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InnoReviews

Alienware x16 R2 vs Apple MacBook Air 13 (M3)

WINNER
Alienware x16 R2
55Inno Score
VS
Apple MacBook Air 13 (M3)
53.5Inno Score
49.3Performance44.5
49Display29.8
86.7Battery66.7
35.5Portability88
4 spec wins — Alienware x16 R23 spec wins — Apple MacBook Air 13 (M3)

InnoReviews verdict

Alienware x16 R2 wins this laptop face-off, 55 to 53.5, pulling ahead mainly in battery (+20) and display (+19). Apple MacBook Air 13 (M3) still makes sense if its price or standout specs fit your needs better.

Which would you pick?

Key differences

Reasons to pick the Alienware x16 R2

  • Stronger performance score: 49 vs 45
  • Stronger display score: 49 vs 30
  • Stronger battery score: 87 vs 67
  • 300% higher Refresh rate: 240 Hz vs 60 Hz
  • 300% higher storage: 1,024 GB vs 256 GB

Reasons to pick the Apple MacBook Air 13 (M3)

  • Stronger portability score: 88 vs 36
  • 67% higher Peak brightness: 500 nits vs 300 nits
  • 53% lower weight: 1.24 kg vs 2.66 kg
  • 39% lower thickness: 11.3 mm vs 18.6 mm
  • Lower launch price: $1,099 vs $2,100

Display

Display comparison: Alienware x16 R2 versus Apple MacBook Air 13 (M3)
SpecAlienware x16 R2Apple MacBook Air 13 (M3)
Screen size16 ″+18%13.6 ″
Panel typeIPS LCDIPS (Liquid Retina)
Resolution2560x16002560x1664
Refresh rate240 Hz+300%60 Hz
Peak brightness300 nits500 nits+67%

Performance

Performance comparison: Alienware x16 R2 versus Apple MacBook Air 13 (M3)
SpecAlienware x16 R2Apple MacBook Air 13 (M3)
ProcessorIntel Core Ultra 7 155H (Core Ultra 9 185H optional)Apple M3 (8-core)
GraphicsNVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop (RTX 4070, RTX 4080 and RTX 4090 optional)Apple M3 8-core GPU
RAM16 GB16 GB
RAM typeLPDDR5X-7467 (soldered)LPDDR5 (unified)
Storage1,024 GB+300%256 GB
Storage typePCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD (two M.2 slots)NVMe SSD

Benchmarks

Benchmarks comparison: Alienware x16 R2 versus Apple MacBook Air 13 (M3)
SpecAlienware x16 R2Apple MacBook Air 13 (M3)
Geekbench 6 (single)—3,050Top 22%
Geekbench 6 (multi)—12,000Bottom 27%

Battery

Battery comparison: Alienware x16 R2 versus Apple MacBook Air 13 (M3)
SpecAlienware x16 R2Apple MacBook Air 13 (M3)
Capacity90 Wh+71%53 Wh
Web browsing endurance—15 h
Charging—35 W

Design

Design comparison: Alienware x16 R2 versus Apple MacBook Air 13 (M3)
SpecAlienware x16 R2Apple MacBook Air 13 (M3)
Weight2.66 kg1.24 kg+53%
Thickness18.6 mm11.3 mm+39%
MaterialAll-metal chassisAluminum

Connectivity

Connectivity comparison: Alienware x16 R2 versus Apple MacBook Air 13 (M3)
SpecAlienware x16 R2Apple MacBook Air 13 (M3)
Ports1x Thunderbolt 4, 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (DisplayPort), 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, HDMI 2.1, mini DisplayPort, microSD, 3.5mm audio jack2x Thunderbolt 3 / USB 4, MagSafe 3, 3.5mm
Wi-FiWi-Fi 7Wi-Fi 6E
Bluetooth5.45.3
Webcam1080p (HDR) + IR camera1080p FaceTime HD
BiometricsIR face (Windows Hello)Touch ID

Software

Software comparison: Alienware x16 R2 versus Apple MacBook Air 13 (M3)
SpecAlienware x16 R2Apple MacBook Air 13 (M3)
Operating systemWindows 11 HomemacOS Sonoma

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