If you're looking for a more affordable option that covers basic tasks like web browsing, word processing, and media consumption, the ASUS Vivobook 15X will suffice. However, the Dell Alienware m17 R5, despite its higher cost, is tailored for gamers or professionals needing high computational power, such as in 3D rendering or machine learning. It offers superior performance but is also heavier, making it less convenient to carry around. The battery life on gaming laptops like the Alienware is typically shorter due to the powerful components, while the Vivobook will generally last longer on a charge but won't perform as well with intensive tasks. Choose the Vivobook for casual use and portability, or the Alienware for high-end gaming and performance-demanding applications at the expense of portability and battery life. 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 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
7.1/10
7.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
250.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
301.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.5/10
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and ASUS Vivobook 15X are both good for general use, though the Dell Alienware m17 R5 is somewhat better.
The ASUS Vivobook 15X is considered fair for general use because it offers a good balance with moderate RAM and CPU capabilities, adequate screen quality, and good battery life, making it reasonably portable. In contrast, the Dell Alienware m17 R5 secures a good general use classification due to its superior RAM and CPU performance, excellent screen and speaker quality, as well as better heat management, although it's less portable and has a shorter battery life.
Gaming and AI
6.0/10
7.7/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
480Hz
No
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 Vivobook 15X is only fair.
The ASUS Vivobook 15X offers fair gaming and 3D performance largely because it has an integrated AMD Vega 7 GPU, which is less powerful than dedicated gaming graphics cards and a standard 60Hz screen refresh rate, limiting its ability to render fast-moving images smoothly. On the other hand, the Dell Alienware m17 R5 is better suited for gaming and 3D applications due to its more powerful Nvidia RTX 3060 dedicated graphics card and a much higher screen refresh rate of 480Hz, providing smoother visuals and enhanced gaming experiences.
Engineering and Design
6.3/10
8.1/10
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.1/10
3.6/10
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 Vivobook 15X is only fair.
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is very good for engineering and design due to its higher RAM, a stronger CPU in the AMD Ryzen 7 series and a dedicated Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU which are crucial for intensive tasks and 3D applications, complemented by a larger and higher quality screen. In contrast, the ASUS Vivobook 15X offers fair performance with less RAM, a less powerful integrated AMD GPU, and a smaller screen, making it less suited for demanding engineering software but more portable and less heavy for everyday carry.
Content Creation
7.1/10
7.8/10
5.6/10
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 Vivobook 15X 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.
Screen Quality
6.2/10
8.1/10
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
480Hz
250.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
301.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 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's screen may suffice for typical day-to-day activities and some engineering work as it likely has the minimal resolution and brightness needed for these tasks, but it falls short in gaming and 3D modeling where the refresh rate is crucial for a fluid visual experience. The Dell Alienware m17 R5 offers a better display with good resolution and brightness, making it suitable for both general use and detailed engineering and design work where color accuracy matters. However, its poor performance for gaming and 3D tasks suggests that despite having a good panel, its refresh rate is not high enough to meet the demands of fast-paced visual content.
Battery
8.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The ASUS Vivobook 15X has 8 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.
Portability
Good
Poor
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
3.7 lbs
WEIGHT
7.3 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The ASUS Vivobook 15X has good portability, while the Dell Alienware m17 R5 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.0/10
7.8/10
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and ASUS Vivobook 15X 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
$525
$1,100
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The ASUS Vivobook 15X has a price of $525 and the Dell Alienware m17 R5 costs $1,100.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Alienware m17 R5 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 m17 R5 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."
"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 Vivobook 15X 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.
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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