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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 offers solid performance for gaming and engineering tasks at a lower price and slightly better portability than the MSI Raider GE78. However, the Raider GE78 outperforms in most areas including overall performance, screen quality, and a much more powerful graphics card, suitable for the most intensive 3D, machine learning, and gaming demands. While the Raider GE78 has a higher battery capacity, the difference in possible usage time might not be significant due to its more powerful components. If budget isn't a constraint and maximum performance is required, especially for the latest games or complex computations, the MSI Raider GE78 is the better pick. Otherwise, for more budget-conscious users or those who value a balance between performance and cost, the Dell Alienware X17 R2 is a strong contender. 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
- The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has no clear advantages over the MSI Raider GE78.
Advantages of the MSI Raider GE78
- Best in class for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Good battery life
- Best in class keyboard
Key differences
General Use
8.2
8.7
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
367.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
2.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 and Dell Alienware X17 R2 are both very good for general use, though the MSI Raider GE78 is somewhat better.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 offers an excellent balance of CPU performance, ample RAM, and high-quality screen attributes for general use, with a portability drawback and a modest battery life. In contrast, the MSI Raider GE78 boasts a similarly robust CPU and RAM configuration, superior screen resolution, but with similarly limited portability and a slightly better, yet still not outstanding, battery life, making both machines powerful yet less optimal for on-the-go use.
Gaming and AI
8.9
9.5
9.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 is best in class for gaming and AI, while the Dell Alienware X17 R2 is very good.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 boasts a high refresh rate and a powerful Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti GPU, making it very good for immersive gaming and fluid 3D experiences. In comparison, the MSI Raider GE78 features an even more advanced Nvidia RTX 4090 GPU and a high-resolution screen, securing its place as best for top-tier gaming performance and detailed 3D work despite a lower refresh rate.
Content Creation
8.3
8.8
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Raider GE78 and Dell Alienware X17 R2 are both very good for content creation, though the MSI Raider GE78 is somewhat better.
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
8.5
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 is very good for software development, while the Dell Alienware X17 R2 is good.
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
8.6
17.3in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
367.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
The MSI Raider GE78 has a better screen than the Dell Alienware X17 R2 for engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 and MSI Raider GE78 have displays with high resolution and brightness, which enhances the viewing experience for standard tasks like web browsing and video streaming, thus offering very good screen quality for general use. Their wide color gamuts provide accurate color representation which is critical for professional engineering and design work, securing very good screen quality in those areas. However, for gaming and 3D applications, these laptops fall short due to their lower refresh rates, which can make fast-moving visuals less smooth compared to screens optimized for these purposes.
Battery
2.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has 2 hours of battery life. The MSI Raider GE78 has 6 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.
Cost
$2,000
$4,386
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has a price of $2,000 and the MSI Raider GE78 costs $4,386.
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Key similarities
Engineering and Design
9.1
9.4
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
9.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Raider GE78 and Dell Alienware X17 R2 are both excellent for engineering and design.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Portability
Fair
Poor
17.3in
SIZE
17.3in
6.8 lbs
WEIGHT
6.8 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
1.1in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Alienware X17 R2 to have only fair portability, while the MSI Raider GE78 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5
8.5
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 and MSI Raider GE78 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 Raider GE78 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware X17 R2 | MSI Raider GE78 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,000 | $4,386 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | December 1, 2021 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.7'' x 11.8'' x 0.82'' | 15'' x 11.7'' x 1.13'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 6.82 lbs | 6.83 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.72" | 14.97" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.79" | 11.73" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-12900HK | Intel i9-13980HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 2048 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 2 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 87 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 480Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 367 nits | 384 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.1/10 | 5.6/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 4 | 4 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
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."
MSI Raider GE78
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | March 2023
"Performance-wise, the GE78 offers a significant boost over the GE77 for just slightly higher power consumption. You'll have to get the RTX 4080 or 4090 configurations to see the performance advantages, however, as the RTX 4070 is closer in performance to the older RTX 3080 Ti. In terms of design, some users might prefer the 16:9 minimalistic look of the older GE77 over the 16:10 retro-inspired GE78 and vice versa. We wouldn't call one better than the other in terms of aesthetics, but we'll give the edge to the GE78 for its stronger hinges and larger keys and clickpad."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware X17 R2 or the MSI Raider GE78
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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