Choosing between the Dell Alienware x14 R1 and the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 depends on your needs. The Alienware x14 R1 is a more powerful option with better graphics capabilities, suitable for intensive gaming, 3D, and engineering applications, but is heavier and has a shorter battery life. The ThinkPad Z13, on the other hand, is lighter and offers a longer battery life, with a touchscreen and better portability, making it ideal for general use and business tasks. If gaming or heavy graphical work is a priority and you don't mind the extra weight and price, go for the Alienware. If you prefer something more portable, with a touchscreen, at a lower cost, and your tasks are mostly general use or business-related, the ThinkPad Z13 is a better fit. 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
Advantages of the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13
Excellent portability
Very good battery life
Very good speakers
Excellent keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.6/10
6.3/10
7.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
9.1/10
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 is good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 is only fair.
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has a higher-end Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU and a faster screen refresh rate of 144Hz, both of which are very important factors for gaming and 3D applications, making it better suited for those tasks than the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13, which has a more modest AMD Radeon 680M GPU and a lower screen refresh rate of 60Hz.
Engineering and Design
8.2/10
7.3/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
7.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 is very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 is good.
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 stands out for engineering and design use due to its more powerful Intel i7 processor and Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU, delivering strong performance for intensive tasks and better screen quality with higher brightness and color coverage.
Screen Quality
7.9/10
7.0/10
14.0in
SIZE
13.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
411.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
379.0 nits
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has a better screen than the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 and Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 both offer screens with resolutions and brightness that are great for everyday tasks, making images and text clear and easy to see for general use. Both laptops have displays with color accuracy and range that cater well to engineering and design professionals who need precise color representation for their work. However, for gaming and 3D applications where fast motion is common, the lower refresh rates on these laptops may not provide as smooth an experience compared to displays with higher refresh rates that are designed specifically for those purposes.
Portability
Very Good
Excellent
14.0in
SIZE
13.3in
4.0 lbs
WEIGHT
2.7 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 has excellent portability, while the Dell Alienware x14 R1 has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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 Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 costs $1,000.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 and Dell Alienware x14 R1 are both good for general use.
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 boasts a powerful Intel i7 CPU with a high RAM capacity, ensuring smooth multitasking and general use, complemented by a quality IPS screen and a balance between portability and battery life. In contrast, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 offers similar RAM and a competitive AMD Ryzen CPU for efficient general use, alongside a touchscreen with a higher resolution and aspect ratio, prioritizing exceptional portability with its lighter weight and longer battery life.
Content Creation
7.9/10
7.8/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 and Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 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
7.7/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 and Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 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
10.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has 9 hours of battery life. The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 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.
Build Quality
8.5/10
8.5/10
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 and Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 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 x14 R1 and the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 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."
"In the premium ultraportable space, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 competes with the best of the best, and still manages to shine. The design is an impressive departure from the bland bare-metal laptop that's become so popular in recent years, and the AMD-powered system has performance that's just as impressive. It's a stark alternative to the Intel-based majority, and it stands up well enough to the impressive Apple M2 processor."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware x14 R1 or the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13
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.
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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