The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is overall less expensive and has a larger screen, which can be better for immersive gaming and productivity but makes it less portable. Its AMD processor and NVidia RTX 3060 graphics are well-suited for gaming and intensive tasks, but it might lag behind in cutting-edge performance. On the contrary, the Gigabyte Aorus 5, while more expensive, boasts a more powerful Intel processor and NVidia RTX 3070 graphics, promising better performance in demanding programs and games, and it's more portable with a lighter build. Both have similar battery life, but the Alienware may have slightly better keyboard quality and speaker performance. If you prioritize high-performance gaming or tasks like 3D rendering and machine learning, the Aorus 5 could serve you better; if you're looking for a blend of performance, screen size, and value for money for general use and gaming, consider the Alienware m17 R5. 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 m17 R5
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 has no clear advantages over the Gigabyte Aorus 5.
Advantages of the Gigabyte Aorus 5
The Gigabyte Aorus 5 has no clear advantages over the Dell Alienware m17 R5.
Key differences
Screen Quality
8.1/10
8.0/10
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
301.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
280.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and the Gigabyte Aorus 5 have similar screen quality.
For general use, both the Dell Alienware m17 R5 and the Gigabyte Aorus 5 offer clear and vibrant displays with sufficient resolution and brightness, making them suitable for everyday tasks like browsing and video streaming. When it comes to engineering and design, where accurate colors are crucial, these laptops provide a wide color gamut ensuring that designers and engineers see precise hues and contrasts for their work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the lower refresh rates on these laptops may lead to less fluid motion and responsiveness, which can be a drawback for fast-paced games or real-time 3D rendering.
Portability
Poor
Fair
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
7.3 lbs
WEIGHT
5.0 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Gigabyte Aorus 5 has only fair portability, while the Dell Alienware m17 R5 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,100
$2,359
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 has a price of $1,100 and the Gigabyte Aorus 5 costs $2,359.
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and Gigabyte Aorus 5 are both good for general use.
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is suitable for general use due to its powerful AMD processor, ample RAM and storage, and a larger 17.3-inch screen, but it's heavier and less portable. On the other hand, the Gigabyte Aorus 5, with its Intel processor and high-end Nvidia graphics, offers a balance of performance and portability with a smaller 15.6-inch screen and lighter build, though it has half the storage of the Alienware.
Gaming and AI
7.7/10
7.9/10
7.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Gigabyte Aorus 5 and Dell Alienware m17 R5 are both good for gaming and AI.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
8.1/10
8.2/10
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
7.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Gigabyte Aorus 5 and Dell Alienware m17 R5 are both very good for engineering and design.
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is excellent for engineering and design because of its powerful AMD Ryzen CPU and Nvidia RTX GPU, alongside a larger, high-quality screen which aids in detailed work but comes with less portability. In contrast, the Gigabyte Aorus 5, while also strong in CPU and GPU performance suitable for demanding tasks, offers better portability due to its lighter weight and smaller screen but compromises slightly on screen size and quality.
Content Creation
7.8/10
7.6/10
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and Gigabyte Aorus 5 are both 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
7.4/10
7.3/10
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and Gigabyte Aorus 5 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
5.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 has 5 hours of battery life. The Gigabyte Aorus 5 has 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.
Build Quality
7.8/10
7.4/10
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and Gigabyte Aorus 5 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Dell Alienware m17 R5 and the Gigabyte Aorus 5 compare to other laptops
"Overall, the all-AMD system in the Alienware m17 R5 is impressive, especially the graphics performance. However, various driver issues and unnecessary inconsistencies prevent us from truly enjoying such a potent gaming machine. In addition to strong 3D performance, we particularly like the build quality, the fairly bright UHD display with high color space coverage, and the fact that the gamer is often quiet when not under load and also rather quieter than some competitors under load."
"The Gigabyte Aorus 5 SE4 is a capable mainstream gaming notebook that will run the latest PC games with aplomb. However, it's not your stereotypical flashy gaming PC. Gigabyte has added some interesting tweaks. For example, the webcam placement and its Microsoft Azure AI tool — to automatically switch between power modes — are unusual for this genre. But more importantly, the pricing is fairly competitive and reasonable."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m17 R5 or the Gigabyte Aorus 5
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.
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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