Dell Alienware m16 vs Dell Alienware x17 R1 Comparison

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Dell Alienware m16

16 inches | January 2023

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Dell Alienware x17 R1

17.3 inches | June 2021

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Dell Alienware m16 vs Dell Alienware x17 R1 Comparison Overview

Dell Alienware m16

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Dell Alienware m16

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In this review, we will be comparing Alienware m16 and Alienware x17 R1, two laptops by Dell. Dell Alienware m16 was introduced to market in January 2023 and Dell Alienware x17 R1 was launched in June 2021. There is 19 months difference between Alienware m16 and Alienware x17 R1 so it would still give an advantage to younger Alienware m16.

Click for Available Configurations of the Laptops

Alienware m16 and Alienware x17 R1 are members of Dell's Alienware series of laptops. Below you can find the latest models from this series.

Dell Alienware Series History

	Release Date	Screen Size	Dimensions	Weight
Dell Alienware m18 R2	January 2024	18.0"	410.3 x 319.9 x 24.1-25.1 mm	4.23 kg (9.33 lbs)
Dell Alienware m16 R2	January 2024	16.0"	363.9 x 249.4 x 19.9-23.5 mm	2.6 kg (5.73 lbs)
Dell Alienware x16 R2	January 2024	16.0"	364.74 x 289.81 x 18.57 mm	2.66 kg (5.87 lbs)
Dell Alienware X16	January 2023	16.0"	364.74 x 289.81 x 18.57 mm	2.72 kg (6 lbs)
Dell Alienware m16	January 2023	16.0"	368.9 x 289.9 x 23-25.4 mm	3 kg (6.62 lbs)
Dell Alienware m18	January 2023	18.0"	410.3 x 319.9 x 24.1-26.7 mm	4.23 kg (9.33 lbs)
Dell Alienware x14 R2	January 2023	14.0"	321.08 x 260.41 x 14.5 mm	2 kg (4.41 lbs)
Dell Alienware m15 R7	January 2022	15.6"	356.2 x 272.5 x 12.9-20.6 mm	2.42 kg (5.34 lbs)

Here is a brief look at the main features of Dell Alienware m16 and Dell Alienware x17 R1 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Dell Alienware m16 Key Specs

Launched in January 2023
16.0" IPS LCD, 16:10 Aspect Ratio Display
CPU: Intel Core i7 13650HX
GPU: GeForce RTX 4050 Mobile 6GB
16GB Ram
368.9 x 289.9 x 23-25.4 mm (14.52 x 11.41 x 0.91-1 inches)
Weight: 3 kg (6.62 lbs)

Dell Alienware x17 R1 Key Specs

Launched in June 2021
17.3" IPS LCD, 16:9 Aspect Ratio Display
CPU: Intel Core i7 11800H
GPU: GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile 6GB
16GB Ram
399.2 x 299.4 x 20.9-21.4 mm (15.72 x 11.79 x 0.82-0.84 inches)
Weight: 3.02 kg (6.66 lbs)

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Alienware m16 and Alienware x17 R1 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 Dell Alienware m16 over Dell Alienware x17 R1

Weight	3.00 kg vs 3.02 kg	0.02 kg lighter
Screen-to-Body Ratio	~69.4% vs ~69%	Larger screen area ratio
Refresh Rate	480 Hz vs 165 Hz	Smoother media experience
Screen PPI	142 ppi vs 127 ppi	More pixels per inch
Screen Resolution	1920 x 1200 pixels vs 1920 x 1080 pixels	Higher pixel count screen
GPU Fabrication Process	4 nm vs 8 nm	Newer Generation GPU
RAM Type	DDR5 vs DDR4	Faster RAM Type
Dolby Atmos Speakers	Yes vs No	3D Surround Sound Support
Bluetooth	v5.3 vs v5.2	More advanced Bluetooth connectivity
Webcam Resolution	1920 x 1080 vs 1280 x 720	Higher Resolution Camera
USB-C Port Type	v4.0 vs v3.2	Faster USB-C connection
Key Travel	1.8 mm vs 1.5 mm	Better typing feel

