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What we think
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Updated March 22, 2024·
If you're focusing on high-end gaming or resource-intensive applications, the Dell Alienware may justify its higher price with superior graphics and processing power; however, if portability and battery life are more important for everyday tasks or light creative work, the MSI Prestige, with its lighter build and longer-lasting battery, may serve you better at a lower cost. 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
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Prestige 14
- Very good portability
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.9
6.2
8.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
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 14 is only fair.
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 is equipped with a more powerful GPU and a higher screen refresh rate, which makes it a superior choice for gaming and 3D tasks, delivering smoother visuals and better performance in graphically demanding applications. Meanwhile, the MSI Prestige 14, while still capable with a decent CPU and screen quality, falls short for gaming and 3D work due to its less capable GPU and lower refresh rate, making it more suitable for less demanding general use and productivity tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.4
7.1
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
8.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Prestige 14 is good.
The Dell Alienware m16 R2, with its powerful CPU, ample RAM, and high-end GPU, offers superb performance for demanding engineering tasks and comes with a high-quality screen, though it's less portable and might have louder operating noise. The MSI Prestige 14, while also providing capable CPU and enough RAM for design work, has a less powerful GPU and smaller screen but gains points for portability, and has a high-quality keyboard, making it a more balanced choice for on-the-go professionals who still need reliable performance.
Screen Quality
8.2
6.9
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
302.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
313.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has a better screen than the MSI Prestige 14 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, the Dell Alienware m16 R2 offers a high-resolution, bright display with a panel type that renders sharp, vivid images making it very suitable for everyday activities like browsing and video streaming. In engineering and design, this laptop's display covers a wide range of colors, crucial for accuracy in graphic work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, its lower refresh rate can make fast-paced scenes less smooth than on displays designed specifically for high refresh rates, thus compromising the gaming experience.
Battery
6.0 Hours
8.5 Hours
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has 6 hours of battery life. The MSI Prestige 14 has 8.5 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
Fair
Very Good
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
2.8 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The MSI Prestige 14 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 14 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,650
$1,040
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has a price of $1,650 and the MSI Prestige 14 costs $1,040.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.9
7.5
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
302.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
313.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.5 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
6.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.8/10
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 and MSI Prestige 14 are both good for general use.
The Dell Alienware m16 R2, with its high-performance CPU and ample RAM, excels in demanding tasks and provides an immersive experience with its superior screen quality, but it's less portable and has a shorter battery life, making it better suited for stationary use. The MSI Prestige 14, on the other hand, offers good CPU performance and sufficient RAM for general use, boasts a high-quality screen, and its lighter design along with longer battery life make it more suitable for on-the-go users, though it might fall short during intensive processing tasks compared to the Alienware.
Content Creation
7.9
7.5
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 and MSI Prestige 14 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
7.6
7.3
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 and MSI Prestige 14 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 14 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m16 R2 | MSI Prestige 14 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,650 | $1,040 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2024 | April 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 9.8'' x 0.93'' | 12.6'' x 8.6'' x 0.63'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.75 lbs | 2.84 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.33" | 12.56" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.81" | 8.62" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel Core Ultra 7 155H | Intel i5-1240P | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6 Hours | 8.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 53.8 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 240Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 302 nits | 313 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.8/10 | 8.8/10 | |
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 | 720p | |
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 | 2 | |
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."
MSI Prestige 14
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Dig into reviews and images
Tech Radar
Collin Probst | September 2022
"The MSI Prestige 14” is excellent for productivity and business use cases, but it is not ideal for creators or visual content editors. The Prestige was able to power through days of email, spreadsheets, and text documents without breaking a sweat and was a joy to use. The additional ports were a breath of fresh air, as most laptops seem to be moving towards just Thunderbolt ports. The security options made signing in effortless, with two quick, more secure, and faster options than even the most complex alphanumeric passcode."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m16 R2 or the MSI Prestige 14
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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