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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 Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 (2021)
Side-by-Side Comparison
Products
Dell Alienware m15 R3 (2020)
Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 (2021)
Tested using Methodology v0.8
Updated Jan 12, 2024 04:04 PM
SEE PRICE
Amazon.comTested using Methodology v0.8.2
Updated Feb 29, 2024 05:20 PM
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Amazon.com
Size15"
Operating SystemWindows 10
Size15.6"
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)
- IdeaPad Gaming 3 (82K201QMUS) (Shadow Black - 120Hz/Ryzen 5 5600H/GTX 1650/8GB/256GB)
- IdeaPad Gaming 3 (82K20015US) (Shadow Black - 120Hz/Ryzen 5 5600H/GTX 1650/8GB/256GB)
- IdeaPad Gaming 3 (82K200UTUS) (Shadow Black - 120Hz/Ryzen 5 5600H/GTX 1650/8GB/256GB)
- IdeaPad Gaming 3 (82K20003US) (Shadow Black - 120Hz/Ryzen 5 5600H/GTX 1650/8GB/512GB)
- IdeaPad Gaming 3 (82K200USUS) (Shadow Black - 120Hz/Ryzen 5 5600H/GTX 1650/8GB/512GB)
- IdeaPad Gaming 3 (82K20013US) (Shadow Black - 120Hz/Ryzen 5 5600H/RTX 3050/8GB/512GB)
- IdeaPad Gaming 3 (82K200XXUS) (Shadow Black - 120Hz/Ryzen 5 5600H/RTX 3050Ti/8GB/512GB)
- IdeaPad Gaming 3 (82K200C5UK) (Shadow Black - 120Hz/Ryzen 5 5600H/RTX 3050Ti/8GB/512GB)
- IdeaPad Gaming 3 (82K200C4UK) (Shadow Black - 120Hz/Ryzen 5 5600H/RTX 3060/8GB/512GB)
- IdeaPad Gaming 3 (82K200UYUS) (Shadow Black - 120Hz/Ryzen 7 5800H/RTX 3050/8GB/256GB)
- IdeaPad Gaming 3 (82K200URUS) (Shadow Black - 120Hz/Ryzen 7 5800H/RTX 3060/8GB/512GB)
- IdeaPad Gaming 3 (82K20001US) (Shadow Black - 120Hz/Ryzen 5 5600H/GTX 1650/8GB/256GB SSD + 1TB HDD)
- IdeaPad Gaming 3 (82K20042FR) (Shadow Black - 120Hz/Ryzen 5 5600H/RTX 3050Ti/16GB/512GB)
Our Verdict
Dell Alienware m15 R3 (2020)
Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 (2021)
The Dell Alienware m15 R3 (2020) is better than the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 (2021). The Alienware m15 R3 is a more premium device with a sturdier build, a more comfortable keyboard, and a wider port selection that includes a USB-C port with Thunderbolt 3 support. It also has better display options, including a 1080p 300Hz IPS and a 4k OLED panel. The performance will depend on which configuration you get, but keep in mind that although the IdeaPad Gaming 3 has newer CPUs and GPUs, it doesn't necessarily mean that it'll perform better, as an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 is still vastly more powerful than an RTX 3050 or 3060.
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
6.6
Battery
2.9
4.2
Portability
5.6
6.7
Ports
9.5
6.0
Vertical Viewing Angle
9.3
6.0
Full Comparison
Design
Style
Style Photo
Form Factor
Traditional (Clamshell)
Traditional (Clamshell)
Build Quality
8.5
7.5
Build Quality Photo
Hinge
9.1
6.6
Hinge Photo
Range
135°
135°
Stability
Good
Good
One Finger Lift
Yes
No
Portability
5.6
6.7
Dimensions Photo
Size
15"
15.6"
Thickness
0.9" (2.2 cm)
1.1" (2.8 cm)
Width
14.2" (36.1 cm)
14.1" (35.9 cm)
Depth
10.7" (27.2 cm)
9.9" (25.1 cm)
Volume
131.8 in³ (2,160.2 cm³)
154.0 in³ (2,523.1 cm³)
Weight
4.9 lbs (2.2 kg)
4.7 lbs (2.1 kg)
Charger Size
32.3 in³ (529.3 cm³)
11.4 in³ (187.5 cm³)
Charger Weight
2.2 lbs (1.0 kg)
1.0 lbs (0.5 kg)
Serviceability
7.8
8.9
Internals Photo
Ease Of Access
9.5
8.5
RAM Slots
0
2
Storage Slots
3
2
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 1080
Aspect Ratio
16:9
16:9
Pixel Density
142 PPI
141 PPI
Panel Type
IPS
IPS
Touch Screen
No
No
Screen-To-Body Ratio
83%
80%
Refresh Rate
8.6
8.7
Motion Blur
Refresh Rate
300 Hz
120 Hz
Variable Refresh Rate
No
FreeSync
Contrast
7.0
6.6
Contrast Photo
Native Contrast
1,123 : 1
913 : 1
Brightness
6.6
6.0
Maximum Brightness
267 cd/m²
227 cd/m²
Minimum Brightness
13 cd/m²
2 cd/m²
Reflections
7.0
7.9
Reflections Photo Off
Reflections Photo Max
Screen Finish
Matte
Matte
Total Reflections
5.97%
4.04%
Indirect Reflections
4.31%
2.7%
Calculated Direct Reflections
1.66%
1.34%
Black Uniformity
6.6
7.5
Black Uniformity Photo
Uniformity (Std. Dev.)
