XMG Neo 15 E21 vs Dell Alienware m15 R5 Ryzen Edition Comparison

Laptop to replace

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XMG Neo 15 E21

15.6 inches | January 2021

Speed 4.5

Size 7.5

Display 5

Gaming 4

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Dell Alienware m15 R5 Ryzen Edition

15.6 inches | January 2021

Speed 4.5

Size 7.5

Display 5

Gaming 3

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XMG Neo 15 E21 vs Dell Alienware m15 R5 Ryzen Edition Comparison Overview

XMG Neo 15 E21

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XMG Neo 15 E21

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Dell Alienware m15 R...

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In this review, we will be comparing Neo 15 E21 and Alienware m15 R5 Ryzen Edition, two laptops from XMG and Dell. XMG Neo 15 E21 was introduced to market in January 2021 and Dell Alienware m15 R5 Ryzen Edition was launched in January 2021. Both Neo 15 E21 and Alienware m15 R5 Ryzen Edition were launched within the same month so we are expecting this to be a fair comparison regarding age and available technology level.

Click for Available Configurations of the Laptops

Here is a brief look at the main features of XMG Neo 15 E21 and Dell Alienware m15 R5 Ryzen Edition before getting into our more detailed comparison.

XMG Neo 15 E21 Key Specs

Launched in January 2021
15.6" IPS LCD, 16:9 Aspect Ratio Display
CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 5800H
GPU: GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile 8GB
8GB Ram
359.8 x 243 x 26 mm (14.17 x 9.57 x 1.02 inches)
Weight: 2.1 kg (4.63 lbs)

Dell Alienware m15 R5 Ryzen Edition Key Specs

Launched in January 2021
15.6" IPS LCD, 16:9 Aspect Ratio Display
CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 5800H
GPU: GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile 4GB
8GB Ram
356.2 x 272.5 x 12-19.2 mm (14.02 x 10.73 x 0.47-0.76 inches)
Weight: 2.42 kg (5.34 lbs)

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Neo 15 E21 and Alienware m15 R5 Ryzen Edition compares and decide which one is better for you.

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Reasons to choose XMG Neo 15 E21 over Dell Alienware m15 R5 Ryzen Edition

Weight	2.10 kg vs 2.42 kg	0.32 kg lighter
Screen-to-Body Ratio	~76.8% vs ~69.1%	Larger screen area ratio
Refresh Rate	240 Hz vs 165 Hz	Smoother media experience
GPU FLOPS	17.5 TFLOPS vs 8.7 TFLOPS	Higher RAM potential
Max Total RAM	64 GB vs 32 GB	Read & Write SD Cards with the built-in reader
SD Card Reader	Yes vs No	Fast way to input numbers
Numeric Pad	Yes vs No	Better typing feel
Key Travel	2 mm vs 1.7 mm

Reasons to choose Dell Alienware m15 R5 Ryzen Edition over XMG Neo 15 E21

Side Bezel Thickness	5.4 mm vs 7.2 mm	1.8 mm thinner bezels
sRGB Color Space	99% vs 90%	Wider sRGB Color Space Coverage
Number of Microphones	2 vs 1	Better Sound capture
Bluetooth	v5.2 vs v5	More advanced Bluetooth connectivity
Thunderbolt	v3 vs No	Support audio, data, power and video all through one single port

Common Strengths of Dell Alienware m15 R5 Ryzen Edition and XMG Neo 15 E21

Screen Coating	Matte vs Matte	Less reflections on the screen
Fast Charging Support	Yes vs Yes	Charge the battery in a shorter time
Upgradable RAM	Yes vs Yes	Option to increase the RAM size
RAM Type	DDR4 vs DDR4	Fast RAM type
Upgradable Storage	Yes vs Yes	Option to increase the Storage size
SSD Type	NVMe vs NVMe	Faster Data Transfers
Wi-Fi Standard	v6 vs v6	Fast and Reliable Wi-Fi Connections
HDMI Output	1x HDMI 2.1 vs 1x HDMI 2.1	Connect to External Displays via HDMI cable
VGA Output	No vs No	Connect to External Displays via VGA cable
Ethernet RJ45 Port	Yes vs Yes	Fast connection to Network via ethernet cable
Keyboard Backlight	Yes vs Yes	Easily see the keys under low light

Common Weaknesses of Dell Alienware m15 R5 Ryzen Edition and XMG Neo 15 E21

Touchscreen Capability	No vs No	No Touchscreen Capability
HDR Support	No vs No	No HDR Support
Fingerprint Sensor	No vs No	No fingerprint login feature

XMG Neo 15 E21 vs Dell Alienware m15 R5 Ryzen Edition: Physical Specs Comparison

In this section, we will be comparing the physical specifications and body features of the XMG Neo 15 E21 and the Dell Alienware m15 R5 Ryzen Edition.

