The Apple MacBook Air may offer greater portability and battery life, making it a suitable option for general use, media consumption, or for professionals needing a lightweight machine to work on the go. In contrast, the Dell Alienware m15 R7 is designed for high-performance tasks such as gaming, 3D modeling, or machine learning applications; however, this comes at the cost of reduced battery life and increased bulk, affecting its portability. If performance in resource-intensive applications is your priority and you don't mind the extra weight, the Alienware could be the right choice. If you prefer a sleek, lightweight laptop with longer battery life for everyday tasks, the MacBook Air is likely the better option. Choose based on whether your priority is performance or portability and battery life. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023)
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
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 m15 R7
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Very good overall display quality
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.5/10
7.8/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
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 m15 R7 is good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is limited in 3D performance by its integrated Apple M2 GPU which is fair, and a screen refresh rate of 60Hz not optimized for gaming, while the Dell Alienware m15 R7 boasts a superior Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti dedicated GPU for good 3D gaming performance, and a much higher 240Hz screen refresh rate for smoother visuals in fast-paced games. Additionally, the Alienware's ability to run a wider variety of popular games, as opposed to the MacBook Air's limited compatibility, further solidifies its advantage for gaming.
Engineering and Design
7.6/10
8.2/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 is very good for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is good.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Software Development
8.1/10
7.3/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is very good for software development, while the Dell Alienware m15 R7 is good.
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.
Screen Quality
7.8/10
8.2/10
15.3in
SIZE
15.6in
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
501.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has a better screen than the Dell Alienware m15 R7 for software development, and content creation, while the Dell Alienware m15 R7 has a better screen for gaming and AI.
For general use, the MacBook Air's display offers sharp resolution and high brightness, making it pleasant to view documents and videos, while the Dell Alienware m15 R7 also has a high-quality display but is typically brighter and may offer a slightly clearer picture. In engineering and design tasks, both laptops' screens provide wide color coverage, ensuring accurate color representation for precise work; however, the MacBook Air might edge out with better color accuracy pertinent to professional design work. When it comes to 3D, neither laptop is ideal, as they lack the high refresh rates required for smooth rendering of 3D graphics, though their resolutions and panel types are sufficient for moderate 3D tasks.
Battery
15.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has 15 hours of battery life. The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has 5 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
15.3in
SIZE
15.6in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
5.9 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has very good portability, while the Dell Alienware m15 R7 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 15 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the Dell Alienware m15 R7 has very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,299
$2,200
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has a price of $1,299 and the Dell Alienware m15 R7 costs $2,200.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and Dell Alienware m15 R7 are both good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) excels for general use due to its high-quality display, exceptional keyboard and speaker quality, silent operation, and long battery life, all packed in a slim and highly portable design that's coupled with a capable Apple M2 processor and 8 GB of RAM for smooth multitasking.
Content Creation
8.0/10
7.5/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) to be very good for content creation, while the Dell Alienware m15 R7 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.
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How the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and the Dell Alienware m15 R7 compare to other laptops
"The Apple MacBook Air 15 is boringly good. The new MacBook Air 15 is a very good, but also boring device, because apart from the larger screen and the higher price, there are no differences compared to the smaller MacBook Air M2 from last year. No new processor, no additional ports, just the usual basic hardware - but the overall package is extremely good and it simply works. Above all, the lack of fans is an aspect that should not be underestimated in everyday use. In our opinion, the Air could be a lot better, but Apple goes easy on itself here."
"The Alienware M15 offers solid gaming and leading endurance. It makes the most of its CPU and GPU while delivering stellar battery life for a gaming laptop. Opening the lid presents a full-size keyboard with honeycomb cutouts above it on the deck. An oblong RBG lightning element surrounds the entire rear panel and can be color-synced with the other lights on the laptop. There’s not a lot to dislike about the M15 Its productivity performance lagged in some areas, particularly in the storage benchmark, and it’s a bit heavy. Alienware has a clear winner here with the M15 based on its strong overall performance and endurance."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) or the Dell Alienware m15 R7
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
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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