Alienware x16 R2 vs Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5)
49.3Performance65.5
49Display29.8
86.7Battery55.3
35.5Portability79.6
4 spec wins — Alienware x16 R23 spec wins — Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5)
InnoReviews verdict
Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5) wins this laptop face-off, 56.9 to 55, pulling ahead mainly in portability (+44) and performance (+16). Alienware x16 R2 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 display score: 49 vs 30
- Stronger battery score: 87 vs 55
- 300% higher Refresh rate: 240 Hz vs 60 Hz
- 100% higher storage: 1,024 GB vs 512 GB
- 35% higher capacity: 90 Wh vs 67 Wh
Reasons to pick the Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5)
- Stronger performance score: 66 vs 49
- Stronger portability score: 80 vs 36
- 67% higher Peak brightness: 500 nits vs 300 nits
- 43% lower weight: 1.51 kg vs 2.66 kg
- 38% lower thickness: 11.5 mm vs 18.6 mm
- Lower launch price: $1,299 vs $2,100
Display
| Spec | Alienware x16 R2 | Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5) |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 16 ″+5% | 15.3 ″ |
| Panel type | IPS LCD | IPS (Liquid Retina) |
| Resolution | 2560x1600 | 2880x1864 |
| Refresh rate | 240 Hz+300% | 60 Hz |
| Peak brightness | 300 nits | 500 nits+67% |
Performance
| Spec | Alienware x16 R2 | Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5) |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Intel Core Ultra 7 155H (Core Ultra 9 185H optional) | Apple M5 (10-core) |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop (RTX 4070, RTX 4080 and RTX 4090 optional) | Apple M5 10-core GPU |
| RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB |
| RAM type | LPDDR5X-7467 (soldered) | LPDDR5X (unified) |
| Storage | 1,024 GB+100% | 512 GB |
| Storage type | PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD (two M.2 slots) | SSD |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Alienware x16 R2 | Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5) |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | — | 4,195Top 6% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | — | 16,995Top 27% |
Battery
| Spec | Alienware x16 R2 | Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5) |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 90 Wh+35% | 67 Wh |
| Charging | — | 60 W |
Design
| Spec | Alienware x16 R2 | Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5) |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 2.66 kg | 1.51 kg+43% |
| Thickness | 18.6 mm | 11.5 mm+38% |
| Material | All-metal chassis | Recycled Aluminum |
Connectivity
| Spec | Alienware x16 R2 | Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5) |
|---|---|---|
| Ports | 1x 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 jack | 2x Thunderbolt 4, MagSafe 3, 3.5mm |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 7 | Wi-Fi 7 |
| Bluetooth | 5.4 | 6 |
| Webcam | 1080p (HDR) + IR camera | 12MP Center Stage |
| Biometrics | IR face (Windows Hello) | Touch ID |
Software
| Spec | Alienware x16 R2 | Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5) |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 11 Home | macOS Tahoe |
Related comparisons
Alienware x16 R2vs MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+VSAlienware x16 R2vs ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED (UX3405)VSAlienware x16 R2vs Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8-inch (8th Edition)VSAlienware x16 R2vs Dell XPS 16 (2026)VSApple MacBook Air 15 (M5)vs HP Googlebook 14VSApple MacBook Air 15 (M5)vs Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13VSApple MacBook Air 15 (M5)vs Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4)VSApple MacBook Air 15 (M5)vs HONOR MagicBook Pro 16 2024VS