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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 offers high performance suitable for gaming, 3D work, and intensive engineering tasks, but is larger, heavier, and has a shorter battery life, making it less portable. The MSI Prestige 14 is lighter, more portable, and has a longer battery life, making it ideal for general use and for people who need to work on the go, but it sacrifices some performance due to its less powerful processor and graphics, making it less suitable for gaming or intense computational tasks. Consider the Alienware if performance is key, or the MSI Prestige for better portability 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
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Prestige 14
- Very good portability
- Good battery life
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.7
6.2
7.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
480Hz
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 m17 R5 is good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Prestige 14 is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
8.1
7.1
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
7.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Prestige 14 is good.
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 stands out for engineering and design with its high-performance AMD CPU and dedicated Nvidia graphics card, making it highly suitable for demanding tasks that require substantial computational power, whereas the MSI Prestige 14, although good for engineering and design, is powered by a lower-tier Intel CPU and integrated graphics, limiting its capability for highly intensive tasks. The Alienware's larger screen and higher capacity storage also benefit design work, but its greater weight and thickness affect portability, whereas the MSI Prestige is much lighter and thinner, offering better portability at the expense of raw performance and screen size.
Screen Quality
8.1
6.9
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
301.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
313.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 has a better screen than the MSI Prestige 14 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and content creation.
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and MSI Prestige 14 have high-quality displays with sufficient resolution and brightness that make them suitable for general use, providing clear and vivid images for everyday tasks. For engineering and design, both laptops offer screens with a wide color gamut, ensuring accurate color reproduction that professionals need for precise work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, their screens fall short due to lower refresh rates, which can lead to less fluid motion and reduced responsiveness compared to displays designed specifically for fast-paced visual content.
Battery
5.0 Hours
8.5 Hours
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 has 5 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
Poor
Very Good
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
7.3 lbs
WEIGHT
2.8 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The MSI Prestige 14 has very good portability, while the Dell Alienware m17 R5 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.8
7.5
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
301.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
313.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
5.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.8/10
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and MSI Prestige 14 are both good for general use.
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 offers high performance with a powerful CPU and ample RAM, ideal for demanding tasks, while its large screen with decent quality is perfect for multimedia and gaming, but it's less portable due to its size and has shorter battery life. In contrast, the MSI Prestige 14 with a capable but less powerful CPU and the same amount of RAM is more portable with a higher battery life and a good quality screen, making it suitable for on-the-go users who engage in general tasks and appreciate longer use between charges.
Content Creation
7.8
7.5
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 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
7.4
7.3
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 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.
Build Quality
7.8
7.4
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and MSI Prestige 14 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,100
$1,040
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 has a price of $1,100 and the MSI Prestige 14 costs $1,040.
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How the Dell Alienware m17 R5 and the MSI Prestige 14 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m17 R5 | MSI Prestige 14 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,100 | $1,040 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2022 | April 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.6'' x 11.8'' x 1.05'' | 12.6'' x 8.6'' x 0.63'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 7.3 lbs | 2.84 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.64" | 12.56" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.76" | 8.62" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 6800H | 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 | 5 Hours | 8.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 97 Wh | 53.8 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 480Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 301 nits | 313 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.5/10 | 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 | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 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 | 3 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
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."
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 m17 R5 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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