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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 offers strong performance for intensive engineering tasks with its advanced processor and high-end graphics card—it's a fit for users needing power for things like 3D rendering, machine learning, or gaming. However, it's heavier which impacts portability. The MSI Raider GE76 also handles demanding tasks well and offers a higher screen refresh rate, making it better for fast-paced gaming. It's lighter in weight and has a slightly longer battery life, providing better portability. If the utmost performance is your priority the Alienware could be the choice, though if you prefer a balance between performance and portability, consider the MSI Raider. 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 m18 R1
- Excellent for gaming and AI
- Very good speakers
Advantages of the MSI Raider GE76
- Very good overall display quality
- Good battery life
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
Screen Quality
7.8
8.6
17.3in
SIZE
17.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
281.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
The MSI Raider GE76 has a better screen than the Dell Alienware m18 R1 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 and MSI Raider GE76 likely feature panels with high resolution and brightness, which enhances the viewing experience for general use and detailed tasks like engineering and design. Both laptops' screens probably offer wide color gamuts, ensuring accurate color representation critical for engineering and design professionals. However, for gaming and 3D applications, where high refresh rates are crucial for smooth visuals, both laptops' screens fall short, leading to lower quality experiences in fast-paced scenarios.
Battery
4.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has 4 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
8.9 lbs
WEIGHT
6.3 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The MSI Raider GE76 and Dell Alienware m18 R1 both have poor portability, though the MSI Raider GE76 has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$2,600
$3,552
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has a price of $2,600 and the MSI Raider GE76 costs $3,552.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.2
8.4
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
281.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
4.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
5.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.8/10
The MSI Raider GE76 and Dell Alienware m18 R1 are both very good for general use.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
9.1
8.9
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.3/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Alienware m18 R1 to be excellent for gaming and AI, while the MSI Raider GE76 is very good.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 stands out in gaming and 3D tasks due to its high-end Nvidia RTX 4080 GPU and a solid screen refresh rate, making it excellent for fluid visuals and detailed graphics, while the MSI Raider GE76 features an impressive Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti GPU and an even higher refresh rate screen, offering an incredibly smooth gaming experience with fast-paced action. However, the Dell might exhibit better overall gaming performance due to a more powerful GPU, despite the MSI's screen offering a higher refresh rate which benefits fast-moving images.
Engineering and Design
9.1
9.0
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.3/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 and MSI Raider GE76 are both excellent for engineering and design.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 stands out for engineering and design due to its high-performance Intel i9 CPU, ample RAM, and powerful Nvidia RTX 4080 GPU, along with a quality IPS screen that covers a wide range of colors, making it suitable for detailed design work. Meanwhile, the MSI Raider GE76, while also having a capable Intel i7 CPU, substantial RAM, and a high-end Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti GPU, boasts a higher screen brightness and refresh rate which could be advantageous for fast-paced engineering simulations and designs that demand accurate color representation and smooth visuals.
Content Creation
8.4
8.4
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Raider GE76 and Dell Alienware m18 R1 are both very 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
8.0
8.2
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The MSI Raider GE76 and Dell Alienware m18 R1 are both very 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
8.5
8.5
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 and MSI Raider GE76 both have very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Dell Alienware m18 R1 and the MSI Raider GE76 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m18 R1 | MSI Raider GE76 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,600 | $3,552 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2022 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 16.2'' x 12.6'' x 1.05'' | 15.6'' x 11.2'' x 1.02'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 8.9 lbs | 6.39 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 16.15" | 15.63" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 12.59" | 11.18" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-13900HX | Intel i7-12700H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 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 | 4 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 | 2560 x 1600 | 2560 x 1440 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 281 nits | 384 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.1/10 | 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 | 8.5/10 | 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 | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 4 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 4 | 4 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
Shopping
Dell Alienware m18 R1
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Matthew Buzzi | July 2023
"Dell's Alienware m18 delivers on its promises: This is a large, powerful gaming laptop with the premium flair and feel you expect from an expensive purchase. The drawbacks are really the price and battery life, which in context are reasonable. (We'd also like to see more ports on the laptop's sides.) This price tier exists for deep-pocketed enthusiasts, and if you’re considering anything in this range, the m18 isn’t an outlier. For the majority of shoppers, of course, all of these mighty 18-inch systems are likely too expensive."
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 m18 R1 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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