The ASUS ROG Strix G15 is generally less expensive, more portable, and has a better battery life, making it suitable for on-the-go gaming and general use. However, the Dell Alienware X17 R2, while costing more and heavier, offers superior performance for demanding engineering tasks, 3D rendering, machine learning, and intensive gaming due to its more powerful processor and graphics card. The Alienware also boasts a larger and brighter display, albeit with a shorter battery life, so it leans towards users who need top-tier power and screen quality and can handle less mobility. Both laptops come with ample storage and are ready for gaming, but your choice should depend on your balance between performance needs and portability. 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 Strix G15
Good portability
Advantages of the Dell Alienware X17 R2
Very good for general use
Excellent for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Best in class speakers
Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.7/10
8.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
284.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
367.0 nits
5.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
2.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
7.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.0/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is very good for general use, while the ASUS ROG Strix G15 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
7.0/10
8.9/10
5.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
480Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
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 Strix G15 is good.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2's superior Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti GPU and a higher screen refresh rate make it very good for gaming and 3D applications, giving it an edge over the ASUS ROG Strix G15 that has an Nvidia RTX 3050 Ti GPU and lower refresh rate. While both laptops have quality IPS screens, the higher GPU power and refresh rate in the Alienware will provide a smoother and more visually stunning gaming experience.
Engineering and Design
7.6/10
9.1/10
7.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
5.6/10
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 Strix G15 is good.
The ASUS ROG Strix G15 is equipped with a capable CPU and a mid-range GPU, suitable for engineering but may struggle with more graphically intensive design tasks; its portability and keyboard quality are favorable for users on the go. In contrast, the Dell Alienware X17 R2 offers a superior CPU and top-tier GPU, providing exceptional performance for engineering and design, complemented by a higher quality screen and speakers, but it is less portable due to higher weight and larger size.
Content Creation
7.7/10
8.3/10
7.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is very good for content creation, while the ASUS ROG Strix G15 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
7.2/10
7.8/10
7.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 and ASUS ROG Strix G15 are both good for software development, though the Dell Alienware X17 R2 is somewhat better.
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.
Screen Quality
7.1/10
8.5/10
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
480Hz
284.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
367.0 nits
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has a better screen than the ASUS ROG Strix G15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, both laptops have crisp displays with adequate resolution and brightness, with the Dell Alienware X17 R2 having an edge due to its superior panel quality. For engineering and design tasks, the color accuracy and wider color gamuts of the Alienware are essential for precision in rendering visuals, making it preferable over the ASUS ROG Strix G15. However, both fall short for gaming and 3D applications since a high refresh rate is critical for smooth visuals in motion-intense scenarios, and neither model excels in this area.
Battery
5.5 Hours
2.0 Hours
The ASUS ROG Strix G15 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
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
4.6 lbs
WEIGHT
6.8 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The ASUS ROG Strix G15 has good portability, while the Dell Alienware X17 R2 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.8/10
8.5/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has very good build quality, while the ASUS ROG Strix G15 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,249
$2,000
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The ASUS ROG Strix G15 has a price of $1,249 and the Dell Alienware X17 R2 costs $2,000.
"The ASUS ROG Strix G15 is a successful high-performance 15-inch laptop. The Asus ROG Strix impresses with an elaborate design and fast hardware. The latter can unleash its potential well in the large 15-inch case and achieve a decent performance boost compared to the previous generation. Especially the stunning 300 Hz display as well as the RTX 3070 and its generous TDP give gamers their money's worth. Asus didn't neglect seemingly small details, either, such as the keyboard and the maintenance options. The ROG Strix G15 offers a lot of pure performance and excellent workmanship in a 15-inch format, but connectivity leaves something to be desired."
"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 Strix G15 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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