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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is often less expensive, but it's heavier and slightly larger compared to the MSI Stealth 17, which may affect portability. The MSI has double the storage and more RAM, which typically means better performance and multitasking capabilities, and it also features a more powerful graphics card. This could make it more suitable for intensive gaming, 3D rendering, or machine learning tasks. The MSI also has a higher refresh rate display, which is good for fast-paced games, although both have similar screen sizes and resolutions. Each laptop provides high-quality build, but the battery life is moderate, which is a factor to consider if you need to use them on the go. If battery life and portability are crucial, and you prefer a machine that's lighter and easier to carry, the MSI might be preferred, despite its higher price. If cost is a deciding factor and you're seeking a powerful laptop that can still handle demanding tasks but at a potentially lower price point, consider the Alienware. 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 overall build quality
Advantages of the MSI Stealth 17
- Very good overall display quality
- Best in class speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
Software Development
8.0
8.5
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
32.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The MSI Stealth 17 and Dell Alienware m18 R1 are both very good for software development, though the MSI Stealth 17 is somewhat better.
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
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 Stealth 17 has a better screen than the Dell Alienware m18 R1 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the Dell Alienware m18 R1 and MSI Stealth 17 offer high-quality displays with ample resolution, vibrant colors, and adequate brightness, making tasks like web browsing or video streaming enjoyable. In engineering and design, both laptops provide broad color coverage, which is crucial for precision tasks like photo editing or CAD work, ensuring colors are accurately represented. However, for gaming and 3D applications, both laptops fall short on refresh rates, leading to less fluid motion and potentially less immersive experiences during fast-paced action or animation.
Battery
4.0 Hours
5.5 Hours
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has 4 hours of battery life. The MSI Stealth 17 has 5.5 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
Fair
17.3in
SIZE
17.3in
8.9 lbs
WEIGHT
6.1 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The MSI Stealth 17 has only fair portability, while the Dell Alienware m18 R1 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5
7.8
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has very good build quality, while the MSI Stealth 17 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,600
$3,899
$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 17 costs $3,899.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.2
8.7
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
281.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
4.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.5 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
5.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.4/10
The MSI Stealth 17 and Dell Alienware m18 R1 are both very good for general use.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 offers a robust suite for general use with a high-performance CPU, ample RAM, and a quality IPS display, though it's heavier and less portable with a shorter battery life; this is contrasted by the MSI Stealth 17, which offers double the storage and even more RAM, a slightly superior CPU, a superior display, and a longer battery life, all in a lighter package making it more portable, albeit at a likely higher price point.
Gaming and AI
9.1
9.1
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
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
8.0/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 and MSI Stealth 17 are both excellent for gaming and AI.
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
9.4
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
32.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
The MSI Stealth 17 and Dell Alienware m18 R1 are both excellent for engineering and design.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 and MSI Stealth 17 are both equipped with high-end CPUs and GPUs, ample RAM, and quality IPS screens, making them well-suited for demanding engineering and design work. However, the Alienware is heavier and less portable with a shorter battery life, whereas the Stealth offers greater portability and longer battery life, but may not be as quiet or cool under load.
Content Creation
8.4
8.8
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
32.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Stealth 17 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.
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How the Dell Alienware m18 R1 and the MSI Stealth 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m18 R1 | MSI Stealth 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,600 | $3,899 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2022 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 16.2'' x 12.6'' x 1.05'' | 15.7'' x 11.2'' x 0.79'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 8.9 lbs | 6.17 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 16.15" | 15.65" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 12.59" | 11.16" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-13900HX | Intel i9-13900H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 64 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 | 4 Hours | 5.5 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 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.1/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 4 | 2 | |
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 17
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Mario Petzold | April 2023
"The MSI Stealth 17 Studio is a laptop with a quiet RTX 4080 for almost every occasion. The MSI Stealth 17 Studio is equally capable of high-level media processing and playing current games. It remains pleasantly quiet, even if a few percentage points of power have had to be sacrificed in the process. But, it is not quite perfect: To some extent, the Stealth 17 is well thought out. It packs tons of graphics power and high-end components in a slim case. The laptop's cooling system can be set such that, noise-wise, it doesn't even reach low volume. However, small flaws cloud otherwise exceptionally positive impressions."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m18 R1 or the MSI Stealth 17
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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