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Updated March 22, 2024·
Choosing between the Dell Alienware m16 R2 and the Gigabyte Aorus 15X hinges on how you value brand prestige, design, and minor performance differences against cost savings; the Alienware typically commands a premium for its build and gaming reputation, while the Aorus offers competitive performance and can be more budget-friendly. If gaming aesthetics and a slightly more robust build are less of a priority, the Aorus may serve well without overspending. If brand and design are as important as performance, and the price difference isn't a deterrent, the Alienware could be the preferred choice for its distinctive style and potential for better resale value. 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 Dell Alienware m16 R2
- Very good overall build quality
- Good battery life
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Gigabyte Aorus 15X
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good for content creation
- Good portability
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.9
8.5
8.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Gigabyte Aorus 15X is very good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Alienware m16 R2 is good.
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has a high-end GPU and a fast screen refresh rate, making it suitable for immersive gaming and detailed 3D work. The Gigabyte Aorus 15X, with a superior GPU and an equally impressive refresh rate, offers even more power for demanding games and 3D applications, though it might come at a higher price point.
Screen Quality
8.2
8.2
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
302.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
301.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has a better screen than the Gigabyte Aorus 15X for engineering and design, while the Gigabyte Aorus 15X has a better screen for software development.
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 shines in general use and engineering thanks to its high-resolution display with vibrant color accuracy, which is crucial for detailed tasks and color-sensitive work. However, its lower refresh rate hampers gaming and 3D work that benefits from smoother motion. On the flip side, the Gigabyte Aorus 15X has a very good display for everyday tasks and decent color coverage for design, but similarly falls short for gaming and animation where a high refresh rate is key for optimal performance.
Build Quality
8.5
7.4
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has very good build quality, while the Gigabyte Aorus 15X has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.9
7.8
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
302.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
301.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.5 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
6.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 and Gigabyte Aorus 15X are both good for general use.
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 offers robust CPU and RAM for smooth multitasking and demanding applications, with a high-quality screen for sharp visuals but is less portable due to its weight and has moderate battery life; the Gigabyte Aorus 15X, while also providing strong CPU and ample RAM, prioritizes portability and longer battery life with a slightly superior screen, though both have adequate storage and reasonable keyboard and speaker quality, with effective heat management and acceptable operating noise.
Engineering and Design
8.4
8.6
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
8.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Gigabyte Aorus 15X and Dell Alienware m16 R2 are both very good for engineering and design.
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 and the Gigabyte Aorus 15X both offer powerful CPUs and GPUs, ample RAM, and high-quality screens, which are crucial for resource-intensive engineering applications and intricate design work. While the Dell might have an edge in screen quality for detailed visuals, the Gigabyte could offer a more comfortable keyboard for extended use, with both trading off some portability and potentially higher operating noise for their superior performance.
Content Creation
7.9
8.0
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Gigabyte Aorus 15X 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
7.6
7.7
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Gigabyte Aorus 15X 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.
Battery
6.0 Hours
5.5 Hours
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has 6 hours of battery life. The Gigabyte Aorus 15X has 5.5 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
Fair
Good
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.7in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Gigabyte Aorus 15X to have good portability, while the Dell Alienware m16 R2 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,650
$1,600
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has a price of $1,650 and the Gigabyte Aorus 15X costs $1,600.
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How the Dell Alienware m16 R2 and the Gigabyte Aorus 15X compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m16 R2 | Gigabyte Aorus 15X |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,650 | $1,600 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2024 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 9.8'' x 0.93'' | 14.1'' x 10.8'' x 0.78'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.75 lbs | 5.73 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.33" | 14.1" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.81" | 10.8" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel Core Ultra 7 155H | Intel i9-13900HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6 Hours | 5.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 99 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 2560 x 1440 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 240Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 302 nits | 301 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.8/10 | 7/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8.8/10 | 7/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
Shopping
Dell Alienware m16 R2
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Dig into reviews and images
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."
Gigabyte Aorus 15X
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Dig into reviews and images
Tom's Hardware
Brandon Hill | February 2023
"The Gigabyte Aorus 15X is a strong showing of Raptor Lake and RTX 4000 series. While the Aorus had trouble keeping up in older games like Grand Theft Auto V, it nudged past the competition in Shadow of the Tomb Raider. It also flexed its next-generation muscle in Far Cry 6 and Borderlands 3. While we were impressed with the overall build quality and design of the Aorus 15X, the keyboard lacked good tactile feedback. The display performed well in real-world testing despite its on-paper shortcoming with brightness, but the speakers are lackluster at best."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m16 R2 or the Gigabyte Aorus 15X
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.
About Gigabyte
Gigabyte is a Taiwanese computer hardware manufacturer. While Gigabyte mainly focuses its business on desktop hardware, Gigabyte is known for its value-oriented G series laptops, thin and light Aero series, and performance-oriented Aorus series. Gigabyte laptops offer a strong value proposition to compete with mainstream alternatives.
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