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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize gaming performance and a larger screen, the Dell Alienware X17 R2, with its top-tier graphics, is suitable. However, it's heavier and offers less battery life, affecting portability. Conversely, the Razer Blade 15 is more portable and has a longer battery life, making it a better choice for mobility, but with slightly lower performance capabilities due to a less powerful graphics card. Both have high-quality displays, though the Razer has a higher resolution. Consider the Alienware if performance and larger display size are paramount, and the Blade if you need greater portability and battery life for everyday tasks and moderate gaming. 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
- Best in class speakers
Advantages of the Razer Blade 15
- Good portability
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.9
8.0
9.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 and Razer Blade 15 are both very good for gaming and AI, though the Dell Alienware X17 R2 is somewhat better.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 excels in gaming and 3D applications due to its Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti graphics card and a high screen refresh rate of 480Hz, superior to the Razer Blade 15 which also performs well with its Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti GPU and a 240Hz screen refresh rate, though less potent in both aspects. While both have quality screens, the higher GPU and refresh rates in the Alienware provide smoother visuals and potentially more responsive gameplay, which is crucial for fast-paced gaming and detailed 3D work.
Engineering and Design
9.1
8.5
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
9.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.0/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Razer Blade 15 is very good.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is equipped with a top-tier CPU and GPU, higher RAM capacity, and a quality screen but is less portable due to its larger size and weight. In contrast, the Razer Blade 15, while still offering a strong CPU and GPU, has a higher resolution display and better portability owing to its lighter build, but it comes with less RAM.
Screen Quality
8.5
8.2
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
367.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
271.0 nits
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has a better screen than the Razer Blade 15 for gaming and AI, and content creation.
For general use, both the Dell Alienware X17 R2 and the Razer Blade 15 offer high resolution and brightness, with premium panel types ensuring sharp, clear, and vivid displays, making tasks like browsing, document editing, and video playback enjoyable. In engineering and design, color accuracy is crucial; both laptops excel thanks to their wide color gamuts, allowing professionals to work with colors that are more consistent and true to life, improving the quality of their work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the lower refresh rates on these laptops may lead to less smooth visuals and reduced responsiveness, which are essential for fast-paced and immersive gaming experiences.
Battery
2.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has 2 hours of battery life. The Razer Blade 15 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.
Portability
Fair
Good
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
6.8 lbs
WEIGHT
4.4 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Razer Blade 15 has good portability, while the Dell Alienware X17 R2 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$2,000
$2,500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has a price of $2,000 and the Razer Blade 15 costs $2,500.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.2
7.9
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
367.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
271.0 nits
2.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.7/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Alienware X17 R2 to be very good for general use, while the Razer Blade 15 is good.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 offers a larger screen, more RAM, and a high-end CPU which contribute to its very good general use performance; however, it is heavier and has a lower battery life, making it less portable than the Razer Blade 15. While the Razer Blade 15's compact size and lighter weight enhance its portability and it has a higher resolution display which is great for screen quality, it has a lower-tier CPU and less RAM, which may limit performance for more demanding tasks.
Content Creation
8.3
8.0
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 and Razer Blade 15 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
7.7
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 and Razer Blade 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.
Build Quality
8.5
8.5
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 and Razer Blade 15 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 Razer Blade 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware X17 R2 | Razer Blade 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,000 | $2,500 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | December 1, 2021 | January 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.7'' x 11.8'' x 0.82'' | 14'' x 9.3'' x 0.67'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 6.82 lbs | 4.4 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.72" | 13.98" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.79" | 9.25" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-12900HK | Intel i7-12800H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 2 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 87 Wh | 80 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1440 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 480Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 367 nits | 271 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.1/10 | 7.7/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 3 | |
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 | 4 | |
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."
Razer Blade 15
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | March 2022
"The 2022 Blade 15 offers roughly 15 to 25 percent faster graphics performance and 20 percent faster CPU performance over last year's Core i7-11800H and RTX 3080 model. Thankfully, the system doesn't need to run noticeably louder or warmer to achieve faster results, but both power consumption and battery life take a hit. The higher consumption in particular appears to be a trend amongst many 12th gen Core laptops including the Schenker Uniwill Technology GM7AG8P or MSI Vector GP66 when compared to their previous generation counterparts. We're also glad to not see below-average CPU performance which was the case for the 10th gen Core i7-10875H model."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware X17 R2 or the Razer Blade 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 Razer
Razer is an American-Singaporean technology company. Razer is best known for their Blade series laptops, well known for their strong performance and sleek design. Although Razer charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a stealthy laptop with clean fit and finish and strong performance. All of their models offer great portability and build quality compared to other gaming laptops.
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