The ASUS Zenbook 13, being lighter with a higher portability score, is better suited for travel and general use due to its OLED screen with vivid colors. However, the Dell Alienware x14 R1, despite being heavier and less portable, offers stronger performance for 3D, machine learning, and engineering tasks, thanks to its advanced Intel processor and Nvidia graphics. Both laptops have similar battery life and solid build quality. The Zenbook is more affordable but the Alienware's higher cost supports intensive gaming and more taxing workloads due to its better cooling and build quality. Give Feedback
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Advantages of the ASUS Zenbook 13
Excellent portability
Advantages of the Dell Alienware x14 R1
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Very good overall build quality
Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.2/10
7.6/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.3/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 is good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Zenbook 13 is only fair.
The ASUS Zenbook 13 with its integrated Vega 8 GPU and a standard 60Hz screen refresh rate offers reasonable performance for gaming and 3D applications but falls short for more demanding tasks, whereas the Dell Alienware x14 R1, equipped with a more powerful Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU and a higher 144Hz screen refresh rate, is better suited for these tasks, delivering smoother visuals and better handling of complex graphics.
Engineering and Design
7.1/10
8.2/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.0/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 is very good for engineering and design, while the ASUS Zenbook 13 is good.
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 is better suited for engineering and design use due to its superior Intel i7 processor, double the RAM of the ASUS Zenbook 13, and a high-performance Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU, along with a higher screen refresh rate which can be crucial for design work. While the ASUS Zenbook 13 offers portability with its lighter weight and competitive screen quality with an OLED display, it falls short in computational power and graphical performance with its AMD Ryzen 7 CPU and Vega 8 integrated graphics, which are less capable for demanding engineering tasks.
Screen Quality
7.8/10
7.9/10
13.3in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
378.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
411.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has a better screen than the Dell Alienware x14 R1 for general use, and engineering and design, while the Dell Alienware x14 R1 has a better screen for gaming and AI, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the ASUS Zenbook 13's screen is very good due to its high resolution and brightness, making documents and web pages crisp and easy to view, while the Dell Alienware x14 R1, though good, offers slightly lesser clarity. In engineering and design, the ASUS Zenbook 13 stands out with a wider color range that ensures accurate color representation, vital for detailed work, whereas the Dell's color gamut, while sufficient, isn't as broad. Gaming and 3D applications, however, suffer on both due to low refresh rates, causing less fluid motion and responsiveness compared to screens optimized for fast-paced visuals.
Portability
Excellent
Very Good
13.3in
SIZE
14.0in
2.5 lbs
WEIGHT
4.0 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has excellent portability, while the Dell Alienware x14 R1 has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4/10
8.5/10
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has very good build quality, while the ASUS Zenbook 13 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$890
$1,201
$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 x14 R1 costs $1,201.
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 and ASUS Zenbook 13 are both good for general use.
The ASUS Zenbook 13 with its OLED screen and lighter weight is great for general use with superior portability and screen quality, while the Dell Alienware x14 R1 has a high-refresh-rate IPS screen and more RAM for multitasking, coupled with a gaming-grade CPU and GPU, making it well-suited for more demanding tasks as well as general use, at the expense of being heavier. Both laptops offer solid battery life, but the Alienware's superior heat management and stronger performance may be preferred by some users despite the additional weight and size.
Content Creation
7.6/10
7.9/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 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
7.3/10
7.7/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
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 x14 R1 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.
Battery
9.0 Hours
9.0 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has 9 hours of battery life. The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has 9 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.
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How the ASUS Zenbook 13 and the Dell Alienware x14 R1 compare to other laptops
"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."
"The Alienware X14 series is thinner, but also slower than the competition. With the X series, you get plenty of modern technology: Intel Alder Lake CPUs, GeForce RTX 3000 GPUs, Thunderbolt 4, PCIe 4.0, Wi-Fi 6E, G-Sync, and Advanced Optimus. However, the slim design has some drawbacks, just like its larger siblings. The shifted hinge position results in a very deep device with a large footprint compared to the competition."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Zenbook 13 or the Dell Alienware x14 R1
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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