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Updated January 10, 2024·
The ASUS Vivobook 15X is a more budget-friendly option with moderate performance suitable for everyday tasks and basic productivity. It is lighter and therefore more portable than the Dell Alienware X17 R2, but it has less powerful hardware, a smaller screen, and a lower battery capacity which translates to lesser performance for intensive tasks like gaming, 3D rendering, and engineering applications. On the other hand, the Dell Alienware X17 R2 is more expensive but comes with a larger screen, significantly better performance due to a powerful processor and top-tier graphics card, and a higher battery capacity, making it well-suited for demanding tasks and gaming. However, it is heavier, which may affect portability. Choose the ASUS Vivobook 15X if you need a light, cost-effective laptop for general use, or opt for the Dell Alienware X17 R2 if you require a high-performance machine for gaming or professional work, and portability is less of a 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 15X
- Good portability
- Good battery life
Advantages of the Dell Alienware X17 R2
- Very good for general use
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Best in class speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.1
8.2
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
250.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
367.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
2.0 Hours
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
7.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.0/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is very good for general use, while the ASUS Vivobook 15X is good.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 outperforms the ASUS Vivobook 15X for general use primarily due to its more powerful CPU, significantly larger RAM, and superior screen quality, with a higher brightness and color coverage which offers a better viewing experience. Furthermore, the Alienware's larger battery capacity supports longer usage away from a power source, despite it being less portable due to its heavier weight and larger size, which may not be as convenient for people who frequently move around with their laptop.
Gaming and AI
6.0
8.9
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.3/10
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 X17 R2 is very 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
9.1
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.3/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is excellent for engineering and design, while the ASUS Vivobook 15X is only fair.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 outperforms the ASUS Vivobook 15X in engineering and design primarily due to its higher-end CPU, substantially more RAM, and a more powerful GPU which are very important for such tasks, alongside a screen with better color accuracy and brightness. While the Vivobook is more portable and quieter, the Alienware's superior hardware and screen quality make it better suited for demanding engineering software and detailed design work.
Content Creation
7.1
8.3
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is very good for content creation, while the ASUS Vivobook 15X is good.
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
7.8
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is 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.
Screen Quality
6.2
8.5
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
480Hz
250.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
367.0 nits
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has a better screen than the ASUS Vivobook 15X for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the Dell Alienware X17 R2 offers superior screen quality with high resolution and brightness, providing clear and vibrant visuals, while the ASUS Vivobook 15X has a decent display but doesn't match the Dell in clarity or vibrance. In engineering and design, the Dell's wide color gamuts ensure accurate color representation that professionals need, but the ASUS falls short in this aspect, limiting its suitability for color-critical work. When it comes to 3D and gaming, the Dell's screen, while having good resolution and panel type, lacks the high refresh rates that deliver the smooth visuals required for fast-paced scenes, as does the ASUS, making both less optimal for these uses.
Battery
8.0 Hours
2.0 Hours
The ASUS Vivobook 15X has 8 hours of battery life. The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has 2 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
17.3in
3.7 lbs
WEIGHT
6.8 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The ASUS Vivobook 15X has good portability, while the Dell Alienware X17 R2 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.0
8.5
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 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
$2,000
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The ASUS Vivobook 15X has a price of $525 and the Dell Alienware X17 R2 costs $2,000.
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How the ASUS Vivobook 15X and the Dell Alienware X17 R2 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS Vivobook 15X | Dell Alienware X17 R2 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$525 | $2,000 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | December 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 9.2'' x 0.7'' | 15.7'' x 11.8'' x 0.82'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.75 lbs | 6.82 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.16" | 15.72" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.15" | 11.79" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 7530U | Intel i9-12900HK | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 1 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 2 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 42 Wh | 87 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 480Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 250 nits | 367 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.9/10 | 6.1/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | 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 | 6.8/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 4 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
ASUS Vivobook 15X
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Dig into reviews and images
The Verge
Monica Chin | May 2023
"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."
Dell Alienware X17 R2
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | May 2022
"The Alienware x17 R2 recognizes targets a significantly higher TGP of 175 W for a roughly 30 percent performance boost over laptops running on the ~100 W GeForce RTX 3080 Ti like the Razer Blade 15 or Gigabyte Aero YE5. Similar results can be found through the CPU as well. This single aspect of the Alienware is perhaps the biggest differentiating factor between it and other ultrathin gaming laptops. Of course, the "performance at all cost" approach comes with drawbacks. Power consumption in particular is through the roof and battery life suffers because of it even when on the lowest performance settings."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Vivobook 15X or the Dell Alienware X17 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.
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