Alienware X17 R2 vs. M2 MacBook Pro 14”: Full specs comparison

Here is a comparison of the specs between Alienware X17 R2 and M2 MacBook Pro 14”, including CPU, RAM, storage, battery, display, and more.

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Alienware X17 R2 image

Alienware X17 R2

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M2 MacBook Pro 14” image

M2 MacBook Pro 14”

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Alienware X17 R2 Pros

Reasons that Alienware X17 R2 is better than M2 MacBook Pro 14”.

Upgradable memory

Alienware X17 R2 comes with two SODIMM slots that allow you to replace or upgrade when needed. On the flip side, you can't upgrade RAM on the M2 MacBook Pro 14” since it has onboard memory.

MemoryAlienware X17 R2M2 MacBook Pro 14”
Slots
x2
Onboard
TypeDDR5LPDDR5
Supports discrete graphics

Configurable up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti 16GB GDDR6 vs. integrated

Upgradable storage

Alienware X17 R2 comes with two M.2 slots that you can easily upgrade and install an additional SSD to expand the storage on the device.

SlotsAlienware X17 R2M2 MacBook Pro 14”
M.2
Yes x2
Onboard
21% larger display

Alienware X17 R2 has a 17.3-inch screen size 21% larger than the 14.2-inch M2 MacBook Pro 14”.

Display size
Alienware X17 R2
17.3-inch
M2 MacBook Pro 14”
14.2-inch
Has three more ports and slots

Alienware X17 R2 has more ports and slots count than the M2 MacBook Pro 14”. It has ten versus seven amount of ports and slots on the M2 MacBook Pro 14”.

PortsAlienware X17 R2M2 MacBook Pro 14”
full-size SD card slotNoYes
HDMIYesYes
headphone jackYesYes
microSD card slotYesNo
Mini DisplayPortYesNo
power portYesYes
RJ-45YesNo
Thunderbolt 4YesYes x3
USB-AYes x2No
USB-CYesNo
Total107
More versatile connectivity

Alienware X17 R2 has better versatile I/O connectivity than the M2 MacBook Pro 14”. It has nine versus five commonly used ports and slots on the M2 MacBook Pro 14”.

PortsAlienware X17 R2M2 MacBook Pro 14”
HDMIYesYes
headphone jackYesYes
power portYesYes
Thunderbolt 4YesYes
full-size SD card slotNoYes
microSD card slotYesNo
Mini DisplayPortYesNo
RJ-45YesNo
USB-AYesNo
USB-CYesNo

M2 MacBook Pro 14” Pros

Reasons that M2 MacBook Pro 14” is better than Alienware X17 R2.

Newer manufacturing

2023 vs. 2022

Slightly faster CPU performance

Apple M2 Max (12C, 38G) inside M2 MacBook Pro 14” has a 17% better multi-core CPU performance score than the Intel Core i9-12900HK inside Alienware X17 R2.

Geekbench 5 multi-core score
M2 MacBook Pro 14” - Apple M2 Max (12C, 30G)
15,305
M2 MacBook Pro 14” - Apple M2 Max (12C, 38G)
15,305
M2 MacBook Pro 14” - Apple M2 Pro (10C, 16G)
14,899
M2 MacBook Pro 14” - Apple M2 Pro (12C, 19G)
14,899
Alienware X17 R2 - Intel Core i9-12900HK
13,006
Alienware X17 R2 - Intel Core i7-12700H
11,774
Supports larger memory

M2 MacBook Pro 14” supports a larger memory capacity than the Alienware X17 R2. It supports up to 96GB versus 32GB of system memory on the Alienware X17 R2.

Max system memory size
M2 MacBook Pro 14”
96 GB
Alienware X17 R2
32 GB
About 47% lighter

M2 MacBook Pro 14” weighed 3.5 pounds, 47% lighter than the 6.54 pounds Alienware X17 R2.

WeightAlienware X17 R2M2 MacBook Pro 14”
Pound
6.54 lbs.
3.5 lbs.
Kilogram
2.97 kg
1.59 kg

Prices

Here are the latest price updates and offers for both devices.

