MSI Pulse 17 2023 vs Dell Alienware m18 Comparison

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MSI Pulse 17 2023

17.3 inches | January 2023

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Dell Alienware m18

18 inches | January 2023

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MSI Pulse 17 2023 vs Dell Alienware m18 Comparison Overview

MSI Pulse 17 2023

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Dell Alienware m18

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MSI Pulse 17 2023

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Dell Alienware m18

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In this review, we will be comparing Pulse 17 2023 and Alienware m18, two laptops from MSI and Dell. MSI Pulse 17 2023 was introduced to market in January 2023 and Dell Alienware m18 was launched in January 2023. Both Pulse 17 2023 and Alienware m18 were launched within the same month so we are expecting this to be a fair comparison regarding age and available technology level.

Click for Available Configurations of the Laptops

Here is a brief look at the main features of MSI Pulse 17 2023 and Dell Alienware m18 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

MSI Pulse 17 2023 Key Specs

Launched in January 2023
17.3" IPS LCD, 16:9 Aspect Ratio Display
CPU: Intel Core i7 13620H
GPU: GeForce RTX 4050 Mobile 6GB
16GB Ram
398 x 273 x 27.2 mm (15.67 x 10.75 x 1.07 inches)
Weight: 2.7 kg (5.95 lbs)

Dell Alienware m18 Key Specs

Launched in January 2023
18.0" IPS LCD, 16:10 Aspect Ratio Display
CPU: Intel Core i7 13650HX
GPU: GeForce RTX 4050 Mobile 6GB
16GB Ram
410.3 x 319.9 x 24.1-26.7 mm (16.15 x 12.59 x 0.95-1.05 inches)
Weight: 4.23 kg (9.33 lbs)

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Pulse 17 2023 and Alienware m18 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 MSI Pulse 17 2023 over Dell Alienware m18

Weight	2.70 kg vs 4.23 kg	1.53 kg lighter
Screen-to-Body Ratio	~75.9% vs ~71.6%	Larger screen area ratio
Side Bezel Thickness	7.5 mm vs 11.3 mm	3.8 mm thinner bezels
Noise Level	46.5 dB vs 56.7 dB	Less fan noise
Screen PPI	127 ppi vs 126 ppi	More pixels per inch
GPU FLOPS	9.5 TFLOPS vs 8.8 TFLOPS	Generates higher sound levels
Speaker Loudness	85 dB vs 83.8 dB	Lower Price (*may change depending on config, seller, location, and time)
Avg. MSRP Price	$1200-1600 vs $2400-2800

Reasons to choose Dell Alienware m18 over MSI Pulse 17 2023

Display Size	18 inches vs 17.3 inches	Larger Screen Estate
Refresh Rate	480 Hz vs 144 Hz	Smoother media experience
Screen Resolution	1920 x 1200 pixels vs 1920 x 1080 pixels	Higher pixel count screen
sRGB Color Space	100% vs 57.5%	Wider sRGB Color Space Coverage
DCI-P3 Color Gamut	100% vs 38.4%	Wider DCI-P3 Color Gamut
Max Brightness	300 nits vs 250 nits	Brighter Screen
Response Time	3 ms vs 28 ms	Faster Response screen
USB Power Delivery	Yes vs No	Charges via USB-C type cable
Dolby Atmos Speakers	Yes vs No	3D Surround Sound Support
Bluetooth	v5.3 vs v5.2	More advanced Bluetooth connectivity
Webcam Resolution	1920 x 1080 vs 1280 x 720	Higher Resolution Camera
Number of USB-C Ports	3x USB 4.0 vs 1x USB 3.2	Connect more device at the same time
USB-C Port Type	v4.0 vs v3.2	Faster USB-C connection
Thunderbolt	v4 vs No	Support audio, data, power and video all through one single port
Display Port	Yes vs No	Option to use Display port to connect to external monitors
SD Card Reader	Yes vs No	Read & Write SD Cards with the built-in reader
Key Travel	1.8 mm vs 1.7 mm	Better typing feel

Common Strengths of Dell Alienware m18 and MSI Pulse 17 2023

Launch Dates	January 2023 vs January 2023	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 4.0 (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
Wi-Fi Standard	v6 vs v6E	Fast and Reliable Wi-Fi Connections
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
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 Dell Alienware m18 and MSI Pulse 17 2023

Touchscreen Capability	No vs No	No Touchscreen Capability
Fingerprint Sensor	No vs No	No fingerprint login feature

MSI Pulse 17 2023 vs Dell Alienware m18: Physical Specs Comparison

In this section, we will be comparing the physical specifications and body features of the MSI Pulse 17 2023 and the Dell Alienware m18.

