The Dell Alienware X17 R2, being more expensive, offers a high-performance experience suitable for gaming and engineering tasks with a more powerful graphics card, ample RAM, and a large, high-refresh-rate screen, which sacrifices a bit of battery life and is less portable due to its size and weight. On the other hand, the MSI Creator Z16P is less expensive, has a higher resolution touchscreen display with a higher pixel density, which is great for creative work, and promises a longer battery life and better portability due to its lighter weight. However, it has less RAM and a slightly less powerful graphics card, which may affect performance in demanding applications. Both are equipped with high-end processors and come with similar storage capacity. Choose the Alienware if gaming and engineering performance are key and portability is not a major concern, or the MSI if you prioritize screen quality, portability, and battery longevity for creative 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 X17 R2
Very good for general use
Excellent for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good for content creation
Best in class speakers
Advantages of the MSI Creator Z16P
Good portability
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.9/10
7.6/10
9.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
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 Z16P is good.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 excels in gaming and 3D tasks with its higher-tier Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti graphics card and a remarkable screen refresh rate, which has obvious benefits for fast-paced gaming and graphics rendering, whereas the MSI Creator Z16P, while still providing robust gaming and 3D performance with its Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti GPU, offers a lower screen refresh rate which is more than adequate for most users but may not satisfy those seeking the utmost in smooth visual performance.
Engineering and Design
9.1/10
8.3/10
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
9.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.4/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is excellent for engineering and design, while the MSI Creator Z16P is very good.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 stands out for engineering and design due to its more powerful CPU and GPU, advantageous for demanding tasks, while also offering a larger screen but with lower resolution compared to the MSI Creator Z16P. The MSI Creator Z16P, on the other hand, includes a high-resolution screen with touch capability proving beneficial for detailed design work, and it is more portable due to its lighter weight and smaller size, yet it comes with less system memory and a less powerful GPU than the Alienware.
Screen Quality
8.5/10
8.3/10
17.3in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
367.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
394.0 nits
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has a better screen than the MSI Creator Z16P for gaming and AI, and content creation.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 and MSI Creator Z16P both offer high-resolution displays with excellent brightness and panel types that produce sharp and vibrant visuals, making them excellent for general use. For engineering and design, they both cover a broad color spectrum, which ensures accurate color representation crucial for those fields. However, for gaming and 3D tasks, their lower refresh rates compared to specialized gaming laptops may result in less fluid motion, making them less ideal for fast-paced visual content.
Battery
2.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has 2 hours of battery life. The MSI Creator Z16P has 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
16.0in
6.8 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The MSI Creator Z16P has good portability, while the Dell Alienware X17 R2 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$2,000
$1,300
$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 Z16P costs $1,300.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Alienware X17 R2 to be very good for general use, while the MSI Creator Z16P is good.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is very good for general use because it has a potent CPU, plentiful RAM, and its screen offers high brightness and a wide color spectrum. In contrast, the MSI Creator Z16P is good for general use with a similar capable CPU, adequate RAM, and a high-resolution touchscreen, albeit it is more portable and has superior battery life but falls short in managing heat efficiently.
Content Creation
8.3/10
7.9/10
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Alienware X17 R2 to be very good for content creation, while the MSI Creator Z16P is good.
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
7.8/10
7.6/10
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 and MSI Creator Z16P 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
8.5/10
8.0/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 and MSI Creator Z16P 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 X17 R2 and the MSI Creator Z16P compare to other laptops
"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."
"There's almost nothing left to be desired with the MSI Z16P. The creator laptop offers enormous performance resources for image editing, video editing, rendering, and more. All this is presented on a precalibrated, adequately sized, and high-resolution display. Its color space, refresh rate, and panel technology are also perfectly suited for a device that specializes in video reproduction and editing."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware X17 R2 or the MSI Creator Z16P
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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