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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 offers superior performance for intensive tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering, making it a prime choice for gamers or professionals in these fields. However, it is significantly more expensive, heavier, and has a shorter battery life, which affects its portability. On the other hand, the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 is more budget-friendly and lightweight, with a longer battery life, suiting it for general use and better portability. While the Inspiron handles everyday tasks well, it won't match the Alienware's performance for demanding applications. Choose based on the balance between your performance needs and budget constraints. 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 X17 R2
- Very good for general use
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Best in class speakers
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 14 5425
- Very good portability
- Very good battery life
Key differences
General Use
8.2
7.7
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
367.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
279.0 nits
2.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
12.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.1/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is very good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 is good.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 stands out in CPU, RAM, and screen quality which are very important for general use, but lags in portability and battery life, making it bulkier and less ideal for on-the-go use compared to the Dell Inspiron 14 5425, which offers good performance for general tasks with better battery life and portability. The Inspiron 14 5425 also has a solid build and manages heat well, factors that are somewhat important and contribute to a good user experience, but it might not match the Alienware's superior screen and power for demanding applications.
Gaming and AI
8.9
6.2
9.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 is only fair.
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
9.1
7.0
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
9.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 is good.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 stands out for engineering and design due to its high-performance CPU, substantial RAM, and top-tier GPU, complemented by a screen with extensive color coverage and high brightness, ensuring detailed and vibrant visual work. While the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 is also suitable for engineering tasks with a competent CPU and integrated GPU, it offers a more portable design and a good quality screen but with less color accuracy and lower overall performance compared to the Alienware.
Content Creation
8.3
7.5
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is very good for content creation, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 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
8.5
6.3
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
367.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
279.0 nits
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Alienware X17 R2 shines with high resolution and brightness, making it suitable for general use and detail-oriented tasks in engineering and design, where its wide color gamuts ensure accurate color reproduction. However, its lower refresh rate could detract from the immersive experience expected in fast-paced gaming and 3D applications. Conversely, the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 offers adequate resolution and brightness for everyday tasks and some engineering work, but its limited color range and modest refresh rate are less optimal for color-critical design work and smooth 3D gaming visuals.
Battery
2.0 Hours
12.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has 2 hours of battery life. The Dell Inspiron 14 5425 has 12 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
Very Good
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
6.8 lbs
WEIGHT
3.4 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell Inspiron 14 5425 has very good portability, while the Dell Alienware X17 R2 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5
7.0
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has very good build quality, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,000
$500
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has a price of $2,000 and the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 costs $500.
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Key similarities
Software Development
7.8
7.5
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 and Dell Inspiron 14 5425 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.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Dell Alienware X17 R2 and the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware X17 R2 | Dell Inspiron 14 5425 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,000 | $500 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | December 1, 2021 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.7'' x 11.8'' x 0.82'' | 12.4'' x 9'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 6.82 lbs | 3.4 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.72" | 12.36" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.79" | 8.96" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-12900HK | AMD Ryzen 7 5825U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 2 Hours | 12 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 87 Wh | 54 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 480Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 367 nits | 279 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.1/10 | 8.1/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
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 | 4 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
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."
Dell Inspiron 14 5425
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sascha Mölck | August 2022
"A slim chassis, an acceptable weight (1.6 kg) and a real-world battery life of almost 13 hours turn the Inspiron into a mobile companion. Good: The battery can not only be charged using Dell's proprietary power adapter, but also with a universal USB-C power adapter (min. 45 watts). Office and Internet applications are handled by the built-in combination of Ryzen 5 5625U APU and 16 GB of RAM just as easily as modest computer games. Heat and noise development are generally okay, but the laptop should work a bit quieter under full load."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware X17 R2 or the Dell Inspiron 14 5425
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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