For a balance of performance and portability with a focus on gaming, the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i (2024) is a strong contender with its latest generation processor and graphics card, offering superior gaming and 3D rendering capabilities. However, it has a smaller screen and less RAM compared to the Dell Alienware X17 R2, which could be a drawback if you need more workspace or plan to run multiple engineering applications simultaneously. The Alienware, with its larger display and additional RAM, is well-suited for multitasking and engineering tasks, though it falls short in battery life and is less portable due to its size and weight. Both laptops are equipped with high-quality displays and robust build quality, but the Alienware has a higher refresh rate, which is beneficial for smoother visuals in fast-paced games. Consider the Lenovo for cutting-edge gaming performance in a more compact form factor, or the Dell for more demanding professional workloads where screen real estate and RAM are paramount. Give Feedback
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Advantages of the Dell Alienware X17 R2
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has no clear advantages over the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i (2024).
Advantages of the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i (2024)
Excellent for gaming and AI
Excellent keyboard
Key differences
Screen Quality
8.5/10
8.7/10
17.3in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
367.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
469.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i has a better screen than the Dell Alienware X17 R2 for general use.
PerfectRec’s screen quality scores take into account various important factors that are relevant for different use cases.
Battery
2.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has 2 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i has 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.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 and Lenovo Legion Pro 7i (2024) are both very good for general use.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
8.9/10
9.1/10
9.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo Legion Pro 7i (2024) to be excellent for gaming and AI, while the Dell Alienware X17 R2 is very 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
9.1/10
9.0/10
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
9.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.8/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 and Lenovo Legion Pro 7i (2024) are both excellent for engineering and design.
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
8.3/10
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i (2024) 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
9.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i (2024) 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.
Portability
Fair
Fair
17.3in
SIZE
16.0in
6.8 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i (2024) and Dell Alienware X17 R2 both have only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5/10
8.5/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 and Lenovo Legion Pro 7i (2024) 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
$1,970
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has a price of $2,000 and the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i (2024) costs $1,970.
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How the Dell Alienware X17 R2 and the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i (2024) 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."
"Passionate gamers who want to play demanding modern titles with maximum details and don't mind spending the moolah will find the Lenovo Legion 7 Pro to be the right choice. The bright, sharp, and color-accurate 16:10 QHD 240 Hz display makes for an immersive viewing experience. The hardware is housed in a stylish chassis that feels premium and scores well in terms of workmanship and stability. Other aspects such as sound quality, input devices, and connectivity also seem to be near-perfect."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware X17 R2 or the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i (2024)
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.
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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Joe Golden, Ph.D
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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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.
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Laptops Expert
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