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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 offers superior performance for 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering tasks compared to the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15", but it is also heavier, less portable, and comes at a higher price. On the contrary, the IdeaPad is more budget-friendly, lighter, and has a longer battery life which makes it well-suited for general use and it is touchscreen-enabled. However, the IdeaPad's performance for gaming or intensive tasks does not match that of the Alienware. If portability and cost are your priorities, go for the Lenovo, but if you need higher performance for demanding applications and gaming, choose the Dell Alienware. 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
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15"
- Good portability
- Very good battery life
Key differences
General Use
8.2
7.4
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
367.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
341.0 nits
2.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
11.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is very good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" is good.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 offers better performance for general use with its more powerful CPU, greater amount of RAM, and higher quality screen, but it's less portable and has shorter battery life compared to the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15". The Lenovo, while having a less powerful CPU and less RAM, provides a balance of decent performance and better portability with longer battery life, making it suitable for users who favor on-the-go usage.
Gaming and AI
8.9
6.2
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
7.5/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" is only fair.
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
6.7
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
9.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" is only fair.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 excels in engineering and design tasks due to its high-powered Intel i9 CPU, ample 32GB of RAM, and robust Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti GPU, all of which ensure smooth performance in demanding applications; however, it's less portable and weightier compared to the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15", which has a mid-range AMD Ryzen 7 CPU and integrated Vega 8 graphics, making it fair for lighter engineering tasks due to its lower performance capability but is more portable.
Content Creation
8.3
7.3
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
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 Lenovo IdeaPad 5 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.
Screen Quality
8.5
6.5
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
367.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
341.0 nits
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 excels in screen quality for general use and engineering due to a high-resolution display with good brightness and wide color coverage, offering crisp visuals and accurate colors needed for design work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, despite decent resolution and panel quality, its refresh rate isn't ideal, leading to less fluid motion which can be a drawback for fast-paced visual content. The Lenovo IdeaPad 5, with moderate resolution and brightness, provides an acceptable display for everyday tasks and non-demanding design work but falls short for gaming and 3D due to limited color gamut and a lower refresh rate that doesn't support very smooth gameplay.
Battery
2.0 Hours
11.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has 2 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" has 11 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
4.0 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 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
7.6
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has very good build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 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
$690
$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 Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" costs $690.
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Key similarities
Software Development
7.8
7.3
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 and Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" 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.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Dell Alienware X17 R2 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware X17 R2 | Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,000 | $690 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | December 1, 2021 | August 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.7'' x 11.8'' x 0.82'' | 14'' x 9.2'' x 0.67'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 6.82 lbs | 4.08 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.72" | 14.01" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.79" | 9.18" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-12900HK | AMD Ryzen 7 5825U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 8 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 | 11 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 87 Wh | 57 Wh | |
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 | 341 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.1/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
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 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 4 | 3 | |
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."
Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15"
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Marcus Schwarten | August 2021
"The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 is convincing due to its long battery life. The device scores points especially with its large battery and long battery runtimes combined with its low consumption. The CPU and GPU perform in the test as one would expect, and in line with what was familiar from the somewhat smaller 14-inch sister model, the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 14."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware X17 R2 or the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 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 Lenovo
Lenovo is a Chinese technology company, and one of the largest personal computer vendor. They are well known for a variety of technology products, including laptops. Their consumer series include their entry level IdeaPad and LOQ series and mid-to-high-end Yoga and Legion series. On the business-oriented side, their series include their entry-level ThinkBook series and mid-to-high-end ThinkPad series. Lenovo laptops offer strong performance for reasonable prices, and are often on sale.
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