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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 offers good gaming performance and is less expensive, but if you prioritize higher performance for tasks like 3D rendering and machine learning, you may prefer the MSI Raider GE76, which has a better GPU and more RAM but comes at a higher price and is larger. Both laptops have large screens, but the MSI has a higher-resolution display and better color accuracy, making it more suitable for engineering and detailed visual work. An important consideration is portability; both are heavy, but the Dell has a slightly lower battery life. If budget is a concern and you mostly play games without the need for top-tier graphics or intensive engineering applications, the Dell might be sufficient, while the MSI is geared toward those needing peak performance and willing to invest more money. 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 speakers
Advantages of the MSI Raider GE76
- Very good for general use
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall build quality
- Good battery life
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.8
8.4
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
301.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
5.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.8/10
The MSI Raider GE76 is very good for general use, while the Dell Alienware m17 R5 is good.
The MSI Raider GE76's superior CPU and RAM, and its higher-resolution, more vibrant display make it particularly strong for general use; in contrast, while the Dell Alienware m17 R5 is adequately equipped for such tasks, its lower screen resolution and color coverage, as well as weaker CPU performance relative to the MSI, make it slightly less optimal. Both laptops have similar screen sizes and storage, but the MSI edges out in portability and has a longer battery life, which is crucial for users on the go, though both are relatively heavy and not ideal for frequent travel.
Gaming and AI
7.7
8.9
7.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Raider GE76 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Alienware m17 R5 is good.
The Dell Alienware m17 R5's solid gaming performance stems from its Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU and a high screen refresh rate, which provides smooth visuals. In contrast, the MSI Raider GE76 excels in gaming and 3D with a superior Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti GPU and a display boasting both a high refresh rate and impressive screen quality, including color accuracy and contrast.
Engineering and Design
8.1
9.0
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
7.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Raider GE76 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Dell Alienware m17 R5 is very good.
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is equipped with an AMD Ryzen 7 processor and a Nvidia RTX 3060 graphics card, offering solid performance for engineering with a good quality FHD screen, though it may not be as portable or have as high screen resolution as some options. The MSI Raider GE76, however, boasts a more powerful Intel i7 processor and top-tier Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti graphics, paired with a higher resolution screen, making it excellent for design tasks that demand intricate details and color accuracy, though it does compromise slightly on portability due to its features.
Content Creation
7.8
8.4
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Raider GE76 is 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.
Software Development
7.4
8.2
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The MSI Raider GE76 is very good for software development, while the Dell Alienware m17 R5 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.
Screen Quality
8.1
8.6
17.3in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
301.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
The MSI Raider GE76 has a better screen than the Dell Alienware m17 R5 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, where viewing documents and browsing the web prevail, the Dell Alienware m17 R5 and MSI Raider GE76 both offer screens that are sharp, bright, and use panels with wide viewing angles, providing a comfortable viewing experience. During engineering and design tasks, where color accuracy is paramount, both laptops display a broad spectrum of colors, but the MSI provides a slightly more precise representation of professional color spaces. In contrast, when it comes to 3D applications and gaming, high refresh rates are crucial for smooth motion, and on this front, both laptops fall short, with less emphasis on the fluidity that is essential for an optimal gaming experience.
Build Quality
7.8
8.5
The MSI Raider GE76 has very good build quality, while the Dell Alienware m17 R5 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,100
$3,552
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 has a price of $1,100 and the MSI Raider GE76 costs $3,552.
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Key similarities
Battery
5.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 has 5 hours of battery life. The MSI Raider GE76 has 6 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
Poor
17.3in
SIZE
17.3in
7.3 lbs
WEIGHT
6.3 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The MSI Raider GE76 and Dell Alienware m17 R5 both have poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Dell Alienware m17 R5 and the MSI Raider GE76 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m17 R5 | MSI Raider GE76 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,100 | $3,552 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2022 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.6'' x 11.8'' x 1.05'' | 15.6'' x 11.2'' x 1.02'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 7.3 lbs | 6.39 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.64" | 15.63" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.76" | 11.18" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 6800H | Intel i7-12700H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 5 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 97 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1440 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 480Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 301 nits | 384 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.5/10 | 5.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 4 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
Dell Alienware m17 R5
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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 Raider GE76
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Florian Glaser | January 2022
"The MSI Raider GE76: with Alder Lake and RTX 3080 Ti to gaming heaven. Yes, MSI could improve some aspects (like the quality of the webcam), but the manufacturer offers a very convincing and balanced overall package. The biggest advantage is definitely the immense performance potential. The combination of Core i9-12900HK, GeForce RTX 3080 Ti, 32 GB DDR5 RAM and two NVMe SSDs offers a lot of performance for the next couple of years and plenty of power for 3D applications. Most titles would run smoothly on an external 4K screen no matter the quality preset. We came away impressed with the integrated 360 Hz panel's fast response times and good color accuracy."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m17 R5 or the MSI Raider GE76
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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Why trust us
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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