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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 16, 2024·
If you prioritize gaming or other graphics-intensive tasks and don't mind spending more for top-notch performance, the Dell Alienware X17 R2 is equipped with a powerful processor and high-end graphics card, which makes it a superior choice. However, this laptop is heavier, less portable, and has shorter battery life compared to the Inspiron. On the other hand, the Dell Inspiron 16 5630 is more affordable, lighter, and offers longer battery life, making it suitable for general use and productivity tasks. It's also equipped with a decent processor but lacks a dedicated graphics card, making it less ideal for demanding engineering applications or gaming. 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
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Best in class speakers
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 16 5630
- Good portability
- Good battery life
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.9
6.5
9.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
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
10.0/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 16 5630 is only fair.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 excels in gaming and 3D due to its powerful Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti graphics card and a high screen refresh rate of 480 Hz, essential for smooth visuals in fast-paced games. In contrast, the Dell Inspiron 16 5630 offers a modest graphics performance with its Intel Iris Xe graphics and a standard refresh rate of 60 Hz, which is adequate for casual gaming but less ideal for intensive 3D tasks.
Engineering and Design
9.1
7.7
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.2/10
9.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 16 5630 is good.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is very good for engineering and design, offering a robust CPU and GPU, ample RAM, and a high-quality screen that makes it suitable for demanding applications, but it's less portable due to its size and weight. In comparison, the Dell Inspiron 16 5630, while good for engineering and design with its decent processor and screen, has a less powerful integrated GPU and less RAM, making it more suited to lighter tasks and offering better portability and quieter operation.
Screen Quality
8.5
6.8
17.3in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
367.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 16 5630 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2's high resolution and panel type offer sharp and vibrant visuals, making it excellent for general use and engineering tasks where details and color accuracy are crucial. However, its lower refresh rate makes it less ideal for gaming where smooth motion is key. In contrast, the Dell Inspiron 16 5630 also provides a decent resolution and panel quality for everyday activities and professional design work, but it similarly falls short for gaming due to its lesser refresh rate.
Battery
2.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has 2 hours of battery life. The Dell Inspiron 16 5630 has 8 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
16.0in
6.8 lbs
WEIGHT
4.2 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Dell Inspiron 16 5630 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
7.0
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has very good build quality, while the Dell Inspiron 16 5630 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,000
$849
$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 16 5630 costs $849.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.2
8.2
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
367.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
2.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
The Dell Inspiron 16 5630 and Dell Alienware X17 R2 are both very good for general use.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 offers a potent CPU and abundant RAM for smooth multitasking, combined with a high-quality, large screen that enhances visibility though its weight impacts portability; while the Dell Inspiron 16 5630 delivers a respectable performance level with adequate RAM for everyday tasks, its lighter weight and longer battery life offer increased portability, making it a practical choice for users who prioritize mobility and all-day use. Both laptops possess sufficient storage and nice screen quality, but the Alienware leans towards power and gaming, and the Inspiron towards portability and productivity.
Content Creation
8.3
8.1
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 and Dell Inspiron 16 5630 are both very 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
7.8
7.9
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.2/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Inspiron 16 5630 and Dell Alienware X17 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.
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How the Dell Alienware X17 R2 and the Dell Inspiron 16 5630 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware X17 R2 | Dell Inspiron 16 5630 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,000 | $849 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | December 1, 2021 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.7'' x 11.8'' x 0.82'' | 14.1'' x 9.9'' x 0.67'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 6.82 lbs | 4.28 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.72" | 14.05" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.79" | 9.91" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-12900HK | Intel i7-1360P | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 2 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 87 Wh | 54 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 16" | |
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 | 300 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.1/10 | 7.7/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 10/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
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 | 4 | |
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."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware X17 R2 or the Dell Inspiron 16 5630
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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