Alienware X17 R1 vs. Razer Blade 15 Base Edition (Mid 2021): Which is better?

Here is a side by side comparison between Alienware X17 R1 and Razer Blade 15 Base Edition (Mid 2021) specs including CPU, RAM, storage, battery, display, and more.

Alienware X17 R1 Pros

Reasons that Alienware X17 R1 is better than Razer Blade 15 Base Edition (Mid 2021).

Significantly faster CPU performance

Intel Core i9-11980HK inside Alienware X17 R1 has a 22% better multi-core CPU performance score than the Intel Core i7-11800H inside Razer Blade 15 Base Edition (Mid 2021).

Geekbench 5 multi-core score
Alienware X17 R1 - Intel Core i9-11980HK
9,677
Alienware X17 R1 - Intel Core i7-11800H
7,908
Razer Blade 15 Base Edition (Mid 2021) - Intel Core i7-11800H
7,908
Supports faster memory

Alienware X17 R1 supports a faster memory speed than the Razer Blade 15 Base Edition (Mid 2021). It supports up to 3466MHz versus 3200MHz of system memory on the Razer Blade 15 Base Edition (Mid 2021).

Memory type and speed
Alienware X17 R1 - DDR4 XMP
3,466 MHz
Razer Blade 15 Base Edition (Mid 2021) - DDR4
3,200 MHz
10% larger display

Alienware X17 R1 has a 17.3-inch screen size 10% larger than the 15.6-inch Razer Blade 15 Base Edition (Mid 2021).

Display size
Alienware X17 R1
17.3-inch
Razer Blade 15 Base Edition (Mid 2021)
15.6-inch

Razer Blade 15 Base Edition (Mid 2021) Pros

Reasons that Razer Blade 15 Base Edition (Mid 2021) is better than Alienware X17 R1.

About 31% lighter

Razer Blade 15 Base Edition (Mid 2021) weighed 4.6 pounds, 31% lighter than the 6.65 pounds Alienware X17 R1.

WeightAlienware X17 R1Razer Blade 15 Base Edition (Mid 2021)
Pound
6.65 lbs.
4.6 lbs.
Kilogram
3.02 kg
2.09 kg

Key Similars

Similar characteristics share between Alienware X17 R1 and Razer Blade 15 Base Edition (Mid 2021).

Supports the same maximum memory size of up to 64GB

Both laptops supports up to 64GB of system memory.

Max system memory size
Alienware X17 R1
64 GB
Razer Blade 15 Base Edition (Mid 2021)
64 GB
Upgradable memory

Both laptops come with available RAM slots that allow you to replace or upgrade when needed.

MemoryAlienware X17 R1Razer Blade 15 Base Edition (Mid 2021)
Slots
x2
x2
TypeDDR4 XMPDDR4

Prices

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

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
Razer Blade 15 Base Edition 2021 11800H Price
Razer Blade 15 Base Gaming Laptop 2020: Intel Core i7-10750H 6-Core, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti, 15.6" FHD 1080p 120Hz, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD, CNC Aluminum, Chroma RGB Lighting, Black,Windows 10 Home
Razer Blade 15 Base Gaming Laptop 2020: Intel Core i7-10750H 6-Core, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti, 15.6" FHD 1080p 120Hz, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD, CNC Aluminum, Chroma RGB Lighting, Black,Windows 10 Home
By Razer
$1,599.00
Razer Blade 16 Gaming Laptop: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090-13th Gen Intel 24-Core i9 HX CPU - 16" Dual Mode Mini LED (4K UHD+ 120Hz & FHD+ 240Hz) - 32GB RAM - 2TB SSD - Compact GaN Charger - Windows 11
Razer Blade 16 Gaming Laptop: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090-13th Gen Intel 24-Core i9 HX CPU - 16" Dual Mode Mini LED (4K UHD+ 120Hz & FHD+ 240Hz) - 32GB RAM - 2TB SSD - Compact GaN Charger - Windows 11
By Razer
$3,801.62
$4,299.99 12% OFF
Razer Blade 16 (2024) Gaming Laptop: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 - Intel Core i9-14900HX 14th Gen CPU - 16" OLED QHD+ 240Hz Display - 16GB RAM - 1TB SSD - Aluminum Unibody - Windows 11 - Chroma RGB
Razer Blade 16 (2024) Gaming Laptop: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 - Intel Core i9-14900HX 14th Gen CPU - 16" OLED QHD+ 240Hz Display - 16GB RAM - 1TB SSD - Aluminum Unibody - Windows 11 - Chroma RGB
By Razer
$2,999.99

