Alienware X15 R1 vs. Alienware X17 R1: Which is better?

Here is a side by side comparison between Alienware X15 R1 and Alienware X17 R1 specs including CPU, RAM, storage, battery, display, and more.

Alienware X15 R1 Pros

Reasons that Alienware X15 R1 is better than Alienware X17 R1.

About 25% lighter

Alienware X15 R1 weighed 5 pounds, 25% lighter than the 6.65 pounds Alienware X17 R1.

WeightAlienware X15 R1Alienware X17 R1
Pound
5 lbs.
6.65 lbs.
Kilogram
2.27 kg
3.02 kg

Alienware X17 R1 Pros

Reasons that Alienware X17 R1 is better than Alienware X15 R1.

Slightly faster CPU performance

Intel Core i9-11980HK inside Alienware X17 R1 has a 19% better multi-core CPU performance score than the Intel Core i9-11900H inside Alienware X15 R1.

Geekbench 5 multi-core score
Alienware X17 R1 - Intel Core i9-11980HK
9,677
Alienware X15 R1 - Intel Core i9-11900H
8,121
Alienware X15 R1 - Intel Core i7-11800H
7,908
Alienware X17 R1 - Intel Core i7-11800H
7,908
Supports larger memory

Alienware X17 R1 supports a larger memory capacity than the Alienware X15 R1. It supports up to 64GB versus 32GB of system memory on the Alienware X15 R1.

Max system memory size
Alienware X17 R1
64 GB
Alienware X15 R1
32 GB
Supports faster memory

Alienware X17 R1 supports a faster memory speed than the Alienware X15 R1. It supports up to 3466MHz versus 3200MHz of system memory on the Alienware X15 R1.

Memory type and speed
Alienware X17 R1 - DDR4 XMP
3,466 MHz
Alienware X15 R1 - DDR4
3,200 MHz
Upgradable memory

Alienware X17 R1 comes with two SODIMM slots that allow you to replace or upgrade when needed. On the flip side, you can't upgrade RAM on the Alienware X15 R1 since it has onboard memory.

MemoryAlienware X15 R1Alienware X17 R1
Slots
Onboard
x2
TypeDDR4DDR4 XMP
10% larger display

Alienware X17 R1 has a 17.3-inch screen size 10% larger than the 15.6-inch Alienware X15 R1.

Display size
Alienware X17 R1
17.3-inch
Alienware X15 R1
15.6-inch

Prices

Here are the latest price updates and offers for both devices.

