Alienware M17 R1 vs. Alienware M17 R3: Full specs comparison

The following is a comprehensive comparison of the Alienware M17 R1 and Alienware M17 R3 specifications, including details on CPU, memory, storage, battery life, display quality, and other features.

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Alienware M17 R1 image

Alienware M17 R1

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Alienware M17 R3 image

Alienware M17 R3

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Alienware M17 R1 Pros

Reasons that Alienware M17 R1 is better than Alienware M17 R3.

Upgradable memory

Alienware M17 R1 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 Alienware M17 R3 since it has onboard memory.

MemoryAlienware M17 R1Alienware M17 R3
Slots
x2
Onboard
TypeDDR4DDR4
About 12% lighter

Alienware M17 R1 weighed 5.79 pounds, 12% lighter than the 6.55 pounds Alienware M17 R3.

WeightAlienware M17 R1Alienware M17 R3
Pound
5.79 lbs.
6.55 lbs.
Kilogram
2.63 kg
2.97 kg

Alienware M17 R3 Pros

Reasons that Alienware M17 R3 is better than Alienware M17 R1.

Newer manufacturing

2020 vs. 2019

Significantly faster CPU performance

Intel Core i9-10980HK inside Alienware M17 R3 has a 43% better multi-core CPU performance score than the Intel Core i7-9750H inside Alienware M17 R1.

Geekbench 5 multi-core score
Alienware M17 R3 - Intel Core i9-10980HK
7,013
Alienware M17 R3 - Intel Core i7-10750H
5,412
Alienware M17 R1 - Intel Core i7-9750H
4,880
Alienware M17 R1 - Intel Core i9-8950HK
4,806
Alienware M17 R1 - Intel Core i7-8750H
4,470
Alienware M17 R3 - Intel Core i5-10300H
3,747
Alienware M17 R1 - Intel Core i5-8300H
3,269

Key Similars

Similar characteristics share between Alienware M17 R1 and Alienware M17 R3.

Supports the same maximum memory size of up to 32GB

Both laptops supports up to 32GB of system memory.

Max system memory size
Alienware M17 R1
32 GB
Alienware M17 R3
32 GB
Uses the same memory type and speed

Both laptops supports the same 2666MHz DDR4 RAM.

Memory type and speed
Alienware M17 R1 - DDR4
2,666 MHz
Alienware M17 R3 - DDR4
2,666 MHz

Prices

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

Alienware M17 R1 Price
AC adapter 240 Watt Original FWCRC for Alienware Area-51 M17x / M17-R1 / M17X / M17X-R3; Asus G70 / G70S / G70SG; Dell Precision M6400, M6500, M6600
 AC adapter 240 Watt Original FWCRC for Alienware Area-51 M17x / M17-R1 / M17X / M17X-R3; Asus G70 / G70S / G70SG; Dell Precision M6400, M6500, M6600
By Dell
$28.99
$32.90 12% OFF
See at Amazon
Dell Laptop Charger 330W Watt Barrel 7.4mm tip AC Power Adapter,Alienware M16 M17 R3 M18 X17 R1 R4 AC Adapter
 Dell Laptop Charger 330W Watt Barrel 7.4mm tip AC Power Adapter,Alienware M16 M17 R3 M18 X17 R1 R4 AC Adapter
By Dell
$159.99
See at Amazon
Ebid Dealz Replacement for 17.3" Black LCD Bezel Front Frame Screen Cover Dell Alienware M17 R1 R2 ALW17M 9HJPW 09HJPW CN-09HJPW
 Ebid Dealz Replacement for 17.3" Black LCD Bezel Front Frame Screen Cover Dell Alienware M17 R1 R2 ALW17M 9HJPW 09HJPW CN-09HJPW
By Generic
$21.00
See at Amazon
Alienware M17 R3 Price
Dell m17 R3 17.3 inch FHD Gaming Laptop (Luna Light) Intel Core i7-10750H 10th Gen, 16GB DDR4 RAM, 1TB SSD, Nvidia Geforce RTX 2070 8GB GDDR6, Windows 10 Home
 Dell m17 R3 17.3 inch FHD Gaming Laptop (Luna Light) Intel Core i7-10750H 10th Gen, 16GB DDR4 RAM, 1TB SSD, Nvidia Geforce RTX 2070 8GB GDDR6, Windows 10 Home
By Dell
$1,230.00
See at Amazon
2020 Dell Alienware m17 R3 Laptop 17.3" - Intel Core i7 10th Gen - i7-10750H - Six Core 5Ghz - 256GB SSD + 256GB SSD - 20GB RAM - 1920x1080 FHD - Windows 10 Home (Renewed)
 2020 Dell Alienware m17 R3 Laptop 17.3" - Intel Core i7 10th Gen - i7-10750H - Six Core 5Ghz - 256GB SSD + 256GB SSD - 20GB RAM - 1920x1080 FHD - Windows 10 Home (Renewed)
By Dell
$1,302.55
See at Amazon
2020 Dell Alienware m17 R3 Laptop 17.3" - Intel Core i7 10th Gen - i7-10750H - Six Core 5Ghz - 256GB SSD + 256GB SSD - 16GB RAM - Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 - 1920x1080 FHD - Windows 10 Home (Renewed)
 2020 Dell Alienware m17 R3 Laptop 17.3" - Intel Core i7 10th Gen - i7-10750H - Six Core 5Ghz - 256GB SSD + 256GB SSD - 16GB RAM - Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 - 1920x1080 FHD - Windows 10 Home (Renewed)
By Dell
$1,302.55
See at Amazon

