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- Table of Contents
- Top
- Main Differences
- Design
- Display
- Interface
- Connectivity
- Configuration
- Performance
- Additional Features And Software
- Comments
Dell Alienware m15 R3 (2020) vs Dell Alienware m18 (2023)
Side-by-Side Comparison
Products
Dell Alienware m15 R3 (2020)
Dell Alienware m18 (2023)
Tested using Methodology v0.8
Updated Jan 12, 2024 04:04 PM
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Finding storeTested using Methodology v0.8.2
Updated May 17, 2024 07:03 PM
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Size15"
Operating SystemWindows 10
Size18"
Operating SystemWindows 11
Variants
- Alienware m15 R3 (ALW15M-D5510B) (Dark Side of the Moon - FHD/144Hz/i5/GTX 1650Ti/8GB/512GB)
- Alienware m15 R3 (ALW15M-D5715B) (Dark Side of the Moon - FHD/144Hz/i7-10750H/GTX 1650Ti/16GBG/512GB)
- Alienware m15 R3 (AWM15-7593BLK-PUS) (Dark Side of the Moon - FHD/300Hz/i7-10750H/RTX 2070/16GB/512GB)
- Alienware m15 R3 (ALW15M-D5725W) (Lunar Light - FHD/144Hz/i7-10750H/GTX 1660Ti/16GB/512GB)
- Alienware m15 R3 (AWM15-7272WHT-PUS) (Lunar Light - FHD/144Hz/i7-10750H/RTX 2060/16GB/512GB)
- Alienware m15 R3 (AWM15-7302WHT-PUS) (Lunar Light - FHD/144Hz/i7-10750H/RTX 2070/16GB/1TB)
- Alienware m15 R3 (AWM15-7418WHT-PUS) (Lunar Light - FHD/300Hz/i7-10750H/RTX 2070/16GB/1TB)
- Alienware m15 R3 (ALW15M-D5746W) (Lunar Light - FHD/300Hz/i7-10750H/RTX 2070/16GB/1TB)
- Alienware m15 R3 (ALW15M-D5758W) (Lunar Light - FHD/300Hz/i7-10750H/RTX 2070/32GB/1TB)
- Alienware m15 R3 (ALW15M-D5858W) (Lunar Light - FHD/300Hz/i7-10875H/RTX 2070/32GB/1TB)
- Alienware m15 R3 (AWM15-7590WHT-PUS) (Lunar Light - FHD/300Hz/i7-10875H/RTX 2080/32GB/1TB)
- Alienware m18 (AWM18) (Dark Metallic Moon - FHD/480Hz/Ryzen 9 7845HX/RTX 4070/32GB/1TB)
- Alienware m18 (AWM18-A780BLK-PUS) (Dark Metallic Moon - FHD/480Hz/Ryzen 9 7845HX/RTX 4080/32GB/1TB)
- Alienware m18 (AWM18-A145BLK-PUS) (Dark Metallic Moon - FHD/480Hz/Ryzen 9 7845HX/RTX 4080/32GB/512GB)
Our Verdict
Dell Alienware m15 R3 (2020)
Dell Alienware m18 (2023)
The Dell Alienware m18 (2023) and the Dell Alienware m15 R3 (2020) provide a relatively similar user experience overall. The m18 is better for gaming and demanding productivity workloads because it's available with faster CPUs and GPUs. However, the m15 is better for on-the-go use because it's lighter and more compact.
Notice: Two or more of the products selected have been tested with different test methodologies, so some of the results below aren't directly comparable.
Learn how our test benches and scoring system work, and read more about the latest changes to our
laptops test methodology.
