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Updated March 21, 2024·
When deciding between the ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 and the Dell Alienware m16 R2, consider that the Zenbook Pro is likely to be more suitable for professional use with its sleek design, whereas the Alienware, geared towards gaming, offers powerful graphics capabilities for high-end gaming or tasks like 3D rendering. The Zenbook may offer a balance between performance and portability with a lighter build, and possibly better battery life, making it more suitable for on-the-go users who still need strong performance for tasks like video editing. In contrast, the Alienware, while possibly heavier and with shorter battery life, provides the extra horsepower for demanding games and applications. Choose the Zenbook if portability and professional aesthetics are priorities, or the Alienware if gaming and maximum performance are your primary concerns. 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 17
- Very good for general use
- Very good for content creation
- Good portability
Advantages of the Dell Alienware m16 R2
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.9
7.9
5.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 is good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 is only fair.
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 17, with its high-performance GPU, excels in gaming and 3D applications where smooth graphics are crucial, and its screen with a high refresh rate ensures that visual content looks fluid and lifelike. Meanwhile, the Dell Alienware m16 R2, also equipped with a powerful GPU and a comparable refresh rate, pairs these features with a robust CPU and superior screen quality, delivering an immersive experience for both gaming and 3D-intensive tasks.
Screen Quality
7.2
8.2
17.3in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
400.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
302.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 has a better screen than the Dell Alienware m16 R2 for software development, and content creation, while the Dell Alienware m16 R2 has a better screen for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
For general use, laptops like the ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 and Dell Alienware m16 R2 are appreciated for their high resolutions and bright panels, which enhance readability and media viewing. Their wide color gamuts make them suitable for engineering and design, providing accurate color representation crucial for professionals. However, for gaming and 3D applications, both lack in refresh rate, resulting in less fluid motion, which is key for immersive and competitive gaming experiences.
Battery
9.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 has 9 hours of battery life. The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has 6 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.
Build Quality
7.2
8.5
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has very good build quality, while the ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,500
$1,650
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 has a price of $1,500 and the Dell Alienware m16 R2 costs $1,650.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.3
7.9
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
400.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
302.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
7.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.7/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 to be very good for general use, while the Dell Alienware m16 R2 is good.
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 offers a balance of performance and screen quality with its high-quality display and sufficient RAM for smooth multitasking, making it very good for general use; its portability and battery life, however, are less ideal if you're frequently on the move. The Dell Alienware m16 R2, while also good for general use, focuses more on high performance with its powerful CPU, which suits more intensive tasks, but this can result in more heat and noise, and it also tends to be less portable.
Engineering and Design
8.1
8.4
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
5.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 and ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 are both very good for engineering and design.
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 typically has higher-end CPU and GPU configurations and more RAM, making it better suited for demanding engineering tasks and ensuring smoother performance with intensive design software, while its screen quality is excellent for precise visual work. The ASUS Zenbook Pro 17, while still powerful, focuses on a balance between performance and portability, and may not match the Alienware's raw power, but it does provide a high-quality display and a more travel-friendly design with a quieter operation, comfortable keyboard, and decent speakers.
Content Creation
8.2
7.9
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 to be very good for content creation, while the Dell Alienware m16 R2 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.
Software Development
7.9
7.6
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 and Dell Alienware m16 R2 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.
Portability
Good
Fair
17.3in
SIZE
16.0in
5.1 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 to have good portability, while the Dell Alienware m16 R2 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 and the Dell Alienware m16 R2 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 | Dell Alienware m16 R2 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,500 | $1,650 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2022 | January 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.6'' x 10.2'' x 0.74'' | 14.3'' x 9.8'' x 0.93'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.18 lbs | 5.75 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.55" | 14.33" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.18" | 9.81" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX | Intel Core Ultra 7 155H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 16 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 | 9 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 76 Wh | 90 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 400 nits | 302 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.1/10 | 6.8/10 | |
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 | 6.8/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
Dell Alienware m16 R2
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LaptopMag
Momo Tabari | January 2024
"Alienware’s m16 R2 is a solid gaming laptop that leaves much to be desired, particularly in its quest to fulfill your needs as a product for productivity. Battery life under eight hours and a dim display are both vital issues for something that will accompany you through school projects or a workday. However, the Alienware m16 R2 is an exceedingly powerful gaming laptop, consistently being one of the best in our performance tests when compared against similar products. Even then, its display is lacking color, its fans get pretty darn loud, and its speakers aren’t punchy enough to rise above that noise."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 or the Dell Alienware m16 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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