Alienware X15 R1 vs. 2021 ROG Zephyrus M16: Which is better?

Here is a side by side comparison between Alienware X15 R1 and 2021 ROG Zephyrus M16 specs including CPU, RAM, storage, battery, display, and more.

Alienware X15 R1 Pros

We couldn't find any advantages of Alienware X15 R1 over 2021 ROG Zephyrus M16.

2021 ROG Zephyrus M16 Pros

Reasons that 2021 ROG Zephyrus M16 is better than Alienware X15 R1.

Supports larger memory

The 2021 ROG Zephyrus M16 supports a larger memory capacity than the Alienware X15 R1. It supports up to 48GB versus 32GB of system memory on the Alienware X15 R1.

Max system memory size
2021 ROG Zephyrus M16
48 GB
Alienware X15 R1
32 GB
Upgradable memory

The 2021 ROG Zephyrus M16 comes with one SODIMM slot 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 R12021 ROG Zephyrus M16
Slots
Onboard
x0,1
TypeDDR4DDR4
About 17% lighter

The 2021 ROG Zephyrus M16 weighed 4.19 pounds, 17% lighter than the 5 pounds Alienware X15 R1.

WeightAlienware X15 R12021 ROG Zephyrus M16
Pound
5 lbs.
4.19 lbs.
Kilogram
2.27 kg
1.90 kg

Key Similars

Similar characteristics share between Alienware X15 R1 and 2021 ROG Zephyrus M16.

Uses the same memory type and speed

Both laptops supports the same 3200MHz DDR4 RAM.

Memory type and speed
Alienware X15 R1 - DDR4
3,200 MHz
2021 ROG Zephyrus M16 - DDR4
3,200 MHz

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
2021 ROG Zephyrus M16 Price
Laptop Screen Assembly Compatible Replacement Spare Part for Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 2021 GU603 Series 16 inch 1920x1200 Matte IPS Non-Touch 144Hz WLED Panel Black Cover Hinges WebCam Cables LCD Display
Laptop Screen Assembly Compatible Replacement Spare Part for Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 2021 GU603 Series 16 inch 1920x1200 Matte IPS Non-Touch 144Hz WLED Panel Black Cover Hinges WebCam Cables LCD Display
By Generic
$287.49
Laptop Screen Assembly Compatible Replacement Spare Part for Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 2021 GU603 Series 16 inch 2560x1600 Matte IPS Non-Touch 165Hz WLED Panel Black Cover Hinges WebCam Cables LCD Display
Laptop Screen Assembly Compatible Replacement Spare Part for Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 2021 GU603 Series 16 inch 2560x1600 Matte IPS Non-Touch 165Hz WLED Panel Black Cover Hinges WebCam Cables LCD Display
By Generic
$356.49
ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 (2022) GU603ZM-M16.I73060 (Intel Core i7-12700H Processor, 16GB RAM, 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 6GB Graphics, 16" WUXGA 165Hz, Windows 11) - Black
ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 (2022) GU603ZM-M16.I73060 (Intel Core i7-12700H Processor, 16GB RAM, 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 6GB Graphics, 16" WUXGA 165Hz, Windows 11) - Black
By ASUS
$1,192.99

Availability

Alienware X15 R12021 ROG Zephyrus M16
Released20212021
Release DateAvailable on June 1, 2021Announced on May 11, 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
-
Generations

Exterior

Alienware X15 R12021 ROG Zephyrus M16
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.
13.98” x 9.57” x 0.78” - 0.88” (355 x 243 x 19.9 - 22.3 mm)
Weight5 - 5.2 lbs (2.27 - 2.36 kg)4.19 lbs (1.9 kg)
Colors
Lunar light
Black
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.
  • Full-size backlit chicklet keyboard
    1.7 mm key travel Overstroke technology Aura Sync N key rollover
  • Hotkeys
    Volume up Volume down Microphone mute ROG Armoury Crate
  • Integrated Fingerprint Sensor
  • Trackpad - 20% larger and more accurate glass precision trackpad.

Display

Alienware X15 R12021 ROG Zephyrus M16
Size15.6 Inches16 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
16” WQXVGA 165Hz Display
16:10 Aspect Ratio 2560 x 1600 IPS 165Hz refresh rate 3ms response time Patone Validated 100% DCI-P3

Ports

Alienware X15 R12021 ROG Zephyrus M16
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
2021 ROG Zephyrus M16 Ports
Image Source: ASUS
Left (6)
  • 1 x Thunderbolt 4
    40 Gpbs, USB 4.0 (40 Gbps), DisplayPort, 100W Power Delivery
  • 1 x USB-C
    USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps), DisplayPort, 100W Power Delivery
  • 1 x USB-A
    USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps)
  • 1 x HDMI
    v2.0b
  • 1 x RJ-45
    1 Gbps
  • 1 x headphone jack
Right (3)
  • 1 x USB-A
    USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps)
  • 1 x microSD card slot
    v4.0
  • 1 x lock slot

