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Updated January 10, 2024·
The ASUS TUF Gaming A17 generally costs a bit more and is slightly lighter, making it a bit more portable. It's equipped with a more powerful main processor and graphics card, leading to potentially better performance in 3D applications, machine learning, and gaming. The ASUS has a higher battery capacity, contributing to a longer battery life, which could be crucial if you often work away from a power outlet. Conversely, the Dell Alienware m17 R5 is somewhat less expensive and features a better screen with a much higher maximum refresh rate, which can provide a smoother visual experience, especially in fast-paced games or during high-speed video editing. However, the Alienware has a shorter battery life and is heavier, which could be less convenient for frequent travelers. Both laptops have similar storage, RAM, screen size, and resolution, and both are designed to handle intensive tasks and gaming, but the ASUS might handle the most demanding applications more effectively while the Alienware offers a more fluid visual experience. 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 A17
- Very good for general use
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good for content creation
- Very good battery life
Advantages of the Dell Alienware m17 R5
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.8
8.1
17.3in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
480Hz
253.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
301.0 nits
The ASUS TUF Gaming A17 has a better screen than the Dell Alienware m17 R5 for software development, and content creation, while the Dell Alienware m17 R5 has a better screen for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The ASUS TUF Gaming A17 has fair screen quality for general use and engineering due to acceptable resolution and brightness, but its panel type and color gamut coverage may not make it ideal for professional work. While the Dell Alienware m17 R5's panel type, resolution, and color accuracy are more suitable for general computing and engineering tasks, offering a pleasing visual experience. However, for gaming and 3D applications, both laptops fall short in screen quality as they lack the high refresh rates preferred for smoother motion and better gaming immersion.
Battery
10.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The ASUS TUF Gaming A17 has 10 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
Fair
Poor
17.3in
SIZE
17.3in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
7.3 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The ASUS TUF Gaming A17 has only fair 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 A17 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
$1,552
$1,100
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The ASUS TUF Gaming A17 has a price of $1,552 and the Dell Alienware m17 R5 costs $1,100.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.0
7.8
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
253.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
301.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
6.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS TUF Gaming A17 to be very good for general use, while the Dell Alienware m17 R5 is good.
The ASUS TUF Gaming A17 is equipped with a higher-tier CPU and a more powerful GPU than the Dell Alienware m17 R5, making it better suited for demanding tasks and contributing to its very good status for general use; however, it is less portable and has a shorter battery life. While the Dell Alienware m17 R5 has a superior screen quality and better portability, its performance capabilities are slightly lower than the ASUS, classifying it as good for general use.
Gaming and AI
8.1
7.7
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
480Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS TUF Gaming A17 to be very good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Alienware m17 R5 is good.
The ASUS TUF Gaming A17's Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU offers robust performance for gaming and 3D applications, but its screen refresh rate is lower than the Alienware's; at a higher refresh rate, the Dell Alienware m17 R5 provides smoother visuals, which is especially beneficial in gaming scenarios, albeit with a less powerful Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU.
Engineering and Design
8.3
8.1
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.1/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS TUF Gaming A17 and Dell Alienware m17 R5 are both very good for engineering and design.
The ASUS TUF Gaming A17 is equipped with a newer, high-tier AMD Ryzen CPU and an RTX 4070 GPU, making it well-suited for demanding tasks in engineering and design due to its robust processing and graphical capabilities. On the other hand, the Dell Alienware m17 R5 offers high-quality screen features with greater color accuracy and brightness, which is beneficial for visual work, but it uses a slightly less powerful CPU and GPU, indicating that it may trade a bit of performance for better display characteristics. Both laptops have ample RAM for multitasking, and although neither is particularly lightweight, their keyboards and build quality are well-regarded, with the Alienware offering higher speaker quality but less battery life compared to the ASUS model.
Content Creation
8.1
7.8
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS TUF Gaming A17 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
7.4
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The ASUS TUF Gaming A17 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.
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How the ASUS TUF Gaming A17 and the Dell Alienware m17 R5 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS TUF Gaming A17 | Dell Alienware m17 R5 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,552 | $1,100 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | June 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.6'' x 10.4'' x 0.9'' | 15.6'' x 11.8'' x 1.05'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.73 lbs | 7.3 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.55" | 15.64" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.39" | 11.76" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS | 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 | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 97 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 144Hz | 480Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 253 nits | 301 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.5/10 | 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 | 7.5/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 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 A17
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LaptopMedia
Alex Iliev | April 2022
"There is one big question that needs an answer. Is the TUF Gaming A17 FA707 a better purchase than the ROG Strix G17 G713R (2022)? Well, it depends. Undoubtedly, the Strix is the more premium product. Arguably the biggest advantage it has over its TUF fellow is in regards to the display. ASUS TUF Gaming A17 A707’s IPS panel has a Full HD resolution, comfortable viewing angles, and a very good contrast ratio."
Dell Alienware m17 R5
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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 A17 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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Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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