Dell Alienware 18 Area-51 vs MSI Raider GE76 2022 Comparison

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Dell Alienware 18 Area-51

18 inches | January 2025

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MSI Raider GE76 2022

17.3 inches | January 2022

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Dell Alienware 18 Area-51 vs MSI Raider GE76 2022 Comparison Overview

Dell Alienware 18 Ar...

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MSI Raider GE76 2022

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In this review, we will be comparing Alienware 18 Area-51 and Raider GE76 2022, two laptops from Dell and MSI. Dell Alienware 18 Area-51 was introduced to market in January 2025 and MSI Raider GE76 2022 was launched in January 2022. As you can see, Raider GE76 2022 is 3 years older than Alienware 18 Area-51. Let's see if this age difference between two laptops makes a big difference.

Click for Available Configurations of the Laptops

Here is a brief look at the main features of Dell Alienware 18 Area-51 and MSI Raider GE76 2022 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Dell Alienware 18 Area-51 Key Specs

Launched in January 2025
18.0" IPS LCD, 16:10 Aspect Ratio Display
CPU: Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX,Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX
GPU: GeForce RTX 5060 Laptop 8GB,GeForce RTX 5070 Laptop 8GB,GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Laptop 12GB,GeForce RTX 5080 Laptop 16GB,GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop 24GB
16GB,32GB,64GB Ram
365 x 290 x 21.6-28.5 mm (14.37 x 11.42 x 0.85-1.12 inches)
Weight: 3.15 kg (6.95 lbs)

MSI Raider GE76 2022 Key Specs

Launched in January 2022
17.3" IPS LCD, 16:9 Aspect Ratio Display
CPU: Intel Core i7 12700H
GPU: GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile 6GB
16GB Ram
397 x 284 x 25.9 mm (15.63 x 11.18 x 1.02 inches)
Weight: 2.9 kg (6.39 lbs)

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Alienware 18 Area-51 and Raider GE76 2022 compares and decide which one is better for you.

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Reasons to choose Dell Alienware 18 Area-51 over MSI Raider GE76 2022

Screen-to-Body Ratio	~88.7% vs ~73.2%	Larger screen area ratio
Display Size	18 inches vs 17.3 inches	Larger Screen Estate
Screen PPI	168 ppi vs 127 ppi	More pixels per inch
Screen Resolution	2560 x 1600 pixels vs 1920 x 1080 pixels	Higher pixel count screen
sRGB Color Space	100% vs 94%	Wider sRGB Color Space Coverage
Max Brightness	500 nits vs 300 nits	Brighter Screen
Response Time	3 ms vs 7 ms	Faster Response screen
CPU Fabrication Process	3 nm vs 10 nm	Newer Generation CPU
GPU Fabrication Process	4 nm vs 8 nm	Newer Generation GPU
Dolby Atmos Speakers	Yes vs No	3D Surround Sound Support
WiFi Standard	v7 vs v6E	More advanced Wi-fi connectivity
Bluetooth	v5.4 vs v5.2	More advanced Bluetooth connectivity
Webcam Resolution	3840 x 2160 vs 1920 x 1080	Higher Resolution Camera
USB-C Port Type	v4.0 vs v3.2	Faster USB-C connection

Reasons to choose MSI Raider GE76 2022 over Dell Alienware 18 Area-51

Weight	2.90 kg vs 3.15 kg	0.25 kg lighter
Refresh Rate	360 Hz vs 240 Hz	Smoother media experience
Contrast Rate	1261:1 vs 1200:1	more pleasing colors
GPU FLOPS	13.8 TFLOPS vs 9.7-16.6 TFLOPS	Faster RAM
RAM BUS	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x) vs PCI-E Gen 5.0 (4x)	Option to use Display port to connect to external monitors
Display Port	Yes vs No

