Dell XPS 13 Plus vs Macbook Pro 14: Which of the two laptops fits your needs best? We will help you make that determination by looking at the following factors:
Intro
Before we jump into the ring, let’s meet our contenders. The Dell XPS 13 Plus, a Windows-based powerhouse, is a productivity champion. On the other side, we have the Apple MacBook Pro 14, a favorite among creators, known for its sleek design and top-notch performance. Let’s see how these two laptops battle it out in a work environment in this Dell XPS 13 vs MacBook Pro 14 faceoff.
Dell XPS 13 Plus vs Macbook Pro 14: Battery Life
The Dell XPS 13 Plus has a Li-ion 55Wh battery that takes just under three hours to fully charge. At the same time, the Apple MacBook Pro 14 comes with a larger 70Wh pack (Li-Po technology) and charges in about two hours and 10 minutes.
Dell’s website promises up to 14 hours of work at a single charge. In reality, you would need to tweak the settings to make it last for up to 10 hours. However, most XPS 13 Plus users report about six hours of web surfing and light streaming.
In contrast, the MacBook Pro 14 offers up to 15 hours of performance with no tweaking required, thanks to a more efficient ARM processor. Sorry, Dell XPS, but Apple beats you fairly and squarely in the battery life department.
Winner: Apple MacBook Pro 14.
Overall Performance
We should start by stating that the XPS 13 Plus and the MacBook Pro 14 are excellent laptops that run most work-related apps very well. Yet, we think Apple is a better choice for rendering and similar projects. Apple GPU works better than Intel Iris Xe graphics and runs faster on the battery power. Besides, the Mac Pro does not heat up as much, and its fans are quiet.
As for productivity options, the latest 2022 XPS 13 Plus 9320 model has two Thunderbolt 4 ports and no headphone jack. However, Dell includes USB-C to USB-A 3.0 and USB-C to 3.5mm headset adapters for every model. MacBook Pro 14, on the other hand, is equipped with two Thunderbolt 3 ports, a standard-size HDMI, and an SD card reader. Besides, it has a traditional headphone jack.
Dell might beat Apple in wireless connectivity. It offers the latest Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2, while the latter comes with an earlier Wi-Fi 6 + Bluetooth 5.0 combo. Still, the MacBook Pro 14 has a better camera, a more responsive trackpad, and a comfortable keyboard.
Generally, the Dell XPS 13 Plus is a better choice for Windows MS Office users, while the MacBook Pro 14 fares far better with Adobe software.
Winner: Apple MacBook Pro 14 (again).
Screen Size and Configurations
Comparing Dell XPS 13 Plus vs Macbook Pro 14 displays would be challenging, but we’ll try.
The Dell XPS 13 Plus sports a virtually edgeless InfinityEdge 13.4-inch screen panel. It comes in the following options:
1 – FHD+ (1920 x 1200), anti-glare, non-touch, 100% sRGB, 500 nits, 2,000:1 contrast ratio, wide-viewing angle.
2 – FHD+ anti-reflective touchscreen, 100% sRGB, 500 nits, 2,000:1 contrast ratio, wide-viewing angle.
3 – UHD+ (3840 x 2400), anti-reflective touchscreen, 90% DCI-P3, 500 nits, 1,650:1 contrast ratio, wide-viewing angle.
4 – 3.5K OLED (3456 x 2160), anti-reflective touchscreen, 100% DCI-P3, 400 nits, 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio.
The MacBook Pro 14 offers a single 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display option with a native resolution of 3024 x 1964 (254 pixels per inch). However, the Mac image looks crisper and brighter than any of the XPS 13 Plus screen options.
In summary, both laptops have perfect displays for productivity and entertainment. But because the XPS 13 line has an optional touchscreen and a variety of FHD+ and UHD+ panels, we’ll let Dell have this one.
Winner: Dell XPS 13 Plus (by a slim margin).
Dell XPS 13 Plus vs MacBook Pro 14: Price
Price-wise, neither of the laptops is precisely “affordable”. When The XPS 13 Plus 9320 started at $1299 at the time of its release. But you can find a brand new one on eBay for as little as $777 today.
The latest MacBook Pro 14 with the M3 chip starts at $1599 on the Apple website. We also found a brand new one (base configuration) on eBay for $1299.
While both laptops are high-end flagships, Apple is always going to be more expensive. Yet, given the quality built and performance, it might be a worthy investment. Also, remember that Apple computers hold a better resale value over time than virtually any other brand. So, when you eventually decide to upgrade, you will likely be able to resell your older MacBook Pro 14, but this might not be true for the Dell XPS 13 Plus.
Winner: It’s a tie (the outcome depends on users’ preferences and requirements).
Bottom Line
In conclusion, the Apple MacBook Pro 14 outperforms the Dell XPS 13 Plus in almost every category. However, if you are an avid Windows user and your work depends on MS Suite, this Dell XPS 13 Plus vs Macbook Pro 14 battle may have a different outcome for you. Don’t get us wrong, the XPS 13 is an excellent premium lightweight notebook. But Apple retains its cult-like status for a reason.
Finally, if you did try the Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 and deemed it not up to scratch, you can always resell it with the help of Gadget Salvation and give the MacBook Pro a go!
