The Dell Alienware x14 R1 is less expensive and more portable, offering a smaller screen and lighter build, making it suitable for travel. It has good performance for general use and gaming but may fall short for intensive 3D or engineering tasks compared to the Razer Blade 18, which has a larger screen and higher resolution, better suited for detailed work and entertainment. However, Razer's model is pricier, heavier, and has lower battery life, which can be a drawback for frequent travel. If budget and portability are priorities, go for Dell; if performance and screen real estate are key, consider Razer. 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 portability
Good battery life
Advantages of the Razer Blade 18
Very good for general use
Excellent for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Best in class speakers
Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.8/10
8.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
411.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
524.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
8.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.1/10
The Razer Blade 18 is very good for general use, while the Dell Alienware x14 R1 is good.
The Razer Blade 18 is rated higher for general use than the Dell Alienware x14 R1 due to a more powerful CPU, higher RAM capacity, superior screen quality and a more robust heat management system. However, the Alienware x14 R1 is more portable and offers better battery life, making it more suitable for on-the-go use despite having a less powerful CPU and lower RAM capacity compared to the Razer Blade 18.
Gaming and AI
7.6/10
8.9/10
7.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.2/10
The Razer Blade 18 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Alienware x14 R1 is good.
The Razer Blade 18 excels in gaming and 3D applications due to its more powerful Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU and a higher screen refresh rate of 240, which provides smoother visuals and can take better advantage of the GPU's capabilities compared to the Dell Alienware x14 R1's Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU and 144 refresh rate. While both have high-quality IPS displays, the Razer's larger screen and resolution also contribute to a more immersive experience, though it's less portable and has a shorter battery life.
Engineering and Design
8.2/10
9.3/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
7.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Razer Blade 18 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Dell Alienware x14 R1 is very good.
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 offers a balance between performance with its Intel i7 CPU and RTX 3060 GPU, and portability, but might fall short for extremely demanding engineering tasks compared to the Razer Blade 18, which is equipped with a superior Intel i9 processor and RTX 4070 GPU, delivering excellent performance for engineering and design at the cost of being heavier and less portable. Both laptops boast quality screens, though the Razer's larger and higher resolution display better serves design precision, while its higher amount of RAM assures smooth multitasking in complex projects, however, this also results in shorter battery life compared to the Dell.
Content Creation
7.9/10
8.6/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Razer Blade 18 is 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
7.7/10
8.5/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Razer Blade 18 is very good for software development, while the Dell Alienware x14 R1 is good.
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
8.9/10
14.0in
SIZE
18.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
411.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
524.0 nits
The Razer Blade 18 has a better screen than the Dell Alienware x14 R1 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 offers adequate resolution and brightness for daily tasks and a color range sufficient for engineering and design work, but its lower refresh rate hinders its performance in fast-paced gaming where smooth motion is crucial. On the other hand, the Razer Blade 18 also provides a high-quality display for everyday activities and professional design applications due to its strong color accuracy, but similarly falls short for 3D gaming because of its less optimal refresh rate. Both laptops prioritize screen attributes that benefit general and design use cases over the rapid visual response needed for high-end gaming experiences.
Battery
9.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has 9 hours of battery life. The Razer Blade 18 has 4 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
18.0in
4.0 lbs
WEIGHT
6.6 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has very good portability, while the Razer Blade 18 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,201
$3,200
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has a price of $1,201 and the Razer Blade 18 costs $3,200.
"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."
"Razer made a powerful laptop in the Blade 18, showing off a beautiful and fast display and the same high-quality build we’ve come to expect from this product line. It’s also quite expensive, which is hardly a surprise, but bears repeating even in this price range. It’s pricier than the Scar 18 despite an inferior GPU and half the storage, so you really have to want the Blade 18’s design to justify the cost."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware x14 R1 or the Razer Blade 18
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 Razer
Razer is an American-Singaporean technology company. Razer is best known for their Blade series laptops, well known for their strong performance and sleek design. Although Razer charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a stealthy laptop with clean fit and finish and strong performance. All of their models offer great portability and build quality compared to other gaming laptops.
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.