Alienware M15 R6 vs. Surface Pro 8: Which is better?

Here is a side by side comparison between Alienware M15 R6 and Surface Pro 8 specs including CPU, RAM, storage, battery, display, and more.

Alienware M15 R6 Pros

Reasons that Alienware M15 R6 is better than Surface Pro 8.

Much faster CPU performance

Intel Core i9-11900H inside Alienware M15 R6 has a 66% better multi-core CPU performance score than the Intel Core i7-1185G7 inside Surface Pro 8.

Geekbench 5 multi-core score
Alienware M15 R6 - Intel Core i9-11900H
8,121
Alienware M15 R6 - Intel Core i7-11800H
7,908
Alienware M15 R6 - Intel Core i5-11400H
5,592
Surface Pro 8 - Intel Core i7-1185G7
4,864
Surface Pro 8 - Intel Core i5-1135G7
3,980
Surface Pro 8 - Intel Core i3-1115G4
2,445
Supports larger memory

Alienware M15 R6 supports a larger memory capacity than the Surface Pro 8. It supports up to 64GB versus 32GB of system memory on the Surface Pro 8.

Max system memory size
Alienware M15 R6
64 GB
Surface Pro 8
32 GB
Upgradable memory

Alienware M15 R6 comes with two SODIMM slots that allow you to replace or upgrade when needed. On the flip side, you can't upgrade RAM on the Surface Pro 8 since it has onboard memory.

MemoryAlienware M15 R6Surface Pro 8
Slots
x2
Onboard
TypeDDR4 XMPLPDDR4X
Supports discrete graphics

Configurable up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 8GB GDDR6 115W TGP vs. integrated

19% larger display

Alienware M15 R6 has a 15.6-inch screen size 19% larger than the 13-inch Surface Pro 8.

Display size
Alienware M15 R6
15.6-inch
Surface Pro 8
13-inch

Surface Pro 8 Pros

Reasons that Surface Pro 8 is better than Alienware M15 R6.

Supports faster memory

Surface Pro 8 supports a faster memory speed than the Alienware M15 R6. It supports up to 4267MHz versus 3466MHz of system memory on the Alienware M15 R6.

Memory type and speed
Surface Pro 8 - LPDDR4X
4,267 MHz
Alienware M15 R6 - DDR4 XMP
3,466 MHz
About 67% lighter

Surface Pro 8 weighed 1.96 pounds, 67% lighter than the 5.93 pounds Alienware M15 R6.

WeightAlienware M15 R6Surface Pro 8
Pound
5.93 lbs.
1.96 lbs.
Kilogram
2.69 kg
0.89 kg

Prices

Here are the latest price updates and offers for both devices.

