The Apple MacBook Air is more wallet-friendly and known for efficient performance with everyday tasks, exceptional portability thanks to its lightweight and slim design, and its fanless operation provides a silent experience. It runs macOS which some users prefer for its smooth integration with other Apple devices. On the other hand, the Dell Alienware m18 R1 is considerably more expensive but offers robust performance for gaming, 3D modeling, and engineering software with its high-end graphics card and powerful processor. It boasts a larger screen and high refresh rate suitable for an immersive gaming experience but is much heavier, making it less portable. The Dell's Windows operating system is more commonly used for a wider range of software, including gaming and enterprise applications. Thus, if you're looking for portability and general use at a lower cost, the MacBook Air stands out, while for intense gaming or computational tasks, the Alienware, despite its higher price and lower portability, would be the superior choice. Give Feedback
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Advantages of the Apple MacBook Air (2022)
Best in class overall build quality
Excellent portability
Excellent battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Dell Alienware m18 R1
Very good for general use
Excellent for engineering and design
Excellent for gaming and AI
Very good for content creation
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.4/10
9.1/10
4.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.8/10
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Air (2022) is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has an integrated GPU and a standard screen refresh rate, which is adequate for some 3D tasks but limited for high-end gaming or advanced 3D rendering. In contrast, the Dell Alienware m18 R1 boasts a high-performance dedicated Nvidia graphics card and a high screen refresh rate, making it a superior choice for gaming and professional 3D applications, not to mention its compatibility with a broader range of games, unlike many that are not runnable on Macs.
Engineering and Design
7.5/10
9.1/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
4.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Air (2022) is good.
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) with its efficient M2 processor offers good performance for engineering and design applications, complemented by excellent color accuracy and portability due to its lightweight form factor. Conversely, the Dell Alienware m18 R1 features a more powerful CPU and dedicated graphics unit alongside expanded RAM, which translates to superior performance for demanding tasks despite being heavier and less portable.
Screen Quality
7.6/10
7.8/10
13.6in
SIZE
17.3in
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
486.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
281.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air has a better screen than the Dell Alienware m18 R1 for general use, and engineering and design, while the Dell Alienware m18 R1 has a better screen for gaming and AI, and software development.
The MacBook Air's screen excels in general use due to its high resolution and brightness, providing crisp and clear visuals, while its wide color gamuts cater to precision needed in engineering and design work. However, its lower refresh rate makes it less suitable for 3D applications, where fluid motion is key. On the other hand, the Dell Alienware m18 R1, while offering good resolution and brightness for daily tasks and sufficient color accuracy for design, falls short in gaming and 3D due to its poorer refresh rate compared to specialized gaming laptops.
Battery
15.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air has 15 hours of battery life. The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has 4 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
Excellent
Poor
13.6in
SIZE
17.3in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
8.9 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has excellent portability, while the Dell Alienware m18 R1 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
8.5/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has best in class build quality, while the Dell Alienware m18 R1 has very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$899
$2,600
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has a price of $899 and the Dell Alienware m18 R1 costs $2,600.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Alienware m18 R1 to be very good for general use, while the Apple MacBook Air (2022) is good.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Content Creation
7.9/10
8.4/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Alienware m18 R1 to be very good for content creation, while the Apple MacBook Air (2022) is good.
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
8.0/10
8.0/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) and Dell Alienware m18 R1 are both very 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 (2022) and the Dell Alienware m18 R1 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."
"Dell's Alienware m18 delivers on its promises: This is a large, powerful gaming laptop with the premium flair and feel you expect from an expensive purchase. The drawbacks are really the price and battery life, which in context are reasonable. (We'd also like to see more ports on the laptop's sides.) This price tier exists for deep-pocketed enthusiasts, and if you’re considering anything in this range, the m18 isn’t an outlier. For the majority of shoppers, of course, all of these mighty 18-inch systems are likely too expensive."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air (2022) or the Dell Alienware m18 R1
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.
By the numbers
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About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.