Physical Specs
Weight	2.7 kg (5.95 lbs)	4.23 kg (9.33 lbs)
Surface Area	1087 cm2 (168.5 inches2)	1313 cm2 (203.3 inches2)
Screen to Surface Ratio	~75.9%	~71.6%
Side Bezel Thickness	~7.5 mm	~11.3 mm
Weight per Inch of Screen	0.16 kg/inch	0.24 kg/inch
	0.352 lbs/inch	0.528 lbs/inch
Colors	Black, Gray	Black, Gray

Comparison of the MSI Pulse 17 2023 and the Dell Alienware m18 External Dimensions

Weight

Pulse 17 2023 weighs 2.7 kg (5.95 lbs), whereas the Alienware m18 weighs 4.23 kg (9.33 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

MSI Pulse 17 2023 2.70 kg

Dell Alienware m18 4.23 kg

Min 1.29 kg

Average 2.74 kg

Max 4.23 kg

Thickness Comparison

Displays size larger than 17.0 inches

MSI Pulse 17 2023 27.20 mm

Dell Alienware m18 26.70 mm

Min 8.60 mm

Average 24.26 mm

Max 38.00 mm

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 MSI Pulse 17 2023 is 0.16 kg/inch.In comparison, this value for the Dell Alienware m18 is 0.24 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

MSI Pulse 17 2023 vs Dell Alienware m18: Internals (CPU, GPU, RAM, Battery, SSD, etc.) Comparison

CPU Comparison

CPU Model	Intel Core i7 13620H Intel Core i7 13700H	Intel Core i7 13650HX Intel Core i7 13700HX Intel Core i9 13900HX Intel Core i9 13980HX AMD Ryzen 7 7745HX AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX
Base Frequency	2.4 GHz	2.6 GHz
Turbo Frequency	4.9 GHz	4.9 GHz
Number of Cores	10	14
Number of Threads	16	20
L3 Cache	24 MB	24 MB
Integrated GPU	Intel UHD Graphics (64EU)	Intel UHD Graphics (16EU)
CPU Fabrication Process	10 nm	10 nm
Geekbench 5 (Single)	1796	1840
Geekbench 5 (Multi)	11376	14421
Cinebench 23 (Single)	1816	1914
Cinebench 23 (Multi)	15497	21028

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 MSI Pulse 17 2023 and Dell Alienware m18.

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

Laptops with: Intel Core i7 13620H

Laptops with: Intel Core i7 13650HX

GPU Comparison

GPU Model	GeForce RTX 4050 Mobile 6GB GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile 8GB GeForce RTX 4070 Mobile 8GB	GeForce RTX 4050 Mobile 6GB GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile 8GB GeForce RTX 4070 Mobile 8GB GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile 12GB GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile 16GB
Base Clock Frequency	1455 MHz	1455 MHz
Boost CLock Frequency	1755 MHz	1755 MHz
TGP (Total Graphics Power)	50 W	50 W
Nvidia Optimus	MUX	MUX
Type	Dedicated	Dedicated
FLOPS	8.986 TFLOPS	8.986 TFLOPS
Memory Size	6 GB	6 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR6
Memory Bus	96 bit	96 bit
Memory Speed	2000 MHz 16 Gbps effective	2000 MHz 16 Gbps effective
Shading Units Cores	2560	2560
TMUs	80	80
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. MSI Pulse 17 2023 has a FLOPS value of 9.5 TFLOPS whereas the Dell Alienware m18 ' has a FLOPS value of 8.8 TFLOPS. If graphical performance of the laptop is important for your use type, the MSI Pulse 17 2023 may be the better choice between these two setups.

