M2 MacBook Pro 16” vs. Alienware X17 R1: Which is better?

Here is a side by side comparison between M2 MacBook Pro 16” and Alienware X17 R1 specs including CPU, RAM, storage, battery, display, and more.

M2 MacBook Pro 16” Pros

Reasons that M2 MacBook Pro 16” is better than Alienware X17 R1.

Newer manufacturing

2023 vs. 2021

Much faster CPU performance

Apple M2 Max (12C, 38G) inside M2 MacBook Pro 16” has a 58% better multi-core CPU performance score than the Intel Core i9-11980HK inside Alienware X17 R1.

Geekbench 5 multi-core score
M2 MacBook Pro 16” - Apple M2 Max (12C, 30G)
15,305
M2 MacBook Pro 16” - Apple M2 Max (12C, 38G)
15,305
M2 MacBook Pro 16” - Apple M2 Pro (12C, 19G)
14,899
Alienware X17 R1 - Intel Core i9-11980HK
9,677
Alienware X17 R1 - Intel Core i7-11800H
7,908
Supports larger memory

M2 MacBook Pro 16” supports a larger memory capacity than the Alienware X17 R1. It supports up to 96GB versus 64GB of system memory on the Alienware X17 R1.

Max system memory size
M2 MacBook Pro 16”
96 GB
Alienware X17 R1
64 GB
About 30% lighter

M2 MacBook Pro 16” weighed 4.7 pounds, 30% lighter than the 6.65 pounds Alienware X17 R1.

WeightM2 MacBook Pro 16”Alienware X17 R1
Pound
4.7 lbs.
6.65 lbs.
Kilogram
2.13 kg
3.02 kg

Alienware X17 R1 Pros

Reasons that Alienware X17 R1 is better than M2 MacBook Pro 16”.

Upgradable memory

Alienware X17 R1 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 16” since it has onboard memory.

MemoryM2 MacBook Pro 16”Alienware X17 R1
Slots
Onboard
x2
TypeLPDDR5DDR4 XMP
Supports discrete graphics

Configurable up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 16GB GDDR6 150W TGP vs. integrated

Upgradable storage

Alienware X17 R1 comes with two M.2 slots that you can easily upgrade and install an additional SSD to expand the storage on the device.

SlotsM2 MacBook Pro 16”Alienware X17 R1
M.2
Onboard
Yes x2
6% larger display

Alienware X17 R1 has a 17.3-inch screen size 6% larger than the 16.2-inch M2 MacBook Pro 16”.

Display size
Alienware X17 R1
17.3-inch
M2 MacBook Pro 16”
16.2-inch
Has three more ports and slots

Alienware X17 R1 has more ports and slots count than the M2 MacBook Pro 16”. It has ten versus seven amount of ports and slots on the M2 MacBook Pro 16”.

PortsM2 MacBook Pro 16”Alienware X17 R1
full-size SD card slotYesNo
HDMIYesYes
headphone jackYesYes
microSD card slotNoYes
Mini DisplayPortNoYes
power portYesYes
RJ-45NoYes
Thunderbolt 4Yes x3Yes
USB-ANoYes x2
USB-CNoYes
Total710
More versatile connectivity

Alienware X17 R1 has better versatile I/O connectivity than the M2 MacBook Pro 16”. It has nine versus five commonly used ports and slots on the M2 MacBook Pro 16”.

PortsM2 MacBook Pro 16”Alienware X17 R1
HDMIYesYes
headphone jackYesYes
power portYesYes
Thunderbolt 4YesYes
full-size SD card slotYesNo
microSD card slotNoYes
Mini DisplayPortNoYes
RJ-45NoYes
USB-ANoYes
USB-CNoYes

