When choosing between the ASUS TUF Gaming F15 and the Dell Alienware m16 R2, consider that the ASUS is more budget-friendly and offers solid gaming performance for the price but may have a less premium build and display quality. The Alienware, on the other hand, typically provides top-notch performance and a higher-quality screen, making it suitable for the most demanding games and professional creative tasks, but it comes with a higher price tag and may be heavier, affecting its portability. Also, keep in mind that the Alienware might have better customer support due to Dell's reputation. 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 F15
Very good for gaming and AI
Good portability
Advantages of the Dell Alienware m16 R2
Very good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Good battery life
Very good speakers
Very good keyboard
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.9/10
8.2/10
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
257.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
302.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has a better screen than the ASUS TUF Gaming F15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the ASUS TUF Gaming F15 provides decent resolution and brightness, making it suitable for everyday tasks, while the Dell Alienware m16 R2 offers a higher resolution and brightness, enhancing the viewing experience. In terms of engineering and design, the Alienware's superior color accuracy covering wider color gamuts will benefit professionals who require precise color representation for their work, whereas the ASUS' fair color gamut coverage is serviceable but less ideal for high fidelity designs. For gaming and 3D, both laptops fall short due to their lower refresh rates, which can lead to less fluid motion and responsiveness in fast-paced scenarios despite their adequate resolutions and panel types.
Build Quality
7.2/10
8.5/10
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has very good build quality, while the ASUS TUF Gaming F15 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,399
$1,650
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The ASUS TUF Gaming F15 has a price of $1,399 and the Dell Alienware m16 R2 costs $1,650.
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 and ASUS TUF Gaming F15 are both good for general use.
The ASUS TUF Gaming F15, with its robust CPU and ample RAM, handles everyday tasks swiftly and offers a high-quality screen for crisp visuals, but it's less portable and has a shorter battery life compared to some other laptops. The Dell Alienware m16 R2 similarly provides powerful processing and plenty of memory, ensuring smooth performance for daily use, while also boasting a premium screen, but like the ASUS, it sacrifices some portability and battery duration for its high-performance components.
Gaming and AI
8.0/10
7.9/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
6.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS TUF Gaming F15 to be very good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Alienware m16 R2 is good.
The ASUS TUF Gaming F15 is equipped with a high-performance GPU and a screen with a fast refresh rate, making it well-suited for gaming and 3D rendering where smooth visuals are paramount. Meanwhile, the Dell Alienware m16 R2 also boasts a strong GPU and high refresh rate display, but offers higher-end CPUs and superior screen quality, enhancing the overall gaming and multimedia experience at a potentially higher cost.
Engineering and Design
8.2/10
8.4/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 and ASUS TUF Gaming F15 are both very good for engineering and design.
The ASUS TUF Gaming F15 and Dell Alienware m16 R2 are equipped with powerful CPUs, ample RAM, and robust GPUs that tackle demanding engineering and design software with ease, while delivering vibrant screen quality for precise visual tasks. Although not as light as ultrabooks, their keyboards are comfortable for extended typing sessions, speakers provide clear audio, and they manage heat and noise efficiently, which can be crucial during long work or gaming stretches.
Content Creation
7.7/10
7.9/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 and ASUS TUF Gaming F15 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
7.3/10
7.6/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 and ASUS TUF Gaming F15 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
5.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The ASUS TUF Gaming F15 has 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
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
4.8 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.9in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS TUF Gaming F15 to have good portability, while the Dell Alienware m16 R2 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the ASUS TUF Gaming F15 and the Dell Alienware m16 R2 compare to other laptops
"Aside from all the chassis updates, the new TUF Gaming is most notable for its much higher TGP target of 140 W compared to only 95 W on the previous generation. PC makers everywhere are using the same GeForce GPUs this year since Nvidia has yet to launch the successor to the mobile RTX 3000 series. The more demanding processors of the new TUF Gaming has directly impacted battery life and the size of the AC adapter. Don't expect runtimes to be longer than on the previous generation under most conditions and be prepared to carry around an even larger AC adapter than before."
"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 TUF Gaming F15 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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