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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The ASUS Zenbook Flip S13 is a versatile, portable laptop with good battery life, making it suitable for general use and favorable for on-the-go tasks. Its touchscreen and 2-in-1 design add flexibility, but it's less geared towards intensive tasks due to its integrated graphics. Conversely, the Dell Alienware m18 R1 is a high-performance machine with superior graphics capabilities, ideal for gaming, 3D rendering, and engineering applications. However, it's heavier and has less battery life, compromising on portability. If you prioritize performance for demanding applications and can manage the size and weight, the Alienware is suitable, but for daily productivity and travel-friendliness, the Zenbook Flip could be a better fit. 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 Flip S13
- Excellent portability
- Very good battery life
Advantages of the Dell Alienware m18 R1
- Very good for general use
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Excellent for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.7
8.2
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
372.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
281.0 nits
10.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
9.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.1/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is very good for general use, while the ASUS Zenbook Flip S13 is good.
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.
Gaming and AI
6.3
9.1
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.8/10
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Zenbook Flip S13 is only fair.
The ASUS Zenbook Flip S13, with its Intel Iris Xe graphics and 60Hz screen refresh rate, isn't designed for the high performance seen in gaming or 3D applications, making it fair for gaming and 3D tasks. In contrast, the Dell Alienware m18 R1, equipped with a powerful Nvidia RTX 4080 GPU and a higher 165Hz screen refresh rate, excels in gaming and 3D scenarios, offering a more fluid visual experience and better graphics processing capable of handling demanding tasks.
Engineering and Design
7.4
9.1
5.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent for engineering and design, while the ASUS Zenbook Flip S13 is good.
The ASUS Zenbook Flip S13, with its adequate CPU and GPU, provides good performance for engineering and design tasks within a highly portable, convertible form factor with a high-quality screen. In contrast, the Dell Alienware m18 R1 offers exceptional performance for more demanding engineering and design workflows due to a stronger CPU, double the RAM, and a more powerful GPU, though it sacrifices portability and has a larger, less portable form.
Content Creation
7.8
8.4
5.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is very good for content creation, while the ASUS Zenbook Flip S13 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
7.9
7.8
13.3in
SIZE
17.3in
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
372.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
281.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook Flip S13 has a better screen than the Dell Alienware m18 R1 for general use, and engineering and design, while the Dell Alienware m18 R1 has a better screen for gaming and AI, content creation, and software development.
Considering the screen qualities, the ASUS Zenbook Flip S13 excels in resolution and brightness, making it suitable for everyday tasks where sharpness and visibility are key. For engineering and design, its superior color coverage ensures accurate color representation which is crucial for professional creative work. However, for gaming and 3D, its lower refresh rate could lead to less smooth visuals, which is less desirable for fast-paced or graphically-intensive applications.
Battery
10.5 Hours
4.0 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook Flip S13 has 10.5 hours of battery life. The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has 4 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
2.6 lbs
WEIGHT
8.9 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The ASUS Zenbook Flip S13 has excellent portability, while the Dell Alienware m18 R1 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.8
8.5
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has very good build quality, while the ASUS Zenbook Flip S13 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,400
$2,600
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The ASUS Zenbook Flip S13 has a price of $1,400 and the Dell Alienware m18 R1 costs $2,600.
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Key similarities
Software Development
7.6
8.0
5.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Alienware m18 R1 to be very good for software development, while the ASUS Zenbook Flip S13 is good.
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.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the ASUS Zenbook Flip S13 and the Dell Alienware m18 R1 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS Zenbook Flip S13 | Dell Alienware m18 R1 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,400 | $2,600 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | August 1, 2021 | October 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12'' x 8.3'' x 0.51'' | 16.2'' x 12.6'' x 1.05'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.65 lbs | 8.9 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.01" | 16.15" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.31" | 12.59" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1165G7 | Intel i9-13900HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10.5 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 67 Wh | 97 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.3" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3840 x 2160 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 372 nits | 281 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.3/10 | 5.1/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 6.5/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 1 | 4 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 4 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
Shopping
ASUS Zenbook Flip S13
See more
Dig into reviews and images
Tom's Hardware
Charles Jefferies | January 2023
"The Asus Zenbook S 13 Flip is an ultra-sleek 2-in-1 convertible. A gorgeous OLED screen and lightweight magnesium chassis make this convertible a traveller’s dream. Its SSD isn’t fast, but it won’t hold you back in everyday use. Its battery life also isn’t class leading, but it’s hardly off the pace. Overall, the Zenbook S 13 Flip OLED holds its head high in the premium convertible category and is a smaller alternative to the Spectre x360 13.5 and the Yoga 9i Gen 7."
Dell Alienware m18 R1
See more
Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Matthew Buzzi | July 2023
"Dell's Alienware m18 delivers on its promises: This is a large, powerful gaming laptop with the premium flair and feel you expect from an expensive purchase. The drawbacks are really the price and battery life, which in context are reasonable. (We'd also like to see more ports on the laptop's sides.) This price tier exists for deep-pocketed enthusiasts, and if you’re considering anything in this range, the m18 isn’t an outlier. For the majority of shoppers, of course, all of these mighty 18-inch systems are likely too expensive."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Zenbook Flip S13 or the Dell Alienware m18 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.
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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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About the laptop team
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