If you're looking for high performance in gaming or intensive tasks and are willing to invest more, the ASUS ROG Strix G18 may be a better option, but keep in mind it's generally heavier and less portable. The Dell Alienware m17 R5, on the other hand, offers solid performance for less money and may be enough for most tasks, with the added benefit of being easier to carry. Consider how much you're prepared to spend against the need for top-tier specs and the convenience of portability when choosing between these two laptops. 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 (2024)
Very good for general use
Excellent for engineering and design
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 (2024).
Key differences
General Use
8.7/10
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 (2024) is very good for general use, while the Dell Alienware m17 R5 is good.
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 offers superior CPU and RAM configurations enhancing general performance, with a high-quality screen for crisp visuals, but it's less portable and has shorter battery life, making it more suitable for stationary use. The Dell Alienware m17 R5, while also good for general tasks, provides a balance with reasonable performance, decent portability, and better battery life for on-the-go users, though it may not match the screen quality and raw power of the ASUS.
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 (2024) is very good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Alienware m17 R5 is good.
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 boasts a top-tier GPU and a high screen refresh rate, delivering superior gaming and 3D performance, crisp visuals, and smoother gameplay. Meanwhile, the Dell Alienware m17 R5, while also providing a robust gaming experience with a capable GPU and high refresh rate, may offer slightly less visual clarity due to the screen quality being lower than that of the ASUS.
Engineering and Design
9.2/10
8.1/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.1/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.7/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 (2024) is excellent for engineering and design, while the Dell Alienware m17 R5 is very good.
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 typically boasts advanced CPU, GPU, and ample RAM, providing the horsepower for demanding engineering software, while the high-quality screen enhances detailed design work; however, its bulk affects portability. The Dell Alienware m17 R5 also offers powerful performance components and a good screen but might trade off a slight edge in peak performance for better keyboard and speaker quality, with both laptops having noticeable operating noise under heavy loads.
Content Creation
8.8/10
7.8/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.1/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 (2024) 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
8.5/10
7.4/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.1/10
32.0 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 (2024) 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.
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 boasts a high-resolution display, which along with its brightness and panel type, makes it ideal for crisp visuals and vibrancy in general use, while its broad color gamuts ensure precise color reproduction for engineering and design tasks. However, its lower refresh rate impacts its desirability for 3D and gaming where smoother motion is crucial. Conversely, although the Dell Alienware m17 R5 provides an overall satisfying experience for general tasks and color-sensitive work with good color coverage and adequate brightness, its refresh rate also falls short for gaming and 3D applications that benefit from quicker screen updates.
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
$2,203
$1,100
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 (2024) has a price of $2,203 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 (2024) 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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