When deciding between the Apple MacBook Air (2020) and the Dell Alienware m16 R2, consider that the MacBook Air is lighter and more portable with longer battery life, making it suitable for everyday tasks and on-the-go use. The Alienware, on the other hand, offers superior performance for demanding applications like 3D modeling, machine learning, and gaming but comes at a higher price and with reduced portability and battery life. Give Feedback
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Advantages of the Apple MacBook Air (2020)
Best in class overall build quality
Very good portability
Excellent battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Dell Alienware m16 R2
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Very good overall display quality
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.2/10
7.9/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 is good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Air (2020) is only fair.
The Dell Alienware m16 R2, equipped with a superior GPU and higher screen refresh rate, excels in gaming and 3D applications, providing smoother visuals crucial for fast-paced games. In contrast, the Apple MacBook Air, while offering a high-quality screen and a decent CPU, falls behind in gaming performance due to its less powerful graphics capabilities and the limited selection of popular games that run on macOS.
Engineering and Design
7.3/10
8.4/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 is very good for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Air (2020) is good.
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 offers higher performance with a stronger CPU, more RAM, and a superior GPU, which are crucial for demanding engineering tasks and design software that require robust processing capabilities, especially in 3D modeling or simulation, but it is heavier and bulkier, making it less portable than the lightweight Apple MacBook Air. The MacBook Air, while more portable and offering a high-quality screen and keyboard, may not handle intensive engineering applications as smoothly due to its less powerful internal hardware compared to the Alienware.
Screen Quality
7.5/10
8.2/10
13.3in
SIZE
16.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
395.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
302.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has a better screen than the Apple MacBook Air for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The MacBook Air is appreciated for its vibrant screen and high resolution, which ensures crisp text and clear images ideal for everyday tasks, but it isn't geared towards 3D applications due to its standard refresh rate. The Dell Alienware m16 R2 encompasses a wider color spectrum and high resolution, catering well to the precision required in engineering and design but falls short for gaming and 3D, where it lacks a high refresh rate, essential for smooth motion. Both laptops offer screens that perform well in their mainstream and professional uses but don't align with the high-refresh demands of 3D experiences.
Battery
15.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air has 15 hours of battery life. The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has 6 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
Portability
Very Good
Fair
13.3in
SIZE
16.0in
2.8 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has very good portability, while the Dell Alienware m16 R2 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
8.5/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has best in class build quality, while the Dell Alienware m16 R2 has very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,000
$1,650
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has a price of $1,000 and the Dell Alienware m16 R2 costs $1,650.
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 and Apple MacBook Air (2020) are both good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Air, with its efficient CPU and lower RAM, provides a balance between performance and battery life, making it lightweight and highly portable for on-the-go usage, while the screen quality is suitable for everyday tasks. On the other hand, the Dell Alienware m16 R2, designed with a high-performance CPU and more RAM, offers a superior screen for visually intensive tasks, at the expense of being heavier and having a shorter battery life, making it a powerhouse better suited for gaming or engineering software.
Content Creation
7.8/10
7.9/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 and Apple MacBook Air (2020) are both good for content creation.
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, video editing and other content creation tasks.
Software Development
7.7/10
7.6/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and Dell Alienware m16 R2 are both good for software development.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
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How the Apple MacBook Air (2020) and the Dell Alienware m16 R2 compare to other laptops
"The Apple MacBook Air M2 Entry is a very good, but too expensive daily MacBook. The new MacBook Air M2 is undoubtedly once again a very good mobile companion, but we are still a little bit disappointed on a very high level, which is definitely connected with the increased price point. The new chassis is extremely slim and the front edge is no problem during typing, but the bezels are pretty wide for a modern device and in addition with the vertical space required for the notch, the new Air has larger footprint than some Windows rivals."
"Alienware’s m16 R2 is a solid gaming laptop that leaves much to be desired, particularly in its quest to fulfill your needs as a product for productivity. Battery life under eight hours and a dim display are both vital issues for something that will accompany you through school projects or a workday. However, the Alienware m16 R2 is an exceedingly powerful gaming laptop, consistently being one of the best in our performance tests when compared against similar products. Even then, its display is lacking color, its fans get pretty darn loud, and its speakers aren’t punchy enough to rise above that noise."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air (2020) or the Dell Alienware m16 R2
About Apple
Apple, an American technology company, is one of the world’s largest company in terms of market capitalization. Their MacBook laptops feature a slim, minimalistic design, class-leading battery life, and premium display and speaker quality. In 2020 Apple switched from using Intel processors to their own silicon chips which have excellent performance and efficiency. The macOS operating system is the second most widely used OS, after Windows.
About Dell
Dell is a highly recognizable American technology company, and is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. Their laptops are very popular for both personal and professional use, and they also own the Alienware brand which makes mid to high end gaming laptops. Their premium XPS range of laptops offer great build quality and portability, while Latitude and Precision laptops are known for reliability, repairability and performance for business users.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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