A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
Last updated -- hours ago | Report incorrect information
Company ProductName Specs
Company ProductName Specs
What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 offers a good balance between performance and portability at a lower price, with a battery that supports longer use and is sufficient for general use, 3D tasks, and engineering. However, its gaming performance is not as high as the Dell Alienware X17 R2, which provides superior performance for intensive gaming, 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering tasks at a higher cost. The Alienware also offers a larger screen and a more premium build, but it is less portable and has a shorter battery life, making it more suitable for stationary use or where power outlets are readily available. 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 X17 R2
- Very good for general use
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Best in class speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.6
8.2
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
294.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
367.0 nits
12.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
2.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
7.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.0/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is very good for general use, while the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 is good.
While the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 offers decent performance with its CPU and RAM for general tasks, along with reasonable portability and good battery life, the Dell Alienware X17 R2 significantly surpasses it with a more powerful CPU, double the RAM for multitasking, and a higher quality screen, though it is less portable with lower battery life.
Gaming and AI
7.4
8.9
7.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.3/10
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 X17 R2 is very good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 is good.
The Asus TUF Gaming A16 offers commendable gaming performance with its AMD RX 7600S GPU and a high screen refresh rate of 165 Hz, enhancing smoothness in fast-paced games and 3D applications. In contrast, the Dell Alienware X17 R2 excels with a more powerful Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti GPU and an even higher refresh rate of 480 Hz, resulting in exceptional fluidity and responsiveness for the most intensive gaming and 3D tasks.
Engineering and Design
7.7
9.1
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
7.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is excellent for engineering and design, while the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 is good.
The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 is equipped with an AMD processor and GPU that are capable for engineering and design but fall short of the very high-end performance offered by the Dell Alienware X17 R2, which comes with a more powerful Intel i9 processor and Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti graphics. While the ASUS has a better battery life and is lighter, making it more portable, the Alienware excels with superior RAM and a higher-quality screen, keyboard, and speaker, but sacrifices portability due to its weight.
Content Creation
7.6
8.3
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is very good for content creation, while the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 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
7.5
8.5
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
480Hz
294.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
367.0 nits
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has a better screen than the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 provides a balance with decent resolution and brightness for everyday tasks and detailed work in engineering, but its lower refresh rate can limit the smoothness of fast-paced 3D applications or games. On the other hand, the Dell Alienware X17 R2 offers a high-quality display with strong brightness and resolution that's well-suited for both daily use and precision tasks in engineering, owing to its excellent color coverage; however, just like the ASUS, its lower refresh rate might not be ideal for the most fluid gaming or 3D rendering experiences. For both laptops, unless gaming or 3D applications are a top priority, where a high refresh rate is crucial, they offer screens that deliver well for general use and professional design work.
Battery
12.0 Hours
2.0 Hours
The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 has 12 hours of battery life. The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has 2 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
17.3in
4.8 lbs
WEIGHT
6.8 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 has good portability, while the Dell Alienware X17 R2 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.2
8.5
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has very good build quality, while the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$838
$2,000
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 has a price of $838 and the Dell Alienware X17 R2 costs $2,000.
Let Us Help Find Your Perfect Laptop
Find your new laptop
Key similarities
Software Development
7.3
7.8
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 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.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 and the Dell Alienware X17 R2 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS TUF Gaming A16 | Dell Alienware X17 R2 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$838 | $2,000 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | December 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.9'' x 0.97'' | 15.7'' x 11.8'' x 0.82'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.85 lbs | 6.82 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13.98" | 15.72" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.92" | 11.79" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS | Intel i9-12900HK | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 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 | 2 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 87 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 | 367 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7/10 | 6.1/10 | |
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 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 9.5/10 | |
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 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 4 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
ASUS TUF Gaming A16
See more
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 X17 R2
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | May 2022
"The Alienware x17 R2 recognizes targets a significantly higher TGP of 175 W for a roughly 30 percent performance boost over laptops running on the ~100 W GeForce RTX 3080 Ti like the Razer Blade 15 or Gigabyte Aero YE5. Similar results can be found through the CPU as well. This single aspect of the Alienware is perhaps the biggest differentiating factor between it and other ultrathin gaming laptops. Of course, the "performance at all cost" approach comes with drawbacks. Power consumption in particular is through the roof and battery life suffers because of it even when on the lowest performance settings."
Get a great deal on the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 or the Dell Alienware X17 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.
Give feedback
We're constantly perfecting our model
Laptop guides you might be interested in
More comparisons for you
Compare ASUS TUF Gaming A16 vs. HP Victus 15
VS
Compare ASUS TUF Gaming A16 vs. Acer Nitro 5 17
VS
Compare ASUS TUF Gaming A16 vs. Gigabyte A5
VS
Compare Dell Alienware X17 R2 vs. ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16 (2024)
VS
Compare Dell Alienware X17 R2 vs. ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15
VS
Compare Dell Alienware X17 R2 vs. Gigabyte Aorus 17
VS
FAQs
FAQs about laptops
Why trust us
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
100,695
Recommendations made
21,818
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.
Featured in
