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Updated March 22, 2024·
Choosing between the Dell Alienware m16 R2 and the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo depends on your priorities: the Alienware is suited for gaming and intensive tasks, offering top-notch graphics and speed but is heavier and typically has shorter battery life, making it less portable; the MSI, while more budget-friendly and portable with a longer battery life, is designed for lighter tasks like general work and multimedia, and though capable, may not handle demanding software as smoothly as the Alienware. Make your decision based on whether gaming performance or mobility and battery longevity is more important for your daily needs. 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 m16 R2
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo
- Very good for general use
- Very good for content creation
- Very good portability
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.9
6.8
8.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 is good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo is only fair.
The Dell Alienware m16 R2, with its higher-end GPU and faster screen refresh rate, delivers a smoother and more immersive experience for gaming and 3D applications than the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo. While the MSI has a capable CPU and good screen quality, its GPU and refresh rate aren't as robust as the Alienware's, making it more suitable for less demanding tasks.
Screen Quality
8.2
8.2
16.0in
SIZE
13.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
302.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
415.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has a better screen than the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo for gaming and AI, while the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo has a better screen for engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
When considering general use, the Dell Alienware m16 R2 and the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo both have panels with high resolution and brightness, making them ideal for daily tasks like browsing and video streaming. For engineering and design, their screens display a wide range of colors accurately, essential for tasks that require precise color representation like photo editing or CAD work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, they fall short as they lack high refresh rates, which are crucial for smooth motion rendering and a more immersive visual experience.
Battery
6.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has 6 hours of battery life. The MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo has 8 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
Very Good
16.0in
SIZE
13.0in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo has very good portability, while the Dell Alienware m16 R2 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5
7.4
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has very good build quality, while the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,650
$1,280
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has a price of $1,650 and the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo costs $1,280.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.9
8.0
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
302.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
415.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
6.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo to be very good for general use, while the Dell Alienware m16 R2 is good.
The Dell Alienware m16 R2, with its high-performance CPU and ample RAM, excels in screen quality for vivid visuals, making it suitable for general use despite being less portable and having shorter battery life. The MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo, on the other hand, offers a balance of good CPU performance, sufficient RAM, and high-quality screen while being more portable and having longer battery life, making it very good for users who prioritize mobility and extended use away from power outlets.
Engineering and Design
8.4
8.0
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
8.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 and MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo are both very good for engineering and design.
The Dell Alienware m16 R2, with its robust CPU, ample RAM, and high-end GPU, excels in demanding engineering tasks and renders high-quality visuals necessary for design work, albeit at the cost of reduced portability and potentially louder operating noise. In contrast, the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo offers a balance with competent processing power for engineering applications and a high-quality screen, while being more portable and having a quieter operation, albeit with less graphical performance than the Alienware.
Content Creation
7.9
8.1
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo to be very good for content creation, while the Dell Alienware m16 R2 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
7.6
7.9
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo and Dell Alienware m16 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 Dell Alienware m16 R2 and the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m16 R2 | MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,650 | $1,280 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2024 | February 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 9.8'' x 0.93'' | 11.8'' x 8.3'' x 0.67'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.75 lbs | 3.53 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.33" | 11.77" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.81" | 8.27" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel Core Ultra 7 155H | Intel Core Ultra 7 155H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 73 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 13" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 2880 x 1800 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 240Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 302 nits | 415 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.8/10 | 8.6/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8.8/10 | 7/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
Shopping
Dell Alienware m16 R2
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Dig into reviews and images
LaptopMag
Momo Tabari | January 2024
"Alienware’s m16 R2 is a solid gaming laptop that leaves much to be desired, particularly in its quest to fulfill your needs as a product for productivity. Battery life under eight hours and a dim display are both vital issues for something that will accompany you through school projects or a workday. However, the Alienware m16 R2 is an exceedingly powerful gaming laptop, consistently being one of the best in our performance tests when compared against similar products. Even then, its display is lacking color, its fans get pretty darn loud, and its speakers aren’t punchy enough to rise above that noise."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m16 R2 or the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo
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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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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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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