Should you be prioritizing portability and looking for a robust all-around laptop for general use, creative tasks, or professional work, the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) with its streamlined design, excellent display, and long battery life would serve you well. However, if your interests lean towards high-end gaming or you require a laptop for resource-intensive 3D modeling or machine learning tasks, the Dell Alienware X17 R2, with its powerful hardware and gaming-oriented features, is a better fit, despite being heavier and having a shorter battery life. The Alienware will typically cost more and isn't as portable as the MacBook Pro. Give Feedback
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Advantages of the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021)
Very good for software development
Excellent overall display quality
Best in class overall build quality
Very good portability
Excellent battery life
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Dell Alienware X17 R2
Excellent for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.8/10
8.9/10
4.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.3/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
480Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 provides a high-quality screen and capable CPU, making it suitable for 3D work where Apple's ecosystem and software compatibility are beneficial; however, its gaming potential is limited due to many popular games not running on macOS. On the other hand, the Dell Alienware X17 R2 offers a superior GPU and higher screen refresh rate that's ideal for the demands of modern gaming and 3D applications, ensuring smoother visuals and better overall performance in these intensive tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.2/10
9.1/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
4.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) offers a solid balance for engineering and design with its capable Apple M1 Pro processors for both CPU and GPU tasks, coupled with a high-resolution Mini LED screen for excellent color accuracy and contrast. In contrast, the Dell Alienware X17 R2 packs more power with its Intel i9 CPU and Nvidia RTX GPU, making it exceptional for demanding engineering simulations or designs, but it is less portable and has a lower screen resolution, though the larger screen might benefit design work.
Software Development
8.3/10
7.8/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for software development, while the Dell Alienware X17 R2 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
9.2/10
8.5/10
14.2in
SIZE
17.3in
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
480Hz
479.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
367.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the Dell Alienware X17 R2 for general use, engineering and design, and software development, while the Dell Alienware X17 R2 has a better screen for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Pro's screen stands out in general use and engineering due to its high resolution, bright display, and wide color gamut, offering sharp details and accurate colors crucial for design work. However, its lower refresh rate compared to gaming-oriented laptops makes it less suitable for 3D applications where fluid motion is key. In contrast, the Dell Alienware X17 R2, while also offering a high-resolution display and sufficient color accuracy for general use and design tasks, may not excel in gaming and 3D due to a display that doesn't prioritize the highest refresh rates often desired in fast-paced gaming scenarios.
Battery
13.5 Hours
2.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 13.5 hours of battery life. The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has 2 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
14.2in
SIZE
17.3in
3.5 lbs
WEIGHT
6.8 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has very good portability, while the Dell Alienware X17 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 Pro 14 (2021) has best in class build quality, while the Dell Alienware X17 R2 has very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) and Dell Alienware X17 R2 are both very good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) excels in general use thanks to its high-quality screen, long battery life, and excellent portability, while the Dell Alienware X17 R2 stands out due to its larger screen, more powerful processor and graphics for more demanding applications, although it is less portable and has a shorter battery life.
Content Creation
8.4/10
8.3/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) and Dell Alienware X17 R2 are both very 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.
Cost
$1,905
$2,000
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has a price of $1,905 and the Dell Alienware X17 R2 costs $2,000.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) and the Dell Alienware X17 R2 compare to other laptops
"In the Apple MacBook Pro 14 2023, the M2 Pro is slowed down. From the improved 5nm process, the new M2 Pro is a very solid upgrade. Graphics performance has increased by about 25% in tandem with a clear improvement in efficiency. The processor has also seen a performance leap of up to 20%, but this is accompanied by an increase in consumption of up to 25%. Fundamentally, Apple its maintaining its advantage over AMD and Intel, particularly in optimized applications where the results are very good in view of the comparatively low power consumption."
"The Alienware x17 R2 recognizes targets a significantly higher TGP of 175 W for a roughly 30 percent performance boost over laptops running on the ~100 W GeForce RTX 3080 Ti like the Razer Blade 15 or Gigabyte Aero YE5. Similar results can be found through the CPU as well. This single aspect of the Alienware is perhaps the biggest differentiating factor between it and other ultrathin gaming laptops. Of course, the "performance at all cost" approach comes with drawbacks. Power consumption in particular is through the roof and battery life suffers because of it even when on the lowest performance settings."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) or the Dell Alienware X17 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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