For general use with a focus on saving money, the ASUS Zenbook 14 offers good performance, battery life, and is lightweight for portability. However, if you are into gaming, 3D work, or machine learning, and willing to invest more, the Dell Alienware x14 R1 provides higher performance suited to these demanding tasks, though it will be heavier and may have shorter battery life. Engineering work that requires robust performance may justify choosing the Alienware, but for everyday tasks or when you value portability and longer battery life, the Zenbook 14 would be sufficient and more cost-effective. Give Feedback
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Advantages of the ASUS Zenbook 14
Very good overall display quality
Advantages of the Dell Alienware x14 R1
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Very good overall build quality
Key differences
General Use
7.2/10
7.8/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
339.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
411.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 and ASUS Zenbook 14 are both good for general use, though the Dell Alienware x14 R1 is somewhat better.
The ASUS Zenbook 14 offers an OLED screen with higher resolution, making it suitable for tasks that benefit from better color accuracy and sharpness, whereas the Dell Alienware x14 R1, with its more powerful CPU, double the RAM, and superior dedicated graphics, is more adept at handling a wider range of demanding applications. Additionally, the Alienware's better heat management and higher speaker quality further bolster its suitability for intense usage, though it is slightly heavier and bulkier, affecting portability when compared with the lightweight and compact Zenbook, which may also have a shorter battery life.
Gaming and AI
6.1/10
7.6/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.0/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
90Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 is good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Zenbook 14 is only fair.
The ASUS Zenbook 14, equipped with an integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics and a screen refresh rate of 90Hz, offers moderate gaming capabilities, whereas the Dell Alienware x14 R1 with a more powerful Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU and higher 144Hz refresh rate is better suited for gaming and 3D applications. Additionally, the Dell's premium graphics card and faster screen can provide a smoother and more immersive experience, particularly important for fast-paced games and detailed 3D rendering.
Engineering and Design
7.2/10
8.2/10
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
3.7/10
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 14 is good.
The ASUS Zenbook 14, with its mid-range CPU and integrated graphics, is suitable for engineering and design tasks, but the Dell Alienware x14 R1 leads with a high-end CPU and dedicated GPU, providing significantly more power for demanding workloads. Although both have good screen quality, the Alienware’s better performance, coupled with a high-resolution display and robust build, makes it very good for such intensive tasks, at the expense of being less portable and potentially noisier under load.
Content Creation
7.3/10
7.9/10
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 and ASUS Zenbook 14 are both good for content creation, though the Dell Alienware x14 R1 is somewhat better.
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
7.2/10
7.7/10
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 and ASUS Zenbook 14 are both good for software development, though the Dell Alienware x14 R1 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
8.3/10
7.9/10
14.0in
SIZE
14.0in
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
90Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
339.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
411.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook 14 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 14's superior resolution and brightness offer clearer and more vibrant visuals, but its lower refresh rate makes it less suitable for gaming and 3D applications where smoother motion is key. Meanwhile, the Dell Alienware x14 R1, while adequate for general use and engineering with decent color representation, also falls short in 3D scenarios due to a refresh rate that isn't high enough to provide optimal fluidity in fast-paced environments. Both laptops deliver good color accuracy for engineering and design work, but professionals in this field might prefer displays with the highest possible color gamut coverage for the most precise color work.
Portability
Very Good
Very Good
14.0in
SIZE
14.0in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
4.0 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The ASUS Zenbook 14 and Dell Alienware x14 R1 both have very good portability, though the ASUS Zenbook 14 has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.8/10
8.5/10
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has very good build quality, while the ASUS Zenbook 14 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$300
$1,201
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The ASUS Zenbook 14 has a price of $300 and the Dell Alienware x14 R1 costs $1,201.
"Users who travel frequently and are looking for a portable laptop are in the right place with the Asus ZenBook 14. The sleek case is extremely light (1.2 kg) and surprisingly thin (1.5 cm). Outdoor use is also enjoyable thanks to the bright Full HD display, which is something that can rarely be said about laptops with TN or IPS panels. The excellent battery life complements this as well. Longer trips are no problem with the ZenBook 14. Another plus point is the high-performance Ryzen 7 5700U, which often leaves the Intel competition in the dust thanks to its large number of cores."
"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 14 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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