If you're looking for a cost-effective option for everyday tasks like web browsing, document editing, and media consumption, the ASUS Vivobook 15 is suitable and more budget-friendly. However, if your work involves intensive tasks such as 3D rendering, machine learning, or gaming, the Dell Alienware m16 R2, while more expensive, offers higher performance. Keep in mind, the Alienware is also bulkier and less portable than the slimmer Vivobook, and it has a shorter battery life, which might be a concern if you need to work on the go. Choose based on your primary needs: performance and specialized tasks, or portability and value. 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 Vivobook 15
Good portability
Advantages of the Dell Alienware m16 R2
Good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Good for software development
Good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Very good speakers
Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.5/10
7.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
250.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
302.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
7.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.7/10
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 is good for general use, while the ASUS Vivobook 15 is only fair.
The ASUS Vivobook 15 offers adequate processing power and memory for everyday tasks, with a decent display and reasonable portability, but the battery life may not last as long as some users need. On the other hand, the Dell Alienware m16 R2 packs a more robust CPU and larger RAM, making it suitable for more demanding applications and multitasking, along with a high-quality screen, but this comes with a tradeoff in reduced portability due to its size and typically shorter battery life associated with high-performance machines.
Gaming and AI
5.9/10
7.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 is good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Vivobook 15 is poor.
The ASUS Vivobook 15, while capable, has a less powerful GPU and lower screen refresh rate than the Dell Alienware m16 R2, which hampers its gaming and 3D rendering performance. The Alienware m16 R2, on the other hand, is equipped with a high-performance GPU and a faster screen refresh rate, providing a more fluid and visually sharp gaming experience, despite the CPU and screen quality being less crucial.
Engineering and Design
6.1/10
8.4/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 is very good for engineering and design, while the ASUS Vivobook 15 is only fair.
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 typically incorporates high-end CPUs, ample RAM, and powerful GPUs, which are crucial for demanding tasks like 3D modeling and computational simulations in engineering, alongside a superior screen quality for precise visual work; however, it is less portable and might be louder under load. In contrast, the ASUS Vivobook 15 offers moderate performance suitable for less intensive engineering tasks with decent portability, but trades off some computing power and screen fidelity, which might not suffice for advanced engineering applications.
Content Creation
6.4/10
7.9/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 is good for content creation, while the ASUS Vivobook 15 is only fair.
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
6.5/10
7.6/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 is good for software development, while the ASUS Vivobook 15 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
6.3/10
8.2/10
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
250.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
302.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has a better screen than the ASUS Vivobook 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The ASUS Vivobook 15's screen may not provide the crispness and vibrance due to its limited resolution and brightness, which is adequate for general tasks but not ideal for engineering where precise color representation and clarity are crucial. The Dell Alienware m16 R2 offers superior display quality with better resolution and brightness, plus a wider color gamut which benefits engineering and design professionals requiring accuracy in color-intensive tasks. However, both laptops' screens fall short for 3D applications as they lack high refresh rates, which are essential for smooth rendering and a responsive visual experience during gaming or real-time 3D modeling.
Portability
Good
Fair
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
3.7 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The ASUS Vivobook 15 has good portability, while the Dell Alienware m16 R2 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.0/10
8.5/10
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has very good build quality, while the ASUS Vivobook 15 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$530
$1,650
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The ASUS Vivobook 15 has a price of $530 and the Dell Alienware m16 R2 costs $1,650.
"The Asus VivoBook 15 is a quiet office notebook with a strong screen. However, the VivoBook 15 still has room for improvement. Office and internet applications as well as simple games do not pose any major challenges for the VivoBook - this is ensured by the built-in combination of Ryzen 7 5700U APU and 16 GB of RAM. Heat and noise emissions are acceptable. But, the laptop has weaknesses that should not be present at this level: lack of keyboard lighting, a slow memory card reader, no fast USB-C port (USB 3.2 Gen 2 or Thunderbolt 4) with Power Delivery and DisplayPort. Battery runtimes can only be described as average."
"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 Vivobook 15 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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