Alienware M15 R6 Price
Alienware M15 R6 VR Ready Gaming Laptop - 15.6 inch QHD Display, 240Hz Refresh Rate, Intel Core i7-11800H, 16GB DDR4 RAM, 512GB SSD, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 8GB GDDR6, Windows 11- Black
Alienware M15 R6 VR Ready Gaming Laptop - 15.6 inch QHD Display, 240Hz Refresh Rate, Intel Core i7-11800H, 16GB DDR4 RAM, 512GB SSD, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 8GB GDDR6, Windows 11- Black
By Alienware
$1,879.99
Alienware M15 R6 Gaming Laptop - 15.6-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) 1ms 360Hz Display, Intel Core i7-11800H, 32GB DDR4 RAM, 1TB SSD, NVIDIA RTX 3070 8GB Graphics, Windows 11 Home - Black
Alienware M15 R6 Gaming Laptop - 15.6-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) 1ms 360Hz Display, Intel Core i7-11800H, 32GB DDR4 RAM, 1TB SSD, NVIDIA RTX 3070 8GB Graphics, Windows 11 Home - Black
By Alienware
$2,599.00
Alienware m15 R6, 15.6 inch QHD 240Hz Non-Touch Gaming Laptop - Intel Core i7-11800H, 16GB DDR4 RAM, 512GB SSD, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 6GB GDDR6, Windows 10 Home- Dark Side of the Moon (Latest Model)
Alienware m15 R6, 15.6 inch QHD 240Hz Non-Touch Gaming Laptop - Intel Core i7-11800H, 16GB DDR4 RAM, 512GB SSD, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 6GB GDDR6, Windows 10 Home- Dark Side of the Moon (Latest Model)
By Alienware
$1,657.95
Microsoft Surface Pro 8 Price
Microsoft Surface Pro 8-13" Touchscreen - Intel® Core™ i5-8GB Memory - 128GB SSD - Device Only - Platinum (Latest Model)
Microsoft Surface Pro 8-13" Touchscreen - Intel® Core™ i5-8GB Memory - 128GB SSD - Device Only - Platinum (Latest Model)
By Microsoft
$719.99
$1,099.99 35% OFF
Microsoft Surface Pro 8-13" Touchscreen - Intel® Evo Platform Core™ i7-16GB Memory - 256GB SSD - Device Only - Platinum (Latest Model)
Microsoft Surface Pro 8-13" Touchscreen - Intel® Evo Platform Core™ i7-16GB Memory - 256GB SSD - Device Only - Platinum (Latest Model)
By Microsoft
$954.99
$1,050.01 9% OFF
Microsoft Surface Pro 8-13" Touchscreen - Intel® Evo Platform Core™ i5-8GB Memory - 256GB SSD - Device Only - Graphite (Latest Model) (Renewed)
Microsoft Surface Pro 8-13" Touchscreen - Intel® Evo Platform Core™ i5-8GB Memory - 256GB SSD - Device Only - Graphite (Latest Model) (Renewed)
By Microsoft
$694.99

Availability

Alienware M15 R6Surface Pro 8
Released20212021
Release DateAnnounced on May 11, 2021
  • Introduced: September 22, 2021
  • Pre-ordered: September 22, 2021
  • Released: October 5, 2021
Pricing
  • $1,299.99
    i7-11800H 8GB 256GB RTX 3050 Ti FHD 165Hz
  • $1,649.99
    i7-11800H 16GB 512GB RTX 3060 FHD 165Hz
  • $1,829.99
    i7-11800H 16GB 1TB RTX 3070 QHD 240Hz
  • $2,079.99
    i7-11800H 16GB 1TB RTX 3070 QHD 240Hz
  • $1,099.99 
    i5-1135G7 8GB 128GB
    Platinum only.
  • $1,199.99 
    i5-1135G7 8GB 256GB
  • $1,399.99 
    i5-1135G7 16GB 256GB
  • $1,399.99 
    i5-1135G7 8GB 512GB
  • $1,599.99 
    i7-1185G7 16GB 256GB
  • $1,899.99 
    i7-1185G7 16GB 512GB
  • $2,199.99 
    i7-1185G7 16GB 1TB
    Platinum only.
  • $2,599.99 
    i7-1185G7 32GB 1TB
    Platinum only.
Generations

Exterior

Alienware M15 R6Surface Pro 8
Dimensions14.02” x 10.73” x 0.51 - 0.76” (356.20 x 272.50 x 12.9 - 19.25 mm)11.3” x 8.2” x 0.37” (287 mm x 208 mm x 9.3 mm)
Weight5.93 lbs (2.69 kg)1.96 lb (889 g)
Colors
Dark Moon
Dark Side of the Moon with High Endurance Clear Coat and Silky Smooth Finish
Matte Black Platinum
Keyboard and Trackpad
  • Alienware mSeries 4-Zone AlienFX RGB keyboard.
    • 1.7mm key travel
    • Includes anti-ghosting technology
  • Alienware's CherryMX ultra-low-profile mechanical laptop keyboard with per-key AlienFX lighting.
    • 1.8mm key travel
    • Includes N-key rollover technology
  • Touchpad
    • Multi-touch gesture touchpad with integrated scrolling.
    • 4.13 x 2.36 in (105 mm x 80 mm) precision touchpad with multi-touch gesture support.
  • Not included.
  • Compatible with 
    Surface Pro Signature Keyboard Surface Pro X Keyboard
  • Type Cover Features:
    • Activation: Moving (mechanical) keys
    • Layout: QWERTY, full row of function keys (F1-F12)
    • 4 directional keys; Windows, Brightness and Media Controls Keys;
    • LED backlighting
  • Trackpad:
    • Precision glass trackpad.
    • Trackpad size: 4 x 2 inches (101.6 mm x 50.8 mm)
    • Supports a five-finger multitouch gesture.
  • Surface Slim Pen Storage
    • Magnetic dock
    • Automatically wireless charge Surface Slim Pen

