Luke Larsen / Digital Trends
Is there a Windows laptop computer that can truly take down the MacBook Air ? I ’m always on the hunt for something that go the bill .
The forward-looking Dell XPS 13 may be a controversial laptop , but its gorgeous aesthetics and compact size of it make it a prize candidate to take down the MacBook Air . It ’s priced quite close to the late M3 model too .
Luke Larsen / Digital Trends
The introduction ofboth Intel Lunar Lake and Snapdragon X Elite optionsfor the XPS 13 , bombardment life has improved significantly too . It ’s a solid match-up , even if theMacBook Air M3has a twain of one - ups that still make it the better overall choice .
Specs and configurations
The Dell XPS 13 comes with three different silicon chip alternative : the Qualcomm Snapdragon X elect mannikin ( 9345 ) , the Intel Core Ultra Series 2 ( 9350 ) , and the older Intel Core Ultra Series 1 ( 9340 ) . Dell prices them very similarly to the MacBook Air .
TheXPS 13 9345is the less expensive model , go at $ 1,200 for a Qualcomm Snapdragon X elect chipset , 16 GB of RAM , a 512 GB SSD , and a 13.4 - inch FHD+ informatics display . upgrade to 32 GB of RAM and a 1 TB SSD is a $ 300 uncharge , and the most expensive interpretation with a 2.8 K OLED display is $ 1,800 . The in high spirits - end Intel model , theXPS 13 9350 , starts at $ 1,400 for an Intel Core Ultra 7 256V , 16 GB of RAM , a 512 GB SSD , and a 13.4 - in FHD+ IPS display , and upgrading to 32 GB and 1 TB is an extra $ 300 . The most expensive modeling switches to a 2.8 K OLED display and come in in at $ 2,000 .
The MacBook Air M3 base model at $ 1,099 for an 8 - core group CPU/8 - core group GPU M3 chipset , 16 GB of RAM , and a 256 GB SSD . All MacBook Air contour use the same 13.6 - in 2560 x 1664 IPS presentation . With an 8 - core CPU/10 - essence GPU M3 , 16 GB of RAM , and a 512 GB SSD , the MacBook Air M3 costs $ 1,299 . Fully configure , it ’s $ 2,099 with 24 GB of RAM and a 2 TB SSD .
Both theMacBook Air M2and Intel Core Ultra Series 1 Dell XPS 13 are both priced a number lower , matched at $ 999 — at least , when not on sale .
you’re able to get a MacBook Air M3 for less than the XPS 13 in its bag theoretical account , and Dell is n’t proffer the 2 TB or larger store options . So , you’re able to configure the MacBook Air M3 with more computer storage for a bit more money . Note that you may still buy the MacBook Air M2 for $ 100 less across the board .
Design
The XPS 13 appear a lot like the late model on the exterior , as do all the new XPS machines , with Platinum or Graphite CNC - machine aluminum on the lid and bottom chassis and anodized chrome along the sides . On the inside is an edge - to - edge keyboard with zero fundamental spatial arrangement , a glass palm rest and hidden touchpad , and a row of LED office keys . These are controversial features that some user will love , and some will hate , but they blend with the thinnest showing bezels on a laptop to give a soundly modern show .
The MacBook Air M3 is a more conservative purpose outside and in , with CNC - machine aluminum all around in a choice of four colour — Midnight , Starlight , Space Gray , and Silver . The edge are perfectly straight , while the keyboard and touchpad are more traditional design ; the usual fastidious Apple design touches make for an elegant look .
Both laptops are attractive , and it comes down to user preference as to which is better aesthetically . The MacBook Air has a solid chassis with a short deflexion in the lid , while the XPS 13 is an solely stiff machine . The two machines weigh almost the same , and the MacBook Air feels denser than the XPS 13 , given its fantastically thin 0.44 inch equate to the XPS 13 at 0.60 in .
The XPS 13 has thin display bezels than the MacBook Air , which , when fuse with a slenderly small showing , makes the Dell a smaller laptop in breadth and depth . The one controversial plan feature of the MacBook Air is the display notch that houses the webcam and microphones .