Specs Comparison

Availability

Alienware M17 R1Alienware M17 R3
Released20192020
Release Date
  • Announced at CES 2019
  • Available on January 29, 2019
  • Available on May 2020
PricingStarting at $1,649.99Starting at $1,549.99
Generations

Exterior

Alienware M17 R1Alienware M17 R3
Dimensions16.1 x 11.52 x 0.727 - 0.91 in (362 x 292.5 x 18.5 - 23 mm)
  • Width: 16.1 in. (362 mm)
  • Depth: 11.52 in. (292.5 mm)
  • Height: 0.727 - 0.91 in. (18.5 - 23 mm)
15.74 x 11.59 x 0.89 in (399.80 x 294.30 x 22.50 mm)
  • Width: 15.74 in. (399.80 mm)
  • Depth: 11.59 in. (294.30 mm)
  • Height: 0.89 in. (22.50 mm)
WeightStarting at 5.79 Lbs (2.63 Kg)Starting at 6.55 lb (2.97 kg)
Colors
  • Epic Silver
  • Nebula Red
  • Lunar Light with High Endurance Clear Coat
  • Dark Side of the Moon with High Endurance Clear Coat
Keyboard and Trackpad
  • Keyboard
    • Alienware AlienFX mSeries keyboard with anti-ghosting technology
    • 1.4mm key travel, programmable macro keys, alphanumeric keys
  • Touchpad
    • 4.13 x 2.56 in (105 mm x 65 mm) All-points addressable (APA) trackpad.
  • Keyboard
    • Type:
      • Alienware mSeries 4-Zone AlienFX RGB keyboard
      • Alienware mSeries keyboard with per-key RGB LED AlienFX lighting
    • Includes anti-ghosting and N-key rollover technology
    • 1.7 mm key travel and alphanumeric keys
    • 0.2 mm-dish concave key design
  • Touchpad
    • Size: 4.13” x 3.15” (105 mm x 80 mm)
    • Premium Precision-Point glass touchpad

Display

Alienware M17 R1Alienware M17 R3
Size17.3 Inches17.3 Inches
InfoFull HD with 60Hz refresh rate
  • 1920 x 1080, 127 PPI, 35ms response time, 300 nits, 16:9, 72% color gamut, 500:1 contrast ratio, Anti-glare, 8W max power consumption.
Ultra HD with 60Hz refresh rate
  • 3180 x 2160, 255 PPI, 400 nits, 16:9, 800:1 contrast ratio, 100% sRGB color gamut, Anti-glare, 14W max power consumption
All options
  • Wide Viewing Angles on all displays with 85 degrees viewing from all directions
Full HD with 144Hz refresh rate
  • 1920 x 1080, 141 PPI, 9ms response time, 300 nits, 16:9, 72% NTSC  color gamut, 600:1 contrast ratio, Anti-glare.
Full HD with 144Hz refresh rate
  • 1920 x 1080, 141 PPI, 9ms response time, 300 nits, 16:9, 72% NTSC color gamut with NVIDIA G-SYNC Technology, 600:1 contrast ratio, Anti-glare.
Full HD with 300Hz refresh rate
  • 1920 x 1080, 141 PPI, 3ms response time, 300 nits, 16:9, 100% sRGB color gamut, 700:1 contrast ratio, Anti-glare.
Ultra HD with 60Hz refresh rate
  • 3180 x 2160, 282 PPI, 25ms response time, 500 nits, 16:9, 100% sRGB color gamut, 1,200:1 contrast ratio, 12W max power consumption
  • Tobii Eyetracking technology
All options
  • Wide Viewing Angles on all displays with 85 degrees viewing from all directions