Alienware X17 R2 Price
Alienware X17 R2 Gaming Laptop - 17.3-inch FHD 480Hz 1ms Display, Intel Core i9-12900H, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070Ti 8GB GDDR6, USB-C, Killer Wi-Fi 6, Windows 11 Home - Lunar Light
 Alienware X17 R2 Gaming Laptop - 17.3-inch FHD 480Hz 1ms Display, Intel Core i9-12900H, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070Ti 8GB GDDR6, USB-C, Killer Wi-Fi 6, Windows 11 Home - Lunar Light
By Alienware
$2,199.99
See at Amazon
Dell Alienware X17 R2 Gaming Laptop (2022) | 17.3" 4K | Core i9-2TB SSD - 64GB RAM - RTX 3080 | 14 Cores @ 5 GHz - 12th Gen CPU - 10GB GDDR6X Win 11 Home (Renewed)
 Dell Alienware X17 R2 Gaming Laptop (2022) | 17.3" 4K | Core i9-2TB SSD - 64GB RAM - RTX 3080 | 14 Cores @ 5 GHz - 12th Gen CPU - 10GB GDDR6X Win 11 Home (Renewed)
By Dell
$2,653.99
See at Amazon
Dell Alienware X17 R2 Gaming Laptop - 17.3-inch FHD 480Hz Display, Intel Core i9-12900HK, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080Ti 16GB GDDR6, VR Ready, Wi-Fi 6, Windows 11 Home - Lunar Light
 Dell Alienware X17 R2 Gaming Laptop - 17.3-inch FHD 480Hz Display, Intel Core i9-12900HK, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080Ti 16GB GDDR6, VR Ready, Wi-Fi 6, Windows 11 Home - Lunar Light
By Dell
$2,296.00
See at Amazon
M2 MacBook Pro 14” Price
2023 Apple MacBook Pro with Apple M2 Pro Chip (14-inch, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD Storage) (QWERTY English) Space Gray (Renewed)
 2023 Apple MacBook Pro with Apple M2 Pro Chip (14-inch, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD Storage) (QWERTY English) Space Gray (Renewed)
By Apple
$1,464.96
See at Amazon
Apple 2023 MacBook Pro Laptop M2 Pro chip with 12‑core CPU and 19‑core GPU: 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR Display, 16GB Unified Memory, 1TB SSD Storage. Works with iPhone/iPad; Space Gray
 Apple 2023 MacBook Pro Laptop M2 Pro chip with 12‑core CPU and 19‑core GPU: 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR Display, 16GB Unified Memory, 1TB SSD Storage. Works with iPhone/iPad; Space Gray
By Apple
$2,099.95
$2,499.00 16% OFF
See at Amazon
Apple 2023 MacBook Pro Laptop M3 chip with 8‑core CPU, 10‑core GPU: 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR Display, 8GB Unified Memory, 512GB SSD Storage. Works with iPhone/iPad; Space Gray
 Apple 2023 MacBook Pro Laptop M3 chip with 8‑core CPU, 10‑core GPU: 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR Display, 8GB Unified Memory, 512GB SSD Storage. Works with iPhone/iPad; Space Gray
By Apple
$1,449.00
$1,599.00 9% OFF
See at Amazon

Specs Comparison

Availability

Alienware X17 R2M2 MacBook Pro 14”
Released20222023
Release Date
  • Announced on January 4, 2022.
  • Available starting in Winter 2022.
  • Announced on January 17, 2023.
  • Available on January 24, 2023.
PricingStarting at $2,299
  • $1,999
    M2 Pro, 10C CPU, 16C GPU, 16GB, 512GB
  • $2,299
    M2 Pro, 12C CPU, 19C GPU, 16GB, 512GB
  • $2,499
    M2 Pro, 12C CPU, 19C GPU, 16GB, 1TB
  • $3,099
    M2 Max, 12C CPU, 30C GPU, 32GB, 1TB
  • $3,299
    M2 Max, 12C CPU, 38C GPU, 32GB, 1TB
  • $3,699
    M2 Max, 12C CPU, 38C GPU, 64GB, 1TB
  • $4,099
    M2 Max, 12C CPU, 38C GPU, 64GB, 2TB
  • $4,699
    M2 Max, 12C CPU, 38C GPU, 64GB, 4TB
  • $5,899
    M2 Max, 12C CPU, 38C GPU, 64GB, 8TB
  • $6,299
    M2 Max, 12C CPU, 38C GPU, 96GB, 8TB
Generations

