AORUS 17vsAlienware x14 R2

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

AORUS
AORUS 17
17

Quick Stats

The AORUS 17's performance is competent but not exceptional, falling behind other laptops in its class overall.
The Aorus 17's build is serviceable but doesn't stand out due to several drawbacks and quirks.
The AORUS 17's display is a letdown due to slow response time and limited options available.
The AORUS 17 features an RTX 3070 Ti and 3080 Ti, but performance differs slightly in games.
Alienware
Alienware x14 R2
x14 R2

Quick Stats

The Alienware x14 R2 impresses with exceptional performance despite its thin and light design.
The Alienware x14 R2 boasts an impressive build quality with premium feel despite its slim design.
The display on Alienware x14 R2 offers vivid and lifelike colors with high color gamut accuracy.
The Alienware x14 R2 features a powerful 12th Gen Intel Core i7-12600H processor with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 graphics.
Key Differences

No significant specification differences found between these devices.

Rank
AORUS 17
#291
Alienware x14 R2
Winner
#290
Scores by Category
Rankings
Connectivity
AORUS 17
#265
Alienware x14 R2
#262
Winner
Display
AORUS 17
#598
Alienware x14 R2
#172
Winner
Performance
AORUS 17
#15
Winner
Alienware x14 R2
#283
Build
AORUS 17
#444
Alienware x14 R2
#412
Winner
Features
AORUS 17
#222
Alienware x14 R2
#201
Winner

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

Specifications Comparison
Specification
AORUS AORUS 17
Alienware Alienware x14 R2
up to 64GB
up to 32GB
up to 16000GB SSD
up to 4000GB SSD
Intel Core i9-12900H
Intel Core i7-13620H
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti (Laptop, 130W)
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 (Laptop, 85W)

Note: Highlighted specifications show differences between the two devices.

Pros and Cons

AORUS 17

Strengths

The keyboard and touchpad are great, with the typing experience being comfortable.
The port selection is good, with plenty of options for connectivity.
A cooling pad can significantly improve thermals without resorting to loud fan noise.
The camera is in a better spot now, making it more useful.
It's possible to play games at high refresh rates (up to 360Hz) on the 1080p screen.
A cooling pad can be used to improve thermals and reduce fan noise.
Linux support was tested with Ubuntu 22.04, with most hardware working out of the box.

Weaknesses

The RTX 3070 Ti and 3080 Ti configurations barely performed differently in games.
There's no MUX switch for improved performance in eSports titles.
No overdrive mode on the screen results in a slower response time compared to other laptops.
Poor battery life compared to other laptops makes it less portable.
Speakers are not good, with most people preferring external audio.
The keyboard secondary functions don't get lit up, making them harder to use in the dark.
A maximum CPU power limit has been artificially set, limiting potential performance.

Alienware x14 R2

Strengths

The laptop provides great performance for heavy tasks such as 3D modeling, Photoshop, and 4K export.
It has a fast processor, with a score of 7,236 in Photoshop, which is impressive considering it only has 16GB of RAM.
The laptop can handle 4K export times of just 2 minutes and 11 seconds, making it one of the best results I've seen on my channel this year.
It has a great performance benchmark section, with scores of 208 for Autodesk 3ds Max, 203 PTC Creo, 301 for Autodesk Maya, and a 102 for solid works.
The laptop is very well optimized, making it a great contender if you're considering a Photoshop laptop, especially someone who wants something thin and on-the-go friendly.
It's available at an affordable price point of around $1,200 - $1,249.

Weaknesses

The battery life is not great, with only 6 hours and 35 minutes of streaming video playback, which is less than I had hoped for.
The laptop has historically known to be not the most power-efficient processors, making it less suitable if you're looking for better battery life.
There's a bit of screen wobble, which might be an issue for some users.
It can struggle with 6K export times, taking around 22 minutes and 18 seconds.
The laptop is not the most power-efficient processor, making it less suitable if you're looking for better battery life.
There's minimal screen bounce, but a bit of screen wobble which might be an issue for some users.
Read Full Reviews

AORUS 17

The Aorus 17 is a gaming laptop that, despite its impressive specs, falls short in several areas. With a 1080p screen at its native resolution, pixelation becomes noticeable at 17 inches, and the lack of a 1440p option is puzzling. The RTX 3070 Ti and 3080 Ti configurations barely outperform each other in games, making one wonder if the extra cost is justified. Poor battery life, unimpressive speakers, and a subpar control panel software further detract from the experience.

Alienware x14 R2

The Alienware x14 R2 is a sleek and powerful laptop that defies expectations with its slim design and impressive performance capabilities. Despite its thin chassis, this 14-inch laptop delivers robust results in demanding tasks such as 3D modeling, video editing, and content creation. With up to 16GB of RAM and an H-series processor, it's surprising to see this laptop keep pace with larger, more expensive models. Can the x14 R2 really deliver on its promise of performance without compromise? I take a closer look at what makes this slim powerhouse tick.

Need help choosing?

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

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