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MacBook Pro 13 (2020)
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Alienware m17 R5
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What we think

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Updated January 10, 2024·

The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) excels in battery life and portability, making it ideal for those who value a lightweight option with long-lasting use on-the-go. However, the Dell Alienware m17 R5 features superior performance for 3D rendering, gaming, and engineering tasks, thanks to a stronger CPU and GPU. The MacBook Pro offers great build quality, a higher resolution, and a quieter operation with its fanless design, while the Alienware comes with a larger storage capacity and screen size, which could be beneficial for multitasking and immersive gaming experiences but is more cumbersome to carry around. Overall, if high-performance computing is critical for your use, the Alienware m17 R5 stands out; for everyday use with an emphasis on mobility and battery life, the MacBook Pro may be more appropriate. 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 Pro 13 (2020)
  • Best in class overall build quality
  • Very good portability
  • Best in class battery life
  • Best in class speakers
  • Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Dell Alienware m17 R5
  • Very good for engineering and design
  • Good for gaming and AI
  • Very good overall display quality

Key differences

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Gaming and AI

6.3
MacBook Pro 13 (2020)
Alienware m17 R5
7.7
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.7/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
480Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is only fair.

Engineering and Design

7.3
MacBook Pro 13 (2020)
Alienware m17 R5
8.1
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.1/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is very good for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is good.

Screen Quality

7.6
MacBook Pro 13 (2020)
Alienware m17 R5
8.1
13.3in
SIZE
17.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
480Hz
491.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
301.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has a better screen than the Dell Alienware m17 R5 for general use, engineering and design, and software development, while the Dell Alienware m17 R5 has a better screen for gaming and AI.

Battery

20.0 Hours
MacBook Pro 13 (2020)
Alienware m17 R5
5.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has 20 hours of battery life. The Dell Alienware m17 R5 has 5 hours of battery life.

Portability

Very Good
MacBook Pro 13 (2020)
Alienware m17 R5
Poor
13.3in
SIZE
17.3in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
7.3 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has very good portability, while the Dell Alienware m17 R5 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.

Build Quality

10.0
MacBook Pro 13 (2020)
Alienware m17 R5
7.8
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has best in class build quality, while the Dell Alienware m17 R5 has good build quality.

Cost

$1,249
MacBook Pro 13 (2020)
Alienware m17 R5
$1,100
Product image
Product image

$0

$500

$1,000

$1,500

$2,000

The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has a price of $1,249 and the Dell Alienware m17 R5 costs $1,100.
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Key similarities

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General Use

7.7
MacBook Pro 13 (2020)
Alienware m17 R5
7.8
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
491.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
301.0 nits
20.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.5/10
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) are both good for general use.

Content Creation

7.8
MacBook Pro 13 (2020)
Alienware m17 R5
7.8
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.1/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) are both good for content creation.

Software Development

7.8
MacBook Pro 13 (2020)
Alienware m17 R5
7.4
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.1/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and Dell Alienware m17 R5 are both good for software development.

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How the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and the Dell Alienware m17 R5 compare to other laptops

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Spec Comparison

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Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020)Dell Alienware m17 R5
Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020)Dell Alienware m17 R5

GENERAL

Price
$1,249
$1,100
Release Date
October 1, 2020June 1, 2022
Overall Dimensions
12'' x 8.4'' x 0.61''15.6'' x 11.8'' x 1.05''
Weight
3 lbs7.3 lbs
Width
11.97"15.64"
Depth
8.36"11.76"

INTERNAL

Processor
Apple M1AMD Ryzen 7 6800H
RAM
8 GB16 GB
DDR Memory Version
45
RAM Slots
02
Storage
256 GB1024 GB

BATTERY

Battery Life
20 Hours5 Hours
Battery Capacity
58.2 Wh97 Wh

SCREEN

Diagonal Size
13.3"17.3"
Display Technology
IPSIPS
Resolution
2560 x 16001920 x 1080
Refresh Rate
60Hz480Hz
Display Brightness
491 nits301 nits

RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS

Build Quality Score
10/107.8/10
Portability Score
8.9/105.5/10
Gaming Laptop Appearance
NoYes
Premium Business Laptop
NoNo
Fan Noise Score
10/107/10

HARDWARE FEATURES

Keyboard Quality Score
9.5/108/10
Speaker Quality Score
9.5/108/10
Webcam
720p720p
Fingerprint Reader
YesNo
Backlit Keyboard
YesYes
Number Pad
NoNo

CONNECTIVITY

USB Type-A
03
USB-C ports
21
USB-C Charging
YesYes
Display Outputs
12
Thunderbolt Version
3N/A

Shopping

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Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020)

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Dig into reviews and images

NotebookCheck

Andreas Osthoff | June 2022
"The MacBook Pro 13 is still a very good subnotebook. The 2022 MacBook Pro 13 might look like recycling at first, because the device is completely identical to the old model expect for the new M2 SoC. We have to admit that we were surprised to see another iteration of the MBP 13 as well. The laptop is obviously familiar, but this does not change the fact that it is still a very good subnotebook. You get an excellent chassis with good stability, a very good display, good input devices and the new M2 chip is very powerful and efficient."

Dell Alienware m17 R5

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Dig into reviews and images

NotebookCheck

Christian Hintze | January 2023
"Overall, the all-AMD system in the Alienware m17 R5 is impressive, especially the graphics performance. However, various driver issues and unnecessary inconsistencies prevent us from truly enjoying such a potent gaming machine. In addition to strong 3D performance, we particularly like the build quality, the fairly bright UHD display with high color space coverage, and the fact that the gamer is often quiet when not under load and also rather quieter than some competitors under load."

Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) or the Dell Alienware m17 R5

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.

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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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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
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.

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.

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