The ASUS Vivobook 15 is less expensive, lighter, and has better battery life, making it suitable for general use and on-the-go tasks. The Dell Alienware m18 R1, however, has significantly higher performance for 3D rendering, machine learning, gaming, and engineering software due to its more powerful processor and graphics card; it also provides better screen quality and color accuracy. Keep in mind, the Alienware is heavier and has shorter battery life, which makes it less portable. Choose the ASUS for everyday tasks and portability or the Dell for high-performance needs where portability is not a primary concern. 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
Good battery life
Advantages of the Dell Alienware m18 R1
Very good for general use
Excellent for engineering and design
Excellent for gaming and AI
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Very good speakers
Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.5/10
8.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
250.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
281.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
7.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.1/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is very good for general use, while the ASUS Vivobook 15 is only fair.
The ASUS Vivobook 15 offers basic features suitable for general tasks, with decent screen quality and portability, while the Dell Alienware m18 R1, equipped with a high-performance CPU, large RAM, and superior screen quality, excels in more demanding use cases but at the expense of portability and battery life. The Alienware's robust configuration makes it more suited for intensive applications, but it's heavier and has a shorter battery life compared to the easily transportable and longer-lasting Vivobook, which is more practical for day-to-day tasks.
Gaming and AI
5.9/10
9.1/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Vivobook 15 is poor.
The ASUS Vivobook 15 has an entry-level integrated GPU and a standard 60Hz screen refresh rate, making it just fair for gaming and 3D tasks, whereas the Dell Alienware m18 R1 is equipped with a high-end Nvidia RTX GPU and a higher 165Hz screen refresh rate, contributing to excellent gaming and 3D performance. Additionally, the screen quality of the Alienware is superior owing to a higher resolution display, along with a more powerful CPU, factors which are also important for such tasks.
Engineering and Design
6.1/10
9.1/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent for engineering and design, while the ASUS Vivobook 15 is only fair.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 surpasses the ASUS Vivobook 15 in engineering and design tasks due to its superior CPU, RAM, and GPU, which substantially boost its processing power and graphics performance, and its screen offers higher resolution and color accuracy, crucial for detailed design work. While the ASUS Vivobook is more portable and quieter, its significantly lower specs make it less suitable for heavy engineering software and complex design projects.
Content Creation
6.4/10
8.4/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is very 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
8.0/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is very 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
7.8/10
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
250.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
281.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 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 likely has adequate resolution and brightness for day-to-day tasks, but its colors may not be as vivid, affecting work in engineering and design which relies on accurate color representation. The Dell Alienware m18 R1 probably offers a high-quality display with better color accuracy, appealing to engineers and designers who need precise colors for their projects. However, both laptops have screens with subpar refresh rates, which is a drawback for 3D applications and gaming, where smoother motion and quick refreshes are crucial for an optimal visual experience.
Battery
6.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The ASUS Vivobook 15 has 6 hours of battery life. The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has 4 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
Poor
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
3.7 lbs
WEIGHT
8.9 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The ASUS Vivobook 15 has good portability, while the Dell Alienware m18 R1 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.0/10
8.5/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 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
$2,600
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The ASUS Vivobook 15 has a price of $530 and the Dell Alienware m18 R1 costs $2,600.
"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."
"Dell's Alienware m18 delivers on its promises: This is a large, powerful gaming laptop with the premium flair and feel you expect from an expensive purchase. The drawbacks are really the price and battery life, which in context are reasonable. (We'd also like to see more ports on the laptop's sides.) This price tier exists for deep-pocketed enthusiasts, and if you’re considering anything in this range, the m18 isn’t an outlier. For the majority of shoppers, of course, all of these mighty 18-inch systems are likely too expensive."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Vivobook 15 or the Dell Alienware m18 R1
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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