Alienware x16 R2vsRazer Blade Pro 17

We compare these two popular phones to help you decide which one fits your needs and budget better.

Alienware
Alienware x16 R2
x16 R2

Quick Stats

The Alienware X16 R2's CPU performance is disappointing due to a struggling Core i9 processor.
The Alienware x16 R2's sturdy magnesium alloy construction provides impressive durability with sleek high-quality craftsmanship overall.
The Alienware x16 R2's display falls short of expectations, making it dim and merely average overall.
The Alienware x16 R2 boasts powerful features, including a strong RTX 48 GPU and customizable lighting options.
Razer
Razer Blade Pro 17
Blade Pro 17

Quick Stats

The Razer Blade Pro 17's performance is largely hindered by high graphics demands, impacting battery life and frame rates.
The Razer Blade Pro 17 boasts exceptional build quality, making it a solid choice for productivity and creative work.
The Razer Blade Pro 17's display is a letdown due to weak brightness and limited viewing distance usability.
The Razer Blade Pro 17 boasts a sleek design with advanced features like a Core i7 processor and RTX GPU.
Key Differences

No significant specification differences found between these devices.

Rank
Alienware x16 R2
#81
Razer Blade Pro 17
Winner
#76
Scores by Category
Rankings
Connectivity
Alienware x16 R2
#445
Razer Blade Pro 17
#228
Winner
Display
Alienware x16 R2
#175
Winner
Razer Blade Pro 17
#323
Performance
Alienware x16 R2
#109
Winner
Razer Blade Pro 17
#171
Build
Alienware x16 R2
#423
Winner
Razer Blade Pro 17
#861
Features
Alienware x16 R2
#19
Winner
Razer Blade Pro 17
#153

Note: Lower rank number indicates a better position in category.

Specifications Comparison
Specification
Alienware Alienware x16 R2
Razer Razer Blade Pro 17
up to 32GB
up to 64GB
up to 16384GB SSD
up to 8000GB SSD
Intel Core Ultra 9 185H
Intel Core i7-10875H
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 (Laptop, 175W)
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER Max-Q
2x 2230 / 2280 M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 x4 See photo
N/A

Note: Highlighted specifications show differences between the two devices.

Pros and Cons

Alienware x16 R2

Strengths

I absolutely love the look and feel of this laptop
The speakers are truly excellent
Gaming has been really solid
Temperatures on the palmrest and the keyboard remained excellent through even the heaviest gaming sessions
Alienware Command Center has many profiles to allow you to choose between quiet gaming right up to the F1 Max fans mode
Battery life is great, no issue there
100 wat PD support through both of the USBC ports and on our testing it was absolutely excellent
The 36 wat Gan PSU is a new addition this year and performs well

Weaknesses

The screen's brightness (300 nit) is dimmer than all of its peers
CPU performance is very lackluster
There are just much better options available at this price point for gaming
Heat pumps out of the sides when heavily gaming, which considering that it's its sole reason for existing was quite disappointing
Anyware Command Center software is one of my least favorite pieces of software for controlling any laptop out there
Battery life test was pretty poor in our usual test of streaming YouTube over wi-fi at 200 nits of brightness (6 hours and 34 minutes)
The laptop's heat output did annoy me when heavily gaming directly on the laptop
There are better options available if you don't care about the size, such as the Alienware M18

Razer Blade Pro 17

Strengths

The Razer Blade Pro 17 has ample internal horsepower for photo and video editing.
It has excellent connectivity options including Thunderbolt 3, Ethernet, HDMI, and a full-size SD card reader.
There's a large display option available, which is a nice feature compared to the MacBook Pro.
The machine can handle workloads that a short time ago were only possible on a large desktop workstation with NVIDIA Studio drivers.
It's capable of gaming at 120Hz albeit probably with the resolution turned down if you're playing AAA titles.
The GPU hit a maximum temperature of just 68 degrees while gaming, which is very comfortable even for a desktop graphics card.
Razer's thermal engineers came through with good cooling performance, maintaining an average CPU frequency of 3.1 GHz and keeping temperatures below 80 degrees Celsius.
It's more like a Swiss Army knife - you can game at 120Hz or get some real work done at 4K depending on your needs.

Weaknesses

The machine costs $3700, which is quite expensive compared to other laptops in the market.
The display resolution might be too high for gaming purposes, leading to potential performance issues.
The fans can get noisy while cooling the system during intense usage.
The current year still hasn't settled on 1440p as the standard resolution for gaming laptops despite it being a sweet spot for many users.
Many laptop makers prioritize buzzword-y specs over actual user needs, resulting in unnecessary features like high resolutions that may not be beneficial for all users.
You might need to compromise on resolution or performance while gaming at 120Hz due to hardware limitations.
The machine is designed more for showcasing tech capabilities rather than catering specifically to gamers' needs.
It's a shame that laptop makers are prioritizing movie-related technologies (like 4K) over the actual gaming community's preferences, resulting in unnecessary features like high resolutions.
Read Full Reviews

Alienware x16 R2

The Alienware X16 R2 is a laptop that promises exceptional gaming performance in a compact package. However, my experience with this device was marred by several disappointing aspects. The 300 nit screen falls short compared to its peers, the CPU performance is underwhelming, and the heat generated during intense gaming sessions is considerable. While the speakers are excellent and gaming has been solid, these shortcomings make it challenging to recommend this laptop at its current price point.

Razer Blade Pro 17

The elusive perfect laptop. We've all been there - convinced that the latest and greatest specs will revolutionize our productivity and gaming experiences. But when reality sets in, we're often left with buyer's remorse. I'm guilty of this myself, particularly with the Razer Blade Pro 17, which boasts a 4K display and 120Hz refresh rate. As someone who initially thought these features were essential, I now question whether they truly make a difference - and at what cost.

Need help choosing?

Read our detailed reviews to understand which device is better for your specific needs and budget.

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