If you’re looking for a 13-inch laptop or 14-inch laptop and want a truly premium deal, then Dell’s XPS 13 Plus and Apple’s MacBook Pro 14 are likely to be on your list. Arguably, the MacBook is in a different class as a powerful machine for creators compared to the XPS 13 Plus, which is intended for demanding productive workers.
Even so, the MacBook Pro 14 has elements that make it a stronger competitor to the XPS 13 Plus than the cheaper MacBook Air M1 and MacBook Air M2. So it’s important to evaluate the two and see if the more expensive MacBook is worth the extra money.
Glasses
| Dell XPS 13 Plus | Apple MacBook Pro 14 | |
| Dimensions | 11.63 inches x 7.84 inches x 0.60 inches | 12.31 inches x 8.71 inches x 0.61 inches |
| Weight | 2.71 pounds | 3.5 pounds |
| Processor | Intel Core i5-1240PIntel Core i7-1260PIntel Core i7-1280P | Apple M1 ProApple M1 Max |
| Graphics | Intel Iris Xe graphics | Integrated |
| working memory | 8 GB 16 GB 32 GB | 16GB32GB64GB |
| Display | 13.4-inch 16:10 IPS Full HD+ (1920 x 1200) non-touch 13.4-inch 16:10 IPS Full HD+ touch 13.4-inch 16:10 OLED 3.5K (3456 x 2160) touch 13.4-inch 16:10 IPS UHD+ (3840 x 2400) touch | 14.2-inch 16:10 Liquid Retina XDR 3024 x 1964 |
| Storage | 512GB SSD1TB SSD2GB SSD | 512GB SSD1TB SSD2TB SSD4TB SSD8TB SSD |
| Contact | Optional | Not |
| port | 2 USB-C with Thunderbolt 4 | 3 x USB-C with Thunderbolt 41 x HDMI 2.01 x 3.5 mm audio jack SD card reader |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 | Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0 |
| Webcam | 720p, Windows Hello IR webcam | 1080 p |
| Operation system | Windows 11 Home or Pro | MacOS Monterey |
| Battery | 55 watt-hours | 70 watt-hour |
| Price | $1299+ | $1999+ |
| Evaluation | 4 out of 5 stars | 5 out of 5 stars |
Price and configurations
Both are high-end laptops, but the MacBook Pro 14 is far more expensive in the high end. It starts at $1,999 for an 8-core CPU/14-core GPU M1 Pro processor, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD. That’s a whopping $5,899 when fully equipped with a 10-core CPU/32-core M1 Max CPU, 64GB of RAM, and an 8TB SSD.
The XPS 13 Plus starts at $1,299 for a Core i5-1240P CPU, 8GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD, and a Full HD+ non-touch IPS display. Its most expensive configuration is $2,399 for a Core i7-1280P, 32GB of RAM, a 2TB SSD, and a 3.5K OLED or UHD+ IPS panel.
The top models of the MacBook Pro 14 are directly intended for the most demanding creative professionals. There’s some overlap at the lower end, though, with the MacBook coming in at $2,199 for the M1 Pro, 16GB RAM, and 1TB SSD, and the XPS 13 Plus at $2,099 for the Core i7, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD, and 3.5 K OLED screen. These configurations would be great for those with the most demanding productivity workflows, and these two notebooks are in direct competition.
To shape
- 1. Dell XPS 13 Plus
- 2. Apple MacBook Pro 14
The XPS 13 Plus is an incredibly well-built and designed laptop. Its aluminum lid and body are rigid, the hinges open smoothly with one hand, and the fit and finish are excellent. The MacBook Pro 14 meets the same standard, but somehow exceeds it at the same time. It’s a larger laptop with a 14.2-inch display versus 13.4 inches, and the XPS 13 Plus is even smaller thanks to tiny display bezels. The MacBook is heavier at 3.5 pounds versus 2.71 pounds while being almost identically thin, giving the MacBook a sense of density that exudes quality. And its hinge is even more refined than Dell’s excellent version.
I deal with the details in drawing this distinction. You’d have to handle both laptops yourself to see if the MacBook Pro 14 offers a build that feels superior enough to choose it over the XPS 13 Plus. You’ll feel like you got your money’s worth with both machines, and both are great-looking laptops with minimalist designs and conservative color schemes, although the glass palm rest of the XPS 13 Plus with its hidden touchpad is more futuristic. Hands-on time is a real boon when choosing between them in terms of design and build quality.
The MacBook does have a notch at the top of the screen that bothers some, and it houses the 1080p webcam. The XPS 13 Plus is limited to a 720p camera given its insanely thin bezels. So the MacBook is a better tool for video conferencing, especially when you consider the software that does a great job of optimizing video quality. The Dell includes an infrared camera for password-less Windows 11 Hello login via facial recognition, along with a fingerprint reader in the power button, while the MacBook uses a Touch ID power button.
