The Dell Alienware x14 R1 offers a balance between gaming performance with its dedicated Nvidia RTX 3060 graphics and a powerful Intel i7 processor while being moderately portable. However, it costs more. The MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo is more budget-friendly, features an Intel i7 processor with integrated graphics which is sufficient for general use and has a touchscreen with a taller screen aspect ratio for productivity tasks. It also has a longer battery life and is lighter, making it very portable. If gaming or demanding 3D applications are important to you, the Dell might be better, but for general productivity and portability, consider the MSI. 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
Very good overall build quality
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo
Very good battery life
Very good speakers
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.6/10
6.3/10
7.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.0/10
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 is good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
8.2/10
7.3/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
7.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo is good.
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has a superior CPU and dedicated GPU, making it better for demanding engineering software and tasks that require high-performance graphics, as reflected by its very good portability despite its power, while the MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo offers the flexibility of a 2-in-1 design and slightly higher screen quality, which may appeal to users valuing versatility and screen clarity, but with less powerful integrated graphics it's less suited for intensive graphical tasks.
Screen Quality
7.9/10
7.3/10
14.0in
SIZE
13.4in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
411.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
517.0 nits
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has a better screen than the MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, both the Dell Alienware x14 R1 and MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo offer pleasant visuals with sufficient resolution and brightness, ensuring clear, vivid displays for everyday tasks such as browsing, video streaming, and document editing. In engineering and design, the high color accuracy and wide color gamuts of these laptops' screens provide the necessary precision for professional color work, making them suitable for tasks like graphic design and photo editing. However, both laptops fall short for gaming and 3D applications due to their lower refresh rates, which could lead to less smooth visuals during fast-paced action and rendering tasks that benefit from quick screen updates.
Battery
9.0 Hours
11.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has 9 hours of battery life. The MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo has 11 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
Very Good
14.0in
SIZE
13.4in
4.0 lbs
WEIGHT
2.9 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo and Dell Alienware x14 R1 both have very good portability, though the MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5/10
7.4/10
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has very good build quality, while the MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,201
$699
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has a price of $1,201 and the MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo costs $699.
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 and MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo are both good for general use.
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 is favored for general use due to its strong Intel i7 CPU and dedicated Nvidia GPU ensuring high performance, and a high-quality screen, although the portability and battery life are average for its class. On the other hand, the MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo, with a similar CPU class but integrated graphics, offers a better battery life and superior portability due to its lighter weight and compact size, with the added versatility of a touchscreen in a convertible form factor.
Content Creation
7.9/10
7.5/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 and MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo 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
7.7/10
7.4/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 and MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo 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.
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How the Dell Alienware x14 R1 and the MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo compare to other laptops
"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 wants to prove that it can do more than just gaming laptops and the Summit E13 Flip is a great example of what the manufacturer is capable of especially in terms of aesthetics and performance. Normally for subnotebooks or convertibles, TDP and performance are often below average as makers want to meet slimmer designs and lower weight targets. The Summit manages to outperform others in its size class and category while still looking sleek and portable in the process. If you want a convertible that won't throttle significantly when under load, then this MSI will be one of the better options you can find."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware x14 R1 or the MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo
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.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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