Availability

Alienware X17 R1Razer Blade 15 Base Edition (Mid 2021)
Released20212021
Release DateAvailable on June 1, 2021Announced on July 14, 2021.
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
  • $1,799.99
    i7-11800H 16GB 512GB RTX 3060 144Hz
  • $2,099.99
    i7-11800H 16GB 512GB RTX 3070 144Hz
  • $2,299.99
    i7-11800H 16GB 512GB RTX 3070 165Hz
Generations-

Exterior

Alienware X17 R1Razer Blade 15 Base Edition (Mid 2021)
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.
13.98” x 9.25” x 0.78” (355 mm x 235 mm x 19.9 mm)
Weight6.65 - 7.05 lbs (3.02 - 3.2 kg)4.6 lbs (2.09 kg)
Colors
Lunar light
With High Endurance Clear Coat and Silky - Smooth Finish
Anodized 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 keyboard.
    • Single-zone RGB powered by Razer Chroma™
    • Anti-ghosting keyboard
  • Precise Glass Touchpad
    • A large, clickable glass touchpad with Microsoft Precision Touchpad support.

Display

Alienware X17 R1Razer Blade 15 Base Edition (Mid 2021)
Size17.3 Inches15.6 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
  • 15.6” FHD 144Hz
    1920 x 1080 16:9 144Hz IPS 100% sRGB 8ms response time 4.9 mm side bezel factory calibrated
  • 15.6” QHD 165Hz
    2560 x 1440 16:9 165Hz IPS 100% DCI-P3 3ms response time 4.9 mm side bezel factory calibrated

Ports

Alienware X17 R1Razer Blade 15 Base Edition (Mid 2021)
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
Left
  • 1 x USB-C
    Supports USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gbps).
  • 2 x USB-A 
    Supports USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gbps).
  • 1 x HDMI 2.1
    Supports up to 4K@120Hz.
  • 1 x Kensington lock slot.
Right
  • 1 x USB-A
    Supports USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gbps).
  • 1 x USB-C
    Supports Thunderbolt 4.
  • 1 x RJ-45 Gigabit Ethernet port.
  • 1 x 3.5mm combo audio jack.
  • 1 x AC power port.

Internal Specs

Alienware X17 R1Razer Blade 15 Base Edition (Mid 2021)
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™ i9-11980HK
    8 cores, 16 threads, 3.30 → 5.00 GHz, 24MB SmartCache, 65W
  1. 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-11800H
    8 cores, 16 threads, 2.30 → 4.60 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™ i9-11980HK
    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
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
Memory Slots
  • 2 x DDR4 SODIMM slots
Memory Configurations
  • Speed: 3200 MHz
  • Memory Type: Non-ECC Single or Dual-Channel
  • Minimum Memory: 4GB
  • Maximum Memory: 64B
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 Max Power: 95W 3840 CUDA cores. Speed: up to 1530 MHz
  • NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 3070
    8GB GDDR6 Max Power: 95W 5120 CUDA cores. Speed: up to 1410 MHz
Storage
  • 2 x M.2 2280 slots (Up to 2TB each)
    Supports RAID-0
Storage Slots
  • 2 x M.2 PCIe 4.0 x4 slots
Storage Configurations
  • Up to 2 x 2TB SSD

Connectivity

Alienware X17 R1Razer Blade 15 Base Edition (Mid 2021)
Wi-FiRivet Killer Wi-Fi 6E AX1675w
Triple Band 2.4GHz/5GHz/6GHz Up to 2400 Mbps WiFi 6 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax
Intel AX201
Up to 2400 Mbps Dual band 2.4 GHz/5 GHz WiFi 6 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax Bluetooth 5.1
BluetoothBluetooth 5.2Bluetooth 5.1
EthernetKiller E3100 2.5G Ethernet Controller
Transfer rate: 10/100/1000/2500 Mbps
Gigabit LAN
Speed: 10/100/1000 Mbps.

Battery

Alienware X17 R1Razer Blade 15 Base Edition (Mid 2021)
Size87 WHr, 6-cell smart lithium-ion battery65Wh
Lithium-ion polymer battery.
Battery Life-Up to 6 hours of battery life
Power Supply
240W 330W
power adapter.
230W
Proprietary AC Adapter.

