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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 offers higher performance for tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering due to its more powerful graphics card and processor, along with more RAM. This makes it suitable for intensive gaming and workloads. However, it is less portable compared to the Razer Blade 14 (2023) because of its larger size and weight. The Razer, on the other hand, while less powerful, offers a higher resolution display and longer battery life, making it more suitable for general use and mobility. Both laptops are similarly priced, so the choice depends on whether you prioritize performance or portability and battery life. 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
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Best in class speakers
Advantages of the Razer Blade 14 (2023)
- Very good portability
- Good battery life
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
Screen Quality
8.5
8.9
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
367.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
560.0 nits
The Razer Blade 14 has a better screen than the Dell Alienware X17 R2 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
For general use, both the Dell Alienware X17 R2 and Razer Blade 14's display qualities shine due to their high resolution and brightness, which provide crisp and clear visuals essential for everyday tasks. In engineering and design, these laptops excel as their screens cover a wide range of colors, ensuring accurate and vibrant image reproduction necessary for precise work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the screens fall short because their refresh rates are not as high, which is crucial for smooth motion rendering and a more immersive experience.
Battery
2.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has 2 hours of battery life. The Razer Blade 14 has 6 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
Very Good
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
6.8 lbs
WEIGHT
4.0 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Razer Blade 14 (2023) has very good portability, while the Dell Alienware X17 R2 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$2,000
$2,400
$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 14 (2023) costs $2,400.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.2
8.1
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
367.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
560.0 nits
2.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 and Razer Blade 14 (2023) are both very good for general use.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 and the Razer Blade 14 (2023) both offer high-quality CPUs and ample RAM, ensuring smooth performance for general use, with the Dell having a larger screen and the Razer providing higher resolution for better screen quality. However, the Alienware’s larger build impacts portability and battery life compared to the more compact and longer-lasting Razer Blade 14.
Gaming and AI
8.9
8.4
9.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
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
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 and Razer Blade 14 (2023) are both very good for gaming and AI.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 with its RTX 3080 Ti delivers superior graphics processing power, important for gaming and 3D applications, and the larger 17.3-inch screen with a very high refresh rate offers an immersive experience but it's less portable due to its size and weight.
Engineering and Design
9.1
8.7
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
9.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Alienware X17 R2 to be excellent for engineering and design, while the Razer Blade 14 (2023) is very good.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is equipped with a high-performance Intel i9 processor, extensive RAM, and a powerful Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti GPU, accompanied by a large and high-quality screen, making it suitable for demanding engineering and design tasks. On the other hand, the Razer Blade 14 (2023) includes a potent AMD Ryzen 9 CPU and Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU, has a smaller form factor for better portability without compromising on a high-resolution screen, and offers excellent keyboard and speaker quality, thus balancing performance with mobility for users on the go.
Content Creation
8.3
8.2
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 and Razer Blade 14 (2023) 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
7.9
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Razer Blade 14 (2023) 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.
Build Quality
8.5
8.5
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 and Razer Blade 14 (2023) 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 14 (2023) compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware X17 R2 | Razer Blade 14 (2023) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,000 | $2,400 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | December 1, 2021 | June 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.7'' x 11.8'' x 0.82'' | 12.2'' x 9'' x 0.7'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 6.82 lbs | 4.05 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.72" | 12.23" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.79" | 8.97" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-12900HK | AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS | |
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 | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 87 Wh | 68.1 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 480Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 367 nits | 560 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.1/10 | 8/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
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 | 2 | |
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 | N/A | |
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 14 (2023)
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | May 2022
"After making a huge splash with the original 2021 model, it's expected that the 2022 refresh would be more of a minor update to an already impressive machine. It adds a higher resolution webcam (720p to 1080p), faster CPU (Ryzen 9 5900HX to Ryzen 9 6900HX), faster GPU (RTX 3070/3080 to 3070/3080 Ti), faster RAM (DDR4-3200 to DDR5-4800), faster M.2 SSD support (PCIe3 x4 to PCIe4 x4), newer WLAN module (Killer AX1690i to Qualcomm WCN685x), and a MUX switch for the new integrated Radeon 680M GPU. It's indubitably an upgrade especially in terms of single-thread processor performance."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware X17 R2 or the Razer Blade 14 (2023)
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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