A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated June 22, 2024·
The ASUS Vivobook S 16 OLED is a more budget-friendly option with a stunning OLED display, offering vibrant colors and deep blacks, making it excellent for media consumption and general use. It's also lighter and more portable, ideal for on-the-go tasks. However, its performance is more suited for everyday tasks rather than demanding applications like gaming or engineering software. The battery life is decent, ensuring you can work for a reasonable amount of time without needing a charge. On the other hand, the Dell Alienware m15 R7 is a powerhouse designed for high-performance tasks such as gaming, 3D rendering, and machine learning. It boasts a faster refresh rate and a more powerful GPU, which translates to smoother gameplay and better performance in graphics-intensive tasks. It's also built with a more robust cooling system to handle the heat from its high-end components. The downside is its heavier build and shorter battery life, which might not be as convenient for frequent travelers. Additionally, it comes with a premium price tag that reflects its top-tier performance capabilities. In summary, if you prioritize portability, a superior display for general use, and a lower price point, the ASUS Vivobook S 16 OLED is the way to go. But if you need a laptop that can handle intensive gaming and professional workloads with a high refresh rate screen, and you're willing to compromise on portability and battery life, the Dell Alienware m15 R7 would be the better choice. 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 16 OLED
- Very good for content creation
- Very good portability
- Good battery life
- Very good speakers
Advantages of the Dell Alienware m15 R7
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.7
7.8
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 is good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Vivobook S 16 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.
Software Development
7.8
7.3
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The ASUS Vivobook S 16 OLED and Dell Alienware m15 R7 are both good for software development, though the ASUS Vivobook S 16 OLED is somewhat better.
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
8.6
8.2
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
600.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
The ASUS Vivobook S 16 OLED has a better screen than the Dell Alienware m15 R7 for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation, while the Dell Alienware m15 R7 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 16 OLED has 9 hours of battery life. The Dell Alienware m15 R7 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
Fair
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
5.9 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The ASUS Vivobook S 16 OLED has very good portability, while the Dell Alienware m15 R7 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
8.5
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has very good build quality, while the ASUS Vivobook S 16 OLED has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$999
$2,200
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
The ASUS Vivobook S 16 OLED has a price of $999 and the Dell Alienware m15 R7 costs $2,200.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.7
7.5
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
600.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
8.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.4/10
The ASUS Vivobook S 16 OLED and Dell Alienware m15 R7 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
7.9
8.2
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Alienware m15 R7 to be very good for engineering and design, while the ASUS Vivobook S 16 OLED is good.
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
7.5
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS Vivobook S 16 OLED to be very good for content creation, while the Dell Alienware m15 R7 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.
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How the ASUS Vivobook S 16 OLED and the Dell Alienware m15 R7 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS Vivobook S 16 OLED | Dell Alienware m15 R7 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$999 | $2,200 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | February 1, 2024 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 13.9'' x 9.7'' x 0.63'' | 14'' x 10.7'' x 0.94'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.31 lbs | 5.93 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13.92" | 14.02" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.72" | 10.73" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel Core Ultra 7 155H | AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 75 Wh | 86 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | OLED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3200 x 2000 | 2560 x 1440 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 600 nits | 300 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.1/10 | 6.5/10 | |
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 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
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 | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
Dell Alienware m15 R7
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Dig into reviews and images
Tom's Hardware
Brandon Hill | October 2022
"The Alienware M15 offers solid gaming and leading endurance. It makes the most of its CPU and GPU while delivering stellar battery life for a gaming laptop. Opening the lid presents a full-size keyboard with honeycomb cutouts above it on the deck. An oblong RBG lightning element surrounds the entire rear panel and can be color-synced with the other lights on the laptop. There’s not a lot to dislike about the M15 Its productivity performance lagged in some areas, particularly in the storage benchmark, and it’s a bit heavy. Alienware has a clear winner here with the M15 based on its strong overall performance and endurance."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Vivobook S 16 OLED or the Dell Alienware m15 R7
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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