Alienware X15 Price
Alienware X15R1 Gaming Laptop - 15.6-inch FHD (1920x1080) 360Hz 1ms Display, Intel Core i7-11800H Processor, 16GB DDR4 RAM, 1TB SSD, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 DDR6 Graphics, Windows 11 Home- Lunar Light
Alienware X15R1 Gaming Laptop - 15.6-inch FHD (1920x1080) 360Hz 1ms Display, Intel Core i7-11800H Processor, 16GB DDR4 RAM, 1TB SSD, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 DDR6 Graphics, Windows 11 Home- Lunar Light
By Alienware
$1,784.99
$1,899.97 6% OFF
Alienware X15 R2 Gaming Laptop - 15.6-inch FHD 360Hz 1ms Display, Intel Core i7-12700H, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070Ti 8GB GDDR6, USB-C, WiFi 6, Bluetooth, Windows 11 Home - White
Alienware X15 R2 Gaming Laptop - 15.6-inch FHD 360Hz 1ms Display, Intel Core i7-12700H, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070Ti 8GB GDDR6, USB-C, WiFi 6, Bluetooth, Windows 11 Home - White
By Alienware
$1,910.69
Dell Alienware X15 R2 Gaming Laptop (2022) | 15.6" QHD | Core i7 - 1TB SSD - 16GB RAM - 3070 Ti | 14 Cores @ 4.7 GHz - 12th Gen CPU - 8GB GDDR5 Win 11 Home (Renewed)
Dell Alienware X15 R2 Gaming Laptop (2022) | 15.6" QHD | Core i7 - 1TB SSD - 16GB RAM - 3070 Ti | 14 Cores @ 4.7 GHz - 12th Gen CPU - 8GB GDDR5 Win 11 Home (Renewed)
By Dell
$1,314.99
Alienware X17 Price
Alienware X17 R2 Gaming Laptop - 17.3-inch FHD 480Hz 1ms Display, Intel Core i9-12900H, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070Ti 8GB GDDR6, USB-C, Killer Wi-Fi 6, Windows 11 Home - Lunar Light
Alienware X17 R2 Gaming Laptop - 17.3-inch FHD 480Hz 1ms Display, Intel Core i9-12900H, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070Ti 8GB GDDR6, USB-C, Killer Wi-Fi 6, Windows 11 Home - Lunar Light
By Alienware
$2,270.00
Dell Alienware X17 R2 Gaming Laptop (2022) | 17.3" FHD | Core i9 - 1TB SSD - 16GB RAM - 3070 Ti | 14 Cores @ 5 GHz - 12th Gen CPU - 8GB GDDR5 Win 11 Home (Renewed)
Dell Alienware X17 R2 Gaming Laptop (2022) | 17.3" FHD | Core i9 - 1TB SSD - 16GB RAM - 3070 Ti | 14 Cores @ 5 GHz - 12th Gen CPU - 8GB GDDR5 Win 11 Home (Renewed)
By Dell
$2,396.79
Dell Alienware X17 R1 Gaming Laptop (2021) | 17.3" FHD+ | Core i7-512GB SSD Hard Drive - 16GB RAM - RTX 3070 | 8 Cores @ 4.9 GHz - 8GB GDDR6 Win 11 Home (Renewed)
Dell Alienware X17 R1 Gaming Laptop (2021) | 17.3" FHD+ | Core i7-512GB SSD Hard Drive - 16GB RAM - RTX 3070 | 8 Cores @ 4.9 GHz - 8GB GDDR6 Win 11 Home (Renewed)
By Dell
$1,611.98

Availability

Alienware X15 R1Alienware X17 R1
Released20212021
Release DateAvailable on June 1, 2021Available on June 1, 2021
Pricing
  • $1,999.99
    i7-11800H 16GB 256GB RTX 3060 FHD 165Hz
  • $2,379.99
    i7-11800H 16GB 512GB RTX 3070 FHD 165Hz
  • $2,629.99
    i7-11800H 32GB 1TB RTX 3070 FHD 165Hz
  • $2,929.99
    i9-11900H 32GB 1TB RTX 3070 FHD 360Hz
  • $2,099.99
    i7-11800H 16GB 256GB RTX 3060 6GB FHD 165Hz
  • $2,479.99
    i7-11800H 16GB 512GB RTX 3070 8GB FHD 165Hz
  • $3,229.99
    i7-11800H 32GB 512GB RTX 3080 16GB UHD 120Hz
  • $3,629.99
    i9-11980HK 32GB XMP 512GB RTX 3080 16GB UHD 120Hz
Generations

Exterior

Alienware X15 R1Alienware X17 R1
Dimensions
  • 14.16” x 10.915” x 0.642” (359.7 x 277.25 x 16.3 mm)
    With FHD 165Hz diplay.
  • 14.16” x 10.915” x 0.626” (359.7 x 277.25 x 15.9 mm)
    With FHD 360Hz or QHD 240Hz diplay.
  • 15.718” x 11.791” x 0.823” (399.23 x 299.49 x 20.9 mm)
    With FHD 360Hz diplay.
  • 15.718” x 11.791” x 0.843” (399.23 x 299.49 x 21.4 mm)
    With FHD 165Hz or UHD 120Hz diplay.
Weight5 - 5.2 lbs (2.27 - 2.36 kg)6.65 - 7.05 lbs (3.02 - 3.2 kg)
Colors
Lunar light
Lunar light
With High Endurance Clear Coat and Silky - Smooth Finish
Keyboard and Trackpad
  • Keyboard
    • Alienware X-Series thin keyboard
    • Per-key RGB LED with AlienFX lighting
    • Anti-ghosting and N-key rollover technology.
    • 1.5mm key travel.
  • Touchpad
    • Multi-touch gesture Premium Precision glass touchpad with integrated scrolling.
    • 4.13 x 2.36 in (105 mm x 80 mm) precision touchpad with multi-touch gesture support.
    • Supports AlienFX touchpad.
  • Keyboard
    • Alienware X-Series thin keyboard
    • Per-key RGB LED with AlienFX lighting
    • Anti-ghosting and N-key rollover technology.
    • 1.5mm key travel.
  • Touchpad
    • Multi-touch gesture Premium Precision glass touchpad with integrated scrolling.
    • 4.13 x 2.36 in (105 mm x 80 mm) precision touchpad with multi-touch gesture support.
    • Supports AlienFX touchpad.