Prices

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

M2 MacBook Pro 16” 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
$1,449.51
$1,529.00 5% OFF
2023 Apple MacBook Pro with Apple M2 Pro Chip (16-inch, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) (QWERTY English) Space Gray (Renewed)
2023 Apple MacBook Pro with Apple M2 Pro Chip (16-inch, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) (QWERTY English) Space Gray (Renewed)
By Apple
$1,979.00
Apple 2023 MacBook Pro Laptop M2 Pro chip with 12‑core CPU and 19‑core GPU: 16.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR Display, 16GB Unified Memory, 512GB SSD Storage. Works with iPhone/iPad; Silver
Apple 2023 MacBook Pro Laptop M2 Pro chip with 12‑core CPU and 19‑core GPU: 16.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR Display, 16GB Unified Memory, 512GB SSD Storage. Works with iPhone/iPad; Silver
By Apple
$1,999.99
$2,499.00 20% OFF
Alienware X17 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
$2,270.00
Dell Alienware X17 R2 Gaming Laptop (2022) | 17.3" FHD | Core i9 - 1TB SSD - 16GB RAM - 3070 Ti | 14 Cores @ 5 GHz - 12th Gen CPU - 8GB GDDR5 Win 11 Home (Renewed)
Dell Alienware X17 R2 Gaming Laptop (2022) | 17.3" FHD | Core i9 - 1TB SSD - 16GB RAM - 3070 Ti | 14 Cores @ 5 GHz - 12th Gen CPU - 8GB GDDR5 Win 11 Home (Renewed)
By Dell
$2,305.99
Dell Alienware X17 R1 Gaming Laptop (2021) | 17.3" FHD+ | Core i7-512GB SSD Hard Drive - 16GB RAM - RTX 3070 | 8 Cores @ 4.9 GHz - 8GB GDDR6 Win 11 Home (Renewed)
Dell Alienware X17 R1 Gaming Laptop (2021) | 17.3" FHD+ | Core i7-512GB SSD Hard Drive - 16GB RAM - RTX 3070 | 8 Cores @ 4.9 GHz - 8GB GDDR6 Win 11 Home (Renewed)
By Dell
$1,611.97

Availability

M2 MacBook Pro 16”Alienware X17 R1
Released20232021
Release Date
  • Announced on January 17, 2023.
Available on January 24, 2023.
Available on June 1, 2021
Pricing
  • $2,499
    M2 Pro 12-Core CPU 19-Core GPU 16GB 512GB
  • $2,699
    M2 Pro 12-Core CPU 19-Core GPU 16GB 1TB
  • $3,299
    M2 Max 12-Core CPU 30-Core GPU 32GB 1TB
  • $3,899
    M2 Max 12-Core CPU 38-Core GPU 64GB 1TB
  • $4,299
    M2 Max 12-Core CPU 38-Core GPU 64GB 2TB
  • $4,899
    M2 Max 12-Core CPU 38-Core GPU 64GB 4TB
  • $6,099
    M2 Max 12-Core CPU 38-Core GPU 64GB 8TB
  • $6,499
    M2 Max 12-Core CPU 38-Core GPU 96GB 8TB
  • $2,099.99
    i7-11800H 16GB 256GB RTX 3060 6GB FHD 165Hz
  • $2,479.99
    i7-11800H 16GB 512GB RTX 3070 8GB FHD 165Hz
  • $3,229.99
    i7-11800H 32GB 512GB RTX 3080 16GB UHD 120Hz
  • $3,629.99
    i9-11980HK 32GB XMP 512GB RTX 3080 16GB UHD 120Hz
Generations

Exterior

M2 MacBook Pro 16”Alienware X17 R1
Dimensions
  • Height: 0.66 inch (1.68 cm)
  • Width: 14.01 inches (35.57 cm)
  • Depth: 9.77 inches (24.81 cm)
  • 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” (399.23 x 299.49 x 21.4 mm)
    With FHD 165Hz or UHD 120Hz diplay.
Weight
  • 4.7 pounds (2.15 kg)
    M2 Pro models.
  • 4.8 pounds (2.16 kg)
    M2 Max models.
6.65 - 7.05 lbs (3.02 - 3.2 kg)
Colors
Space Gray Silver
Lunar light
With High Endurance Clear Coat and Silky - Smooth Finish
Keyboard and TrackpadBacklit 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
  • Keyboard
    • Alienware X-Series thin keyboard
    • Per-key RGB LED with AlienFX lighting
    • Anti-ghosting and N-key rollover technology.
    • 1.5mm key travel.
  • 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.

Display

M2 MacBook Pro 16”Alienware X17 R1
Size16.2 Inches17.3 Inches
Info
  • Liquid Retina XDR display
    • 16.2-inch (diagonal) Liquid Retina XDR display;10 3456-by-2234 native resolution at 254 pixels per inch
  • 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
  • 17.3” FHD with 165Hz
    1920 x 1080 127 PPI ComfortView Plus 3ms response time 300 nits 16:9 100% sRGB 1000:1 Anti-glare WVA 7.2 W
  • 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 800:1 Anti-glare WVA 8.4 W
  • 17.3” UHD with 120Hz
    3840 x 2160 255 PPI ComfortView Plus 4ms response time 500 nits 16:9 100% Adobe RGB 1200:1 Anti-glare WVA 12.2 W

