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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is often somewhat less expensive, with ample storage and memory suitable for gaming and engineering tasks, and a high-quality IPS display but lower in resolution compared to the MSI Titan GT77. It's thicker and heavier, affecting portability. The MSI Titan GT77, on the other hand, provides more storage and memory, a higher resolution Mini LED display, and a thinner and lighter design which may appeal to those who need to move around more, yet it has a higher price tag. Both have strong performance for general use, 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering, but the MSI has slightly longer battery life. Choose the Dell if you want to save money without compromising much on performance, or the MSI if you need a more portable laptop with better display quality and are willing to pay for these enhancements. 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 GT77.
Advantages of the MSI Titan GT77
- Best in class for engineering and design
- Best in class for gaming and AI
- Excellent for software development
- Excellent for content creation
- Best in class overall display quality
- Best in class keyboard
Key differences
General Use
8.2
8.9
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
281.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
602.0 nits
4.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
5.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.5/10
The MSI Titan GT77 and Dell Alienware m18 R1 are both very good for general use, though the MSI Titan GT77 is somewhat better.
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
10.0
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.8/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The MSI Titan GT77 is best in class for gaming and AI, while the Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 with its higher screen refresh rate is excellent for gaming and 3D tasks, providing smoother visuals crucial for these activities, while its GPU supports demanding graphics tasks. Conversely, the MSI Titan GT77, while sharing the same high-end GPU for excellent gaming and 3D performance, offers a superior screen quality with its Mini LED display at a higher resolution and breathtaking color accuracy, making it the best choice for those who prioritize visual fidelity alongside performance.
Engineering and Design
9.1
10.0
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.8/10
32.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
The MSI Titan GT77 is best in class for engineering and design, while the Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent.
The MSI Titan GT77 is the better choice for engineering and design tasks, offering twice the storage and RAM, and a more powerful CPU than the Dell Alienware m18 R1, which also ensures smoother multitasking and intensive application handling. Moreover, while both laptops possess high-quality RTX 4080 GPUs, the MSI has a superior Mini LED display with higher resolution and color accuracy, contributing to more precise visual work, albeit with a slight compromise on weight and bulkiness compared to the Dell.
Content Creation
8.4
9.1
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
32.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The MSI Titan GT77 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
9.1
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
The MSI Titan GT77 is excellent for software development, while the Dell Alienware m18 R1 is very 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
9.7
17.3in
SIZE
17.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
281.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
602.0 nits
The MSI Titan GT77 has a better screen than the Dell Alienware m18 R1 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1's display, with its combination of resolution and brightness, offers a clear and vibrant viewing experience suitable for everyday tasks and detailed engineering applications, despite its lower refresh rate which hinders gaming and 3D performance. The MSI Titan GT77 excels with a brilliant display that boasts high resolution and brightness for sharp text and images in general use, and wide color gamuts essential for precision in engineering and design work, yet like the Alienware, its refresh rate is not optimized for the smooth visuals required by gamers and 3D modelers. Both laptops prioritize screen characteristics that benefit professional and general use over the high refresh rates which are crucial for gaming and 3D tasks, making them less ideal for those specific scenarios.
Cost
$2,600
$5,430
$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 GT77 costs $5,430.
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Key similarities
Battery
4.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has 4 hours of battery life. The MSI Titan GT77 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.
Portability
Poor
Poor
17.3in
SIZE
17.3in
8.9 lbs
WEIGHT
7.2 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The MSI Titan GT77 and Dell Alienware m18 R1 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 GT77 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 GT77 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m18 R1 | MSI Titan GT77 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,600 | $5,430 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2022 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 16.2'' x 12.6'' x 1.05'' | 15.6'' x 13'' x 0.91'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 8.9 lbs | 7.28 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 16.15" | 15.63" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 12.59" | 12.99" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-13900HX | Intel i9-13980HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 64 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 4 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 2048 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 4 Hours | 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 | Mini LED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 3840 x 2160 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 281 nits | 602 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.1/10 | 5.6/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 6.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 10/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
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 | Yes | |
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 Titan GT77
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | February 2023
"The MSI Titan GT77 HX 13V is the utimate gaming laptop with RTX 4090 & Core i9-13950HX. The new MSI Titan GT77 will most likely only reach a very small group of users due to the high price, but it is still an impressive showcase of what is possible. The high-end gamer combines the best components you can currently get in almost every regard and it is a very good overall package, which does not have to hide behind full-fledged desktop systems."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m18 R1 or the MSI Titan GT77
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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