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MacBook Pro 14 (2023)
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Alienware m18 R1
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What we think

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Updated January 10, 2024·

The MacBook Pro 14 is more portable and offers longer battery life, ideal for on-the-go users who need a lightweight machine with MacOS for general use and non-intensive tasks. The Dell Alienware m18, on the other hand, provides superior performance for intensive gaming, 3D rendering, and machine learning, thanks to its high-end processor and graphics card, but it's larger, heavier, and has a shorter battery life, which suits users who prioritize power over portability and primarily use Windows-based applications. Choose based on whether you value portability and battery life or require high performance for specialized tasks. 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 14 (2023)
  • Excellent overall display quality
  • 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 m18 R1
  • Excellent for engineering and design
  • Excellent for gaming and AI

Key differences

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Gaming and AI

7.0
MacBook Pro 14 (2023)
Alienware m18 R1
9.1
5.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.8/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is good.

Engineering and Design

8.4
MacBook Pro 14 (2023)
Alienware m18 R1
9.1
7.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
5.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is very good.

Screen Quality

9.2
MacBook Pro 14 (2023)
Alienware m18 R1
7.8
14.2in
SIZE
17.3in
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
489.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
281.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the Dell Alienware m18 R1 for general use, AI, engineering and design, and software development.

Battery

13.5 Hours
MacBook Pro 14 (2023)
Alienware m18 R1
4.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 13.5 hours of battery life. The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has 4 hours of battery life.

Portability

Very Good
MacBook Pro 14 (2023)
Alienware m18 R1
Poor
14.2in
SIZE
17.3in
3.5 lbs
WEIGHT
8.9 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) has very good portability, while the Dell Alienware m18 R1 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.

Build Quality

10.0
MacBook Pro 14 (2023)
Alienware m18 R1
8.5
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the Dell Alienware m18 R1 has very good build quality.

Cost

$1,630
MacBook Pro 14 (2023)
Alienware m18 R1
$2,600
Product image
Product image

$500

$1,000

$1,500

$2,000

$2,500

$3,000

$3,500

$4,000

The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) has a price of $1,630 and the Dell Alienware m18 R1 costs $2,600.
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Key similarities

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General Use

8.5
MacBook Pro 14 (2023)
Alienware m18 R1
8.2
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
489.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
281.0 nits
13.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.1/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) and Dell Alienware m18 R1 are both very good for general use.

Content Creation

8.5
MacBook Pro 14 (2023)
Alienware m18 R1
8.4
7.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) and Dell Alienware m18 R1 are both very good for content creation.

Software Development

8.4
MacBook Pro 14 (2023)
Alienware m18 R1
8.0
7.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) and Dell Alienware m18 R1 are both very good for software development.

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How the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) and the Dell Alienware m18 R1 compare to other laptops

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Spec Comparison

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Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023)Dell Alienware m18 R1
Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023)Dell Alienware m18 R1

GENERAL

Price
$1,630
$2,600
Release Date
January 1, 2023October 1, 2022
Overall Dimensions
12.3'' x 8.7'' x 0.61''16.2'' x 12.6'' x 1.05''
Weight
3.5 lbs8.9 lbs
Width
12.31"16.15"
Depth
8.71"12.59"

INTERNAL

Processor
Apple M2 Pro (10C)Intel i9-13900HX
RAM
16 GB32 GB
DDR Memory Version
55
RAM Slots
02
Storage
512 GB1024 GB

BATTERY

Battery Life
13.5 Hours4 Hours
Battery Capacity
69.6 Wh97 Wh

SCREEN

Diagonal Size
14.2"17.3"
Display Technology
Mini LEDIPS
Resolution
3024 x 19642560 x 1600
Refresh Rate
120Hz165Hz
Display Brightness
489 nits281 nits

RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS

Build Quality Score
10/108.5/10
Portability Score
8.6/105.1/10
Gaming Laptop Appearance
NoYes
Premium Business Laptop
YesNo
Fan Noise Score
8.8/107/10

HARDWARE FEATURES

Keyboard Quality Score
9.5/108.5/10
Speaker Quality Score
10/108/10
Webcam
1080p720p
Fingerprint Reader
YesNo
Backlit Keyboard
YesYes
Number Pad
NoYes

CONNECTIVITY

USB Type-A
04
USB-C ports
32
USB-C Charging
YesYes
Display Outputs
24
Thunderbolt Version
44

Shopping

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Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023)

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Dig into reviews and images

NotebookCheck

Andreas Osthoff | January 2023
"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."

Dell Alienware m18 R1

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Dig into reviews and images

PCMag

Matthew Buzzi | July 2023
"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 Pro 14 (2023) 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.

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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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