Physical Specs
Weight	2.1 kg (4.63 lbs)	2.42 kg (5.34 lbs)
Surface Area	874 cm2 (135.6 inches2)	971 cm2 (150.4 inches2)
Screen to Surface Ratio	~76.8%	~69.1%
Side Bezel Thickness	~7.2 mm	~5.4 mm
Weight per Inch of Screen	0.13 kg/inch	0.16 kg/inch
	0.286 lbs/inch	0.352 lbs/inch
Colors	Black	Black

Comparison of the XMG Neo 15 E21 and the Dell Alienware m15 R5 Ryzen Edition External Dimensions

Weight

Neo 15 E21 weighs 2.1 kg (4.63 lbs), whereas the Alienware m15 R5 Ryzen Edition weighs 2.42 kg (5.34 lbs). There is a notable difference in weight between these two laptops. The weight difference between the two laptops is not significant.

Weight Comparison

Displays size 15.0-15.9 inches

XMG Neo 15 E21

Dell Alienware m15 R5 Ryzen Edition

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Thickness Comparison

Displays size 15.0-15.9 inches

XMG Neo 15 E21

Dell Alienware m15 R5 Ryzen Edition

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Another value that we use for comparing the weights of the laptops is the Weight per Inch of Screen, which is calculated by dividing the total weight of the model with its usable diagonal screen size. This value for the XMG Neo 15 E21 is 0.13 kg/inch.In comparison, this value for the Dell Alienware m15 R5 Ryzen Edition is 0.16 kg/inch.Here are some of the best performing laptops in this area:

Microsoft Surface Go 4: 0.05 kg/inch
LG Gram SuperSlim 15.6 2023: 0.06 kg/inch
Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306: 0.06 kg/inch
Asus Zenbook A14 UX3407: 0.06 kg/inch
Microsoft Surface Pro 12: 0.06 kg/inch
Asus ProArt PZ14 HT7407: 0.06 kg/inch
Dell Latitude 7330: 0.07 kg/inch
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2: 0.07 kg/inch

XMG Neo 15 E21 vs Dell Alienware m15 R5 Ryzen Edition: Internals Comparison

CPU Comparison

CPU Model	AMD Ryzen 7 5800H AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX	AMD Ryzen 7 5800H AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX
Base Frequency	3.2 GHz	3.2 GHz
Turbo Frequency	4.4 GHz	4.4 GHz
Number of Cores	8	8
Number of Threads	16	16
L3 Cache	16 MB	16 MB
Integrated GPU	Radeon RX Vega 8	Radeon RX Vega 8
CPU Fabrication Process	7 nm	7 nm
Geekbench 5 (Single)	1461	1461
Geekbench 5 (Multi)	7439	7439
Cinebench 23 (Single)	1426	1426
Cinebench 23 (Multi)	12233	12233

Above you can see the CPU options and the CineBench and GeekBench test scores for both laptops, which gives an idea about what kind of performance difference you may experience between the XMG Neo 15 E21 and Dell Alienware m15 R5 Ryzen Edition.

You may also read reviews of latest laptops with the same CPU ( AMD Ryzen 7 5800H ) and compare them:

GPU Comparison

GPU Model	GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile 8GB GeForce RTX 3080 Mobile 16GB	GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile 4GB GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile 6GB GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile 8GB
Base Clock Frequency	1310 MHz	1463 MHz
Boost CLock Frequency	1725 MHz	1035 MHz
TGP (Total Graphics Power)	125-140 W	80 W
Nvidia Optimus	MUX	Yes, Advanced Optimus
Type	Dedicated	Dedicated
FLOPS	17.5 TFLOPS	8.7 TFLOPS
Memory Size	8 GB	4 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR6
Memory Bus	256 bit	128 bit
Memory Speed	14 Gbps	12 Gbps
Shading Units Cores	5120	2560
TMUs	160	80
ROPs	80	32

GPU is as critical as the CPU for graphic heavy applications and the table above gives a picture of how the two GPU compares. FLOPS is a measure of a GPU's performance based on the number of floating-point arithmetic calculations that the processor can perform within a second. XMG Neo 15 E21 has a FLOPS value of 17.5 TFLOPS whereas the Dell Alienware m15 R5 Ryzen Edition ' has a FLOPS value of 8.7 TFLOPS. If graphical performance of the laptop is important for your use type, the Dell Alienware m15 R5 Ryzen Edition may be the better choice between these two setups.