Exterior

Alienware X17 R2M2 MacBook Pro 14”
Dimensions
  • 15.718” x 11.791” x 0.823” (399.23 x 299.49 x 20.9 mm)
    With FHD 360Hz diplay.
  • 15.718” x 11.791” x 0.843” (39 9.23 x 299.49 x 21.4 mm)
    With FHD 165Hz or UHD 120Hz diplay.
  • Height: 0.61 inches (1.55 cm)
  • Width: 12.31 inches (31.26 cm)
  • Depth: 8.71 inches (22.12 cm)
Weight6.54 ~ 6.82 lbs. (2.96 - 3.09 kg)
  • 3.5 pounds (1.60 kg)
    M2 Pro
  • 3.6 pounds (1.63 kg)
    M2 Max
Colors
Lunar light
With High Endurance Clear Coat and Silky - Smooth Finish
Space Gray Silver
Keyboard and TrackpadKeyboard
  • Alienware X-Series thin keyboard
    • Per-key RGB LED with AlienFX lighting
    • Anti-ghosting and N-key rollover technology.
    • 1.5mm key travel.
  • Alienware's CherryMX ultra-low-profile mechanical laptop keyboard
    • Per-key AlienFX lighting
    • 1.8mm key travel
    • Includes N-key rollover and anti-ghosting technology
Touchpad
  • Multi-touch gesture Premium Precision glass touchpad with integrated scrolling.
  • 4.13 x 2.36 in (105 mm x 80 mm) precision touchpad with multi-touch gesture support.
  • Supports AlienFX touchpad.
Backlit Magic Keyboard with:
  • 78 (U.S.) or 79 (ISO) keys including 12 full-height function keys and 4 arrow keys in an inverted-T arrangement
  • Touch ID
  • Ambient light sensor
  • Force Touch trackpad for precise cursor control and pressure-sensing capabilities; enables Force clicks, accelerators, pressure-sensitive drawing, and Multi-Touch gestures
Chasis Information
  • Based on Alienware's Legend 2.0 industrial design language
  • Constructed with CNC aluminum and magnesium alloy parts
  • Engineered with Alienware Cryo-Tech™ Cooling technology
  • Includes Alienware's Quad-Fan Design
    Patent-pending
  • Element 31 thermal interface material
    Available with NVIDIA graphics options higher than 3060.
-

Display

Alienware X17 R2M2 MacBook Pro 14”
Size17.3 Inches14.2 Inches
Info
  • 17.3” FHD with 165Hz
    1920 x 1080 127 PPI ComfortView Plus NVIDIA G-Sync Advanced Optimus 3ms response time 300 nits 16:9 100% sRGB Dolby Vision Anti-glare WVA
  • 17.3” FHD with 360Hz
    1920 x 1080 127 PPI ComfortView Plus NVIDIA G-Sync Advanced Optimus 1ms response time 300 nits 16:9 100% sRGB Dolby Vision Anti-glare WVA
  • 17.3” UHD with 120Hz
    3840 x 2160 255 PPI ComfortView Plus NVIDIA G-Sync Advanced Optimus 4ms response time 500 nits 16:9 99% DCI-P3 Dolby Vision Anti-glare WVA
  • Liquid Retina XDR display
    • Size: 14.2-inch
    • Technology: Liquid Retina XDR display
    • Resolution: 3024 x 1964
    • Pixel Density: 254 PPI
  • XDR (Extreme Dynamic Range)
    • Up to 1000 nits sustained (full-screen) brightness, 1600 nits peak brightness
    • 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio
    • Color
      1 billion colors Wide color (P3) True Tone technology
  • Refresh rates
    • ProMotion technology for adaptive refresh rates up to 120Hz
    • Fixed refresh rates: 47.95Hz, 48.00Hz, 50.00Hz, 59.94Hz, 60.00Hz

Ports

Alienware X17 R2M2 MacBook Pro 14”
Alienware X17 R2 Ports
Image Source: Dell
Left (1)
  • 1 x power port
Right (1)
  • 1 x headphone jack
    Headphone/Microphone
Back (8)
  • 1 x Thunderbolt 4
    40 Gpbs, USB 4.0 (40 Gbps), Power Delivery (5V/3A)
  • 1 x USB-C
    USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps), Power Delivery (5V/3A)
  • 2 x USB-A
    USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps)
  • 1 x HDMI
    v2.1
  • 1 x Mini DisplayPort
    v1.4
  • 1 x RJ-45
    2.5 Gbps
  • 1 x microSD card slot
Left (4)
M2 MacBook Pro 14” Ports - Left
Image Source: Apple
  • 1 x power port
    MagSafe 3
  • 2 x Thunderbolt 4
    40 Gpbs, USB 4.0 (40 Gbps), DisplayPort, Charging
  • 1 x headphone jack
    Headphone/Microphone
Right (3)
M2 MacBook Pro 14” Ports - Right
Image Source: Apple
  • 1 x full-size SD card slot
  • 1 x Thunderbolt 4
    40 Gpbs, USB 4.0 (40 Gbps), DisplayPort, Charging
  • 1 x HDMI
    v2.1, 8K@60Hz, 4K@240Hz

