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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize high-end gaming or intensive engineering tasks and can accept a heavier, less portable device that's more expensive, the Dell Alienware m18 R1 is an excellent choice. It has a powerful processor, high-end graphics, and a large, high-quality display, but it also has a shorter battery life. On the other hand, if you prefer something more portable, affordable, with a longer battery life, and suitable for general use and business tasks, the MSI Summit E14 Flip Evo, with its sleek design and flip functionality, could serve you well. However, it won't handle intensive tasks as effectively as 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 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 speakers
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Summit E14 Flip Evo
- Very good portability
- Good battery life
Key differences
Gaming and AI
9.1
6.5
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.0/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent for gaming and AI, while the MSI Summit E14 Flip Evo is only fair.
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
7.7
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent for engineering and design, while the MSI Summit E14 Flip Evo is good.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
8.4
7.8
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is very good for content creation, while the MSI Summit E14 Flip Evo 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.
Screen Quality
7.8
7.7
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
281.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
468.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has a better screen than the MSI Summit E14 Flip Evo for gaming and AI, software development, and content creation, while the MSI Summit E14 Flip Evo has a better screen for general use, and engineering and design.
For general use, both the Dell Alienware m18 R1 and MSI Summit E14 Flip Evo have crisp resolutions and bright displays, but the Summit's superior panel technology offers an edge in color reproduction and viewing angles. When it comes to engineering and design, the MSI Summit stands out with a higher color gamut coverage, crucial for color accuracy, making it well-suited for professional creative work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, both laptops fall short due to their lower refresh rates, which means they won't be as smooth in fast-paced scenarios compared to models with higher refresh rates.
Battery
4.0 Hours
7.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has 4 hours of battery life. The MSI Summit E14 Flip Evo has 7 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
Very Good
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
8.9 lbs
WEIGHT
3.6 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The MSI Summit E14 Flip Evo has very good portability, while the Dell Alienware m18 R1 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5
7.4
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has very good build quality, while the MSI Summit E14 Flip Evo has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,600
$1,599
$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 Summit E14 Flip Evo costs $1,599.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.2
7.8
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
281.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
468.0 nits
4.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
5.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.4/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Alienware m18 R1 to be very good for general use, while the MSI Summit E14 Flip Evo is good.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1, with its more powerful CPU, larger RAM, and higher-quality dedicated GPU, performs better in general use, especially for tasks that demand significant processing power and graphics capabilities. On the other hand, the MSI Summit E14 Flip Evo, while still providing competent performance, offers greater portability with its lighter weight and smaller size, alongside a battery life better suited for on-the-go usage without frequent recharging.
Software Development
8.0
7.7
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Alienware m18 R1 to be very good for software development, while the MSI Summit E14 Flip Evo 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.
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How the Dell Alienware m18 R1 and the MSI Summit E14 Flip Evo compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m18 R1 | MSI Summit E14 Flip Evo |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,600 | $1,599 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2022 | January 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 16.2'' x 12.6'' x 1.05'' | 12.6'' x 8.6'' x 0.63'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 8.9 lbs | 3.61 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 16.15" | 12.56" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 12.59" | 8.62" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-13900HX | Intel i7-1260P | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 4 Hours | 7 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 | 2880 x 1800 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 281 nits | 468 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.1/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 6/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
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 Summit E14 Flip Evo
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | July 2022
"The MSI Summit E14 Flip convertible review: a legit alternative to HP, Dell or Lenovo. Instead of taking the 13-inch Summit E13 Flip and simply enlarging it for a 14-inch form factor, the Summit E14 Flip is the full chassis redesign we've been looking for. It loses some of the golden trims of its smaller sibling, but the gains in rigidity and build quality are arguably worth it especially from a professional standpoint where reliability takes priority. It doesn't quite feel as strong as the HP Spectre just yet, but it's certainly getting close."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m18 R1 or the MSI Summit E14 Flip Evo
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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