When considering the ASUS Vivobook against the Dell Alienware, be aware that the Alienware typically offers higher performance for gaming or demanding tasks like 3D rendering and machine learning, at the expense of being heavier and possibly having shorter battery life, making it less ideal for travel. The Vivobook, while more affordable and portable with longer battery life, may not handle intensive tasks as smoothly. For everyday use, the Vivobook is sufficient, but if you're engaged in high-end gaming or professional creative work, the Alienware may be worth the investment despite its premium price and reduced mobility. 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 16
Good portability
Advantages of the Dell Alienware m16 R2
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Very good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Very good speakers
Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.3/10
7.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
1920 x 1200
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 16 is only fair.
The Asus Vivobook 16 typically has moderate graphics hardware and a standard screen refresh rate, making it adequate for casual gaming and 3D applications, while the Dell Alienware m16 R2 is designed with high-end graphics and a higher refresh rate screen, providing smoother and more immersive performance for serious gaming and 3D tasks. The Dell's superior GPU and refresh rate are crucial, although both laptops have capable CPUs and good screen quality, the Dell edges out the Asus for more demanding graphical work.
Engineering and Design
7.0/10
8.4/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 is very good for engineering and design, while the ASUS Vivobook 16 is good.
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 typically offers higher-end CPU and GPU options, more RAM, and superior screen quality, which are crucial for demanding engineering software and design tasks; whereas the ASUS Vivobook 16, while still capable, may have slightly lower specs in these areas but gains an edge in portability, making it easier to carry around. The Alienware's premium components often come with a higher price and more operating noise, but for intensive tasks, it's generally the better performer; the Vivobook's balance between performance and mobility may appeal to those with modest engineering needs.
Screen Quality
6.4/10
8.2/10
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
295.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
302.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has a better screen than the ASUS Vivobook 16 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the ASUS Vivobook 16 provides adequate screen clarity and brightness for everyday tasks like browsing and document editing, but the Dell Alienware m16 R2 excels with sharper resolution and higher brightness levels, enhancing visibility and detail. In engineering and design, the ASUS Vivobook 16's coverage of color gamuts is modest, whereas the Dell Alienware m16 R2's superior coverage of DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB guarantees more precise and vibrant color reproduction, crucial for professional creative work. While both fall short in gaming and 3D due to low refresh rates, their resolutions and panel technologies are sufficient for non-gaming related tasks, although gamers would notice a lack of fluidity and responsiveness during fast-paced action.
Battery
8.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The ASUS Vivobook 16 has 8 hours of battery life. The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has 6 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
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The ASUS Vivobook 16 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 16 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$669
$1,650
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The ASUS Vivobook 16 has a price of $669 and the Dell Alienware m16 R2 costs $1,650.
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 and ASUS Vivobook 16 are both good for general use.
The ASUS Vivobook 16, with its efficient CPU and ample RAM, handles everyday tasks smoothly, has high-quality screen visuals for comfortable viewing, yet its lighter build and longer battery life make it easy to use on the go. In contrast, the Dell Alienware m16 R2, while also well-equipped in CPU and RAM, emphasizes a superior gaming or intensive task experience with advanced heat management and a robust build, but this leads to heavier weight and reduced battery life, making it less ideal for frequent travel.
Content Creation
7.5/10
7.9/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 and ASUS Vivobook 16 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
7.3/10
7.6/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 and ASUS Vivobook 16 are both good for software development.
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 16 and the Dell Alienware m16 R2 compare to other laptops
Olivier Martin, Ryan Lim, Yannick Khong | May 2023
"The ASUS Vivobook 16 M1605 (2023) is a budget Windows laptop. It's available with various AMD Ryzen 5000 and 7000 U-series CPUs and integrated graphics. You can only get 8GB of RAM; however, there's an empty SO-DIMM slot if you want to upgrade it. It has an FHD+ (1920 x 1200) 16:10 IPS display, a full-size keyboard with a Numpad, a 720p webcam, and Wi-Fi 6E wireless connectivity. Ports include three USB-As, one USB-C, an HDMI, and a headphone jack. The USB-C supports charging but no video output."
"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 16 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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