If you require a powerful machine for intensive tasks such as gaming, 3D rendering, or machine learning, the Dell Alienware X17 R2, although more expensive, is likely to offer superior performance and advanced features specific to these activities. However, for everyday tasks like web browsing, office applications, or less demanding programs, the HP Victus 15 will likely suffice and save you money. The Alienware is also usually heavier and less portable, which can be a downside if you frequently travel or need to carry your laptop around. Consider your primary use case and whether the performance gains with the Alienware justify its higher price and reduced portability compared to the more budget-friendly and portable HP Victus 15. 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 display quality
Very good overall build quality
Best in class speakers
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the HP Victus 15
Good portability
Key differences
General Use
8.2/10
7.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
367.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
2.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.5 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is very good for general use, while the HP Victus 15 is good.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is highly suited for general use due to its robust CPU, ample RAM, and high-quality screen, but it is less portable and has shorter battery life compared to the HP Victus 15, which is also suitable for general use with its capable CPU and quality screen while offering better portability and battery life.
Gaming and AI
8.9/10
6.4/10
9.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
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 HP Victus 15 is only fair.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is excellent for gaming and 3D because it features a high-performance Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti graphics card and an extremely high screen refresh rate of 480Hz, which offers smoother visuals and better responsiveness in fast-paced games and 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
9.1/10
6.7/10
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.3/10
9.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.0/10
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is excellent for engineering and design, while the HP Victus 15 is only fair.
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
8.3/10
7.2/10
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is very good for content creation, while the HP Victus 15 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
7.8/10
7.0/10
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.3/10
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 and HP Victus 15 are both good for software development, though the Dell Alienware X17 R2 is somewhat better.
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
8.5/10
6.9/10
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
367.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has a better screen than the HP Victus 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 offers a screen that delivers crisp, clear images with good brightness and resolution suitable for everyday tasks and professional design applications, providing wide color coverage essential for precision in engineering and design work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, its lower refresh rate may not offer as smooth an experience as desired, making fast-paced visuals less fluid. On the other hand, the HP Victus 15 provides adequate resolution and brightness for general use, but its narrower color gamut and lower refresh rate limit its effectiveness for detailed engineering tasks and high-speed gaming.
Battery
2.0 Hours
5.5 Hours
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has 2 hours of battery life. The HP Victus 15 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
Good
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
6.8 lbs
WEIGHT
5.0 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The HP Victus 15 has good portability, while the Dell Alienware X17 R2 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5/10
7.4/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has very good build quality, while the HP Victus 15 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,000
$575
$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 Victus 15 costs $575.
"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."
Olivier Martin, Ryan Lim, and Yannick Khong | March 2023
"The HP Victus 15 is great for gaming. It's available with Intel 12th Gen. CPUs and NVIDIA discrete graphics, which are powerful enough to provide a smooth gaming experience in demanding AAA titles at 1080p. It has a nice keyboard and a fast SSD, as well as Wi-Fi 6 and Ethernet connectivity for low-latency online gaming. Unfortunately, its 144Hz display has a slow response time causing noticeable ghosting, and it doesn't support variable refresh rate to reduce screen tearing."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware X17 R2 or the HP Victus 15
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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