1.591%
0.992%
Horizontal Viewing Angle
7.3
5.9
Horizontal Viewing Angle Video
Horizontal Chroma Picture
Color Washout From Left
27°
26°
Color Washout From Right
28°
19°
Horizontal Hue Picture
Color Shift From Left
60°
44°
Color Shift From Right
60°
38°
Horizontal Lightness Picture
Brightness Loss From Left
30°
29°
Brightness Loss From Right
32°
22°
Black Level Raise From Left
60°
15°
Black Level Raise From Right
60°
60°
Gamma Shift From Left
30°
24°
Gamma Shift From Right
30°
18°
Vertical Viewing Angle
9.3
6.0
Vertical Viewing Angle Video
Vertical Chroma Picture
Color Washout From Below
45°
25°
Color Washout From Above
45°
25°
Vertical Hue Picture
Color Shift From Below
45°
33°
Color Shift From Above
45°
34°
Vertical Lightness Picture
Brightness Loss From Below
42°
26°
Brightness Loss From Above
40°
25°
Black Level Raise From Below
45°
45°
Black Level Raise From Above
45°
23°
Gamma Shift From Below
45°
25°
Gamma Shift From Above
45°
22°
Out-Of-The-Box Color Accuracy
6.7
6.1
White Balance Screencap
Gamma Curve Screencap
Color Screencap
Avg. White Balance dE
4.2
3.18
Avg. Gamma
2.33
2.27
Avg. Color dE
3.119
5.03
Avg. Color Temperature
6,192 K
6,589.6 K
Color Gamut
8.6
3.8
Gamut SDR
sRGB xy
99.87%
62.36%
sRGB uv
99.58%
52.26%
Adobe RGB xy
78.09%
46.49%
Adobe RGB uv
87.08%
44.9%
Gamut HDR
DCI P3 xy
79.94%
46.23%
DCI P3 uv
85.84%
41.71%
Rec. 2020 xy
57.56%
33.16%
Rec. 2020 uv
63.51%
30.39%
Flicker
10
10
Flicker Graph
Flicker-Free
Yes
Yes
Flicker Frequency
No Flicker
No Flicker
Flicker Active Below
0%
0%
Interface
Keyboard
8.8
8.1
Keyboard Photo
Typing Quality
8.5
8.0
Numpad
No
Yes
Backlighting
Per-Key RGB
Adjustable
Key Switch Actuation Graph
Operating Force
69 gf
62 gf
Actuation Force
33 gf
31 gf
Pre-Travel
1.22 mm
1.04 mm
Total Travel
1.84 mm
1.45 mm
Touchpad
7.6
7.8
Touchpad Photo
Tracking Quality
8.0
8.0
Size
9.7 in² (62.8 cm²)
14.0 in² (90.0 cm²)
Material
Glass
Plastic
Dedicated Buttons
No
No
Speakers
7.8
7.0
Frequency Response Plot
Max Volume
76 dB SPL
71 dB SPL
Standard Error @ Normal Vol. (65 dB)
6.1 dB
5.6 dB
Slope @ Normal Vol. (65 dB)
1.5
-0.8
Bass Extension (Low-Frequency Ext.)
217 Hz
293 Hz
Treble Extension (High-Frequency Ext.)
19 kHz
13 kHz
Dynamic Range Compression @ Max Vol.
