If you're focused on gaming or high-end tasks, the ASUS ROG Zephyrus might offer superior graphics and cooling, suiting those needs well, but the Dell Alienware typically offers a more robust build quality and may have better customer support. For portability, the ASUS is generally lighter and thinner, making it easier to carry around. Battery life also tends to be better with the ASUS, so if you're frequently on the move, that could be a deciding factor. However, Alienware laptops are often designed with future upgrades in mind, which might be appealing if you plan to improve your device over time. Consider which aspects—graphics, build quality, portability, battery life, or upgradeability—are most important for your usage. 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 Zephyrus M16
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good for content creation
Excellent overall display quality
Good portability
Best in class speakers
Advantages of the Dell Alienware m16 R2
Good battery life
Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.5/10
7.9/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
6.2/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Alienware m16 R2 is good.
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 offers a high screen refresh rate and powerful GPU, making it ideal for smooth visuals and fast-paced gaming, while its screen quality ensures vibrant and sharp images. The Dell Alienware m16 R2 also comes with a robust GPU and a high refresh rate display, alongside a strong CPU, ensuring it can handle demanding games and 3D applications with ease, while also offering a high-quality screen.
Screen Quality
9.0/10
8.2/10
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
627.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
302.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 has a better screen than the Dell Alienware m16 R2 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and content creation.
For general use, the high resolution and brightness of the ASUS and Dell displays ensure that text and images are sharp and easy to view, which enhances the overall experience. In engineering and design, the coverage of color gamuts like DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB in both laptops means that professionals can expect accurate color reproduction crucial for their work. However, for gaming and 3D tasks, the lower refresh rates on these laptops may result in less fluid motion, affecting gameplay and fast-paced graphics work where smoothness is key.
Battery
4.5 Hours
6.0 Hours
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 has 4.5 hours of battery life. The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has 6 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
Good
Fair
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
4.6 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 has good portability, while the Dell Alienware m16 R2 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$2,059
$1,650
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 has a price of $2,059 and the Dell Alienware m16 R2 costs $1,650.
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 and ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 are both good for general use.
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16, with its high-quality CPU and RAM, offers strong performance and a vibrant screen which makes it good for a variety of tasks, while its lighter build and longer battery life enhance its portability for on-the-go use. In contrast, the Dell Alienware m16 R2's powerful internals provide exceptional performance for demanding applications, but this comes at the expense of increased weight and shorter battery life, making it less ideal for frequent travel.
Engineering and Design
8.8/10
8.4/10
9.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 and Dell Alienware m16 R2 are both very good for engineering and design.
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 and Dell Alienware m16 R2 both offer powerful CPUs and ample RAM, providing the kind of quick processing and multitasking capabilities needed for demanding engineering and design tasks, while their high-quality GPUs and screens ensure detailed visuals critical for precision work. However, the ASUS may be slightly easier to carry around, and with a quieter operating noise, it could be less distracting in quiet environments, while the Alienware typically offers a more robust keyboard and speaker quality, enhancing the overall user experience during long work sessions.
Content Creation
8.2/10
7.9/10
9.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 to be very good for content creation, while the Dell Alienware m16 R2 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
7.7/10
7.6/10
9.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 and Dell Alienware m16 R2 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 Zephyrus M16 and Dell Alienware m16 R2 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 Zephyrus M16 and the Dell Alienware m16 R2 compare to other laptops
"The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 is not yet as optimised as its predecessor. Compared to the previous gen, performance and efficiency have improved significantly. What's more, the wonderful, Mini-LED Nebula display is a contender for the main highlight and almost manages to put the CPU and GPU in the shade. We already found its predecessor to be a well-rounded and well-optimised gaming machine. Generally, but not unequivocally, that also applies to the new Asus M16. Similar to most of the current, new laptops, we are dealing with a double generational leap in terms of the CPU and GPU. However, this change doesn't always run smoothly."
"Alienware’s m16 R2 is a solid gaming laptop that leaves much to be desired, particularly in its quest to fulfill your needs as a product for productivity. Battery life under eight hours and a dim display are both vital issues for something that will accompany you through school projects or a workday. However, the Alienware m16 R2 is an exceedingly powerful gaming laptop, consistently being one of the best in our performance tests when compared against similar products. Even then, its display is lacking color, its fans get pretty darn loud, and its speakers aren’t punchy enough to rise above that noise."
Get a great deal on the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 or the Dell Alienware m16 R2
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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