Ports

M2 MacBook Pro 16”Alienware X17 R1
Left (4)
M2 MacBook Pro 16” 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 16” 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
Alienware X17 R1 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 3.2 Gen 2 (10 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), Powershare
  • 1 x HDMI
    v2.1
  • 1 x Mini DisplayPort
    v1.4
  • 1 x microSD card slot
  • 1 x RJ-45
    2.5 Gbps, Killer E3100

Internal Specs

M2 MacBook Pro 16”Alienware X17 R1
Processor
  1. Apple M2 Pro (12C, 19G)
    12 cores, 12 threads, 2.42 → 3.50 GHz,
  2. Apple M2 Max (12C, 30G)
    12 cores, 12 threads, 2.42 → 3.70 GHz,
  3. Apple M2 Max (12C, 38G)
    12 cores, 12 threads, 2.42 → 3.70 GHz,
  1. 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-11800H
    8 cores, 16 threads, 2.30 → 4.60 GHz, 24MB SmartCache, 45W
  2. 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-11980HK
    8 cores, 16 threads, 3.30 → 5.00 GHz, 24MB SmartCache, 65W
Integrated Graphics
  1. Apple M2 Pro (12C, 19G)
    Apple M2 Pro iGPU
    19 GPU Cores, 16 Neural Engine Cores,
  2. Apple M2 Max (12C, 30G)
    Apple M2 Max iGPU
    30 GPU Cores, 16 Neural Engine Cores,
  3. Apple M2 Max (12C, 38G)
    Apple M2 Max iGPU
    38 GPU Cores, 16 Neural Engine Cores,
  1. 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-11800H
    Intel® UHD Graphics
    32 Execution Units, 350 → 1450 MHz
  2. 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-11980HK
    Intel® UHD Graphics
    32 Execution Units, 350 → 1450 MHz
Memory
16GB 32GB 64GB 96GB
Unified Memory
8 GB 16 GB 32 GB 64GB
3200MHz or 3466MHz Dual-channel DDR4 SDRAM.
2 x SO-DIMM slots.
  • Max 32GB of 3200 MHz DDR4 Memory
  • Max 64GB of 3466 MHz XMP DDR4 Memory
Discrete Graphics-
  • NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 3060
    6GB GDDR6 TGP: 115W Dynamic Boost: 15W Max Power: 130W Speed: 1387 → 1702 MHz
  • NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 3070
    8GB GDDR6 TGP: 125W Dynamic Boost: 15W Max Power: 140W Speed: 1215 → 1620 MHz
  • NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 3080
    16GB GDDR6 TGP: 150W Dynamic Boost: 15W Max Power: 165W Speed: 1350 → 1710 MHz
* All configurations include 12-phase HyperEfficient graphics voltage regulation.
Storage
512GB 1TB 2TB 4TB 8TB
SSD
  • 2 x M.2 2280 slots (Up to 2TB each)
    Supports RAID-0

Connectivity

M2 MacBook Pro 16”Alienware X17 R1
Wi-Fi
  • 802.11ax Wi-Fi 6E wireless networking
  • IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac compatible
Rivet Killer Wi-Fi 6E AX1675w
Triple Band 2.4GHz/5GHz/6GHz Up to 2400 Mbps WiFi 6 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax
BluetoothBluetooth 5.3 wireless technologyBluetooth 5.2
Ethernet-Killer E3100 2.5G Ethernet Controller
Transfer rate: 10/100/1000/2500 Mbps

Battery

M2 MacBook Pro 16”Alienware X17 R1
Size100 Wh lithium‑polymer battery87 WHr, 6-cell smart lithium-ion battery
Battery Life
  • Up to 15 hours of wireless web
  • Up to 22 hours of Apple TV app movie playback
-
Power Supply140W USB‑C Power Adapter 
Charging up to 50 percent in just 30 minutes with included USB-C to MagSafe 3 Cable.
240W 330W
power adapter.

