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Updated January 10, 2024·
If portability and battery life are important to you, the ASUS Zenbook 13 is lighter and has a longer battery life, making it more suitable for on-the-go use and general tasks. However, if you require robust performance for 3D rendering, machine learning, or gaming, the Dell Alienware m17 R5 has a more powerful processor and dedicated graphics card, offering higher performance in these areas, but it is heavier and has a shorter battery life, reducing its portability. The Alienware also has a bigger display, which may be better for engineering work but again affects portability. The ASUS costs less but does not match the Dell's performance for intensive tasks. 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 Zenbook 13
- Excellent portability
- Good battery life
Advantages of the Dell Alienware m17 R5
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.2
7.7
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
480Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.3/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Zenbook 13 is only fair.
The ASUS Zenbook 13, with its integrated Vega 8 graphics and standard 60Hz OLED screen, provides a fair gaming and 3D experience that is best suited for less demanding games or lower graphics settings. On the other hand, the Dell Alienware m17 R5, which boasts a dedicated Nvidia RTX 3060 graphics card and a high-refresh-rate 480Hz IPS screen, offers a more immersive and responsive experience for intensive gaming and 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
7.1
8.1
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.1/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is very good for engineering and design, while the ASUS Zenbook 13 is good.
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has lower RAM and a less powerful integrated GPU, which is suitable for less demanding engineering and design tasks, whereas the Dell Alienware m17 R5 features higher RAM and a dedicated high-performance GPU, which is ideal for more intensive tasks in engineering and design but comes at the cost of reduced portability due to its larger size and weight. Additionally, the Dell has a larger screen which might be preferable for design work but further affects its portability, a tradeoff to consider based on your needs.
Screen Quality
7.8
8.1
13.3in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
480Hz
378.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
301.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has a better screen than the Dell Alienware m17 R5 for general use, and engineering and design, while the Dell Alienware m17 R5 has a better screen for gaming and AI, and software development.
The ASUS Zenbook 13, with its higher resolution and brightness, offers a sharp and vivid display for documents and websites, proving ideal for general use. For engineering and design work, its wider color gamut ensures more accurate color representation crucial for detailed visual work. However, its lower refresh rate limits the smoothness in gaming and 3D rendering, which is less than ideal compared to laptops designed with higher refresh rates for those specific purposes.
Battery
9.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook 13 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
Excellent
Poor
13.3in
SIZE
17.3in
2.5 lbs
WEIGHT
7.3 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has excellent portability, while the Dell Alienware m17 R5 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$890
$1,100
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has a price of $890 and the Dell Alienware m17 R5 costs $1,100.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.4
7.8
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
378.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
301.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
9.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.5/10
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and ASUS Zenbook 13 are both good for general use.
The ASUS Zenbook 13, with its lightweight design and OLED screen, alongside a solid battery life, makes it a very portable and visually appealing choice for everyday tasks. In contrast, the Dell Alienware m17 R5, with a larger screen, more RAM, and a high-performance CPU and GPU makes it a robust option for demanding applications but sacrifices portability and battery life due to its size and power requirements.
Content Creation
7.6
7.8
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and ASUS Zenbook 13 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
7.4
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.1/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and ASUS Zenbook 13 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 Zenbook 13 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 Zenbook 13 and the Dell Alienware m17 R5 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS Zenbook 13 | Dell Alienware m17 R5 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$890 | $1,100 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | February 1, 2021 | June 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12'' x 8'' x 0.55'' | 15.6'' x 11.8'' x 1.05'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.55 lbs | 7.3 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.97" | 15.64" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 7.99" | 11.76" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 5700U | AMD Ryzen 7 6800H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 67 Wh | 97 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.3" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | OLED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 480Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 378 nits | 301 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.3/10 | 5.5/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8.4/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 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 | 3 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
ASUS Zenbook 13
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sebastian Bade | May 2021
"The Asus ZenBook 13 is a compact 13-inch laptop with a fast Ryzen 7 5800U and OLED display. The subnotebook is also light and the modern design is convincing. The selection of high-quality materials make the device not only light, but also very stable. In addition, the visuals and haptics of the device offers a high-quality impression. The AMD Ryzen 7 5800U is a very good fit for the ZenBook 13, ensuring a high performance in the test. However, in terms of the 3D performance, we also notice that the Vega architecture is beginning to hit its limits."
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 Zenbook 13 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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