0.7 dB
2.1 dB
Webcam & Microphone
7.0
7.5
Webcam Video Sample
Video Quality
7.0
7.0
Resolution
720p
720p
Position
Top Center
Top Center
Privacy Cover
No
Yes
Face Unlock
No
No
Connectivity
Ports
9.5
6.0
Ports Photo
USB-A Ports
3
2
USB-C Ports
1
1
Thunderbolt
Thunderbolt 3
No
USB-C Charging
Yes
No
USB-C Display Out
Yes
No
HDMI
2.0
2.0
DisplayPort
Mini DisplayPort 1.4
No
3.5mm Jack
Combo mic/headphone
Combo mic/headphone
Card Reader
MicroSD UHS 2
No
Ethernet
Yes
Yes
Proprietary Port
Alienware Graphics Amplifier
Lenovo Power Connector
Security Lock
Yes
No
Wireless Communication
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)
Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)
Bluetooth
5.1
5.2
Configuration
CPU
Brand
Intel
AMD
Model
Core i7-10750H
Ryzen 7 5800H
Core Count
6
8
Thread Count
12
16
GPU
Brand
NVIDIA
NVIDIA
Model
GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER Max-Q
GeForce RTX 3050
Dedicated/Integrated
Dedicated
Dedicated
VRAM Size
8 GB
4 GB
RAM
Capacity
32 GB
8 GB
Modules
2 (Soldered)
1
Type
DDR4
DDR4
Speed
2,666 MHz
3,200 MHz
Storage
Advertised Capacity
1,000 GB
1,256 GB
Usable Capacity
950 GB
1,194 GB
Drive 1
PC611 NVMe SK Hynix 1TB
Samsung MZALQ256HBJD-00BL2
Drive 1 Type
SSD
SSD
Drive 2
No 2nd Drive
Toshiba MQ04ABF100
Drive 2 Type
No 2nd Drive
HDD
Performance
Geekbench 5 (Synthetics)
9.0
8.7
Geekbench Image
CPU Single-Thread
1,263 points
1,362 points
CPU Multi-Thread
6,122 points
5,129 points
GPU Compute
109,357 points
61,496 points
Cinebench R23 (CPU Rendering)
8.7
9.6
Cinebench R23 Photo
Single-Thread
1,202 points
1,430 points
Multi-Thread
7,328 points
12,544 points
Blender (3D Rendering)
8.6
9.0
Blender Image
CPU Render Time
4.6 min
3.3 min
GPU Render Time
1.1 min
0.8 min
GPU Render Time (Optix)
34 s
22 s
Basemark GPU (Game Scene)
9.5
8.0
Basemark Image
Overall Score
101,365
56,493
Storage Drive Performance
9.2
9.1
Storage Performance Image
Sequential Write Speed
1,639.2 MB/s
876.1 MB/s
Sequential Read Speed
2,584.1 MB/s
2,473.2 MB/s
Random Write Speed
85.3 MB/s
85.8 MB/s
Random Read Speed
46.1 MB/s
45.4 MB/s
Battery
2.9
4.2
Capacity
86 Wh
45 Wh
Battery Life (Web Browsing)
3.1 hrs
5.3 hrs
Battery Life (Video Playback)
2.4 hrs
3.0 hrs
Battery Life (Gaming)
0.9 hrs
0.9 hrs
Charge Time
3.0 hrs
2.4 hrs
Borderlands 3
7.6
4.8
Borderlands 3 Graph
Avg. FPS
92 fps
43 fps
1% Low
54 fps
12 fps
0.1% Low
36 fps
5 fps
1% Low Delta
8 ms
62 ms
0.1% Low Delta
17 ms
195 ms
Avg. FPS On Very Low
177 fps
84 fps
Civilization VI
8.1
7.3
Civilization VI Graph
Avg. FPS
145 fps
66 fps
1% Low
79 fps
45 fps
0.1% Low
57 fps
37 fps
1% Low Delta
6 ms
7 ms
0.1% Low Delta
11 ms
12 ms
Avg. FPS On Minimum
208 fps
141 fps
Avg. Turn Time
8.63 s
7.23 s
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
9.5
8.1
Avg. FPS
361 fps
117 fps
1% Low
177 fps
59 fps
0.1% Low
96 fps
47 fps
1% Low Delta
3 ms
8 ms
0.1% Low Delta
8 ms
13 ms
Avg. FPS On Low
524 fps
180 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
5.0
Avg. FPS
108 fps
52 fps
1% Low
68 fps
20 fps
0.1% Low
41 fps
7 fps
1% Low Delta
5 ms
31 ms
0.1% Low Delta
15 ms
125 ms
Avg. FPS On Lowest
120 fps
65 fps
Thermals And Noise
6.7
5.9
Keyboard Temps Picture
Keyboard Temp While Idle
37 °C (99 °F)
37 °C (98 °F)
Keyboard Temp Under Load
44 °C (111 °F)
52 °C (126 °F)
Fan Noise While Idle
25.0 dBA
25.0 dBA
Fan Noise Under Load
51.5 dBA
51.0 dBA
Power & Fan Control App
Yes
Yes
Performance Over Time
9.8
9.0
Performance Over Time Graph
Performance Over Time Image
CPU Temp (Cinebench)
98 °C
82 °C
CPU Perf. Loss (Cinebench)
1% loss
6% loss
GPU Temp (Heaven)
71 °C
70 °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
No
Touch Pen
No
No
Secondary Display
No
No
Biometrics
No
No
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Dell Alienware m15 R3 (2020)
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Comments
Dell Alienware m15 R3 (2020) vs Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 (2021): Main Discussion
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