Internal Specs

Alienware X17 R2M2 MacBook Pro 14”
Processor
  1. 12th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-12700H
    14 cores, 20 threads, 2.30 → 4.70 GHz, 24MB SmartCache, 45W
  2. 12th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-12900HK
    14 cores, 20 threads, 2.50 → 5.00 GHz, 24MB SmartCache, 45W
  1. Apple M2 Pro (10C, 16G)
    10 cores, 10 threads, 2.42 → 3.50 GHz,
  2. Apple M2 Pro (12C, 19G)
    12 cores, 12 threads, 2.42 → 3.50 GHz,
  3. Apple M2 Max (12C, 30G)
    12 cores, 12 threads, 2.42 → 3.70 GHz,
  4. Apple M2 Max (12C, 38G)
    12 cores, 12 threads, 2.42 → 3.70 GHz,
Integrated Graphics
  1. 12th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-12700H
    Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics
    96 Execution Units, 400 → 1400 MHz
  2. 12th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-12900HK
    Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics
    96 Execution Units, 400 → 1450 MHz
  1. Apple M2 Pro (10C, 16G)
    Apple M2 Pro iGPU
    16 GPU Cores, 16 Neural Engine Cores,
  2. Apple M2 Pro (12C, 19G)
    Apple M2 Pro iGPU
    19 GPU Cores, 16 Neural Engine Cores,
  3. Apple M2 Max (12C, 30G)
    Apple M2 Max iGPU
    30 GPU Cores, 16 Neural Engine Cores,
  4. Apple M2 Max (12C, 38G)
    Apple M2 Max iGPU
    38 GPU Cores, 16 Neural Engine Cores,
Memory
  • 16GB 32GB
    Dual Channel DDR5 4800MHz
Memory Slots
  • 2 x DDR5 SODIMM slots.
Memory Configurations
  • Speed: 4800MHz
  • Memory Type: Dual-channel DDR5
  • Minimum Memory: 16 GB
  • Maximum Memory: 32 GB
16GB 32GB 64GB 96GB
Unified Memory
Discrete Graphics
  • NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 3060 - 6GB GDDR6
  • NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 30 Series Laptop Graphics
  • NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 30 Series Laptop Graphics
* Up to 12-phase HyperEfficient graphics voltage regulation.		-
Storage
  • Storage slots: 2 x M.2 2280 PCIe slots
Single Storage Configuration
  • 256GB 512GB 1TB 2TB
    PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD
Dual Storage Configuration
  • 512GB 1TB 2TB 4TB
    RAID-0 (2 x PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD)
512GB 1TB 2TB 4TB 8TB
SSD

Connectivity

Alienware X17 R2M2 MacBook Pro 14”
Wi-FiKiller Wi-Fi 6E AX1675
Dual Band 2.4 GHz/5 GHz WiFi 6E 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax
  • 802.11ax Wi-Fi 6E wireless networking
  • IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac compatible
BluetoothBluetooth 5.2Bluetooth 5.3 wireless technology
EthernetKiller E3100 2.5G Ethernet Controller
Transfer rate: 10/100/1000/2500 Mbps
-

Battery

Alienware X17 R2M2 MacBook Pro 14”
Size87 WHr, 6-cell smart lithium-ion battery70 Wh lithium‑polymer battery
Battery Life-
  • Up to 12 hours of wireless web
  • Up to 18 hours of Apple TV app movie playback
Power Supply
240W 330W
power adapter.
  • 67W USB‑C Power Adapter
    M2 Pro with 10-core CPU models
  • 96W USB‑C Power Adapter
    M2 Pro with 12-core CPU or M2 Max models. Supports Fast-Charging.