The XPS 13 Plus changed the traditional XPS 13 keyboard and mouse. Dell has moved to an edge-to-edge keyboard with large keycaps and virtually no key spacing. The switches are shallow, but fast and precise, with a reliable bottom action. Dell has implemented a set of LED touch function buttons which are OK but not really an advantage over the MacBook’s physical keys. The MacBook Pro 14 uses Apple’s Magic Keyboard, which is a more traditional design and also on the shallower side. But it has the best switches in a laptop keyboard, providing a consistently precise feel on all the nicely sized keys. The XPS 13 Plus keyboard is great, but the MacBook keyboard is better.
Mark Coppock/Digital Trends
Dell has also implemented a haptic touchpad on the XPS 13 Plus, and it works well enough. But Apple’s Force Touch touchpad remains standard, and is more responsive and realistic. The XPS 13 Plus has the advantage of an additional touchscreen that the MacBook Pro 14 does not offer.
Finally, connectivity works in the MacBook’s favor. It has one additional Thunderbolt 4 port and adds an HDMI port, a full-size SD card reader, a 3.5mm audio jack, and a MagSafe 3 plug that leaves both Thunderbolt 4 ports available while charging. The XPS 13 Plus doesn’t even have an audio jack, and while Dell includes a dongle in the box, it’s a hassle. The Dell’s wireless connectivity is newer though, with Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 compared to the MacBook’s older Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0 standard.
Performance
Image used with permission of the copyright holder
When configured with the M1 Pro’s 8-core CPU/14-core GPU, the MacBook Pro 14 is faster than the XPS 13 Plus with its 14-core/20-thread Core i7-1280P. But the differences in our CPU-intensive benchmarks aren’t so big that they put the MacBook in a different class. But where it shines is in creative GPU-dependent applications where Apple’s optimizations make the M1 Pro faster than Windows laptops with integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics.
For this comparison, however, we’re looking specifically at how well each laptop meets demanding productivity needs. And in this case, the XPS 13 Plus is more than fast enough when switched into mode using Dell’s thermal management utility. Note that the Dell also runs a lot louder and louder when fully powered, while the MacBook Pro 14 stays quieter and cooler. And the MacBook has serious headroom with the faster M1 Pro and M1 Max available.
| Dell XPS 13 Plus (Core i7-1280P) | Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M1 Pro 8/14) | |
| Geekbench 5 (single / multiple) | Ball: 1,316 / 8,207 Perf: N/A | Bal: 1,728 / 9,955 Perf: N/A |
| Handbrake (seconds) | Ball: 170 Perf: 94 | Bal: 123Perf: N/A |
| Cinebench R23 (single / multi) | Bal: 1,311/ 6,308 Perf: 1,650 / 7,530 | Bal: 1,531 / 9,519 Perf: N/A |
Display
Mark Coppock/Digital Trends
We reviewed the XPS 13 Plus with its 13.4-inch 16:10 3.5K (3456 x 2160) OLED touchscreen, which delivers plenty of brightness, extremely wide and accurate colors, and incredibly deep inky black contrast. It’s slightly sharper than the 16:10 mini-LED MacBook Pro 14 at 14.2 inches and 3024 x 1964. The MacBook’s panel is significantly brighter and has just as deep contrast while its colors aren’t as wide and accurate as Dell’s.
Where the MacBook Pro 14 shines (no pun intended) is how well it plays High Dynamic Range (HDR) video, which Apple calls Extended Dynamic Range (XDR). The XPS 13 Plus also has amazing HDR, but in comparison, Apple’s implementation is brighter and more dynamic.
These are two great screens for productivity, creativity and media consumption. Dell was praised for offering Full HD+ and UHD+ IPS panels.
Portability
Image used with permission of the copyright holder
The XPS 13 Plus is a small laptop. It is smaller and lighter than the MacBook Pro 14. However, both are quite portable and can easily fit in a backpack. If you want the smallest laptop you can find, the XPS 13 Plus wins, but Apple’s laptop is small enough.
At the same time, the MacBook Pro 14 is built around Apple’s ARM processor, which is not only powerful – but also incredibly efficient. The MacBook’s larger 70 watt-hour battery is larger than the Dell’s (55 watt-hours) and enjoys a CPU that can siphon power when it’s not running at full speed. This gives it significantly longer battery life, promising multi-day battery longevity where the XPS 13 Plus will need a charger to last all day.
The MacBook Pro 14 has more headroom
If you’re looking for an excellent productivity laptop, then the Dell XPS 13 Plus or the Apple MacBook Pro 14 will fit the bill. Both are more than fast enough for demanding workflows, have solid build quality and excellent displays, and their keyboards and touchpads are comfortable to use.
However, the MacBook Pro 14 is faster and has significantly better battery life. You can spend about the same money on both laptops, but the MacBook has a higher ceiling. In the end, it’s an overall better laptop for anyone who isn’t looking for the smallest machine.
Editor’s recommendations
Categories: GAMING
Source: newstars.edu.vn