If you prioritize a lightweight and versatile device for gaming and casual use, the Asus may fit you well as it combines the tablet form factor with powerful internals, offering a unique portable gaming experience. Alternatively, if you're looking for more traditional gaming laptop with a larger screen and potentially better cooling for extended gaming or resource-intensive tasks, the Dell Alienware might be preferable. Keep in mind that while both are designed for high performance, the Asus prioritizes portability and the Dell focuses on a robust gaming experience, which could affect battery life and overall portability. Choose based on whether you value a more portable or a more traditional gaming-centric setup. Give Feedback
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Advantages of the ASUS ROG Flow Z13
Very good for general use
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Excellent portability
Advantages of the Dell Alienware m16 R2
Very good speakers
Very good keyboard
Key differences
Screen Quality
8.4/10
8.2/10
13.4in
SIZE
16.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
511.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
302.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Flow Z13 has a better screen than the Dell Alienware m16 R2 for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
Both the ASUS ROG Flow Z13 and the Dell Alienware m16 R2 have displays with high resolution and brightness, which makes text clear and easy to read for general use, and colors vivid for visual tasks like engineering and design. Their wide color gamuts ensure accurate color reproduction which is crucial for professional design work where color fidelity matters. However, their lower refresh rates make them less optimal for gaming and 3D applications that benefit from higher refresh rates for smoother visuals and better responsiveness.
Portability
Excellent
Fair
13.4in
SIZE
16.0in
2.6 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The ASUS ROG Flow Z13 has excellent portability, while the Dell Alienware m16 R2 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS ROG Flow Z13 to be very good for general use, while the Dell Alienware m16 R2 is good.
When choosing between the ASUS ROG Flow Z13 and the Dell Alienware m16 R2 for general use, consider that the ASUS offers a balance of high-performance CPU, enough RAM for multitasking, and a high-quality screen, in a highly portable form factor with reasonable battery life. The Dell, on the other hand, provides similar CPU and RAM benefits, but it shines with a larger screen and may have better storage options, while typically trading off some portability and battery life due to its size and power.
Gaming and AI
7.5/10
7.9/10
6.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.2/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 and ASUS ROG Flow Z13 are both good for gaming and AI.
The ASUS ROG Flow Z13, with its high-end GPU, excels in gaming and 3D applications, delivering smooth visuals further enhanced by its fast screen refresh rate. Meanwhile, the Dell Alienware m16 R2 also boasts a strong GPU and rapid refresh rate for immersive gaming, coupled with a powerful CPU and superior screen quality for an overall premium experience.
Engineering and Design
8.4/10
8.4/10
9.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
6.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 and ASUS ROG Flow Z13 are both very good for engineering and design.
The ASUS ROG Flow Z13, with a powerful CPU, high RAM, and dedicated GPU, excels in running engineering and design software while its high-resolution touchscreen enhances creative tasks, but it's more compact and less comfortable for extended typing. The Dell Alienware m16 R2 also packs a robust CPU and GPU, ample memory, and a larger screen that's great for detailed work, though it is heavier and not as easy to carry around, with a better keyboard for long sessions but potentially louder when under heavy load.
Content Creation
8.2/10
7.9/10
9.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS ROG Flow Z13 to be very good for content creation, while the Dell Alienware m16 R2 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
8.0/10
7.6/10
9.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS ROG Flow Z13 to be very good for software development, while the Dell Alienware m16 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.
Battery
6.5 Hours
6.0 Hours
The ASUS ROG Flow Z13 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has 6 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.
Build Quality
8.5/10
8.5/10
The ASUS ROG Flow Z13 and Dell Alienware m16 R2 both have very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,575
$1,650
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The ASUS ROG Flow Z13 has a price of $1,575 and the Dell Alienware m16 R2 costs $1,650.
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How the ASUS ROG Flow Z13 and the Dell Alienware m16 R2 compare to other laptops
"The Asus ROG Flow Z13 is a gaming tablet with powerful Alder Lake i9 CPU. The ROG Flow Z13 impresses with its good cooling. After our review, the impression is predominantly positive. Besides a very fast Alder Lake CPU and stable gaming performance, especially the cooling system is surprisingly effective and quiet. You can use the integrated speakers without any issues while gaming. The 1200p display in the 16:10 format also impresses with good color reproduction and high brightness. Since the battery runtimes aren't particularly long as it is, we wouldn't recommend the optional 4K panel."
"Alienware’s m16 R2 is a solid gaming laptop that leaves much to be desired, particularly in its quest to fulfill your needs as a product for productivity. Battery life under eight hours and a dim display are both vital issues for something that will accompany you through school projects or a workday. However, the Alienware m16 R2 is an exceedingly powerful gaming laptop, consistently being one of the best in our performance tests when compared against similar products. Even then, its display is lacking color, its fans get pretty darn loud, and its speakers aren’t punchy enough to rise above that noise."
Get a great deal on the ASUS ROG Flow Z13 or the Dell Alienware m16 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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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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