When choosing between the ASUS Vivobook Go 15 and the Dell Alienware m16 R2, consider that the Vivobook is more budget-friendly and offers sufficient performance for everyday tasks such as browsing, document editing, and media consumption, along with easier portability due to its lighter weight. The Alienware, on the other hand, is built for high-performance gaming, 3D rendering, and demanding engineering software, featuring a powerful processor, advanced graphics, and a high-refresh-rate screen, but it's more expensive and heavier, which means it's less convenient to carry around. Your decision should align with your primary use case and how much you value portability over raw power and advanced features. 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 Go 15
Good portability
Advantages of the Dell Alienware m16 R2
Good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Good for software development
Good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Very good speakers
Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
5.6/10
7.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
200.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
302.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
7.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.7/10
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 is good for general use, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 15 is poor.
While the ASUS Vivobook Go 15 has modest CPU and RAM that may slow down during heavy multitasking, impacting screen quality and performance for general tasks, the Dell Alienware m16 R2 boasts a powerful CPU and ample RAM ensuring a smooth experience and high-quality display, but it sacrifices portability and battery life due to its gaming-oriented design. The Vivobook offers better portability and potentially longer battery life, but the Alienware provides a superior keyboard, better speakers, and effective heat management that enhances overall performance, albeit with a higher cost.
Gaming and AI
5.5/10
7.9/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
1920 x 1080
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 Go 15 is poor.
The Asus Vivobook Go 15 has a less powerful GPU and a standard screen refresh rate, which makes it less suitable for gaming and 3D applications that require fast graphics processing and smoother motion. In contrast, the Dell Alienware m16 R2 boasts a high-end GPU and a higher screen refresh rate, offering superior performance and visuals for demanding gaming and 3D tasks.
Engineering and Design
5.4/10
8.4/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 is very good for engineering and design, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 15 is poor.
The ASUS Vivobook Go 15, with its more modest CPU, RAM, and GPU, isn't equipped for demanding tasks like engineering software, whereas the Dell Alienware m16 R2, with high-end specs and superior screen quality, excels in these areas. The Vivobook offers better portability and possibly a quieter operation at the expense of power, while the Alienware, with its enhanced keyboard and speaker quality, balances performance with bulkier design and potential fan noise during heavy use.
Content Creation
5.7/10
7.9/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 is good for content creation, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 15 is poor.
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
5.9/10
7.6/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 is good for software development, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 15 is poor.
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
5.2/10
8.2/10
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
200.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
302.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has a better screen than the ASUS Vivobook Go 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The ASUS Vivobook Go 15 has a lower resolution and is not as bright, making it less ideal for general use where reading text and viewing images benefits from sharper and more vibrant displays. For engineering and design, the Vivobook's limited color gamut fails to provide the accuracy needed for precise visual work. Meanwhile, the Dell Alienware m16 R2's higher resolution and brightness enhance general activities, its wider color gamut suits professional design tasks, but its refresh rate, while sufficient for most tasks, isn’t the highest, which can be less optimal for fast-paced 3D environments and gaming where smooth motion is key.
Portability
Good
Fair
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
3.4 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The ASUS Vivobook Go 15 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 Go 15 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$240
$1,650
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The ASUS Vivobook Go 15 has a price of $240 and the Dell Alienware m16 R2 costs $1,650.
"The Asus Vivobook Go 15 is a good option if you’re looking for one device to tackle a bunch of smaller problems. For simple school studies, portable evening entertainment or distractions, and getting household admin or light office workloads out of the way, it’s a great little package with respectable battery life, and a great contender for the advent of cloud gaming."
"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 Go 15 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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