Software

Alienware X17 R2M2 MacBook Pro 14”
OSWindows 11
Home Pro
Shipped with macOS Ventura
Built-in AppsAlienware Command CenterDashboard navigates all features, including themes, system performance, and overclocking.
  • Five Tailored Power States
    full speed performance balanced quiet battery saver
  • Game Library to manage titles from multiple services
  • FX supports full RBG values up to 16.8 million colors
  • Power Management adjusts power plans with a game
  • Overclocking controls system performance and overclocking profiles
  • Sound Center dials in the perfect sound by managing sound profiles, audio effects, and Audio Recon
AlienFX Lighting Detail
  • Programmable with up to 16.8 million distinct colors
  • Rear stadium lighting is now engineered with 90 micro-LEDs for a bold new look
Photos iMovie GarageBand Pages Numbers Keynote Siri Safari Mail FaceTime Messages Maps News Stocks Home Voice Memos Notes Calendar Contacts Reminders Photo Booth Preview Music Podcasts TV Books App Store Time Machine Find My QuickTime Player

Camera & Audio

Alienware X17 R2M2 MacBook Pro 14”
Camera
  • Front-facing camera.
    Alienware HD (1280x720 resolution) camera.
  • Windows Hello IR support.
1080p FaceTime HD camera 
Advanced image signal processor with computational video.
Audio
  • Controller: Realtek ALC3281
    • 7.1 Digital Audio out using HDMI out connection
    • Alienware Sound Center via Alienware Command Center
  • Speakers:
    • 2 x 4W speakers
  • Microphone:
    • Dual-array microphones
  • High-fidelity six-speaker sound system with force-canceling woofers
  • Wide stereo sound
  • Support for spatial audio when playing music or video with Dolby Atmos on built-in speakers
  • Spatial audio with dynamic head tracking when using AirPods (3rd generation), AirPods Pro, and AirPods Max
  • Studio-quality three-mic array with high signal-to-noise ratio and directional beamforming
  • 3.5 mm headphone jack with advanced support for high-impedance headphones

Misc

Alienware X17 R2M2 MacBook Pro 14”
SensorsWindows Hello IR CameraTouch ID sensor
SecurityWindows Hello IR camera for Facial BiometricsTouch ID sensor
In the box-
  • 14‑inch MacBook Pro
  • 67W USB‑C Power Adapter
    M2 Pro with 10-core CPU models.
  • 96W USB‑C Power Adapter
    M2 Pro with 12-core CPU or M2 Max models.
  • USB-C to MagSafe 3 Cable (2 m)
Warranty1 Year Hardware Service with Onsite/In-Home Service After Remote DiagnosisYour MacBook Pro comes with 90 days of complimentary technical support and a one-year limited warranty. Purchase AppleCare+ for Mac to extend your coverage to three years from your AppleCare+ purchase date and add up to two incidents of accidental damage coverage every 12 months, each subject to a service fee of $99 for screen damage or external enclosure damage, or $299 for other repairable damage, plus applicable tax.
More-Display Supports
  • M2 Pro
    • Simultaneously supports full native resolution on the built-in display at 1 billion colors and:
    • Up to two external displays with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt, or one external display with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt and one external display with up to 4K resolution at 144Hz over HDMI
    • One external display supported at 8K resolution at 60Hz or one external display at 4K resolution at 240Hz over HDMI
  • M2 Max
    • Simultaneously supports full native resolution on the built-in display at 1 billion colors and:
    • Up to four external displays: Up to three external displays with 6K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt and one external display with up to 4K resolution at 144Hz over HDMI
    • Up to three external displays: Up to two external displays with 6K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt and one external display with up to 8K resolution at 60Hz or one external display with 4K resolution at 240Hz over HDMI
  • Thunderbolt 4 digital video output
    • Native DisplayPort output over USB‑C
  • HDMI digital video output
    • Support for one display with up to 8K resolution at 60Hz or 4K resolution at 240Hz

Key Features

Alienware X17 R2M2 MacBook Pro 14”
At Glance
Released in Early
2022
16:9 4K UHD
17.3”
2160p 120Hz
Weight
6.54 lb
2.97 kg
Up to
Intel Core i9-12900HK
14C/20T, 2.50 → 5.00 GHz
Geekbench 5
1,798
Single Core
Geekbench 5
13,006
Multi-Core
With integrated
Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics
96 Execution Units, 400 → 1450 MHz
Upgradable up to
32GB
4800 MHz DDR5
Alienware X17 R2 Ports
Nvidia GeForce
RTX 3080 Ti
16GB GDDR6
Released in Early
2023
16:10 XDR
14.2”
1964p 120Hz
Weight
3.5 lb
1.59 kg
Up to
Apple M2 Max (12C, 38G)
12C/12T, 2.42 → 3.70 GHz
Geekbench 5
2,075
Single Core
Geekbench 5
15,305
Multi-Core
With integrated
Apple M2 Max iGPU
38 GPU Cores, 16 Neural Engine Cores
Configurable up to
96GB
LPDDR5 Memory
M2 MacBook Pro 14” Ports - Left
M2 MacBook Pro 14” Ports - Right

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