The ASUS Vivobook 15X is more affordable and has a longer battery life, making it suitable for on-the-go use and general tasks. It's lighter, has sufficient power for everyday computing, and a backlit keyboard. However, the Dell Alienware m15 R7, while more expensive, offers significantly better performance for 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering work due to its higher-end processor and superior graphics card. It also features a higher resolution screen, better build quality, and hardware suited for intensive gaming, but it's heavier and has a shorter battery life, making it less portable. 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 15X
Good portability
Good battery life
Advantages of the Dell Alienware m15 R7
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Good for software development
Very good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Good speakers
Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.0/10
7.8/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
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 m15 R7 is good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Vivobook 15X is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
6.3/10
8.2/10
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 is very good for engineering and design, while the ASUS Vivobook 15X is only fair.
The ASUS Vivobook 15X is geared more towards basic engineering and design tasks with its mid-range CPU, adequate RAM, and integrated GPU that may struggle with complex 3D modeling or simulations, paired with a standard full HD screen. In contrast, the Dell Alienware m15 R7 is built for more intensive work with its high-end CPU, double the RAM, and powerful dedicated GPU, plus it has a higher resolution and color-accurate screen which is crucial for detailed design work, but all this comes with added weight impacting portability.
Screen Quality
6.2/10
8.2/10
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
250.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has a better screen than the ASUS Vivobook 15X for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The ASUS Vivobook 15X offers modest screen resolution and brightness, making it serviceable for routine tasks but lacking the vibrancy desired by professionals in engineering and design, who need wider color coverage for precision. On the other hand, the Dell Alienware m15 R7 boasts a higher-quality display with superior brightness and a broader color spectrum, catering well to engineering and design demands. However, neither has a high enough refresh rate for optimal 3D experience, which is critical for smooth visuals during gaming and 3D modeling.
Battery
8.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The ASUS Vivobook 15X has 8 hours of battery life. The Dell Alienware m15 R7 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
Good
Fair
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
3.7 lbs
WEIGHT
5.9 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The ASUS Vivobook 15X has good portability, while the Dell Alienware m15 R7 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.0/10
8.5/10
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has very good build quality, while the ASUS Vivobook 15X has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$525
$2,200
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
The ASUS Vivobook 15X has a price of $525 and the Dell Alienware m15 R7 costs $2,200.
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 and ASUS Vivobook 15X are both good for general use.
The ASUS Vivobook 15X has a less powerful CPU and half the RAM compared to the Dell Alienware m15 R7, which affects its ability to handle demanding tasks smoothly. While both have quality screens, the Alienware's display offers higher resolution and better color accuracy, contributing to a better overall experience in both work and leisure activities; however, it's also heavier and offers slightly less battery life, which impacts portability.
Content Creation
7.1/10
7.5/10
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 and ASUS Vivobook 15X 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
6.9/10
7.3/10
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Alienware m15 R7 to be good for software development, while the ASUS Vivobook 15X 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.
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How the ASUS Vivobook 15X and the Dell Alienware m15 R7 compare to other laptops
"All in all, my day on the Vivobook had its ups and downs. It is a really pretty and well-built device, and it had all of the functionality I needed to get me through my browser-based workload. But the speakers weren’t my favorite, and the battery life was just too short."
"The Alienware M15 offers solid gaming and leading endurance. It makes the most of its CPU and GPU while delivering stellar battery life for a gaming laptop. Opening the lid presents a full-size keyboard with honeycomb cutouts above it on the deck. An oblong RBG lightning element surrounds the entire rear panel and can be color-synced with the other lights on the laptop. There’s not a lot to dislike about the M15 Its productivity performance lagged in some areas, particularly in the storage benchmark, and it’s a bit heavy. Alienware has a clear winner here with the M15 based on its strong overall performance and endurance."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Vivobook 15X or the Dell Alienware m15 R7
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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