RAM Comparison

RAM	16GB 32GB 64GB	16GB 32GB 64GB
Memory Bus	2x8 GB	2x8 GB
RAM Clock	5200 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 4.0 (4x)	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x)

Both laptops, the Pulse 17 2023 and the Alienware m18, 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	MSI Pulse 17 (2023)	Dell Alienware m18
Small Models(1-3B):Examples: Phi-2, Qwen-1.8B	✔ Run smoothly.	✔ Run smoothly.
Medium Models(7-8B):Examples: Mistral-7B, Qwen-7B	✖ Not supported.	✖ Not supported.
Large Models(13-30B):Examples: Mixtral, Qwen-14B	✖ Not supported.	✖ Not supported.
Extra-Large Models(65B+):Examples: LLaMA2-70B, Qwen1.5-72B	✖ Not supported on most systems. Requires high-end GPU or advanced setup.	✖ 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	90 Wh	97 Wh
Battery Type	Li-Po	Li-Ion
Replaceable	No	No
Fast Charging	Yes	Yes
USB Power Delivery	No	Yes
Charging Port Position	Left	Bottom
Charge Power	240 W	300 / 330 W

On the other hand, the Alienware m18 features a higher battery capacity of 97 Wh, delivering longer usage time compared to the Pulse 17 2023's 90 Wh.

Battery Comparison

Displays size larger than 17.0 inches

MSI Pulse 17 2023 90 Wh

Dell Alienware m18 97 Wh

Min 37.00 Wh

Average 76.88 Wh

Max 100.00 Wh

STORAGE
The Alienware m18 offers a larger max storage capacity of 8 TB, providing more room for storing files and data compared to the Pulse 17 2023's storage capacity of 2 TB.

Storage Options	512 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB	256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB, 4 TB, 8 TB
Upgradable	Yes	Yes
Total Slots	2	4
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.

MSI Pulse 17 2023 vs Dell Alienware m18: Display Comparison

The display is an essential aspect to consider when comparing the MSI Pulse 17 2023 and Dell Alienware m18 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. Pulse 17 2023 has a display size of 17.3".On the other hand, Alienware m18 has a larger18.0" display.The total usable screen area of the Pulse 17 2023 is 825cm² / 128inch² whereas the Alienware m18's total usable screen area is 939cm² / 146inch².

PPI (Pixels per Inch)
Additionally, the Pulse 17 2023 features a higher pixel density with 127 pixels per inch (PPI), ensuring sharper image details.

Screen PPI (Pixels Per Inch) Comparison

Displays size larger than 17.0 inches

MSI Pulse 17 2023 127 ppi

Dell Alienware m18 126 ppi

Min 106 PPI

Average 141 PPI

Max 266.00 PPI

Refresh Rate
The Alienware m18 offers a higher refresh rate of 480 Hz, resulting in smoother motion and improved visual experience.

Furthermore, the Alienware m18 boasts a faster response time of 3.0 ms, reducing motion blur for fast-paced content.

Brightness
The Alienware m18 offers a higher maximum brightness of 300 nits, delivering a brighter screen.

Brightness Comparison

Displays size larger than 17.0 inches

MSI Pulse 17 2023 250 nits

Dell Alienware m18 300 nits

Min

200 nits

Average 368 nits

Max 1200.00 nits

MSI Pulse 17 2023 vs Dell Alienware m18 Connectivity Comparison

In terms of connectivity,

Wifi
Alienware m18 features a more advanced Wi-Fi standard v6E, providing faster and more reliable wireless connections compared to Pulse 17 2023 (v6).

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 Pulse 17 2023 and Alienware m18 feature 3x USB 3.2 USB-A ports.
Both Pulse 17 2023 and Alienware m18 have USB Type-C ports. Pulse 17 2023 has 1x USB 3.2 USB Type-C ports, while Alienware m18 has 3x USB 4.0 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
Alienware m18 is equipped with Thunderbolt 4 port. Pulse 17 2023 does not have Thunderbolt port.

HDMI
Both Pulse 17 2023 and Alienware m18 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
Alienware m18 is equipped with an SD Card Reader for easy access to memory cards. Pulse 17 2023 does not have an SD Card Reader.

Audio Jack
Both Pulse 17 2023 and Alienware m18 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)	v6	v6E
Bluetooth (latest: v5.4)	v5.2	v5.3
USB-A (latest: 3.2)	3x USB 3.2	3x USB 3.2
USB Type-C (latest: USB4 2.0)	1x USB 3.2	3x USB 4.0
Thunderbolt (latest: 5)	No	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
Fingerprint Sensor	No	No
Optical Drive	No	No
Audio Jack 3.5mm	Yes	Yes
Ethernet RJ45	Yes	Yes
SD CardReader	No	Yes
Proprietary Charging Port	Yes	Yes