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Updated January 10, 2024·
When choosing between the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 and the Dell Alienware m15 R7, consider their differences in screen size, resolution, and price. The ASUS has a larger screen but lower resolution and is typically more expensive. If you prioritize more screen space and a higher refresh rate for gaming, the ASUS may suit you better. On the other hand, the Dell has a smaller, sharper screen, is a bit cheaper, and slightly lighter, making it more portable. If higher resolution for detailed graphics work is important and you prefer a balance of features at a lower price point, the Dell might be preferable. Both have powerful processors, graphics cards, and are capable of intensive gaming and engineering tasks, but consider battery life as well, with the ASUS offering slightly more. 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 Scar 17
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good for content creation
- Good battery life
- Very good speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Advantages of the Dell Alienware m15 R7
- The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has no clear advantages over the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17.
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.4
7.8
8.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
6.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Alienware m15 R7 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.
Content Creation
8.2
7.5
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 is very good for content creation, while the Dell Alienware m15 R7 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.
Screen Quality
8.1
8.2
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
292.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has a better screen than the Dell Alienware m15 R7 for software development, and content creation, while the Dell Alienware m15 R7 has a better screen for general use, and engineering and design.
When selecting between the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 and Dell Alienware m15 R7, consider that the Dell offers superior screen quality for general use and engineering due to better resolution, brightness, and color accuracy which is essential for detailed work and true-to-life colors. However, neither is optimal for gaming and 3D tasks because their screens lack high refresh rates that ensure smoother visuals and better gaming performance. The ASUS, while also offering a good display for general use and engineering tasks, might not match the Dell in overall screen quality due to differences in panel technology and color reproduction.
Battery
7.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has 7 hours of battery life. The Dell Alienware m15 R7 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.
Portability
Poor
Fair
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
6.3 lbs
WEIGHT
5.9 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has only fair portability, while the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$2,499
$2,200
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has a price of $2,499 and the Dell Alienware m15 R7 costs $2,200.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.9
7.5
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
292.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
5.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.4/10
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 and Dell Alienware m15 R7 are both good for general use.
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 is very good for general use due to its high-quality display, excellent keyboard, and strong heat management, though it is heavier and has lower portability; whereas the Dell Alienware m15 R7 also offers a high-quality screen and keyboard but has better portability and slightly longer battery life, making it a good choice for general use but not as high-performing as the ASUS in some aspects.
Engineering and Design
8.6
8.2
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
8.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 and Dell Alienware m15 R7 are both very good for engineering and design.
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 is equipped with a high-performance CPU and a powerful GPU, which along with a significant amount of RAM and a high-resolution screen, make it a strong choice for demanding engineering and design tasks; however, it is heavier and less portable.
Software Development
7.5
7.3
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 and Dell Alienware m15 R7 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.
Build Quality
8.5
8.5
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 and Dell Alienware m15 R7 both have very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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How the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 and the Dell Alienware m15 R7 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 | Dell Alienware m15 R7 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,499 | $2,200 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2023 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.6'' x 11.1'' x 1.02'' | 14'' x 10.7'' x 0.94'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 6.39 lbs | 5.93 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.55" | 14.02" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.1" | 10.73" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-12900H | AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 86 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1440 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 360Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 292 nits | 300 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.9/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 6.8/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8.8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | No Webcam | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | May 2021
"Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 laptop review: liquid metal 7 nm AMD Zen 3 is stunning. The raw performance increase is absolutely bonkers if you're upgrading from a laptop on Coffee Lake-H or older. The 45 W Ryzen 9 5900HX is neck-to-neck with the thicker, heavier, and hotter Schenker Ultra 17 running on a desktop-class Core i9-11900K despite their wide TDP differences. The performance-per-watt advantages can make Intel Rocket Lake feel like a last generation platform at times. As for the chassis itself, it's a huge light show with RGB LEDs on almost all sides of the system."
Dell Alienware m15 R7
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Dig into reviews and images
Tom's Hardware
Brandon Hill | October 2022
"The Alienware M15 offers solid gaming and leading endurance. It makes the most of its CPU and GPU while delivering stellar battery life for a gaming laptop. Opening the lid presents a full-size keyboard with honeycomb cutouts above it on the deck. An oblong RBG lightning element surrounds the entire rear panel and can be color-synced with the other lights on the laptop. There’s not a lot to dislike about the M15 Its productivity performance lagged in some areas, particularly in the storage benchmark, and it’s a bit heavy. Alienware has a clear winner here with the M15 based on its strong overall performance and endurance."
Get a great deal on the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 or the Dell Alienware m15 R7
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.
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