Choosing between the ASUS ROG Flow X16 and Dell Alienware X17 R2 depends on your preferences. If you value a higher resolution touchscreen with a more versatile 16:10 aspect ratio, better battery life, and a lower weight for increased portability, the ASUS could be an excellent choice for general use and it generally costs less. However, if you prioritize more power for tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, or gaming – thanks to a stronger GPU and twice the RAM, alongside a larger screen – and don't mind a heavier, less portable laptop with shorter battery life, the Dell Alienware may better meet your needs, albeit at a higher price. Both have similar build qualities and keyboard experiences but differ significantly in screen size, resolution, portability, and performance capabilities. 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
Good portability
Advantages of the Dell Alienware X17 R2
Excellent for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.6/10
8.9/10
7.2/10
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
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is very good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS ROG Flow X16 is good.
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 offers solid gaming and 3D performance with its Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU and a high refresh rate of 165Hz, suitable for smooth visuals in fast-paced games. The Dell Alienware X17 R2, on the other hand, takes it up a notch with its more powerful Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti GPU and an even higher refresh rate of 480Hz, providing extremely fluid motion for the most demanding games and 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
8.3/10
9.1/10
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
7.2/10
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 X16 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
8.5/10
8.5/10
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
480Hz
502.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
367.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 has a better screen than the Dell Alienware X17 R2 for general use, and engineering and design, while the Dell Alienware X17 R2 has a better screen for gaming and AI, and software development.
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 and Dell Alienware X17 R2 offer high-resolution displays with excellent brightness and panel types, providing crisp and vibrant visuals for everyday tasks, making them great for general use. Their wide color gamuts ensure accurate color representation for engineering and design tasks, where precision in colors is essential. However, both models have lower refresh rates, which limits their ability to smoothly render fast-moving images, a key aspect for gaming and 3D applications where fluid motion is crucial.
Battery
5.5 Hours
2.0 Hours
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 has 5.5 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
Good
Fair
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
4.6 lbs
WEIGHT
6.8 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 has good portability, while the Dell Alienware X17 R2 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,300
$2,000
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 has a price of $1,300 and the Dell Alienware X17 R2 costs $2,000.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 and ASUS ROG Flow X16 are both very good for general use.
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 is good for general use, with features such as a touchscreen and high brightness making it versatile for different scenarios, and its lighter weight and longer battery life enhance portability. In contrast, the Dell Alienware X17 R2 is very good for general use due to its more powerful CPU and double the RAM, contributing to higher overall performance, although it is less portable and has a shorter battery life.
Content Creation
8.0/10
8.3/10
8.1/10
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 X16 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
7.7/10
7.8/10
8.1/10
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
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 and ASUS ROG Flow X16 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.
Build Quality
8.5/10
8.5/10
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 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 X16 and the Dell Alienware X17 R2 compare to other laptops
"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."
"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 X16 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.
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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