Display

Alienware M15 R6Surface Pro 8
Size15.6 Inches13 Inches
Info
  • 15.6” FHD with 165Hz
    1920 x 1080 141 PPI ComfortView Plus 3ms response time 300 nits 16:9 100% sRGB color gamut 1000:1 Anti-glare WVA 6W
  • 15.6” FHD with 360Hz
    1920 x 1080 141 PPI ComfortView Plus NVIDIA G-Sync Advanced Optimus 1ms response time 300 nits 16:9 100% sRGB color gamut 1000:1 Anti-glare WVA 7.6W
  • 15.6” QHD with 240Hz
    2560 x 1440 188 PPI ComfortView Plus NVIDIA G-Sync Advanced Optimus 2ms response time 400 nits 16:9 99% DCI-P3 color gamut 1000:1 Anti-glare WVA 10.15 W
  • Resolution: 2880 x 1920
    5.53M Pixels.
  • Density: 267 PPI
  • Refresh rate: 120Hz
    60Hz default.
  • PixelSense™ Flow Display
  • Aspect ratio: 3:2
  • Inking: GPU Ink Acceleration
  • Touch: 10 points multi-touch

Ports

Alienware M15 R6Surface Pro 8
Alienware M15 R6 Ports
Image Source: Dell
  • 1 x Thunderbolt 4
    Supports 3.2 Gen 2, DisplayPort 1.4, and PD output 15W (5V/3A).
  • 2 x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 Port
  • 1 x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 port with PowerShare
  • 1 x RJ-45
  • 1 x HDMI 2.1
    Supports up to 4K@120Hz display out.
  • 1 x Headset port
  • 1 x Power/DC-in Port
Surface Pro 8 Ports
Image Source: Microsoft
Left (1)
  • 1 x headphone jack
    Headphone/Microphone
Right (3)
  • 2 x Thunderbolt 4
    40 Gpbs, USB 4.0 (40 Gbps), DisplayPort, Power Delivery
  • 1 x Surface Connect
    Charging, Docking
Bottom (1)
  • 1 x Surface Type Cover
Under Kickstand (1)
  • 1 x SSD slot
    M.2 2230 NVMe slot