Read more
Main Differences forSchool
School
Threshold
School
6.6
6.1
Portability
5.6
2.4
Vertical Viewing Angle
9.3
6.7
Full Comparison
Design
Style
Style Photo
Form Factor
Traditional (Clamshell)
Traditional (Clamshell)
Build Quality
8.5
9.0
Build Quality Photo
Hinge
9.1
9.2
Hinge Photo
Range
135°
145°
Stability
Good
Good
One Finger Lift
Yes
Yes
Portability
5.6
2.4
Dimensions Photo
Size
15"
18"
Thickness
0.9" (2.2 cm)
1.1" (2.9 cm)
Width
14.2" (36.1 cm)
16.2" (41.1 cm)
Depth
10.7" (27.2 cm)
12.6" (32.0 cm)
Volume
131.8 in³ (2,160.2 cm³)
232.8 in³ (3,814.8 cm³)
Weight
4.9 lbs (2.2 kg)
8.6 lbs (3.9 kg)
Charger Size
32.3 in³ (529.3 cm³)
51.3 in³ (840.0 cm³)
Charger Weight
2.2 lbs (1.0 kg)
3.7 lbs (1.7 kg)
Serviceability
7.8
9.1
Internals Photo
Ease Of Access
9.5
9.0
RAM Slots
0
2
Storage Slots
3
3
Replaceable Battery
Yes
Yes
Replaceable Wireless Adapter
Yes
Yes
In The Box
In The Box Photo
Display
Screen Specs
Display Photo
Resolution
1920 x 1080
1920 x 1200
Aspect Ratio
16:9
16:10
Pixel Density
142 PPI
126 PPI
Panel Type
IPS
IPS
Touch Screen
No
No
Screen-To-Body Ratio
83%
84%
Refresh Rate
8.6
9.8
Motion Blur
Refresh Rate
300 Hz
480 Hz
Variable Refresh Rate
No
G-SYNC
Contrast
7.0
7.1
Contrast Photo
Native Contrast
1,123 : 1
1,194 : 1
Brightness
6.6
7.5
Maximum Brightness
267 cd/m²
343 cd/m²
Minimum Brightness
13 cd/m²
2 cd/m²
Reflections
7.0
7.1
Reflections Photo Off
Reflections Photo Max
Screen Finish
Matte
Matte
Total Reflections
5.97%
5.71%
Indirect Reflections
4.31%
4.09%
Calculated Direct Reflections
1.66%
1.62%
Black Uniformity
6.6
6.7
Black Uniformity Photo
Uniformity (Std. Dev.)
1.591%
1.526%
Horizontal Viewing Angle
7.3
6.5
Horizontal Viewing Angle Video
Horizontal Chroma Picture
Color Washout From Left
27°
24°
Color Washout From Right
28°
24°
Horizontal Hue Picture
Color Shift From Left
60°
31°
Color Shift From Right
60°
37°
Horizontal Lightness Picture
Brightness Loss From Left
30°
28°
Brightness Loss From Right
32°
28°
Black Level Raise From Left
60°
60°
Black Level Raise From Right
60°
60°
Gamma Shift From Left
30°
28°
Gamma Shift From Right
30°
27°
Vertical Viewing Angle
9.3
6.7
Vertical Viewing Angle Video
Vertical Chroma Picture
Color Washout From Below
45°
26°
Color Washout From Above
45°
27°
Vertical Hue Picture
Color Shift From Below
45°
34°
Color Shift From Above
45°
37°
Vertical Lightness Picture
Brightness Loss From Below
42°
28°
Brightness Loss From Above
40°
29°
Black Level Raise From Below
45°
45°
Black Level Raise From Above
45°
45°
Gamma Shift From Below
45°
32°
Gamma Shift From Above
45°
34°
Out-Of-The-Box Color Accuracy
6.7
7.0
White Balance Screencap
Gamma Curve Screencap
Color Screencap
Avg. White Balance dE
4.2
2.88
