A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
Last updated -- hours ago | Report incorrect information
Company ProductName Specs
Company ProductName Specs
What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is typically more expensive but offers superior performance for intensive engineering tasks, 3D rendering, machine learning, and gaming, with a higher-end processor and the Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti graphics card. It also has more storage and RAM. However, it is heavier and thicker, which affects its portability. On the other hand, the Gigabyte Aorus 7 is less expensive, lighter, and more portable but has lower performance capabilities due to its mid-range Intel i5 processor and Nvidia RTX 4060 graphics card, which are suitable for general use and light gaming but might struggle with more demanding tasks. Both laptops have similar screen sizes and display quality, and they offer comparable battery life for typical usage. 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 build quality
- Best in class speakers
Advantages of the Gigabyte Aorus 7
- Good battery life
Key differences
General Use
8.2
7.6
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
367.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
351.0 nits
2.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.2/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is very good for general use, while the Gigabyte Aorus 7 is good.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 stands out for general use due to its high-performance CPU and larger RAM, which allow for smoother multitasking and more demanding applications, along with a superior screen quality that offers higher brightness and color accuracy. On the other hand, the Gigabyte Aorus 7, while it has a capable CPU for day-to-day tasks, has less RAM which may limit performance in intensive tasks, and its screen displays less vibrant colors; however, it's lighter and offers a longer battery life, making it more portable.
Gaming and AI
8.9
7.8
9.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
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 Aorus 7 is good.
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
8.1
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
9.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.1/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Gigabyte Aorus 7 is very good.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
8.3
7.6
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
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 Gigabyte Aorus 7 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
8.3
17.3in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
367.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
351.0 nits
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has a better screen than the Gigabyte Aorus 7 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
When selecting between the Dell Alienware X17 R2 and the Gigabyte Aorus 7 for general use, consider that screen resolution, panel type, and brightness directly impact visual clarity and comfort; higher resolution, advanced panel types like IPS, and greater brightness levels provide a more vibrant and crisp display. For engineering and design tasks, color accuracy is crucial, as it affects how true-to-life the colors are; look for laptops with a wider color gamut covering a greater range of DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB. For gaming and 3D applications, the refresh rate is essential for smooth motion rendering; a higher refresh rate offers fluid visuals, which can be more immersive and can give competitive gamers an edge.
Battery
2.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has 2 hours of battery life. The Gigabyte Aorus 7 has 6 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.
Build Quality
8.5
7.4
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has very good build quality, while the Gigabyte Aorus 7 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,000
$1,190
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has a price of $2,000 and the Gigabyte Aorus 7 costs $1,190.
Let Us Help Find Your Perfect Laptop
Find your new laptop
Key similarities
Software Development
7.8
7.4
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 and Gigabyte Aorus 7 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.
Portability
Fair
Fair
17.3in
SIZE
17.3in
6.8 lbs
WEIGHT
5.9 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Gigabyte Aorus 7 and Dell Alienware X17 R2 both have only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Dell Alienware X17 R2 and the Gigabyte Aorus 7 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware X17 R2 | Gigabyte Aorus 7 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,000 | $1,190 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | December 1, 2021 | March 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.7'' x 11.8'' x 0.82'' | 15.7'' x 10'' x 1.02'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 6.82 lbs | 5.95 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.72" | 15.7" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.79" | 10" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-12900HK | Intel i5-12500H | |
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 | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 87 Wh | 99 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 480Hz | 360Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 367 nits | 351 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.1/10 | 6.2/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
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 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 4 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
Dell Alienware X17 R2
See more
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."
Gigabyte Aorus 7
See more
Dig into reviews and images
TechRadar
Matt Hanson | July 2020
"The Gigabyte Aorus 7 is a gaming laptop that is pitched at perhaps the hardest market to get right: the mid-range. So, unlike high-end gaming laptops that can throw the latest and greatest components together in a bid to attract gamers with plenty of money to spend, or budget gaming laptops that can make wise cuts that are justified as long as the price is low enough, mid-rangers like the Gigabyte Aorus 7 have to balance the two."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware X17 R2 or the Gigabyte Aorus 7
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.
Give feedback
We're constantly perfecting our model
Laptop guides you might be interested in
More comparisons for you
Compare Dell Alienware X17 R2 vs. ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16 (2024)
VS
Compare Dell Alienware X17 R2 vs. ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15
VS
Compare Dell Alienware X17 R2 vs. Gigabyte Aorus 17
VS
Compare Gigabyte Aorus 7 vs. Gigabyte G5
VS
Compare Gigabyte Aorus 7 vs. Dell Inspiron 14 Plus
VS
Compare Gigabyte Aorus 7 vs. Lenovo Legion 5 15"
VS
FAQs
FAQs about laptops
Why trust us
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
130,995
Recommendations made
28,383
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.
Featured in
