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Updated March 14, 2024·
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is built for high-performance tasks like gaming and engineering applications, offering better graphical capabilities; however, it's heavier and has shorter battery life, making it less portable than the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo. The MSI is more expensive but provides excellent portability, good battery life, and sufficient performance for general use and less demanding tasks, but it might not handle intensive 3D or machine learning workloads as well as the Alienware. Choose the Alienware if performance is a priority, or the MSI Prestige for better mobility and battery life. 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 m17 R5
- Good for gaming and AI
- 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
- Good battery life
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.7
6.8
7.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
480Hz
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 m17 R5 is good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo is only fair.
The Dell Alienware m17 R5, with its higher-end GPU and faster screen refresh rate, provides a smoother and more immersive gaming and 3D experience, which is crucial for fast-paced games and detailed graphics work. In contrast, the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo, while suitable for less demanding tasks due to its adequate CPU and screen quality, won't offer the same level of performance in gaming and 3D applications.
Software Development
7.4
7.9
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo and Dell Alienware m17 R5 are both good for software development, though the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo is somewhat better.
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.
Screen Quality
8.1
8.2
17.3in
SIZE
13.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
301.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
415.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 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 general use, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the Dell Alienware m17 R5 offers a pleasing balance of resolution and brightness, but the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo steps up with even sharper visuals and exceptional brightness, enhancing everyday tasks and multimedia consumption. In engineering and design, both laptops provide laptops with wide color gamuts crucial for precise color work, yet the MSI may have a slight edge in color accuracy. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the lower refresh rate on both screens means less fluid motion and responsiveness, which could detract from the immersive experience demanded by these applications.
Battery
5.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 has 5 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
Poor
Very Good
17.3in
SIZE
13.0in
7.3 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo has very good portability, while the Dell Alienware m17 R5 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,100
$1,280
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 has a price of $1,100 and the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo costs $1,280.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.8
8.0
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
301.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
415.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
5.5/10
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 m17 R5 is good.
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 offers a powerful CPU and plentiful RAM suited for demanding tasks, but it's bulkier and has a shorter battery life, fitting those who prioritize performance over portability. Whereas the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo, with its high-quality screen and excellent portability, is better for those who need a balance between performance and battery life for everyday use without compromising on display quality.
Engineering and Design
8.1
8.0
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
7.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo are both very good for engineering and design.
The Dell Alienware m17 R5, with its powerful CPU, ample RAM, and high-performance GPU, excels in demanding engineering tasks and offers a superior screen for detailed design work, though it's less portable and can be noisier under load. On the other hand, the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo provides balanced CPU and RAM capabilities for engineering while being more portable, with a commendable screen, quieter operation, and a high-quality keyboard and speakers, making it suitable for on-the-go professionals who also value multimedia experience.
Content Creation
7.8
8.1
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
1920 x 1080
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 m17 R5 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.
Build Quality
7.8
7.4
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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How the Dell Alienware m17 R5 and the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m17 R5 | MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,100 | $1,280 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2022 | February 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.6'' x 11.8'' x 1.05'' | 11.8'' x 8.3'' x 0.67'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 7.3 lbs | 3.53 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.64" | 11.77" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.76" | 8.27" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 6800H | 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 | 5 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 97 Wh | 73 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 13" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2880 x 1800 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 480Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 301 nits | 415 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.5/10 | 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 | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 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 | 3 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
Dell Alienware m17 R5
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Christian Hintze | January 2023
"Overall, the all-AMD system in the Alienware m17 R5 is impressive, especially the graphics performance. However, various driver issues and unnecessary inconsistencies prevent us from truly enjoying such a potent gaming machine. In addition to strong 3D performance, we particularly like the build quality, the fairly bright UHD display with high color space coverage, and the fact that the gamer is often quiet when not under load and also rather quieter than some competitors under load."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m17 R5 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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