Reasons to choose Dell Alienware x17 R1 over Dell Alienware m16

Side Bezel Thickness	8.1 mm vs 12.1 mm	4 mm thinner bezels
Display Size	17.3 inches vs 16 inches	Larger Screen Estate
Noise Level	54.8 dB vs 57 dB	Less fan noise
Response Time	1 ms vs 3 ms	Faster Response screen
GPU FLOPS	13.1 TFLOPS vs 8.8 TFLOPS	Generates higher sound levels
Speaker Loudness	88 dB vs 70 dB	Larger Touchpad Area
Touchpad Size	10.5 x 8.0 cm vs 11.2 x 6.5 cm

Common Strengths of Dell Alienware x17 R1 and Dell Alienware m16

Launch Dates	January 2023 vs June 2021	Both laptops are recent models
Screen Coating	Matte vs Matte	Less reflections on the screen
Fast Charging Support	Yes vs Yes	Charge the battery in a shorter time
USB Power Delivery	Yes vs Yes	Charging via USB port gives flexibility
Upgradable RAM	Yes vs Yes	Option to increase the RAM size
RAM Type	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x) vs PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x)	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	v6E vs v6	Fast and Reliable Wi-Fi Connections
Thunderbolt Port	v4 vs v4	Fast data and power transfer via Thunderbolt Port
HDMI Output	1x HDMI 2.1 vs 1x HDMI 2.1	Connect to External Displays via HDMI cable
DisplayPort Output	1x v1.4 vs 1x v1.4	Connect to External Displays via DisplayPort 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
Built-in SD Card Reader	Yes vs Yes	Read & Write SD Cards
Keyboard Backlight	Yes vs Yes	Easily see the keys under low light

Common Weaknesses of Dell Alienware x17 R1 and Dell Alienware m16

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

Dell Alienware m16 vs Dell Alienware x17 R1: Physical Specs Comparison

In this section, we will be comparing the physical specifications and body features of the Dell Alienware m16 and the Dell Alienware x17 R1.

Physical Specs
Weight	3 kg (6.62 lbs)	3.02 kg (6.66 lbs)
Surface Area	1069 cm2 (165.7 inches2)	1195 cm2 (185.3 inches2)
Screen to Surface Ratio	~69.4%	~69%
Side Bezel Thickness	~12.1 mm	~8.1 mm
Weight per Inch of Screen	0.19 kg/inch	0.17 kg/inch
	0.418 lbs/inch	0.374 lbs/inch
Colors	Gray	Silver

Comparison of the Dell Alienware m16 and the Dell Alienware x17 R1 External Dimensions

Weight

Alienware m16 weighs 3 kg (6.62 lbs), whereas the Alienware x17 R1 weighs 3.02 kg (6.66 lbs). There is a notable difference in weight between these two laptops. However, it's important to consider that comparing their weights directly may not provide a complete picture since they also have different display sizes.

Weight Comparison

Dell Alienware m16 3.00 kg

Avg: 16.0-16.9" 2.07 kg

Dell Alienware x17 R1 3.02 kg

Avg: larger than 17.0" 2.74 kg

Thickness Comparison

Dell Alienware m16 25.40 mm

Avg: 16.0-16.9" 20.35 mm

Dell Alienware x17 R1 20.90 mm

Avg: larger than 17.0" 24.26 mm

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 Dell Alienware m16 is 0.19 kg/inch.In comparison, this value for the Dell Alienware x17 R1 is 0.17 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
Dell Latitude 7330: 0.07 kg/inch
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2: 0.07 kg/inch
LG Gram 14 2022: 0.07 kg/inch
LG Gram 14 2-in-1 2022: 0.07 kg/inch

Dell Alienware m16 vs Dell Alienware x17 R1: Internals (CPU, GPU, RAM, Battery, SSD, etc.) Comparison

