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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is tailored for intensive gaming and high-end performance tasks like 3D rendering and machine learning. It offers a larger screen, higher GPU power, considerable storage and memory capacity, but is heavier and has relatively short battery life, making it less portable. On the other hand, the Dell Latitude 5530 is more affordable, lighter, and boasts longer battery life, suitable for business and general use. It has a smaller screen and less power, meaning it won't handle demanding tasks as efficiently as the Alienware. If performance is a priority and you're less concerned about portability or price, the Alienware is preferable. However, if you prioritize portability, battery life, and value, the Latitude would be a better choice. 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 Latitude 5530
- Good portability
- Good battery life
Key differences
General Use
8.2
7.5
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
367.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
286.0 nits
2.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is very good for general use, while the Dell Latitude 5530 is good.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 stands out for general use due to its superior processor, graphics card, and larger RAM, which boost performance, alongside a high-quality screen and substantial storage; however, it's heavier and has shorter battery life, limiting its portability.
Gaming and AI
8.9
6.2
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
8.0/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Latitude 5530 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
6.9
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
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 Latitude 5530 is only fair.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is superior for engineering and design due to a more powerful CPU, higher RAM, and a top-tier dedicated GPU which all combine to offer robust performance for intensive tasks and high-quality visuals on a larger screen.
Content Creation
8.3
7.4
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
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 Latitude 5530 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
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
367.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
286.0 nits
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has a better screen than the Dell Latitude 5530 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, the Alienware's high-resolution display and superior brightness create a sharper and more vibrant experience compared to the Latitude, whose fair screen quality means it won't be as crisp or bright. For engineering and design tasks, the Alienware's broader color gamut ensures more accurate color reproduction, an advantage over the Latitude, which doesn't offer the same level of color fidelity. However, for Gaming and 3D applications, the Alienware's low refresh rate hampers the visual fluidity and responsiveness that these tasks demand, while the Latitude's performance in this regard is similarly lackluster.
Battery
2.0 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has 2 hours of battery life. The Dell Latitude 5530 has 9 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
3.5 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Dell Latitude 5530 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
7.4
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has very good build quality, while the Dell Latitude 5530 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,000
$919
$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 Latitude 5530 costs $919.
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Key similarities
Software Development
7.8
7.3
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 and Dell Latitude 5530 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 Latitude 5530 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware X17 R2 | Dell Latitude 5530 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,000 | $919 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | December 1, 2021 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.7'' x 11.8'' x 0.82'' | 14.1'' x 9.2'' x 0.87'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 6.82 lbs | 3.5 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.72" | 14.09" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.79" | 9.19" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-12900HK | Intel i5-1245U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 2 Hours | 9 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 87 Wh | 58 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 | 286 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.4/10 | |
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 | Yes | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 8/10 | |
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 | 720p | |
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 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 4 | 3 | |
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 Latitude 5530
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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