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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 is typically much more expensive and is a midrange price option; it's designed for power users needing high performance, with a solid processor, more memory, and advanced graphics ideal for intensive gaming, 3D rendering, and complex engineering tasks. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is much less expensive and offers moderate performance, suitable for general use, everyday tasks, and is highly portable. If your priority is gaming, 3D tasks, or demanding applications, choose the Alienware; for regular browsing, office applications, and better portability, the Surface Laptop Go 2 is the way to go. 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 x14 R1
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2
- Excellent portability
- Very good speakers
Key differences
General Use
7.8
7.0
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
411.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both good for general use, though the Dell Alienware x14 R1 is somewhat better.
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 is better for general use due to its more powerful CPU and larger RAM, which assure faster and more efficient performance, while also featuring a superior GPU and a higher battery capacity for longer use compared to the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2. Meanwhile, the Surface Laptop Go 2 offers a higher degree of portability with its lighter weight and smaller dimensions, along with a touchscreen and a superior portability score, making it a fair option for users needing basic functionality on the go.
Gaming and AI
7.6
6.0
7.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 is good for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is only fair.
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 is better suited for gaming and 3D applications because it has a powerful Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU and a higher screen refresh rate of 144Hz, which results in smoother visuals and improved gameplay. In contrast, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 features an Intel Iris Xe GPU and a standard refresh rate of 60Hz, which are less optimal for demanding graphics tasks but make the device lighter and more portable for everyday use.
Engineering and Design
8.2
6.5
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
7.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 is very good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is only fair.
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 outperforms the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 in engineering and design use due to its higher-end CPU, double the RAM, and a significantly more powerful GPU, which are crucial for demanding computational tasks and graphics processing. Despite the Surface Laptop Go 2 being lighter and having a higher portability score, the Alienware boasts a superior screen quality and is better suited for intensive tasks, albeit being louder and heavier which might impact its portability and comfort during extended use.
Content Creation
7.9
7.1
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both good for content creation, though the Dell Alienware x14 R1 is somewhat better.
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
7.7
7.0
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both good for software development, though the Dell Alienware x14 R1 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
7.9
6.9
14.0in
SIZE
12.4in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
411.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Dell Alienware x14 R1, with a focus on gaming, likely has a high refresh rate, but its screen may fall short in brightness or resolution which are crucial for an immersive gaming experience. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is designed for portability and general productivity, offering a balance of resolution and brightness suitable for everyday tasks, but it may lack the fast refresh rates desired for 3D applications. Both laptops probably offer decent color coverage which is beneficial for engineering and design work, but dedicated professional screens would offer superior color accuracy for those fields.
Portability
Very Good
Excellent
14.0in
SIZE
12.4in
4.0 lbs
WEIGHT
2.4 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has excellent portability, while the Dell Alienware x14 R1 has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5
7.8
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has very good build quality, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,201
$774
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has a price of $1,201 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 costs $774.
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Key similarities
Battery
9.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has 9 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has 8 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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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Dell Alienware x14 R1 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware x14 R1 | Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,201 | $774 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | August 1, 2022 | June 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 10.3'' x 0.57'' | 11'' x 8.1'' x 0.62'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.06 lbs | 2.48 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.66" | 10.95" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.34" | 8.12" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-12700H | Intel i5-1135G7 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 128 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 80 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 12.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1536 x 1024 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 144Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 411 nits | 401 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.1/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 3 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 4 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
Dell Alienware x14 R1
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | March 2022
"The Alienware X14 series is thinner, but also slower than the competition. With the X series, you get plenty of modern technology: Intel Alder Lake CPUs, GeForce RTX 3000 GPUs, Thunderbolt 4, PCIe 4.0, Wi-Fi 6E, G-Sync, and Advanced Optimus. However, the slim design has some drawbacks, just like its larger siblings. The shifted hinge position results in a very deep device with a large footprint compared to the competition."
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | August 2022
"The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 review is a compact companion with old hardware. The Surface Laptop Go 2 shows some weaknesses. Microsoft didn't really develop the second generation of the Surface Laptop Go 2 any further but has only equipped it with a slightly more powerful Core i5 processor. However, the performance still remains at a fairly low level overall, but for many users, it definitely should still be sufficient for everyday tasks."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware x14 R1 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2
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 Microsoft
Microsoft is an American technology corporation. Microsoft is best known for their Windows operating system and Surface laptop series. The Surface Laptop is their standard notebook offering, while their Surface Go, Surface Pro, and Surface Studio are their 2-in-1/tablet offerings in order of increasing capability. Although Microsoft charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a well integrated and packaged device since Microsoft develops the Windows operating system.
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