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Updated January 10, 2024·
The ASUS TUF Gaming F17 is more portable with a slightly lighter build compared to the Dell Alienware m17 R5, which might be an advantage if you frequently move around. However, the Alienware offers a more powerful processor, better graphics performance, and double the storage and RAM, which is essential for intensive tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, or engineering software. Additionally, the Alienware m17 R5 has a significantly longer battery life, beneficial for extended use without a power source. Both laptops have backlit keyboards, multiple ports, and are similarly priced, but the Alienware is better suited for demanding applications and gaming, while the ASUS might be preferred for its portability for everyday tasks. 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 F17
- The ASUS TUF Gaming F17 has no clear advantages over the Dell Alienware m17 R5.
Advantages of the Dell Alienware m17 R5
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good for software development
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.1
7.8
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
264.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
301.0 nits
4.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
6.4/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.5/10
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and ASUS TUF Gaming F17 are both good for general use, though the Dell Alienware m17 R5 is somewhat better.
The ASUS TUF Gaming F17 is fair for general use due to its lower RAM and CPU performance which might limit multitasking and intensive tasks, as well as its inferior screen color quality and lower battery life, making it less suitable for prolonged, color-critical work away from power sources. On the other hand, the Dell Alienware m17 R5 is considered good for general use because it has higher RAM and better CPU performance which facilitates efficient multitasking, and better screen quality for a more vibrant display, all while also offering greater portability and longer battery life for on-the-go use.
Gaming and AI
6.6
7.7
5.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
480Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS TUF Gaming F17 is only fair.
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 provides a better gaming and 3D experience primarily due to its more powerful Nvidia RTX 3060 graphics card and a significantly higher screen refresh rate of 480, compared to the Asus TUF Gaming F17’s Nvidia RTX 3050 Ti and 144 refresh rate.
Engineering and Design
6.9
8.1
6.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.1/10
5.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is very good for engineering and design, while the ASUS TUF Gaming F17 is only fair.
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is considered very good for engineering and design as it offers higher RAM, a more powerful AMD processor, and a superior Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU, which are critical for resource-intensive tasks, along with a higher-quality screen showing more accurate colors and greater brightness. Meanwhile, the ASUS TUF Gaming F17, while still capable, has less RAM, a less potent Intel processor, and a less powerful Nvidia RTX 3050 Ti GPU, with a less vibrant screen, making it good but not as optimal for demanding engineering and design applications.
Content Creation
7.1
7.8
6.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and ASUS TUF Gaming F17 are both good for content creation, though the Dell Alienware m17 R5 is somewhat better.
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
6.7
7.4
6.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.1/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is good for software development, while the ASUS TUF Gaming F17 is only fair.
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.
Screen Quality
6.9
8.1
17.3in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
480Hz
264.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
301.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 has a better screen than the ASUS TUF Gaming F17 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, both the ASUS TUF Gaming F17 and Dell Alienware m17 R5 feature panels with adequate resolution and brightness, offering clear and vibrant displays suitable for everyday tasks. However, for engineering and design work, the Alienware's wider color gamut ensures more accurate color representation, which is vital for professionals in these fields. When it comes to 3D and gaming, the lower refresh rates on both laptops might not deliver the smooth visuals preferred by enthusiasts and professionals dedicated to these activities.
Portability
Fair
Poor
17.3in
SIZE
17.3in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
7.3 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The ASUS TUF Gaming F17 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 F17 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
$1,000
$1,100
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The ASUS TUF Gaming F17 has a price of $1,000 and the Dell Alienware m17 R5 costs $1,100.
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Key similarities
Battery
4.5 Hours
5.0 Hours
The ASUS TUF Gaming F17 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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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the ASUS TUF Gaming F17 and the Dell Alienware m17 R5 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS TUF Gaming F17 | Dell Alienware m17 R5 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,000 | $1,100 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | June 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.7'' x 10.6'' x 0.91'' | 15.6'' x 11.8'' x 1.05'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.73 lbs | 7.3 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.71" | 15.64" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.59" | 11.76" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-11400H | AMD Ryzen 7 6800H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 4.5 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 48 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 | 264 nits | 301 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.4/10 | 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 | 3 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
ASUS TUF Gaming F17
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Christian Hintze | April 2022
"One of the Asus TUF Gaming F17’s highlights is without a doubt its excellent gaming performance. The fact that Asus configured the RTX 3060 GPU for its specified maximum of 140 W is became immediately noticeable in our benchmarks. For a 17-inch notebook the F17 also offers a very long battery life, which makes it somewhat portable. On the flip side is the display. It may be saved by its good overall contrast ratio, but its overall brightness is simply too low, and its response times are too slow for a gaming device. The F17’s successor needs to improve upon this."
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 F17 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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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.
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About the laptop team
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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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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