Software

Alienware X17 R1Razer Blade 15 Base Edition (Mid 2021)
OS
Windows 10 Home Windows 10 Pro
Upgradable to Windows 11
Windows 10 Home 64-bit
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)
Razer Synapse 3 enabled with programmable keyboard

Camera & Audio

Alienware X17 R1Razer Blade 15 Base Edition (Mid 2021)
Camera
  • Front-facing camera.
    Alienware HD (1280x720 resolution) camera.
  • Windows Hello IR support.
Front-facing camera
Top-mount front camera, 1 Megapixel (720p HD).
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
  • Built-in stereo speakers
  • THX® Spatial Audio
  • 3.5mm headphone/microphone combo port
  • Dolby® Atmos support, 7.1 Codec support (via HDMI)
  • Built-in array microphone

Misc

Alienware X17 R1Razer Blade 15 Base Edition (Mid 2021)
SensorsWindows Hello IR Camera-
Security-
  • Intel® Platform Trust Technology (Intel® PTT) security embedded
  • Kensington™ Security Slot
In the box-
  • Razer Blade 15" Base Edition
  • Power adapter + regional power cord
  • Micro-fiber cleaning cloth
  • Important Product Information Guide
Warranty1 Year Hardware Service with Onsite/In-Home Service After Remote Diagnosis-

Key Features

Alienware X17 R1Razer Blade 15 Base Edition (Mid 2021)
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
Alienware X17 R1 Ports
Nvidia GeForce
RTX 3080
16GB GDDR6 150W TGP
Released in Mid
2021
16:9 QHD
15.6”
1440p 165Hz
Weight
4.6 lb
2.09 kg
Powered By
Intel Core i7-11800H
8C/16T, 2.30 → 4.60 GHz
Geekbench 5
1,466
Single Core
Geekbench 5
7,908
Multi-Core
With integrated
Intel® UHD Graphics
32 Execution Units, 350 → 1450 MHz
Upgradable up to
64GB
3200 MHz DDR4
NVIDIA GeForce
RTX 3070
8GB GDDR6 Max at 95W

Comparison Summary

Alienware X17 R1 vs. Razer Blade 15 Base Edition (Mid 2021)

Dell has released the Alienware X17 R1, a 17.3-inch machine, in mid-2021. It is powered by up to an octa-core Intel Core i9-11980HK with a boost clock speed up to 5.00 GHz. The laptop has a dedicated GPU option up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 with 16GB GDDR6 150W TGP.

On the other hand, we have the 15.6-inch Blade 15 Base Edition (Mid 2021) was introduced by Razer around the same time in mid-2021. It comes with an octa-core Intel Core i7-11800H with a boost clock speed up to 4.60 GHz. It has a dedicated GPU option up to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 with 8GB GDDR6 Max at 95W.

Geekbench 5 Single Core

Alienware X17 R11
11th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-11800H1,46689.06%
2
11th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-11980HK1,646100.00%
Razer Blade 15 Base Edition (Mid 2021)1
11th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-11800H1,46689.06%
01,646

Geekbench 5 Multi Core

Alienware X17 R11
11th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-11800H7,90881.72%
2
11th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-11980HK9,677100.00%
Razer Blade 15 Base Edition (Mid 2021)1
11th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-11800H7,90881.72%
09,677

The Alienware X17 R1 has a 17.3-inch display which is slightly larger than the 15.6-inch Razer Blade 15 Base Edition (Mid 2021). In addition, the Alienware X17 R1 weighs 6.65 lbs. about 44% heavier than the 4.6 lbs. Razer Blade 15 Base Edition (Mid 2021). Moreover, measured at 15.72” x 11.79” x 0.82”, the Alienware X17 R1 is much bulkier than the Razer Blade 15 Base Edition (Mid 2021) at 13.98” x 9.25” x 0.78”.

Alienware X17 R1Razer Blade 15 Base Edition (Mid 2021)

Moving over to upgradability, Dell claims that the Alienware X17 R1 supports up to 64GB 3466 MHz DDR4 XMP memory that you can upgrade with two memory module slots on the motherboard. It also comes with two M.2 slots that users can easily upgrade and install an additional SSD to expand the storage on the device.

For Razer Blade 15 Base Edition (Mid 2021), it supports up to 64GB 3200 MHz DDR4 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.

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