Avg. Gamma
2.33
2.33
Avg. Color dE
3.119
3.87
Avg. Color Temperature
6,192 K
6,590 K
Color Gamut
8.6
9.6
Gamut SDR
sRGB xy
99.87%
142.98%
sRGB uv
99.58%
139.44%
Adobe RGB xy
78.09%
91.08%
Adobe RGB uv
87.08%
96.14%
Gamut HDR
DCI P3 xy
79.94%
99.26%
DCI P3 uv
85.84%
99.65%
Rec. 2020 xy
57.56%
75.56%
Rec. 2020 uv
63.51%
80.59%
Flicker
10
10
Flicker Graph
Flicker-Free
Yes
Yes
Flicker Frequency
No Flicker
No Flicker
Flicker Active Below
0%
0%
Interface
Keyboard
8.8
8.8
Keyboard Photo
Typing Quality
8.5
8.5
Numpad
No
Yes
Backlighting
Per-Key RGB
Per-Key RGB
Key Switch Actuation Graph
Operating Force
69 gf
70 gf
Actuation Force
33 gf
32 gf
Pre-Travel
1.22 mm
1.27 mm
Total Travel
1.84 mm
1.79 mm
Touchpad
7.6
8.2
Touchpad Photo
Tracking Quality
8.0
8.0
Size
9.7 in² (62.8 cm²)
16.7 in² (108.0 cm²)
Material
Glass
Glass
Dedicated Buttons
No
No
Speakers
7.8
8.7
Frequency Response Plot
Max Volume
76 dB SPL
78 dB SPL
Standard Error @ Normal Vol. (65 dB)
6.1 dB
4.2 dB
Slope @ Normal Vol. (65 dB)
1.5
1.0
Bass Extension (Low-Frequency Ext.)
217 Hz
236 Hz
Treble Extension (High-Frequency Ext.)
19 kHz
16 kHz
Dynamic Range Compression @ Max Vol.
0.7 dB
0.8 dB
Webcam & Microphone
7.0
7.8
Webcam Video Sample
Video Quality
7.0
8.0
Resolution
720p
1080p
Position
Top Center
Top Center
Privacy Cover
No
No
Face Unlock
No
Yes
Connectivity
Ports
9.5
9.5
Ports Photo
USB-A Ports
3
3
USB-C Ports
1
3
Thunderbolt
Thunderbolt 3
No
USB-C Charging
Yes
Yes
USB-C Display Out
Yes
Yes
HDMI
2.0
2.1
DisplayPort
Mini DisplayPort 1.4
Mini DisplayPort 1.4
3.5mm Jack
Combo mic/headphone
Combo mic/headphone
Card Reader
MicroSD UHS 2
SD UHS 2
Ethernet
Yes
Yes
Proprietary Port
Alienware Graphics Amplifier
Alienware Power Adapter Port
Security Lock
Yes
No
Wireless Communication
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)
Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax)
Bluetooth
5.1
5.2
Configuration
CPU
Brand
Intel
AMD
Model
Core i7-10750H
Ryzen 9 7845HX
Core Count
6
12
Thread Count
12
24
GPU
Brand
NVIDIA
NVIDIA
Model
GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER Max-Q
GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU
Dedicated/Integrated
Dedicated
Dedicated
VRAM Size
8 GB
12 GB
RAM
Capacity
32 GB
32 GB
Modules
2 (Soldered)
2
Type
DDR4
DDR5
Speed
2,666 MHz
4,800 MHz
Storage
Advertised Capacity
1,000 GB
512 GB
Usable Capacity
950 GB
392 GB
Drive 1
PC611 NVMe SK Hynix 1TB
Western Digital PC SN810 NVMe
Drive 1 Type
SSD
SSD
Drive 2
No 2nd Drive
No 2nd Drive
Drive 2 Type
No 2nd Drive
No 2nd Drive
Performance
Geekbench 5 (Synthetics)
9.0
10
Geekbench Image
CPU Single-Thread
1,263 points
2,011 points
CPU Multi-Thread
6,122 points
16,625 points
GPU Compute
109,357 points