Internal Specs

Alienware M15 R6Surface Pro 8
Processor
  1. 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-11400H
    6 cores, 12 threads, 2.70 → 4.50 GHz, 12MB SmartCache, 45W
  2. 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-11800H
    8 cores, 16 threads, 2.30 → 4.60 GHz, 24MB SmartCache, 45W
  3. 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-11900H
    8 cores, 16 threads, 2.50 → 4.90 GHz, 24MB SmartCache, 45W
  1. 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i3-1115G4
    2 cores, 4 threads, 3.00 → 4.10 GHz, 6MB SmartCache, 28W
  2. 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-1135G7
    4 cores, 8 threads, 2.40 → 4.20 GHz, 8MB SmartCache, 28W
  3. 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-1185G7
    4 cores, 8 threads, 3.00 → 4.80 GHz, 12MB SmartCache, 28W
Integrated Graphics
  1. 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-11400H
    Intel® UHD Graphics
    16 Execution Units, 350 → 1450 MHz
  2. 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-11800H
    Intel® UHD Graphics
    32 Execution Units, 350 → 1450 MHz
  3. 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-11900H
    Intel® UHD Graphics
    32 Execution Units, 350 → 1450 MHz
  1. 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i3-1115G4
    Intel® UHD Graphics
    48 Execution Units, 400 → 1250 MHz
  2. 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-1135G7
    Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics
    80 Execution Units, 400 → 1300 MHz
  3. 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-1185G7
    Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics
    96 Execution Units, 400 → 1350 MHz
Memory
8 GB 16 GB 32 GB
3200MHz or 3466MHz Dual-channel DDR4 SDRAM.
2 x SO-DIMM slots.
  • Max 32GB of 3200 MHz DDR4 Memory
  • Max 64GB of 3466 MHz XMP DDR4 Memory
8GB 16GB 32GB
4267 MHz LPDDR4X RAM
Discrete Graphics
  • NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 3050 Ti
    4GB GDDR6 TGP: 80W Max Power: 80W Speed: 1462.5 → 1695 MHz
  • NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 3060
    6GB GDDR6 TGP: 115W Dynamic Boost: 10W Max Power: 125W Speed: 1387 → 1702 MHz
  • NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 3070
    8GB GDDR6 TGP: 115W Dynamic Boost: 10W Max Power: 125W Speed: 1110 → 1560 MHz
  • NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 3080
    8GB GDDR6 TGP: 115W Dynamic Boost: 10W Max Power: 125W Speed: 1110 → 1545 MHz
-
Storage2 x M.2 2230/2280 slots (Up to 2TB each)
128GB 256GB 512GB 1TB
Removable SSD.

Connectivity

Alienware M15 R6Surface Pro 8
Wi-FiRivet Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650
Dual Band 2.4 GHz/5 GHz Up to 2400 Mbps WiFi 6 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax
Wi-Fi 6: IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax compatible.
BluetoothBluetooth 5.2Bluetooth Wireless 5.1 technology
EthernetKiller E2600 Gigabit Ethernet Controller
Transfer rate: 10/100/1000 Mbps
-

Battery

Alienware M15 R6Surface Pro 8
Size
  • 56 WHr, 3-cell smart lithium-ion battery
  • 86 WHr, 6-cell smart lithium-ion battery
  • 51.5Wh
    Nominal battery capacity.
  • 50.2Wh
    Minimum battery capacity.
Battery Life-Up to 16 hours of typical device usage
Power Supply
180W 240W
power adapter.
  • 60W power supply with USB-A (5W) (65W total)
  • Supports Fast Charge (0-80% in about one hour)

Software

Alienware M15 R6Surface Pro 8
OS
Windows 10 Home Windows 10 Pro
Upgradable to Windows 11
Windows 11 Home
Built-in Apps
  • Alienware Command Center
    Supports AlienFX lighting, Game Library with auto-tune game profile functionality.
  • Alienware Adrenalin
  • Alienware Mobile Connect
  • Microsoft Office 365 (30-day trial)
  • Preloaded Microsoft 365 Apps
  • Microsoft 365 Family 30-day trial
  • Preloaded Xbox app
  • Xbox Game Pass Ultimate one month trial

Camera & Audio

Alienware M15 R6Surface Pro 8
Camera
  • Front-facing camera.
    Alienware HD (1280x720 resolution) camera.
  • Optional Windows Hello IR support.
  • Windows Hello face authentication camera (front-facing)
  • 5.0MP front-facing camera with 1080p Skype HD video
  • 10.0MP rear-facing autofocus camera with 1080p full HD and 4K video
Audio
  • Controller: Realtek ALC3254
    • 7.1 Digital Audio out using HDMI out connection
    • Alienware Sound Center via Alienware Command Center
  • Speakers:
    • 2 x 2W speakers
  • Microphone:
    • Dual-array microphones
  • Dual far-field Studio Mics
  • 2W stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos®

