The Dell Alienware x14 R1 generally costs less and is suitable for intensive gaming with a higher-end GPU, providing solid performance for 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering tasks. With a 14-inch screen, it's somewhat portable and offers a good battery life for typical use. On the other hand, the MSI Summit E16 Flip, while more expensive, boasts a larger and sharper 16-inch touchscreen with a better aspect ratio and higher resolution, excellent for general and engineering use. It's also slightly heavier and thicker, with performance that excels in general use but may not match the Dell in more graphically intensive tasks. 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 portability
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Summit E16 Flip
Very good overall display quality
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.6/10
6.8/10
7.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 is good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Summit E16 Flip is only fair.
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 is equipped with a Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU and boasts a screen refresh rate of 144 Hz, making it well-suited for gaming and 3D applications. In comparison, the MSI Summit E16 Flip, while it has a slightly lower-tier Nvidia RTX 3050 Ti GPU, offers a higher screen refresh rate of 165 Hz and a higher resolution display, which also makes it a good choice for gaming and 3D tasks, plus it adds the versatility of a 2-in-1 convertible design.
Screen Quality
7.9/10
8.0/10
14.0in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
411.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
294.0 nits
The MSI Summit E16 Flip has a better screen than the Dell Alienware x14 R1 for general use, and engineering and design.
For general use, the Dell Alienware x14 R1's panel type, resolution, and brightness provide a clear and vivid display, but the MSI Summit E16 Flip offers an even sharper and brighter image, enhancing the viewing experience. In terms of engineering and design, both laptops boast high screen quality with wide color gamuts ensuring accurate color representation, but the MSI may have an edge in satisfying professionals' needs for precision. However, for gaming and 3D applications where refresh rate is key, both laptops fall short, potentially leading to less fluid motion and gameplay compared to other laptops designed for those specific tasks.
Build Quality
8.5/10
7.4/10
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has very good build quality, while the MSI Summit E16 Flip has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,201
$1,550
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has a price of $1,201 and the MSI Summit E16 Flip costs $1,550.
The MSI Summit E16 Flip and Dell Alienware x14 R1 are both good for general use.
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 is notable for its robust processing power and high-quality screen, leading to excellent performance for general use, and it offers good portability with a strong battery life. In comparison, the MSI Summit E16 Flip provides a larger, higher-resolution touchscreen and greater storage, which is advantageous for general use, but it trades off slightly in processing power and has a similar level of portability with a somewhat lower but still good battery life.
Engineering and Design
8.2/10
7.7/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
7.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Alienware x14 R1 to be very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Summit E16 Flip is good.
The Dell Alienware x14 R1, with its high-performance CPU and superior GPU, stands out for engineering and design tasks that demand significant computational power and graphics performance. On the other hand, the MSI Summit E16 Flip offers a higher resolution screen with touch capabilities, making it versatile for design work where screen clarity and interaction are a priority; however, its CPU and GPU are slightly less capable than the Dell's, potentially affecting tasks that are more resource-intensive.
Content Creation
7.9/10
7.9/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 and MSI Summit E16 Flip 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
7.6/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 and MSI Summit E16 Flip 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.
Battery
9.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has 9 hours of battery life. The MSI Summit E16 Flip 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.
Portability
Very Good
Good
14.0in
SIZE
16.0in
4.0 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.6in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Alienware x14 R1 to have very good portability, while the MSI Summit E16 Flip 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 Summit E16 Flip 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."
"The MSI Summit E16 Flip is a 2-in-1 laptop with pen, 16:10 display, and RTX 3050 Ti. The Summit E16 Flip is a 2-in-1 laptop from the business segment that primarily targets creative users. MSI combines a 16-inch touchscreen in the 16:10 format with a powerful midrange GPU. While the 2-in-1 laptop from MSI isn't meant for everybody, it should definitely attract some followers. The touchscreen display (2,560 x 1,600 pixels) covers the DCI-P3 color space. This is accompanied by stable viewing angles, a good color reproduction, short response times, and a good contrast level."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware x14 R1 or the MSI Summit E16 Flip
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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