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Updated January 16, 2024·
The Dell Alienware X17 R2, while more expensive, is well-suited for intensive tasks like gaming, 3D rendering, and machine learning thanks to its powerful Intel i9 processor and Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti graphics card. With a larger display and high-end internals, it also offers an immersive experience but is heavier and less portable. On the other hand, the Dell Latitude 14 7490 is more budget-friendly and portable, making it a good fit for general use and business applications. Its Intel i7 processor and integrated graphics are capable for everyday tasks, but it won't handle demanding software as smoothly as the Alienware. Therefore, the Latitude is ideal if you prioritize portability and cost over high performance. 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 14 7490
- Very good portability
- Good battery life
Key differences
General Use
8.2
7.2
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
367.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
2.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.5 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.1/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is very good for general use, while the Dell Latitude 14 7490 is good.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 excels in general use because of its powerful CPU and ample RAM, which enhance performance and multitasking capabilities, alongside a high-quality screen; however, it is less portable and has a shorter battery life.
Gaming and AI
8.9
5.9
9.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
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
8.7/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Latitude 14 7490 is poor.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 stands out for gaming and 3D applications because it incorporates a high-end Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti graphics card and offers an impressive screen refresh rate, enhancing visual performance and fluidity in fast-paced scenes. Conversely, the Dell Latitude 14 7490 features a more basic Intel UHD Graphics 620 and a standard refresh rate, sufficient for light gaming and 3D tasks but not for the demanding visual requirements of modern games and intensive 3D software.
Engineering and Design
9.1
6.5
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.8/10
9.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Dell Latitude 14 7490 is only fair.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is esteemed for engineering and design due to its high-end CPU, abundant RAM, powerful GPU, and high-quality screen, all essential for demanding tasks that require significant processing power and detailed visual representation. On the other hand, the Dell Latitude 14 7490, while still capable, offers more modest performance with a less powerful CPU and GPU, less RAM, a screen of lower color coverage and contrast, making it less suited for intensive engineering and design work, but better for those prioritizing portability and longer battery life.
Content Creation
8.3
7.3
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.8/10
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 14 7490 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
7.1
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.8/10
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 14 7490 are both good for software development, though the Dell Alienware X17 R2 is somewhat better.
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
6.7
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
367.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has a better screen than the Dell Latitude 14 7490 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has a screen well-suited for general use and engineering due to its high resolution and brightness, as well as covering a wide range of colors, making details crisp and designs vibrant. However, its lower refresh rate affects gaming and 3D experiences where fast-paced visuals may not appear as smooth. On the other hand, the Dell Latitude 14 7490 offers adequate resolution and brightness for daily tasks and sufficient color range for engineering tasks; yet, it also falls short for gaming and 3D due to a less responsive refresh rate.
Battery
2.0 Hours
9.5 Hours
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has 2 hours of battery life. The Dell Latitude 14 7490 has 9.5 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
Very Good
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
6.8 lbs
WEIGHT
3.1 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Dell Latitude 14 7490 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
7.4
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has very good build quality, while the Dell Latitude 14 7490 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,000
$300
$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 14 7490 costs $300.
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How the Dell Alienware X17 R2 and the Dell Latitude 14 7490 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware X17 R2 | Dell Latitude 14 7490 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,000 | $300 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | December 1, 2021 | April 1, 2018 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.7'' x 11.8'' x 0.82'' | 13'' x 8.7'' x 0.8'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 6.82 lbs | 3.11 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.72" | 13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.79" | 8.7" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-12900HK | Intel i7-8650U | |
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 | 9.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 87 Wh | 60 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 14" | |
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 | 305 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.1/10 | 8.2/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | Yes | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 8.8/10 | |
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 | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 4 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 3 | |
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 Latitude 14 7490
See more
Dig into reviews and images
LaptopMag
Henry T. Casey | April 2018
"The Dell Latitude 7490's got the speed you need (and then some), a keyboard that's comfortable enough for writing all day long and a battery that supports a full 8-hour workday. If only the display were brighter and it managed heat better. If you need every minute of battery life you can get, the extended-battery version of the Lenovo ThinkPad T480 lasts 8 hours longer than the Latitude 7490, but its display is much less colorful."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware X17 R2 or the Dell Latitude 14 7490
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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