13-inch laptops are very popular and there are many viable options available to choose from. Many people prefer the 13 inches laptops because they are fast, portable, and efficient. The best 13 inches laptops are so well-built that they can be taken anywhere for work.
Dell XPS 13 has managed to stay at the top of the list for quite some time, but Apple MacBook Pro is giving it tough competition. We will thoroughly look through the specs of both laptops to check which laptop gives better value for the money.
Specs:
| Apple MacBook Pro | Dell XPS 13 9310 | |
| Screen size | 13.3 inches | 13.4 inches |
| Screen resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1920 x 1200 |
| Processor | Intel Core i7 8th Gen. | Intel Core i5 11th Gen. Processor |
| Processor Speed | 2.70 GHz | 2.40 GHz |
| SSD Capacity | 2 TB | 512 GB SSD |
| RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB RAM |
| GPU | Intel Iris Plus Graphics | Intel Iris Graphics GPU |
Design:
Since its release in 2020, the MacBook Pro 13 M1 hasn’t changed much. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, because it’s still one of the best-built 13-inch laptops available. It’s CNC machined from a solid block of aluminum and feels solid as a rock, with a simple and elegant design that many laptops try to imitate. The MacBook Pro 13 M1 is available in Space Gray or Silver and exudes quality.
The XPS 13 is a little flashier, with a silver CNC machined aluminum lid and chassis bottom and a keyboard deck in either black carbon fiber or white glass fiber. It has a streamlined design as well, but it has sharper angles and appears to be a more modern laptop. It is also extremely well-built, rivalling the MacBook Pro 13 M1 and sitting atop the windows laptop heap.
Keyboard and touchpad:
Although Apple’s keyboard does not have the most travel, its switches are sublime, with the perfect click, a light touch and bottoming action, and precise feedback that makes for an extremely comfortable keyboard for long typing sessions. The keycaps and key spacing are flawless, and these are simply the best laptop keyboard available. The XPS 13’s keyboard is also excellent, with precise switches, a light touch, and a crisp bottoming action that places it among the best Windows laptops in this category. It just can’t compete with the overall typing experience of the MacBook Pro 13 M1.
The touchpad on the MacBook Pro 13 M1 is also better because it is bigger and uses Apple Force Touch, a haptic feedback system. The smaller mechanical touchpad in the XPS 13 can’t compare to it in terms of precision and click consistency across the entire surface. Although it stands out among Windows laptops and has a Microsoft Precision touchpad, which offers excellent multitouch gesture support, the Apple touchpad continues to be the industry standard.
Performance:
When compared to most 13-inch laptops, the performance of the XPS 13 is flawless. It cannot compete with the MacBook Pro 13 processor. The XPS 13 uses the integrated Iris Xe graphics from Intel, while the MacBook Pro 13 also uses the same graphics. MacBook Pro offers a whopping amount of storage i.e., 2 TB. On the other hand, XPS 13 offers only 512 GB SSD. MacBook Pro doesn’t only take the lead here, it also has double the RAM present in the Dell XPS 13. This makes MacBook Pro 13 M1 the undisputed champion for getting work done.
Display:
The screens are a key distinction between these two now. The MacBook Pro just settles for a kind of happy middle ground with a quad HD resolution, but they both do have a 16 by 10 aspect ratio. The Dell comes with two options: Full HD Plus and Ultra HD Plus. The fact that you simply have a little bit more space at the top and bottom of the screen, in these smaller 13-inch laptops, I think makes a significant difference.
The OLED display on the XPS 13 is even better, with broader colours and the intense contrast that only OLED can deliver. This gives Dell an advantage over competitors for creative types who require the broadest and most accurate colour gamut as well as for anyone else looking for a dynamic display that can display true blacks.
Bottom line:
We have clearly stated the specs of both 13 inches laptops. They are way ahead of other 13-inch laptops available in the market. However, it comes down to the fact that you prefer windows or OS operating system. MacBook Pro 13 has a better keyboard, and touchpad, and delivers fast performance. Also, there is not much of a price difference between the two laptops. For creators, Dell XPS 13 can be a better choice. Figure out what you prefer the most and then make a choice between the two laptops.
