When choosing between the ASUS ROG Strix G17 and the Dell Alienware m16 R2, consider how much you value portability and battery life versus performance for gaming or intensive tasks. The ASUS is generally more budget-friendly and may offer similar gaming performance, but the Alienware typically provides a more premium build quality and potentially better thermal management, which could lead to more sustained performance during heavy use. The Alienware might also have a sharper display, which is great for creative work or enjoying high-resolution media. If long battery life and a lighter laptop are more important for everyday use or travel, the ASUS could be a better fit, while the Alienware is often geared towards those who prioritize top-tier performance and a luxurious design, even if it means spending more and dealing with a heavier machine. 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 G17
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good for content creation
Best in class speakers
Advantages of the Dell Alienware m16 R2
Very good overall build quality
Good battery life
Key differences
Screen Quality
8.4/10
8.2/10
17.3in
SIZE
16.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
320.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
302.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Strix G17 has a better screen than the Dell Alienware m16 R2 for gaming and AI, engineering and design, and content creation.
For general use, the ASUS ROG Strix G17 and Dell Alienware m16 R2 offer clear, vibrant displays due to their high resolutions and bright panels, ensuring that text and images look sharp and easy on the eyes. In engineering and design, both laptops provide a wide range of accurate colors, crucial for tasks requiring color precision, due to their coverage of DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB color gamuts. However, for Gaming and 3D applications, their poorer refresh rates can lead to less smooth visuals, which are noticeable in fast-paced scenes, while still maintaining good detail and color due to resolution and panel quality.
Battery
3.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The ASUS ROG Strix G17 has 3 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.
Portability
Poor
Fair
17.3in
SIZE
16.0in
6.1 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
1.2in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has only fair portability, while the ASUS ROG Strix G17 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.8/10
8.5/10
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has very good build quality, while the ASUS ROG Strix G17 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,391
$1,650
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The ASUS ROG Strix G17 has a price of $1,391 and the Dell Alienware m16 R2 costs $1,650.
The ASUS ROG Strix G17 and Dell Alienware m16 R2 are both good for general use.
The ASUS ROG Strix G17, with its high-performance CPU and ample RAM, handles demanding tasks smoothly and offers a vivid screen for an immersive experience, but it's less portable and has moderate battery life. In contrast, the Dell Alienware m16 R2 also provides robust performance and excellent visuals, but with greater ease of carrying and longer battery life, making it suitable for on-the-go users who need power and screen quality without frequent charging.
Gaming and AI
8.4/10
7.9/10
8.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.2/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS ROG Strix G17 to be very good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Alienware m16 R2 is good.
The ASUS ROG Strix G17 offers a high-refresh-rate display and a powerful GPU, making it ideal for immersive gaming and 3D applications, ensuring smoother visuals and better graphics performance. Meanwhile, the Dell Alienware m16 R2, while also equipped with a robust GPU and quality screen, balances slightly between performance and premium build quality, still delivering a solid experience but possibly at a higher price point.
Engineering and Design
8.8/10
8.4/10
9.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
8.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Strix G17 and Dell Alienware m16 R2 are both very good for engineering and design.
The ASUS ROG Strix G17 and the Dell Alienware m16 R2 come with powerful CPUs, abundant RAM, and high-quality GPUs, which are critical for handling the demanding software used in engineering and design. Additionally, both have high-resolution screens which provide clear visuals for detailed work; however, the ASUS may offer slightly more portability and quieter operation, while the Dell could have a slight edge in keyboard and speaker quality.
Content Creation
8.3/10
7.9/10
9.8/10
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 Strix G17 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
7.7/10
7.6/10
9.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The ASUS ROG Strix G17 and Dell Alienware m16 R2 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.
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How the ASUS ROG Strix G17 and the Dell Alienware m16 R2 compare to other laptops
"The Asus ROG Strix G17 is an attractive but unbalanced gaming laptop. Its potent AMD Ryzen 9 processor excels in 1080p gaming, but playing at 1440p leaves the middling GeForce RTX 4060 GPU shouldering most of the burden. The display is exceptionally colorful, which is handy for content creators, but since this is a gaming laptop it would be better served with improved HDR capabilities. If battery life isn't a priority, the Strix G17 could serve as a designer by day and a gamer by night."
"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 Strix G17 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
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