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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is significantly less expensive than the MSI Raider GE78 and offers solid performance for gaming and general use with decent battery life. However, if you're looking for exceptionally high performance for 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering tasks, the MSI Raider GE78 is a more powerful but more expensive choice; it also has double the storage and RAM compared to the Alienware. The Raider has a higher-resolution display, but both laptops have large 17.3-inch screens which may affect portability. The Raider's screen also has a slightly better aspect ratio and color accuracy, which could be beneficial for creative tasks. Both are suitable for intensive gaming, but the MSI Raider GE78 has a more recent release, potentially offering more modern features and longer support. 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
- The Dell Alienware m17 R5 has no clear advantages over the MSI Raider GE78.
Advantages of the MSI Raider GE78
- Very good for general use
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Best in class for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall build quality
- Good battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.8
8.7
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
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
9.5/10
5.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 is very good for general use, while the Dell Alienware m17 R5 is good.
The MSI Raider GE78 boasts a more powerful CPU, double the RAM, and a higher resolution screen with superior color coverage, making it very good for general use, although it is less portable and has slightly reduced battery life compared to the Dell Alienware m17 R5, which offers a solid performance that's good for general use with a decent screen and battery life. Additionally, while the Alienware has good heat management and keyboard quality, the Raider excels with the best ratings in these areas, further enhancing its suitability for intense tasks.
Gaming and AI
7.7
9.5
7.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
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 GE78 is best in class for gaming and AI, while the Dell Alienware m17 R5 is good.
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is equipped with an Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU and has a high screen refresh rate of 480Hz, making it suitable for smooth gaming and 3D rendering. In contrast, the MSI Raider GE78 boasts a more powerful Nvidia RTX 4090 GPU and a still-impressive 240Hz refresh rate, providing an edge for the most demanding games and 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
8.1
9.4
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
7.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Raider GE78 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Dell Alienware m17 R5 is very good.
The Dell Alienware m17 R5, with its AMD Ryzen 7 CPU and Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU, offers solid performance for engineering and design tasks, but the MSI Raider GE78 stands out with its top-tier Intel i9 processor and Nvidia RTX 4090 graphics, providing exceptional power for the most demanding applications. While both feature quality IPS displays, the Raider GE78's higher resolution and better color accuracy make it more suitable for precision work, though both are on the heavier side, reducing their portability for on-the-go use.
Content Creation
7.8
8.8
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Raider GE78 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
8.5
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 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 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
301.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
The MSI Raider GE78 has a better screen than the Dell Alienware m17 R5 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
Higher resolution and brightness in both the Dell Alienware m17 R5 and MSI Raider GE78 make them excellent for general use, offering crisp and vivid visuals. For engineering and design tasks, a broad color coverage ensures that both laptops display accurate colors; however, their screens fall short for gaming and 3D because they lack the high refresh rates that are crucial for smooth motion rendering in fast-paced visual content.
Build Quality
7.8
8.5
The MSI Raider GE78 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
$4,386
$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 GE78 costs $4,386.
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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 GE78 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
6.8 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
1.1in
The MSI Raider GE78 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 GE78 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m17 R5 | MSI Raider GE78 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,100 | $4,386 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2022 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.6'' x 11.8'' x 1.05'' | 15'' x 11.7'' x 1.13'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 7.3 lbs | 6.83 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.64" | 14.97" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.76" | 11.73" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 6800H | Intel i9-13980HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 2048 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 1600 | |
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 | 5.6/10 | |
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 | 9.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 9.5/10 | |
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 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 4 | |
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 Raider GE78
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | March 2023
"Performance-wise, the GE78 offers a significant boost over the GE77 for just slightly higher power consumption. You'll have to get the RTX 4080 or 4090 configurations to see the performance advantages, however, as the RTX 4070 is closer in performance to the older RTX 3080 Ti. In terms of design, some users might prefer the 16:9 minimalistic look of the older GE77 over the 16:10 retro-inspired GE78 and vice versa. We wouldn't call one better than the other in terms of aesthetics, but we'll give the edge to the GE78 for its stronger hinges and larger keys and clickpad."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m17 R5 or the MSI Raider GE78
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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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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