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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 offers high performance for gaming and intensive tasks like 3D rendering or machine learning, but it is less portable due to its weight and size. On the other hand, the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 is more budget-friendly and more portable with longer battery life, suitable for general use and everyday tasks, yet it lacks the power for demanding applications. If high performance is crucial and cost is not a primary concern, consider the Alienware. If you value portability, longer battery life, and a more modest price, the Inspiron could serve you well. Both have good quality displays for their respective purposes. 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
- Good for software development
- 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 15 3525
- Good portability
- Good battery life
Key differences
General Use
8.2
7.0
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
367.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
259.0 nits
2.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.5 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.7/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is very good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 is good.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2, with its powerful processor and graphics card, substantial memory, and screen with higher color accuracy, delivers better performance and display quality for a variety of tasks, but at the cost of lower battery life and portability compared to the Dell Inspiron 15 3525, which offers a touch screen and longer battery life in a lighter package, making it easier to carry around but less capable for demanding applications.
Gaming and AI
8.9
6.0
9.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
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 15 3525 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
6.4
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
9.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 is only fair.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 offers a powerful CPU, abundant RAM, and a high-end GPU, which are crucial for demanding engineering software, plus it has a superior screen quality for detailed design work, though it's less portable and might be noisier under load. The Dell Inspiron 15 3525, while more affordable and portable, has less powerful components and a lower quality screen, making it less optimal for engineering tasks but adequate for less intensive use.
Content Creation
8.3
7.1
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is very good for content creation, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 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
7.8
6.9
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is good for software development, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 is only fair.
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.
Screen Quality
8.5
6.3
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
367.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
259.0 nits
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 boasts a high-resolution, bright display with quality panel technology that makes it suitable for general tasks, while its extensive color gamut renders it ideal for engineering and design work; however, its lower refresh rate limits the smoothness required for Gaming and 3D applications. The Dell Inspiron 15 3525, with moderate screen specifications, offers an adequate display for everyday tasks and entry-level design work, yet it lacks the wide color coverage and high refresh rates that professional designers and gamers typically need. In essence, while the Alienware excels in visual precision for professionals, the Inspiron balances cost and functionality for casual or moderate use.
Battery
2.0 Hours
6.5 Hours
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has 2 hours of battery life. The Dell Inspiron 15 3525 has 6.5 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
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
6.8 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell Inspiron 15 3525 has 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
6.2
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has very good build quality, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,000
$400
$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 15 3525 costs $400.
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How the Dell Alienware X17 R2 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware X17 R2 | Dell Inspiron 15 3525 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,000 | $400 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | December 1, 2021 | March 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.7'' x 11.8'' x 0.82'' | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 6.82 lbs | 3.71 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.72" | 14.11" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.79" | 9.27" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-12900HK | AMD Ryzen 5 5625U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 8 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 | 6.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 87 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 480Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 367 nits | 259 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 6.3/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.1/10 | 7.8/10 | |
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 | 6.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
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 | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 4 | 1 | |
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 15 3525
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Mark Knapp | January 2023
"Dell's Inspiron 15 (3525) is a peppy-enough and affordable-enough home or remote work machine, but it's not very ambitious; it does little to go beyond the basics. More the concern: It’s readily overshadowed by a number of machines that outperform and outclass it. Even if the Inspiron can get the job done today, its competition has the mettle to keep doing the job tomorrow in a way the Inspiron simply can’t promise. Many of its slightly higher-end rivals have to be on sale (and frequently are) to match it on price, but the Inspiron 15 (3525) is outclassed even by some similarly priced options, making it a difficult recommendation."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware X17 R2 or the Dell Inspiron 15 3525
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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