Opting for the ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED will save costs while offering a sleek design and an OLED screen with sharp resolution, which is ideal for general use and perfect for multimedia consumption. It's also more portable compared to the Alienware. However, the Dell Alienware X17 R2, despite its higher price point, delivers powerhouse performance suitable for high-end gaming, 3D rendering, and demanding engineering applications; it also includes features like better cooling and customizable RGB lighting, but it's heavier and less portable. If budget and portability are key, go for the ASUS, but for peak performance in resource-intensive tasks, choose the Dell. 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 14X OLED
Very good portability
Good battery life
Advantages of the Dell Alienware X17 R2
Very good for general use
Excellent for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good for content creation
Very good overall build quality
Best in class speakers
Key differences
General Use
7.5/10
8.2/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
376.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
367.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
2.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
8.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.0/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is very good for general use, while the ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED is good.
The ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED offers an OLED display with high color accuracy and a lightweight, slim design enhancing portability, but its lower RAM and CPU may limit performance in heavy multitasking compared to the Dell Alienware X17 R2 which boasts powerful processing abilities and ample RAM ideal for demanding applications, although it is less portable and has a shorter battery life. Additionally, the Alienware's larger screen and high-refresh-rate display benefit gaming and video content, but for day-to-day mobility and battery efficiency, the Zenbook's attributes may be more practical.
Gaming and AI
6.5/10
8.9/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.3/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
480Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is very good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED is only fair.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 provides a superior gaming and 3D experience with its Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti GPU, which is far more powerful than the integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics in the ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED for handling the demands of modern games and rendering. Additionally, the Alienware's much higher screen refresh rate will result in smoother gameplay and motion rendering compared to the Zenbook's lower refresh rate, making it a clear choice for serious gaming and 3D tasks.
Engineering and Design
7.7/10
9.1/10
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.3/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is excellent for engineering and design, while the ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED is good.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is better suited for engineering and design due to its more powerful CPU, significantly greater RAM, and a top-tier GPU, which are all crucial for demanding software tasks, whereas the ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED, with lower RAM and an integrated GPU, is less equipped for intensive workloads. Moreover, the Alienware's larger, albeit less sharp, screen may be preferred for design work, but the Zenbook, being lighter and slimmer, offers greater portability and a higher resolution OLED screen that delivers superior color accuracy and contrast for detailed visual work.
Content Creation
7.6/10
8.3/10
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is very good for content creation, while the ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED 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.
Screen Quality
8.6/10
8.5/10
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
480Hz
376.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
367.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED has a better screen than the Dell Alienware X17 R2 for general use, and engineering and design, while the Dell Alienware X17 R2 has a better screen for gaming and AI, content creation, and software development.
The ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED and Dell Alienware X17 R2 both offer high-resolution panels with excellent brightness and color reproduction, which translates into sharp, vivid images ideal for both general use and detail-oriented work like engineering and design. However, for gaming and 3D applications where the smoothness of motion is crucial, both laptops fall short due to their lower refresh rates, despite their decent resolution and panel technology which provide good image clarity and color. Since gamers and 3D professionals often seek fluid visuals during rapid movements, the slower refresh rates can make these laptops less suitable for those applications.
Battery
6.0 Hours
2.0 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED has 6 hours of battery life. The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has 2 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
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
3.4 lbs
WEIGHT
6.8 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED has very good portability, while the Dell Alienware X17 R2 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.8/10
8.5/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has very good build quality, while the ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$575
$2,000
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED has a price of $575 and the Dell Alienware X17 R2 costs $2,000.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 and ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED 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.
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How the ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED and the Dell Alienware X17 R2 compare to other laptops
"While one of the more budget-friendly configurations of the Asus Zenbook 14X OLED may make a compelling case as a top value pick, it’s difficult to be disappointed with the more expensive model we reviewed here. At its core, for all models, it’s a luxury-built laptop with extreme portability and a gorgeous OLED display. Our unit rocks with a snappy Core i9 processor for getting real work done, and the discrete GPU—even if it has a clear power ceiling—is a bonus for creative pros."
"The Alienware x17 R2 recognizes targets a significantly higher TGP of 175 W for a roughly 30 percent performance boost over laptops running on the ~100 W GeForce RTX 3080 Ti like the Razer Blade 15 or Gigabyte Aero YE5. Similar results can be found through the CPU as well. This single aspect of the Alienware is perhaps the biggest differentiating factor between it and other ultrathin gaming laptops. Of course, the "performance at all cost" approach comes with drawbacks. Power consumption in particular is through the roof and battery life suffers because of it even when on the lowest performance settings."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED or the Dell Alienware X17 R2
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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