Showdown: Dell XPS 13 vs. XPS 15

The XPS 13 and XPS 15 are both class-leading products with obvious similarities but also plenty of differences. Through simply being more substantial, the XPS 15 can offer more powerful hardware overall, but the XPS 13 is by far the most portable. Both are excellent, but the choice will ultimately come down to what you want to do with it.

Dell XPS 13 vs Dell XPS 15 tech specs

Category	Dell XPS 13	Dell XPS 15
OS	Windows 10	Windows 10
Processor	10th Gen Intel Core i3-10110U Intel Core i5-10210U	9th Gen Intel Core i5-9300H (4.1 GHz) 9th Gen Intel Core i7-9750H (4.5 GHz) 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9980HK (5.0 GHz)
Display size	13.3 inches	15.6 inches
Display resolution	1920×1080 (touch and non-touch) 3840×2160 (touch)	15.6-inch 1920 x 1080 InfinityEdge 15.6-inch UltraSharp 4K 3840 x 2160 InfinityEdge 15.6-inch OLED 4K 3840 x 2160 InfinityEdge
RAM	4GB, 8GB LPDDR3-2133MHz	8GB/16GB/32GB DDR4
Graphics	Intel UHD 620	Intel UHD Graphics 630 NVIDIA GTX 1650 (4GB GDDR5)
Storage	256GB PCIe SSD	256GB PCIe SSD 512GB PCIe SSD 1TB PCIe SSD 2TB PCIe SSD
Ports	Two Thunderbolt 3 USB-C 3.1 microSD card reader 3.5mm audio	1x Thunderbolt 3 with DisplayPort 2x USB 3.1 Gen 1 1x HDMI 2.0 SD card reader (SD, SDHC, SDXC) 3.5mm combo jack

XPS 15 has the raw power

One of the major hardware differences is the processor. The XPS 15’s Core i5, Core i7 and Core i9 processors are now six-core chips that sport more power than the dual and quad-core processors in the latest XPS 13 models.

The difference matters most for heavy-load processing, making the XPS 15 a much better choice for developers, graphic artists, and anyone else who does a lot of data crunching. The XPS 13 is much more proficient than it once was, though, with hyperthreading adding eight threads to the Core i5 and Core i7 versions.

If more power is something you need, you can stop right here and order a higher-end XPS 15 configuration. It’s also great for gaming thanks to the NVIDIA GTX 1650 graphics, the 4K display is clear and large enough for easy multimedia editing, and developers will love the processor power.

Portable or more portable?

Size for these notebooks is simply not as big a deal as with other laptop makers, but it’s still worth considering. The XPS 13 is incredibly small for a 13-inch notebook, with Dell having squeezed it into the form factor of something closer to Apple’s old 11-inch MacBook Air.

The XPS 15 is also smaller, lighter, and slimmer than the average 15-incher, with a form factor more akin to that of a 14-inch notebook. So you’ve still got a few inches between them, but both are smaller than their display sizes would indicate.

The XPS 13, in particular, is excellent to throw in a bag if you’re a frequent traveler. It’s so compact that it takes up very little room, will fit in any laptop bag, and is light enough you’ll barely know it’s there.

But both are among the most portable laptops of their class, and Dell was one of the first manufacturers to pioneer such a space-saving form factor.

Making the right choice

You won’t make a wrong decision if you go with an XPS laptop. They have powerful processors, beautiful displays, and chassis that are as functional as they are attractive. The final decision is always yours, but based on what we know of these great laptops; we feel comfortable making a couple of recommendations.

If you’re not interested in the high-resolution displays, and dedicated graphics or gaming aren’t on the agenda, go for the XPS 13. Unless screen real estate is of the utmost importance, you’ll have a better all-round experience with the smaller model. It’s powerful, has excellent battery life, and is something you can toss in any bag.

If you want a little more

When you step up the hardware, the decision comes down to what you actually do want. If graphics and computing power are essential, grab the XPS 15. It has some genuinely mindblowing specs for a laptop of this size, including a Core i9 processor and 4K OLED display, which is new to this model.

It’s great for everyday computing, more serious creative or programming work; you can even do some decent gaming on it. It comes at a price, but it’s worth paying if you need the power.

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