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Updated January 10, 2024·
To decide between the ASUS Zenbook Pro 16X and the Dell Alienware X17 R2, consider how you'll use the laptop. The ZenBook Pro is a high-performance laptop with a focus on creative professionals, offering a balance between power and portability. It's generally lighter and has a better battery life ideal for on-the-go use, but can still handle demanding tasks like video editing or design work. The Alienware, on the other hand, is built for gaming with stronger graphics performance and a faster display refresh rate, making it better for gaming or virtual reality, but it's heavier and has shorter battery life, making it less convenient for travel. If you prioritize gaming or intensive graphic work and don't mind less mobility, the Alienware could be the better choice. However, for a blend of performance and portability, the ZenBook Pro might suit you better. Remember that the Alienware's gaming capabilities come with a higher price, so if budget is a concern, take that into account. 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 Pro 16X
- Very good for software development
- Good portability
- Good battery life
Advantages of the Dell Alienware X17 R2
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good overall build quality
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.5
8.9
6.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.3/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
480Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is very good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Zenbook Pro 16X is good.
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 16X, with its Nvidia RTX 3060 and 60Hz screen refresh rate, is good for gaming and 3D tasks, though less optimal compared to the Dell Alienware X17 R2, which boasts a more powerful Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti and a much higher 480Hz screen refresh rate, enhancing fluidity and gaming performance.
Screen Quality
8.3
8.5
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
480Hz
354.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
367.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 16X has a better screen than the Dell Alienware X17 R2 for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation, while the Dell Alienware X17 R2 has a better screen for gaming and AI.
For general use, both the ASUS Zenbook Pro 16X and the Dell Alienware X17 R2 offer sharp images and clear visuals courtesy of their high-resolution displays and bright panels, making tasks like browsing and watching videos a pleasure. Engineering and design professionals will appreciate the wide color gamuts on both laptops, ensuring accurate color representation for tasks like photo editing and CAD work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, their screens fall short due to lower refresh rates, which can lead to less smooth visuals during fast-paced action or when working with high-speed 3D rendering.
Battery
7.0 Hours
2.0 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 16X has 7 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
Good
Fair
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
5.2 lbs
WEIGHT
6.8 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 16X has good portability, while the Dell Alienware X17 R2 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.6
8.5
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has very good build quality, while the ASUS Zenbook Pro 16X has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,300
$2,000
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 16X has a price of $1,300 and the Dell Alienware X17 R2 costs $2,000.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.3
8.2
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
354.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
367.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
2.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
7.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.0/10
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 16X and Dell Alienware X17 R2 are both very good for general use.
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.
Engineering and Design
8.6
9.1
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
6.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Alienware X17 R2 to be excellent for engineering and design, while the ASUS Zenbook Pro 16X is very good.
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 16X is highly suited for engineering and design use due to its OLED screen offering excellent color accuracy, supported by a strong CPU and RAM sufficient for many design applications, while the Dell Alienware X17 R2 excels in the same fields with a more powerful CPU and GPU combination, double the RAM for more complex tasks, and a faster screen refresh rate, beneficial for detail-oriented work, although it has a lower resolution display.
Content Creation
8.5
8.3
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 16X and Dell Alienware X17 R2 are both very 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
8.2
7.8
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS Zenbook Pro 16X to be very good for software development, while the Dell Alienware X17 R2 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.
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How the ASUS Zenbook Pro 16X and the Dell Alienware X17 R2 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS Zenbook Pro 16X | Dell Alienware X17 R2 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,300 | $2,000 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2022 | December 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.9'' x 0.7'' | 15.7'' x 11.8'' x 0.82'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.29 lbs | 6.82 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13.98" | 15.72" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.88" | 11.79" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-12700H | Intel i9-12900HK | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7 Hours | 2 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 96 Wh | 87 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | OLED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3840 x 2400 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 480Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 354 nits | 367 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.4/10 | 6.1/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 1 | 2 | |
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 Pro 16X
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Marc Herter, Alex Wätzel | November 2023
"The new Zenbook Pro 16X is more powerful, quieter and doesn't need to shy away from dedicated workstations and gamers. It is also comparatively compact, and our test device is the best Zenbook that we've reviewed so far. It seems equally suitable for content creators and gamers or anyone looking for a very powerful laptop that is still slim."
Dell Alienware X17 R2
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | May 2022
"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 Pro 16X 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.
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