Nothing spells gaming like these two machines, the MSI GT70 2OD and the Alienware 17. It is true that portability is not one of their top features, but then why should it be? A gaming machine requires raw power to deliver properly and these two steam-blowing steeds do just that.
The graphics on either these machines are in no way different. Both the MSI GT70 2OD and the Alienware 17 come packing the Nvidia GeForce 780M with 4GB GDDR5. The situation remains the same when looking at the display. They are equipped with a 17.3 inch, Anti-Glare, 1920 x 1080 resolution displays.
Memory wise, the MSI GT70 2OD gets a head start over the Alienware 17. The latter comes packing 16 GB DDR3L at 1600 MHz, while the former boosts up to 24 GB DDR3L at 1600 MHz. On the storage aspect, the two machines differ greatly in terms of configuration. Both the MSI GT70 2OD and the Alienware 17 feature RAID setups. It is a method of utilizing two hard drives, at the same time, to provide more secure (RAID 1) storage, or a faster (RAID 0) type.
The MSI GT70 2OD uses Super RAID technology that makes use of two 128 GB SSD drives, rather than using regular HDD’s like Alienware. Getting a sense of this, it makes the MSI run a heck lot faster. It also packs a 1TB HDD at 5400 RPM. The Alienware 17 on the other hand features larger storage capacity, in the form of a tandem-working 2 x 1TB HDDs’ at 5400 RPM, while also packing an 80 GB mSATA SSD to get things up to speed. Both of the systems come with advantages, but in the long run the MSI GT70 2OD is smoother given the higher SSD storage.
Regarding connectivity on the machines, there is no number one. Both feature a wide array of ports. The MSI GT70 2OD has: 3 x USB 3.0, 2 x USB 2.0, a card reader, audio jacks (headphone, microphone, audio in/out), ethernet jack, a Kensington lock, Mini DisplayPort, VGA, HDMI. The Alienware 17 features: 4 x USB 3.0, a card reader, microphone port and 2 x audio out, ethernet, a Kensignton lock, Mini DisplayPort and HDMI. The battery life on both machines is roughly the same, with the MSI GT70 2OD having a slight edge, but nothing that would render either device long lasting autonomy.
Dell provides with a choice in the OS, between Windows 7 or 8, while the MSI GT70 2OD only comes with the most recent one. The Alienware 17 features a Blu-ray reader, while the MSI steps things up with a drive that can also burn disks. The dimensions on the machines do not differ too much. Given their gaming specialization both are quite bulky. The Alienware 17 measures in at 414 x 299 x 48 mm (long, across, deep) and weighs in at 4.2 kg. The MSI GT70 2OD measures at 428 x 288 x 55 mm and weighs up to 3.9 kg. The design on the Alienware still kicks it up a notch, given the resemblance to its family, while the MSI is more modest in this regard.
The other aspects on these machines differ to some extent from each other. The Alienware 17 has a 2 MP webcam and lighting programming on the keyboard by means of AlienFx. While both machines feature color back-light and anti-ghosting keyboards, the MSI GT70 2OD comes packing some nice Dynaudio speakers.
And now it comes down to what it’s worth. The Alienware 17 is at a higher price of 3.050 $, while its MSI counterpart tops up at 2.430 $, a 600 $ difference. If you get the looks out of the way, the MSI GT70 2OD is a better choice regarding its price, but regardless of that it’s all up to you and what you are into.