Common Strengths of MSI Raider GE76 2022 and Dell Alienware 18 Area-51

Launch Dates	January 2025 vs January 2022	Both laptops are recent models
Screen Coating	Matte vs Matte	Less reflections on the screen
Fast Charging Support	Yes vs Yes	Charge the battery in a shorter time
Upgradable RAM	Yes vs Yes	Option to increase the RAM size
RAM Type	PCI-E Gen 5.0 (4x) vs PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x)	Fast RAM type
Upgradable Storage	Yes vs Yes	Option to increase the Storage size
SSD Type	NVMe vs NVMe	Faster Data Transfers
Thunderbolt Port	v5 vs v4	Fast data and power transfer via Thunderbolt Port
HDMI Output	1x HDMI 2.1 vs 1x HDMI 2.1	Connect to External Displays via HDMI cable
VGA Output	No vs No	Connect to External Displays via VGA cable
Ethernet RJ45 Port	Yes vs Yes	Fast connection to Network via ethernet cable
Built-in SD Card Reader	Yes vs Yes	Read & Write SD Cards
Numeric Pad	Yes vs Yes	Fast way to input numbers
Keyboard Backlight	Yes vs Yes	Easily see the keys under low light

Common Weaknesses of MSI Raider GE76 2022 and Dell Alienware 18 Area-51

Touchscreen Capability	No vs No	No Touchscreen Capability

Dell Alienware 18 Area-51 vs MSI Raider GE76 2022: Physical Specs Comparison

In this section, we will be comparing the physical specifications and body features of the Dell Alienware 18 Area-51 and the MSI Raider GE76 2022.

Physical Specs
Weight	3.15 kg (6.95 lbs)	2.9 kg (6.39 lbs)
Surface Area	1059 cm2 (164.1 inches2)	1127 cm2 (174.7 inches2)
Screen to Surface Ratio	~88.7%	~73.2%
Side Bezel Thickness	~-11.3 mm	~7 mm
Weight per Inch of Screen	0.18 kg/inch	0.17 kg/inch
	0.396 lbs/inch	0.374 lbs/inch
Colors	Black, Green	Black, Blue

Comparison of the Dell Alienware 18 Area-51 and the MSI Raider GE76 2022 External Dimensions

Weight

Alienware 18 Area-51 weighs 3.15 kg (6.95 lbs), whereas the Raider GE76 2022 weighs 2.9 kg (6.39 lbs). There is a notable difference in weight between these two laptops. However, it's important to consider that comparing their weights directly may not provide a complete picture since they also have different display sizes.

Weight Comparison

Displays size larger than 17.0 inches

Dell Alienware 18 Area-51

MSI Raider GE76 2022

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Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Displays size larger than 17.0 inches

Dell Alienware 18 Area-51

MSI Raider GE76 2022

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Average

Max

Another value that we use for comparing the weights of the laptops is the Weight per Inch of Screen, which is calculated by dividing the total weight of the model with its usable diagonal screen size. This value for the Dell Alienware 18 Area-51 is 0.18 kg/inch.In comparison, this value for the MSI Raider GE76 2022 is 0.17 kg/inch.Here are some of the best performing laptops in this area:

Microsoft Surface Go 4: 0.05 kg/inch
LG Gram SuperSlim 15.6 2023: 0.06 kg/inch
Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306: 0.06 kg/inch
Asus Zenbook A14 UX3407: 0.06 kg/inch
Microsoft Surface Pro 12: 0.06 kg/inch
Dell Latitude 7330: 0.07 kg/inch
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2: 0.07 kg/inch
LG Gram 14 2022: 0.07 kg/inch

Dell Alienware 18 Area-51 vs MSI Raider GE76 2022: Internals (CPU, GPU, RAM, Battery, SSD, etc.) Comparison

CPU Comparison

CPU Model	Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX	Intel Core i7 12700H Intel Core i9 12900HK
Base Frequency	2.4 GHz	2.3 GHz
Turbo Frequency	5.2 GHz	4.7 GHz
Number of Cores	Arc Graphics (4-	14
Number of Threads	20	20
L3 Cache	30 MB	24 MB
Integrated GPU	Arc Graphics (4-Cores)	Intel Iris Xe Graphics (96EU)
CPU Fabrication Process	3 nm	10 nm

Above you can see the CPU options and the CineBench and GeekBench test scores for both laptops, which gives an idea about what kind of performance difference you may experience between the Dell Alienware 18 Area-51 and MSI Raider GE76 2022.