Display

Alienware X15 R1Alienware X17 R1
Size15.6 Inches17.3 Inches
Info
  • 15.6” FHD with 165Hz
    1920 x 1080 141 PPI ComfortView Plus 3ms response time 300 nits 16:9 100% sRGB color gamut 1000:1 Anti-glare WVA 6W
  • 15.6” FHD with 360Hz
    1920 x 1080 141 PPI ComfortView Plus NVIDIA G-Sync Advanced Optimus 1ms response time 300 nits 16:9 100% sRGB color gamut 1000:1 Anti-glare WVA 7.6W
  • 15.6” QHD with 240Hz
    2560 x 1440 188 PPI ComfortView Plus NVIDIA G-Sync Advanced Optimus 2ms response time 400 nits 16:9 99% DCI-P3 color gamut 1000:1 Anti-glare WVA 10.15 W
  • 17.3” FHD with 165Hz
    1920 x 1080 127 PPI ComfortView Plus 3ms response time 300 nits 16:9 100% sRGB 1000:1 Anti-glare WVA 7.2 W
  • 17.3” FHD with 360Hz
    1920 x 1080 127 PPI ComfortView Plus NVIDIA G-Sync Advanced Optimus 1ms response time 300 nits 16:9 100% sRGB 800:1 Anti-glare WVA 8.4 W
  • 17.3” UHD with 120Hz
    3840 x 2160 255 PPI ComfortView Plus 4ms response time 500 nits 16:9 100% Adobe RGB 1200:1 Anti-glare WVA 12.2 W

Ports

Alienware X15 R1Alienware X17 R1
Alienware X15 R1 Ports
Image Source: Dell
Left
  • 1 x Headset port
Right
  • 1 x Power/DC-in Port
Back
  • 1 x Thunderbolt 4
    Supports USB 3.2 Gen 2, DisplayPort 1.4, and PD output 15W (5V/3A).
  • 1 x USB-C
    Supports USB 3.2 Gen 2, DisplayPort 1.4, and PD output 15W (5V/3A).
  • 1 x USB-A
    Supports USB 3.2 Gen 1 with PowerShare
  • 1 x HDMI 2.1
    Supports up to 4K@120Hz display out.
  • 1 x MicroSD Card Slot
Alienware X17 R1 Ports
Image Source: Dell
Left (1)
  • 1 x power port
Right (1)
  • 1 x headphone jack
    Headphone/Microphone
Back (8)
  • 1 x Thunderbolt 4
    40 Gpbs, USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps), Power Delivery (5V/3A)
  • 1 x USB-C
    USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps), Power Delivery (5V/3A)
  • 2 x USB-A
    USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps), Powershare
  • 1 x HDMI
    v2.1
  • 1 x Mini DisplayPort
    v1.4
  • 1 x microSD card slot
  • 1 x RJ-45
    2.5 Gbps, Killer E3100

