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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) generally has a higher price and offers a larger storage capacity, better battery life, and a high-resolution Mini LED display ideal for creative professionals or those who prefer MacOS. It's more portable and has a superior build and sound quality. On the other hand, the Dell Alienware m15 R7, usually less expensive, delivers stronger performance for 3D, machine learning, and engineering tasks due to its powerful AMD processor and Nvidia GPU, making it more suitable for gaming and performance-intensive tasks but with shorter battery life and a bulkier build. 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 16 (2023)
- Excellent for general use
- Very good for software development
- Excellent for content creation
- Excellent overall display quality
- Best in class overall build quality
- Good portability
- Best in class battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Dell Alienware m15 R7
- The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023).
Key differences
General Use
9.1
7.5
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
487.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
17.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.4/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is excellent for general use, while the Dell Alienware m15 R7 is good.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Engineering and Design
8.8
8.2
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
5.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) and Dell Alienware m15 R7 are both very good for engineering and design, though the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is somewhat better.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) with its Apple M2 Pro processor, high RAM, advanced GPU, and Mini LED screen offers exceptional performance and superior visual experience for engineering and design tasks, along with a high-quality keyboard and speakers, all in a relatively lightweight package.
Content Creation
9.1
7.5
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is excellent for content creation, while the Dell Alienware m15 R7 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
8.9
7.3
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is very good for software development, while the Dell Alienware m15 R7 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
9.3
8.2
16.2in
SIZE
15.6in
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
487.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the Dell Alienware m15 R7 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16's Retina display with high resolution and bright LED backlighting offers vibrant colors and sharp details, making it ideal for general use and engineering tasks that require color accuracy. However, for 3D applications, its standard refresh rate is less optimal compared to displays designed for this purpose. The Dell Alienware m15 R7 also provides a high-resolution screen with good brightness levels and color range for general use and professional design work, but for gaming and 3D rendering, it may fall short due to a lower refresh rate which is crucial for smooth motion and fast-paced visuals.
Battery
17.5 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 17.5 hours of battery life. The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has 5 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
16.2in
SIZE
15.6in
4.7 lbs
WEIGHT
5.9 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) has good portability, while the Dell Alienware m15 R7 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0
8.5
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the Dell Alienware m15 R7 has very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,423
$2,200
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) has a price of $2,423 and the Dell Alienware m15 R7 costs $2,200.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
7.4
7.8
5.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 and Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) are both good for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) with its Apple M2 Pro GPU and Mini LED screen is well-suited for 3D work but has a lower refresh rate less favorable for high-paced gaming, whereas the Dell Alienware m15 R7, with its Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti GPU and high-refresh-rate IPS screen, is optimized for gaming performance, though the games selection is broader on its Windows OS.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) and the Dell Alienware m15 R7 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) | Dell Alienware m15 R7 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,423 | $2,200 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2023 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.8'' x 0.66'' | 14'' x 10.7'' x 0.94'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.7 lbs | 5.93 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.01" | 14.02" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.77" | 10.73" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M2 Pro (12C) | AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 17.5 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 99.6 Wh | 86 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16.2" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | Mini LED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3456 x 2234 | 2560 x 1440 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 487 nits | 300 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.6/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8.8/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 3 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023)
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | February 2023
"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."
Dell Alienware m15 R7
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Dig into reviews and images
Tom's Hardware
Brandon Hill | October 2022
"The Alienware M15 offers solid gaming and leading endurance. It makes the most of its CPU and GPU while delivering stellar battery life for a gaming laptop. Opening the lid presents a full-size keyboard with honeycomb cutouts above it on the deck. An oblong RBG lightning element surrounds the entire rear panel and can be color-synced with the other lights on the laptop. There’s not a lot to dislike about the M15 Its productivity performance lagged in some areas, particularly in the storage benchmark, and it’s a bit heavy. Alienware has a clear winner here with the M15 based on its strong overall performance and endurance."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) or the Dell Alienware m15 R7
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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CEO and Laptops Editor
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
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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