RAM Comparison

RAM	8GB 16GB 32GB 64GB	8GB 16GB 32GB
Memory Bus	1x8 GB	1x8 GB
RAM Clock	3200 MHz	3200 MHz
RAM Type	DDR4	DDR4
Upgradable	Yes	Yes
Max RAM Size	64 GB	32 GB
Total Slots	2	2

Both laptops, the Neo 15 E21 and the Alienware m15 R5 Ryzen Edition, come with similar RAM capacities of 8 GB, providing comparable performance in memory-intensive tasks.

LOCAL LLM Compatibility Evaluation

This quick guide shows what types of large language models (LLMs) each of these laptops could support, based on their respective hardware specifications. It's meant to help you compare their suitability for running AI models locally.

LLM Category	XMG Neo 15 (E21)	Dell Alienware m15 R5 (Ryzen Edition)
CPU	AMD Ryzen 7 5800H	AMD Ryzen 7 5800H
GPU	GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile 8GB	GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile 4GB
Memory	8 GB ; 8 GB VRAM	8 GB ; 4 GB VRAM
Available for LLM total	~12 GB (6.5 GB VRAM 5.5 GB RAM)	~8 GB (2.5 GB VRAM 5.5 GB RAM)
Small Models (1-3B): Examples: Phi-2, Qwen-1.8B Requires ~2 GB memory	✔ Runs Smoothly fits in your 8 GB VRAM	✔ Runs Smoothly fits in your 4 GB VRAM
Medium Models (7-8B): Examples: Mistral-7B, Qwen-7B Requires ~5 GB memory	✔ Runs Well fits in your 8 GB VRAM	⚠ Borderline / Slow doesn't fit in 4 GB VRAM, spills to RAM (VRAM + RAM, slower)
Large Models
13-15B Models (e.g., Llama 3 14B, Qwen1.5 14B) Requires ~9 GB memory	⚠ Borderline / Slow doesn't fit in 8 GB VRAM, spills to RAM (VRAM + RAM, slower)	✖ Not Supported exceeds available RAM
16-24B Models (e.g., Dense 20B Q4 ~15.5GB) Requires ~14 GB memory	✖ Not Supported exceeds available RAM	✖ Not Supported exceeds available RAM
24-30B Models (e.g., Dense 30B Q4) Requires ~18 GB memory	✖ Not Supported exceeds available RAM	✖ Not Supported exceeds available RAM
MoE Models (Mixture-of-Experts) (e.g., Mixtral 8x7B - total ~47B, active ~12-13B) Requires ~24 GB memory	✖ Not Supported exceeds available RAM	✖ Not Supported exceeds available RAM
Extra-Large Models (65B+): Examples: LLaMA2-70B, Qwen1.5-72B Requires ~42 GB memory	✖ Not Supported exceeds available RAM	✖ Not Supported exceeds available RAM

For more detailed LLM evaluation (subcategories, performance ranges, memory breakdown)

XMG Neo 15 (E21)|Dell Alienware m15 R5 (Ryzen Edition)

Note: Optimized (e.g., 4-bit) models may run on limited hardware. Performance depends on runtime and setup.

📌 Model Types: Dense 30B Q4 models typically require around 19–22 GB of total VRAM, so they run best on systems with ≥24 GB VRAM. MoE models like Mixtral 8x7B (≈47B total parameters, usually ≈23–26 GB in 4-bit) also need high memory because all experts must be loaded, even though only a few are active per token. They reduce compute cost per token (similar to a ~12–13B dense model), but not memory usage, so they are not practical on 14–16 GB systems.

🚀 Modern NPU (Neural Processing Unit): Modern processors like AMD Ryzen AI and Intel Core Ultra feature NPU and unified memory architecture. NPUs provide modest performance gains (0-30% faster) with better power efficiency compared to iGPU-only execution. Real-world tests show ~3-10 tok/s range on 13B models with 32GB RAM (varies by runtime, quantization, and context), comparable to iGPU but more power-efficient. Note: These figures are examples from various NPU systems; actual performance depends on your specific hardware configuration.

