'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.06 lbs | 5.29 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.66" | 14.16" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.34" | 10.25" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-12700H | Intel i7-13700H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9 Hours | 7 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 80 Wh | 80 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 144Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 411 nits | 343 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.1/10 | 6.7/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 3 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 4 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
Dell Alienware x14 R1
See more
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 Legion Slim 5i
See more
Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Mark Knapp | August 2023
"The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 Gen 8 acknowledges that a gaming laptop doesn’t have to be as thick as possible and can still ensure adequate cooling when the muscles need flexing. To this end, in the Slim 5 Gen 8, it finds a neat balance of refined, trimmed-down design that still lets its internals cruise (even above their max power ratings). Lenovo then added in some high-end build quality with an altogether excellent keyboard that’s useful for both work and play."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware x14 R1 or the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i
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.
Give feedback
We're constantly perfecting our model
Laptop guides you might be interested in
More comparisons for you
Compare Dell Alienware x14 R1 vs. Lenovo Legion 5 17"
VS
Compare Dell Alienware x14 R1 vs. Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5"
VS
Compare Dell Alienware x14 R1 vs. Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 15"
VS
Compare Lenovo Legion Slim 5i vs. Acer Nitro 5 15
VS
Compare Lenovo Legion Slim 5i vs. Acer Swift Go 14
VS
Compare Lenovo Legion Slim 5i vs. Acer Predator Helios Neo 16
VS
FAQs
FAQs about laptops
Why trust us
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
130,995
Recommendations made
28,383
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.
Featured in
