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InnoReviews

Alienware m16 R2 vs MSI Katana 15 HX B14W

WINNER
Alienware m16 R2
51.5Inno Score
VS
MSI Katana 15 HX B14W
45.1Inno Score
42.1Performance45.1
49Display33.9
86.7Battery66.7
30.4Portability34
6 spec wins — Alienware m16 R23 spec wins — MSI Katana 15 HX B14W

InnoReviews verdict

Alienware m16 R2 wins this laptop face-off, 51.5 to 45.1, pulling ahead mainly in battery (+20) and display (+15). MSI Katana 15 HX B14W still makes sense if its price or standout specs fit your needs better.

Which would you pick?

Key differences

Reasons to pick the Alienware m16 R2

  • Stronger display score: 49 vs 34
  • Stronger battery score: 87 vs 67
  • 100% higher storage: 1,024 GB vs 512 GB
  • 67% higher Refresh rate: 240 Hz vs 144 Hz
  • 20% higher capacity: 90 Wh vs 75 Wh

Reasons to pick the MSI Katana 15 HX B14W

  • Stronger performance score: 45 vs 42
  • Stronger portability score: 34 vs 30
  • 17% higher Geekbench 6 (single): 2,786 vs 2,383
  • Lower launch price: $999 vs $1,499

Display

Display comparison: Alienware m16 R2 versus MSI Katana 15 HX B14W
SpecAlienware m16 R2MSI Katana 15 HX B14W
Screen size16 ″+3%15.6 ″
Panel typeIPS (G-Sync, Advanced Optimus)IPS
Resolution2560x16001920x1080
Refresh rate240 Hz+67%144 Hz
Peak brightness300 nits+17%257 nits

Performance

Performance comparison: Alienware m16 R2 versus MSI Katana 15 HX B14W
SpecAlienware m16 R2MSI Katana 15 HX B14W
ProcessorIntel Core Ultra 7 155HIntel Core i7-14650HX
GraphicsNVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop GPU (RTX 4060 / 4070 optional)NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 Laptop
RAM16 GB16 GB
RAM typeDDR5-5600 (2x SO-DIMM)DDR5-5600 (2x SO-DIMM)
Storage1,024 GB+100%512 GB
Storage typePCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD (2 slots)PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD

Benchmarks

Benchmarks comparison: Alienware m16 R2 versus MSI Katana 15 HX B14W
SpecAlienware m16 R2MSI Katana 15 HX B14W
Geekbench 6 (single)2,383Bottom 18%2,786+17%Top 45%
Geekbench 6 (multi)12,670Bottom 42%13,048+3%Bottom 47%

Battery

Battery comparison: Alienware m16 R2 versus MSI Katana 15 HX B14W
SpecAlienware m16 R2MSI Katana 15 HX B14W
Capacity90 Wh+20%75 Wh
Charging240 W240 W

Design

Design comparison: Alienware m16 R2 versus MSI Katana 15 HX B14W
SpecAlienware m16 R2MSI Katana 15 HX B14W
Weight2.61 kg2.4 kg+8%
Thickness23.5 mm+8%25.5 mm
MaterialAnodized aluminum lid, soft-touch deckPlastic

Connectivity

Connectivity comparison: Alienware m16 R2 versus MSI Katana 15 HX B14W
SpecAlienware m16 R2MSI Katana 15 HX B14W
PortsThunderbolt 4 (DisplayPort 1.4, 15W PD), USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (DisplayPort 1.4), 2x USB-A 3.2, HDMI 2.1, 2.5GbE RJ-45, microSD, 3.5mm combo3x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (DisplayPort, PD 3.0), HDMI 2.1, RJ-45 Gigabit Ethernet, 3.5mm combo jack
Wi-FiWi-Fi 6E (Wi-Fi 7 optional)Wi-Fi 6E
Bluetooth5.35.3
Webcam1080p + IR720p HD
BiometricsIR face (Windows Hello)None

Software

Software comparison: Alienware m16 R2 versus MSI Katana 15 HX B14W
SpecAlienware m16 R2MSI Katana 15 HX B14W
Operating systemWindows 11 HomeWindows 11 Home

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