Internal Specs

Alienware X15 R1Alienware X17 R1
Processor
  1. 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-11800H
    8 cores, 16 threads, 2.30 → 4.60 GHz, 24MB SmartCache, 45W
  2. 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-11900H
    8 cores, 16 threads, 2.50 → 4.90 GHz, 24MB SmartCache, 45W
  1. 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-11800H
    8 cores, 16 threads, 2.30 → 4.60 GHz, 24MB SmartCache, 45W
  2. 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-11980HK
    8 cores, 16 threads, 3.30 → 5.00 GHz, 24MB SmartCache, 65W
Integrated Graphics
  1. 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-11800H
    Intel® UHD Graphics
    32 Execution Units, 350 → 1450 MHz
  2. 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-11900H
    Intel® UHD Graphics
    32 Execution Units, 350 → 1450 MHz
  1. 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-11800H
    Intel® UHD Graphics
    32 Execution Units, 350 → 1450 MHz
  2. 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-11980HK
    Intel® UHD Graphics
    32 Execution Units, 350 → 1450 MHz
MemoryMemory Slots
  • Onbaord memory
Memory Configurations
  • Speed: 3200MHz
  • Memory Type: Dual-channel DDR4
  • Minimum Memory: 16 GB
  • Maximum Memory: 32 GB
8 GB 16 GB 32 GB 64GB
3200MHz or 3466MHz Dual-channel DDR4 SDRAM.
2 x SO-DIMM slots.
  • Max 32GB of 3200 MHz DDR4 Memory
  • Max 64GB of 3466 MHz XMP DDR4 Memory
Discrete Graphics
  • NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 3060
    6GB GDDR6 TGP: 70W Dynamic Boost: 20W Max Power: 90W Speed: 1050 → 1402 MHz
  • NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 3070
    8GB GDDR6 TGP: 90W Dynamic Boost: 20W Max Power: 110W Speed: 930 → 1410 MHz
  • NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 3080
    8GB GDDR6 TGP: 90W Dynamic Boost: 20W Max Power: 110W Speed: 930 → 1365 MHz
* All configurations include 8-phase HyperEfficient graphics voltage regulation.
  • NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 3060
    6GB GDDR6 TGP: 115W Dynamic Boost: 15W Max Power: 130W Speed: 1387 → 1702 MHz
  • NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 3070
    8GB GDDR6 TGP: 125W Dynamic Boost: 15W Max Power: 140W Speed: 1215 → 1620 MHz
  • NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 3080
    16GB GDDR6 TGP: 150W Dynamic Boost: 15W Max Power: 165W Speed: 1350 → 1710 MHz
* All configurations include 12-phase HyperEfficient graphics voltage regulation.
Storage
  • 1 x M.2 2230 slots (Up to 256GB)
  • 2 x M.2 2280 slots (Up to 2TB each)
    Supports RAID-0
  • 2 x M.2 2280 slots (Up to 2TB each)
    Supports RAID-0

Connectivity

Alienware X15 R1Alienware X17 R1
Wi-FiRivet Killer Wi-Fi 6E AX1675x
Dual Band 2.4 GHz/5 GHz Up to 2400 Mbps WiFi 6 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax
Rivet Killer Wi-Fi 6E AX1675w
Triple Band 2.4GHz/5GHz/6GHz Up to 2400 Mbps WiFi 6 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax
BluetoothBluetooth 5.2Bluetooth 5.2
Ethernet-Killer E3100 2.5G Ethernet Controller
Transfer rate: 10/100/1000/2500 Mbps

Battery

Alienware X15 R1Alienware X17 R1
Size87 WHr, 6-cell smart lithium-ion battery87 WHr, 6-cell smart lithium-ion battery
Power Supply
240W
power adapter.
240W 330W
power adapter.

Software

Alienware X15 R1Alienware X17 R1
OS
Windows 10 Home Windows 10 Pro
Upgradable to Windows 11
Windows 10 Home Windows 10 Pro
Upgradable to Windows 11
Built-in Apps
  • Alienware Command Center
    AlienFX lighting Game Library Auto-tune game profile functionality Fusion Alienware Adrenalin Alienware Mobile Connect
  • Microsoft Office 365 (30-day trial)
  • Alienware Command Center
    AlienFX lighting Game Library Auto-tune game profile functionality Fusion Alienware Adrenalin Alienware Mobile Connect
  • Microsoft Office 365 (30-day trial)

Camera & Audio

Alienware X15 R1Alienware X17 R1
Camera
  • Front-facing camera.
    Alienware HD (1280x720 resolution) camera.
  • Optional Windows Hello IR support.
  • Front-facing camera.
    Alienware HD (1280x720 resolution) camera.
  • Windows Hello IR support.
Audio
  • Controller: Realtek ALC3281
    • 7.1 Digital Audio out using HDMI out connection
    • Alienware Sound Center via Alienware Command Center
  • Speakers:
    • 2 x 4W speakers
  • Microphone:
    • Dual-array microphones
  • Controller: Realtek ALC3281
    • 7.1 Digital Audio out using HDMI out connection
    • Alienware Sound Center via Alienware Command Center
  • Speakers:
    • 2 x 4W speakers
  • Microphone:
    • Dual-array microphones

