If you prioritize top-tier gaming or intensive tasks like video editing or 3D rendering and don't mind a higher cost and less portability, the Dell Alienware X17 R2 may serve you well, as it typically offers cutting-edge components and robust cooling systems designed for those needs. However, if you are looking for a machine that is more budget-friendly, easier to carry around, and suitable for everyday tasks like browsing, streaming, and light productivity work, the Maypug 15" Laptop could be a more sensible choice, though with the understanding that it may not handle high-end gaming or demanding software as effectively. Keep in mind, more affordable laptops often make concessions in terms of performance, display quality, and build materials. 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
Good for software development
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 Maypug 15" Laptop
Good portability
Good battery life
Key differences
General Use
8.2/10
5.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
367.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
200.0 nits
2.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.0/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is very good for general use, while the Maypug 15" Laptop is poor.
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
5.6/10
9.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
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 Maypug 15" Laptop is poor.
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
5.6/10
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.4/10
9.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Maypug 15" Laptop is poor.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is equipped with a high-performance CPU, substantial RAM, and a powerful GPU, all of which are essential for running complex engineering and design software smoothly; it also offers a high-quality screen, which is crucial for detail-oriented work. In contrast, the Maypug 15" Laptop has a lower-tier CPU, less RAM, a basic integrated GPU, and a lower resolution screen, which altogether make it less capable of handling the demands of engineering applications and visual precision.
Content Creation
8.3/10
5.9/10
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is very good for content creation, while the Maypug 15" Laptop is poor.
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
5.9/10
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.4/10
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.0/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is good for software development, while the Maypug 15" Laptop is poor.
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
5.7/10
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
367.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
200.0 nits
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has a better screen than the Maypug 15" Laptop for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 excels in general use and engineering due to its higher resolution, brightness, and wide color gamuts offering precise hues important for detailed work, but for gaming, the lower refresh rate makes fast-paced visuals less smooth compared to gaming-optimized screens. The Maypug 15" Laptop, with limited resolution and brightness, fails to deliver an optimal experience across all use scenarios, impacting the clarity and vibrancy necessary for both casual and professional tasks. Its subpar refresh rate further diminishes its appeal for gaming, where fluid motion is crucial for immersive gameplay.
Battery
2.0 Hours
7.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has 2 hours of battery life. The Maypug 15" Laptop has 7 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
3.6 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Maypug 15" Laptop 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
5.1/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has very good build quality, while the Maypug 15" Laptop has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,000
$600
$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 Maypug 15" Laptop costs $600.
"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."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware X17 R2 or the Maypug 15" Laptop
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.
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
130,695
Recommendations made
28,318
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.