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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize a lightweight and silent laptop with longer battery life for general use and appreciate a better quality screen for color accuracy, the Apple MacBook Air (2020) is a solid option, especially if you prefer macOS and a lower price. Alternatively, if you need a larger screen, more storage and RAM, and better performance for 3D work, machine learning, or engineering tasks, the Dell XPS 15 might be worth the extra cost, keeping in mind it's heavier and has a shorter battery life, but comes with Windows 11 and additional features like a fingerprint reader and facial recognition. 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
- Very good portability
- Excellent battery life
- Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Dell XPS 15
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
Key differences
General Use
7.6
8.2
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
395.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
606.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.7/10
The Dell XPS 15 is very good for general use, while the Apple MacBook Air (2020) is good.
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) with its lightweight design and longer battery life is great for portability and general use, offering a high-resolution screen, silent operation, and sufficient performance through its M1 chip for everyday tasks.
Gaming and AI
6.2
6.8
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.4/10
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
9.1/10
The Dell XPS 15 and Apple MacBook Air (2020) are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the Dell XPS 15 is somewhat better.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
7.3
8.1
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell XPS 15 is very good for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Air (2020) is good.
The MacBook Air is equipped with the Apple M1 chip that offers good performance and efficiency for engineering and design, with the added bonus of silent operation due to its fanless design, but its integrated GPU may limit performance for highly graphics-intensive tasks. The Dell XPS 15, on the other hand, comes with a more powerful Intel CPU and discrete GPU, which is better suited for demanding engineering software and design work; it also has a higher quality screen, but this comes at the cost of portability due to its larger size and weight.
Content Creation
7.8
8.3
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell XPS 15 is very good for content creation, while the Apple MacBook Air (2020) is good.
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.
Screen Quality
7.5
7.4
13.3in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
395.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
606.0 nits
The Dell XPS 15 has a better screen than the Apple MacBook Air for content creation, and software development.
The MacBook Air, with a high-resolution display and excellent brightness, provides a clear and vivid image for everyday tasks and detailed work in engineering and design, thanks to its wide color gamut. The Dell XPS 15 also offers a high-resolution, bright display with comprehensive color coverage, making it suitable for precision work required in engineering and design fields. However, for 3D applications that benefit from high refresh rates, both laptops have displays that are not optimized for motion rendering, making them less ideal for 3D work or gaming where fast, smooth visuals are crucial.
Battery
15.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air has 15 hours of battery life. The Dell XPS 15 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.
Portability
Very Good
Good
13.3in
SIZE
15.6in
2.8 lbs
WEIGHT
4.2 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has very good portability, while the Dell XPS 15 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0
8.5
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has best in class build quality, while the Dell XPS 15 has very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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Key similarities
Software Development
7.7
8.1
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell XPS 15 to be very good for software development, while the Apple MacBook Air (2020) is good.
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.
Cost
$1,000
$1,000
$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 15 costs $1,000.
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How the Apple MacBook Air (2020) and the Dell XPS 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Air (2020) | Dell XPS 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,000 | $1,000 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | November 1, 2020 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12'' x 8.4'' x 0.63'' | 13.6'' x 9.1'' x 0.71'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.8 lbs | 4.21 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.97" | 13.57" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.36" | 9.06" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M1 | Intel i7-13700H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 15 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 49.9 Wh | 86 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.3" | 15.6" | |
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 | 606 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 9.1/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 10/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
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 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 3 | |
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 15
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Matthew Buzzi | May 2023
"The 2023 Dell XPS 15 is more or less exactly what you'd expect from the company flagship. Its fresh components deliver measurably superior power and longevity, while the machine's premium build and design remain intact. It may not be overly exciting, but XPS loyalists and upgraders should be more than happy."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air (2020) or the Dell XPS 15
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.
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