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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 offers high performance suitable for intensive gaming, 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering tasks with a large screen and advanced graphics capabilities, but it's heavier and less portable. The Gateway 15.6" is more affordable and much lighter, making it better for portability and general use, though with less power and storage, it's not as well-suited for demanding applications. Choose the Alienware if you need top-end performance and don't mind the extra weight and cost, or the Gateway if you prioritize portability, everyday tasks, and a lower price point. 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 Gateway 15.6"
- 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
250.0 nits
2.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is very good for general use, while the Gateway 15.6" is good.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 excels in general use due to its powerful CPU and ample RAM, combined with a high-quality screen and robust heat management, though at the expense of portability and battery life, making it heavier and less suited for on-the-go use compared to the Gateway 15.6". The Gateway, despite having lower screen quality and performance due to its modest CPU and RAM, offers better battery life and is more portable, but its keyboard and build quality do not match the Alienware's, positioning it as a more budget-friendly option for basic tasks.
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
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Gateway 15.6" is only fair.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2's superior performance in gaming and 3D is due to its high-end Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti graphics card and a high screen refresh rate, enhancing visual fluidity in fast-paced games. In contrast, the Gateway 15.6" has a more modest Intel Iris Xe GPU and a lower refresh rate, suitable for less demanding games but not optimal for intensive gaming or detailed 3D work.
Engineering and Design
9.1
6.2
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
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 Gateway 15.6" is only fair.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is exceptional for engineering and design because it is equipped with a high-end CPU and GPU, ample RAM, and a high-quality screen which ensure strong performance and detailed visuals necessary for demanding tasks, although it is less portable due to its size and weight. In contrast, the Gateway 15.6" has moderate CPU and integrated graphics, less RAM, and a screen that is less vibrant, making it only fairly suited for engineering tasks while offering better portability and a lower weight.
Content Creation
8.3
7.0
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
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 Gateway 15.6" 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
6.7
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is good for software development, while the Gateway 15.6" 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
6.1
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
367.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
250.0 nits
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has a better screen than the Gateway 15.6" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 offers a vibrant, high-resolution display with excellent brightness, making it ideal for general use and detailed engineering tasks due to its wide color gamut, ensuring accurate color representation. However, its screen falls short for gaming and 3D due to a lower refresh rate, which can affect the smoothness of fast-moving visuals. In contrast, the Gateway 15.6" provides decent resolution and brightness for everyday tasks and engineering but lacks the color range needed for professional design and the high refresh rate desired for gaming and 3D applications.
Battery
2.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has 2 hours of battery life. The Gateway 15.6" 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
15.6in
6.8 lbs
WEIGHT
4.8 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Gateway 15.6" 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
5.1
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has very good build quality, while the Gateway 15.6" has poor 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 Gateway 15.6" costs $400.
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How the Dell Alienware X17 R2 and the Gateway 15.6" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware X17 R2 | Gateway 15.6" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,000 | $400 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | December 1, 2021 | August 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.7'' x 11.8'' x 0.82'' | 14.8'' x 9.5'' x 0.77'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 6.82 lbs | 4.8 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.72" | 14.75" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.79" | 9.5" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-12900HK | Intel i5-1135G7 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 2 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 87 Wh | Unknown | |
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 | 250 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 5.1/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.1/10 | 7.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 5.3/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 6/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
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."
Gateway 15.6"
See more
Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Francisco Lahoz | July 2022
"Some concessions have to be made when shopping for a budget laptop. Walmart's Gateway Ultra Slim laptops succeeds on the affordability front and delivers serviceable specs and good battery life, though it's hard to claim it's the best (or even particularly good) at any particular aspect. Its build quality, especially the touchpad, is mediocre, and its performance is decent but doesn't lead the way. The Gateway does undercut the cost of some competitors and offers ample storage with good connectivity, so it's not to be ignored."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware X17 R2 or the Gateway 15.6"
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.
About Gateway
Gateway is a laptop and tablet brand owned by Acer which sells budget-friendly laptops exclusively through Walmart. It was previously an American computer company until its acquisition by Acer in 2007, who then revived the brand in 2020. Gateway laptops are manufactured by Chinese company Shenzhen Bmorn Technology, which also makes EVOO-branded models.
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