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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Alienware X17 R2, with its powerful i9 processor and RTX 3080 Ti graphics card, excels in intensive gaming, 3D rendering, and machine learning tasks, yet its larger size and heavier weight compromise portability. In contrast, the Dell XPS 13 Plus is highly portable, has an OLED touchscreen with a higher resolution, and offers longer battery life, making it suitable for general use and travel. However, its integrated graphics are less capable for demanding engineering and gaming activities. Both carry a premium price, but your choice depends largely on needs like high performance for intensive tasks or a lightweight, mobile device with longer unplugging periods. 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
Advantages of the Dell XPS 13 Plus
- Very good for software development
- Excellent portability
- Very good battery life
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.9
6.4
9.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
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 XPS 13 Plus is only fair.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is very good for gaming and 3D due to its powerful Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti GPU and high screen refresh rate, which are crucial for smooth and visually detailed gaming experiences. On the other hand, the Dell XPS 13 Plus, despite having a high-quality OLED screen, falls short in gaming and 3D performance because it comes with an integrated Intel Iris Xe GPU that is less powerful than dedicated gaming GPUs and has a standard refresh rate.
Engineering and Design
9.1
8.2
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
9.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Dell XPS 13 Plus is very good.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is tailored for high-performance engineering tasks with its powerful CPU, plentiful RAM, and top-tier GPU, ensuring smooth operation of demanding software; however, it's less portable and produces more noise, compromising its suitability for quiet environments.
Software Development
7.8
8.3
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Dell XPS 13 Plus is very good for software development, while the Dell Alienware X17 R2 is good.
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
8.4
17.3in
SIZE
13.4in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
367.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
374.0 nits
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has a better screen than the Dell XPS 13 Plus for gaming and AI, while the Dell XPS 13 Plus has a better screen for general use, engineering and design, and content creation.
When judging screen quality for general use, both the Dell Alienware X17 R2 and the Dell XPS 13 Plus boast bright, high-resolution displays with panel types that deliver crisp and clear visuals, making them suitable for everyday tasks like browsing, watching videos, and productivity. For engineering and design, where color accuracy is crucial, the XPS 13 Plus excels with a wider color gamut, providing more precise color representation for tasks like photo editing and graphic design. However, for gaming and 3D applications where smooth motion is key, the Alienware falls short due to its lower refresh rate compared to gaming-optimized laptops, which leads to less fluid visuals in fast-paced scenarios.
Battery
2.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has 2 hours of battery life. The Dell XPS 13 Plus has 10 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
Excellent
17.3in
SIZE
13.4in
6.8 lbs
WEIGHT
2.7 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Dell XPS 13 Plus has excellent portability, while the Dell Alienware X17 R2 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$2,000
$1,849
$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 XPS 13 Plus costs $1,849.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.2
8.4
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
367.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
374.0 nits
2.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.1/10
The Dell XPS 13 Plus and Dell Alienware X17 R2 are both very good for general use.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 offers a larger screen and more powerful CPU and GPU, making it ideal for general use that may involve more demanding applications or multitasking, but this comes at the cost of lower portability and battery life. Conversely, the Dell XPS 13 Plus is highly portable with its smaller screen and lightweight design, while also providing a high-quality keyboard and longer battery life, which makes it well-suited for general usage on the go, despite having less storage and a less powerful GPU.
Content Creation
8.3
8.3
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
The Dell XPS 13 Plus and Dell Alienware X17 R2 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.
Build Quality
8.5
8.5
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 and Dell XPS 13 Plus both have very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Dell Alienware X17 R2 and the Dell XPS 13 Plus compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware X17 R2 | Dell XPS 13 Plus |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,000 | $1,849 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | December 1, 2021 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.7'' x 11.8'' x 0.82'' | 11.6'' x 7.8'' x 0.6'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 6.82 lbs | 2.71 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.72" | 11.63" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.79" | 7.84" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-12900HK | Intel i7-1280P | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 2 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 87 Wh | 55 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 13.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | OLED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 3840 x 2400 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 480Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 367 nits | 374 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.1/10 | 9.2/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 8.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 9.5/10 | |
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 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
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."
Dell XPS 13 Plus
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | July 2022
"The XPS 13 Plus is powerful, but has its drawbacks. Dell did not only update the processor generation, but also decided to offer two completely different models from now on. The XPS 13 Plus gets the faster Intel Alder Lake-P chips, and the Core i7-1260P in our review unit offers good performance figures. However, the device once again shows the problems of the current Intel CPUs, because the high performance requires a lot of power. This affects the battery runtime as well as temperatures, so the new model (even with the Optimized power profile) is louder than the older model."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware X17 R2 or the Dell XPS 13 Plus
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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