When choosing between the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) and the Dell Alienware X17 R2, consider how you intend to use the laptop. If you prefer a laptop with high performance for gaming or intensive tasks like 3D rendering or machine learning, the Alienware offers a more robust graphics card and a faster processor. However, it's heavier, which makes it less portable. On the other hand, the MacBook Pro offers a higher resolution display and may be more suitable for tasks like video editing or graphic design. It's also lighter, making it more portable. The MacBook Pro's battery life is better, ideal for long hours of work on the go. Whereas, the Alienware's battery performance is lower, but it compensates with higher overall performance. The MacBook Pro will be less costly but with less gaming or heavy task performance capacity, while the Alienware will have a higher cost, reflecting its superior power and capability for demanding applications. Give Feedback
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Advantages of the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019)
Best in class overall build quality
Good portability
Very good battery life
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Dell Alienware X17 R2
Very good for general use
Excellent for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good overall display quality
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.4/10
8.9/10
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.3/10
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
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 16 (Late 2019) is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 with its AMD Radeon Pro 5300M graphics and screen refresh rate of 60Hz is adequate for some 3D applications, but its gaming capabilities are limited as many mainstream games do not support macOS. On the other hand, the Dell Alienware X17 R2 boasts a far more powerful Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti GPU and a high refresh rate of 480Hz, making it superb for gaming and demanding 3D work.
Engineering and Design
7.5/10
9.1/10
4.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
4.2/10
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 16 (Late 2019) is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16, with its Intel i7 processor, AMD Radeon Pro GPU, and high-resolution IPS display, offers a balanced experience for engineering and design, supported by MacOS and a comparatively lighter build for better portability. Conversely, the Dell Alienware X17 R2, equipped with a more powerful Intel i9 processor, superior Nvidia RTX GPU, and larger screen, is better suited for the most demanding engineering tasks and gaming, at the expense of being heavier and less portable.
Screen Quality
7.8/10
8.5/10
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
480Hz
477.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
367.0 nits
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has a better screen than the Apple MacBook Pro 16 for gaming and AI, and software development.
The MacBook Pro's Retina display offers vibrant colors and high resolution, making it excellent for general use and engineering design where color accuracy and crisp detail are essential. However, its standard refresh rate limits its effectiveness for 3D applications that benefit from faster screen updates. The Alienware's display, while also offering high resolution and color fidelity for general and engineering tasks, may fall short in refresh rate for gamers and 3D designers accustomed to smoother visuals on screens designed explicitly for gaming.
Battery
12.0 Hours
2.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 12 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
Good
Fair
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
4.3 lbs
WEIGHT
6.8 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) has 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 16 (Late 2019) 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.
Cost
$540
$2,000
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) has a price of $540 and the Dell Alienware X17 R2 costs $2,000.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Alienware X17 R2 to be very good for general use, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) excels in portability and battery life, making it suitable for on-the-go usage, while its high-quality screen and speakers enhance multimedia consumption. Meanwhile, the Dell Alienware X17 R2, though less portable due to its size and weight, offers superior CPU and RAM capabilities, along with a top-tier GPU for more demanding applications, but it has a shorter battery life when compared to the MacBook Pro.
Content Creation
8.0/10
8.3/10
4.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 and Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) 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.
Software Development
7.9/10
7.8/10
4.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) and Dell Alienware X17 R2 are both good for software development.
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 Pro 16 (Late 2019) and the Dell Alienware X17 R2 compare to other laptops
"The Apple MacBook Pro 16 2023: M2 Max challenges GeForce RTX 3080 Ti. The new MacBook Pro 16 2023 with the M2 Max SoC is the most powerful laptop Apple has on sale right now. While we do not get the expected performance and efficiency improvements from completely new 3 nm chips, which we expected ahead of the launch, the 2023 model is still a solid update. The CPU of the M2 Max can be up to 20 % faster than the old model and we also see an advantage of 25-30 % for the GPU with 38 cores. However, both components also consume more power, so the efficiency did not change that much under maximum load."
"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 16 (Late 2019) 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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