Misc

Alienware M15 R6Surface Pro 8
Inking-
  • Supports Microsoft Pen Protocol (MPP)
    4096 levels of pressure Tilt sensing Best in class latency Paper feel 0.1mm precision magnetic storage
  • Supports Tactile signals with Surface Slim Pen 2
SensorsWindows Hello IR Camera
  • Ambient light sensor
  • Gyroscope
  • Magnetometer
  • Ambient Color Sensor (brightness and color)
Security-
  • Firmware TPM chip for enterprise-grade security and BitLocker support
  • Enterprise-grade protection with Windows Hello face sign-in
In the box-
  • Surface Pro 8
  • Power supply
  • Quick Start Guide
  • Safety and warranty documents
Warranty-1-year limited hardware warranty

Key Features

Alienware M15 R6Surface Pro 8
At Glance
Released in Mid
2021
16:9 QHD
15.6”
1440p 240Hz
Weight
5.93 lb
2.69 kg
Up to
Intel Core i9-11900H
8C/16T, 2.50 → 4.90 GHz
Geekbench 5
1,430
Single Core
Geekbench 5
8,121
Multi-Core
With integrated
Intel® UHD Graphics
32 Execution Units, 350 → 1450 MHz
Upgradable up to
64GB
3466 MHz DDR4 XMP
Alienware M15 R6 Ports
Nvidia GeForce
RTX 3080
8GB GDDR6 115W TGP
Released in Late
2021
3:2 2.8K
13”
1920p 60~120Hz
Weight
1.96 lb
0.89 kg
Up to
Intel Core i7-1185G7
4C/8T, 3.00 → 4.80 GHz
Geekbench 5
1,404
Single Core
Geekbench 5
4,864
Multi-Core
With integrated
Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics
96 Execution Units, 400 → 1350 MHz
Configurable up to
32GB
4267 MHz LPDDR4X
Surface Pro 8 Ports

Comparison Summary

Alienware M15 R6 vs. Surface Pro 8

Dell has released the Alienware M15 R6, a 15.6-inch machine, in mid-2021. It is powered by up to an octa-core Intel Core i9-11900H with a boost clock speed up to 4.90 GHz. The laptop has a dedicated GPU option up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 with 8GB GDDR6 115W TGP.

On the other hand, we have the 13-inch Surface Pro 8 was introduced by Microsoft around the same year in late-2021. It comes with up to a quad-core Intel Core i7-1185G7 with a boost clock speed up to 4.80 GHz. It has an integrated graphics option up to Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics (96 Execution Units, 400 → 1350 MHz).

Geekbench 5 Single Core

Alienware M15 R61
11th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-11400H1,32090.04%
2
11th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-11800H1,466100.00%
3
11th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-11900H1,43097.54%
Surface Pro 81
11th Gen Intel® Core™ i3-1115G41,16379.33%
2
11th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-1135G71,19581.51%
3
11th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-1185G71,40495.77%
01,466

Geekbench 5 Multi Core

Alienware M15 R61
11th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-11400H5,59268.86%
2
11th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-11800H7,90897.38%
3
11th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-11900H8,121100.00%
Surface Pro 81
11th Gen Intel® Core™ i3-1115G42,44530.11%
2
11th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-1135G73,98049.01%
3
11th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-1185G74,86459.89%
08,121

The Alienware M15 R6 has a 15.6-inch display which is considerably larger than the 13-inch Surface Pro 8. In addition, the Alienware M15 R6 weighs 5.93 lbs. about 202% heavier than the 1.96 lbs. Surface Pro 8. Moreover, measured at 14.02” x 10.73” x 0.76”, the Alienware M15 R6 is much bulkier than the Surface Pro 8 at 11.3” x 8.2” x 0.37”.

Alienware M15 R6Surface Pro 8

Moving over to upgradability, Dell claims that the Alienware M15 R6 supports up to 64GB 3466 MHz DDR4 XMP memory that you can upgrade with two memory module slots on the motherboard. It also comes with two M.2 slots that users can easily upgrade and install an additional SSD to expand the storage on the device.

For Surface Pro 8, it supports up to 32GB 4267 MHz LPDDR4X memory. Unlike Alienware M15 R6, it has an onboard memory module that is not upgradable by the users. Luckily, it has a single removable M.2 SSD slot that users can replace or upgrade when needed.

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