Ports

Alienware M17 R1Alienware M17 R3
Alienware M17 R1 Ports
Image Source: Dell
  • 1 x Power/DC-in Jack
  • 1 x RJ-45 Killer Networks e2500 Gigabit Ethernet Port
  • 2 x Type-A SuperSpeed USB 3.0 Port
  • 1 x Type-A SuperSpeed USB 3.0 Port with PowerShare technology
  • 1 x Thunderbolt™ 3 Port (USB Type-C™ with support for SuperSpeed USB 10Gbps, 40Gbps Thunderbolt, and DisplayPort)
  • 1 x Alienware Graphics Amplifier Port
  • 1 x HDMI 2.0 Output
  • 1 x Mini-Display Port 1.3 (certified) Output
  • 1 x Audio Out 1/8" Ports (Compatible with inline mic headset)
  • 1 x Wedge-shaped lock slot (cable and lock sold separately)
Alienware M17 R3 Ports
Image Source: Dell
  • 1 x Power/DC-in Port
  • 1 x RJ-45 Killer™ Ethernet E3100 10/100/1000Mbps/2.5Gbps Port
  • 2 x Type-A USB 3.1 Gen 1 Port
  • 1 x Type-A USB 3.1 Gen 1 port with PowerShare technology
  • 1 x Thunderbolt™ 3 Port (USB Type-C™ with support for USB 3.1 Gen 2 10Gbps, 40Gbps Thunderbolt, and DisplayPort 1.2)
  • 1 x Alienware Graphics Amplifier Port
  • 1 x HDMI 2.0b with HDCP 2.2 Output Port
  • 1 x Mini-Display Port 1.4 (certified) Output Port
  • 1 x Audio Out 0.125" Ports (Compatible with inline mic headset)
  • 1 x Wedge-shaped lock slot (cable and lock sold separately)
  • 1 x microSD 5.1, UHD-II HD312 Card Reader