You may also read reviews of latest laptops with the same CPUs and compare them:

Laptops with: Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX,Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX

Laptops with: Intel Core i7 12700H

GPU Comparison

GPU Model	GeForce RTX 5060 Laptop 8GB GeForce RTX 5070 Laptop 8GB GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Laptop 12GB GeForce RTX 5080 Laptop 16GB GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop 24GB	GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile 6GB GeForce RTX 3070 Ti Mobile 8GB GeForce RTX 3080 Mobile 8GB GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Mobile 16GB
TGP (Total Graphics Power)		80 W
Nvidia Optimus	Yes, Advanced Optimus	MUX
Type	Dedicated	Dedicated
FLOPS	9.7-16.6 TFLOPS	10.94 TFLOPS
Memory Size	8 GB	6 GB
Memory Type	GDDR7	GDDR6
Memory Bus	128 bit	192 bit
Memory Speed	~28 Gbps	1750 MHz 14 Gbps effective
Shading Units Cores	3328	3840
TMUs	104	120
ROPs	48	48

GPU is as critical as the CPU for graphic heavy applications and the table above gives a picture of how the two GPU compares. FLOPS is a measure of a GPU's performance based on the number of floating-point arithmetic calculations that the processor can perform within a second. Dell Alienware 18 Area-51 has a FLOPS value of 9.7-16.6 TFLOPS whereas the MSI Raider GE76 2022 ' has a FLOPS value of 13.8 TFLOPS. If graphical performance of the laptop is important for your use type, the Dell Alienware 18 Area-51 may be the better choice between these two setups.

RAM Comparison

RAM	16GB 32GB 64GB	16GB 32GB 64GB
Memory Bus	1x16 GB	2x8 GB
RAM Clock	6400 MHz	4800 MHz
RAM Type	DDR5	DDR5
Upgradable	Yes	Yes
Max RAM Size	64 GB	64 GB
Total Slots	2	2
Memory Bus	PCI-E Gen 5.0 (4x)	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x)

Both laptops, the Alienware 18 Area-51 and the Raider GE76 2022, come with similar RAM capacities of 16 GB, providing comparable performance in memory-intensive tasks.

LOCAL LLM Compatibility Evaluation

This quick guide shows what types of large language models (LLMs) each of these laptops could support, based on their respective hardware specifications. It's meant to help you compare their suitability for running AI models locally.

LLM Category	Dell Alienware 18 Area-51	MSI Raider GE76 (2022)
Small Models(1-3B):Examples: Phi-2, Qwen-1.8B	✔ Run smoothly.	✔ Run smoothly.
Medium Models(7-8B):Examples: Mistral-7B, Qwen-7B	✔ Good performance.	✖ Not supported.
Large Models(13-30B):Examples: Mixtral, Qwen-14B	⚠ Can run using CPU + RAM fallback. Expect slower performance.	✖ Not supported.
Extra-Large Models(65B+):Examples: LLaMA2-70B, Qwen1.5-72B	⚠ Possible with CPU + RAM fallback using quantized models.	✖ Not supported on most systems. Requires high-end GPU or advanced setup.

Note: Optimized (e.g., 4-bit) models may run on limited hardware. Performance depends on runtime and setup.

📌 MoE Models: Some models like Mixtral 8x7B and Qwen3-30B-A3B use a Mixture of Experts (MoE) design, activating only part of the model during inference. This means they can often run efficiently on laptops with 12–16 GB of VRAM when quantized.

BATTERY

BATTERY	96 Wh	99.9 Wh
Battery Type	Li-Po	Li-Po
Replaceable	No	No
Fast Charging	Yes	Yes
Charging Port Position	Bottom	Bottom
Charge Power	360 W	280 / 330 W
Voltage	11.7 V
Full Charging Time	2:00 hr

On the other hand, the Raider GE76 2022 features a higher battery capacity of 100 Wh, delivering longer usage time compared to the Alienware 18 Area-51's 96 Wh.

