The Dell Alienware X17 R2 excels in performance for 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering tasks, and it's better suited for intensive gaming, but it's heavier and less portable with shorter battery life. The HP EliteBook 845 G9, while not as powerful, is significantly lighter and offers a longer battery life, making it more suitable for general use and portability. It also has a better screen aspect ratio and higher resolution for business tasks. The Dell is pricier than the HP, so if budget is a factor, the HP may be more cost-effective for everyday productivity and business use. Give Feedback
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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
Best in class speakers
Advantages of the HP EliteBook 845 G9
Very good portability
Very good battery life
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.9/10
6.3/10
9.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is very good for gaming and AI, while the HP EliteBook 845 G9 is only fair.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 excels in gaming and 3D because it has a high-end graphics card and a screen with a very high refresh rate, which are crucial for smooth and detailed visuals. On the other hand, the HP EliteBook 845 G9, with a more modest graphics setup and lower refresh rate screen, offers weaker performance for gaming and 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
9.1/10
7.2/10
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.3/10
9.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is excellent for engineering and design, while the HP EliteBook 845 G9 is good.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 excels in engineering and design with a high-end CPU, a substantial amount of RAM, and a powerful GPU that outmatches the HP EliteBook 845 G9, alongside a screen that offers high brightness and good color coverage which is crucial for detailed design work. Although the EliteBook is more portable with better battery life and has a higher screen pixel density, which benefits precision tasks, it comes with a less powerful processor and GPU combo, less RAM, and a smaller screen, making it less suited for the most intensive engineering and design applications compared to the Alienware.
Content Creation
8.3/10
7.6/10
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is very good for content creation, while the HP EliteBook 845 G9 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
8.5/10
7.1/10
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
367.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
402.0 nits
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has a better screen than the HP EliteBook 845 G9 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and content creation.
If you prioritize vibrant colors and clear images for tasks like document editing or web browsing, the Dell Alienware X17 R2 with its higher resolution and brightness will serve you better than the HP EliteBook. However, for engineering and design work that depends on precise color representation, the Dell's wider color gamut coverage ensures more accurate visuals necessary for your projects. On the other hand, for a fluid and seamless gaming or 3D experience, despite its high-quality panel, the Dell's lower refresh rate compared to what gamers typically seek might be less suitable, whereas the HP, albeit having good attributes, also doesn't focus on the high refresh rates that gaming and 3D applications often demand.
Battery
2.0 Hours
12.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has 2 hours of battery life. The HP EliteBook 845 G9 has 12 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
3.0 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The HP EliteBook 845 G9 has very good portability, while the Dell Alienware X17 R2 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$2,000
$740
$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 HP EliteBook 845 G9 costs $740.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Alienware X17 R2 to be very good for general use, while the HP EliteBook 845 G9 is good.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 stands out for general use due to its powerful CPU, abundant RAM, and high-quality screen, offering robust performance suitable for both demanding tasks and entertainment, but it is less portable and has a shorter battery life compared to the HP EliteBook 845 G9 which offers good performance for general use, better portability, and a longer battery life, making it more suitable for users who prioritize mobility and battery endurance.
Software Development
7.8/10
7.7/10
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.3/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 and HP EliteBook 845 G9 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 HP EliteBook 845 G9 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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How the Dell Alienware X17 R2 and the HP EliteBook 845 G9 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."
"The high-end version of the HP EliteBook 845 G9 with a Ryzen 9 PRO 6950HS, 32GB of RAM and a 1 TB SSD packs a lot of power, but is still quiet and cool enough to operate in noise-sensitive environments. Quiet, cool and drawing on a massive 40 watts from the APU at the same time, however, is not possible. The 14-incher only has a single-fan solution and it only just manages to keep an near unthrottled Ryzen 9 in check."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware X17 R2 or the HP EliteBook 845 G9
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 HP
HP, also known as Hewlett-Packard, is an American technology company that develops personal computers and computer peripherals. In the laptop industry, HP is known for its entry level Essential series laptops, its mid-range Pavilion, Envy, and Victus series, and high-end Omen and Spectre series, in addition to its business-oriented EliteBook, ProBook, and Dragonfly series laptops. HP laptops generally undercut other mainstream competitors in terms of price, placing itself as the value-oriented mainstream brand.
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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