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Alienware X17 R1 vs. Alienware X17 R2

Here is a side by side comparison between Alienware X17 R1 and Alienware X17 R2 specs including CPU, RAM, storage, battery, display, and more.

Key Differences

Compare With Please enter device name or part of it Alienware X17 R1 See at Amazon	Compare With Please enter device name or part of it Alienware X17 R2 See at Amazon

Alienware X17 R1 Pros

Reasons that Alienware X17 R1 is better than Alienware X17 R2.

Alienware X17 R1 supports a larger memory capacity than the Alienware X17 R2. It supports up to 64GB versus 32GB of system memory on the Alienware X17 R2.

Max system memory size

Alienware X17 R1

64 GB

Alienware X17 R2

32 GB

Alienware X17 R2 Pros

Reasons that Alienware X17 R2 is better than Alienware X17 R1.

Intel Core i9-12900HK inside Alienware X17 R2 has a 34% better multi-core CPU performance score than the Intel Core i9-11980HK inside Alienware X17 R1.

Geekbench 5 multi-core score

Alienware X17 R2 - Intel Core i9-12900HK

13,006

Alienware X17 R2 - Intel Core i7-12700H

11,774

Alienware X17 R1 - Intel Core i9-11980HK

9,677

Alienware X17 R1 - Intel Core i7-11800H

7,908

Alienware X17 R2 supports a faster memory speed than the Alienware X17 R1. It supports up to 4800MHz versus 3466MHz of system memory on the Alienware X17 R1.

Memory type and speed

Alienware X17 R2 - DDR5

4,800 MHz

Alienware X17 R1 - DDR4 XMP

3,466 MHz

Alienware X17 R1: Our analysis and reviews

What we like

Reasons to like about Alienware X17 R1.

Alienware X17 R1 exceed all minimum system requirements for Windows 11.

Requirements	Alienware X17 R1
Secure Boot	Yes
TPM 2.0	TPM 2.0
Processor	Intel Core i7-11800H → Intel Core i9-11980HK
4GB RAM	8GB → 64GB
64GB Drive	256GB → 4TB
2 Cores CPU	8 cores

Alienware X17 R1 comes with two M.2 slots that you can easily upgrade and install an additional SSD to expand the storage on the device. Learn more.

Two RAM slots. Learn more.

Configurable up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 16GB GDDR6 150W TGP

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 By Alienware $2,749.99	See at Amazon
	Dell Alienware X17 R2 Gaming Laptop (2022) \| 17.3" QHD \| Core i9 - 2TB SSD - 64GB RAM - 3080 Ti \| 14 Cores @ 5 GHz - 12th Gen CPU - 12GB GDDR6X Win 11 Home (Renewed) By Dell $4,069.11	See at Amazon
	Dell Alienware X17 R2 Gaming Laptop (2022) \| 17.3" FHD \| Core i9 - 1TB SSD - 64GB RAM - 3080 Ti \| 14 Cores @ 5 GHz - 12th Gen CPU - 12GB GDDR6X Win 11 Pro (Renewed) By Dell $3,506.27 Was: $4,163.74	See at Amazon
	Dell Alienware X17 R1 Gaming Laptop (2021) \| 17.3" FHD \| Core i7 - 1TB SSD - 32GB RAM - RTX 3070 \| 8 Cores @ 4.6 GHz - 11th Gen CPU - 8GB GDDR6 Win 11 Pro (Renewed) By Dell $2,649.00	See at Amazon
	Alienware X17 R1, 17.3 inch FHD 360Hz Non-Touch Gaming Laptop - Intel Core i7-11800H, 32GB DDR4 RAM, 1TB SSD, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 16GB GDDR6, Windows 11 Home - Lunar Light By Alienware $3,300.00	See at Amazon

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Alienware X17 R2: Our analysis and reviews

What we like

Reasons to like about Alienware X17 R2.

Alienware X17 R2 exceed all minimum system requirements for Windows 11.

Requirements	Alienware X17 R2
Secure Boot	Yes
TPM 2.0	TPM 2.0
Processor	Intel Core i7-12700H → Intel Core i9-12900HK
4GB RAM	16GB → 32GB
64GB Drive	256GB → 4TB
2 Cores CPU	14 cores

Alienware X17 R2 comes with two M.2 slots that you can easily upgrade and install an additional SSD to expand the storage on the device. Learn more.

Two RAM slots. Learn more.

Configurable up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti 16GB GDDR6

What's new

Improvements over its predecessor.

Intel Core i9-12900HK inside Alienware X17 R2 has a 34% better multi-core CPU performance score than the Intel Core i9-11980HK inside Alienware X17 R1.

