Dell XPS 15 vs MSI Stealth 17

The Dell XPS 15 is good for gaming and 3D applications with its mid-range GPU and standard screen refresh rate, while the MSI Stealth 17 excels in these areas by offering a top-tier GPU and a much higher screen refresh rate, which can render more frames per second for smoother visuals. Additionally, the MSI Stealth 17's more powerful CPU and higher quality screen will provide better performance and visual experience, making it an excellent choice for demanding gaming and 3D tasks.

The MSI Stealth 17 is considered excellent for engineering and design use due to its more powerful Intel i9 processor, larger quantity of RAM, and higher-end Nvidia RTX GPU, which give better performance for intensive tasks compared to the still capable but less potent Intel i7 processor, smaller RAM, and Intel Arc GPU of the Dell XPS 15; meanwhile, the Stealth's superior screen quality, with increased resolution and color coverage, provides crisper and more accurate visuals necessary for detailed design work. While both laptops have quality keyboards and are adequately portable, the tradeoff with the Stealth 17 comes with reduced battery life and increased weight, which could be a drawback for users who often work on the go.

The Dell XPS 15 boasts high resolution and brightness, making it pleasant for everyday tasks and suitable for detail-oriented work in engineering, but its standard refresh rate limits its appeal to gamers and those engaged in 3D work. The MSI Stealth 17 provides similarly sharp visuals and excellent color accuracy translating to vibrant displays for both general users and professionals in creative fields, but, like the XPS 15, the lower refresh rate hampers the experience in fast-paced gaming or 3D modeling. Both laptops would be stellar for productivity and professional creativity, but less ideal for those prioritizing gaming or 3D performance.

Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.

PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.

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.

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.

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.