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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 is a more expensive but also more portable laptop, suitable for general use and gaming with a high-resolution touchscreen and good color coverage, making it great for creative professionals. It has a long battery life and manages heat well but is slightly heavier than some ultraportables. The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is a bit less expensive and slightly less portable but offers similar performance for general use and engineering tasks. The Alienware's larger screen lacks a high resolution and color accuracy compared to the ASUS, making it less ideal for content creation but potentially better suited for gaming with its higher refresh rate display. Both laptops handle intensive tasks like 3D rendering and machine learning well. If portability and screen quality are more critical for you, go with the ASUS, but if you prefer a larger screen and gaming performance at a slightly lower cost, the Dell Alienware could be the better choice. 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 X16
- Very good for general use
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall build quality
- Good portability
- Best in class speakers
Advantages of the Dell Alienware m17 R5
- The Dell Alienware m17 R5 has no clear advantages over the ASUS ROG Flow X16.
Key differences
Screen Quality
8.5
8.1
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
480Hz
502.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
301.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 has a better screen than the Dell Alienware m17 R5 for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, the ASUS ROG Flow X16 offers a sharp, bright display with vivid colors, providing an excellent viewing experience whether you're browsing the web or watching videos. The laptop's screen also excels in color reproduction for engineering and design tasks, covering a wide range of color gamuts, crucial for precision in color-sensitive work. However, its lower refresh rate makes it less ideal for gaming and 3D applications, where smooth motion and quick screen updates are key to an immersive experience.
Portability
Good
Poor
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
4.6 lbs
WEIGHT
7.3 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 has good portability, while the Dell Alienware m17 R5 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5
7.8
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 has very good build quality, while the Dell Alienware m17 R5 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,300
$1,100
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 has a price of $1,300 and the Dell Alienware m17 R5 costs $1,100.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.0
7.8
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
502.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
301.0 nits
5.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.4/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS ROG Flow X16 to be very good for general use, while the Dell Alienware m17 R5 is good.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
7.6
7.7
7.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.7/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
480Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and ASUS ROG Flow X16 are both good for gaming and AI.
The ASUS ROG Flow X16, with its Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU and high screen refresh rate of 165 Hz, is well-suited for gaming and 3D applications, complemented by its adaptable 2-in-1 convertible design for versatile use and touch-enabled, high-resolution display for immersive visuals. Meanwhile, the Dell Alienware m17 R5 also features the Nvidia RTX 3060 and a higher screen refresh rate of 480 Hz, prioritizing fluid, tear-free gaming experiences, making it ideal for dedicated gamers and professionals in 3D fields, although it is larger and less portable than the ASUS.
Engineering and Design
8.3
8.1
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.1/10
7.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 and Dell Alienware m17 R5 are both very good for engineering and design.
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 offers superior CPU performance with a higher-end AMD Ryzen 9 processor, sharper and brighter screen quality due to its higher pixel density and touchscreen feature, making it excellent for detailed engineering and design tasks. In contrast, the Dell Alienware m17 R5 features a slightly less powerful AMD Ryzen 7 CPU and lower screen resolution but compensates with a larger screen size and better portability due to its lighter weight, which is also beneficial for engineering uses but with a tradeoff in visual fidelity.
Content Creation
8.0
7.8
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.1/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS ROG Flow X16 to be very good for content creation, while the Dell Alienware m17 R5 is good.
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
7.7
7.4
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 and Dell Alienware m17 R5 are both good for software development.
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.
Battery
5.5 Hours
5.0 Hours
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 has 5.5 hours of battery life. The Dell Alienware m17 R5 has 5 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.
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How the ASUS ROG Flow X16 and the Dell Alienware m17 R5 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS ROG Flow X16 | Dell Alienware m17 R5 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,300 | $1,100 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | August 1, 2022 | June 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.6'' x 0.76'' | 15.6'' x 11.8'' x 1.05'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.63 lbs | 7.3 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13.98" | 15.64" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.57" | 11.76" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS | AMD Ryzen 7 6800H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 5.5 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 97 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 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 | 502 nits | 301 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.4/10 | 5.5/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 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 | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
ASUS ROG Flow X16
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Christian Hintze | June 2023
"Above all else, the Asus ROG Flow X16 is one thing - versatile! It is a thin, mobile work device, it's a 2-in-1, tablet, a powerful workstation and even a gaming PC. But something even more surprising: It does all of these things really well without making any big blunders. It's anything but a lazy compromise. Because, despite its compact dimensions and 2-in-1 functionality, the hardware isn't throttled and boasts, at least in turbo mode, above-average performance."
Dell Alienware m17 R5
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Christian Hintze | January 2023
"Overall, the all-AMD system in the Alienware m17 R5 is impressive, especially the graphics performance. However, various driver issues and unnecessary inconsistencies prevent us from truly enjoying such a potent gaming machine. In addition to strong 3D performance, we particularly like the build quality, the fairly bright UHD display with high color space coverage, and the fact that the gamer is often quiet when not under load and also rather quieter than some competitors under load."
Get a great deal on the ASUS ROG Flow X16 or the Dell Alienware m17 R5
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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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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