Internal Specs

Alienware M17 R1Alienware M17 R3
Processor
  1. 8th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-8300H
    4 cores, 8 threads, 2.30 → 4.00 GHz, 8MB SmartCache, 45W
  2. 8th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-8750H
    6 cores, 12 threads, 2.20 → 4.10 GHz, 9MB SmartCache, 45W
  3. 8th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-8950HK
    6 cores, 12 threads, 2.90 → 4.80 GHz, 12MB SmartCache, 45W
  4. 9th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-9750H
    6 cores, 12 threads, 2.60 → 4.50 GHz, 12MB SmartCache, 45W
  1. 10th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-10300H
    4 cores, 8 threads, 2.50 → 4.50 GHz, 8MB SmartCache, 45W
  2. 10th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-10750H
    6 cores, 12 threads, 2.60 → 5.00 GHz, 12MB SmartCache, 45W
  3. 10th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-10980HK
    8 cores, 16 threads, 2.40 → 5.30 GHz, 16MB SmartCache, 45W
Integrated Graphics
  1. 8th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-8300H
    Intel® UHD Graphics 630
    24 Execution Units, 350 → 1000 MHz
  2. 8th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-8750H
    Intel® UHD Graphics 630
    24 Execution Units, 350 → 1100 MHz
  3. 8th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-8950HK
    Intel® UHD Graphics 630
    24 Execution Units, 350 → 1200 MHz
  4. 9th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-9750H
    Intel® UHD Graphics 630
    24 Execution Units, 350 → 1150 MHz
  1. 10th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-10300H
    Intel® UHD Graphics 630
    24 Execution Units, 350 → 1050 MHz
  2. 10th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-10750H
    Intel® UHD Graphics 630
    24 Execution Units, 350 → 1150 MHz
  3. 10th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-10980HK
    Intel® UHD Graphics 630
    24 Execution Units, 350 → 1250 MHz
Memory
  • 8 GB 16 GB 32 GB
    2666 MHz Dual-channel DDR4 RAM.
    2 x SODIMM Slots.
  • 8 GB 16 GB 32 GB
    • 2666 MHz Dual-channel DDR4 RAM.
    • Soldered-on.
Discrete Graphics
  • NVIDIA® GeForce GTX® 1050 Ti (4GB GDDR5)
  • NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 2060 (6GB GDDR6) OC Ready
  • NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 2070 (8GB GDDR6) with Max-Q Design
  • NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 2080 (8GB GDDR6) with Max-Q Design
  • NVIDIA® GeForce GTX® 1650 Ti (4GB GDDR6)
  • NVIDIA® GeForce GTX® 1660 Ti (6GB GDDR6)
  • NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 2060 (6GB GDDR6) OC Ready
  • NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 2070 (8GB GDDR6)
  • NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 2070 SUPER (8GB GDDR6)
  • NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 2080 SUPER (8GB GDDR6) with Max-Q Design
  • AMD RX5500M (4GB GDDR6)
StorageSingle Storage Configurations
  • 256 GB PCIe M.2 SSD
  • 512 GB PCIe M.2 SSD
  • 512 GB Intel Optane M.2 SSD
  • 1 TB PCIe M.2 SSD
Dual Storage Configurations
  • 128GB PCIe M.2 SSD + 1TB (+8GB SSHD) Hybrid Drive
  • 256GB PCIe M.2 SSD + 1TB (+8GB SSHD) Hybrid Drive
  • 256GB PCIe M.2 SSD + 256GB PCIe M.2 SSD
  • 512GB PCIe M.2 SSD + 1TB (+8GB SSHD) Hybrid Drive
  • 512GB PCIe M.2 SSD + 512GB PCIe M.2 SSD
  • 1TB PCIe M.2 SSD + 1TB PCIe M.2 SSD
Available Slots
  • One M.2 2230 slot (Up to 512GB)
  • Two M.2 2230/2280 slots (Up to 2TB each)
Single Drive
  • 256 GB PCIe M.2 SSD
  • 512 GB PCIe M.2 SSD
  • 1 TB PCIe M.2 SSD
  • 2 TB PCIe M.2 SSD
RAID-0
  • 512GB (2x256 PCIe M.2 SSD) RAID0
  • 1TB (2x 512 PCIe M.2 SSD) RAID0
  • 2TB (2x 1TB PCIe M.2 SSD) RAID0
  • 4TB (2x 2TB PCIe M.2 SSD) RAID0
RAID-0 Plus
  • 1TB (2x 512GB PCIe M.2 SSD) RAID0 [Boot] + 512GB PCIe M.2 SSD [Storage]
  • 2TB (2x 1TB PCIe M.2 SSD) RAID0 [Boot] + 512GB PCIe M.2 SSD [Storage]
  • 4TB (2x 2TB PCIe M.2 SSD) RAID0 [Boot] + 512GB PCIe M.2 SSD [Storage]

Connectivity

Alienware M17 R1Alienware M17 R3
Wi-Fi
  • Qualcomm QCA61x4A (DW1820)
    Dual Band 2.4 GHz/5 GHz up to 867 Mbps, WiFi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac.
  • Rivet Killer 1550
    Dual Band 2.4 GHz/5 GHz up to 1733 Mbps, WiFi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac.
  • Rivet Killer WiFi 6 AX1650
    Dual Band 2.4 GHz/5 GHz up to 2400 Mbps, WiFi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax.
  • Rivet Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650
    Dual Band 2.4 GHz/5 GHz up to 2400 Mbps, WiFi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax.
Bluetooth
  • Qualcomm QCA61x4A (DW1820) › Bluetooth 4.2
  • Rivet Killer 1550 › Bluetooth 5.0
  • Rivet Killer AX1650 › Bluetooth 5.1
  • Rivet Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650 › Bluetooth 5.1
Ethernet
  • Killer E2500 PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet Controller
  • Killer™ Ethernet E3000 PCI-e Gigabit ethernet controller
    Transfer rate: 10/100/1000/2500 Mbps

Battery

Alienware M17 R1Alienware M17 R3
Size
  • 4-cell smart lithium-ion (60 Wh)
  • 6-cell smart lithium-ion (90Wh)
  • 56 WHr, 3-cell smart lithium-ion
  • 86 WHr, 6-cell smart lithium-ion
Power Supply
  • 130W (19.50 VDC/6.70A)
  • 180W (19.50 VDC/9.23A)
* Support Hybrid Power
  • 130W (19.50 VDC/6.70A)
  • 180W (19.50 VDC/9.23A)
  • 240W (19.50 VDC/12.31A)
  • 330W (19.50 VDC/16.92A)

