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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated March 22, 2024·
When choosing between the Dell Alienware X17 R2 and the MSI Creator M14, consider that the Alienware is designed for high-performance gaming and will handle intensive tasks with ease but comes at a higher cost and is bulkier, making it harder to carry around. On the other hand, the MSI Creator M14 is tailored for content creation, offering good performance in a more compact and lighter design, which is easier to travel with and usually less expensive, but it may not handle demanding games as smoothly as the Alienware. 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 X17 R2
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Best in class speakers
Advantages of the MSI Creator M14
- Good portability
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.9
7.3
9.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
480Hz
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 X17 R2 is very good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Creator M14 is good.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is equipped with a high-end GPU and a screen with a fast refresh rate, making it superb for gaming and 3D applications that demand fluid visuals and rapid responses. Meanwhile, the MSI Creator M14, while still capable for gaming with a decent GPU and screen quality, has a slower refresh rate and CPU, which can affect performance in very demanding tasks.
Engineering and Design
9.1
8.4
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
9.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is excellent for engineering and design, while the MSI Creator M14 is very good.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 typically packs a more powerful CPU, RAM, and GPU, paired with a high-quality screen, making it superior for demanding engineering tasks and graphic design applications that require robust processing power and clear visuals. While the MSI Creator M14 also offers solid performance for engineering and design, it may provide better portability and quieter operation, which could be favorable for users who prioritize a balance between performance and convenience.
Screen Quality
8.5
7.5
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
367.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
350.0 nits
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has a better screen than the MSI Creator M14 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and content creation.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 boasts a display that excels in resolution and brightness, making it ideal for general use and detailed engineering tasks which require precise color accuracy, but its lower refresh rate is not optimal for the fast-paced visuals required in gaming and 3D applications. The MSI Creator M14 also offers a high-quality display with good resolution and brightness, ensuring crisp and clear images for everyday tasks and sufficient color range for engineering and creative work, yet like the Alienware, it falls short for gaming and 3D due to a less favorable refresh rate. For tasks where fidelity and color precision are prioritized over fluid motion, both laptops perform well, but for gaming enthusiasts and professionals working with dynamic 3D content, alternatives with higher refresh rates would be more appropriate.
Battery
2.0 Hours
4.5 Hours
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has 2 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.
Portability
Fair
Good
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
6.8 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The MSI Creator M14 has good portability, while the Dell Alienware X17 R2 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5
7.8
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 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
$2,000
$1,500
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has a price of $2,000 and the MSI Creator M14 costs $1,500.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.2
8.0
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
367.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
350.0 nits
2.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 and MSI Creator M14 are both very good for general use.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2, with its powerful CPU and ample RAM, excels in screen quality for a brilliant display, making it well-suited for high-performance tasks and gaming, yet these features contribute to its lesser portability and shorter battery life. On the other hand, the MSI Creator M14 offers a balance with good CPU and RAM for everyday use, a high-quality screen for creative tasks, and is more lightweight and so more portable, though with its compact size, battery life is a tradeoff. Both laptops have considerable storage, comfortable keyboards, decent speakers, and are designed to manage heat and operating noise effectively.
Content Creation
8.3
8.0
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 and MSI Creator M14 are both very 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
7.8
7.8
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Creator M14 and Dell Alienware X17 R2 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 X17 R2 and the MSI Creator M14 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware X17 R2 | MSI Creator M14 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,000 | $1,500 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | December 1, 2021 | March 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.7'' x 11.8'' x 0.82'' | 12.4'' x 9.2'' x 0.88'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 6.82 lbs | 3.53 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.72" | 12.39" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.79" | 9.19" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-12900HK | Intel i7-13620H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 2 Hours | 4.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 87 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2880 x 1800 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 480Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 367 nits | 350 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.1/10 | 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 | 8.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 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 | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 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 X17 R2
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | May 2022
"The Alienware x17 R2 recognizes targets a significantly higher TGP of 175 W for a roughly 30 percent performance boost over laptops running on the ~100 W GeForce RTX 3080 Ti like the Razer Blade 15 or Gigabyte Aero YE5. Similar results can be found through the CPU as well. This single aspect of the Alienware is perhaps the biggest differentiating factor between it and other ultrathin gaming laptops. Of course, the "performance at all cost" approach comes with drawbacks. Power consumption in particular is through the roof and battery life suffers because of it even when on the lowest performance settings."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware X17 R2 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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