The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 offers superior performance, especially for 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering tasks, making it suitable for more intensive gaming due to its high refresh rate display and powerful GPU. However, this comes with a premium price, larger size, and heavier weight which affects its portability. On the other hand, the Dell Alienware x14 R1 is less expensive and more portable due to its smaller size and lighter weight. It is still capable for general use and decent for gaming, but it won't perform as well as the ASUS in the most demanding tasks. The Alienware also has a better battery life which could be advantageous for extended use away from power outlets. Choose the ASUS if top-end performance is a priority and you don't mind the extra size and cost. Opt for the Dell Alienware if you favor portability, better battery life, and a more affordable price, with performance that meets but doesn't exceed high-end demands. 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
Very good overall display quality
Very good speakers
Excellent keyboard
Advantages of the Dell Alienware x14 R1
Very good portability
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.4/10
7.6/10
8.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
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 x14 R1 is good.
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 excels in gaming and 3D applications due to its high-end Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti GPU and an extremely fast 360Hz screen refresh rate, which is well-suited for fast-paced visuals. In comparison, the Dell Alienware x14 R1, while still good for gaming and 3D with its Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU, has a lower 144Hz refresh rate, making it slightly less fluid with motion but more portable due to its smaller screen size and lighter weight.
Screen Quality
8.1/10
7.9/10
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
292.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
411.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has a better screen than the Dell Alienware x14 R1 for gaming and AI, and content creation.
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 and Dell Alienware x14 R1 both have panels with resolutions and brightness levels that meet the needs of general use, ensuring clear and vivid display quality for everyday tasks. For engineering and design, these laptops offer good color accuracy and cover a wide range of the color spectrum, which is essential for precision in work that involves detailed graphics and color-sensitive tasks. However, for gaming and 3D applications that require high refresh rates for smooth motion, both laptops fall short, as they do not prioritize the ultra-high refresh rates that professional gamers and 3D designers seek for the best visual experience.
Battery
7.0 Hours
9.0 Hours
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has 7 hours of battery life. The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has 9 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
Very Good
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
6.3 lbs
WEIGHT
4.0 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has very good portability, while the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$2,499
$1,201
$500
$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 x14 R1 costs $1,201.
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 and Dell Alienware x14 R1 are both good for general use.
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.
Engineering and Design
8.6/10
8.2/10
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
8.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 and Dell Alienware x14 R1 are both very good for engineering and design.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
8.2/10
7.9/10
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 to be very good for content creation, while the Dell Alienware x14 R1 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
7.5/10
7.7/10
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 and ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 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
8.5/10
8.5/10
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 and Dell Alienware x14 R1 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 x14 R1 compare to other laptops
"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."
"The Alienware X14 series is thinner, but also slower than the competition. With the X series, you get plenty of modern technology: Intel Alder Lake CPUs, GeForce RTX 3000 GPUs, Thunderbolt 4, PCIe 4.0, Wi-Fi 6E, G-Sync, and Advanced Optimus. However, the slim design has some drawbacks, just like its larger siblings. The shifted hinge position results in a very deep device with a large footprint compared to the competition."
Get a great deal on the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 or the Dell Alienware x14 R1
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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