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Updated March 21, 2024·
When deciding between the Dell Alienware m18 R1 and the MSI Titan 18 HX, consider that the Alienware will generally be lighter on your wallet while still providing robust performance for gaming and demanding tasks. However, the Titan tends to offer top-of-the-line specs which may translate to smoother gameplay and better handling of extremely intensive tasks like high-end game development or complex 3D rendering, at the cost of being pricier and possibly heftier, which could be a drawback if you often carry your laptop with you. Battery life in such powerful laptops tends to be limited, so frequent access to a power outlet is expected. If your budget allows and you need the utmost performance, the Titan is a strong choice; if you're looking for a balance between cost and capability, the Alienware may suit you well. 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
- The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has no clear advantages over the MSI Titan 18 HX.
Advantages of the MSI Titan 18 HX
- Best in class for engineering and design
- Excellent for content creation
- Excellent overall display quality
- Excellent speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Key differences
General Use
8.2
8.8
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
281.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
4.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
5.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX and Dell Alienware m18 R1 are both very good for general use, though the MSI Titan 18 HX is somewhat better.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 and the MSI Titan 18 HX both have powerful CPUs and ample RAM, ensuring smooth performance for everyday tasks and multitasking, as well as high-quality screens that enhance the viewing experience. However, considering their large size, they are less portable and have shorter battery life, making them less ideal for on-the-go usage, but they still offer substantial storage capacity, satisfying keyboard and speaker quality, and effective heat management despite some noise during heavy use.
Engineering and Design
9.1
9.9
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
The MSI Titan 18 HX is best in class for engineering and design, while the Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1, with its high-quality CPU, ample RAM, and powerful GPU, offers robust performance for demanding engineering software, while its screen delivers clear and sharp visuals for design work. The MSI Titan 18 HX, on the other hand, steps up particularly in CPU and GPU performance, making it even better suited for the most intensive engineering tasks, albeit at the cost of being less portable and potentially noisier under load.
Content Creation
8.4
9.0
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
32.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The MSI Titan 18 HX is excellent for content creation, while the Dell Alienware m18 R1 is very 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
8.0
8.9
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX and Dell Alienware m18 R1 are both very good for software development, though the MSI Titan 18 HX 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
9.2
17.3in
SIZE
18.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
281.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
The MSI Titan 18 HX 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, a laptop with a high-resolution, bright display and a panel type that offers wide viewing angles, like the ones on the MSI Titan 18 HX, will provide crisp and vibrant visuals, making it preferable over the Dell Alienware m18 R1. In terms of engineering and design, professionals often seek displays with wide color gamuts to ensure color accuracy for their projects, an area where the MSI Titan 18 HX excels due to its superior color coverage. However, gamers and those engaged in 3D work would find both laptops lacking as their screens have poor refresh rates, which can lead to less smooth visuals during fast-paced action or intensive graphics work.
Cost
$2,600
$4,949
$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 Titan 18 HX costs $4,949.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
9.1
9.4
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX and Dell Alienware m18 R1 are both excellent for gaming and AI.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is equipped with a high-end GPU and a screen with a fast refresh rate which makes it ideal for immersive gaming and fluid 3D rendering, while the MSI Titan 18 HX also packs a formidable GPU and high refresh rate providing a similarly smooth and responsive visual experience. Both machines have powerful CPUs and high-quality screens, ensuring that games and 3D applications not only look great but also run efficiently.
Battery
4.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has 4 hours of battery life. The MSI Titan 18 HX has 4 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
18.0in
8.9 lbs
WEIGHT
7.9 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
1.2in
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 and MSI Titan 18 HX both have poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5
8.5
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 and MSI Titan 18 HX 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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How the Dell Alienware m18 R1 and the MSI Titan 18 HX compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m18 R1 | MSI Titan 18 HX |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,600 | $4,949 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2022 | February 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 16.2'' x 12.6'' x 1.05'' | 15.9'' x 12.1'' x 1.26'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 8.9 lbs | 7.93 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 16.15" | 15.9" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 12.59" | 12.08" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-13900HX | Intel i9-14900HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 128 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 4 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 4096 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 4 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 97 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 18" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | Mini LED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 3840 x 2400 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 281 nits | 401 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.1/10 | 5.1/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 10/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 9.1/10 | |
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 | 3 | |
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 Titan 18 HX
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | January 2024
"With no new Nvidia GPU this year for laptops, MSI had to refresh everything surrounding the graphics card to make up for it. Users are getting a new 18-inch chassis design, new 14th gen Intel HX CPU, new AC adapter, larger keys, and a new 120 Hz HDR1000 mini-LED 4K display to accompany the high price tag. Most of these changes are a step up from last year's GT77, but users are ultimately getting the same gaming performance out of both models."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m18 R1 or the MSI Titan 18 HX
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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