Software

Alienware M17 R1Alienware M17 R3
OS
Windows 10 Home Windows 10 Pro
Upgradable to Windows 11
Windows 10 Home Windows 10 Pro
Upgradable to Windows 11
Built-in Apps
  • Alienware Command Center
  • Microsoft Office 365 (30-day trial)
  • Alienware Command Center
  • Alienware Adrenalin
  • Alienware Mobile Connect
  • Microsoft Office 365 (30-day trial)

Camera & Audio

Alienware M17 R1Alienware M17 R3
Camera
  • Front-facing camera
    Alienware FHD (1920x1080 resolution) camera.
  • Front-facing camera
    Alienware FHD (1920x1080 resolution) camera.
Audio
  • Audio
    • Realtek ALC3281-CG controller
    • 2.0 Speaker configuration
    • 7.1 Digital Audio out using HDMI out connection
    • Alienware Sound Center and Audio Recon software
  • Microphone
    • Dual-array microphones in the camera assembly
  • Controller: Realtek ALC3281-CG
    • 7.1 Digital Audio out using HDMI out connection
    • Alienware Sound Center via Alienware Command Center
  • Speakers:
    • 2-Way Stereo Speaker Design
    • Output: 4-5W
  • Microphone:
    • Digital-array microphones in the camera assembly

Misc

Alienware M17 R1Alienware M17 R3
Sensors-
  • Tobii Eye Tracking (Optional)
Security
  • Wedge-shaped lock slot
  • Wedge-shaped lock slot
Warranty1 Year Hardware Service with Onsite/In-Home Service After Remote Diagnosis-
MoreCHASIS
  • Exterior Chassis Materials
    • Magnesium Alloy
  • Thermal
    • Cryo-Tech v2.0 Cooling Technology
    • Dual-Intake, Dual-Exhaust Airflow Design
    • High-Voltage Driving Fans
    • Load-balancing Heat Pipes
    • Copper Fin Stacks
    • Thermal Controls
    • Whisper-quiet operation
CHASIS
  • AlienFX Lighting Zones
    • Programmable with up to 16.8 million distinct colors
  • Exterior Chassis Materials
    • Magnesium Alloy exterior shell
    • Copper Alloy thermal structures
  • Customized Features
    • AlienFX Lighting Detail
    • Programmable with up to 16.8 million distinct colors
    • Alienware Command Center
    • AlienFX Lighting Technology
    • Game Library with auto-tune game profile functionality
    • Fusion (Includes support for Overclock, Thermal, Power, Audio, and Audio Recon profiles)
  • Thermal
    • Cryo-Tech Cooling Technology
    • Dual-Intake, Dual-Exhaust Airflow Design
    • High-Voltage Driving Fans
    • Load-balancing Heat Pipes
    • Dense Copper Fin Stacks

Key Features

Alienware M17 R1Alienware M17 R3
At Glance
Released in Early
2019
16:9 4K UHD
17.3”
2160p 60Hz
Weight
5.79 lb
2.63 kg
Up to
Intel Core i7-9750H
6C/12T, 2.60 → 4.50 GHz
Geekbench 5
1,044
Single Core
Geekbench 5
4,880
Multi-Core
With integrated
Intel® UHD Graphics 630
24 Execution Units, 350 → 1150 MHz
Upgradable up to
32GB
2666 MHz DDR4
Alienware M17 R1 Ports
Nvidia GeForce
RTX 2080
8GB GDDR6 with Max-Q
Released in Mid
2020
16:9 FHD
17.3”
1080p 300Hz
Weight
6.55 lb
2.97 kg
Up to
Intel Core i9-10980HK
8C/16T, 2.40 → 5.30 GHz
Geekbench 5
1,223
Single Core
Geekbench 5
7,013
Multi-Core
With integrated
Intel® UHD Graphics 630
24 Execution Units, 350 → 1250 MHz
Configurable up to
32GB
2666 MHz DDR4
Alienware M17 R3 Ports
Nvidia GeForce
RTX 2080 SUPER
8GB GDDR6 with Max-Q

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