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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated March 22, 2024·
If you're looking for high performance for gaming, the Dell Alienware x14 R1 excels with powerful internals that support demanding games and can also handle engineering software, though be aware it's heavier and may have shorter battery life. On the other hand, the MSI Creator M14 is designed with content creators in mind, offering a color-accurate screen and longer battery life for tasks like video editing and graphic design, but it may not match the Alienware in gaming performance. Consider your main focus - if it's gaming or high-performance tasks, the Alienware could be the better choice, but for on-the-go creativity and lighter tasks, the MSI might 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 x14 R1
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good portability
- Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Creator M14
- Very good for general use
- Very good for content creation
Key differences
Screen Quality
7.9
7.5
14.0in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
411.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
350.0 nits
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has a better screen than the MSI Creator M14 for gaming and AI, while the MSI Creator M14 has a better screen for software development.
For general use, both the Dell Alienware x14 R1 and MSI Creator M14 have panels with high resolution and brightness that make texts and images crisp and easy on the eyes. Their wide color gamuts ensure the laptops display accurate and vivid colors, essential for engineering and design work where precise color representation is crucial. However, for gaming and 3D applications, their screens fall short due to lower refresh rates, which can result in less smooth visual experiences during fast-paced scenes or while working on detailed animation projects.
Battery
9.0 Hours
4.5 Hours
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has 9 hours of battery life. The MSI Creator M14 has 4.5 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.
Build Quality
8.5
7.8
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has very good build quality, while the MSI Creator M14 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,201
$1,500
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has a price of $1,201 and the MSI Creator M14 costs $1,500.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.8
8.0
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
411.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
350.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Creator M14 to be very good for general use, while the Dell Alienware x14 R1 is good.
The Dell Alienware x14 R1, while offering solid performance with a capable CPU and RAM for general tasks, is designed with gaming in mind, which could compromise its portability and battery life. On the other hand, the MSI Creator M14 not only provides a high-quality screen for visuals but also maintains a focus on portability and longer battery life, making it a more versatile option for everyday use and content creation.
Gaming and AI
7.6
7.3
7.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.7/10
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 and MSI Creator M14 are both good for gaming and AI.
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 and MSI Creator M14 both offer powerful GPUs that are essential for handling the graphics processing in gaming and 3D applications, with the added benefit of high screen refresh rates that make for smooth visuals. While both laptops have capable CPUs and good screen quality, the GPU strength and refresh rate are the key features that make them suitable choices for gaming and 3D content creation.
Engineering and Design
8.2
8.4
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
7.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Creator M14 and Dell Alienware x14 R1 are both very good for engineering and design.
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 offers a powerful CPU, ample RAM, and a high-quality GPU which are crucial for engineering tasks, along with a sharp screen that benefits design work. Conversely, the MSI Creator M14 also provides robust performance with its CPU and graphics capabilities, matched with a vivid display and improved portability, but keep in mind that the enhanced portability may come with a tradeoff in keyboard and speaker quality.
Content Creation
7.9
8.0
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Creator M14 to be very good for content creation, while the Dell Alienware x14 R1 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.
Software Development
7.7
7.8
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Creator M14 and Dell Alienware x14 R1 are both good for software development.
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.
Portability
Very Good
Good
14.0in
SIZE
14.0in
4.0 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.8in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Alienware x14 R1 to have very good portability, while the MSI Creator M14 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Dell Alienware x14 R1 and the MSI Creator M14 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware x14 R1 | MSI Creator M14 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,201 | $1,500 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | August 1, 2022 | March 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 10.3'' x 0.57'' | 12.4'' x 9.2'' x 0.88'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.06 lbs | 3.53 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.66" | 12.39" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.34" | 9.19" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-12700H | Intel i7-13620H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9 Hours | 4.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 80 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2880 x 1800 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 144Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 411 nits | 350 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.1/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 7.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 1 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 3 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 4 | 2 | |
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."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware x14 R1 or the MSI Creator M14
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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