Misc

Alienware X15 R1Alienware X17 R1
SensorsWindows Hello IR CameraWindows Hello IR Camera
Warranty1 Year Hardware Service with Onsite/In-Home Service After Remote Diagnosis1 Year Hardware Service with Onsite/In-Home Service After Remote Diagnosis

Key Features

Alienware X15 R1Alienware X17 R1
At Glance
Released in Mid
2021
16:9 QHD
15.6”
1440p 240Hz
Weight
5 lb
2.27 kg
Up to
Intel Core i9-11900H
8C/16T, 2.50 → 4.90 GHz
Geekbench 5
1,430
Single Core
Geekbench 5
8,121
Multi-Core
With integrated
Intel® UHD Graphics
32 Execution Units, 350 → 1450 MHz
Configurable up to
32GB
3200 MHz DDR4
Alienware X15 R1 Ports
Nvidia GeForce
RTX 3080
8GB GDDR6 90W TGP
Released in Mid
2021
16:9 4K UHD
17.3”
2160p 120Hz
Weight
6.65 lb
3.02 kg
Up to
Intel Core i9-11980HK
8C/16T, 3.30 → 5.00 GHz
Geekbench 5
1,646
Single Core
Geekbench 5
9,677
Multi-Core
With integrated
Intel® UHD Graphics
32 Execution Units, 350 → 1450 MHz
Upgradable up to
64GB
3466 MHz DDR4 XMP
Alienware X17 R1 Ports
Nvidia GeForce
RTX 3080
16GB GDDR6 150W TGP

Comparison Summary

Alienware X15 R1 vs. Alienware X17 R1

Dell has released the Alienware X15 R1, a 15.6-inch machine, in mid-2021. It is powered by up to an octa-core Intel Core i9-11900H with a boost clock speed up to 4.90 GHz. The laptop has a dedicated GPU option up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 with 8GB GDDR6 90W TGP.

On the other hand, we have the 17.3-inch Alienware X17 R1 was introduced by Dell around the same time in mid-2021. It comes with up to an octa-core Intel Core i9-11980HK with a boost clock speed up to 5.00 GHz. It has a dedicated GPU option up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 with 16GB GDDR6 150W TGP.

Geekbench 5 Single Core

Alienware X15 R11
11th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-11800H1,46689.06%
2
11th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-11900H1,43086.88%
Alienware X17 R11
11th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-11800H1,46689.06%
2
11th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-11980HK1,646100.00%
01,646

Geekbench 5 Multi Core

Alienware X15 R11
11th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-11800H7,90881.72%
2
11th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-11900H8,12183.92%
Alienware X17 R11
11th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-11800H7,90881.72%
2
11th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-11980HK9,677100.00%
09,677

The Alienware X15 R1 has a 15.6-inch display which is slightly smaller than the 17.3-inch Alienware X17 R1. In addition, The Alienware X15 R1 weighs 5 lbs. about 33% lighter than the 6.65 lbs. Alienware X17 R1. Moreover, measured at 14.16” x 10.915” x 0.626”, the Alienware X15 R1 is much more portable than the Alienware X17 R1 at 15.72” x 11.79” x 0.82”.

Alienware X15 R1Alienware X17 R1

Moving over to upgradability, Dell claims that the Alienware X15 R1 supports up to 32GB 3200 MHz DDR4 memory. However, it has an onboard memory module that is not upgradable by the users. Fortunately, it comes with two M.2 slots that users can easily upgrade and install an additional SSD to expand the storage on the device.

For Alienware X17 R1, it supports up to 64GB 3466 MHz DDR4 XMP memory that you can upgrade with two memory module slots on the motherboard. It also has two M.2 slots that users can easily swap or add an extra SSD to get extra space when needed.

Comments

Ask questions or share your thought and experience about the comparison between Alienware X15 R1 and Alienware X17 R1.

Loading Comments...