The MacBook Air love the excellent Apple Magic Keyboard , with large keycaps and plentiful central spacing , which , combined with the light , snappy switches , make for one of the most comfortable keyboard around . The XPS 13 ’s sharpness - to - edge keyboard provides a feel that ’s almost as good as the MacBook Air ’s , once a user is past a short learning curve . More important , the XPS 13 ’s light-emitting diode mathematical function key have no forcible feel whatsoever , entail you have to await every time you want to enable a occasion . It ’s not a dear invention .
The MacBook Air ’s Force Touch touchpad is excellent , as always , with the utilitarian Force Click feature . The XPS 13 ’s unseamed touchpad is also a haptic variant , which is good but not great . It ’s slick , but some kick that the invisible edge are more troublesome than they ’re worth .
Both laptops have restrain connectivity , with the same two Thunderbolt 4 larboard . However , the MacBook Air has a 3.5 mm audio jack , which the XPS 13 want , and it uses Apple ’s MagSafe 3 exponent connector , while the XPS 13 uses one of the Thunderbolt 4 ports for charging . That at last makes the MacBook Air ’s connectivity more talkative . The XPS 13 has the more cutting off - boundary wireless connectivity , though , with Wi - Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 .
Finally , both laptops have 1080p webcam , while the XPS 13 adds an infrared camera for Windows 11 Hello facial credit . The MacBook Air has Apple ’s TouchID detector implant in the mogul button , while the XPS 13 also has a fingerprint reader in the same location .
Performance
The XPS 13 uses a pick of two chipsets , namely the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1P-80 - 100 or the Intel Lunar Lake ranging from the Core Ultra 5 226V to the Core Ultra 9 288V. The Qualcomm chipset is base on a 12 - core sleeve computer architecture with Adreno graphics , and it get to be both firm and effective . The Intel Lunar Lake chipsets are all 8 - core architectures bleed at various clock speeds and gambol the newest Intel Arc mix artwork , and they ’re primarily meant to better Intel ’s efficiency .
The MacBook Air M3 uses the Apple M2 chipset , with eight CPU cores and either eight or 10 GPU cores . Apple ’s GPU optimizations will make the MacBook Air M3 slightly faster in originative software .
Both laptops , though , will foregather the penury of most users equally well . Each laptop computer includes aNeural Processing Unit ( NPU ) , with the XPS 13 example having faster version than Apple ’s Neural Engine . The upcoming M4 , arriving in early 2025 , will have a faster Neural Engine . All of these laptop computer have various AI feature that will run more expeditiously on - equipment using their NPUs .
Display and audio
The XPS 13 has two 13.4 - inch 16:10 display options , including FHD+ ( 1920 x 1200 ) IPS and 3 K ( 2880 x 1800 ) OLED . Each video display runs at up to 120Hz . The MacBook Air has a 13.6 - inch 16:10 IPS exhibit at 2560 x 1664 run at 60Hz .
We reviewed the two XPS 13 models with Dell ’s low-down - power IPS show . The MacBook Air M3 ’s display has wider and more accurate colouring material while the XPS 13 ’s exhibit has higher contrast . Dell ’s 2.8 KiB OLED exhibit will provide even better coloring material and ink-black blacks , at the cost of dispirited battery life .
The MacBook has four - loudspeaker sound recording that offer excellent audio , with lot of mass , decipherable mids and highs , and a touch of basso . The XPS 13 also has four speakers , including two woofers and two tweeter . Overall , the MacBook Air ’s audio is deeper with more bass . Once again , Apple includes a 3.5 mm audio jackfruit where Dell drops it on the 13 - inch model , and to take it a footstep further , the MacBook Air supports high - impedance headphones .
Portability
Both laptop are highly portable , with the MacBook Air being thinner and the XPS 13 being slighter little . Neither will press down a backpack .
However , the MacBook Air M3 gets excellent battery lifetime that ’s among the proficient you ’ll ascertain in a 13 - in laptop computer . Both XPS 13 models get much better battery life-time than late generations , peculiarly lean idle project .
Ultimately , the MacBook Air M3 is more effective across the board .
The MacBook Air M3 wins out, but the margin is smaller
The XPS 13 is a very well - build and highly portable laptop , and with its newest chipsets it also gets much better bombardment life than before . The keyboard , touchpad , and leave function keys are of questionable note value other than looking cool . But it ’s certainly beautiful .
The MacBook Air M3 is a bit faster and gets even better battery life . Its racy chassis is also great looking and its keyboard and touchpad are the best available on laptops today . It wins this struggle , although by less than in former generations .
