The ASUS ROG Strix G18 offers better performance for intensive engineering tasks and gaming due to a more powerful main processor and GPU, alongside a higher resolution and refresh rate display which makes it suitable for fast motion visuals and color-intensive work. However, it's less portable than the Dell Alienware m17 R5 and also generally more expensive. The Alienware has a slightly larger battery and a higher pixel density display, which can be better for general use, and it's more cost-effective. If portability and budget are your main concerns, go for the Alienware, but for top-tier performance and a better screen for gaming and engineering, choose the ASUS. 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 G18
Very good for general use
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Good battery life
Best in class speakers
Advantages of the Dell Alienware m17 R5
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 has no clear advantages over the ASUS ROG Strix G18.
Key differences
General Use
8.3/10
7.8/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
422.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
301.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
5.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.5/10
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 is very good for general use, while the Dell Alienware m17 R5 is good.
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 excels in general use due to a more powerful CPU, higher screen resolution with better colors, and exceptionally high contrast, which makes for a sharper, more vibrant display. However, the Dell Alienware m17 R5, while slightly less portable and offering a lower quality display, still holds its ground with comparable RAM and storage, alongside proficient heat management and speaker quality, suitable for standard tasks without the extra performance punch.
Gaming and AI
8.7/10
7.7/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.7/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
480Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.2/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Alienware m17 R5 is good.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
8.9/10
8.1/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.1/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 and Dell Alienware m17 R5 are both very good for engineering and design, though the ASUS ROG Strix G18 is somewhat better.
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 excels in engineering and design due to its powerful Intel i9 processor, dedicated Nvidia RTX 4070 graphics card, and high-resolution screen, while the Alienware m17 R5 is similarly equipped with solid performance credentials like the AMD Ryzen 7 CPU and Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU, though its screen has a lower resolution but a higher refresh rate. Both laptops offer ample RAM and storage for demanding tasks, but the ASUS has a slight edge in screen quality, affecting the sharpness and detail of visuals, which is crucial for design work, while the Alienware focuses on smoother visuals that can be important for engineering simulations.
Content Creation
8.6/10
7.8/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.1/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 is 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
8.1/10
7.4/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 is very good for software development, while the Dell Alienware m17 R5 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.
Screen Quality
8.7/10
8.1/10
18.0in
SIZE
17.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
480Hz
422.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
301.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 has a better screen than the Dell Alienware m17 R5 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
Based on the information provided, the ASUS ROG Strix G18's screen excels in general use and engineering due to its high resolution and brightness, along with broad color coverage, which ensures crisp and vibrant visuals. The Dell Alienware m17 R5 similarly provides high resolution and adequate brightness, with color accuracy that suits both general tasks and the precision needed for engineering purposes. For gaming and 3D applications, however, both laptops fall short as they lack a high refresh rate, which is crucial for smooth motion rendering and a more immersive experience.
Battery
8.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 has 8 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.
Cost
$2,299
$1,100
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 has a price of $2,299 and the Dell Alienware m17 R5 costs $1,100.
"With the ROG Strix G18, Asus has made an almost consistently good debut in the still quite new 18-inch laptop segment. The base unit case shows a few signs of weakness in the area of stability and is something which has an effect on the perceived quality of the input devices (the chassis tends to rattle a bit). Nevertheless, thanks to generous port features (incl. Thunderbolt 4), a striking design, and extensive lighting (keyboard, LED strip on the front), gamers get a fitting gaming platform."
"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 Strix G18 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.
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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