A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
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Updated January 10, 2024·
The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 generally comes at a lower mid-range price and provides good battery life, making it a more portable option, but with slightly lesser graphics compared to the Dell Alienware m17 R5. If portability and longer battery use matter to you and you're on a somewhat tighter budget, the ASUS is a wise pick. On the other hand, the Alienware m17 R5, at a higher mid-range price point, offers more storage space, a larger screen, and superior graphics and gaming performance but sacrifices some battery life and portability due to its larger size and weight. If gaming or high-end graphics work are your priorities and you're less concerned about price and mobility, the Alienware is likely a better fit for you. 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 TUF Gaming A16
- Good portability
- Very good battery life
Advantages of the Dell Alienware m17 R5
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
Screen Quality
7.5
8.1
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
480Hz
294.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
301.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 has a better screen than the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and software development.
For general use, both the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 and Dell Alienware m17 R5 offer good screen quality because of their sufficient panel types, resolution, and brightness, which provide clear and vibrant images for everyday tasks like browsing and watching videos. When it comes to engineering and design, both laptops have displays with a range of colors covering most of the DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB spectrums, making them suitable for professionals who need accurate color reproduction for their work. However, for gaming and 3D applications where a high refresh rate is key to a smooth visual experience, both models fall short, leading to less fluid motion and potentially a less immersive experience in fast-paced games and 3D rendering situations.
Battery
12.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 has 12 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.
Portability
Good
Poor
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
4.8 lbs
WEIGHT
7.3 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 has good portability, while the Dell Alienware m17 R5 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.2
7.8
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and ASUS TUF Gaming A16 both have good build quality, though the Dell Alienware m17 R5 has somewhat better build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$930
$1,100
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 has a price of $930 and the Dell Alienware m17 R5 costs $1,100.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.6
7.8
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
294.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
301.0 nits
12.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.5/10
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and ASUS TUF Gaming A16 are both good for general use.
The ASUS TUF Gaming A16's lighter build and higher screen resolution make it very suitable for general use with good portability and clear image quality, while the Dell Alienware m17 R5 offers a larger storage capacity and a screen with a higher refresh rate for smooth visuals, though it is less portable due to its larger size and weight. Both feature capable processors and ample RAM for everyday tasks, but the Alienware's larger display may be less convenient for frequent travel.
Gaming and AI
7.4
7.7
7.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.7/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
480Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
6.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and ASUS TUF Gaming A16 are both good for gaming and AI.
The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 with its AMD GPU is a strong contender for gaming and 3D due to its high screen refresh rate, enhancing smooth gameplay. While both laptops have capable CPUs and high-quality IPS displays for good color reproduction, the Alienware's extremely high refresh rate can be particularly enticing for competitive gamers.
Engineering and Design
7.7
8.1
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.1/10
7.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Alienware m17 R5 to be very good for engineering and design, while the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 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
7.6
7.8
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.1/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and ASUS TUF Gaming A16 are both good for content creation.
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
7.3
7.4
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and ASUS TUF Gaming A16 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.
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How the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 and the Dell Alienware m17 R5 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS TUF Gaming A16 | Dell Alienware m17 R5 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$930 | $1,100 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | June 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.9'' x 0.97'' | 15.6'' x 11.8'' x 1.05'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.85 lbs | 7.3 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13.98" | 15.64" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.92" | 11.76" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS | AMD Ryzen 7 6800H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 12 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 97 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 480Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 294 nits | 301 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7/10 | 5.5/10 | |
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 | 7/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 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 | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
ASUS TUF Gaming A16
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Dig into reviews and images
PCWorld
Dominic Bayley | May 2023
"The A16 makes an excellent case against more expensive laptops like the Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 16 and the MSI Katana GF76, especially if you’re into 1080p gaming. However, although its affordable, it doesn’t skimp on performance or a robust chassis. But for me, the biggest factor that sets it apart from these options is its incredible battery life. In my time reviewing laptops, I can’t remember when I last saw a gaming laptop lasted 11 and a half hours on a single charge, which makes the A16, in my book, truly outstanding."
Dell Alienware m17 R5
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Christian Hintze | January 2023
"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 TUF Gaming A16 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.
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