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Updated January 10, 2024·
Choosing between the Dell Alienware x14 R1 and the MSI Stealth GS66 involves considering what you prioritize most. The Alienware x14 R1 comes at a midrange price and is generally less expensive, offering good portability with long battery life suitable for gaming, general use, and engineering work with decent performance levels. It's also lighter and thinner, making it easier to carry around. On the other hand, the Stealth GS66 is pricier, equipped with a more powerful graphics card suitable for intensive 3D work, machine learning, and high-refresh-rate gaming. It provides a premium experience with higher build quality, better screen colors, and a more capable keyboard but sacrifices battery life and portability in comparison. 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 portability
- Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Stealth GS66
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good speakers
Key differences
Screen Quality
7.9
8.1
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
411.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
280.0 nits
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has a better screen than the MSI Stealth GS66 for software development, while the MSI Stealth GS66 has a better screen for gaming and AI.
For general use, the Dell Alienware x14 R1 and MSI Stealth GS66 both offer displays that provide clear visuals and brightness suitable for everyday tasks, like browsing and video streaming. Their screen quality for engineering and design is also commendable since they cover a broad range of color spectrums, ensuring accurate color representation which is critical in these fields. However, for gaming and 3D applications where smooth motion is key, both laptops fall short as they lack the high refresh rates needed to render fast-paced graphics smoothly.
Battery
9.0 Hours
5.5 Hours
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has 9 hours of battery life. The MSI Stealth GS66 has 5.5 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
4.6 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has very good portability, while the MSI Stealth GS66 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,201
$1,799
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has a price of $1,201 and the MSI Stealth GS66 costs $1,799.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.8
7.7
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
411.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
280.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
8.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 and MSI Stealth GS66 are both good for general use.
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 is suitable for general use because it combines a high-performing CPU, ample RAM, and a quality screen with solid portability and good battery life, while the MSI Stealth GS66 also offers a great CPU and RAM, superior screen refresh rate, and is equipped for general use albeit with a slightly heavier build and shorter battery life, which may impact its portability. Both laptops have suitable storage and quality keyboards; however, Alienware has better battery life and portability, whereas MSI excels in screen refresh rates and has additional RAM and storage slots, making it more future-proof.
Gaming and AI
7.6
7.8
7.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Stealth GS66 and Dell Alienware x14 R1 are both good for gaming and AI.
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 and MSI Stealth GS66 are tailored for gaming and 3D thanks to their powerful GPUs, with the Alienware featuring an Nvidia RTX 3060 and the Stealth sporting a more robust Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti. While both laptops have high refresh rates which is crucial for smooth gameplay, the Stealth GS66 stands out with a significantly higher refresh rate, enhancing the visual experience during fast-paced games and 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
8.2
8.2
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
7.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Stealth GS66 and Dell Alienware x14 R1 are both very good for engineering and design.
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 and the MSI Stealth GS66 are both equipped with powerful Intel i7-12700H CPUs and ample RAM, crucial for demanding engineering and design tasks, but the GS66 has a superior Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti GPU compared to the RTX 3060 in the Alienware, suggesting stronger graphics performance for intensive applications. While both laptops have high-quality IPS screens, the Alienware's screen boasts higher brightness and color coverage, potentially offering more vivid visuals for design work; however, the GS66 has a higher screen refresh rate which might be preferred for fluid visuals in some engineering applications.
Content Creation
7.9
7.7
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 and MSI Stealth GS66 are both good for content creation.
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
7.5
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 and MSI Stealth GS66 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.
Build Quality
8.5
8.0
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 and MSI Stealth GS66 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 x14 R1 and the MSI Stealth GS66 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware x14 R1 | MSI Stealth GS66 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,201 | $1,799 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | August 1, 2022 | April 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 10.3'' x 0.57'' | 14.2'' x 9.7'' x 0.71'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.06 lbs | 4.63 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.66" | 14.17" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.34" | 9.65" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-12700H | Intel i7-12700H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9 Hours | 5.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 80 Wh | 99.9 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 | 360Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 411 nits | 280 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.1/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 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 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 4 | 4 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
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 Stealth GS66
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Florian Glaser | February 2022
"The MSI Stealth GS66 is powerful enough for QHD. The Core i7-12700H and the GeForce RTX 3070 Ti found in the 12UGS model that we tested run all modern games smoothly in the native QHD resolution. The 15-inch display is very fast with its 240 Hz refresh rate, and it also offers a great color space (almost 100% DCI-P3) on top of that, which should please gamers as well as content creators, although we would have still wished for a higher brightness. Case, input devices, and connectivity (Thunderbolt 4) are at a good level. However, among other things, the GS66 loses points due to the high temperature development in 3D mode and its poor webcam."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware x14 R1 or the MSI Stealth GS66
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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