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The Dell XPS 13 Plus seems to have more raw CPU power than Apple’s new MacBook Air M2. This means that Intel’s new Alder Lake laptop chips are still a serious threat to Apple’s silicon. We know this because Dell sent us a review unit of the XPS 13 Plus with an Alder Lake Intel Core i7 CPU to test.
That means we’ll update our hands-on review of the Dell XPS 13 Plus in about a week with a full look at the thinner, lighter version of the XPS 13. However, some of our testing results were so interesting that we couldn’t wait to share them.
One important note: neither the XPS 13 Plus nor the Air M2 that we tested are the entry-level models. Below is a chart that compares the base specs of both laptops and the 13-inch Pro M2 to give you an idea of how they compare. However, the actual units we tested are a bit more expensive and have more power.
MacBook Pro M2 vs dell XPS 13 Comparison Table
| MacBook Pro M2 | dell XPS 13 | |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 11.97 x 8.46 x 0.44 inches | 11.63 x 7.84 x 0.6 inches |
| Display | 13.6 inches (2560 x 1664) | 13.4 inches (1920 x 1200) |
| RAM | 8GB to 24GB | 8GB to 32 GB |
| Storage | 256GB to 2TB SSD | 256GB to 2TB SSD |
| GPU | 8-10 core M2 GPU | Intel Iris Xe integrated graphics |
| Battery | 52.6 watt-hours | 51 watt-hours |
| Price | from $1,199 | from $1,399 |
MacBook Pro M2 vs dell XPS 13: Design
The XPS 13’s design has been tweaked and improved over several years, making it what we thought was the best laptop you could buy. The new XPS 13 throws away a lot of the old ways of making things. The laptop no longer has a fibre keyboard deck. Instead, it has an even smaller all-aluminum chassis that makes the look much simpler. You can get this laptop from its official website.
The MacBook Air M2 is still made of aluminium, but it has lost its most recognisable design feature. It’s no longer pointed, so it looks more like a MacBook Pro. At only 0.44 inches thick, it is also one of the thinnest laptops ever made. It comes in Space Gray, silver, Starlight, Midnight, and Midnight.
MacBook Pro M2 vs dell XPS 13: Display
The 13.4-inch 16:10 Full HD+ (1920 x 1200) IPS displays on the XPS 13 can be either touch-enabled or not. There is no longer an option for an OLED screen, which is available on the pricier XPS 13 Plus.
The MacBook Air M2 has a new and improved 13.6-inch 16:10 Liquid Retina IPS display with a resolution of 2560 x 1664, wider and more accurate colours, and higher contrast. It’s better quality than the XPS 13’s and has a much sharper screen.
MacBook Pro M2 vs dell XPS 13: Performance
Compared to the Core i7-1250U option in the XPS 13, it’s not too far behind in terms of pure CPU performance, but it’s a step ahead of Intel’s Iris Xe solution in terms of GPU performance. Still, it’s not a gaming powerhouse by any stretch of the imagination, and the M1 Pro in the 14-inch MacBook Pro from Apple is much better.
When you compare displays, it’s also kind of a wash. The MacBook’s screen has a higher resolution than the XPS’s (1920 x 1200 vs. 2560 x 1600), but the XPS has a touch option and a flexible hinge that make it easy to use as a powerful tablet.
MacBook Pro M2 vs dell XPS 13: Audio
The sound from the MacBook Pro 13″ stereo speakers is clear and loud enough to fill a whole room. Movie trailers, podcasts, and music all sound great on a laptop, but bass sounds aren’t the best. Still, the sound quality of the MacBook Pro M2 as a whole is very good.
We don’t know yet how good the speakers on the XPS 13 Plus are, but the four stereo speakers should make better sound than the two speakers on earlier models. Still, we thought the sound on the Dell XPS 13 OLED was good, so we don’t think the Plus will be worse.
MacBook Pro M2 vs dell XPS 13: Battery life
In our own battery tests, Dell’s XPS laptops haven’t been able to last much longer than 8 hours, and the XPS 13 Plus is no different if you pay extra for the OLED display. Dell’s newest laptop, the XPS 13 Plus, which has an OLED screen, lasted 7 hours and 34 minutes on our battery test, which involves constantly surfing the web over Wi-Fi with the screen brightness set to 150 nits.
The MacBook Air M2 lasts a lot longer than that, which isn’t a big surprise since MacBooks have had great battery life ever since Apple started putting its own custom silicon in them. Apple’s M1 and M2 chips are both very powerful and use very little power. This is why the MacBook Pro M2, which lasted over 18 hours in our battery test, is the longest-lasting laptop we’ve ever tested.
MacBook Pro M2 vs dell XPS 13: Price
Dell gives you different (but often binary) choices for everything from the processor to the storage, RAM, display, and even the colour. The Dell XPS 13 with the fewest features costs just $999, and even the most powerful model is only $1,599. Apple’s prices, on the other hand, start at $1,299 for the least expensive MacBook Pro 13 and go all the way up to $2,499 for the most expensive one, and that’s before you add any software.
That does come with a 2TB SSD, which Dell doesn’t offer, but it only has 24GB of RAM, while Dell’s highest option is 32GB. Comparing similar models across the price range, it’s no surprise that the Apple brand and unified architecture will cost you a lot more.
Which one should you buy?
The MacBook Air M2 is faster, thinner, has a longer-lasting battery, a better keyboard, and a better touchpad. It’s a better laptop than the newest XPS 13 from Dell. But if you are on a tight budget or like Windows 11, the XPS 13 is still a great option.
dell XPS 13 Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Aggressive price
- Very compact design
- Great battery life
Cons:
- Lack of ports
- Webcam isn’t great
MacBook Pro M2 pros and cons
Pros:
- Powerful performance
- Long battery life
- Best speakers on a laptop
Cons:
- Runs hotter and louder
- RAM and SSD upgrades are very pricey
FAQs
Which is better MacBook Pro or XPS 13?
Performance. The MacBook Pro 14 is faster than the XPS 13 Plus with its 14-core/20-thread Core i7-1280P when it is set up with the 8-core CPU/14-core GPU M1 Pro. But the differences in our tests that put a lot of stress on the CPU aren’t big enough to put the MacBook in a completely different class.
Is Dell XPS or MacBook Air better?
The Dell XPS 13 has more RAM than the MacBook Air, but less storage space. Aside from the processor, the Dell XPS 13 is better because it can be set up with up to 32GB of RAM, while the MacBook Air can only be set up with 24GB.
Which laptops are better than MacBook Air M2?
The judgement is in, and after analysing the results of our tests on the Acer 2022 Swift 5 and the Apple M2 MacBook Air, we have determined that the Acer laptop is superior to Apple’s favoured product in crucial performance measures.