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Updated January 12, 2024·
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 will give you better performance for tasks like 3D modeling, machine learning, or gaming due to a more powerful GPU, but it comes at a higher cost and with less portability. The MSI Stealth 14 Studio is more affordable, still suitable for the same tasks but with slightly less power, and offers greater portability plus a better battery life. If budget and the need to carry the laptop around are your primary concerns, the MSI may be your better choice, but if performance is paramount and you don't mind the added expense and weight, then consider the Alienware. 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 overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Stealth 14 Studio
- Good portability
- Best in class speakers
Key differences
Screen Quality
8.2
7.6
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
300.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has a better screen than the MSI Stealth 14 Studio for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design, while the MSI Stealth 14 Studio has a better screen for software development.
For general use, the Dell Alienware m15 R7 provides a sharp, bright display that makes viewing text and images crisp and comfortable, while the MSI Stealth 14 Studio offers slightly less brightness and sharpness but is still suitable for everyday tasks. In engineering and design tasks, the Alienware's screen excels by displaying a wider range of colors, which is crucial for accurately rendering designs, but the MSI's display also handles color well, albeit to a lesser extent. For gaming and 3D applications, however, both laptops fall short because their screens do not refresh as quickly as gaming-optimized displays, which is important for smooth motion and gameplay.
Portability
Fair
Good
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio has good portability, while the Dell Alienware m15 R7 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5
7.6
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has very good build quality, while the MSI Stealth 14 Studio has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,200
$1,520
$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 Stealth 14 Studio costs $1,520.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.5
7.8
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
300.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
6.4/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio and Dell Alienware m15 R7 are both good for general use.
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 is a solid choice for general use due to its balance of a high-performance CPU and substantial RAM, combined with a superior screen quality for crisp visuals and enough battery life to manage regular tasks without frequent charging. On the other hand, the MSI Stealth 14 Studio also offers similar CPU and RAM capabilities in a more portable package with a high-quality, albeit slightly smaller, display, while ensuring general use is not hindered by storage limitations or input device quality.
Gaming and AI
7.8
7.8
8.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.1/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio and Dell Alienware m15 R7 are both good for gaming and AI.
The Dell Alienware m15 R7, with its Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti graphics card and a high screen refresh rate of 240 Hz, provides smooth visuals and is excellent for gaming and 3D applications. The MSI Stealth 14 Studio, although slightly less powerful with an Nvidia RTX 4060 and a refresh rate of 165 Hz, still delivers great performance and is also suitable for gaming and 3D work, but with increased portability due to its smaller screen size and lighter weight.
Engineering and Design
8.2
8.5
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
8.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio and Dell Alienware m15 R7 are both very good for engineering and design.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
7.5
7.9
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio and Dell Alienware m15 R7 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
7.4
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio and Dell Alienware m15 R7 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.
Battery
5.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has 5 hours of battery life. The MSI Stealth 14 Studio 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.
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How the Dell Alienware m15 R7 and the MSI Stealth 14 Studio compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m15 R7 | MSI Stealth 14 Studio |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,200 | $1,520 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | February 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 10.7'' x 0.94'' | 12.4'' x 9.7'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.93 lbs | 3.75 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.02" | 12.4" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.73" | 9.69" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX | Intel i7-13620H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 5 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 86 Wh | 72 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1440 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 240Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 300 nits | 300 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.5/10 | 7.9/10 | |
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 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
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."
MSI Stealth 14 Studio
See more
Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Francisco Lahoz | June 2023
"You'll find a versatility in the MSI Stealth 14 Studio that isn’t matched by many content-creator laptops we've tested of late. The small frame allows you to (potentially) work from anywhere with an outlet and, if noise isn’t a concern, run your most demanding of programs, thanks to some powerful hardware inside. The MSI Stealth 14 Studio is an attractive and powerful option if you want a portable laptop to be the center of your content work setup."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m15 R7 or the MSI Stealth 14 Studio
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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