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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) with its premium price offers strong performance for general use and productivity, a very high-quality display, impressive battery life, and a lightweight design making it more portable. Its M2 Pro processor is well-suited for creative tasks, and it's a better choice if you prefer MacOS. On the other hand, the Dell Alienware X17 R2, costing somewhat less, leans more towards gaming and high-intensity 3D tasks with its powerful Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti graphics and Intel i9 processor. It also has double the RAM, which is useful for engineering and machine learning tasks but is heavier with a shorter battery life, making it less ideal for frequent travel. 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 keyboard
Advantages of the Dell Alienware X17 R2
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
Key differences
General Use
9.1
8.2
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
487.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
367.0 nits
17.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
2.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is excellent for general use, while the Dell Alienware X17 R2 is very 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.
Gaming and AI
7.4
8.9
5.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.3/10
3456 x 2234
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 16 (2023) is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) with its high-quality GPU and screen is suited for 3D work, but the higher screen refresh rate and superior gaming-focused GPU of the Dell Alienware X17 R2 make it better for gaming and capable of handling demanding 3D tasks. The MacBook's operating system, MacOS, restricts compatibility with many popular games, while the Alienware's Windows platform does not have such limitations, further enhancing its gaming capabilities.
Content Creation
9.1
8.3
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is excellent for content creation, while the Dell Alienware X17 R2 is very 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
7.8
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
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 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
9.3
8.5
16.2in
SIZE
17.3in
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
480Hz
487.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
367.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the Dell Alienware X17 R2 for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation, while the Dell Alienware X17 R2 has a better screen for gaming and AI.
Apple's MacBook Pro 16 boasts a high-resolution display which, combined with its impressive brightness and color accuracy, makes it suitable for everyday activities as well as professional engineering and design work, where true-to-life colors are imperative. Dell's Alienware X17 R2 offers a quality display with good resolution and color reproduction, catering well to general use and technical applications, but might not be the first choice for gamers and 3D work due to its lower refresh rate. Meanwhile, those engaging in 3D applications may find the MacBook Pro lacking, as its standard refresh rate is less optimal for the smooth visual experience desired in gaming or real-time rendering.
Battery
17.5 Hours
2.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 17.5 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
Good
Fair
16.2in
SIZE
17.3in
4.7 lbs
WEIGHT
6.8 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) 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
8.5
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) 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
$2,423
$2,000
$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 X17 R2 costs $2,000.
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Key similarities
Engineering and Design
8.8
9.1
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
5.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Alienware X17 R2 to be excellent for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is very good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) offers a highly detailed Mini LED screen and an efficient in-house designed CPU and GPU that are well-suited for design tasks, coupled with good portability and high-quality build including speakers and keyboard.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) and the Dell Alienware X17 R2 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) | Dell Alienware X17 R2 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,423 | $2,000 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2023 | December 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.8'' x 0.66'' | 15.7'' x 11.8'' x 0.82'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.7 lbs | 6.82 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.01" | 15.72" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.77" | 11.79" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M2 Pro (12C) | Intel i9-12900HK | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 17.5 Hours | 2 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 99.6 Wh | 87 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16.2" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | Mini LED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3456 x 2234 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 480Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 487 nits | 367 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.6/10 | 6.1/10 | |
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 | 9.5/10 | |
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 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 3 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 4 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
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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 X17 R2
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | May 2022
"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 (2023) 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.
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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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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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