CPU Comparison

CPU Model	Intel Core i7 13650HX Intel Core i7 13700HX Intel Core i9 13900HX AMD Ryzen 7 7745HX AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX	Intel Core i7 11800H Intel Core i9 11980HK
Base Frequency	2.6 GHz	1.9-2.3 GHz
Turbo Frequency	4.9 GHz	4.6 GHz
Number of Cores	14	8
Number of Threads	20	16
L3 Cache	24 MB	24 MB
Integrated GPU	Intel UHD Graphics (16EU)	Intel UHD Graphics for 11th Gen (32 EU)
CPU Fabrication Process	10 nm	10 nm
Geekbench 5 (Single)	1840	1563
Geekbench 5 (Multi)	14421	8909
Cinebench 23 (Single)	1914	1504
Cinebench 23 (Multi)	21028	12182

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 Dell Alienware m16 and Dell Alienware x17 R1.

You may also read reviews of latest laptops with the same CPUs and compare them:

Laptops with: Intel Core i7 13650HX

Laptops with: Intel Core i7 11800H

GPU Comparison

GPU Model	GeForce RTX 4050 Mobile 6GB GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile 8GB GeForce RTX 4070 Mobile 8GB GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile 12GB GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile 16GB	GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile 6GB GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile 8GB GeForce RTX 3080 Mobile 16GB
Base Clock Frequency	1455 MHz	900 MHz
Boost CLock Frequency	1755 MHz	1425 MHz
TGP (Total Graphics Power)	50 W	80 W
Nvidia Optimus	MUX	Yes, Advanced Optimus
Type	Dedicated	Dedicated
FLOPS	8.986 TFLOPS	10.94 TFLOPS
Memory Size	6 GB	6 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR6
Memory Bus	96 bit	192 bit
Memory Speed	2000 MHz 16 Gbps effective	1750 MHz 14 Gbps effective
Shading Units Cores	2560	3840
TMUs	80	120
ROPs	48	48

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. Dell Alienware m16 has a FLOPS value of 8.8 TFLOPS whereas the Dell Alienware x17 R1 ' has a FLOPS value of 13.1 TFLOPS. If graphical performance of the laptop is important for your use type, the Dell Alienware m16 may be the better choice between these two setups.

RAM Comparison

RAM	16GB 32GB 64GB	16GB 32GB 64GB
Memory Bus	1x8 GB	2x8 GB
RAM Clock	4800 MHz	3200 MHz
RAM Type	DDR5	DDR4
Upgradable	Yes	Yes
Max RAM Size	64 GB	64 GB
Total Slots	2	2
Memory Bus	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x)	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x)

Both laptops, the Alienware m16 and the Alienware x17 R1, come with similar RAM capacities of 16 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.

Dell Alienware m16

Dell Alienware x17 R1

Small Models(1-3B):Examples: Phi-2, Qwen-1.8B

✔Run smoothly.

Medium Models(7-8B):Examples: Mistral-7B, Qwen-7B

✖Not supported.

Large Models(13-30B):Examples: Mixtral, Qwen-14B

✖Not supported.

Extra-Large Models(65B+):Examples: LLaMA2-70B, Qwen1.5-72B

✖Not supported on most systems. Requires high-end GPU or advanced setup.

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

In addition to RAM capacity, the type of RAM can significantly impact performance, with newer RAM types often offering higher speeds compared to others. Therefore, selecting RAM types with the latest DDR number can be a suitable choice based on your requirements.

BATTERY

BATTERY	86 Wh	87 Wh
Battery Type	Li-Ion	Li-Ion
Replaceable	No	No
Fast Charging	Yes	Yes
USB Power Delivery	Yes	Yes
Charging Port Position	Bottom	Left
Charge Power	300 / 330 W	240 / 330 W
Voltage	11.4 V	11.4 V
Full Charging Time	2:00 hr	1:20 hr

On the other hand, the Alienware x17 R1 features a higher battery capacity of 87 Wh, delivering longer usage time compared to the Alienware m16's 86 Wh.

