The Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D is a top-tier gaming and engineering laptop with a high-end price to match. It offers unparalleled performance with its AMD Ryzen 9 processor and Nvidia RTX 4090 graphics, making it ideal for intensive tasks like gaming, 3D rendering, and machine learning. The 17.3-inch IPS display with a 240Hz refresh rate and high resolution is excellent for fast-paced action and detailed visuals, though it's not a touchscreen. It's also equipped with a robust cooling system to handle its powerful components, but this results in a larger, heavier design that's less portable.
In contrast, the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 is a more budget-friendly option with a lower midrange price, suitable for general use and light gaming. Its AMD Ryzen 7 processor and integrated Vega 8 graphics won't match the Asus's performance but are sufficient for everyday tasks and some light gaming or photo editing. The 14-inch display with a 16:10 aspect ratio is more portable and offers good color accuracy for casual use. Its compact size and lighter weight make it a better choice for those who prioritize mobility over raw power.
Ultimately, if you need a laptop for demanding applications and gaming, and portability isn't a concern, the Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D is the way to go. However, if you're looking for a more affordable, portable laptop for everyday tasks, the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 is a sensible choice. 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 X3D
Very good for general use
Excellent for engineering and design
Excellent for gaming and AI
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 14 5425
Very good portability
Very good battery life
Key differences
Gaming and AI
9.2/10
6.2/10
9.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 is only fair.
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
9.1/10
7.0/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
9.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D is excellent for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 is good.
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
7.5/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D is very good for content creation, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 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
8.3/10
6.3/10
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
350.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
279.0 nits
The Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
PerfectRec’s screen quality scores take into account various important factors that are relevant for different use cases.
Battery
3.0 Hours
12.0 Hours
The Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D has 3 hours of battery life. The Dell Inspiron 14 5425 has 12 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
6.6 lbs
WEIGHT
3.4 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell Inspiron 14 5425 has very good portability, while the Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$3,500
$479
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D has a price of $3,500 and the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 costs $479.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D to be very good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 is good.
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.
Software Development
7.9/10
7.5/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D and Dell Inspiron 14 5425 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
7.4/10
7.0/10
The Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D and Dell Inspiron 14 5425 both have 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 X3D and the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 compare to other laptops
"A slim chassis, an acceptable weight (1.6 kg) and a real-world battery life of almost 13 hours turn the Inspiron into a mobile companion. Good: The battery can not only be charged using Dell's proprietary power adapter, but also with a universal USB-C power adapter (min. 45 watts). Office and Internet applications are handled by the built-in combination of Ryzen 5 5625U APU and 16 GB of RAM just as easily as modest computer games. Heat and noise development are generally okay, but the laptop should work a bit quieter under full load."
Get a great deal on the Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D or the Dell Inspiron 14 5425
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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