Internal Specs

Alienware X15 R12021 ROG Zephyrus M16
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™ i9-11900H
    8 cores, 16 threads, 2.50 → 4.90 GHz, 24MB SmartCache, 45W
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™ i9-11900H
    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
Up to 48GB DDR4 3200MHz SDRAM
1 x 16GB on-board memory and 1 x SO-DIMM slot up to 32GB of DDR4 SDRAM.
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™ 3050 Ti
    Supports ROG Boost up to 1585MHz at 60W (75W with Dynamic Boost).
  • NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 3060 - 6GB GDDR6
    Supports ROG Boost up to 1525MHz at 80W (95W with Dynamic Boost).
  • NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 3070 - 8GB GDDR6
    Supports ROG Boost up to 1390MHz at 80W (100W with Dynamic Boost).
Storage
  • 1 x M.2 2230 slots (Up to 256GB)
  • 2 x M.2 2280 slots (Up to 2TB each)
    Supports RAID-0
  • Single
    • 512GB 1TB
      M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD
  • Dual
    • 512GB+512GB 1TB+1TB
      M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD
      Supports RAID 0.

Connectivity

Alienware X15 R12021 ROG Zephyrus M16
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
Intel® Wi-Fi 6 with Gig+ performance (802.11ax)
BluetoothBluetooth 5.2Bluetooth 5.2
Ethernet- Gigabit LAN
Speed: 10/100/1000 Mbps.

Battery

Alienware X15 R12021 ROG Zephyrus M16
Size87 WHr, 6-cell smart lithium-ion battery90 Wh
4-cell Li-ion battery
Battery Life-Up to 10 hours
Video Playback.
Power Supply
240W
power adapter.
  • 240W power adaptor
    Propriety charger.
  • Supports charging via USB-C
    Supports USB Type-C PD 3.0 up to 10W.

Software

Alienware X15 R12021 ROG Zephyrus M16
OS
Windows 10 Home Windows 10 Pro
Upgradable to Windows 11
Windows 10 Pro
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)
Armoury Crate 1M Xbox Game Pass GameVisual Scenario Profiles

Camera & Audio

Alienware X15 R12021 ROG Zephyrus M16
Camera
  • Front-facing camera.
    Alienware HD (1280x720 resolution) camera.
  • Optional Windows Hello IR support.
HD Front-facing camera
720p (1280 x 720) camera.
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
  • 2 x 2W tweeter
  • 4 x 2W woofer with Smart Amp Technology
  • Audio by Dolby Atmos
  • Built-in array microphone
  • AI mic noise-canceling

Misc

Alienware X15 R12021 ROG Zephyrus M16
SensorsWindows Hello IR CameraFingerprint sensor on power button
Security-
  • BIOS Administrator Password and User Password Protection
  • Kensington Lock
  • Fingerprint Authentication
Warranty1 Year Hardware Service with Onsite/In-Home Service After Remote Diagnosis-

Key Features

Alienware X15 R12021 ROG Zephyrus M16
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
16:10 WQXVGA
16”
1600p 165Hz
Weight
4.19 lb
1.90 kg
Powered By
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
Upgradable up to
48GB
3200 MHz DDR4
2021 ROG Zephyrus M16 Ports
Nvidia GeForce
RTX 3070
8GB GDDR6 80W TGP

Comparison Summary

Alienware X15 R1 vs. 2021 ROG Zephyrus M16

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 16-inch ROG Zephyrus M16 was introduced by ASUS around the same time in mid-2021. It comes with an octa-core Intel Core i9-11900H with a boost clock speed up to 4.90 GHz. It has a dedicated GPU option up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 with 8GB GDDR6 80W TGP.

Geekbench 5 Single Core

Alienware X15 R11
11th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-11800H1,466100.00%
2
11th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-11900H1,43097.54%
2021 ROG Zephyrus M161
11th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-11900H1,43097.54%
01,466

Geekbench 5 Multi Core

Alienware X15 R11
11th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-11800H7,90897.38%
2
11th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-11900H8,121100.00%
2021 ROG Zephyrus M161
11th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-11900H8,121100.00%
08,121

The Alienware X15 R1 has a 15.6-inch display which is quite similar size to the 16-inch 2021 ROG Zephyrus M16. In addition, the Alienware X15 R1 weighs 5 lbs. about 19% heavier than the 4.19 lbs. 2021 ROG Zephyrus M16. Moreover, measured at 14.16” x 10.915” x 0.626”, the Alienware X15 R1 is much more portable than the 2021 ROG Zephyrus M16 at 13.98” x 9.57” x 0.88”.

Alienware X15 R12021 ROG Zephyrus M16

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 2021 ROG Zephyrus M16, it supports up to 48GB 3200 MHz DDR4 memory that you can upgrade with 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 2021 ROG Zephyrus M16.

Loading Comments...