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Updated March 22, 2024·
When comparing the Dell Alienware m16 R2 and the MSI Prestige 16, consider that the Alienware typically offers more power for gaming and demanding tasks but at the expense of battery life and portability, while the Prestige leans towards a balance of performance and portability, often preferred for professional work. If your primary use is gaming or performance-intensive applications, the Alienware justifies its higher cost; however, if you need a laptop that is easier to carry around and has a longer battery life for everyday productivity or less demanding creative tasks, the MSI Prestige might be the better value. 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 keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Prestige 16
- Very good for general use
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Good portability
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.9
6.7
8.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 is good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Prestige 16 is only fair.
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 offers a powerful GPU and a high screen refresh rate, making it well suited for gaming and 3D tasks where smooth graphics are crucial. MSI Prestige 16, while also having a capable GPU and good screen refresh rate, balances performance with a focus on screen quality and a CPU that supports general productivity alongside gaming and creative work.
Screen Quality
8.2
8.3
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
302.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has a better screen than the MSI Prestige 16 for gaming and AI, while the MSI Prestige 16 has a better screen for general use, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, both the Dell Alienware m16 R2 and the MSI Prestige 16 have high-resolution displays with bright panels that make text sharp and colors vivid, enhancing the overall user experience. The screens on both laptops cover a wide range of color gamuts, rendering them excellent for engineering and design work where color accuracy is critical. However, for gaming and 3D applications that benefit from fast-paced visuals, the lower refresh rates of these laptops' screens can result in less smooth motion, making them less ideal compared to models with higher refresh rates.
Battery
6.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has 6 hours of battery life. The MSI Prestige 16 has 7.5 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
Good
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.2 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The MSI Prestige 16 has 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 16 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.9
8.4
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
302.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
6.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Prestige 16 to be very good for general use, while the Dell Alienware m16 R2 is good.
The Dell Alienware m16 R2, while offering powerful CPU and RAM suitable for demanding tasks, is less portable due to its weight and typically has shorter battery life, making it less ideal for on-the-go use compared to the MSI Prestige 16, which provides a balance of high-quality screen, longer battery life, and lighter design for better portability, though it may have slightly less raw performance power for intensive applications. Additionally, the Prestige 16's storage, keyboard, speakers, operating noise, and heat management are generally well-regarded, enhancing its suitability for general use without compromising much on performance.
Engineering and Design
8.4
8.2
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
8.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 and MSI Prestige 16 are both very good for engineering and design.
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 delivers robust performance for engineering tasks with its high-end CPU, ample RAM, and powerful GPU, alongside a high-quality screen for precise visuals. However, while the MSI Prestige 16 also offers strong CPU and GPU capabilities with a compelling screen and sufficient RAM, it has an edge in portability and a quieter operating noise, which may make it more attractive for users frequently on the move.
Content Creation
7.9
8.3
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Prestige 16 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
8.1
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Prestige 16 to be very good for software development, while the Dell Alienware m16 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.
Cost
$1,650
$1,611
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has a price of $1,650 and the MSI Prestige 16 costs $1,611.
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How the Dell Alienware m16 R2 and the MSI Prestige 16 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m16 R2 | MSI Prestige 16 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,650 | $1,611 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2024 | January 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 9.8'' x 0.93'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.66'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.75 lbs | 4.2 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.33" | 14.09" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.81" | 10.18" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel Core Ultra 7 155H | Intel i7-13700H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 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 | 7.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 82 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 240Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 302 nits | 400 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.8/10 | 7.7/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8.8/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
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."
MSI Prestige 16
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Dig into reviews and images
Make Use Of
Paul Antill | June 2023
"The MSI Prestige 16 Evo: 2023's best value 16” thin & light laptop with i7-13700H. One of the top choices for professionals and students seeking a high-performance, portable computing solution in 2023. While the MSI Prestige 16 Evo A13M may not boast the most striking design compared to some other 16" options, its relatively "safe" styling lends itself well to professional and educational environments. Significantly, it doesn't compromise on essential features like port selection or cooling performance, ensuring seamless connectivity and efficient thermal management. The 16 Evo A13M offers an excellent combination of performance, portability, and functionality, making it a compelling choice for professionals and students alike."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m16 R2 or the MSI Prestige 16
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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