Home

 › 

Vs.

 › 

MacBook Pro vs. Alienware: Which One is Right for You?

Macbook vs Alienware featured image

MacBook Pro vs. Alienware: Which One is Right for You?

Alienware and MacBook are two popular types of laptops. One is built for writing papers, editing videos and photos, and everything, while the other is made for gaming. So, it only makes sense to pit them against each other and see which one is right for you. MacBook Pro vs. Alienware, will come out on top?

MacBook Pro vs. Alienware: Side By Side Comparison

MacBook Pro (2021)Alienware m15 R3 (2020)
Starting Price/
As Configured
$2,399/$4,199$1,169/$3,629
CPU2.9-GHz Intel Core i9-8950HK CPU2.2-GHz Intel Core i7-8750H CPU
RAM32GB32GB
Storage2TB SSDDual 1TB NVMe PCIe SSDs
GPUAMD Radeon Pro 560X GPUNvidia GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q GPU/ Intel UHD Graphics 630
Display15.4 inches, 2880 x 1600, Retina Display with TrueTone technology15.6 inches, 1920 x 1080, 60 or 144 Hertz
Battery Life
(hours: minutes)

10:21
6:25
Size13.8 x 9.5 x 0.6 inches14.3 x 10.8 x 0.7-0.8-inches
Weight4 pounds4.8 pounds

MacBook Pro vs. Alienware: 4 Must-Know Facts

  • MacBook Pros have incredible displays, especially with the addition of TrueTone technology.
  • Alienware laptops are more targeted toward gamers.
  • MacBooks are more targeted toward all-around computer users.
  • The Alienware laptop is the way to go if you are looking for a wide selection of I/O.

MacBook Pro (2021)

Our Pick
Apple 2021 MacBook Pro
  • M1 Max chip with 10‑core CPU and 24‑core GPU
  • 16-inch screen
  • 64GB RAM
  • 2TB SSD
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

Please Note: As of July 16, 2023, the Apple 2021 MacBook Pro is currently unavailable on Amazon. If you cannot find the product elsewhere, please check back later.

Alienware m15 R3 (2020)

Alienware m15 R3 Gaming Laptop
$1,799.95
  • 15.6-inch FHD display with 144Hz refresh rate
  • Thin, light and sturdy laptop
  • Alienware Cryo-Tech cooling system
  • Intel Core i7-10th Gen, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD
  • Windows 10 Home (AWm15-7272WHT-PUS)
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
11/29/2023 03:55 am GMT

MacBook Pro vs. Alienware: What’s the Difference?

Design

Both laptops have a distinct design language that makes it easy to notice them across the room. MacBook Pro has a more subdued sleek design that can blend in but stand out simultaneously. Alienware laptops stick out. You cannot hide when using an Alienware laptop.

The MacBook Pro does not break the mold of previous models, and to Apple’s credit, why fix it if it’s not broken? It has a slim space grey aluminum chassis with simple rounded corners. Some people may feel the 8-year-old design is becoming monotonous. But there is a reason that this laptop tends to end up in every cafe.

With an almost entirely different design language, the Alienware m15 R3 screams for you to look at it in love or hate. The angular edges and aggressive vents look like it is from space or at least some sci-fi universe. The glowing alien head crowning the lid invites you to probe deeper to unlock its secrets.

Display

Their differences do not end with the laptop chassis design. One is clearly made for general use across many uses, and the other is lasered in on gaming.

The Alienware m15 R3’s display is perfect for gaming at either 60Hz or 144Hz. The 15.6-inch, 1920 x 1080 panel is incredibly vibrant, with the 60-Hz screen able to reproduce 150 percent of the sRGB color gamut while the 144-Hz display hit 154 percent.

MacBooks are known for their gorgeous displays, and the 2021 MacBook Pro does not disappoint. The 15.4-inch, 2880 x 1800 panel, is the first to feature Apple’s TrueTone technology. This TrueTone technology is supposed to adjust the color balance depending on the color temperature the laptop is in.

I/O and Ports

With the evergrowing trend of slimming down laptops and including just USB-C or thunderbolt ports, some may be disappointed that MacBook Pro continues this trend. But Alienware has a plethora of I/O to utilize.

The surprisingly slim battle station features a trio of USB 3.0 ports, a Thunderbolt 3 port, HDMI 2.0, mini DisplayPort, Gigabit Ethernet, a headphone jack, and a proprietary port for Alienware’s Graphics Amplifier.

Performance

Performance can represent a lot of different things. If we are talking about overall performance, it is hard to beat a MacBook Pro, especially one fully specced out. However, if we are talking about strictly gaming performance, Alienware is a top performer.

In the Geekbench performance test, the two laptops were not too far off from each other. The MacBook scored 23,138, and the m15 R3 was slightly behind at 21,450. So, with a slight victory, the MacBook does beat out Alienware when it comes to productivity.

Switching to gaming, the results are flipped. In the Dirt 3 benchmark, the Alienware hit an impressive mark of 123 frames per second, whereas the MacBook hit 83fps. We would not say that MacBook is the outright loser in this category as it still scored a very playable score. The Alienware did beat it, though. And with a Windows machine, you will have a much better time gaming.

Price and Value

Let’s face it, neither of these laptops pocket-friendly. But there will always be a slight premium for an Apple product, which will be a reality for some time. And even though the Alienware m15 R3 is the cheaper notebook, the $3,269 tag for a top-spec machine isn’t cheap.

Both are premium products and priced justifiably, and we will rank them equally. So if you want a Mac laptop, you are stuck with MacBooks. And the same goes for Alienware. If you want an Alienware laptop, expect to pay more than other Windows laptops.

MacBook Pro vs. Alienware: Which One Is Right For You?

Both of these laptops are amazing feats of laptop engineering. But to get down to brass tax, if you want something that runs macOS or Mac-specific software, go for the MacBook Pro. The Alienware laptop will not be able to sway that, no matter how powerful you spec it out.

If you want to game on your laptop and like Alienware’s aesthetics, the m15 R3 is the perfect laptop for you. You cannot go wrong with either laptop. Just be sure to weigh what features matter more to you, and you will be happy with your decision.

Macbook vs Alienware infographic

Up Next…

Interested in reading more laptop reviews? Click on the links below:

Frequently Asked Questions

Is MacBook air better than Alienware

Depending on what you are looking for, both laptops offer fantastic performance. The MacBook will be a better choice if you are looking for an all-around productivity laptop. But if you want to game, the Alienware will be better.

How much RAM is enough?

When it comes to laptops, we reccomend the absolute minimum is 8GB, but if you want more performance, 16GB or 32GB will be better.

Are Apple computers worth it?

If you need a true laptop workhorse and want to stay in the Apple ecosystem, I’d say this MacBook Pro is very much worth the price.

Do Macs last longer than PCs?

According to a 2018 Microsoft study, the optimal age of PCs is no more than four years old. Macs, meanwhile, average between 5 and 7 years of service, with some lasting longer. But, of course, your mileage may vary.

What percentage of people use Mac vs PC?

For desktop and laptop computers, Windows is the most used at 75%, followed by Apple’s macOS at 15%, and Linux-based operating systems at 5%

To top