A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
Last updated -- hours ago | Report incorrect information
Company ProductName Specs
Company ProductName Specs
What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated March 22, 2024·
When considering the Dell Alienware X17 R2 and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio, keep in mind that the Alienware is generally more budget-friendly and geared towards gaming with a robust build but less emphasis on portability due to its weight and size. On the other hand, the MSI is designed for creative professionals with high-performance components suitable for tasks like 3D rendering and video editing; also, it's more portable but comes at a higher cost. Your choice should align with whether gaming or professional creative work is your priority and whether portability or cost is more important to you. 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
- Best in class speakers
Advantages of the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio
- Very good for software development
- Good battery life
Key differences
Screen Quality
8.5
8.4
17.3in
SIZE
18.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
367.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has a better screen than the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio for gaming and AI, while the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has a better screen for content creation.
If you prioritize a vibrant display for everyday tasks like browsing or video streaming, both these laptops offer impressive resolution and brightness, ensuring crisp and clear visuals. For engineering and design, where color accuracy is vital, both models also excel as they cover broad color gamuts, making them suitable for professional creative work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the lower refresh rates on these screens might lead to less fluid motion, which is less ideal if smooth visuals in fast-paced scenes are important to you.
Battery
2.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has 2 hours of battery life. The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio 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
$2,900
$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 Stealth 18 AI Studio costs $2,900.
Let Us Help Find Your Perfect Laptop
Find your new laptop
Key similarities
General Use
8.2
8.4
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
367.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
2.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.0/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio and Dell Alienware X17 R2 are both very good for general use.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 and MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio both feature powerful CPUs and ample RAM, ensuring smooth performance for everyday tasks and demanding applications, while their high-quality screens provide crisp and vivid visuals. However, the Alienware emphasizes gaming performance, possibly affecting its portability and battery life, whereas the MSI focuses more on content creation, potentially offering a better balance of portability and longer battery life for users on the go.
Gaming and AI
8.9
8.9
9.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
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
7.5/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio and Dell Alienware X17 R2 are both very good for gaming and AI.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is geared towards gamers, with a high-refresh-rate screen and powerful GPU, ensuring smooth and immersive gameplay. The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio, while also strong in the GPU department for gaming, offers a balance with its high-quality screen, making it suitable for content creators who need color accuracy and precision alongside gaming capabilities.
Engineering and Design
9.1
9.1
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
9.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio and Dell Alienware X17 R2 are both excellent for engineering and design.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 offers robust processing capability and a high-quality GPU that enables complex engineering tasks and design work, complemented by a high-resolution screen and substantial RAM for smooth multitasking. While the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio also provides similar high-end CPU performance and ample memory, it leans slightly more towards a balance between power and portability, which might make it more appealing for those frequently on the move despite a possible compromise in screen size compared to the Alienware.
Content Creation
8.3
8.5
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio and Dell Alienware X17 R2 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
8.2
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio to be 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.
Portability
Fair
Fair
17.3in
SIZE
18.0in
6.8 lbs
WEIGHT
6.1 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 and MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio both have only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5
8.0
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 and MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio both have very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Dell Alienware X17 R2 and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware X17 R2 | MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,000 | $2,900 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | December 1, 2021 | March 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.7'' x 11.8'' x 0.82'' | 15.8'' x 11.4'' x 0.94'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 6.82 lbs | 6.15 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.72" | 15.75" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.79" | 11.4" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-12900HK | Intel Core Ultra 9 185H | |
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 | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 87 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 18" | |
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 | 305 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.1/10 | 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 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
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 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 4 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
Shopping
Dell Alienware X17 R2
See more
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 Stealth 18 AI Studio
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.
Give feedback
We're constantly perfecting our model
Laptop guides you might be interested in
More comparisons for you
Compare Dell Alienware X17 R2 vs. ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16 (2024)
VS
Compare Dell Alienware X17 R2 vs. ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15
VS
Compare Dell Alienware X17 R2 vs. Gigabyte Aorus 17
VS
Compare MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio vs. ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 16 (2024)
VS
Compare MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio vs. Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023)
VS
Compare MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio vs. MSI Titan GT77
VS
FAQs
FAQs about laptops
Why trust us
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
130,695
Recommendations made
28,318
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.
Featured in