202,907 points
Cinebench R23 (CPU Rendering)
8.7
10
Cinebench R23 Photo
Single-Thread
1,202 points
1,875 points
Multi-Thread
7,328 points
26,181 points
Blender (3D Rendering)
8.6
9.6
Blender Image
CPU Render Time
4.6 min
1.6 min
GPU Render Time
1.1 min
0.2 min
GPU Render Time (Optix)
34 s
7 s
Basemark GPU (Game Scene)
9.5
10
Basemark Image
Overall Score
101,365
211,669
Storage Drive Performance
9.2
9.7
Storage Performance Image
Sequential Write Speed
1,639.2 MB/s
2,211.9 MB/s
Sequential Read Speed
2,584.1 MB/s
4,763.8 MB/s
Random Write Speed
85.3 MB/s
135.0 MB/s
Random Read Speed
46.1 MB/s
72.0 MB/s
Battery
2.9
3.0
Capacity
86 Wh
97 Wh
Battery Life (Web Browsing)
3.1 hrs
3.2 hrs
Battery Life (Video Playback)
2.4 hrs
2.6 hrs
Battery Life (Gaming)
0.9 hrs
0.8 hrs
Charge Time
3.0 hrs
2.8 hrs
Borderlands 3
7.6
8.3
Borderlands 3 Graph
Avg. FPS
92 fps
157 fps
1% Low
54 fps
79 fps
0.1% Low
36 fps
34 fps
1% Low Delta
8 ms
6 ms
0.1% Low Delta
17 ms
23 ms
Avg. FPS On Very Low
177 fps
259 fps
Civilization VI
8.1
9.2
Civilization VI Graph
Avg. FPS
145 fps
242 fps
1% Low
79 fps
167 fps
0.1% Low
57 fps
115 fps
1% Low Delta
6 ms
2 ms
0.1% Low Delta
11 ms
5 ms
Avg. FPS On Minimum
208 fps
362 fps
Avg. Turn Time
8.63 s
6.2 s
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
9.5
9.7
Avg. FPS
361 fps
508 fps
1% Low
177 fps
256 fps
0.1% Low
96 fps
156 fps
1% Low Delta
3 ms
2 ms
0.1% Low Delta
8 ms
4 ms
Avg. FPS On Low
524 fps
622 fps
Counter-Strike 2
CS2 Graph
Avg. FPS
1% Low
0.1% Low
1% Low Delta
0.1% Low Delta
Avg. FPS On Low
Shadow Of The Tomb Raider
8.1
9.1
Avg. FPS
108 fps
173 fps
1% Low
68 fps
105 fps
0.1% Low
41 fps
73 fps
1% Low Delta
5 ms
4 ms
0.1% Low Delta
15 ms
8 ms
Avg. FPS On Lowest
120 fps
181 fps
Thermals And Noise
6.7
6.7
Keyboard Temps Picture
Keyboard Temp While Idle
37 °C (99 °F)
30 °C (85 °F)
Keyboard Temp Under Load
44 °C (111 °F)
44 °C (111 °F)
Fan Noise While Idle
25.0 dBA
25.5 dBA
Fan Noise Under Load
51.5 dBA
54.0 dBA
Power & Fan Control App
Yes
Yes
Performance Over Time
9.8
9.9
Performance Over Time Graph
Performance Over Time Image
CPU Temp (Cinebench)
98 °C
100 °C
CPU Perf. Loss (Cinebench)
1% loss
1% loss
GPU Temp (Heaven)
71 °C
73 °C
GPU Perf. Loss (Heaven)
0% loss
0% loss
Additional Features And Software
Software
Operating System
Windows 10
Windows 11
Additional Software
Yes
Yes
Extra Features
RGB Illumination
Yes
Yes
Touch Pen
No
No
Secondary Display
No
No
Biometrics
No
Face Recognition
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Dell Alienware m15 R3 (2020)
Dell Alienware m18 (2023)
Comments
Dell Alienware m15 R3 (2020) vs Dell Alienware m18 (2023): Main Discussion
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