Dell Alienware X17 R2
Dell Alienware X17 R2
Last updated -- hours ago | Report incorrect information
GENERAL USE: Very Good—8.2/10
GAMING/AI: Very Good—8.9/10
ENG/DESIGN: Excellent—9.1/10
SOFTWARE DEV: Good—7.8/10
CONTENT CREATION: Very Good—8.3/10
PORTABILITY: Fair—6.0/10
BATTERY: Poor—4.3/10
OVERALL SCREEN QUALITY: Very Good—8.2/10
OVERALL PERFORMANCE: Excellent—9.3/10
SIZE: 17.3"
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is a premium gaming laptop with high-end specs, including a robust Intel i9 processor and Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti graphics, which provides excellent performance for 3D rendering, machine learning, and gaming. It has a substantial amount of storage and RAM, ensuring smooth multitasking and quick data access. Its 17.3-inch IPS display delivers high-quality visuals, though it has a standard 1080p resolution which might not be as sharp as higher resolution screens. Despite its power, the device is quite heavy and only offers about 2 hours of battery life, making it less portable and not suited for long periods away from a power source. It features a robust build quality, efficient heat management, and includes useful gaming features such as a high refresh rate and hardware ray tracing. It comes with ample ports but lacks a number pad on the keyboard despite its large size. The Alienware X17 R2 is best for users who need top-tier performance and are less concerned about portability and battery life. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Evaluation
Pros
- High-end Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti GPU
- Powerful Intel i9-12900HK processor
- Spacious 1024 GB storage
- Large 17.3-inch display
- High 480 Hz refresh rate
Cons
- Short battery life (2 hours typical usage)
- Not very portable, weighs 6.82 pounds
- No touchscreen functionality
- Limited portability score
Ratings by Category
Gaming & AI:4.7
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 excels in gaming and 3D applications due to its high-performance Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti graphics card, which is crucial for rendering complex visuals smoothly, and its very high screen refresh rate of 480Hz, which ensures on-screen action looks fluid and devoid of motion blur.
Engineering & Design:4.7
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, CAD and 3D work.
In addition to a strong emphasis on overall performance, this score also places very high importance on screen quality. Heat management, storage, keyboard and speaker quality are also incorporated, with fan noise rounding out this score.
Build Quality:4.6
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, chassis rigidity, and overall reliability.
Our assessment of build quality includes many details that are difficult to quantify.
Our laptop experts use their best judgment to produce the final score.
Keyboard Quality:4.6
The Keyboard Quality score is based on the PerfectRec experts’ assessment of tactile feedback, typing comfort, keyboard reliability and typing noise.
General Use:4.5
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is excellent for general use due to its high-performance CPU and ample RAM, making multitasking and demanding applications run smoothly. Although its screen quality is above average and the keyboard is good, the laptop's portability is compromised by its relative weight and bulk, and the battery life is limited.
Content Creation:4.5
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, and video editing work.
In addition to a strong emphasis on overall performance, this score also places very high importance on screen quality. Heat management, storage, keyboard and speaker quality are also incorporated, with fan noise rounding out this score.
General Use Screen Quality:4.5
The general use screen score is based on the screen technology, contrast ratio, resolution, brightness, color gamut and color accuracy. This score does not take into account specialized display features for specific use cases, such as high refresh rate for gaming.
Software Development:4.3
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software development.
In addition to a strong emphasis on overall performance, this score also places very high importance on screen quality. Heat management, storage, keyboard and speaker quality are also incorporated, with fan noise rounding out this score.
Operating Noise:4.0
PerfectRec’s Operating Noise Score is based on fan noise measurements. Laptops with a fanless design, such as Macbooks, receive the maximum score.
Portability:3.1
PerfectRec’s portability rating takes into account the volume and thickness of the laptop as well as its weight.
Full Specs
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
| Price | $2,000 | ||
Release Date | December 1, 2021 | ||
Overall Dimensions | 15.7'' x 11.8'' x 0.82'' | ||
Weight | 6.82 lbs | ||
Width | 15.72" | ||
Depth | 11.79" | ||
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | Intel i9-12900HK | ||
RAM | 32 GB | ||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | ||
RAM Slots | 2 | ||
Storage | 1024 GB | ||
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | 2 Hours | ||
Battery Capacity | 87 Wh | ||
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | ||
Display Technology | IPS | ||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | ||
Refresh Rate | 480Hz | ||
Display Brightness | 367 nits | ||
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score  | 8.5/10 | ||
Portability Score | 6.1/10 | ||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | ||
Premium Business Laptop | No | ||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | ||
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | ||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.5/10 | ||
Webcam | 720p | ||
Fingerprint Reader | No | ||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | ||
Number Pad | No | ||
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | 2 | ||
USB-C ports | 2 | ||
USB-C Charging | Yes | ||
Display Outputs | 4 | ||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | ||
Dell Alienware X17 R2
See more
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."
Comparison charts
Give feedback
We're constantly perfecting our model
Laptop guides you may be interested in
Compare Dell Alienware X17 R2 to similarly priced alternatives
Compare Dell Alienware X17 R2 vs. ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16 (2024)
VS
Compare Dell Alienware X17 R2 vs. ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15
VS
Compare Dell Alienware X17 R2 vs. Gigabyte Aorus 17
VS
Compare Dell Alienware X17 R2 vs. ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2024)
VS
Compare Dell Alienware X17 R2 vs. ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15
VS
Compare Dell Alienware X17 R2 vs. Lenovo Legion Pro 7i
VS
FAQs
Why trust us
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
168,195
Recommendations made
36,443
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.
Featured in
