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Updated January 10, 2024·
Choosing between the Dell Alienware X17 R2 and the Razer Book 13 depends largely on your primary use and preferences. The Alienware offers superior processing power, more memory, and a beefier graphics card, making it ideal for intensive gaming, 3D rendering, machine learning, and demanding engineering software. However, it is heavier, less portable, and has a substantially shorter battery life. The Razer Book, on the other hand, is lighter, more portable with a longer battery life, and has a higher resolution touchscreen, which might be better suited for general use, business applications, and light multimedia tasks, but will not handle intensive applications as well. It's also more budget-friendly. If you seek high performance for specialized tasks and don't mind the added weight and cost, go for the Alienware. If you prioritize portability, battery life, and a touch screen for general use, the Razer Book would be a better fit. 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
- Best in class speakers
Advantages of the Razer Book 13
- Excellent portability
- Excellent battery life
Key differences
General Use
8.2
7.6
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
367.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
507.0 nits
2.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
14.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is very good for general use, while the Razer Book 13 is good.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 outshines the Razer Book 13 in processing power with a high-end CPU and more RAM, making it very good for demanding tasks, though its larger size and weight reduce its portability, and it has shorter battery life. On the other hand, the Razer Book 13, with a capable CPU and adequate RAM for general use, offers better portability due to its smaller form and longer battery life, along with a higher resolution, touchscreen display, which enhances screen quality.
Gaming and AI
8.9
6.2
9.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Razer Book 13 is only fair.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 excels in gaming and 3D applications due to its powerful Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti graphics card and high screen refresh rate of 480Hz, enhancing smooth visuals and rendering capabilities, compared to the Razer Book 13, which has an Intel Iris Xe GPU and a standard screen refresh rate of 60Hz that provides a fair gaming experience but is not designed for high-end graphics and fast-paced games.
Engineering and Design
9.1
7.1
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
9.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Razer Book 13 is good.
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
7.6
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is very good for content creation, while the Razer Book 13 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
7.3
17.3in
SIZE
13.4in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
367.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
507.0 nits
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has a better screen than the Razer Book 13 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 likely boasts a high-resolution display with excellent color coverage, making it suitable for engineering and design tasks that demand precise color representation, while its lower refresh rate limits appeal for fast-paced gaming. The Razer Book 13, with its good resolution and brightness, provides a clear and vibrant display for everyday tasks and professional design work but falls short for gaming due to its suboptimal refresh rate. Both laptops likely use panel types that emphasize color accuracy and viewing angles over the high refresh rates preferred in gaming displays.
Battery
2.0 Hours
14.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has 2 hours of battery life. The Razer Book 13 has 14 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
Excellent
17.3in
SIZE
13.4in
6.8 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Razer Book 13 has excellent portability, while the Dell Alienware X17 R2 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$2,000
$1,389
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has a price of $2,000 and the Razer Book 13 costs $1,389.
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Key similarities
Software Development
7.8
7.5
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 and Razer Book 13 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 Book 13 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 Book 13 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware X17 R2 | Razer Book 13 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,000 | $1,389 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | December 1, 2021 | April 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.7'' x 11.8'' x 0.82'' | 11.6'' x 7.8'' x 0.6'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 6.82 lbs | 3.09 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.72" | 11.64" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.79" | 7.81" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-12900HK | Intel i7-1165G7 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 16 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 | 14 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 87 Wh | 55 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 13.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 480Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 367 nits | 507 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.1/10 | 9.1/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
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 | 1 | |
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 Book 13
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | December 2020
"The Razer Book is like an XPS 13, but faster. The Book 13 combines the design philosophy and performance of a Blade Stealth with the 16:10 display of a Dell XPS 13 for an impressive piece of hardware. Office users who want something more stylish than the typical Dell, HP or Lenovo will certainly find themselves drawn to this Razer subnotebook. If your priorities are to have the best-looking and fastest 13-inch laptop in the office over auxiliary features, however, then the Book 13 proudly fulfills that niche."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware X17 R2 or the Razer Book 13
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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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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