Battery Comparison

Displays size larger than 17.0 inches

Dell Alienware 18 Area-51

MSI Raider GE76 2022

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Average

Max

STORAGE
With a larger storage capacity up to 6 TB, the Alienware 18 Area-51 provides more space for storing files and applications compared to the Raider GE76 2022's max. storage capacity of 4 TB.

Storage Options	512 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB, 3 TB, 4 TB, 6 TB	512 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB, 4 TB
Upgradable	Yes	Yes
Total Slots	3	2
Storage type	SSD (M2)	SSD (M2)
NVMe	Yes	Yes

If your budget allows, we recommend opting for the largest possible disk size, considering the potential increase in storage capacity needs in the future. However, please keep in mind the question 'What will the laptop be used for?' when making this decision. Of course, you can later upgrade the hard disk capacity by getting a larger disk. However, if your laptop has only one disk slot, it may not be as straightforward as a RAM upgrade, where you simply add or replace a module, as moving or cloning files to a new disk may be necessary.

Dell Alienware 18 Area-51 vs MSI Raider GE76 2022: Display Comparison

The display is an essential aspect to consider when comparing the Dell Alienware 18 Area-51 and MSI Raider GE76 2022 since its is the component that you interact the most and significantly impact the experience.

Screen Area and Dimensions

Now let's look at the comparison of the actual display areas of both laptops below, keeping the bezels around the screens out of the equation. Alienware 18 Area-51 has a display size of 18.0".On the other hand, Raider GE76 2022 has a smaller 17.3" display.The total usable screen area of the Alienware 18 Area-51 is 939cm² / 146inch² whereas the Raider GE76 2022's total usable screen area is 825cm² / 128inch².

PPI (Pixels per Inch)
Additionally, the Alienware 18 Area-51 features a higher pixel density with 168 pixels per inch (PPI), ensuring sharper image details.

Screen PPI (Pixels Per Inch) Comparison

Displays size larger than 17.0 inches

Dell Alienware 18 Area-51

MSI Raider GE76 2022

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Average

Max

Refresh Rate
The Raider GE76 2022 offers a higher refresh rate of 360 Hz, resulting in smoother motion and improved visual experience.

Furthermore, the Alienware 18 Area-51 boasts a faster response time of 3.0 ms, reducing motion blur for fast-paced content.

Brightness
The Alienware 18 Area-51 offers a higher maximum brightness of 500 nits, delivering a brighter screen.

Brightness Comparison

Displays size larger than 17.0 inches

Dell Alienware 18 Area-51

MSI Raider GE76 2022

Min

Average

Max

Dell Alienware 18 Area-51 vs MSI Raider GE76 2022 Connectivity Comparison

In terms of connectivity,

Wifi
Alienware 18 Area-51 features a more advanced Wi-Fi standard v7, providing faster and more reliable wireless connections compared to Raider GE76 2022 (v6E).

Below, you'll find a Wi-Fi Versions Table, along with their release dates and speeds, to provide a brief overview of its development.

Wi-Fi Versions and Speeds

Standard	Speed	Release Date	Network	Frequency Bands (GHz)
Wi-Fi 7	up to 40 Gbps (5 GB/s)	2023	802.11be	2.4, 5, 6
Wi-Fi 6E	up to 9.6 Gbps (1.2 GB/s)	2020	802.11ax	2.4, 5, 6
Wi-Fi 6	up to 9.6 Gbps (1.2 GB/s)	2019	802.11ax	2.4, 5
Wi-Fi 5	up to 6.93 Gbps (866.25 MB/s)	2014	802.11ac	2.4, 5
Wi-Fi 4	up to 600 Mbps (75 MB/s)	2009	802.11n	2.4, 5

* Please note that the provided transfer rates are maximum theoretical values, and real-life performance may vary based on environmental factors.

