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InnoReviews

Alienware x16 R2 vs MSI Katana 15 HX B14W

WINNER
Alienware x16 R2
55Inno Score
VS
MSI Katana 15 HX B14W
45.1Inno Score
49.3Performance45.1
49Display33.9
86.7Battery66.7
35.5Portability34
6 spec wins — Alienware x16 R21 spec wins — MSI Katana 15 HX B14W

InnoReviews verdict

Alienware x16 R2 wins this laptop face-off, 55 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 x16 R2

  • Stronger performance score: 49 vs 45
  • 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

Reasons to pick the MSI Katana 15 HX B14W

  • 10% lower weight: 2.4 kg vs 2.66 kg
  • Lower launch price: $999 vs $2,100

Display

Display comparison: Alienware x16 R2 versus MSI Katana 15 HX B14W
SpecAlienware x16 R2MSI Katana 15 HX B14W
Screen size16 ″+3%15.6 ″
Panel typeIPS LCDIPS
Resolution2560x16001920x1080
Refresh rate240 Hz+67%144 Hz
Peak brightness300 nits+17%257 nits

Performance

Performance comparison: Alienware x16 R2 versus MSI Katana 15 HX B14W
SpecAlienware x16 R2MSI Katana 15 HX B14W
ProcessorIntel Core Ultra 7 155H (Core Ultra 9 185H optional)Intel Core i7-14650HX
GraphicsNVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop (RTX 4070, RTX 4080 and RTX 4090 optional)NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 Laptop
RAM16 GB16 GB
RAM typeLPDDR5X-7467 (soldered)DDR5-5600 (2x SO-DIMM)
Storage1,024 GB+100%512 GB
Storage typePCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD (two M.2 slots)PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD

Benchmarks

Benchmarks comparison: Alienware x16 R2 versus MSI Katana 15 HX B14W
SpecAlienware x16 R2MSI Katana 15 HX B14W
Geekbench 6 (single)—2,786Top 45%
Geekbench 6 (multi)—13,048Bottom 47%

Battery

Battery comparison: Alienware x16 R2 versus MSI Katana 15 HX B14W
SpecAlienware x16 R2MSI Katana 15 HX B14W
Capacity90 Wh+20%75 Wh
Charging—240 W

Design

Design comparison: Alienware x16 R2 versus MSI Katana 15 HX B14W
SpecAlienware x16 R2MSI Katana 15 HX B14W
Weight2.66 kg2.4 kg+10%
Thickness18.6 mm+27%25.5 mm
MaterialAll-metal chassisPlastic

Connectivity

Connectivity comparison: Alienware x16 R2 versus MSI Katana 15 HX B14W
SpecAlienware x16 R2MSI Katana 15 HX B14W
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 jack3x 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 7Wi-Fi 6E
Bluetooth5.45.3
Webcam1080p (HDR) + IR camera720p HD
BiometricsIR face (Windows Hello)None

Software

Software comparison: Alienware x16 R2 versus MSI Katana 15 HX B14W
SpecAlienware x16 R2MSI Katana 15 HX B14W
Operating systemWindows 11 HomeWindows 11 Home

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