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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated June 22, 2024·
For a balance of performance and portability with a stunning OLED display, the ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED is a strong choice, especially if you value a lightweight design for on-the-go use. Its Intel Core Ultra 7 processor and Intel Arc graphics will handle everyday tasks with ease, and the high refresh rate screen is great for smooth visuals. However, if you're looking for a machine with more raw power for gaming, 3D rendering, or machine learning tasks, the Dell Alienware m17 R5, with its AMD Ryzen 7 processor and Nvidia RTX 3060 graphics, will deliver superior performance, albeit at the cost of portability due to its larger size and weight. The Alienware's faster screen refresh rate also makes it better suited for intense gaming sessions. Keep in mind that the Alienware's battery life is shorter, so it's more suited for stationary use near a power outlet. 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 S 15 OLED
- Very good for content creation
- Very good portability
- Good battery life
Advantages of the Dell Alienware m17 R5
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.7
7.7
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.7/10
2880 x 1620
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
480Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED 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.
Screen Quality
8.8
8.1
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
2880 x 1620
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
480Hz
600.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
301.0 nits
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED has a better screen than the Dell Alienware m17 R5 for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation, while the Dell Alienware m17 R5 has a better screen for gaming and AI.
PerfectRec’s screen quality scores take into account various important factors that are relevant for different use cases.
Battery
9.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED has 9 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
Very Good
Poor
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
7.3 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED has very good portability, while the Dell Alienware m17 R5 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,249
$1,100
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED has a price of $1,249 and the Dell Alienware m17 R5 costs $1,100.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.7
7.8
2880 x 1620
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
600.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
301.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.4/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.5/10
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED are both good for general use.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Engineering and Design
8.0
8.1
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.1/10
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED are both very good for engineering and design.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
8.0
7.8
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.1/10
2880 x 1620
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED to be very good for content creation, while the Dell Alienware m17 R5 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
7.8
7.4
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.1/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2880 x 1620
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED and Dell Alienware m17 R5 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.
Build Quality
7.4
7.8
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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How the ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED and the Dell Alienware m17 R5 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED | Dell Alienware m17 R5 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,249 | $1,100 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | February 1, 2024 | June 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 13.9'' x 9.7'' x 0.55'' | 15.6'' x 11.8'' x 1.05'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.31 lbs | 7.3 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13.92" | 15.64" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.72" | 11.76" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel Core Ultra 7 155H | AMD Ryzen 7 6800H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 75 Wh | 97 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | OLED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2880 x 1620 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 480Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 600 nits | 301 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.4/10 | 5.5/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 1 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED
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Dig into reviews and images
LaptopMag
Darragh Murphy | November 2022
"The Asus Vivobook S 15 OLED excels as a capable work machine at an affordable price. It offers commendable performance, thanks to its 12th Gen Intel chip, delivers quality on-screen entertainment with its 15.6-inch OLED display, and can (kind of) get you through a full day of work. Oh, and its special Asus Antibacterial Guard is a nice touch for those who like a clean laptop."
Dell Alienware m17 R5
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Christian Hintze | January 2023
"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 S 15 OLED 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.
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