Understanding Performance Categories

The performance descriptions use general categories because actual speed varies greatly based on your specific hardware, model optimization, context length, and runtime software.

Performance Level	Typical Range	User Experience
Runs Smoothly (High-end dGPU)	50+ tok/s	Real-time response. Feels instant, like ChatGPT.
Runs Well (Mid-range dGPU)	20-50 tok/s	Good interactive performance. Slight delay, but usable.
Modest Speed (iGPU/NPU/CPU)	5-20 tok/s	Usable for tasks that don't need instant responses. Noticeable typing delay.
Borderline / Slow (Limited hardware)	2-5 tok/s	Slow-Very slow. Patience required. Better for batch processing.
Not Practical	<2 tok/s	Too slow for regular use. May cause system hangs or instability.

💡 Tip: Your actual results may be higher or lower than these ranges. Test with your specific hardware to know for sure!

⚠️ Note: Performance categorization is based on VRAM capacity and RAM fallback status. GPU type (memory bandwidth, compute power) can also affect actual performance. Currently, we prioritize whether the model fits in VRAM or requires RAM fallback for classification. We may refine this categorization in future updates based on more detailed benchmarks.

BATTERY

BATTERY	93 Wh	56 Wh 86 Wh
Battery Type	Li-Po	Li-Ion
Replaceable	No	No
Fast Charging	Yes	Yes
USB Power Delivery	No	No
Charging Port Position	Bottom	Bottom
Charge Power	230 W	180 / 240 W
AC Adapter Weight	890 gramm	780 gramm

Moreover, the Neo 15 E21 boasts a larger battery capacity of 93 Wh, offering extended usage time compared to the Alienware m15 R5 Ryzen Edition's56 Wh.

Battery Comparison

Displays size 15.0-15.9 inches

XMG Neo 15 E21

Dell Alienware m15 R5 Ryzen Edition

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STORAGE
With a larger storage capacity up to 4 TB, the Neo 15 E21 provides more space for storing files and applications compared to the Alienware m15 R5 Ryzen Edition's max. storage capacity of 2 TB.

Storage Options	256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB, 4 TB	256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB
Upgradable	Yes	Yes
Storage type	SSD (M2)	SSD (M2)
NVMe	Yes	Yes
Memory Bus	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x)	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x)

If your budget allows, we recommend opting for the largest possible disk size, considering the potential increase in storage capacity needs in the future. However, please keep in mind the question 'What will the laptop be used for?' when making this decision. Of course, you can later upgrade the hard disk capacity by getting a larger disk. However, if your laptop has only one disk slot, it may not be as straightforward as a RAM upgrade, where you simply add or replace a module, as moving or cloning files to a new disk may be necessary.

XMG Neo 15 E21 vs Dell Alienware m15 R5 Ryzen Edition: Display Comparison

The display is an essential aspect to consider when comparing the XMG Neo 15 E21 and Dell Alienware m15 R5 Ryzen Edition since its is the component that you interact the most and significantly impact the experience.

Screen Area and Dimensions

Now let's look at the comparison of the actual display areas of both laptops below, keeping the bezels around the screens out of the equation. Both Neo 15 E21 and Alienware m15 R5 Ryzen Edition screens have the same size of 15.6".The total usable screen area of the Neo 15 E21 is 670cm² / 104inch² whereas the Alienware m15 R5 Ryzen Edition's total usable screen area is 670cm² / 104inch².

PPI (Pixels per Inch)
Both Neo 15 E21 and Alienware m15 R5 Ryzen Edition feature the same pixel density with 141 pixels per inch (PPI).

Screen PPI (Pixels Per Inch) Comparison

Displays size 15.0-15.9 inches

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Refresh Rate
The Neo 15 E21 offers a higher refresh rate of 240 Hz, resulting in smoother motion and improved visual experience.

Brightness
Both Neo 15 E21 and Alienware m15 R5 Ryzen Edition offer the same maximum brightness of 300 nits (cd/m²).

Brightness Comparison

Displays size 15.0-15.9 inches

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XMG Neo 15 E21 vs Dell Alienware m15 R5 Ryzen Edition Connectivity Comparison

In terms of connectivity,

Wifi
Both laptops offer the same Wi-Fi standard (v6), ensuring fast and reliable wireless connections.

Below, you'll find a Wi-Fi Versions Table, along with their release dates and speeds, to provide a brief overview of its development.

