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Updated January 10, 2024· Prices updated 24 hours ago
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) is a more affordable option with longer battery life, slightly higher brightness and color accuracy in its display, and rewards those invested in the Apple ecosystem with macOS software and fanless operation for silence. However, the Dell XPS 13 offers double the storage and RAM, which could be beneficial for more intensive tasks and multitasking. It has a newer processor, but its battery life is shorter compared to the MacBook Air. Both are highly portable with no number pad on the keyboard, but their performance for tasks like 3D rendering or engineering will not rival specialized high-performance laptops. If engineering or gaming is a high priority, neither is ideal, but for general use, both are quality choices with the Dell XPS 13 leaning towards more power users due to its specs. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Air (2020)
- Best in class overall build quality
- Excellent battery life
- Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Dell XPS 13
- Excellent portability
Key differences
Screen Quality
7.5
7.2
13.3in
SIZE
13.4in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
395.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
442.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air has a better screen than the Dell XPS 13 for general use, and engineering and design.
The MacBook Air (2020) offers a high-resolution Retina display with good brightness and accurate colors, making it suitable for general use and engineering work where color accuracy is essential; however, its standard 60Hz refresh rate limits its performance for 3D applications that benefit from higher refresh rates. The Dell XPS 13 also boasts a high-resolution, bright and color-accurate screen, catering well to general use and professional design tasks where precise color representation is crucial, but like the MacBook Air, it is not optimized for gaming or 3D work because of its typical refresh rate. For users in need of a laptop for gaming or 3D rendering, a device with a higher refresh rate would be more advantageous.
Battery
15.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air has 15 hours of battery life. The Dell XPS 13 has 10 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
Build Quality
10.0
8.5
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has best in class build quality, while the Dell XPS 13 has very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,000
$850
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has a price of $1,000 and the Dell XPS 13 costs $850.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.6
7.7
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
395.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
442.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.3/10
The Dell XPS 13 and Apple MacBook Air (2020) are both good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) is praised for its excellent portability, battery life, and silent operation, which, combined with its high-quality screen and efficient Apple M1 CPU, make it ideal for general use. Conversely, the Dell XPS 13 offers superior CPU performance with its Intel i7, more RAM for multitasking, and a brighter screen with higher contrast, but compromises slightly on battery life and quietness, though it still holds high marks for portability and screen quality.
Gaming and AI
6.2
6.2
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and Dell XPS 13 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has an integrated GPU that is less capable of handling complex 3D tasks and gaming, also considering that many popular games are not compatible with macOS. On the other hand, the Dell XPS 13 features a slightly more capable Iris Xe integrated GPU which can handle some less demanding games and 3D tasks, but its refresh rate and GPU also limit its performance for high-end gaming or advanced 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
7.3
7.2
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.2/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and Dell XPS 13 are both good for engineering and design.
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) delivers strong performance suitable for engineering and design tasks with its Apple M1 CPU, integrated M1 GPU, and a high-resolution 13.3-inch IPS display that has very good color accuracy. The Dell XPS 13 offers more RAM, a high-powered Intel i7 CPU, and an Iris Xe GPU, combined with a slightly larger 13.4-inch IPS screen, ensuring smooth multitasking and detailed visuals for demanding design software, although with lower color accuracy compared to the MacBook Air.
Content Creation
7.8
7.7
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.2/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and Dell XPS 13 are both good for content creation.
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, video editing and other content creation tasks.
Software Development
7.7
7.5
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and Dell XPS 13 are both good for software development.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
Portability
Very Good
Excellent
13.3in
SIZE
13.4in
2.8 lbs
WEIGHT
2.5 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.5in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell XPS 13 to have excellent portability, while the Apple MacBook Air (2020) has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Apple MacBook Air (2020) and the Dell XPS 13 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Air (2020) | Dell XPS 13 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,000 | $850 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | November 1, 2020 | August 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12'' x 8.4'' x 0.63'' | 11.6'' x 7.9'' x 0.55'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.8 lbs | 2.59 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.97" | 11.63" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.36" | 7.86" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M1 | Intel i7-1250U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 15 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 49.9 Wh | 51 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.3" | 13.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 395 nits | 442 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 8.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 3 | 4 | |
Shopping
Apple MacBook Air (2020)
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | July 2022
"The Apple MacBook Air M2 Entry is a very good, but too expensive daily MacBook. The new MacBook Air M2 is undoubtedly once again a very good mobile companion, but we are still a little bit disappointed on a very high level, which is definitely connected with the increased price point. The new chassis is extremely slim and the front edge is no problem during typing, but the bezels are pretty wide for a modern device and in addition with the vertical space required for the notch, the new Air has larger footprint than some Windows rivals."
Dell XPS 13
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Dig into reviews and images
The Verge
Monica Chen | April 2023
"In the past, the XPS 13 was a hands-down contender for the best laptop on the market. But the Apple-silicon MacBook has since barrelled onto the scene, and it wipes the floor with most of the ultraportable Windows laptops that cross my desk on a daily basis. This XPS is no exception. Compared to the M2 MacBook Air, battery life is worse."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air (2020) or the Dell XPS 13
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About Apple
Apple, an American technology company, is one of the world’s largest company in terms of market capitalization. Their MacBook laptops feature a slim, minimalistic design, class-leading battery life, and premium display and speaker quality. In 2020 Apple switched from using Intel processors to their own silicon chips which have excellent performance and efficiency. The macOS operating system is the second most widely used OS, after Windows.
About Dell
Dell is a highly recognizable American technology company, and is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. Their laptops are very popular for both personal and professional use, and they also own the Alienware brand which makes mid to high end gaming laptops. Their premium XPS range of laptops offer great build quality and portability, while Latitude and Precision laptops are known for reliability, repairability and performance for business users.
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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
By the numbers
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Laptops evaluated
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Laptops stats compiled
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Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
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Recommendations made
37,353
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
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CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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