Geekbench 5 multi-core score

Alienware X17 R2 - Intel Core i9-12900HK

13,006

Alienware X17 R2 - Intel Core i7-12700H

11,774

Alienware X17 R1 - Intel Core i9-11980HK

9,677

Alienware X17 R1 - Intel Core i7-11800H

7,908

Alienware X17 R2 supports a faster memory speed than the Alienware X17 R1. It supports up to 4800MHz versus 3466MHz of system memory on the Alienware X17 R1.

Memory type and speed

Alienware X17 R2 - DDR5

4,800 MHz

Alienware X17 R1 - DDR4 XMP

3,466 MHz

What's missing

Downsides over its predecessor.

Alienware X17 R2 supports a smaller memory capacity than the Alienware X17 R1. It only supports up to 32GB versus 64GB of system memory on the Alienware X17 R1.

Max system memory size

Alienware X17 R1

64 GB

Alienware X17 R2

32 GB

Alienware X17 R2 Price
	Alienware X17 R2 VR Ready Gaming Laptop - 17.3-inch FHD 360Hz 1ms Display, Core i7-12700H, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070Ti 8GB GDDR6, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi 6, USB-C, Windows 11 Home - White By Alienware $2,673.99	See at Amazon
	Dell Alienware X17 R2 Gaming Laptop (2022) \| 17.3" 4K \| Core i9 - 1TB SSD - 32GB RAM - RTX 3080 \| 14 Cores @ 5 GHz - 12th Gen CPU - 10GB GDDR6X Win 11 Home By Dell $3,199.00	See at Amazon
	Dell Alienware X17 R2 Gaming Laptop (2022) \| 17.3" FHD \| Core i7 - 1TB SSD + 1TB SSD - 16GB RAM - RTX 3060 \| 14 Cores @ 4.7 GHz - 12th Gen CPU - 12GB GDDR6 Win 11 Home (Renewed) By Dell $2,314.04	See at Amazon
	Dell Alienware X17 R2 Gaming Laptop (2022) \| 17.3" FHD \| Core i9 - 1TB SSD - 32GB RAM - RTX 3080 \| 14 Cores @ 5 GHz - 12th Gen CPU - 10GB GDDR6X Win 11 Pro By Dell $3,178.98	See at Amazon
	Dell Alienware X17 R2 Gaming Laptop (2022) \| 17.3" QHD \| Core i9 - 1TB SSD + 1TB SSD - 64GB RAM - 3080 Ti \| 14 Cores @ 5 GHz - 12th Gen CPU - 12GB GDDR6X Win 11 Pro (Renewed) By Dell $4,187.66 Was: $4,575.98	See at Amazon

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Key Features	Alienware X17 R1	Alienware X17 R2
At Glance	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 Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 16GB GDDR6 150W TGP	Released in Early 2022 16:9 4K UHD 17.3” 2160p 120Hz Weight 6.54 lb 2.97 kg Up to Intel Core i9-12900HK 14C/20T, 2.50 → 5.00 GHz Geekbench 5 1,798 Single Core Geekbench 5 13,006 Multi-Core With integrated Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics 96 Execution Units, 400 → 1450 MHz Upgradable up to 32GB 4800 MHz DDR5 Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti 16GB GDDR6

Availability	Alienware X17 R1	Alienware X17 R2
Released	2021	2022
Release Date	Available on June 1, 2021	Announced on January 4, 2022. Available starting in Winter 2022.
Pricing	$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	Starting at $2,299
Generations	2022 Alienware X17 R2 2021 Alienware X17 R1	2022 Alienware X17 R2 2021 Alienware X17 R1
Stores	See at Amazon	See at Amazon

Exterior	Alienware X17 R1	Alienware X17 R2
Size Comparison	Alienware X17 R1Alienware X17 R2
Dimensions	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.	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” (39 9.23 x 299.49 x 21.4 mm) With FHD 165Hz or UHD 120Hz diplay.
Weight	6.65 - 7.05 lbs (3.02 - 3.2 kg)	6.54 ~ 6.82 lbs. (2.96 - 3.09 kg)
Colors	Lunar light With High Endurance Clear Coat and Silky - Smooth Finish	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. Alienware's CherryMX ultra-low-profile mechanical laptop keyboard Per-key AlienFX lighting 1.8mm key travel Includes N-key rollover and anti-ghosting technology 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.
Chasis Information	-	Based on Alienware's Legend 2.0 industrial design language Constructed with CNC aluminum and magnesium alloy parts Engineered with Alienware Cryo-Tech™ Cooling technology Includes Alienware's Quad-Fan Design Patent-pending Element 31 thermal interface material Available with NVIDIA graphics options higher than 3060.