Wi-Fi Versions and Speeds

Standard	Speed	Release Date	Network	Frequency Bands (GHz)
Wi-Fi 7	up to 40 Gbps (5 GB/s)	2023	802.11be	2.4, 5, 6
Wi-Fi 6E	up to 9.6 Gbps (1.2 GB/s)	2020	802.11ax	2.4, 5, 6
Wi-Fi 6	up to 9.6 Gbps (1.2 GB/s)	2019	802.11ax	2.4, 5
Wi-Fi 5	up to 6.93 Gbps (866.25 MB/s)	2014	802.11ac	2.4, 5
Wi-Fi 4	up to 600 Mbps (75 MB/s)	2009	802.11n	2.4, 5

* Please note that the provided transfer rates are maximum theoretical values, and real-life performance may vary based on environmental factors.

USB
Both Neo 15 E21 and Alienware m15 R5 Ryzen Edition feature 3x USB 3.2 USB-A ports.
Both Neo 15 E21 and Alienware m15 R5 Ryzen Edition feature 1x USB 3.2 USB Type-C ports.

Below, you'll find a table of USB ports, along with their release dates and speeds.
To mitigate the confusion caused by generation names, the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) suggests using marketing names like USB 5Gbps, USB 10Gbps, and so forth, based on their respective transfer rates.

USB Type and Speeds

USB Type	Version	Speed	Date	Other Features/Explanations
USB4	Gen 4 (2.0)	80 Gbps	2022	Also known as USB 80Gbps
USB4	Gen 3×2	40 Gbps	2019	Also known as USB 40Gbps
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 2x2	20 Gbps	2019	Double the data transfer rates of Gen 2
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 2	10 Gbps	2017	Previously known as USB 3.1
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 1	5 Gbps	2017	Previously known as USB 3.0
USB 3.1	3.1 Gen 2	10 Gbps	2013	Faster data transfer rates
USB 3.0	3.1 Gen 1	5 Gbps	2010	SuperSpeed USB, improved data transfer rates
USB 2.0	2.0	480 Mbps	2000	High-speed data transfer
USB 1.0	1.0	1.5 Mbps	1996	Original USB standard

Thunderbolt
Alienware m15 R5 Ryzen Edition is equipped with Thunderbolt 3 port. Neo 15 E21 does not have Thunderbolt port.

HDMI
Both Neo 15 E21 and Alienware m15 R5 Ryzen Edition feature an HDMI port (1x HDMI 2.1) for connecting to external monitors.

Below, you'll find a comparison table detailing different HDMI versions, including their bandwidth, color depth, maximum resolution, and release dates. This information can be helpful in understanding the capabilities of each HDMI version and choosing the most suitable one for your needs.

HDMI Comparison Table

HDMI Version	Maximum Resolution	Bandwidth (Gbps)	Color Depth (bits)	Release Date
HDMI 2.1-2.1b	7680 x 4320 *(8K)* @ 60p 3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 120p	48.0	48	2017
HDMI 2.0-2.0b	3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 60p	18.0	48	2013
HDMI 1.4-1.4b	3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 30p	10.2	48	2009
HDMI 1.3-1.3a	2560 x 1440 @ 60p	10.2	48	2006
HDMI 1.0-1.2a	1920 x 1200 @ 60p	4.95	24	2002

* Please note that the provided resolution values represent the maximum supported resolution, and actual display quality may depend on other factors such as source content and connected devices.

SD Card Reader
Neo 15 E21 is equipped with an SD Card Reader for easy access to memory cards. Alienware m15 R5 Ryzen Edition does not have an SD Card Reader.

Audio Jack
Both Neo 15 E21 and Alienware m15 R5 Ryzen Edition are equipped with a 3.5mm Audio Jack, providing seamless connection to headphones and speakers.

To summarize the connectivity and ports details, please refer to the table below to see them listed.

Connectivity and Ports
WiFi Standard (latest: v7)	v6	v6
Bluetooth (latest: v6.2)	v5	v5.2
USB-A (latest: 3.2)	3x USB 3.2	3x USB 3.2
USB Type-C (latest: USB4 2.0)	1x USB 3.2	1x USB 3.2
Thunderbolt (latest: 5)	No	Thunderbolt 3
HDMI (latest: 2.1)	1x HDMI 2.1	1x HDMI 2.1
Display Port (latest: v2.0)	No	No
VGA	No	No
Fingerprint Sensor	No	No
Optical Drive	No	No
Audio Jack 3.5mm	Yes	Yes
Ethernet RJ45	Yes	Yes
SD CardReader	Yes	No
Proprietary Charging Port	Yes	Yes