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Updated January 10, 2024·
Choosing between the Dell Alienware m15 R7 and the MSI Bravo 15 depends on your needs and budget. The Dell provides high-end performance fit for demanding tasks like gaming, 3D rendering, or engineering with its powerful processor and superior graphics card. It also offers a higher resolution and refresh rate screen, which can provide a better visual experience but at the cost of shorter battery life and higher price. Meanwhile, the MSI is more affordable and lighter, making it easier to carry around. It's suitable for general use and can support some gaming, but it might not handle intensive tasks as well as the Dell. Both laptops offer ample storage and similar screen sizes, but the tradeoff is between cost and high-end performance versus affordability and portability. 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 Dell Alienware m15 R7
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for software development
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Bravo 15
- Good battery life
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.8
7.2
8.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 and MSI Bravo 15 are both good for gaming and AI, though the Dell Alienware m15 R7 is somewhat better.
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 is equipped with a high-end Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti GPU and a fast 240Hz screen refresh rate, making it exceptional for gaming and 3D work that requires smooth motion and fast rendering. On the other hand, the MSI Bravo 15 offers a capable Nvidia RTX 4050 GPU with a 144Hz screen refresh rate, which still provides good gaming and 3D performance, but with slightly less visual fluidity compared to the Alienware.
Engineering and Design
8.2
7.2
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.0/10
8.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Bravo 15 is good.
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 offers superior engineering and design capabilities with its high-performance CPU, more RAM, and a more powerful GPU, along with a higher quality screen featuring greater resolution and color accuracy. In contrast, the MSI Bravo 15 is more portable due to its lighter weight and has a quieter operating noise, but it compromises on power and screen quality, making it less suited for intensive tasks even though it can handle engineering and design work adequately.
Screen Quality
8.2
6.9
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
300.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
267.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has a better screen than the MSI Bravo 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, where clarity, detail, and comfort are key, the Dell Alienware m15 R7's higher resolution and brightness offer a clearer and more vibrant display than the MSI Bravo 15. In engineering and design, professionals need precise color representation, and the Alienware's broader color gamuts ensure more accurate colors compared to the Bravo 15. However, for gaming and 3D applications, smooth motion is crucial, and the lower refresh rate of the Alienware’s display hampers the gaming experience compared to screens with higher refresh rates, which could make the Bravo 15, despite its overall lower quality, more appealing for fast-paced games.
Build Quality
8.5
6.7
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has very good build quality, while the MSI Bravo 15 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,200
$862
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has a price of $2,200 and the MSI Bravo 15 costs $862.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.5
7.1
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
300.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
267.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
6.4/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.9/10
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 and MSI Bravo 15 are both good for general use.
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 boasts a more powerful CPU and double the RAM of the MSI Bravo 15, making it more capable for demanding tasks and multitasking, along with a higher quality screen, enhancing user experience for both work and entertainment; however, it is heavier and has shorter battery life, making it less convenient for on-the-go use. On the other hand, the MSI Bravo 15, while not as powerful, offers better battery life and is lighter, which could be beneficial for users prioritizing mobility and basic tasks over high performance and superior display quality.
Content Creation
7.5
7.1
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.0/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 and MSI Bravo 15 are both 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
7.3
6.8
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Alienware m15 R7 to be good for software development, while the MSI Bravo 15 is only fair.
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.
Battery
5.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has 5 hours of battery life. The MSI Bravo 15 has 6 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
Fair
Fair
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
4.9 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The MSI Bravo 15 and Dell Alienware m15 R7 both have only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Dell Alienware m15 R7 and the MSI Bravo 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m15 R7 | MSI Bravo 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,200 | $862 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | February 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 10.7'' x 0.94'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.98'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.93 lbs | 4.96 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.02" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.73" | 10.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX | AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 5 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 86 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1440 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 240Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 300 nits | 267 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.5/10 | 6.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 6/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Dell Alienware m15 R7
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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."
MSI Bravo 15
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LaptopMedia
Nikolay Palaozov | July 2023
"Overall, the MSI Bravo 15 C7U is a great gaming device for the masses that isn’t too pricey. The capable hardware (for the price range), the 144Hz display, and the comfortable keyboard are one of the things that should attract buyers who don’t want to spend a fortune on a new gaming laptop."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m15 R7 or the MSI Bravo 15
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.
About MSI
MSI, also known as Micro-Star International, is a Taiwanese technology corporation. MSI is known for their wide range of gaming devices. Their series include the entry-level Cyborg/Thin and Sword/Katana series, the mid-range Bravo/Delta and Crosshair/Pulse series, and their high-end Vector, Raider, Stealth, and Titan GT series. At every performance level, MSI offers a variety of devices with varying balances between performance, battery life, weight, and price, making them a solid option to consider at every price point.
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