USB
Both Alienware 18 Area-51 and Raider GE76 2022 feature 3x USB 3.2 USB-A ports.
Both Alienware 18 Area-51 and Raider GE76 2022 have USB Type-C ports. Alienware 18 Area-51 has 2x USB 4.0 USB Type-C ports, while Raider GE76 2022 has 2x USB 3.2 USB Type-C ports.

Below, you'll find a table of USB ports, along with their release dates and speeds.
To mitigate the confusion caused by generation names, the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) suggests using marketing names like USB 5Gbps, USB 10Gbps, and so forth, based on their respective transfer rates.

USB Type and Speeds

USB Type	Version	Speed	Date	Other Features/Explanations
USB4	Gen 4 (2.0)	80 Gbps	2022	Also known as USB 80Gbps
USB4	Gen 3×2	40 Gbps	2019	Also known as USB 40Gbps
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 2x2	20 Gbps	2019	Double the data transfer rates of Gen 2
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 2	10 Gbps	2017	Previously known as USB 3.1
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 1	5 Gbps	2017	Previously known as USB 3.0
USB 3.1	3.1 Gen 2	10 Gbps	2013	Faster data transfer rates
USB 3.0	3.1 Gen 1	5 Gbps	2010	SuperSpeed USB, improved data transfer rates
USB 2.0	2.0	480 Mbps	2000	High-speed data transfer
USB 1.0	1.0	1.5 Mbps	1996	Original USB standard

Thunderbolt
Both Alienware 18 Area-51 and Raider GE76 2022 feature Thunderbolt ports. Alienware 18 Area-51 has Thunderbolt 5, while Raider GE76 2022 has Thunderbolt 4.

HDMI
Both Alienware 18 Area-51 and Raider GE76 2022 feature an HDMI port (1x HDMI 2.1) for connecting to external monitors.

Below, you'll find a comparison table detailing different HDMI versions, including their bandwidth, color depth, maximum resolution, and release dates. This information can be helpful in understanding the capabilities of each HDMI version and choosing the most suitable one for your needs.

HDMI Comparison Table

HDMI Version	Maximum Resolution	Bandwidth (Gbps)	Color Depth (bits)	Release Date
HDMI 2.1-2.1b	7680 x 4320 *(8K)* @ 60p 3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 120p	48.0	48	2017
HDMI 2.0-2.0b	3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 60p	18.0	48	2013
HDMI 1.4-1.4b	3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 30p	10.2	48	2009
HDMI 1.3-1.3a	2560 x 1440 @ 60p	10.2	48	2006
HDMI 1.0-1.2a	1920 x 1200 @ 60p	4.95	24	2002

* Please note that the provided resolution values represent the maximum supported resolution, and actual display quality may depend on other factors such as source content and connected devices.

SD Card Reader
Both Alienware 18 Area-51 and Raider GE76 2022 come with an SD Card Reader for easy access to memory cards.

Audio Jack
Both Alienware 18 Area-51 and Raider GE76 2022 are equipped with a 3.5mm Audio Jack, providing seamless connection to headphones and speakers.

To summarize the connectivity and ports details, please refer to the table below to see them listed.

Connectivity and Ports
WiFi Standard (latest: v7)	v7	v6E
Bluetooth (latest: v5.4)	v5.4	v5.2
USB-A (latest: 3.2)	3x USB 3.2	3x USB 3.2
USB Type-C (latest: USB4 2.0)	2x USB 4.0	2x USB 3.2
Thunderbolt (latest: 5)	Thunderbolt 5	Thunderbolt 4
HDMI (latest: 2.1)	1x HDMI 2.1	1x HDMI 2.1
Display Port (latest: v2.0)	No	1x v1.4
VGA	No	No
Optical Drive	No	No
Audio Jack 3.5mm	Yes	Yes
Ethernet RJ45	Yes	Yes
SD CardReader	Yes	Yes
Proprietary Charging Port	Yes	Yes