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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 offers better performance for engineering tasks and intensive gaming due to its more powerful processor and additional RAM, and it has a higher battery capacity for longer use away from a power source, but it comes with a smaller screen size, which may matter if you prefer larger displays for work or entertainment. In contrast, the MSI GF65 Thin is slightly heavier with a bigger screen, but has a shorter battery life and lower performance due to less RAM and a less powerful CPU, making it less suitable for demanding applications but could be sufficient for general use and some gaming. Both laptops feature similar GPUs, offering good graphics performance for gaming and 3D work. 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
- Good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good for software development
- Good for content creation
- Good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good portability
- Good battery life
- Good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI GF65 Thin
- The MSI GF65 Thin has no clear advantages over the Dell Alienware x14 R1.
Key differences
General Use
7.8
6.5
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
411.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 is good for general use, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 outperforms in general use due to its more powerful processor, higher RAM, better screen quality, and longer battery life, also offering a compact and lighter build for superior portability. The MSI GF65 Thin, while fair for general use, has a less capable CPU, half the RAM of the Alienware, a dimmer and less color-accurate display, and a shorter battery life, but it is slightly larger and also offers a good gaming experience.
Gaming and AI
7.6
6.8
7.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 is good for gaming and AI, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 is better for gaming and 3D tasks due to its significantly higher screen brightness and wider color coverage, benefiting from a more powerful CPU and better screen quality which contribute to a richer visual experience.
Engineering and Design
8.2
6.7
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
7.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 outshines the MSI GF65 Thin for engineering and design due to its superior CPU (Intel i7 compared to MSI's Intel i5), double the RAM for handling complex tasks, and a significantly brighter screen with higher color accuracy which is crucial for design work. While both laptops share the same GPU, the Alienware's higher-end processor and additional memory make it more adept for intensive workloads, though the MSI GF65 Thin, being slightly lighter and thinner, offers a slightly more portable option.
Content Creation
7.9
6.8
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 is good for content creation, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
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
6.3
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 is good for software development, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
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
6.8
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
411.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has a better screen than the MSI GF65 Thin for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
When considering the Dell Alienware x14 R1, it excels for general use and engineering due to its high resolution and brightness, alongside a wide color gamut that ensures vivid and accurate color representation, essential for detailed design work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, its lower refresh rate could diminish the experience as fast-paced visuals may not appear as smooth. On the other hand, the MSI GF65 Thin offers fair screen quality for general use and engineering with decent resolution and acceptable color reproduction, but it also falls short for gaming and 3D because of its refresh rate, which isn't high enough to deliver the very fluid visuals demanded by these applications.
Battery
9.0 Hours
4.5 Hours
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has 9 hours of battery life. The MSI GF65 Thin 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.
Portability
Very Good
Good
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
4.0 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has very good portability, while the MSI GF65 Thin has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5
6.7
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has very good build quality, while the MSI GF65 Thin has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,201
$1,100
$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 MSI GF65 Thin costs $1,100.
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How the Dell Alienware x14 R1 and the MSI GF65 Thin compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware x14 R1 | MSI GF65 Thin |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,201 | $1,100 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | August 1, 2022 | January 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 10.3'' x 0.57'' | 14.1'' x 10'' x 0.85'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.06 lbs | 4.1 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.66" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.34" | 9.99" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-12700H | Intel i5-10500H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9 Hours | 4.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 80 Wh | 51 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 144Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 411 nits | 262 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.1/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 3 | 2 | |
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."
MSI GF65 Thin
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | March 2021
"The MSI GF65 Thin offers a GeForce RTX 3060 on a budget. The MSI GF65 is a relatively inexpensive RTX 3060 laptop and, perhaps not coincidentally, it also comes with a slower-than-average RTX 3060 GPU. Other laptops we've tested thus far with the same GPU are about 10 to 15 percent faster. CPU performance is also slightly slower than average unless if users decide to enable Cooler Boost mode. Colors, black-white response times, Thunderbolt, and DisplayPort are either average or completely omitted. Gamers who want to maximize performance-per-dollar without sacrificing RAM or SSD upgradeability will find the lightweight MSI GF65 attractive."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware x14 R1 or the MSI GF65 Thin
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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