Display	Alienware X17 R1	Alienware X17 R2
Size	17.3 Inches	17.3 Inches
Info	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	17.3” FHD with 165Hz 1920 x 1080 127 PPI ComfortView Plus NVIDIA G-Sync Advanced Optimus 3ms response time 300 nits 16:9 100% sRGB Dolby Vision Anti-glare WVA 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 Dolby Vision Anti-glare WVA 17.3” UHD with 120Hz 3840 x 2160 255 PPI ComfortView Plus NVIDIA G-Sync Advanced Optimus 4ms response time 500 nits 16:9 99% DCI-P3 Dolby Vision Anti-glare WVA

Ports	Alienware X17 R1	Alienware X17 R2
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	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 4.0 (40 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) 1 x HDMI v2.1 1 x Mini DisplayPort v1.4 1 x RJ-45 2.5 Gbps 1 x microSD card slot

Internal Specs	Alienware X17 R1	Alienware X17 R2
Processor	11th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-11800H 8 cores, 16 threads, 2.30 → 4.60 GHz, 24MB SmartCache, 45W 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-11980HK 8 cores, 16 threads, 3.30 → 5.00 GHz, 24MB SmartCache, 65W	12th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-12700H 14 cores, 20 threads, 2.30 → 4.70 GHz, 24MB SmartCache, 45W 12th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-12900HK 14 cores, 20 threads, 2.50 → 5.00 GHz, 24MB SmartCache, 45W
Geekbench 5 Single Core Alienware X17 R11 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-11800H1,46681.54% 2 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-11980HK1,64691.55% Alienware X17 R21 12th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-12700H1,65892.21% 2 12th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-12900HK1,798100.00% 01,798 Geekbench 5 Multi Core Alienware X17 R11 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-11800H7,90860.80% 2 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-11980HK9,67774.40% Alienware X17 R21 12th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-12700H11,77490.53% 2 12th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-12900HK13,006100.00% 013,006
Integrated Graphics	11th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-11800H Intel® UHD Graphics 32 Execution Units, 350 → 1450 MHz 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-11980HK Intel® UHD Graphics 32 Execution Units, 350 → 1450 MHz	12th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-12700H Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics 96 Execution Units, 400 → 1400 MHz 12th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-12900HK Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics 96 Execution Units, 400 → 1450 MHz
Memory	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	16GB 32GB Dual Channel DDR5 4800MHz Memory Slots 2 x DDR5 SODIMM slots. Memory Configurations Speed: 4800MHz Memory Type: Dual-channel DDR5 Minimum Memory: 16 GB Maximum Memory: 32 GB
Discrete Graphics	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.	NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 3060 - 6GB GDDR6 NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 30 Series Laptop Graphics NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 30 Series Laptop Graphics * Up to 12-phase HyperEfficient graphics voltage regulation.
Storage	2 x M.2 2280 slots (Up to 2TB each) Supports RAID-0	Storage slots: 2 x M.2 2280 PCIe slots Single Storage Configuration 256GB 512GB 1TB 2TB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD Dual Storage Configuration 512GB 1TB 2TB 4TB RAID-0 (2 x PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD)

Connectivity	Alienware X17 R1	Alienware X17 R2
Wi-Fi	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	Killer Wi-Fi 6E AX1675 Dual Band 2.4 GHz/5 GHz WiFi 6E 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 5.2	Bluetooth 5.2
Ethernet	Killer E3100 2.5G Ethernet Controller Transfer rate: 10/100/1000/2500 Mbps	Killer E3100 2.5G Ethernet Controller Transfer rate: 10/100/1000/2500 Mbps

Battery	Alienware X17 R1	Alienware X17 R2
Size	87 WHr, 6-cell smart lithium-ion battery	87 WHr, 6-cell smart lithium-ion battery
Power Supply	240W 330W power adapter.	240W 330W power adapter.

Software

Alienware X17 R1

Alienware X17 R2

Windows 10 Home Windows 10 Pro

Upgradable to Windows 11

Windows 11

Home 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)

Alienware Command Center Dashboard navigates all features, including themes, system performance, and overclocking.

Five Tailored Power States
full speed performance balanced quiet battery saver
Game Library to manage titles from multiple services
FX supports full RBG values up to 16.8 million colors
Power Management adjusts power plans with a game
Overclocking controls system performance and overclocking profiles
Sound Center dials in the perfect sound by managing sound profiles, audio effects, and Audio Recon

AlienFX Lighting Detail

Programmable with up to 16.8 million distinct colors
Rear stadium lighting is now engineered with 90 micro-LEDs for a bold new look

Camera & Audio	Alienware X17 R1	Alienware X17 R2
Camera	Front-facing camera. Alienware HD (1280x720 resolution) camera. 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 X17 R1	Alienware X17 R2
Sensors	Windows Hello IR Camera	Windows Hello IR Camera
Security	-	Windows Hello IR camera for Facial Biometrics
Warranty	1 Year Hardware Service with Onsite/In-Home Service After Remote Diagnosis	1 Year Hardware Service with Onsite/In-Home Service After Remote Diagnosis