The MacBook Air is generally more affordable and offers a larger 15.3-inch screen, a fanless design for silent operation, high screen brightness and color coverage, and a lightweight build which makes it very portable. Its battery is also rated to last longer for typical use, making it suitable for general use and tasks that benefit from great display quality. On the other hand, the Dell Alienware has a more powerful Intel processor and Nvidia graphics card, more RAM and storage, a higher refresh rate screen, and is designed with gaming in mind, making it more suited for 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering applications where performance is a priority. However, it is heavier and has a shorter battery life, meaning it's less portable compared to the MacBook Air. Choose the MacBook Air for everyday tasks and enhanced portability or the Dell Alienware for higher performance in demanding applications and gaming. 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
Excellent battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Dell Alienware x14 R1
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.5/10
7.6/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.0/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 is good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Air is less suited for 3D tasks and gaming due to its less powerful integrated GPU and lower screen refresh rate, compounded by the fact that many games are incompatible with macOS. In contrast, the Dell Alienware x14 R1 is better equipped for these activities with its dedicated Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU and higher refresh rate screen, while also running Windows which supports a broader range of popular games.
Engineering and Design
7.6/10
8.2/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.0/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 is very good for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is good.
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 is favored for engineering and design due to its superior main processor, double the RAM, and a significantly more powerful discrete graphics card compared to the Apple MacBook Air 15's capable yet less potent integrated GPU; further, the Alienware's screen offers a higher refresh rate which is advantageous for fluid visuals in design tasks. While the MacBook Air excels in portability with its thinner, lighter build and longer battery life, its quieter operation, and higher-resolution display, these features may compromise performance compared to the Alienware's focused engineering and design capabilities.
Screen Quality
7.8/10
7.9/10
15.3in
SIZE
14.0in
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
501.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
411.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has a better screen than the Dell Alienware x14 R1 for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation, while the Dell Alienware x14 R1 has a better screen for gaming and AI.
The MacBook Air, with its high resolution and bright display, offers exceptional clarity and vibrancy for typical tasks like browsing and watching videos, making it excellent for general use. For engineering and design, its wider color gamut ensures accurate color representation, crucial in these fields. However, its lower refresh rate means it won't handle the fast-paced visuals in 3D environments as well, which can be a drawback for those specific applications.
Battery
15.0 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has 15 hours of battery life. The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has 9 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
Very Good
15.3in
SIZE
14.0in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
4.0 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and Dell Alienware x14 R1 both have very good portability, though the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has somewhat better 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 x14 R1 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
$1,201
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
$2,000
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has a price of $1,299 and the Dell Alienware x14 R1 costs $1,201.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and Dell Alienware x14 R1 are both good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) with its lightweight design, high screen brightness, and long battery life makes it highly portable and suitable for general use, while the Dell Alienware x14 R1, though heavier with a shorter battery life, offers stronger CPU and GPU performance for more demanding tasks, along with more RAM and higher storage capacity, accommodating intensive applications as well as general activities. Both laptops have high-quality screens and speakers, but the MacBook Air outshines in portability and silent operation, while the Alienware excels in heat management, making it a better fit for prolonged high-performance use.
Content Creation
8.0/10
7.9/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
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 x14 R1 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
8.1/10
7.7/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) to be very good for software development, while the Dell Alienware x14 R1 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.
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How the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and the Dell Alienware x14 R1 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 X14 series is thinner, but also slower than the competition. With the X series, you get plenty of modern technology: Intel Alder Lake CPUs, GeForce RTX 3000 GPUs, Thunderbolt 4, PCIe 4.0, Wi-Fi 6E, G-Sync, and Advanced Optimus. However, the slim design has some drawbacks, just like its larger siblings. The shifted hinge position results in a very deep device with a large footprint compared to the competition."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) or the Dell Alienware x14 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.
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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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