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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 12, 2024·
If you prioritize top-tier gaming or intensive engineering work and price is less of a concern, the Dell Alienware m18 R1, with its more powerful Intel i9 processor and higher-end Nvidia RTX 4080 graphics, may suit your needs despite being bulkier and heavier. However, if you prefer a more portable laptop with considerable power for a range of tasks, including some gaming and creative work, but at a more affordable price, the MSI Stealth 14 Studio offers a smaller, lighter form factor with competent performance, though it has a less powerful processor and graphics compared to the Alienware. The Alienware also has a larger screen with a higher resolution, which could enhance your media consumption and gaming experience, but this comes at the cost of added weight and size, making it less convenient for frequent travel. 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
- Very good for general use
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Excellent for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Stealth 14 Studio
- Good portability
- Best in class speakers
Key differences
Gaming and AI
9.1
7.8
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.1/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent for gaming and AI, while the MSI Stealth 14 Studio is good.
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
9.1
8.5
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.1/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent for engineering and design, while the MSI Stealth 14 Studio is very good.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 comes with high-performance CPU, ample RAM, top-tier GPU, and a superior screen quality tailored for demanding engineering tasks; however, its bulk and weight limit portability. The MSI Stealth 14 Studio, while offering solid performance with a capable CPU, sufficient RAM, and quality GPU for most engineering work, is lighter and more portable, with a trade-off in screen size and ultimate power, but a more comfortable keyboard and quieter operation.
Software Development
8.0
7.4
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is very good for software development, while the MSI Stealth 14 Studio 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
7.8
7.6
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
281.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has a better screen than the MSI Stealth 14 Studio for engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, both the Dell Alienware m18 R1 and MSI Stealth 14 Studio have screens with resolutions and panel types that offer clear images and good brightness levels, making them suitable for day-to-day tasks like web browsing, video streaming, and document editing. For engineering and design, their displays cover a wide range of colors, providing accuracy needed for tasks that involve precise color work, such as graphic design and photo editing. However, their screens have lower refresh rates, which can affect the smoothness of fast-moving visuals, reducing the quality of the gaming and 3D experience where high refresh rates are critical for a fluid display.
Portability
Poor
Good
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
8.9 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio has good portability, while the Dell Alienware m18 R1 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5
7.6
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has very good build quality, while the MSI Stealth 14 Studio has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,600
$1,520
$500
$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 Stealth 14 Studio costs $1,520.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.2
7.8
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
281.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
4.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
5.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Alienware m18 R1 to be very good for general use, while the MSI Stealth 14 Studio is good.
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.
Content Creation
8.4
7.9
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Alienware m18 R1 to be very good for content creation, while the MSI Stealth 14 Studio 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.
Battery
4.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has 4 hours of battery life. The MSI Stealth 14 Studio has 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.
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How the Dell Alienware m18 R1 and the MSI Stealth 14 Studio compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m18 R1 | MSI Stealth 14 Studio |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,600 | $1,520 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2022 | February 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 16.2'' x 12.6'' x 1.05'' | 12.4'' x 9.7'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 8.9 lbs | 3.75 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 16.15" | 12.4" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 12.59" | 9.69" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-13900HX | Intel i7-13620H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 16 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 | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 97 Wh | 72 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 281 nits | 300 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.1/10 | 7.9/10 | |
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 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 4 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 4 | 3 | |
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 Stealth 14 Studio
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Francisco Lahoz | June 2023
"You'll find a versatility in the MSI Stealth 14 Studio that isn’t matched by many content-creator laptops we've tested of late. The small frame allows you to (potentially) work from anywhere with an outlet and, if noise isn’t a concern, run your most demanding of programs, thanks to some powerful hardware inside. The MSI Stealth 14 Studio is an attractive and powerful option if you want a portable laptop to be the center of your content work setup."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m18 R1 or the MSI Stealth 14 Studio
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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