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Updated January 10, 2024·
When deciding between the ASUS ROG Flow X13 and the Dell Alienware X17 R2, consider the following: the ASUS is more portable with a smaller screen and lighter build, which could be beneficial if you move around often. However, the Dell provides a larger screen with a higher refresh rate that may be more suitable for an immersive gaming experience and engineering tasks that can benefit from a larger display. The ASUS has commendable general use and engineering performance, while the Dell offers top-notch 3D, machine learning, and engineering performance due to its powerful internals. Both have ample storage and high-quality screens, but the ASUS has a touchscreen and better battery life which could be important for productivity on the go. The Dell is typically less expensive, though, and has greater RAM capacity, enhancing its multitasking and complex task handling abilities. Choose the ASUS if portability and battery life are critical; choose the Dell for superior performance in demanding applications and gaming, despite being less portable. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the ASUS ROG Flow X13
- Very good for software development
- Very good portability
- Good battery life
Advantages of the Dell Alienware X17 R2
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Best in class speakers
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.8
8.9
7.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.3/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
480Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.2/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is very good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS ROG Flow X13 is good.
The ASUS ROG Flow X13 provides solid gaming and 3D performance with its Nvidia RTX 4070 graphics and a high screen refresh rate of 165Hz, appealing for users wanting a balance of power and portability. In contrast, the Dell Alienware X17 R2 leads with a more powerful Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti GPU and a top-end 480Hz screen refresh rate, targeting those prioritizing peak gaming performance and screen fluidity, albeit with reduced mobility due to larger size.
Engineering and Design
8.5
9.1
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
7.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is excellent for engineering and design, while the ASUS ROG Flow X13 is very good.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Screen Quality
8.4
8.5
13.4in
SIZE
17.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
480Hz
511.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
367.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Flow X13 has a better screen than the Dell Alienware X17 R2 for general use, engineering and design, and software development, while the Dell Alienware X17 R2 has a better screen for gaming and AI.
For general use, both the ASUS ROG Flow X13 and the Dell Alienware X17 R2 offer crisp, clear displays with high resolution and brightness, providing a pleasant viewing experience for everyday tasks and media consumption. With engineering and design work in mind, their screens cover a wide range of colors with good accuracy, essential for professionals needing precision in visuals. However, for gaming and 3D applications, both laptops fall short due to lower refresh rates, which can lead to less fluid motion and a less immersive experience despite their adequate resolution and panel quality.
Battery
8.0 Hours
2.0 Hours
The ASUS ROG Flow X13 has 8 hours of battery life. The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has 2 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
Portability
Very Good
Fair
13.4in
SIZE
17.3in
2.8 lbs
WEIGHT
6.8 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The ASUS ROG Flow X13 has very good portability, while the Dell Alienware X17 R2 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$2,500
$2,000
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The ASUS ROG Flow X13 has a price of $2,500 and the Dell Alienware X17 R2 costs $2,000.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.1
8.2
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
511.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
367.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
2.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
8.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.0/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 and ASUS ROG Flow X13 are both very good for general use.
The ASUS ROG Flow X13 excels in general use due to its high-quality screen, robust CPU and ample RAM, complemented by a compact and lightweight form factor that makes it highly portable with reasonable battery life. In contrast, the Dell Alienware X17 R2 also offers an excellent CPU and screen quality with double the RAM, which aids in more demanding tasks, but it's significantly less portable and has a shorter battery life, making it less suited for on-the-go usage.
Content Creation
8.2
8.3
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 and ASUS ROG Flow X13 are both very good for content creation.
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, video editing and other content creation tasks.
Software Development
8.0
7.8
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS ROG Flow X13 to be very good for software development, while the Dell Alienware X17 R2 is good.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
Build Quality
8.5
8.5
The ASUS ROG Flow X13 and Dell Alienware X17 R2 both have very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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How the ASUS ROG Flow X13 and the Dell Alienware X17 R2 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS ROG Flow X13 | Dell Alienware X17 R2 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,500 | $2,000 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | December 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 11.8'' x 8.4'' x 0.7'' | 15.7'' x 11.8'' x 0.82'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.87 lbs | 6.82 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.77" | 15.72" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.35" | 11.79" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS | Intel i9-12900HK | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 2 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 75 Wh | 87 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.4" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 480Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 511 nits | 367 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.8/10 | 6.1/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.3/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 4 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
ASUS ROG Flow X13
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sebastian Bade | February 2021
"The Asus ROG Flow X13 is not an off-the-shelf convertible. This quickly becomes clear when you take a closer look at the technical specs. The AMD Ryzen 9 5980HS is a state-of-the-art SoC with 8 cores and 16 threads, which also makes the 2-in-1 interesting as a work device. With 32 GB of RAM and a 1 TB SSD, gamers are also well taken care of. The dedicated Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q fits well into the overall concept and ensures a solid 3D performance. With the eGPU dock, which is equipped with a GeForce RTX 3080, the small convertible transforms into a full-fledged desktop replacement in terms of performance."
Dell Alienware X17 R2
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | May 2022
"The Alienware x17 R2 recognizes targets a significantly higher TGP of 175 W for a roughly 30 percent performance boost over laptops running on the ~100 W GeForce RTX 3080 Ti like the Razer Blade 15 or Gigabyte Aero YE5. Similar results can be found through the CPU as well. This single aspect of the Alienware is perhaps the biggest differentiating factor between it and other ultrathin gaming laptops. Of course, the "performance at all cost" approach comes with drawbacks. Power consumption in particular is through the roof and battery life suffers because of it even when on the lowest performance settings."
Get a great deal on the ASUS ROG Flow X13 or the Dell Alienware X17 R2
About ASUS
ASUS, a Taiwanese electronics brand, is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. The majority of their laptops are targeted towards personal use or gaming. Their most popular product lines include the budget-friendly VivoBook, more premium ZenBook, and their TUF and ROG gaming laptops, the latter of which has a reputation for excellent gaming performance.
About Dell
Dell is a highly recognizable American technology company, and is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. Their laptops are very popular for both personal and professional use, and they also own the Alienware brand which makes mid to high end gaming laptops. Their premium XPS range of laptops offer great build quality and portability, while Latitude and Precision laptops are known for reliability, repairability and performance for business users.
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