Software

M2 MacBook Pro 16”Alienware X17 R1
OSShipped with macOS Ventura
Windows 10 Home Windows 10 Pro
Upgradable to Windows 11
Built-in Apps
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
  • Alienware Command Center
    AlienFX lighting Game Library Auto-tune game profile functionality Fusion Alienware Adrenalin Alienware Mobile Connect
  • Microsoft Office 365 (30-day trial)

Camera & Audio

M2 MacBook Pro 16”Alienware X17 R1
Camera1080p FaceTime HD camera 
Advanced image signal processor with computational video.
  • Front-facing camera.
    Alienware HD (1280x720 resolution) camera.
  • Windows Hello IR support.
Audio
  • 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
  • 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

Misc

M2 MacBook Pro 16”Alienware X17 R1
SensorsTouch ID sensorWindows Hello IR Camera
Security
  • Touch ID sensor
  • Apple T2 Security Chip
-
In the box
  • 16‑inch MacBook Pro
  • 140W USB‑C Power Adapter
  • USB-C to MagSafe 3 Cable (2 m)
-
WarrantyYour 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.1 Year Hardware Service with Onsite/In-Home Service After Remote Diagnosis
MoreDisplay 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

M2 MacBook Pro 16”Alienware X17 R1
At Glance
Released in Early
2023
16:10 XDR
16.2”
2234p 120Hz
Weight
4.7 lb
2.13 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 16” Ports - Left
M2 MacBook Pro 16” Ports - Right
Released in Mid
2021
16:9 4K UHD
17.3”
2160p 120Hz
Weight
6.65 lb
3.02 kg
Up to
Intel Core i9-11980HK
8C/16T, 3.30 → 5.00 GHz
Geekbench 5
1,646
Single Core
Geekbench 5
9,677
Multi-Core
With integrated
Intel® UHD Graphics
32 Execution Units, 350 → 1450 MHz
Upgradable up to
64GB
3466 MHz DDR4 XMP
Alienware X17 R1 Ports
Nvidia GeForce
RTX 3080
16GB GDDR6 150W TGP

Comparison Summary

M2 MacBook Pro 16” vs. Alienware X17 R1

Apple has released the M2 MacBook Pro 16”, a 16.2-inch machine, in early-2023. It is powered by up to 12-core Apple M2 Max (12C, 38G) with a boost clock speed up to 3.70 GHz. The laptop has an integrated graphics option up to Apple M2 Max iGPU (38 GPU Cores, 16 Neural Engine Cores).

On the other hand, we have the 17.3-inch Alienware X17 R1 was introduced by Dell about two years earlier in mid-2021. It comes with up to an octa-core Intel Core i9-11980HK with a boost clock speed up to 5.00 GHz. It has a dedicated GPU option up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 with 16GB GDDR6 150W TGP.

Geekbench 5 Single Core

M2 MacBook Pro 16”1
Apple M2 Pro (12C, 19G)1,94393.64%
2
Apple M2 Max (12C, 30G)2,075100.00%
3
Apple M2 Max (12C, 38G)2,075100.00%
Alienware X17 R11
11th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-11800H1,46670.65%
2
11th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-11980HK1,64679.33%
02,075

Geekbench 5 Multi Core

M2 MacBook Pro 16”1
Apple M2 Pro (12C, 19G)14,89997.35%
2
Apple M2 Max (12C, 30G)15,305100.00%
3
Apple M2 Max (12C, 38G)15,305100.00%
Alienware X17 R11
11th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-11800H7,90851.67%
2
11th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-11980HK9,67763.23%
015,305

The M2 MacBook Pro 16” has a 16.2-inch display which is slightly smaller than the 17.3-inch Alienware X17 R1. In addition, The M2 MacBook Pro 16” weighs 4.7 lbs. about 41% lighter than the 6.65 lbs. Alienware X17 R1. Moreover, measured at 14.01” x 9.77” x 0.66”, the M2 MacBook Pro 16” is much more portable than the Alienware X17 R1 at 15.72” x 11.79” x 0.82”.

M2 MacBook Pro 16”Alienware X17 R1

There are a toal number of 7 ports and slots available on M2 MacBook Pro 16”. That includes a power port, two Thunderbolt 4 ports, a headphone jack, a full-size SD card slot, and an HDMI port. With that said, it has three ports and slots fewer than the Alienware X17 R1 that has a power port, a headphone jack, a Thunderbolt 4 port, a USB-C port, two USB-A ports, an HDMI port, a Mini DisplayPort, a microSD card slot, and an RJ-45 port.

Moving over to upgradability, Apple claims that the M2 MacBook Pro 16” supports up to 96GB LPDDR5 memory. However, it has an onboard memory module that is not upgradable by the users. It also has soldered storage, and there are no M.2 slots for expansion.

For Alienware X17 R1, it supports up to 64GB 3466 MHz DDR4 XMP memory that you can upgrade with two memory module slots on the motherboard. It also has two M.2 slots that users can easily swap or add an extra SSD to get extra space when needed.

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