The Dell Alienware X17 R2 offers top-of-the-line performance for intensive gaming, 3D rendering, and engineering tasks because of its powerful Intel i9 processor and Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti GPU, but it comes at a higher price and is less portable due to its larger size and weight. For less demanding tasks and better portability, the MSI Prestige 15 provides adequate performance for general use and light content creation work with its Intel i5 processor and Nvidia GTX 1650 Max-Q GPU, along with longer battery life and a lower price, making it a good option for professionals on the go. 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
Very good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Best in class speakers
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Prestige 15
Good portability
Good battery life
Key differences
General Use
8.2/10
7.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
367.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
298.0 nits
2.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.7/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is very good for general use, while the MSI Prestige 15 is good.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
8.9/10
6.3/10
9.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is very good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Prestige 15 is only fair.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is very good for gaming and 3D because it features a high-end Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti GPU and an extremely high screen refresh rate, ensuring smooth visuals and top-tier graphics performance. In contrast, the MSI Prestige 15, with its mid-range Nvidia GTX 1650 Max-Q GPU and standard screen refresh rate, provides fair performance that suits less demanding gaming and 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
9.1/10
7.2/10
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
9.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is excellent for engineering and design, while the MSI Prestige 15 is good.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 stands out for engineering and design use with its high-powered Intel i9 processor, substantial RAM, and a top-tier Nvidia RTX GPU which facilitate intensive tasks and rendering; despite its superb screen quality, its heft impacts portability and it may have louder operating noise.
Content Creation
8.3/10
7.5/10
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is very good for content creation, while the MSI Prestige 15 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
7.2/10
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 and MSI Prestige 15 are both good for software development, though the Dell Alienware X17 R2 is somewhat better.
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.
Screen Quality
8.5/10
6.8/10
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
367.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
298.0 nits
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has a better screen than the MSI Prestige 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 boasts high resolution and brightness, with a panel type that renders sharp, vivid images, making it excellent for general use and engineering tasks that require accurate color representation. However, its lower refresh rate dampens the experience for gaming and 3D work, which benefit significantly from smoother visuals. Conversely, the MSI Prestige 15 provides good color accuracy and sufficient resolution for both everyday tasks and professional design, but also falls short for gaming and 3D applications due to a less optimal refresh rate.
Battery
2.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has 2 hours of battery life. The MSI Prestige 15 has 7.5 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
15.6in
6.8 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The MSI Prestige 15 has good portability, while the Dell Alienware X17 R2 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5/10
7.4/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has very good build quality, while the MSI Prestige 15 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,000
$1,044
$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 Prestige 15 costs $1,044.
"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."
"The MSI Prestige 15 offers a dazzling 4K image quality, and solid performance. The MSI Prestige 15 appears to consistently implement the guiding principle of throttling the solid and efficient hardware to such an extent that content creation succeeds perfectly. Performance-hungry tasks, on the other hand, are slowed down a little by the reduced power consumption. Conversely, this means that the case remains relatively cool and the dual fan subdued. The battery life also benefits somewhat. So the losses aren't really dramatic because full performance is still available for short bursts."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware X17 R2 or the MSI Prestige 15
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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