The MacBook Pro and Dell XPS are premium laptops in terms of their specs and software.There’s a good reason you might prefer to buy either one of these. In this article, we will compare both laptops to determine which one is the right 13-inch laptop for you.
Design
In terms of design, the Dell XPS 13 is seemingly better than MacBook Pro, though this is a very subjective topic. The Dell XPS 13 is smaller and lighter compared to MacBook Pro. It hasa thickness of 13.99mm against the 15.6mm MacBook Pro. The Dell XPS 13 comes in relatively unique colors. You can choose between sky blue and amber red. Meanwhile, the MacBook Pro 13-inch maintains the classic Silver and Space Grey options. This is the right option for you if you belong to the fandom of the classic MacBook look.
Display and sound
The Dell XPS 13 has a 13.4-inch screen size with a Full HD+ (19201200) panel without touchb support. You can add a touch to that display or upgrade to a 4K+ panel with a resolution of 3840-by-2400 which includes touch by default.
The MacBook Pro 13.3 panel has Quad HD+ (25601600) resolution. This makes both displays nearly identical in size. In terms of display, the MacBook Pro is a better option, butif you want to get a better display from the Dell XPS 13, you need to pay extra. Both the displays are clear and sharp and look great.
Both of these laptops use 720p cameras. Apple has an advanced ISP built into the Apple M2 chip that helps to get better image quality with MacBook Pro. Apple offers Touch ID for biometric authentication, and XPS 13 has Windows Hello facial recognition and a fingerprint
reader. So, Dell XPS 13 has better biometric authentication features than MacBook Pro. Now, for the sound, both the laptops have a pair of stereo speakers that offers a pretty good audio experience, though neither of them provides a top-notched sound that can be seen in bigger laptops by these brands. MacBook Pro comes with spatial sound support with Dolby Atmos and has three microphone arrays, while Dell XPS has Dual-array microphones.
Operating system
There’s a good chance you are already familiar with Windows 11 and macOS, and you
probably know which one is better. Besides familiarity, there are good reasons to prefer
either OS over the other. Windows 11 has the benefit of having a more simplified and
consistent interface while retaining the advanced configuration options.
On the other hand, macOS is very popular among content creators, graphic designers, and
creative professionals. Thanks to Apple’s video editing tool Final Cut Pro which is often
considered the best in the market. In addition, many other creative apps, such as Adobe’s
Creative Cloud that support macOS, work better in the Apple interface than on Windows.
CPU performance
Both laptops have potentially upgraded themselves over their previous generation. The
Apple M2 chip is a significant upgrade and provides 18% faster CPU performance than the
M1 chip. The Dell XPS has 12th-generation Intel processors, upgraded over 11th-generation
models. Dell has also switched from 15W processors to 12W processors from Intel’s U9
series.
According to Apple’s test results, the Apple M2 can provide almost twice the performance
of the Intel Core i7 series using the same 15W processor. Even if Intel processors use more
power and boost to higher speeds, the Apple M2 is still faster. The Apple M2 beats against
the 12th-generation processors; hence, MacBook Pro is a clear winner in this segment.
GPU performance
Intel did not change anything about the integrated GPU in its processors for a long while.
The Apple M2 stands as an advantage for integrated graphics over Intel processors. The
Apple M2’s GPU is almost 2.3 times faster than Intel Iris XE graphics; even when the Intel
GPU uses more power, Apple’s GPU still comes out on top by performance. Intel’s U9 series
often has comparatively slower graphics; hence Dell XPS falls far behind. So, if you do heavy
graphical work or creative tasks, the Apple MacBook Pro is the best choice without giving it
a second thought.
Battery
Apple’s M2 uses faster and uses less power. Apple MacBook Pro lasts up to 20 hours of
battery life, while Dell XPS 13 promises up to 12 hours of battery backup with a Core i5
processor for a full HD+ display configuration.
Storage
Apple’s unified memory works faster and better as it’s built into the processor itself and
both the CPU and GPU can access the memory at the same time. Dell XPS offers up to 32GB
of LPDDR5 memory instead of the unified memory of 24GB on the MacBook Pro. Finally,
when it comes to storage, Apple gives you options up to 2TB while Dell gets you 1TB. So,
that’s another plus point of the Apple MacBook Pro. However, upgrading storage on the
MacBook Pro is pretty expensive.
Ports
The Dell XPS comes 13 with two Thunderbolt 4 ports, and the MacBook Pro also has two
Thunderbolt ports with a headphone jack. MacBook Pro has more in-built ports than Dell
XPS. However, as the Dell XPS 13 supports a full suite of thunderbolt features, you can
connect multiple displays, use an external GPU, and turn XPS 13 into a gaming rig.
Final verdict
Both laptops have advantages over one another. It’s up to you to determine which laptop
suits your requirements best. MacBook is probably more compelling in getting the bestvalue for your money. But it has a higher starting price, and the storage upgrades are pricier.
But if you are a graphic designer, the MacBook Pro should be your final choice.
Dell XPS also performs well, has a compact design, and comes with more capable ports. If
you want to upgrade your components in the future at an affordable price, then Dell XPS 13
is the right purchase for you.
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