Battery Comparison

Dell Alienware m16 86 Wh

Avg: 16.0-16.9" 74.15 Wh

Dell Alienware x17 R1 87 Wh

Avg: larger than 17.0" 76.88 Wh

STORAGE
With a larger storage capacity up to 8 TB, the Alienware m16 provides more space for storing files and applications compared to the Alienware x17 R1's max. storage capacity of 4 TB.

Storage Options	256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB, 4 TB, 8 TB	256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB, 4 TB
Upgradable	Yes	Yes
Total Slots	2	2
Storage type	SSD (M2)	SSD (M2)
NVMe	Yes	Yes

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.

Dell Alienware m16 vs Dell Alienware x17 R1: Display Comparison

The display is an essential aspect to consider when comparing the Dell Alienware m16 and Dell Alienware x17 R1 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. Alienware m16 has a display size of 16.0".On the other hand, Alienware x17 R1 has a larger17.3" display.The total usable screen area of the Alienware m16 is 742cm² / 115inch² whereas the Alienware x17 R1's total usable screen area is 825cm² / 128inch².

PPI (Pixels per Inch)
Additionally, the Alienware m16 features a higher pixel density with 142 pixels per inch (PPI), ensuring sharper image details.

Screen PPI (Pixels Per Inch) Comparison

Dell Alienware m16 142 PPI

Avg: 16.0-16.9" 169 PPI

Dell Alienware x17 R1 127 PPI

Avg: larger than 17.0" 141 PPI

Refresh Rate
The Alienware m16 offers a higher refresh rate of 480 Hz, resulting in smoother motion and improved visual experience.

Furthermore, the Alienware x17 R1 boasts a faster response time of 1.0 ms, reducing motion blur for fast-paced content.

Brightness
Both Alienware m16 and Alienware x17 R1 offer the same maximum brightness of 300 nits (cd/m²).

Brightness Comparison

Dell Alienware m16 300 nits

Avg: 16.0-16.9" 413 nits

Dell Alienware x17 R1 300 nits

Avg: larger than 17.0" 368 nits

Dell Alienware m16 vs Dell Alienware x17 R1 Connectivity Comparison

In terms of connectivity,

Wifi
Alienware m16 features a more advanced Wi-Fi standard v6E, providing faster and more reliable wireless connections compared to Alienware x17 R1 (v6).

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 Alienware m16 and Alienware x17 R1 feature 2x USB 3.2 USB-A ports.
Both Alienware m16 and Alienware x17 R1 have USB Type-C ports. Alienware m16 has 2x USB 4.0 USB Type-C ports, while Alienware x17 R1 has 2x 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
Both Alienware m16 and Alienware x17 R1 are equipped with Thunderbolt 4 ports.

HDMI
Both Alienware m16 and Alienware x17 R1 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
Both Alienware m16 and Alienware x17 R1 come with an SD Card Reader for easy access to memory cards.

Audio Jack
Both Alienware m16 and Alienware x17 R1 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)	v6E	v6
Bluetooth (latest: v5.4)	v5.3	v5.2
USB-A (latest: 3.2)	2x USB 3.2	2x USB 3.2
USB Type-C (latest: USB4 2.0)	2x USB 4.0	2x USB 3.2
Thunderbolt (latest: 4)	Thunderbolt 4	Thunderbolt 4
HDMI (latest: 2.1)	1x HDMI 2.1	1x HDMI 2.1
Display Port (latest: v2.0)	1x v1.4	1x v1.4
VGA	No	No
Fingerprint Sensor	No	No
Optical Drive	No	No
Audio Jack 3.5mm	Yes	Yes
Ethernet RJ45	Yes	Yes
SD CardReader	Yes	Yes
Proprietary Charging Port	Yes	Yes