If you prioritize gaming performance and are looking for more power, the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 with its higher-end graphics is superior, but it's heavier and may not be as portable. Alternatively, the Dell Alienware m17 R5 is less expensive and offers a larger screen but at a lower resolution and slower GPU, making it better suited for budget-conscious buyers who still want solid gaming capabilities. Both have enough storage and RAM for most tasks, but the ASUS has better color accuracy, which might be important if you're into photo/video editing. Remember, stronger performance can mean a heavier laptop and shorter battery life. 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
Very good overall build quality
Good portability
Best in class speakers
Advantages of the Dell Alienware m17 R5
Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.5/10
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
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 m17 R5 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.
Engineering and Design
8.8/10
8.1/10
9.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.1/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 and Dell Alienware m17 R5 are both very good for engineering and design, though the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 is somewhat better.
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 outperforms in engineering and design due to its superior CPU and GPU, desirable for computations and graphics tasks, and the higher quality screen supports detail-oriented work with its high resolution and color accuracy. In comparison, the Dell Alienware m17 R5, while offering a larger screen and very good performance, is heavier and less portable, and the graphics capability is a step behind, making it a less optimal but still capable choice for engineering and design tasks.
Screen Quality
9.0/10
8.1/10
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
480Hz
627.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
301.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 has a better screen than the Dell Alienware m17 R5 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 offers a vivid, high-resolution display with great brightness, making it excellent for everyday tasks like browsing and video streaming. In engineering and design, its color accuracy and wide color gamuts are critical for professionals who rely on precise colors for their work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the lower refresh rate of the Zephyrus M16's screen may not be as smooth as what's desired for high-speed visuals, whereas the Dell Alienware m17 R5 suffers similarly in gaming contexts due to its refresh rate not catering to the fast-paced action typical in such scenarios.
Portability
Good
Poor
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
4.6 lbs
WEIGHT
7.3 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 has good portability, while the Dell Alienware m17 R5 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5/10
7.8/10
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 has very good build quality, while the Dell Alienware m17 R5 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,059
$1,100
$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 m17 R5 costs $1,100.
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 and Dell Alienware m17 R5 are both good for general use.
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 provides a balance of high screen quality and portability with its lightweight and compact design, while still offering strong CPU performance and sufficient battery life for everyday tasks; on the other hand, despite its heavier build, the Dell Alienware m17 R5 offers a larger screen and longer battery life, alongside a robust CPU and RAM setup, making it also suitable for general use with a slight edge for those who prioritize larger displays and do not mind the tradeoff in weight.
Content Creation
8.2/10
7.8/10
9.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.1/10
2560 x 1600
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 Zephyrus M16 to be 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
7.7/10
7.4/10
9.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 and Dell Alienware m17 R5 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.
Battery
4.5 Hours
5.0 Hours
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 has 4.5 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.
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How the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 and the Dell Alienware m17 R5 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."
"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 Zephyrus M16 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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