The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is a high-performance laptop suitable for gaming and engineering tasks with a robust build and strong heat management, but has a lower battery life and is heavier, making it less portable. The Gigabyte Aero 17 also offers strong performance, especially for creative professionals, due to its high-resolution display and color accuracy; it has a longer battery life and is lighter, providing better portability at the expense of slightly less performance in 3D tasks and engineering applications compared to the Dell Alienware X17 R2. Both laptops are similarly priced and excel in their respective specialized capabilities. Give Feedback
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Advantages of the Dell Alienware X17 R2
Excellent for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Best in class speakers
Advantages of the Gigabyte Aero 17
Excellent overall display quality
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.9/10
7.9/10
9.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Gigabyte Aero 17 is good.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 excels in gaming and 3D with its high-end GPU and an extremely high screen refresh rate, making it great for fast-paced visuals. In comparison, the Gigabyte Aero 17 also provides strong gaming and 3D performance with a capable GPU, but stands out for its high-resolution Mini LED screen, offering superior detail and color accuracy at a lower refresh rate.
Screen Quality
8.5/10
9.2/10
17.3in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
367.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
368.0 nits
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has a better screen than the Gigabyte Aero 17 for gaming and AI, while the Gigabyte Aero 17 has a better screen for general use, and engineering and design.
For general use, the Dell Alienware X17 R2's screen may not be as bright and crisp as the Gigabyte Aero 17, which boasts superior resolution and brightness, making it exceptionally clear and vivid. With engineering and design tasks, the Aero 17 stands out due to its broader color gamuts, displaying more accurate and varied colors essential for professional-grade graphics work. However, both the Dell and Gigabyte laptops have lower refresh rates, which are less optimal for Gaming and 3D applications that benefit from smoother motion and faster screen updates.
Battery
2.0 Hours
5.5 Hours
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has 2 hours of battery life. The Gigabyte Aero 17 has 5.5 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
Fair
17.3in
SIZE
17.3in
6.8 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Gigabyte Aero 17 and Dell Alienware X17 R2 both have only fair portability, though the Gigabyte Aero 17 has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 and Gigabyte Aero 17 are both very good for general use.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has a more powerful CPU and graphics card, offering better performance for demanding tasks, while its higher RAM further enhances multitasking; however, it is heavier and has shorter battery life compared to the Gigabyte Aero 17, which offers higher resolution and better screen quality for crisp and detailed visuals, as well as greater portability and longer battery life, making it more suited for on-the-go use.
Engineering and Design
9.1/10
8.8/10
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
9.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.8/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Alienware X17 R2 to be excellent for engineering and design, while the Gigabyte Aero 17 is very good.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 stands out with a high-performance CPU and top-tier GPU, ideal for demanding engineering software, but it is heavier and bulkier which can affect portability. The Gigabyte Aero 17, while still powerful, has a smaller storage capacity and less RAM but compensates with a high-resolution Mini LED display for detailed visuals, making it a lighter option with moderately less raw computing power.
Content Creation
8.3/10
8.4/10
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The Gigabyte Aero 17 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.
Software Development
7.8/10
7.9/10
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Gigabyte Aero 17 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.
Build Quality
8.5/10
8.0/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 and Gigabyte Aero 17 both have very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,000
$2,071
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has a price of $2,000 and the Gigabyte Aero 17 costs $2,071.
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How the Dell Alienware X17 R2 and the Gigabyte Aero 17 compare to other laptops
"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."
"Not only is the Aero 17 a very good laptop for gamers but also for content creators. With the upgrade to the Intel Core i9-11980HK, Gigabyte particularly improved the system performance. In addition, the hardware package is rounded by the extremely fast SSD and 32 GB of working memory in dual-channel mode. Compared to the predecessor, the battery life is reduced only moderately, and the 4K display also basically keeps its good qualities."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware X17 R2 or the Gigabyte Aero 17
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 Gigabyte
Gigabyte is a Taiwanese computer hardware manufacturer. While Gigabyte mainly focuses its business on desktop hardware, Gigabyte is known for its value-oriented G series laptops, thin and light Aero series, and performance-oriented Aorus series. Gigabyte laptops offer a strong value proposition to compete with mainstream alternatives.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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